The Story of the Victories of the Moscow State
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| Author | Afanasy Loginovich Varaksin |
|---|---|
| Language | Old Russian language |
| Series | Literary Monuments |
| Subject | Time of Troubles |
| Genre | Chronicle |
| Published | After 1626 / 1982 |
| Publisher | Nauka |
| Website |
The Story of the Victories of the Moscow State (Russian: Повесть о победах Московского государства), also known as The Tale of the Victories of the Moscow State, is a Russian literary work of the 17th century, a historical tale of the events of the Time of Troubles, mainly about the campaigns of the Smolensk noble militia and the struggle of the Smolensk nobles with Poles and supporters of False Dmitry.[1]
The Tale of the Victories of the Moscow State was written in the literary language of the 17th century, which differs both from colloquial speech and the official language of the same time and reproduces the norms of the Old Russian language. The full title, "A Reliable Story About the Victories of the Moscow State, About How Many Misfortunes for the Multiplication of our Sins We Took from the Internecine War, from the Infidel Poles and from Lithuanians, and from Russian Rebels, and How the All-Merciful Lord God Saved Us from so Many Troubles with His Philanthropy and the Prayers of His Most Holy Mother and, for the Sake of All Saints, Brought Us Back with his Philanthropy to Its Original State".
The only manuscript of "The Tale of Victories...", is located in the Manuscript Division of the Russian National Library as part of the 18th century manuscript from the collection of Pogodin under number 1501. This manuscript (of a codex type, roughly of the A5 format) contains two independent works: The Legend of Boris Godunov and False Dmitriy I (sheets 1–17 turnover, covering events from 1584 to 1606) and the story of the Victories of the Moscow State itself (sheets 17–62 turnover covers events from 1606 to 1626). Some names of historical figures and geographical names were distorted by the census taker and are being restored from other sources.[2]
In 1979, the text "The Tale of Victories..." was discovered and subsequently published by the historian Gennady Enin.
Publication
Was published in 1982 as a separate publication in the series "Literary Monuments" with a circulation of 40,000 copies. The publication contains the original and translation into modern Russian, as well as a research article, comments, personal and geographical indications. Translation and comments made by Gennady Enin.
Summary
The story begins with the Uprising of Bolotnikov in 1606 and ends with the solemn arrival in Moscow of an Orthodox shrine from Persia – the robes of Christ in 1626. In addition, the text contains references in 1514 and 1598.
The Tale describes in detail the campaign of the Smolensk noble militia to help besieged Moscow by Bolotnikov's troops in the fall of 1606, the campaign of the tsar's army against Kaluga and Tula in 1607, the war of Tsar Vasily Shuisky with False Dmitry II ("Tushinsky Thief") in 1608, the campaign of Prince Mikhail Skopin Shuisky against supporters of the impostor of 1609–1610. During this campaign, a certain Afanasy Loginovich Varishkin was able to deliver a convoy with food from the Alexander Sloboda to besieged Moscow and personally met with Tsar Vasily Shuisky. The Tale further describes the defense of Smolensk in 1609–1611, the capture of Tsar Vasily Shuisky and the events of the Interregnum, the liberation campaign of Minin and Pozharsky to Moscow in 1612, the election of Tsar Mikhail Romanov in 1613, unsuccessful campaigns near Smolensk in 1613–1617, the siege of Moscow by the Poles in 1618, the exchange of prisoners and the return to the homeland of Filaret Romanov in 1619, the arrival of Christ's Robe in 1626.
A distinctive feature of the story is the high appreciation of Tsar Vasily Shuisky as a righteous sovereign, as well as the exaltation of the role of the Smolensk nobility in the events of the Time of Troubles.