The hero of this article is Sergey Semenovich Uvarov. Short biography: born on September 5, 1786. Russian statesman and anti-critic. Minister of Education and Privy Advisor. Honorary Member and President of the Academy of Sciences. He developed the ideology of the official nationality.
A family
Uvarov Sergey Semenovich (date of birth according to the old calendar August 25, 1786) was born in St. Petersburg in a noble family. All relatives on the paternal and maternal lines were courtiers. Father, Semyon Fedorovich, was a lieutenant colonel of the horse guard. Brave, cheerful, he loved dancing and squatting and playing the bandura.
Prince Potemkin made him his adjutant and married his enviable bride - Daria Golovina. The godmother of Sergei Semenovich was Empress Catherine the Great herself. When young Uvarov was 2 years old, he was left without a father. The mother raised the son. Then aunt - Natalya Ivanovna (in marriage Princess Kurakina).
Education
Like all children from noble families, Sergey received an excellent home primary education. Engaged in the house of Prince Kurakin. Sergey's teacher is the French abbot Mangen. Young Uvarov was a very gifted young man. And he easily mastered European culture, foreign languages, the history of antiquity, etc.
As a result, from childhood, Uvarov Sergey Semenovich knew French and some other languages very well, was well versed in literature. Later he learned Latin, English and Ancient Greek. He composed poems in different languages and recited them talentedly. Thanks to the admiration of adults, he got used to success and in the following years sought to maintain this attitude towards himself.
Service
Sergey began his service in 1801 at the College of Foreign Affairs. In 1806 he was sent to Vienna, to the Russian embassy. In 1809 he became secretary of the embassy in Paris. Over the years, Sergei Semenovich has formed political convictions. He became a supporter of enlightened absolutism. In 1810 he left the diplomatic service.
Creation
In the early years of the service, Sergey Semyonovich Uvarov, whose photo of the portraits is in this article, wrote the first essays. He met with many statesmen, writers, scientists. This not only increased his horizons, such meetings helped to develop an aesthetic sophisticated taste, breadth of interests.
Sergei has a desire for continuous self-education. It was during these years that he showed great interest in ancient antiquities, and he began to collect them. In 1810, his first major work was published - The Project of the Asian Academy. It put forward the idea of forming a Russian scientific institution, which should study the eastern countries.
Sergei Semenovich believed that the spread of Eastern languages will lead to an understanding of the attitude of Asia to Russia. Uvarov called this field the key of national politics.
Creative and government activities
From 1811 to 1822 Uvarov Sergey Semenovich, activity whom closely associated with education and creativity, was the trustee of the St. Petersburg educational district. Then - the director of the department of internal trade and manufactories. In 1824 he became Privy Councilor, and in 1826 - Senator.
He was a member and one of the organizers of the literary society "Arzamas". In it, he had the nickname "Old Woman." But after a couple of years, this society got cold.
In January 1811, Sergei Semenovich was elected an honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. In 1818, Mr .. became its president, with whom he remained until the end of his life. In April 1828 he was elected an honorary member of the Russian Academy, and in 1831 he became its full member. In addition to these organizations, he participated in:
- Paris Academy of Inscriptions and Literature;
- Royal Copenhagen Society of Sciences;
- Royal Madrid Society
- Göttingen Society of Sciences;
- Royal Naples Society.
Uvarov Sergey Semenovich, whose biography is associated with creativity and education, was in the circle of Alexei Olenin - an outstanding archaeologist, artist, writer and director of the Public Library. He constantly gathered masters of different generations. For Uvarov, the society that surrounded Olenin became a kind of unique school.
Moreover, Alexey Nikolayevich himself was one of the founders of Russian archeology. Uvarov wrote about him that Olenin is a lover of antiquities and was engaged in all subjects that belong to this concept. His interests ranged from ancient stones to Kerch jewelry and Moscow monuments. In 1816 he received honorary membership at the Institute of France for French-speaking work.
Natura Uvarova Sergey Semenovich
One lady from the upper world described Uvarov as an aristocratic minion of beauties and gatherings. He was a witty, cheerful and dexterous man with a characteristic shade of pride. But in many large parties in which he was a member, he still remained a stranger.
Uvarov was a very curious and versatile person with broad interests. He was not limited to the service and actively participated in the public life of St. Petersburg.
Uvarov Sergey Semenovich: reforms and development of education
In 1826, the year of the anniversary of the Academy of Sciences, Uvarov took the opportunity to build new buildings and repair old ones. The emperor and his brothers were elected honorary academics, which ensured respect for the Academy of Sciences of the nobility. Uvarov held elections, as a result of which many Russian and foreign minds became members of the academy.
In April 1832 he was appointed deputy minister of education and from 1833 to 1849 he was already a full minister. In 1833, when he assumed this position, he wrote to all educational districts that education should be given in the spirit of the unification of Orthodoxy, nationality and autocracy. This triad subsequently became the embodiment of the Russian doctrine of the monarchs.
Uvarov Sergey Semenovich tried to strengthen government control of grammar schools and universities. Under him, the foundation was laid for Russian real education and foreign practice. He was able to take education to a new level. Grammar schools and universities have reached the European level. And Moscow University has become one of the leading.
In 1934, Uvarov created the "Journal of Public Education", which was published until 1917. Sergei Semenovich himself worked out a plan, drafted the rubrics, assigned the amount of fees and invited the best from the "writing fraternity." The magazine was distributed not only in Russia, but also abroad.
In March 1846, Uvarov, being not only the Minister of Education, but also a real Privy Councilor, will receive the title of Count.
Resignation
In 1849, during the revolution, he inspected the publication of articles on the protection of universities. This activity was not to the liking of Nicholas I, who wrote that everyone should only obey, and not express their reasoning. After these words, Sergei Semenovich, on his own initiative, resigned.
Heritage
In his own estate, located near Moscow, Sergey Semyonovich Uvarov created a botanical garden. Subsequently, it became a public property. A. Bunge named in honor of Sergei Semenovich one plant from the Verbenov family by boiling. One of the minerals is also named. In 1857, the son of Sergei Semenovich established the Uvarov Prize.
Village Porechye
In the estate of the count, which was located in the village of Porechye, literary evenings were constantly held in those days. This village is located 20 kilometers from the village. Uvarovka and 40 km from the city of Mozhaisk.
Now the main attraction here is the Count's palace. This building has two buildings. The roof is made of glass. Now under it are the plants that the Count grew in his conservatory. The forest near the Count's palace is also of great value. During his travels, Sergei Semenovich always brought rare plants or wonders. And he landed them in the forest park zone adjacent to the palace.
Since then, the chestnut tree, which has already turned 300 years old, has remained there to grow. There is a spruce - the "trident of Zeus", etc. The Winter Garden is located next to the central building, and its pavilion is made of metal and glass. During the life of the count, he was heated using a boiler room. From there hot water flowed into pipes attached to the walls.
Personal life
Uvarov Sergey Semenovich married in 1811 to Countess Razumovskaya. She was the daughter of a count. In their marriage, four children were born - a son and three daughters. Elizabeth died without getting married. Alexandra was married to Pavel Alexandrovich Urusov. Natalya married Balabin Ivan Petrovich. And son Alexei became a famous Russian archaeologist and scientist, a lover of antiquity. Married to Shcherbatova P.S.
All Petersburg high society discussed the homosexual addictions of Uvarov. In one of Pushkin's works, he was ridiculed in connection with the appointment of his beloved Dondukov-Korsakov to the post of vice president of the Academy.