Nikolai Bestuzhev - who was he like that? This is an outstanding figure in the liberation movement, the Decembrist (“the smartest man among the conspirators,” according to Nicholas I), an artist, ethnographer, traveler, inventor, economist, fleet historiographer, and critic. Such an extensive field of activity draws attention to this outstanding personality. A brief biography of Nikolai Alexandrovich Bestuzhev is presented below.
The noble family of Bestuzhevs
The Bestuzhevs are a numerous noble family (coat of arms below), whose representatives for some time even belonged to the circle of the higher aristocracy, having the count's title. The last count in the family (Andrey Alekseevich Bestuzhev-Ryumin) died in 1766, that is, a quarter century before the birth of Nikolai Alexandrovich Bestuzhev (1791-1855).
Alexey Petrovich - father of the last count Bestuzhev - who is he? Under Catherine the Great, he was a cardinal, but the leader of the autocrat did not succeed in becoming a statesman and diplomat. Although it is known that the empress treated him rather favorably.
Family of Nikolai Bestuzhev
Nikolai’s father, Alexander Fedoseevich, received a prestigious military education, was the conference secretary of the Academy of Arts and the ruler of the office of the Stroganov Marble Expedition, a state adviser, the general manager of the Yekaterinburg lapidary factory, and participated in the creation of bronze foundries and a cold steel factory.
Alexander Fedoseevich was seriously injured during the Russian-Swedish war. His girlfriend, the tradesman Praskovya, whom he subsequently married, and his servant Fedor came out (the reproductions of the paintings below show the parents of Nikolai Bestuzhev).
Five Decembrists were born in this marriage: Nicholas (born in 1791), Alexander (1797), Michael (1800), Peter (1804) and Paul (1808). In addition, three daughters were raised in the family: Elena (1792), Maria and Olga (about 1794 year of birth).
The Bestuzhevs' House was one of the few cultural centers of Petersburg at that time where meetings of artists, writers and composers took place. A. I. Korsakov (senator, outstanding statesman, art connoisseur, collector), V. L. Borovikovsky (Russian portrait painter), N. Ya. Ozeretskovsky (encyclopedic scientist, member of the Academy of Sciences), M. I. Kozlovsky (famous sculptor) and others.
When raising children, he applied the system of humane pedagogy developed by him. Alexander Fedoseevich defended the idea of public education and was an opponent of religious education. He outlined his views on pedagogy in the treatise "On Education". Thanks to his father, Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bestuzhev joined art early: he knew music and painting well, he loved literature.
Military career
Boys from noble families received, as a rule, a military education. At eleven, Nikolai Bestuzhev became a graduate of the Naval Cadet Corps in St. Petersburg. In the same educational institution, his younger brothers Mikhail and Peter studied. Five years later, Nikolai received the title of midshipman, and two years later he became midshipman.
In 1810, the young man was enrolled in the Marine Corps with the rank of second lieutenant. Three years later, transferred to the Navy, a year later, promoted to lieutenant. In the Patriotic War of 1812, Nikolai, along with the corps, was evacuated to Sveaborg.
There began a romance of a 21-year-old boy with his wife, director of the navigational school L. Stepova. One of Bestuzhev’s contemporaries claimed that this woman had a significant influence on Nikolai’s life until his civil death, that is, exile.
In May 1815, Bestuzhev participated in a campaign in Holland, in Rotterdam. The young officer saw with his own eyes the establishment of the republic, which gave him an idea of civil rights. Two years later, another voyage followed. This time the ship was heading to Calais, in France.
Acquaintance with the state structure and culture of Western countries during their visits more and more confirmed the thoughts of young officers that the monarchy hinders the development of Russia. These thoughts soon led Nikolai Bestuzhev to the Masonic lodge of the “Chosen Michael”.
In 1820, Bestuzhev was appointed assistant lighthouse keeper in Kronstadt. In 1824, Nikolai Alexandrovich, as a historiographer, sailed to France and Gibraltar on the frigate "Agile". In the same year, promoted to lieutenant commander.
At 33, the officer becomes the head of the Maritime Museum, begins to deal with the history of the Russian fleet. Interestingly, then he received the nickname "Mummy." At this time, Nikolai Bestuzhev was already an authoritative figure among naval officers and even managed to gain some fame in the literary and scientific community. Bestuzhev joined a secret society, whose representatives would later be called the Decembrists.
Bestuzhev as a writer
Both before exile for revolutionary activity, and after Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bestuzhev was engaged in translating the prose of Byron, Walter Scott, Thomas Moore into Russian, wrote articles that were devoted mainly to maritime history, essays about European nations (based on impressions of foreign voyages in youth) , Siberian foreigners (in reference).
Nikolai Alexandrovich failed to become an outstanding writer, but his works are of interest and are easy to read. His best stories and essays after the death of the Decembrist were published in one book under the title "Tales and Tales of the Old Sailor." The collection includes "Notes on Holland", "Goose Lake" (about life drilled), "Russians in Paris in 1814" and others.
By the way, the brother of Nicholas Alexander is better known for literary activity. Byronist writer was published under the pseudonym Marlinsky. Each of his tales was eagerly awaited, passed from hand to hand, read out, and books became public domain and sold out like hot cakes. Below is a portrait of Alexander Bestuzhev-Marlinsky.
Technical abilities
Nikolai Alexandrovich Bestuzhev was a versatile person. He was distinguished by outstanding technical abilities. Nicholas quickly mastered all kinds of handmade, constantly generated creative ideas. While serving in the hull, he came up with a “bestuzhevka” rescue boat, and in exile in Siberia he built an economical “bestuzhevsky stove”.
In prison, the Decembrist Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bestuzhev, without tools, made a watch that did not stop and differed in the correct course. In Siberia, he repaired mills, sewed boots and caps, came up with jewelry, meteorological instruments, arranged greenhouses and vegetable gardens, tanneries.
Northern Secret Society
In 1824, the biography of N. A. Bestuzhev changed once and for all. He accepted the offer of Kondraty Ryleev and joined the Northern Secret Society. Members of the society were concerned about the fate of the Russian state, prepared projects for transforming the state in the manner of the western republics.
Decembrists' plans and preparation
The program document was the “Constitution” of Muravyov. According to the “Constitution”, the introduction of a constitutional monarchy, the formation of a federation, the division into fifteen “powers” on the basis of the economic characteristics of the regions, and the division of power into three branches were supposed. Also provided for the abolition of serfdom, the granting of all citizens equal rights, freedom of speech, press and religion.
Bestuzhev (who knew the rules under him is Alexander I Pavlovich, who died a few days before the uprising, and Nicholas I) with the brothers became the main assistants of Ryleyev on the eve of the uprising. On the fourteenth of December 1825, it was Nikolai Aleksandrovich who brought the guards to the Palace Square, although he had practically no relation to the maritime service.
"Manifesto to the Russian people"
Decembrist Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bestuzhev worked on the “Manifesto to the Russian people”, which was to be handed to the government by a delegation of revolutionaries. It was planned to publish the Manifesto after the uprising on behalf of the Senate. The thesis of the document in fact proclaimed the republican system.
The investigation in the case of the Decembrists
During the investigation in the case, Nikolai Bestuzhev showed steadfastness and courage. He acknowledged only what was known, answered all questions with restraint, was silent about the affairs of the Northern Secret Society and did not give names. During interrogations, he briefly talked about the grave condition of Russia and pointed out that the hearts of the “northerners” “trembled” the decline of trade, the lawlessness of the courts, the insignificance of agricultural methods and the frustration of finances.
After the first interrogation, Emperor Nicholas I Pavlovich said that Bestuzhev was “the smartest man among the conspirators.” But subsequently the Decembrist will be condemned with the utmost severity. This fact, of course, was influenced by the behavior of Nikolai Alexandrovich during interrogations. In the investigation materials, all conspirators were divided into 11 categories and one group. Bestuzhev was assigned to the second category, although in many ways without reason. The Supreme Court sentenced him to "political (civil) death."
Nicholas I mitigated the punishment for some "criminals", replacing the eternal hard labor of twenty with the deprivation of ranks and reference to settlements. On the occasion of the accession to the throne of Nicholas I Pavlovich, the period of penal servitude for convicts of the second category was reduced to fifteen years, and in 1829 it was again reduced - now to ten years. But then these changes did not affect Nikolai and Mikhail Bestuzhevs.
Bestuzhev in hard labor
Biography of Nikolai Alexandrovich Bestuzhev continued hard labor. On August 7, 1826 he (along with Mikhail, his younger brother) was brought to Shlisselburg, and then sent to Siberia. On September 13, 1827, the Decembrist arrived in Chita prison, and three years later he was transferred to the Petrovsky Plant. There, the convicted Decembrists traveled on foot.
Twice a day, the Decembrists were brought to work. They dug ditches for outflow of water, cultivated a garden, repaired roads, built workshops, ground flour on manual millstones. Convicts were not allowed to work at the plant, fearing their influence on workers. Only once did Nikolai Bestuzhev and K.P. Thorson be admitted to the workshop to fix one of the machines.
Each in hard labor was engaged in craft according to his inclinations and skills. Petrovsky prisoners founded a school to teach literacy to factory children, and the wives of the Decembrists taught local residents needlework and music.
Decembrists portrait gallery
Only in 1832 the term of hard labor was reduced (first to fifteen, and in 1835 to thirteen years). In the casemates, Bestuzhev began to actively engage in literature. He worked in watercolor, and later used oil. Nikolai Alexandrovich painted about 150 portraits of the Decembrists (including his self-portrait), their children and wives, city dwellers, as well as the views of the Petrovsky Plant and Chita - this is a unique phenomenon in Russian painting. Self-portrait of N. Bestuzhev can be seen in the main photo.
Life in exile
In 1839, the brothers Nikolai and Mikhail Bestuzhev were transferred to a settlement in Selenginsk, this city is located in the Irkutsk province. Prior to this, the mother of Nikolai Alexandrovich applied for permission to move to Selenginsk with his daughters. After her death, the Bestuzhev sisters settled in Siberia. They were subject to all the restrictions prescribed for the wives of state criminals.
At penal servitude and in the settlement, Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bestuzhev was engaged in turning, jewelry and watchmaking. There he developed an innovative chronometer design, worked on a gun castle, carried out meteorological, astronomical and seismic studies, grew watermelons and tobacco, described a local coal deposit. In addition, the Decembrist collected Buryat tales and songs.
Personal life
It is known that Nikolai Alexandrovich Bestuzhev in exile lived in a civil marriage with a local resident Dulma Sabilaeva. He had two children: Catherine, who died approximately in 1929 or 1930, and Alexey Startsev (1838-1900). Marriages between nobles and commoners were not welcome at that time, so Bestuzhev’s children lived in the family of the local merchant D. D. Startsev and bore his last name. Nikolai Alexandrovich gave his consent to this, so as not to spoil his descendants.
The death of the righteous
N. Bestuzhev died on May 15, 1866. B. Struve wrote in “Memoirs of Siberia” that the Decembrist, returning from Irkutsk to Selenginsk, caught up with two old wanderers, put them in his wagon, and continued the crossing on the goats (and this with an increasing snowstorm). However, he caught a cold. Arriving in Selenginsk, he fell ill, and after a few days he "died as a righteous man." He was buried on the banks of the Selenga.
The memory of Nikolai Bestuzhev
In memory of N. Bestuzhev, a museum was opened in the thought of the merchant Dmitry Startsev, who raised the children of the Decembrist. In addition, the life of Nikolai Alexandrovich in Siberia is dedicated to the film by B. Khalzanov "There is no foreign land."