Imperial Frontier in the World Outlook of the Decembrists. A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky: a Romantic Historiosophy and Expansion into the Caucasus

Abstract

The historiography of Russian expansion into the Caucasus is very extensive and continues to be replenished with new research, since this topic will hardly ever be exhausted and interest in it is unlikely to dwindle. The same can be said about the Decembrist uprising and the subsequent fate of those rebels who were sent into exile to various parts of the Russian Empire. The frontier theory makes it possible to link these two topics both by taking a fresh look at some of the most well-known subjects in Russian history and opening up new lines of research in traditional frontier studies. The purpose of this study was to conduct a historical and philosophical analysis of the literary heritage of the Decembrist A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky in order to reconstruct his worldview through the lense of frontierism. A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky’s literary pieces, philosophical theses, military notes and personal letters were analyzed in connection with his existential experience of the Caucasian War and historical events to which he bore witness. Conclusions are drawn, regarding various aspects of his worldviews, some of which remained unshakable, whereas others were transformed under the influence of the frontier. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, this article may be of interest to the historians who study both Russian development of the Caucasus and Russian social thought of the 19th century.