ISSUE ON GENERAL HISTORY
VOL. 48 [196]
oktober 2024
EDITORIAL
The current issue of the Historical Reporter journal is devoted to general history and consists of three sections: Russian History, General History, and Sources. The articles published in it are very diverse in terms of their topics. The editorial board of the Historical Reporter has always been of opinion that there are no uninteresting topics in history and traditionally provides space for various publications, from fundamental historical research to works of a more modest scale which develop new directions in the historical science. We also continue to publish sources, documents related to Russian history, and quite a significant part of this issue is allocated to them. The issue opens with an article by Andrey A. Bondarenko devoted to service and life of Tver boyars Zyuzins in Moscow and Lithuanian states. This somewhat «private» story, shows a picture typical for the time — for various reasons representatives of noble families were changing their citizenship. Article by Alexey Yu. Konev is devoted to a controversial topic related to the Tobolsk Kremlin’s history. The subject of the discussion is the purpose of stone fortress structures built in Tobolsk in the 17th through 18th centuries. The author defends the point of view according which the structures of the Kremlin are fullyfledged fortification, instead of being regarded as decorative’ buildings, intended exclusively for representative functions and accommodation of secular and ecclesiastical services. The work by Stepan V. Reshetnikov examines the image of the Russian Empire’s western peripheries in the 18th century through the lens of relations between Russia and France. The article regarding the 18th century events looks quite relevant — it touches upon the formation of Russia’s negative image on the example of France, and considers the plans of the French revolutionaries to form separatist’s standpoints in the Russian Empire. The article by Levon V. Batiev is devoted to the organization and activities in the city of NakhichevanonDon based on previously unrepresented archival source — the first full description of the Nakhichevan Armenian colony compiled by Baron Balthasar von Campenhausen, the Governor of Taganrog. At the present time this city is a part of Rostov-on-Don’s Proletarsky district, but following the tradition, locals still call it Nakhichevan. The article by Anton M. Grishin is devoted to the Soviet period of the Russian history, dealing with the topic of Soviet athletes’ performance abroad, highlighting means of overcoming the country’s foreign policy isolation and creating a positive image of the Soviet project. Description of the USSR sports diplomacy everyday practices in 1920s is of a great interest: putting together teams for foreign trips, arrangement of such trips, the control system of delegations, and Soviet athletes’ self-positioning abroad. The General History section is represented by the works of two famous Russian historians — Dmitry E. Mishin and Arutyun A. Ulunyan. The article by Dmitry E. Mishin is an attempt to topologically reconstruct the Sasanid empire’s western and south-western borders, which tells about the famous «Shapur’s Trench», the most important defensive line of the SasanianArab frontier. The article by Arutyun A. Ulunyan entitled «”White Gold” of the Cold War. Cotton Policy of the USSR as assessed by the US State Department and the CIA (1950s through early 1960s)» is devoted to one of the «shadow» aspects of the early Cold War and the competition between the East and the West. At that time, cotton production and its influence was a prime focus of the US government and intelligence.
The Revolution and the Civil War are represented in this issue by the publication of two very interesting sources. Dmitry I. Petin prepared for publication fragments of the diary of M.A. Grishina-Almazova, who is sometimes referred to as the «gray cardinaless» of the white power in Omsk. It is not the first time that her name is mentioned in our journal in connection to the Civil War events in Siberia. This material develops and deepens this truly inexhaustible topic. Publishing the memoirs of V.V. Marushevsky, the last Chief of the General Staff of Old Russia, prepared by Andrey V. Ganin is a significant event in the historical science. These memories, discovered in the Croatian State Archives, were previously unknown even to historians.
In July of this year, Russian science suffered a heavy loss — Constantin Alexandrovich Panchenko, a brilliant person, an outstanding historian, our friend and colleague, passed away. We still find it hard to believe that he is no longer with us. We dedicate this issue to cherished memory of Сonstantin A. Panchenko.
Alexey E. Titkov, Editor-in-Chief of the Historical Reporter
CONTENTS
RUSSIAN HISTORY
Andrey A. Bondarenko. Tver Boyars Zyuzins on Service in Lithuania and Moscow
Alexey Yu. Konev. Tobolsk’ Kremlin: Debatable Issues of the Stone City Building History in Siberia
Stepan V. Reshetnikov. Western Peripheries of the Russian Empire in the 18th Century: a View from France and the Historiography of the Issue
Anton M. Glushich. Soviet Sportsmen Abroad in 1920: Daily Practice of Sports Diplomacy
GENERAL HISTORY
Dmitry E. Mishin. «Shapur’s Trench» and the Sasanian-Arab Borders in the 4th through the 7th Century
Arutyun A. Ulunyan. «White Gold» of the Cold War. USSR Cotton Policy in the Assessments of the US State Department and CIA (50s — Early 60s of the 20th Century)
SOURCES
Dmitry I. Petin. «Randomly opened a letter band...»: from the diary of M.A. Grishina–Almazova
Andrey V. Ganin. «Two Months as the Chief of the General Staff (Sepember—October 1917)» of the General V.V. Marushevsky
IN MEMORIAM
Constantin Aleksandrovich Panchenko (17.02.1968 — 08.07.2024)