“Details of the Visit of Blessed Memory Emperor Nicholas I and of Tsesarevich and Heir Apparent, Nowadays Reigning Sovereign Emperor, to the Don Cossack Host in 1837”. A Note of A.P. Chebotaryov

Written by Volvenko A.A. | 09 January 2021
Posted in Publication of archival documents

Volvenko A.A.,

Taganrog, Russian Federation

“Details of the Visit of Blessed Memory Emperor Nicholas I and of Tsesarevich and Heir Apparent, Nowadays Reigning Sovereign Emperor, to the Don Cossack Host in 1837”. A Note of A.P. Chebotaryov

Abstract

The published note of major general A.P. Chebotaryov, assistant head of the Directorate of irregular troops of the Ministry of Defence, gives account of the visit of Emperor Nicholas I and heir apparent Alexander Nikolaevich (future Alexander II) to the Don Cossack lands in 1837. The note was written in early 1863 during preparations of the ceremony to make the heir apparent Ataman, which involved the arrival of the Imperial family members to the Don region. This ceremony was an important element of the somewhat mythical relationship between the Imperial family and Cossacks. The procedure established in 1837 was strictly observed until 1917. However, in 1863 the Ministry of Defence for some unknown reason could obtain no authentic data on the details of the procedure of receipt of Ataman insignia by the heir apparent. A.P. Chebotaryov's note was to close the gap. In 1837 he had served as aide-de-camp of the ataman of army Don Cossack Host Ataman M. G. Vlasov and witnessed the visit of the Imperial family members to the Don region. The introductory article analyzes the contents of the note, as well as remarks of Alexander II and memoirs of other witnesses of the Emperor’s and his son’s stay in the Don Cossack lands in 1837. Thus, dissenting memoirs on the event allow pose new questions to broaden the classical topic of the Don Cossack Host history and its relationship with the Royal House.

Keywords

Archival document, source, Don lands, Don Cossacks, Nicholas I, Alexander II, A.P. Chebotaryov, travel of Russian emperors.

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About author

Volvenko Aleksey Aleksandrovich, PhD in History, dean of the history and philology faculty of the A.P. Chekhov Taganrog Insitute (branch of the Rostov State Economics University, Taganrog, Russian Federation, 8-904-447-77-70, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it