Karamzin's biography is briefly the most important. Literary and historical notes of a young technician

pseudonym - A. B. V.

historian, the largest Russian writer of the era of sentimentalism, nicknamed "Russian Stern"; creator of the "History of the Russian State" (volumes 1-12, 1803-1826) - one of the first generalizing works on the history of Russia; editor of the Moscow Journal (1791-1792) and Vestnik Evropy (1802-1803)

Nikolai Karamzin

short biography

The famous Russian writer, historian, largest representative era of sentimentalism, reformer of the Russian language, publisher. With his submission, the vocabulary was enriched with a large number of new crippled words.

The famous writer was born on December 12 (December 1, according to the old style), 1766, in a manor located in the Simbirsk district. The noble father took care of his son's home education, after which Nikolai continued to study first at the Simbirsk noble boarding school, then from 1778 at the boarding school of Professor Shaden (Moscow). During 1781-1782. Karamzin attended university lectures.

Father wanted Nikolai to go to school after the boarding school. military service, - the son fulfilled his desire, in 1781 being in the St. Petersburg Guards Regiment. It was during these years that Karamzin first tried himself in the literary field, in 1783 he translated from German. In 1784, after the death of his father, having retired with the rank of lieutenant, he finally left military service. Living in Simbirsk, he joined the Masonic Lodge.

Since 1785 Karamzin's biography has been connected with Moscow. In this city, he meets N.I. Novikov and other writers, joins the "Friendly Scientific Society", settles in his house, further collaborates with members of the circle in various publications, in particular, takes part in the publication of the journal " Children's reading for the heart and mind”, which became the first Russian magazine for children.

Throughout the year (1789-1790) Karamzin traveled around the countries Western Europe, where he met not only with prominent figures of the Masonic movement, but also with great thinkers, in particular, with Kant, J. G. Herder, J. F. Marmontel. The impressions from the trips formed the basis of the future famous Letters of a Russian Traveler. This story (1791-1792) appeared in the Moscow Journal, which N.M. Karamzin began to publish upon arrival at home, and brought the author great fame. A number of philologists believe that modern Russian literature is counting precisely from the "Letters".

Tale " Poor Lisa"(1792) strengthened the literary authority of Karamzin. Subsequently published collections and almanacs "Aglaya", "Aonides", "My trinkets", "Pantheon of Foreign Literature" opened the era of sentimentalism in Russian literature, and it was N.M. Karamzin was at the head of the current; under the influence of his works, they wrote V.A. Zhukovsky, K.N. Batyushkov, as well as A. S. Pushkin at the beginning of his career.

A new period in the biography of Karamzin as a person and writer is associated with the accession to the throne of Alexander I. In October 1803, the emperor appoints the writer as an official historiographer, and Karamzin is tasked with capturing history Russian state. His genuine interest in history, the priority of this topic over all others was evidenced by the nature of the publications of Vestnik Evropy (this country's first socio-political, literary and artistic magazine Karamzin published in 1802-1803).

In 1804, literary and artistic work was completely curtailed, and the writer began to work on The History of the Russian State (1816-1824), which became the main work in his life and a whole phenomenon in Russian history and literature. The first eight volumes were published in February 1818. Three thousand copies were sold within a month - such active sales had no precedent. The next three volumes, published in the following years, were quickly translated into several European languages, and the 12th, final, volume saw the light after the death of the author.

Nikolai Mikhailovich was an adherent of conservative views, an absolute monarchy. The death of Alexander I and the uprising of the Decembrists, which he witnessed, became a heavy blow for him, depriving the historian writer of his last vitality. On June 3 (May 22, O.S.), 1826, Karamzin died while in St. Petersburg; they buried him in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, at the Tikhvin cemetery.

Biography from Wikipedia

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin(December 1, 1766, Znamenskoye, Simbirsk province, Russian empire- May 22, 1826, St. Petersburg, Russian Empire) - historian, the largest Russian writer of the era of sentimentalism, nicknamed "Russian Stern". The creator of the "History of the Russian State" (volumes 1-12, 1803-1826) - one of the first generalizing works on the history of Russia. Editor of the Moscow Journal (1791-1792) and Vestnik Evropy (1802-1803).

Karamzin went down in history as a reformer of the Russian language. His style is light in the Gallic manner, but instead of direct borrowing, Karamzin enriched the language with tracing words, such as “impression” and “influence”, “love”, “touching” and “entertaining”. It was he who coined the words "industry", "concentrate", "moral", "aesthetic", "epoch", "stage", "harmony", "catastrophe", "future".

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin was born on December 1 (12), 1766 near Simbirsk. He grew up on the estate of his father, retired captain Mikhail Egorovich Karamzin (1724-1783), a middle-class Simbirsk nobleman from the Karamzin family, descended from the Tatar Kara-Murza. He received his primary education in a private boarding school in Simbirsk. In 1778 he was sent to Moscow to the boarding house of Professor of Moscow University I. M. Shaden. At the same time, in 1781-1782, he attended lectures by I. G. Schwartz at the University.

In 1783, at the insistence of his father, he entered the service of the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment, but soon retired. By the time of military service are the first literary experiments. After his resignation, he lived for some time in Simbirsk, and then in Moscow. During his stay in Simbirsk, he joined the Masonic Lodge of the Golden Crown, and after arriving in Moscow for four years (1785-1789) he was a member of the Friendly Learned Society.

In Moscow, Karamzin met writers and writers: N. I. Novikov, A. M. Kutuzov, A. A. Petrov, participated in the publication of the first Russian magazine for children - “Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind”.

In 1789-1790 he made a trip to Europe, during which he visited Immanuel Kant in Königsberg, was in Paris during the great French revolution. As a result of this trip, the famous Letters of a Russian Traveler were written, the publication of which immediately made Karamzin a famous writer. Some philologists believe that modern Russian literature starts from this book. Be that as it may, in the literature of Russian "travels" Karamzin really became a pioneer - he quickly found both imitators (V. V. Izmailov, P. I. Sumarokov, P. I. Shalikov), and worthy successors(A. A. Bestuzhev, N. A. Bestuzhev, F. N. Glinka, A. S. Griboyedov). Since then, Karamzin has been considered one of the main literary figures in Russia.

N. M. Karamzin at the monument "1000th anniversary of Russia" in Veliky Novgorod

Upon his return from a trip to Europe, Karamzin settled in Moscow and began his career as a professional writer and journalist, starting to publish the Moscow Journal of 1791-1792 (the first Russian literary magazine, in which, among other works of Karamzin, the story “Poor Lisa”, which strengthened his fame, appeared ”), then released a number of collections and almanacs: Aglaya, Aonides, Pantheon of Foreign Literature, My Trifles, which made sentimentalism the main literary movement in Russia, and Karamzin - its recognized leader.

In addition to prose and poetry, the Moscow Journal systematically published reviews, critical articles and theatrical analyzes. In May 1792, Karamzin's review of Nikolai Petrovich Osipov's ironic poem " Virgil's Aeneid, turned inside out"

Emperor Alexander I by personal decree of October 31, 1803 bestowed the title of historiographer Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin; 2 thousand rubles were added to the title at the same time. annual salary. The title of a historiographer in Russia was not renewed after Karamzin's death. Since the beginning of the 19th century, Karamzin gradually moved away from fiction, and since 1804, being appointed by Alexander I to the position of a historiographer, he stopped all literary work, "brought his hair into historians." In this regard, he refused the government posts offered to him, in particular, the post of governor of Tver. Honorary member of Moscow University (1806).

In 1811, Karamzin wrote "A Note on the Ancient and new Russia in its political and civil relations”, which reflected the views of the conservative strata of society, dissatisfied with the liberal reforms of the emperor. His task was to prove that there was no need to carry out any transformations in the country. "A note on ancient and new Russia in its political and civil relations" also played the role of outlines for the subsequent enormous work of Nikolai Mikhailovich on Russian history.

In February 1818, Karamzin put on sale the first eight volumes of The History of the Russian State, three thousand copies of which were sold out within a month. In subsequent years, three more volumes of the History were published, and a number of its translations into the main European languages ​​appeared. The coverage of the Russian historical process brought Karamzin closer to the court and the tsar, who settled him near him in Tsarskoye Selo. Karamzin's political views evolved gradually, and by the end of his life he was a staunch supporter of absolute monarchy. The unfinished 12th volume was published after his death.

Karamzin died on May 22 (June 3), 1826 in St. Petersburg. According to legend, his death was the result of a cold received on December 14, 1825, when Karamzin personally observed the events on Senate Square. He was buried at the Tikhvin cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Karamzin - writer

Collected works of N. M. Karamzin in 11 vols. in 1803-1815 was printed in the printing house of the Moscow book publisher Selivanovskiy.

Sentimentalism

Karamzin's publication of "Letters from a Russian Traveler" (1791-1792) and the story "Poor Liza" (1792; separate edition 1796) opened the era of sentimentalism in Russia.

Lisa was surprised, dared to look at young man, - blushed even more and, looking down at the ground, told him that she would not take the ruble.
- For what?
- I don't need too much.
- I think that beautiful lilies of the valley, plucked by the hands of a beautiful girl, are worth a ruble. When you don't take it, here's five kopecks for you. I would always like to buy flowers from you; I would like you to tear them up just for me.

Dominant " human nature Sentimentalism declared feeling, not reason, which distinguished it from classicism. Sentimentalism believed that the ideal of human activity was not the "reasonable" reorganization of the world, but the release and improvement of "natural" feelings. His character is more individualized, his inner world enriched with the ability to empathize, sensitively respond to what is happening around.

The publication of these works big success among readers of that time, "Poor Liza" caused many imitations. The sentimentalism of Karamzin had a great influence on the development of Russian literature: it was repelled, among other things, by the romanticism of Zhukovsky, the work of Pushkin.

Poetry Karamzin

The poetry of Karamzin, which developed in line with European sentimentalism, radically differed from the traditional poetry of his time, brought up on the odes of Lomonosov and Derzhavin. The most significant differences were:

Karamzin is not interested in external, physical world, and the inner spiritual world person. His poems speak "the language of the heart", not the mind. The object of Karamzin's poetry is " simple life”, and to describe it he uses simple poetic forms - poor rhymes, avoids the abundance of metaphors and other tropes so popular in the poems of his predecessors.

"Who is your sweetheart?"
I'm ashamed; i really hurt
The strangeness of my feelings to open
And be the butt of jokes.
The heart in the choice is not free! ..
What to say? She... she.
Oh! not at all important
And talents behind you
Has none;
…
The Strangeness of Love, or Insomnia (1793)

Another difference between Karamzin's poetics is that the world is fundamentally unknowable for him, the poet recognizes the existence different points view of the same object

One vote
Scary in the grave, cold and dark!
The winds are howling here, the coffins are shaking,
White bones are clattering.
Another voice
Quiet in the grave, soft, calm.
The winds blow here; sleeping cool;
Herbs and flowers grow.
Cemetery (1792)

Prose Karamzin

• "Eugene and Julia", a story (1789)
• "Letters from a Russian Traveler" (1791-1792)
• "Poor Lisa", story (1792)
• "Natalya, the boyar's daughter", story (1792)
• « beautiful princess And happy carla» (1792)
• "Sierra Morena", story (1793)
• "Bornholm Island" (1793)
• "Julia" (1796)
• "Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novgorod", a story (1802)
• "My Confession", a letter to the publisher of a magazine (1802)
• "Sensitive and Cold" (1803)
• "Knight of our time" (1803)
• "Autumn"
• Translation - retelling of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign"
• "On Friendship" (1826) to the writer A. S. Pushkin.

Karamzin's language reform

Karamzin's prose and poetry had a decisive influence on the development of the Russian literary language. Karamzin purposefully refused to use Church Slavonic vocabulary and grammar, bringing the language of his works to the everyday language of his era and using grammar and syntax as a model. French.

Karamzin introduced many new words into the Russian language - as neologisms ("charity", "love", "free-thinking", "attraction", "responsibility", "suspicion", "industry", "refinement", "first-class", "humane ”), and barbarisms (“sidewalk”, “coachman”). He was also one of the first to use the letter Y.

The language changes proposed by Karamzin caused a heated controversy in the 1810s. The writer A. S. Shishkov, with the assistance of Derzhavin, founded in 1811 the society “Conversation of the Lovers of the Russian Word”, the purpose of which was to promote the “old” language, as well as to criticize Karamzin, Zhukovsky and their followers. In response, in 1815 formed literary society"Arzamas", which ironically over the authors of "Conversations" and parodied their works. Many poets of the new generation became members of the society, including Batyushkov, Vyazemsky, Davydov, Zhukovsky, Pushkin. literary victory"Arzamas" over "Conversation" strengthened the victory of the language changes introduced by Karamzin.

Despite this, later there was a rapprochement between Karamzin and Shishkov, and, thanks to the assistance of the latter, Karamzin in 1818 was elected a member of the Russian Academy. In the same year he became a member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences.

Karamzin the historian

Karamzin's interest in history arose from the mid-1790s. He wrote a story in historical theme- "Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novgorod" (published in 1803). In the same year, by decree of Alexander I, he was appointed to the position of a historiographer and until the end of his life he was engaged in writing the History of the Russian State, practically ceasing the activities of a journalist and writer.

Karamzin's "History of the Russian State" was not the first description of the history of Russia; before him were the works of V. N. Tatishchev and M. M. Shcherbatov. But it was Karamzin who opened the history of Russia to the general educated public. According to A. S. Pushkin, “Everyone, even secular women, rushed to read the history of their fatherland, hitherto unknown to them. She was a new discovery for them. Ancient Russia seemed to have been found by Karamzin, just as America was found by Columbus. This work also caused a wave of imitations and oppositions (for example, "History of the Russian people" by N. A. Polevoy)

In his work, Karamzin acted more as a writer than a historian - describing historical facts, he cared about the beauty of the language, least of all trying to draw any conclusions from the events he describes. Nevertheless, his commentaries, which contain many extracts from manuscripts, mostly first published by Karamzin, are of high scientific value. Some of these manuscripts no longer exist.

In his "History" elegance, simplicity Prove to us, without any partiality, The necessity of autocracy And the charms of the whip.

Karamzin took the initiative to organize memorials and erect monuments to prominent figures national history, in particular, K. M. Sukhorukov (Minin) and Prince D. M. Pozharsky on Red Square (1818).

N. M. Karamzin discovered Afanasy Nikitin's Journey Beyond Three Seas in a 16th-century manuscript and published it in 1821. He wrote:

“Until now, geographers did not know that the honor of one of the oldest described European travels to India belongs to Russia of the Ioannian century ... It (the journey) proves that Russia in the 15th century had its Taverniers and Chardenis, less enlightened, but equally bold and enterprising; that the Indians had heard of her before they had heard of Portugal, Holland, England. While Vasco da Gama was only thinking about the possibility of finding a way from Africa to Hindustan, our Tverite was already a merchant on the coast of Malabar ... "

Karamzin - translator

In 1787, carried away by the work of Shakespeare, Karamzin published his translation original text tragedy of Julius Caesar. About his assessment of the work and his own work as a translator, Karamzin wrote in the preface:

“The tragedy that I have translated is one of his excellent creations ... If reading the translation brings Russian amateurs literature sufficient concept of Shakespeare; if it brings them pleasure, then the translator will be rewarded for his work. However, he was prepared for the opposite.

In the early 1790s, this edition, one of the first works of Shakespeare in Russian, was included by censorship among the books for seizure and burning.

In 1792-1793, N. M. Karamzin translated the monument Indian literature(from English) - the drama "Sakuntala", the author of which is Kalidasa. In the preface to the translation, he wrote:

“The creative spirit does not live in Europe alone; he is a citizen of the universe. Man everywhere is man; everywhere he has a sensitive heart, and in the mirror of his imagination contains heaven and earth. Everywhere Natura is his teacher and chief source of his pleasures.

I felt this very vividly when reading Sakontala, a drama composed in an Indian language, 1900 years before this, the Asiatic poet Kalidas, and recently translated into English by William Jones, a Bengali judge ... "

Family

N. M. Karamzin was married twice and had 10 children:

• First wife (since April 1801) - Elizaveta Ivanovna Protasova(1767-1802), sister of A. I. Pleshcheeva and A. I. Protasov, father of A. A. Voeikova and M. A. Moyer. According to Karamzin to Elizabeth, he "Knew and loved for thirteen years". She was a very educated woman and active assistant to her husband. Having poor health, in March 1802 she gave birth to a daughter, and in April she died of postpartum fever. Some researchers believe that it is in her honor that the heroine of "Poor Lisa" is named.
  • Sofia Nikolaevna(03/05/1802 - 07/04/1856), since 1821, a maid of honor, a close acquaintance of Pushkin and a friend of Lermontov.
• Second wife (from 01/08/1804) - Ekaterina Andreevna Kolyvanova(1780-1851), illegitimate daughter of Prince A. I. Vyazemsky and Countess Elizaveta Karlovna Sievers, half-sister of the poet P. A. Vyazemsky.
  • Natalia (30.10.1804-05.05.1810)
  • Ekaterina Nikolaevna(1806-1867), Petersburg acquaintance of Pushkin; from April 27, 1828, she was married to a retired lieutenant colonel of the guard, Prince Peter Ivanovich Meshchersky (1802-1876), who was married to her for the second time. Their son, writer and publicist Vladimir Meshchersky (1839-1914)
  • Andrey (20.10.1807-13.05.1813)
  • Natalia (06.05.1812-06.10.1815)
  • Andrey Nikolaevich(1814-1854), after graduating from Dorpat University, was forced to stay abroad for health reasons, later - a retired colonel. He was married to Aurora Karlovna Demidova. He had children from an extramarital affair with Evdokia Petrovna Sushkova.
  • Alexander Nikolaevich(1815-1888), after graduating from Dorpat University, he served in horse artillery, in his youth he was a great dancer and merry fellow, was close to the Pushkin family in his Last year life. Married to Princess Natalya Vasilievna Obolenskaya (1827-1892), had no children.
  • Nicholas (03.08.1817-21.04.1833)
  • Vladimir Nikolayevich(06/05/1819 - 08/07/1879), member of the consultation under the Minister of Justice, senator, owner of the Ivnya estate. He was witty and resourceful. He was married to Baroness Alexandra Ilyinichna Duka (1820-1871), daughter of General I. M. Duka. They left no offspring.
  • Elizaveta Nikolaevna(1821-1891), maid of honor since 1839, never married. Having no fortune, she lived on a pension, which she received as Karamzin's daughter. After the death of her mother, she lived with her older sister Sophia, in the family of the sister of Princess Ekaterina Meshcherskaya. She was distinguished by intelligence and boundless kindness, taking all other people's sorrows and joys to heart. Writer L. N. Tolstoy called her "an example of selflessness". In the family she was affectionately called - Nikolai Karamzin Street in Kaliningrad

  A monument to N. M. Karamzin was erected in Ulyanovsk, commemorative sign- in the Ostafyevo estate near Moscow.

  In Veliky Novgorod, on the monument "1000th Anniversary of Russia" among 129 figures of the most prominent personalities V Russian history(for 1862) there is a figure of N. M. Karamzin

  The Karamzin public library in Simbirsk, created in honor of the famous countryman, opened to readers on April 18, 1848.

  In philately

  Postage stamp of the USSR, 1991, 10 kopecks (TsFA 6378, Scott 6053)

  Postage stamp Russia, 2016

  Addresses

  • Saint Petersburg
    • Spring 1816 - the house of E. F. Muravyova - the embankment of the Fontanka River, 25;
    • spring 1816-1822 - Tsarskoye Selo, Sadovaya street, 12;
    • 1818 - autumn 1823 - the house of E. F. Muravyova - embankment of the Fontanka River, 25;
    • autumn 1823-1826 - tenement house Mizhueva - Mokhovaya street, 41;
    • spring - 05/22/1826 - Tauride Palace - Voskresenskaya street, 47.
  • Moscow
    • Manor of the Vyazemsky-Dolgorukovs - native home his second wife.
    • The house on the corner of Tverskaya and Bryusov Lane, where he wrote "Poor Lisa" - has not been preserved

  
  

"History of Russian Goverment"
is not only the creation of a great writer,
but also the feat of an honest man.
A. S. Pushkin

Karamzin Nikolai Mikhailovich (1766 1826), writer, historian.

He was born on December 1 (12 n.s.) in the village of Mikhailovka, Simbirsk province, in the family of a landowner. He received a good education at home.

At the age of 14, he began to study at the Moscow private boarding school of Professor Shaden. After graduating in 1783, he came to Preobrazhensky Regiment Petersburg, where he met a young poet and future employee of his "Moscow Journal" Dmitriev. Then he published his first translation of S. Gesner's idyll "Wooden Leg". After retiring with the rank of second lieutenant in 1784, he moved to Moscow, became one of the active participants in the magazine Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind, published by N. Novikov, and became close to the Masons. Engaged in translations of religious and moral writings. From 1787 he regularly published his translations of Thomson's The Seasons, Janlis's Village Evenings, W. Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar, and Lessing's tragedy Emilia Galotti.

In 1789, Karamzin's first original story, Evgeny and Yulia, appeared in the magazine "Children's Reading ...". In the spring, he went on a trip to Europe: he visited Germany, Switzerland, France, where he observed the activities of the revolutionary government. In June 1790 he moved from France to England.

In the autumn he returned to Moscow and soon undertook the publication of the monthly Moscow Journal, in which most of"Letters from a Russian Traveler", the novels "Liodor", "Poor Liza", "Natalya, the Boyar's Daughter", "Flor Silin", essays, short stories, critical articles and poems. Karamzin attracted Dmitriev and Petrov, Kheraskov and Derzhavin, Lvov Neledinsky-Meletsky and others to cooperate in the journal. Karamzin's articles asserted a new literary trend - sentimentalism. In the 1790s, Karamzin published the first Russian almanacs, Aglaya (parts 1 2, 1794 95) and Aonides (parts 1 3, 1796 99). The year 1793 came, when the Jacobin dictatorship was established at the third stage of the French Revolution, shocking Karamzin with its cruelty. The dictatorship aroused in him doubts about the possibility for mankind to achieve prosperity. He condemned the revolution. The philosophy of despair and fatalism permeates his new works: the stories "Bornholm Island" (1793); "Sierra Morena" (1795); poems "Melancholy", "Message to A. A. Pleshcheev", etc.

By the mid-1790s, Karamzin had become the recognized head of Russian sentimentalism, which opened new page in Russian literature. He was an indisputable authority for Zhukovsky, Batyushkov, the young Pushkin.

In 1802 1803 Karamzin published the journal Vestnik Evropy, which was dominated by literature and politics. In the critical articles of Karamzin, a new aesthetic program, which contributed to the formation of Russian literature as a national identity. Karamzin saw the key to the identity of Russian culture in history. The most striking illustration of his views was the story "Marfa Posadnitsa". In his political articles, Karamzin made recommendations to the government, pointing out the role of education.

Trying to influence Tsar Alexander I, Karamzin gave him his Note on Ancient and New Russia (1811), irritating him. In 1819 he filed a new note, "The Opinion of a Russian Citizen", which caused even greater displeasure of the tsar. However, Karamzin did not abandon his faith in the salvation of the enlightened autocracy and later condemned the Decembrist uprising. However, Karamzin the artist was still highly appreciated by young writers who did not even share his political convictions.

In 1803, through M. Muravyov, Karamzin received the official title of court historiographer.

In 1804, he began to create the "History of the Russian State", on which he worked until the end of his days, but did not complete it. In 1818 the first eight volumes of History, Karamzin's greatest scientific and cultural achievement, were published. In 1821 the ninth volume, devoted to the reign of Ivan the Terrible, was published, in 1824 the 10th and 11th, about Fyodor Ioannovich and Boris Godunov. Death interrupted work on the 12th volume. It happened on May 22 (June 3, NS) 1826 in St. Petersburg.

It turns out that I have a Fatherland!

The first eight volumes of The History of the Russian State came out all at once in 1818. They say that, closing the eighth and last volume, Fyodor Tolstoy, nicknamed the American, exclaimed: "It turns out that I have a Fatherland!" And he was not alone. Thousands of people thought, and most importantly, felt this very thing. Everyone read the "History" - students, officials, nobles, even secular ladies. They read it in Moscow and St. Petersburg, they read it in the provinces: distant Irkutsk alone bought 400 copies. After all, it is so important for everyone to know that he has it, the Fatherland. This confidence was given to the people of Russia by Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin.

Need a story

In those days, in early XIX century, ancient age-old Russia suddenly turned out to be young, a beginner. Here she entered Big world. Everything was born anew: the army and navy, factories and manufactories, science and literature. And it might seem that the country has no history was there anything before Peter, except dark ages backwardness and barbarism? Do we have history? "Yes," answered Karamzin.

Who is he?

We know very little about Karamzin's childhood and youth - neither diaries, nor letters from relatives, nor youthful writings have been preserved. We know that Nikolai Mikhailovich was born on December 1, 1766, not far from Simbirsk. At that time it was an incredible backwoods, a real bearish corner. When the boy was 11 or 12 years old, his father, a retired captain, took his son to Moscow, to a boarding school at the university gymnasium. Here Karamzin stayed for some time, and then entered the active military service at the age of 15! The teachers prophesied for him not only the Moscow Leipzig University, but somehow it did not work out.

Karamzin's exceptional education is his personal merit.

Writer

Military service did not go I wanted to write: compose, translate. And now, at the age of 17, Nikolai Mikhailovich is already a retired lieutenant. ahead whole life. What to dedicate it to? Literature, exclusively literature decides Karamzin.

And what was it like, Russian literature of the 18th century? Also young, a beginner. Karamzin writes to a friend: "I am deprived of the pleasure of reading a lot on mother tongue. We are still poor in writers. We have several poets who deserve to be read." Of course, there are already writers, and not just a few, but Lomonosov, Fonvizin, Derzhavin, but there are no more than a dozen significant names. Are there really few talents? No, they are, but the matter has become language: the Russian language has not adapted yet to convey new thoughts, new feelings, to describe new objects.

Karamzin focuses on the live conversational speech of educated people. He writes not scholarly treatises, but travel notes("Notes of a Russian Traveler"), short stories ("Bornholm Island", "Poor Lisa"), poems, articles, translates from French and German.

Journalist

Finally, he decides to publish a magazine. It was called simply: "Moscow Journal". The well-known playwright and writer Ya. B. Knyazhnin picked up the first issue and exclaimed: "We did not have such prose!"

The success of the "Moscow Journal" was grandiose as many as 300 subscribers. At the time, a very large number. That's how small is not only writing, reading Russia!

Karamzin works incredibly hard. Collaborates in the first Russian children's magazine. It was called "Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind". Only FOR this magazine Karamzin wrote two dozen pages every week.

Karamzin for his time is the number one writer.

Historian

And suddenly Karamzin takes on a gigantic task of compiling his native Russian history. On October 31, 1803, Tsar Alexander I issued a decree appointing N. M. Karamzin as a historiographer with a salary of 2,000 rubles a year. Now for the rest of his life historian. But, apparently, it was necessary.

Chronicles, decrees, lawsuits

Now write. But for this you need to collect material. The search began. Karamzin literally combs through all the archives and book collections Synod, Hermitage, Academy of Sciences, Public Library, Moscow University, Alexander Nevsky and Trinity-Sergius Lavra. At his request, they search in monasteries, in the archives of Oxford, Paris, Venice, Prague and Copenhagen. And how much was found!

Ostromir Gospel of 1056 1057 (this is still the oldest of the dated Russian books), Ipatiev, Trinity Chronicles. Sudebnik of Ivan the Terrible, a work of ancient Russian literature "The Prayer of Daniel the Sharpener" and much more.

They say, having discovered a new chronicle Volynskaya, Karamzin did not sleep for several nights for joy. Friends laughed that he had become simply unbearable only talk about history.

What will she be?

Materials are being collected, but how to take up the text, how to write a book that even the simplest person will read, but from which even an academician will not wince? How to make it interesting, artistic, and at the same time scientific? And here are the volumes. Each is divided into two parts: in the first detailed, written great master, the story is for the common reader; in the second detailed notes, references to sources this is for historians.

This is true patriotism

Karamzin writes to his brother: "History is not a novel: a lie can always be beautiful, and only some minds like the truth in its attire." So what to write about? To set out in detail the glorious pages of the past, and only turn over the dark pages? Perhaps this is exactly what a patriotic historian should do? No, Karamzin decides, patriotism is only not due to the distortion of history. He doesn't add anything, he doesn't invent anything, he doesn't exalt victories or downplay defeats.

Drafts of the 7th volume were accidentally preserved: we see how Karamzin worked on every phrase of his "History". Here he writes about Vasily III: "In relations with Lithuania, Vasily ... always ready for peacefulness ..." It's not that, it's not true. The historian crosses out what was written and concludes: "In relations with Lithuania, Vasily expressed peacefulness in words, trying to harm her secretly or openly." Such is the impartiality of the historian, such true patriotism. Love for one's own, but not hatred for someone else's.

Ancient Russia seemed to be found by Karamzin, like America by Columbus

Is written ancient history Russia, and around it a modern one is being made: the Napoleonic wars, the battle of Austerlitz, the Treaty of Tilsit, Patriotic War 12th year, the fire of Moscow. In 1815, Russian troops enter Paris. In 1818 the first 8 volumes of The History of the Russian State were published. Circulation is a terrible thing! 3 thousand copies. And they all sold out in 25 days. Unheard of! But the price is considerable: 50 rubles.

The last volume stopped in the middle of the reign of Ivan IV the Terrible.

Some said Jacobin!

Even earlier, the trustee of Moscow University, Golenishchev-Kutuzov, submitted to the Minister of Public Education, to put it mildly, a document in which he argued in detail that "Karamzin's writings are filled with free-thinking and Jacobin poison." "It's not the order that he should be given, it's time to lock him up."

Why so? First of all, for independence of judgment. Not everyone likes it.

There is an opinion that Nikolai Mikhailovich never in his life lied.

Monarchist! exclaimed others, young people, future Decembrists.

Yes, main character"History" Karamzin Russian autocracy. The author condemns bad sovereigns, sets good ones as an example. And he sees prosperity for Russia in an enlightened, wise monarch. That is, a "good king" is needed. Karamzin does not believe in revolution, especially in an ambulance. So, we really have a monarchist.

And at the same time, the Decembrist Nikolai Turgenev will later recall how Karamzin "shed tears" upon learning of the death of Robespierre, the hero of the French Revolution. And here is what Nikolai Mikhailovich himself writes to a friend: "I do not demand either a constitution or representatives, but by feeling I will remain a republican, and, moreover, a loyal subject of the Russian tsar: this is a contradiction, but only an imaginary one."

Why is he not with the Decembrists then? Karamzin believed that Russia's time had not yet come, the people were not ripe for a republic.

good king

The ninth volume has not yet been published, and rumors have already spread that it is banned. It began like this: "We proceed to describe the terrible change in the soul of the king and in the fate of the kingdom." So, the story about Ivan the Terrible continues.

Earlier historians did not dare to openly describe this reign. Not surprising. For example, the conquest of free Novgorod by Moscow. True, Karamzin the historian reminds us that the unification of the Russian lands was necessary, but Karamzin the artist gives bright picture how exactly the conquest of the free northern city was carried out:

“Ioann and his son judged in this way: every day they presented to them from five hundred to a thousand Novgorodians; they beat them, tortured them, burned them with some kind of fiery composition, tied their heads or feet to a sleigh, dragged them to the banks of the Volkhov, where this river does not freeze in winter, and whole families were thrown from the bridge into the water, wives with husbands, mothers with babies. Moscow warriors rode in boats along the Volkhov with stakes, hooks and axes: whoever of those plunged into the water surfaced, that one was stabbed, cut into pieces. These murders lasted five weeks and were committed by general robbery."

And so on almost every page executions, murders, burning of prisoners at the news of the death of the tsar's favorite villain Malyuta Skuratov, an order to destroy an elephant that refused to kneel before the tsar ... and so on.

Remember, this is written by a person who is convinced that autocracy is necessary in Russia.

Yes, Karamzin was a monarchist, but at the trial the Decembrists referred to the "History of the Russian State" as one of the sources of "harmful" thoughts.

December 14

He did not want his book to become a source of harmful thoughts. He wanted to tell the truth. It just so happened that the truth he wrote turned out to be "harmful" for the autocracy.

And here is December 14, 1825. Having received news of the uprising (for Karamzin, this, of course, is a rebellion), the historian goes out into the street. He was in Paris in 1790, was in Moscow in 1812, in 1825 he was walking towards the Senate Square. "I saw terrible faces, heard terrible words, five or six stones fell at my feet."

Karamzin, of course, is against the uprising. But how many among the rebels are the Muravyov brothers, Nikolai Turgenev Bestuzhev, Kuchelbeker (he translated "History" into German).

A few days later Karamzin would say this about the Decembrists: "The errors and crimes of these young people are the errors and crimes of our age."

After the uprising, Karamzin fell mortally ill - he caught a cold on December 14th. In the eyes of his contemporaries, he was another victim of that day. But he dies not only from a cold - the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe world collapsed, faith in the future was lost, and he ascended the throne new king, very far from perfect image enlightened monarch.

Karamzin could no longer write. The last thing he managed to do was, together with Zhukovsky, persuaded the tsar to return Pushkin from exile.

And Volume XII stopped at the interregnum of 1611-1612. And so last words last volume about a small Russian fortress: "Nutlet did not give up."

Now

More than a century and a half has passed since then. Modern historians know much more about ancient Russia than Karamzin, how much has been found: documents, archaeological finds, birch bark letters, finally. But Karamzin's book history-chronicle is the only one of its kind and will never be the same again.

Why do we need it now? Bestuzhev-Ryumin said this well in his time: "A high moral sense makes this book so far the most convenient for cultivating love for Russia and for the good."

Date of birth: December 12, 1766
Date of death: June 3, 1826
Place of birth: Znamenskoye estate in the Kazan province

Nikolai Karamzin- the great historian and writer of the 18-19 centuries. Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin was born in the family estate of Znamenskoye in the Kazan province on December 12, 1766.

His family descended from the Crimean Tatars, his father was an average landowner, retired officers, his mother died when Nikolai Mikhailovich was still a child. His father was engaged in his upbringing, he also attracted tutors and nannies. Karamzin spent all his childhood on the estate, received an excellent education at home, read almost all the books in his mother's extensive library.

Love for foreign progressive literature had a great influence on his work. Future writer, publicist, famous critic, an honorary member of the Academy of Sciences, a historiographer and a reformer of Russian literature, loved to read F. Emin, Rollin and other European masters of the word.

After receiving home education Karamzin entered a noble boarding school in Simbirsk, in 1778 his father attached him to an army regiment, which gave Karamzin the opportunity to study at the most prestigious Moscow boarding school at Moscow University. I.I. was in charge of the boarding house. Shaden, under his strict guidance, Karamzin studied the humanities, and also attended lectures at the university.

Military service:

The father was sure that Nikolai should continue to serve the fatherland in the army, and then Karamzin ended up in active service in the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Military career did not attract the future writer and he almost immediately took a year off, and in 1784 he received a decree on his retirement with the rank of lieutenant.

Secular period:

Karamzin was very famous in secular society, he gets acquainted with the most different people, makes a lot of useful connections, enters the Masonic society, and also begins to work in the literary field. He actively participates in the development of the first children's magazine in Russia "Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind".

In 1789 he decides to go to big Adventure in Europe, during which he met with E. Kant, visited the height of the Paris Revolution and witnessed the fall of the Bastille. A large number of European events allowed him to collect a large number of material for the creation of the "Letters of a Russian Traveler", which immediately gain immense popularity in society and are accepted "with a bang" by critics.

Creation:

After completing his European journey, he took up literature. He established his own "Moscow Journal", and the brightest "star" of his sentimental work, "Poor Liza", was published in it. Russian sentimentalism unconditionally recognizes him as the leader after the release of this creation. In 1803, he was noticed by the emperor himself and became a historiographer. At this point, he begins to work on the huge work of his life, "The History of the Russian State." It is worth noting that when compiling this monumental work, he advocated the preservation of all orders, showed his conservatism and doubts about any state reforms.

In 1810 he received the Order of St. Vladimir III degree, six years later he received high rank Councilor of State and became a holder of the Order of St. Anna, I degree. Two years later, the first 8 volumes of the "History of the Russian State" saw the light, the work was instantly sold out, it was reprinted many times, and also translated into several European languages. He was close to the imperial family, and therefore spoke out for the preservation of the absolute monarchy. He never finished his enormous work, the XII volume was published after his death.

Personal life:

Karamzin married Elizaveta Ivanovna Protasova in 1801. The marriage was short-lived, the wife died after the birth of her daughter Sophia. The second wife of Nikolai Karamzin was Ekaterina Andreevna Kolyvanova.

Karamzin died due to an aggravated cold, which he received after the Decembrist uprising on Senate Square. He rests at the Tikhvin cemetery. Karamzin was one of the fundamentalists of Russian sentimentalism, reformed the Russian language, added many new words to the vocabulary. He was one of the first creators of a comprehensive generalizing work on the history of Russia.

Important milestones in the life of Nikolai Karamzin:

Born in 1766
- Attribution to the army regiments in 1774
- Admission to the Schaden boarding house in 1778
- Active army service in 1781
- Retirement with the rank of lieutenant in 1784
- Work in the first children's magazine in 1787
- Beginning of a two-year trip to Europe in 1789
- Publishing house of the new "Moscow Journal" in 1791
- Publication of "Poor Liza" in 1792
- Marriage to Elizabeth Protasova in 1801
- The beginning of the publication of "Bulletin of Europe" and the death of his wife in 1802
- Obtaining the position of a historiographer and starting work on the huge work "History of the Russian State" in 1803
- Marriage to Ekaterina Kolyvanova in 1804
- Receiving the Order of St. Vladimir III degree in 1810
- Obtaining the rank of State Councilor, as well as receiving the Order of St. Anne, I degree
- Obtaining the title of honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, membership in the same academy since 1818
- Death in 1826

Interesting facts from the biography of Nikolai Karamzin:

Karamzin belongs popular expression about Russian reality, when he was asked about what is happening in Russia: "They steal"
- Researchers and critics believe that "Poor Lisa" is named after Protasova
- Karamzin's daughter Sophia was adopted secular society, became a maid of honor at the imperial court, was friends with Lermontov and Pushkin
- Karamzin had 4 daughters and 5 sons from his second marriage
- Pushkin was a frequent guest at the Karamzins, but his love for Ekaterina Kolyvanova caused discord between writers

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin is a famous Russian writer and historian, famous for his reforms of the Russian language. He created the multi-volume "History of the Russian State" and wrote the story "Poor Liza". Nikolai Karamzin was born near Simbirsk on December 12, 1766. The father was retired at the time. The man belonged to noble family, which, in turn, came from the ancient Tatar dynasty of Kara-Murza.

Nikolai Mikhailovich began to study in a private boarding school, but in 1778 his parents sent the boy to the boarding school of Moscow University professor I.M. Shaden. Karamzin had a desire to learn and develop, so for almost 2 years Nikolai Mikhailovich attended the lectures of I.G. Schwartz in educational institution Moscow. Father wanted Karamzin Jr. to follow in his footsteps. The writer agreed with the parental will and entered the service in the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment.

Nikolay was not a military man for long, he soon resigned, but he learned something positive from this period of his life - the first literary works. After his resignation, he chooses a new place of residence - Simbirsk. Karamzin at this time becomes a member Masonic Lodge"Golden Crown". Nikolai Mikhailovich did not stay long in Simbirsk - he returned to Moscow. For four years he was a member of the Friendly Scientific Society.

Literature

At dawn literary career Nikolai Karamzin went to Europe. The writer met with, looked at the Great French Revolution. The result of the trip was "Letters from a Russian Traveler". This book brought fame to Karamzin. Such works had not yet been written before Nikolai Mikhailovich, therefore philosophers consider the creator to be the founder of modern Russian literature.

Returning to Moscow, Karamzin begins an active creative life. He not only writes stories and short stories, but also manages the Moscow Journal. The publication published works by young and famous authors, including Nikolai Mikhailovich himself. During this period of time, “My trifles”, “Aglaya”, “Pantheon of foreign literature” and “Aonides” came out from under the pen of Karamzin.

Prose and poetry alternated with reviews, analysis theatrical performances And critical articles, which could be read in the Moscow Journal. The first review, created by Karamzin, appeared in the publication in 1792. The writer shared his impressions of the ironic poem Virgil's Aeneid, Turned Inside Out, written by Nikolai Osipov. During this period, the creator writes the story "Natalya, the boyar's daughter."

Karamzin achieved success in poetic art. The poet used European sentimentalism, which did not fit into the traditional poetry of that time. No od or, with Nikolai Mikhailovich began new stage development poetic world in Russia.

Karamzin praised the spiritual world of man, ignoring the physical shell. "Language of the heart" was used by the creator. logical and simple shapes, meager rhymes and the almost complete absence of paths - that's what the poetry of Nikolai Mikhailovich was.

In 1803, Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin became officially a historian. The corresponding decree was signed by the emperor. The writer became the first and last historiographer of the country. Nikolai Mikhailovich devoted the second half of his life to the study of history. Karamzin was not interested in government posts.

First historical work Nikolai Mikhailovich became "Note on ancient and new Russia in its political and civil relations." Karamzin presented the conservative strata of society, expressed their opinion on the emperor's liberal reforms. The writer tried to prove with creativity that Russia does not need transformations. This work is a sketch for a large-scale work.

Only in 1818 did Karamzin publish his main work, The History of the Russian State. It consisted of 8 volumes. Later, Nikolai Mikhailovich released 3 more books. This work helped bring Karamzin closer to imperial court including the king.

From now on, the historian lives in Tsarskoe Selo, where the sovereign gave him a separate apartment. Gradually, Nikolai Mikhailovich went over to the side of the absolute monarchy. The last, 12th volume of the "History of the Russian State" was never completed. In this form, the book was published after the death of the writer. Karamzin was not the founder of descriptions of the history of Russia. According to researchers, Nikolai Mikhailovich was the first to be able to reliably describe the life of the country.

“Everyone, even secular women, rushed to read the history of their fatherland, hitherto unknown to them. She was a new discovery for them. Ancient Russia seemed to be found by Karamzin, like America - ", - said.

The popularity of history books is due to the fact that Karamzin spoke more of a writer than a historian. He respected the beauty of the language, but did not offer readers personal assessments of the events that happened. In special manuscripts for volumes, Nikolai Mikhailovich made explanations and left comments.

Karamzin is known in Russia as a writer, poet, historian and critic, but little information remains about Nikolai Mikhailovich's translation activities. In this direction, he worked for a short time.

Among the works is a translation of the original tragedy "", written. This book, translated into Russian, was not censored, so it was sent to be burned. Karamzin attached prefaces to each work, in which he assessed the work. For two years, Nikolai Mikhailovich worked on the translation of the Indian drama "Sakuntala" by Kalidas.

Russian literary language changed under the influence of Karamzin's work. The writer deliberately ignored the Church Slavonic vocabulary and grammar, giving the works a touch of vitality. Nikolai Mikhailovich took the syntax and grammar of the French language as a basis.

Thanks to Karamzin, Russian literature was replenished with new words, including “attraction”, “charity”, “industry”, “love”. There was also a place for barbarism. For the first time, Nikolai Mikhailovich introduced the letter "ё" into the language.

Karamzin as a reformer caused a lot of controversy in the literary environment. A.S. Shishkov and Derzhavin created the Conversation of Russian Word Lovers community, whose members tried to preserve the "old" language. Members of the community loved to criticize Nikolai Mikhailovich and other innovators. The rivalry between Karamzin and Shishkov ended in a rapprochement between the two writers. It was Shishkov who contributed to the election of Nikolai Mikhailovich as a member of the Russian and Imperial Academy of Sciences.

Personal life

In 1801, Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin was legally married for the first time. The wife of the writer was Elizaveta Ivanovna Protasova. The young woman was a longtime lover of the historian. According to Karamzin, he loved Elizabeth for 13 years. The wife of Nikolai Mikhailovich was known as an educated citizen.

She helped her husband when needed. The only thing that worried Elizaveta Ivanovna was her health. In March 1802, Sofia Nikolaevna Karamzina was born, the daughter of a writer. Protasova suffered from postpartum fever, which turned out to be fatal. According to researchers, the work "Poor Lisa" was dedicated to the first wife of Nikolai Mikhailovich. Daughter Sophia served as a maid of honor, was friends with Pushkin and.

Being a widower, Karamzin met Ekaterina Andreevna Kolyvanova. The girl was considered illegitimate daughter Prince Vyazemsky. In this marriage, 9 children were born. At a young age, three descendants died, including two daughters of Natalia and son Andrei. At the age of 16, the heir Nikolai died. In 1806, a replenishment happened in the Karamzin family - Catherine was born. At 22, the girl married a retired lieutenant colonel, Prince Peter Meshchersky. The son of the spouses Vladimir became a publicist.

Andrey was born in 1814. The young man studied at Dorpat University, but then went abroad due to health problems. Andrei Nikolaevich resigned. He married Aurora Karlovna Demidova, but no children appeared in the marriage. However, Karamzin's son had illegitimate heirs.

After 5 years, replenishment happened again in the Karamzin family. Son Vladimir became the pride of his father. A witty, resourceful careerist - this is how the heir Nikolai Mikhailovich was described. He was witty, resourceful, reached serious heights in his career. Vladimir worked in consultation with the Minister of Justice, a senator. Owned the estate of Ivnya. Alexandra Ilyinichna Duka, daughter of famous general.

The maid of honor was the daughter of Elizabeth. The woman even received a pension for being related to Karamzin. After her mother died, Elizabeth moved in with her older sister Sophia, who at that time lived in the house of Princess Catherine Meshcherskaya.

The fate of the maid of honor was not easy, but the girl was known as a good-natured and sympathetic, intelligent person. Even considered Elizabeth "an example of selflessness." In those years, photos were rare, so portraits of family members were painted by special artists.

Death

The news of the death of Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin spread around Russia on May 22, 1826. The tragedy occurred in St. Petersburg. IN official biography the writer said that the cause of death was a cold.

The historian fell ill after visiting Senate Square on December 14, 1825. The funeral of Nikolai Karamzin took place at the Tikhvin cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Bibliography

• 1791-1792 - "Letters from a Russian Traveler"
• 1792 - "Poor Lisa"
• 1792 - "Natalia, the boyar's daughter"
• 1792 - "The Beautiful Princess and the Happy Karla"
• 1793 - "Sierra Morena"
• 1793 - "Bornholm Island"
• 1796 - "Julia"
• 1802 - "Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novgorod"
• 1802 - "My confession"
• 1803 - "Sensitive and cold"
• 1803 - "Knight of our time"
• 1816-1829 - "History of the Russian State"
• 1826 - "On Friendship"

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin was born on December 1, 1766. in the family of a Simbirsk landowner, who came from an old noble family. He was brought up in a private Moscow boarding school. In adolescence, the future writer read historical novels, in which he was particularly admired by "dangers and heroic friendships". According to the noble custom of that time, he was signed up for military service as a boy, and, having “entered his age”, he entered the regiment, in which he had long been listed. But the army service weighed on him. The young lieutenant dreamed of doing literary creativity. The death of his father gave Karamzin a reason to ask for his resignation, and the small inheritance he received made it possible to fulfill his old dream - a trip abroad. The 23-year-old traveler visited Switzerland, Germany, France and England. This trip enriched him with various impressions. Returning to Moscow, Karamzin published Letters from a Russian Traveler, where he described everything that struck him and was remembered in foreign lands: landscapes and the appearance of foreigners, folk customs customs, city ​​life and the political system, architecture and painting, his meetings with writers and scientists, as well as various social events that he witnessed, including the beginning of the French Revolution (1789-1794).

For several years Karamzin published the Moscow Journal, and then the journal Vestnik Evropy. He created new type magazine, in which literature, politics, science coexisted. A variety of materials in these editions were written in an easy, elegant language, served lively and entertainingly, so they were not only accessible to the general public, but also contributed to the education of literary taste among readers.

Karamzin became the head of a new trend in Russian literature - sentimentalism. Main theme sentimental literature _ touching feelings, emotional experiences of a person, “life of the heart”. Karamzin was one of the first to write about the joys and sufferings of today, ordinary people, and not the heroes of antiquity and mythological demigods. In addition, he was the first to introduce into Russian literature a simple, understandable language close to colloquial.

The story "Poor Liza" brought Karamzin a huge success. Sensitive readers, and especially female readers, shed streams of tears over her. The pond at the Simonov Monastery in Moscow, where the heroine of the work Liza drowned herself because of unrequited love, began to be called "Lizin's pond"; real pilgrimages were made to him. Karamzin had long intended to seriously study the history of Russia, he wrote several historical novels, including such brilliant works as "Marfa Posadnitsa", "Natalia, the Boyar's Daughter".

In 1803 the writer received from Emperor Alexander the official title of historiographer and permission to work in archives and libraries. For several years, Karamzin studied ancient chronicles, working around the clock, ruining his eyesight and undermining his health. Karamzin considered history to be a science that should educate people and instruct them in everyday life.

Nikolai Mikhailovich was a sincere supporter and defender of the autocracy. He believed that "the autocracy founded and resurrected Russia." Therefore, the focus of the historian was the formation of the supreme power in Russia, the reign of kings and monarchs. But not every ruler of the state deserves approval. Karamzin was indignant at any form of violence. So, for example, the historian condemned the tyrannical rule of Ivan the Terrible, Peter's despotism and the rigidity with which he carried out reforms, eradicating ancient Russian customs.

A huge work created by a historian for a relatively a short time was a resounding success with the public. "History of the Russian State" was read by all enlightened Russia, it was read aloud in the salons, discussed, and there were heated debates around it. Creating the "History of the Russian State", Karamzin used a huge number of ancient chronicles and other historical documents. To enable readers to get a true idea, the historian has placed footnotes in each volume. These notes are the result of a colossal work.

In 1818 Karamzin was elected an honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.