Early XVIII Research Articles

Kazakh-Russian Embassy Relations in the Pre-Imperial Period: the Main Problems of Bilateral Relations in the early XVIII century

Kazakh-Russian Embassy Relations in the Pre-Imperial Period: the Main Problems of Bilateral Relations in the early XVIII century

History of emergence of Freemasonry in the early XVIII – late XIX centuries

This article is dedicated to the history of emergence of the Masonic lodge in England and disclosure of the concept of “freemason”. The author reveals and describes the peculiarities of the emergence of Freemasonry, tracing its evolution from the antiquity until the XIX century. Its ancient history is divided into the two main periods (prior and after 1717, i.e. the creation of the Grand Lodge in England). The article describes such events from the history of Freemasonry as the establishment of the First Grand Lodge in England; creation of the Premier Lodge, Anderson’s Constitutions, and the Third Degree; the Great Schism of Freemasonry that tool place 1877; the Taxil hoax. Analysis is conducted on the relationship between the English and French factions of Freemasonry. The obtained results are accurate, since the analysis of the history of Freemasonry was carried based on the wide range of historical facts. The comprehensive analysis of the history of emergence of Freemasonry is carried out for the first time within the Russian-language historical literature, which defines the scientific novelty of this work. The author outlines the further prospects for studying the history of Freemasonry, such as accumulation of the reliable scientific information on the early history of the lodge, examination of the history of other Masonic factions (French, Italian, etc.), as well as the origin of Freemasonry in Russia.

Урбанизм нового времени - «большие проекты»: Амстердам и Петербург

The article presents a comparative analysis of urban planning complexes that turned out to be the first large objects of urbanization in Europe referring to the New Era. The introduction of a systematic approach to the development of vast wetlands and formation of an elite-type living environment is considered. The author reveals the characteristic features of residential buildings` morphotypes in St. Petersburg and Amsterdam referring to the early XVIII century and emphasizes the significance of the connectivity of territories and transport communications. The difference in the resources involved is noted, which is reflected in the project concepts and in the methodology for implementing the project. The article is the first part of a block of two articles.

Silsilat as-salatin as a historical source

Manuscripts play a significant role to disclose unknown pages of history. Hajji Mir Muhammad Salim's work “Silsilat as-salatin” is one of those providing huge and valuable information on some aspects of Central Asian history in the XVI - early XVIII centuries. Mainly, the work provides historical data on the types of land ownership, properties, measuring the length and distances, routes of communication and trade. Besides, the work contains information about waqf property and the chain of main religious personnel.

Early printed books of the library of the Church of Praise of the Mother of God in Orel-Gorodok (village of Orlinskoe) in the XVIII-XX centuries

This article is dedicated to parish libraries of the XVIII-XIX centuries. The author examines the library acquisition and functionality throughout the centuries. The subject of this research is the library of the Church of Praise of the Mother of God in Orel-Gorodok (in the XIX century – the village of Orlinskoe, currently the town of Orel, Perm Krai). Located in the administrative center of the vast Stroganov’s estates, in the XVII – early XVIII centuries the church was under the patronage of the prominent family, which is reflected in numerous book contributions. Later on, the clergy of parish and parishioners took charge of the church. Among them are the clergy dynasties of Gorbunov, Korovin, Smyshlyaev, etc., as well as peasants. The library collection was constantly changing; 12 out of 62 books were removed from during the XVII – XVIII centuries. By the end of the XIX century (based on handwriting of the note), the collection of the church library contained no fewer than 33 books: No. 33 is the highest number identified on the books that previously belonged to this church. It is worth noting that 33 (53%) were attributed to liturgical publications, 25 (40%) –  educational books, 3 (5%) – Holy Scripture, and 1 (2%) – legislative normative texts. Despite the fact that the oldest books were removed from the church library, the early printed books were preserved in its collection up to the end of the XX century.

Arguing Spanish voseo tuteante verb endings: learning, variation and history with OT

The full historical trajectory of voseo (second plural) forms becoming (deferent) second singular forms — as in Latin vos amātis (2pl) > Medieval Spanish vos amádes (2sg formal) — is a central chapter in the history of Spanish. In many Latin-American Spanish vernaculars, classical voseo fused with the original tuteo, giving rise to a new neutral address paradigm, voseo tuteante (Pre-classical Spanish voseo: vos amádes, amáes, amáis, amás (2sg formal) > Latin-American Spanish voseo tuteante: vos amáis, amás (2sg informal)). After a process of selection from the available options, four sets of endings have survived in those varieties: (áis, éis, ís / ás, és, ís / áis, ís, ís / ás, ís, ís). Why these four? The analysis proposed here builds on global properties of the verb system: (i) the verb suffix -is definitively replaced -des in the second half of the XVII century and the early XVIII century, and (ii) the four sets of endings now extant are exactly the ones that can be learned by Optimality-Theoretic grammar-inductive algorithms. This analysis supports the generative view that only languages with learnable grammars are passed on to future generations. Unlearnable languages are most likely to be lost over time. Similarly, variation is also constrained by the limits set by learnability conditions.

Jewelers who were commissioned by the tsar in Russia during the time of Peter the Great: biography, work organization, and stylistics

The goal of this research consists in comprehensive examination of all groups of gold, silver and diamond jewelers who were commissioned by the tsar in Moscow and Saint Petersburg in the late XVII – early XVIII centuries (their biographies, work organization, and artworks), as well as in analysis of stylistic evolution in the artistic image of items made of precious metals of that period. The research is based on the combination of art and historical-cultural approaches. The object this work the jewelry art of the time of Peter the Great. For achieving the set goal, the author refers to the unpublished archival documents and monument of decorative and applied art from the collections of Russian museums. Summary and analysis are conducted on the published material dedicated to the work of jewelers of that time; new records on the jewelers are introduced into the scientific discourse. The research demonstrates that that in the early XVIII century, tsar’s order was carried out by several teams of jewelers from Moscow and Saint Petersburg, who were simultaneously public servants and “free” artisans. The analysis of archival documents allowed specifying the nationality of foreign specialists, as well as the time of their arrival to Russia. The author suggests correlation between attitude of the monarch-commissioner towards court culture and the stylistics of works of decorative and applied art.

Convicts and exiled in Yekaterinburg in 1723 – late 1730s: to the question on formation of social space of the city

This article is dedicated to the history of the Institution of penal servitude and exile in Ural Region in the 1720s – 1730s. The subject of this research is the convicts and exiled who arrived to Yekaterinburg during the period from 1723 to the late 1730s. Analysis is conducted on the legislation dedicated to regulation of penal labor and exile in Russia. Differences in the government policy with regards to exiled in the XVII and XVIII centuries are revealed. The author also examines the reasons of the emergence of exiled and convicts in Ural Region, dynamics of their arrival from Tobolsk and the capital regions, as well as the stance of the mining and metallurgical authorities on this social category. Historians alongside legal historians turned attention to studying penal labor and exile in Siberia, practically not comparing the situation of exiled and convicts in other Russian regions. The novelty of this work consists in studying life of the representatives of this social group in the Ural Region in the early XVIII century, which was noted for transit location, connecting  European and Asian parts of the country, and was the center of mining and metallurgical industry. Leaning on the analysis of documental sources and records, the author concludes that convicts and exiled played a role in the formation of social space of Yekaterinburg. They were well integrated into the social relations: they were allowed to own homesteads and marry, but were under permanent control of the mining and metallurgical administration.

Legal Influence of the Zamojs’kyj Synod (1720) on social relations (late XVII – early XVIII centuries)

Purpose. The purpose of the scientific article is to expose the historical significance and relevance of the Zamojs’kyj Synod of 1720, to investigate the legal impact of synodal acts on the unification, development and identity of the Kyiv Unity Church. The historical context (circumstances, socio-political processes of the late 17th – early 18th centuries) is explained. Methodology. The methodological basis of the study was, in particular, the dialectical method of scientific cognition, through which comprehensively investigated the decisions and resolutions of the Zamojs’kyj Synod of 1720 and their relationship with material and cultural and moral factors. The systematic method was applied in the complex study of large and complex objects (sources, decisions and resolutions of the Zamojs’kyj Synod of 1720). The method of comparison was applied in establishing the similarities and differences of historical and legal phenomena and law-making processes in the bosom of the unified Kyiv Church , formation and development of processes, events in chronological sequence. Originality. The scientific novelty of the research is to uncover the historical significance and relevance of the Zamojs’kyj Synod of 1720, ex. Effects of Synodal Acts on the unification, development and Identity of the Unified Church of Kyiv. Results. The study found that the adoption and approval of many canonical norms prohibited the Zamojs’kyj Synod from most roman catholic ceremonial practices, practices of the Eastern byzantine-ukrainian rite, which were not otherwise stipulated, and legalized a number of roman catholic religious holidays. The innovations fostered a better understanding between representatives of the byzantine rite and their catholic neighbors. The rulemaking of the Zamojs’kyj Synod defined the main directions of development of the Kyiv Church for the following centuries up to the present day. Practical importance. The results of the study can be used in law-making activities for the purpose of legal regulation of public relations in the sphere of state-confessional relations.

Battle of Poznan of 19 August 1704 between the Saxon and Swedish Armies

The battle of Pozna? between the Swedish army commanded by Johann August Meijerfelt and the Saxon army commanded by general Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg began at the dawn of 19 August 1704. The Saxon general had a major advantage in terms of army strength. He was therefore able to push back the Swedish army from the city, but did not capture the tower. The lack of broader researcher interest and the relatively high number of remaining source materials contributed to the tackling the subject. It is worth shedding light on all events that faded into the historical abyss and are forgotten, or worse, are enveloped by false myths. The Republic of Poland, which became an arena for direct military action in 1702-1709 during the Great Northern War, suffered much pain and destruction despite not officially participating in the war. It is perhaps this fact that makes the conflict and its effects difficult to find among valuable Polish historiography works that would objectively show its course and above all the art of war of the early XVIII century. This paper represents only a small droplet of what remains to be done in terms of describing each aspect of the Great Northern War.

How to predict color?

The subject of this research is the forecast or prediction of color. The Russian science does not feature work dedicated to such aspect; however, foreign sources approached prediction of color from various perspectives, most often viewing the color trends as an inseparable part of fashion. The goal of this work consists in determination of the place and time of conception of the color forecasts, historical analysis of evolution of this phenomenon, and assumptions on further development of this direction. Territorially, the epicenters of development of color forecasts are determined in Europe (France and England), in America (the United States), in Asia (Japan). The author describes the peculiarities of color predictions in each country – at certain stages one or another county was ahead or behind; whit the advent of the Internet, everything moves to online format and becomes more dynamic. The article follows the forecast of color since its emergence, highlighting all stages of its development and establishment. The chronological framework of its development stages stretches from the early XVIII century until modernity. From the earliest to more recent, these stages include the color cards, mediators and agents (between factories, textile workers and customers, and stores), trade fairs and expositions, online services and websites. It is determined that with the course of time, the methods and instruments for predicting color were being accumulated and used together; the new colors were added, while the already existing did not lose their relevance. Despite the development of technologies, a final word in forecasting color trends belongs to a human, based on experience and intuition.

Османские планы по закрытию Черного моря в начале XVIII в.

The purpose of the study is to consider the importance of the East Azov Sea and the Strait of Kerch in the relations between the Russian state and the Ottoman Empire in the late XVII – early XVIII centuries as a special direction in the foreign policy. It gained relevance after the successful capture of Azov by Russian troops and Cossacks. The Russian state attempted not only to seize these lands, but also to open navigation in the Black Sea. This problem could be solved by the transfer of the Kerch fortress to Russia or the conclusion of a trade agreement with the Ottoman Empire, which gave the right to free navigation through the Kerch Strait. The unwillingness to allow foreign vessels into the Black Sea and serious concerns about the safety of the state’s capital led to the plans of Porta to close the Kerch Strait completely. The article chronologically traces the emergence of such ideas at the court of the Ottoman Sultan and attempts to implement them in the context of Russian-Ottoman relations and the real abilities of Porta. The scientific novelty of the article lies in determining the methods available to the Ottomans for the implementation of the plan to close the Kerch Strait from foreign powers, in chronological ordering of existing documents and materials, which reveal the essence of the research problem. The author concludes that the lack of financial resources and the timely actions of the Russian ambassadors at the court of the Ottoman sultan did not allow the implementation of a grand project to turn the Sea of Azov into a closed or half-closed reservoir. The normalization of Russian-Ottoman relations and attempts to penetrate the Black Sea peacefully solved the problem of unilateral closure of the strait.

Russian history in “Lives of the Saints” of St. Dimitry of Rostov

The subject of this research is the largest printed compilation of the lives of the saints venerated by the Russian Orthodox Church – “Lives of the Saints” by St. Dimitry of Rostov (1689-1705). Despite a widespread opinion that the only printed book on the Russian history until the middle of the XVIII century was the “Synopsis” by Innokenty Gizel, the author refers to “Lives of the Saints” as a landmark of historical writing that reflects crucial events in the Russian history from ancient times until early XVIII century. Traditionally viewed as a literary and hagiographical landmark, “Lives of the Saints” by St. Dimitri Rostov were out of the scope for the researchers of Russian historiography. This article is the first to conduct comprehensive analysis of historical records contained in the lives of Russian saints as part of the compilation “Live of the Saints”. Emphasis is places on the representation of events of the past. The research demonstrates that “Lives of the Saints” included descriptions of the milestones in Church and political history. Featuring certain aspect of scientific writings (accuracy of dates, critical analysis of sources, reference apparatus), they conveyed a special, Christian perception of Russian history as a chain of miracles of the saints and the Virgin Mary. The conclusion is made on the considerable importance of “Lives of the Saints” in proliferation of information on the Russian past among broad population, and formation of historical memory of the Russian society of the XVIII – XIX centuries.

«Честь и достоинство» матери в голландском искусстве конца XVII – начала XVIII вв.

«Честь и достоинство» матери в голландском искусстве конца XVII – начала XVIII вв.

Charles Davenant (1656-1714) – English pamphleteer and politicians

The subject of this research is the biography of the English thinker, pamphleteer and politician Charles Davenant (1656-1714). The author examines Davenant’s life and activity, as well as factors that affected his career and determined the peculiarities of his writings. Different stages of his biography, particularly participation in the political struggle of England of the late XVII – early XVIII centuries are reviewed. Special attention is paid to the role of Davenant as the author of pamphlets and political treatises. The evolution of his views throughout a lifetime is being traced. In the course of this research, the author applies historical-biographical method, reconstructs his life circumstances, specifics and results of activity of the thinker in the context of his era. The novelty is defined by the relevance of studying C. Davenant’s heritage within the framework of English culture of the turn of XVII – XVIII centuries. The biography of Charles Davenant is still not covered within the Russian literature; as well as foreign authors did not give due attention to his career. The conclusion is made that Davenant’s career significantly influences the content and theme of his works. The acquired knowledge and experience from working in the departments of commerce and finances led him to development of the technique of “political arithmetic”. It is also noteworthy that Davenant’s political alignment shifted in accordance with his career pursuits, which should be taken into account in further analysis of his views.

P. P. Shafirov on goal-setting of public administration (the concept of “value” in the text of “Dedication”, 1716)

“Dedication” by P. P. Shafirov is one of the few texts of the early XVIII century that reflects goal-setting of public administration through the concept of “value”. The object of this article is the establishment of Russian administrative thought in the early XVII century. The subject of this article is the process of development of the concept of “value” as fundamental in substantiation of the goal of public administration. The author attempts to reveal the content of this concept in the text of “Dedication” in juxtaposition to the texts of Western European philosophers of the XVII century who rely on the concepts of “value” and “common good”, and to the similar in tasks texts of Russian authors – P. P. Shafirov and his contemporaries. The main conclusion consists in determination of fundamental difference between the Russian and the European concept of “value”. It implies that in Russia, the concept of “value” is primarily attributed to the state, while in Europe the basic concept was the “common good”. Shafirov deemed it possible to interpret the “state value” not only as creation of the conditions for expansion superiority and strength of the state, but also as the “value to its nationals”. It opened the door for transformation of “state value” into the “common”. Such transformation was not complete, which resulted in parallel existence of the two concepts: “value of state” and “common value”

Ukrainian-Swedish Relations and Treaties of the XVII–XVIII Centuries

It can be said that Sweden’s appeal to Ukraine during the Thirty Years War (1618–1648) and the formation of an imperial state was quite understandable: Ukraine was the enemy of Sweden’s enemies. But the peculiarities of political and economic development of Sweden and its allies caused their claims to the West Ukrainian and Belarus lands. This made it impossible to conclude a full-fledged political treaty. The like situation is with Ukrainian-Swedish relations in 1708–1709, when Sweden was a guarantor of possession of West Ukrainian lands by Polish-Lithuanian state. Ukrainian-Swedish treaties of the XVII – early XVIII centuries had only a military-tactical character and a short-lived action. Only a crisis after Swedish-Ukrainian forces defeat and prolonged living hand-by-hand in the Ottoman Empire (1709–1714) gradually brought royal Swedish protectorate as a form of military alliance to full-fledged recognition of Ukraine as the state and concluding treaty of political nature. Unfortunately, its implementation was very limited. In addition, the close encounter with foreign legal culture and other circumstances of UkrainianSwedish relations gave the impetus to reviewing the grounds of state and law of Ukraine and the emergence of the “Pacts and Resolutions of the Rights and Privileges of the Viysko Zaporozke”, known as the Constitution of Ukraine of 1710. We argue that this document together with confirmation and assecuration charters by Karl XII is not only a monument of Ukrainian constitutionalism, but also a treaty between Ukraine and its protector, the king of Sweden.

Попытки Китая заключить военный союз с Калмыцким ханством в начале XVIII века

Попытки Китая заключить военный союз с Калмыцким ханством в начале XVIII века

Формы землепользования у татар и бухарцев в начале XVIII в. (по материалам дозорных книг)

The paper based on the analysis of two sources — Inventory revision book of the Tara uezd (parish) and Tara Inventory Revision book of 1701 — deals with the landowing forms typical to the Tatars and Bokharians in the early XVIII centuries. Cropland and noncropland were included in the descriptions together with hayfield meadows, enclosed pasture and partially fishing spots. They had specific peculiarities in different ethno-social groups of taxed estate. The main landowing form for the Tatar servicemen was household land consolidation. Small settlements and own mowings were also typical. Landowing of the Tatars who were imposed a tribute in furs was collective. Among Bokhariansland owners and lackland people were distinguished, the lands were primarily used by families or clans. Tatar servicemen and those imposed a tribute in furs and Bokharians also collectively used mowing, noncropland and enclosed pasturesbecause of cohabitation in neighbouring or the same settlements.

Organizational design of the medical service of the Russian army in the XVII - early XVIII centuries

The article is devoted to the consideration of issues of organizational design of the medical service of the Russian army in the XVII - early XVIII centuries. The prerequisites and main directions of the evolution of the legal regulation of the organization of the medical service of the Russian army, as well as the duties of the medical (nursing) staff are indicated. A high-quality transition to the creation of the army medical service as a special organization with clearly defined work principles, staffing structure, a system of staffing the army with medical personnel was noted, which was reflected in Peter I’s «Military Regulations». The issues of creating a system for training domestic medical personnel and financing their work, the recruitment of the Russian army and navy with medical personnel, military medicine management.