An outstanding poet, a great Russian satirist, an astute politician, a brilliant diplomat - all this is Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov (1795 - 1829).
Russia will not forget his classic comedy “Woe from Wit” - it has entered our speech, our way of thinking, as an eternally necessary classic. But there is a second reason for Griboyedov’s immortality. He is a civil general who gave his life defending the honor of the Russian state. The death of Griboyedov is a heroic page in our history. This tragedy happened on January 30, 1829, in the Persian capital.
But let's start from the beginning. Before us is a classic, bright “prodigy”; his extraordinary tenacity of mind manifested itself in him frighteningly early. It is not so important where and what he studied officially - at the Noble boarding school, and then at Moscow University. It was easy for him to foreign languages, and philosophy, and mathematics. Poet, musician, politician, warrior - in all his incarnations he showed himself clearly. By the age of fifteen he could safely be considered a man with a university education. Perhaps early scholarship also determined the essence of Griboyedov’s most famous creation, “Woe from Wit.” It was not easy for him to get rid of the feeling of his own superiority over everyone. It was not easy to adapt both to the service and to the colorful world of art. Alexander Sergeevich could be quarrelsome and harsh. By nature he is a sarcastic knight.
He took part in the War of 1812 - however, as fate would have it, in a supporting role, and then he kept dreaming of writing a tragedy about these heroic events. In the spring of 1816 he left military service without reaching high ranks. And in 1817, his brilliant diplomatic career began.
On July 16, 1818, Count Nesselrode notified in writing the Commander-in-Chief of the Caucasian Army, General Ermolova, that “the official Mazarovich is appointed Charge d’Affaires of Persia, Griboyedov is appointed secretary under him, and Amburger is appointed clerical employee.” Nesselrede loved brevity - but with this cursory mention began Caucasian chapter in the life of our hero.
At that time, Griboyedov was torn between creativity and service, sometimes dreaming of “resigning from the diplomatic service and leaving a sad country, where instead of learning something, you forget what you know.” He did not like serving in a distant foreign country. But General Ermolov - the wisest of the wise - was imbued with deep respect for young talent, it was he - at that time - a powerful commander - who rescued Griboedov from Persia, making him his secretary “for foreign affairs”. Loving Griboyedov like a son, according to Denis Davydov, he tried not to burden him with daily work. Georgia is not Persia; here Griboedov could breathe freely and write to his heart’s content.
The diplomat, who was gaining strength, did not forget about literary matters. Attempts to create an epic drama, a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions remained in sketches. The service distracted Griboyedov from creativity, and the mania for perfection prevented him from working quickly. “Woe from Wit” is Griboyedov’s only major completed work. The caustic comedy was published in full in the official press several decades after Griboyedov’s death. But by that time it had changed the face of Russian literature, influenced our best writers, caused controversy... Dozens of witty remarks entered Russian speech and became popular. Pushkin also noted: “Half of the poems should be included in proverbs.” And so it happened. Social types were judged by Chatsky, Famusov and Molchalin. Griboedov's comedy is perfect. We don’t have a more polished poetic play. The comedy was considered unbearably free-thinking, although Griboedov clearly spoke from a patriotic position. He did not spare sarcasm either for Famusov or for Skalozub. The first attempt to stage “Woe from Wit” on stage was stopped by the capital’s Governor-General Miloradovich. But in the 1830s, comedy saw the stage in both capitals. This is a mysterious work that will be solved for centuries - and with benefit. Satirical comedy and psychological drama in one ball, like a smile and suffering.
The comedy quickly gained fans, among whom, first of all, it is necessary to name Ivan Andreevich Krylov, Thaddeus Venediktovich Bulgarin, the tragedian Karatygin, actress Kolosova, literary friends Zhandra, Grech, Khmelnitsky. They supported Griboedov and did not leave him ununderstood. In 1824, he decided to hand over the manuscript of “Grief” for the census to his friend and co-author (they jointly wrote, or rather translated from French, the comedy “Feigned Infidelity”), Andrei Andreevich Zhandre, the ruler of the office of the Military Accounting Expedition, close to secret societies...
December 1825 is another milestone in fate. In the testimony of the Decembrist S. Trubetskoy, the name of Griboyedov flashed - and he found himself under investigation. And then A.P. Ermolov took the young employee under his wing. The general benevolently prepared Griboyedov for arrest, destroyed all his papers so that they would not fall into the hands of the investigative authorities and wrote to St. Petersburg: “I have the honor to convey Mr. Griboyedov to Your Excellency. He was arrested in such a way that he did not have the opportunity to destroy those who were with him.” he had documents. But there was nothing like that with him, except for a few that I am sending you.” He was under investigation until June 2, 1826, steadfastly denied his participation in the conspiracy and ultimately proved his non-involvement in the rebellion. Free! And again, “I’m happy to serve,” although “it’s sickening to be served.”
He was released from arrest with a “cleansing certificate” - and the diplomat again headed to Tiflis. General Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich, who replaced Yermolov, also highly appreciated Griboyedov’s abilities and, if he sometimes chided him for his reckless courage, he did not hide his respect. During negotiations with the Persians, Paskevich fully relied on Griboyedov’s diplomatic foresight and openly admired him.
The primary political benefit of Griboedov was the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty, which marked the victory over Persia and secured territorial acquisitions Russian Empire, Russian hegemony in the Caspian Sea and in eastern trade. Contemporaries did not dispute main role Griboyedov in the development and signing of this breakthrough document. General Paskevich gave Griboedov the honor of “presenting the treaty” to the emperor. Nikolai Pavlovich granted him the rank of state councilor, the Order of St. Anne, decorated with diamonds, and four thousand chervonets. Griboyedov accepted enthusiastic smiles, but was wary of the court routine and behaved independently.
In Tiflis he was greeted with even greater pomp and was even called Griboyedov-Persidsky. Paskevich gave a salute in honor of him, as was done in St. Petersburg, when all the cannons of the Peter and Paul Fortress fired 201 salvos simultaneously. Well, it was he, Griboedov, who brought the long-awaited and victorious Turkmanchay Treaty to Nicholas I.
It is not surprising that in Persia the same Turkmanchay Treaty was perceived as a national catastrophe. Russia entered into a war with Turkey - and the Persians hoped to evade the treaty by taking advantage of the confusing international situation. They did not even think of fulfilling many agreements, hoping that the Russian Tsar would not start a new war.
IN eastern country a noisy anti-Russian campaign began. Market speakers incited fanatical rage among the people, mixed with pseudo-religious yeast. And Griboyedov was just supposed to demand another part of the indemnity from the Iranians... He tried to smooth out the contradiction, called on St. Petersburg to accept silk or jewelry instead of money. But the emperor’s verdict was strict: the agreement should be strictly implemented. This will give a reason later evil tongues reproach the emperor for the deliberate destruction of Griboedov at the hands of the Persian crowd. It is unlikely that such an insidious plan actually existed, but it must be admitted that Nicholas put his diplomat in an obviously dead-end situation.
The Russian embassy was located not in the capital of Persia, but in Tabriz; in Tehran at the beginning of 1829, Griboyedov stayed temporarily - to introduce himself to the Shah. Of course, the experienced politician felt the nerves of the current situation. He asked his wife to leave Tevriz for a while and return to Georgia - and such a trip was arranged. Griboyedov wrote to his wife every day. “It’s as sad as possible without you. Now I truly feel what it means to love...” - this is the last message from her husband that she read.
Mujtehids (influential Islamic theologians) convinced the heated people that Griboyedov was the culprit of the introduction of new taxes, an atheist, a conqueror... Hatred knew no limits, the mujtehids aroused the spirit of fanaticism. Griboyedov was also accused of harboring Armenians. He actually hid several Armenians on the territory of the embassy in order to smuggle them to Russia. But he acted in accordance with the Turkmanchay Treaty! These hot Persians were ready to abandon their obligations.
Behind these furious protests stood Allayar Khan, a disgraced minister and an adventurist politician who was trying to regain his lost influence. For the Shah, these unrest were an unpleasant surprise, a trap from which he tried to extricate himself. The Shah tried to avoid new war with Russia, but led precisely to war.
On January 30, 1829, the spiritual authorities declared that the Russians holy war. The crowd that had gathered at the mosque headed towards the Russian mission house. A bloody pogrom began. On that day, the entire staff of the embassy was destroyed in Tehran, only the senior secretary Maltsov, an unusually cautious man, survived. He offered salvation to Griboedov too, all he had to do was hide, go into underground passages... “The Russian nobleman does not play hide and seek,” was the answer. He met his death proudly and bravely. He met the uninvited guests with a saber and demanded their obedience. After all, he was on Russian territory! The embassy guard - 35 Cossacks - met the attack with dignity. Dozens of angry fanatics remained on the pavement forever, but every single one of the Cossacks died. Alexander Sergeevich also died. Having been hit on the head with a stone, he fell. Immediately a hail of stones rained down on him, and sabers screamed over his body.
For the death of Griboyedov and the entire Russian mission, the Shah made an official apology to Emperor Nicholas, to which he added a unique diamond. The emperor considered it reasonable to be accommodating; he accepted the gift and deferred the payment of that same indemnity for five years. During the difficult days of the Russian-Turkish War, Nicholas did not want to spoil relations with the Persians. He also turned a blind eye to the opinion of Paskevich, who spoke of the fatal British influence on the Persian crowd. “I consign the ill-fated Tehran incident to eternal oblivion,” said the emperor.
It turned out that the pogromists and provocateurs achieved their goal...
The diamond, according to the Persians, was supposed to atone for the terrible guilt of the murderers of the Russian minister Griboyedov. The stone joined the royal collection, courtiers admired it, and foreign ambassadors asked highest resolution look at such a rarity. But in what carats can one express the damage inflicted on Russia by the brutal murder of one of its greatest creators?..,” says one of Griboyedov’s biographies.
He loved Mount Mtatsminda, towering above Tiflis. There, in the monastery of St. David, he bequeathed to bury himself. The Liturgy was performed by Exarch of Georgia Moses.
Nina Aleksandrovna Chavchavadze-Griboyedova created one of the most memorable epitaphs in the world: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?”
With the news of the death of Alexander Sergeevich, she became seriously ill. Premature birth and death of the child occurred. Nina Alexandrovna mourned for her beloved husband all her life sincerely and inconsolably.
There, in a dark grotto, there is a mausoleum,
And - the modest gift of a widow -
The lamp shines in the semi-darkness,
For you to read
That inscription and let it be for you
I reminded myself -
Two sorrows: sorrow from love
And grief from mind -
He wrote about Nina, about “The Black Rose of Tiflis”, Yakov Polonsky.
The respectful memory of Griboyedov unites Russians, Georgians and Armenians. Caucasian Christian peoples grateful to him as their protector. He spent a long time in Tbilisi, even wrote a note “About the best ways build Tiflis again." He petitioned for the opening of the Tiflis Gazette newspaper and educational institutions. Griboyedov visited Armenia several times. As part of the army of General Paskevich, he participated in the liberation of Erivan, Sardarapat, Nakhichevan and was awarded the medal “For the Capture of Erivan.”
Today, Griboyedov is rarely and thoughtlessly remembered, although school curriculum“Woe from Wit”, it seems, was not crossed out. His image, his ideas are not compatible with the attitudes of our time.
“The more enlightened a person is, the more useful he is to the Fatherland,” said Griboedov. And I followed this program to the best of my ability. The society that has emerged in our country since the fall of 1991 can be reproached for many things, but not for its excessive desire for enlightenment. What is not there is not. Everywhere - not only in Russia - counter-enlightenment is winning, as if from abundance we have forgotten how to think and feel. It's hard to imagine Griboyedov in modern world. But his killers seemed to have stepped off the front pages of today’s or tomorrow’s newspapers – alive. Here, of course, we are not talking only about Islamic radicals. Great provocations and irresponsible manipulation of the worst instincts are in use everywhere. Everyone is “good.” Barbarians with iPhones “are blissful in the world.” The biography of Griboedov, a writer and politician who combined subtle intellect with military courage, is all the more instructive for us.
The author of the famous play “Woe from Wit” was not only a playwright. Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was an outstanding diplomat, pianist and composer. But his genius did not shine for long: at the age of 34 he suffered a terrible death, for which the Shah of Persia paid the Russian Empire with a diamond of amazing beauty.
Talent is immediately noticeable
The future poet and diplomat was born on January 15, 1795 in Moscow into a rich noble family. He had a brother, Pavel, who died in early age, and Sister Mary, an outstanding pianist and harpist. Griboyedov never had respect for women (and even jokingly called them “the noisy sex”), but he maintained a warm friendship with his sister until the end of his life. He wrote his famous play “Woe from Wit” in Maria’s room, trying to avoid noise and annoying acquaintances. She was the only person privy to the secret of writing this work before its publication.
WITH early childhood Alexander surprised everyone with his inquisitive mind and diligent character - instead of playing and frolicking with his peers, he could sit for a long time and diligently study science. The boy’s primary education and upbringing was given to him by his mother Anastasia Fedorovna and several professional tutors, who helped him master three European languages at the age of six.
From the age of seven, Alexander studied at higher education educational institution for noble children - at the Moscow University Noble Boarding School. There Alexander studied various subjects, but special attention he devoted to verbal and moral-political sciences. In addition, he learned three more foreign languages. The young man graduated from the boarding school with honors, having received an excellent, comprehensive education.
Difficult search for yourself
In 1812, the war with the Napoleonic invaders began. And Alexander, neglecting his civilian career, joined the army. He joined the ranks of the Moscow Hussar Regiment with the rank of junior officer. Young Alexander longed for glory and exploits, but a long illness prevented him from defending his homeland. Even after the war, the ardent Alexander was unable to achieve success in the military field - until his departure from the army, he remained in the rank of cavalry cornet. But it was here that Griboyedov first tried himself in literature: during the years of service he wrote several essays, articles and translations.
Disillusioned with military service, Alexander left it at the beginning of 1816 and moved to St. Petersburg. Here he wanted to rest and decide on his future destiny. In the capital, Griboyedov made numerous acquaintances in secular society and among famous playwrights. They helped the young man to take his work seriously literary activity. A little bit later Alexander joined the ranks Masonic lodge"United Friends" But their program did not completely suit Alexander, and in 1817 he helped create a new Masonic lodge.
Life in St. Petersburg allowed young Alexander to learn about everyday life, selfishness, hypocrisy and narrow-mindedness high society. Brought up in the spirit of idealism and humanism, Alexander was outraged, and this inspired him to write a series of comedies in which a character appears, the prototype of Chatsky. Much later, the experience gained from life in the capital formed the basis of the plot of his famous accusatory play.
Great Diplomat
In 1817, Alexander entered the service of the College of Foreign Affairs. He began his career as a translator, but after just a year he became secretary of the embassy to Persia (now Iraq). In the same year, Griboyedov left for the East, not even suspecting that it was here that he would find his death.
Griboedov's entire diplomatic service involved constant travel from Russia to Persia or Georgia. Memories of nomadic life formed the basis of numerous travel notes and diaries of the playwright. In the East, he worked as a professional, and when he returned home to St. Petersburg (sometimes for a year or more), he took up literary activity and composed waltzes and sonatas for piano, which amazed listeners with their harmony. Official duties prompted Alexander to learn 4 more eastern languages.
In 1825, Griboyedov was in Kyiv, where he met with the Decembrists for some time. This was not in vain for him - in January of the following year he was detained and taken to the capital, suspected of having connections with underground fighters. But since no incriminating evidence was found, the suspect was released six months later. Fortunately, the arrest did not affect Griboyedov’s service and career, and he continued to work.
The year 1828 was marked for him by participation in the signing of a peace treaty with Persia in the village of Turkmanchay. Alexander developed the terms of this treaty and put a lot of effort into signing it. Thus ended the Russian-Persian War of 1826-1828.
After success in Turkmanchay, Griboedov was given a promotion - he was appointed to the post of Resident Minister in Tehran. On his way to Persia, he stopped in the Georgian city of Tiflis (now Tbilisi). The diplomat stayed there for only a few months, but these days were his last happy days, which completely changed his life.
Great love and terrible death
In Tiflis, Griboyedov stayed with an old friend - the Georgian prince Alexander Garsevanovich Chavchavadze, a military man and romantic poet. Here he met again eldest daughter the owner, 15-year-old Nina, whom he had not seen for 6 years. At that time, Griboyedov taught the girl to play the piano, and they had a warm friendship. But in 1828 things broke out between them true love. On September 3, they got married in the Sioni Church, despite the large age difference (Griboedov was 33 at the time). Soon after the wedding, Griboyedov continued his journey to Persia. Nina Alexandrovna initially accompanied her husband, but due to pregnancy and illness she was forced to turn back halfway.
Griboyedov, at the head of a diplomatic mission, arrived in Tehran to the court of Feth Ali Shah in early January 1829. He had to persuade the Shah to fulfill the obligations of the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty. But the negotiations dragged on, and more and more Armenian refugees came to the Russian embassy, fleeing Islamic fanatics. It is generally accepted that the shelter of refugees was the reason for the destruction of the Russian embassy.
The attack took place on February 11, 1829. An angry crowd of religious fanatics burst into the embassy building and brutally killed all refugees and members of the Russian diplomatic mission. Only secretary I. S. Maltsov managed to survive. And Griboedov’s brutally mutilated body was identified only by his embassy uniform and traces of an old wound on his left arm, which he received 11 years ago in a duel with the Decembrist A.I. Yakubovich.
But there is still a lot of uncertainty about these events. Experts and historians believe that English agents were among the instigators of the attack - it was in the interests of England to quarrel Russia with Persia. The only person who survived, secretary Maltsov, is suspected by some researchers of having connections with the attackers. And Griboedov’s death still remains in doubt - the signs by which his body was identified cannot be considered sufficient.
After
The massacre at the Russian embassy led to an international scandal. To assuage his guilt, the Shah sent numerous gifts to Emperor Nicholas I, including a large diamond “Shah” weighing more than 88 carats. Thanks to this, the scandal was settled, but gem could not replace the outstanding diplomat.
Nina Alexandrovna, having learned about the death of her husband, became seriously ill, and her child was born dead. On June 18, 1829, she buried Griboedov’s body in Georgia near the Church of St. David (now the Mtatsminda Pantheon). She wore mourning for her husband all her life - in her homeland in Tiflis she was even called the Black Rose. Nina Alexandrovna died of cholera in 1857.
The work of a diplomat is not the performance of honorable and pleasant duties, but a service often associated with the risk of life.
In the main building of the Russian Foreign Ministry there is a Memorial Board on which the names of diplomats who died in the line of duty are immortalized.
An attack on an ambassador-level diplomat is an out-of-the-ordinary incident. Such actions can bring relations between countries to the brink of military conflict.
However, in the last 10 years alone, attacks on Russian ambassadors have occurred twice.
On August 20, 2006, an attack was carried out on Russian Ambassador to Kenya Valery Egoshkin two unknown people on the highway. One of them stabbed the ambassador in the back. Russian diplomat was seriously injured, but doctors saved his life. After undergoing treatment, Valery Egoshkin continued to work at his post.
On November 29, 2011, numerous injuries were caused Head of the Russian diplomatic mission in Qatar Vladimir Titorenko and two embassy employees accompanying him at Doha airport (Qatar). Despite the permission of the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs to transport diplomatic mail in accordance with the Vienna Convention, representatives of airport security, customs and police insisted on scanning the diplomatic mail through an X-ray machine. After Titorenko’s protests, force was used against him. Due to the injuries inflicted, the diplomat underwent three operations to repair the rupture and detachment of the retina.
March 7, 2012 President Dmitry Medvedev because of the incident by his decree, thereby lowering the level of diplomatic relations between the countries.
Death Andrey Karlov in Ankara on December 19, 2016 will go down in the history of domestic diplomacy as one of its darkest pages.
February 11, 1829. Assassination of Russian Ambassador to Persia Alexander Griboedov
On February 11, 1829, in Tehran, a crowd of religious fanatics attacked the residence of the Russian ambassador. According to the testimony of Persian dignitaries, about 100 thousand people were at the embassy that day. Anticipating such a development, Russian Ambassador Alexander Griboyedov sent a note to the Shah the day before the attack, stating that due to constant threats he was forced to ask his government to withdraw his mission from Persia.
The Cossacks guarding the embassy and Griboyedov himself resisted the attackers. 37 people who were in the embassy were killed, including the ambassador himself, the author of the famous comedy “Woe from Wit.” Griboedov's body was so mutilated that it was difficult to identify him.
The Shah of Persia sent an embassy to St. Petersburg headed by his grandson, Prince Khozrev-Mirza. To compensate for the blood shed, he brought Nicholas I rich gifts, including the Shah diamond. Today, this diamond of Indian origin weighing 88.7 carats is kept in the Diamond Fund in Moscow.
Emperor Nicholas I accepted the gifts and announced: “I consign the ill-fated Tehran incident to eternal oblivion.”
May 10, 1923. Murder of the RSFSR Plenipotentiary Representative in Italy Vatslav Vorovsky
Russian revolutionary Vaclav Vorovsky became one of the first Soviet diplomats. Vorovsky, who since 1921 served as the plenipotentiary representative of the RSFSR in Italy, took part in the Genoa Conference in 1922, and in 1923 became part of the Soviet delegation at the Lausanne Conference.
Plenipotentiary Representative of the RSFSR in Italy Vaclav Vorovsky. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
On May 10, 1923, Vorovsky was killed in the restaurant of the Cecil Hotel in Lausanne. former White Guard officer Maurice Conradi. Having shot Vorovsky and wounded his two assistants, Conradi gave the revolver to the head waiter with the words: “I did a good deed - the Russian Bolsheviks destroyed all of Europe... This will benefit the whole world.”
The case of Conradi and his accomplice of Arkady Polunin heard in the Swiss Federal Court. When considering the case, the defense lawyers focused not on the fact of murder, but on the “criminal essence” of the Bolshevik regime. This approach bore fruit - the jury acquitted Conradi by a majority of nine to five votes.
Vaclav Vorovsky was buried on Red Square in Moscow along with his wife, who died of nervous shock after the murder.
Soviet-Swiss diplomatic relations after the murder of Vorovsky and the acquittal of his killer were restored only in 1946.
June 7, 1927. Murder of the USSR Plenipotentiary Representative in Poland Peter Voikov
June 7, 1927 Soviet ambassador Pyotr Voikov arrived at the station in Warsaw, where a train with Soviet diplomats working in England who had left London after the severance of diplomatic relations was supposed to arrive. At about 9 am, an unknown person on the platform opened fire on the Soviet plenipotentiary. An hour later, Pyotr Voikov died from his injuries.
The terrorist who shot Voikov turned out to be a 20-year-old White emigrant Boris Koverda. When asked why he shot, Koverda replied: “I took revenge for Russia, for millions of people.”
The Polish court sentenced him to lifelong hard labor, but granted the President of Poland the right to pardon Koverda. First, the sentence for Voikov’s killer was commuted from life to 15 years, and after 10 years in prison, Koverda was released. During the Second World War, according to some reports, Koverda collaborated with the Nazis, then, after several years of wandering around Europe, he went to the United States, where he died in 1987 at the age of 79.
Pyotr Voikov was buried on Red Square in Moscow.
December 19, 2016. Murder of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov
On December 19, 2016, he participated in the opening of the exhibition “Russia through the eyes of a traveler: from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka” at the Center contemporary art in Ankara. When Karlov finished his welcoming speech, an unknown person began to shoot the diplomat in the back.
According to witnesses, the attacker shouted: “This is revenge for Aleppo. We die there, you die here."
Taken to hospital Russian ambassador died from his injuries. The attacker, who wounded three other people, was killed by security forces.
According to available on at the moment information, the terrorist turned out to be 22-year-old policeman Mevlut Mert Altintas. He graduated from the police school in Izmir. For two and a half years, the young man served in the special forces in Ankara. According to some reports, Altintas was dismissed from service after an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Monument to A.S. Griboyedov in Tehran on the territory of the Russian Embassy
On January 30 (February 11), 1829, the Russian embassy was destroyed in Tehran, which took the lives of about 40 of its employees and Cossacks, including the poet and diplomat Alexander Griboedov, who opened the line tragic deaths Russian poets. Let us immediately emphasize that the author of “Woe from Wit” actually died on the battlefield, steadfastly fighting with weapons in his hands, and thus found himself in a special place among the poet-martyrs of Russia, most of whom died in duels, committed suicide, or were killed at all not in battles or were repressed. However, despite his heroic death, Griboyedov still bears the stigma of an official who allegedly failed in his duties and was himself to blame for the tragedy that unfolded.
The most surprising thing is that the official point of view on the disaster in Tehran was established in Russia long before any detailed information about it was received. Regarding the Minister of Foreign Affairs K.V. Nesselrode dated March 16, 1829 to the commander of the Caucasian Corps I.F. Paskevich was told: “The terrible incident in Tehran struck us before of the highest degree... Given this sad event, His Majesty would be pleased with the certainty that the Shah of Persia and the heir to the throne were alien to vile and inhuman intent and that this incident should be attributed to the reckless impulses of the zeal of the late Griboyedov, who did not consider his behavior with the rude customs and concepts of the Tehran mob.” This is how the myth was born and then widely spread about the unprofessionalism of Griboyedov, who, for his devotion and heroism, eventually received black ingratitude and direct slander from representatives of the supreme power.
The day before
And Griboyedov ended up in Persia in last time in October 1828, after he was appointed on April 25 of the same year as the plenipotentiary envoy of Russia in this country, he came to Tiflis, where he married Nina Chavchavadze and went with her initially to Tabriz (Tabriz). Having stayed there until December 9 and leaving his pregnant wife, Griboyedov left with the embassy for Tehran, where he arrived only on December 30. The entry of the Russian mission into the capital was very luxuriously arranged. The mission was located in a spacious house, the envoy was assigned an honor guard and the Shah's guards. Around January 24, 1829, Griboedov wrote his last surviving letter, addressed to the English ambassador John MacDonald: “Here they gave me a magnificent istinbal (reception - S.D.)... On the third day, the monarch gave us a solemn and magnificent audience... The next day after the reception at court, I began to make return visits... In any case, I am very pleased with this attitude towards myself. In a week I expect to leave the capital...” What was so fatal that happened in the 6 days remaining before the tragedy, because outwardly everything was going so well? Let us turn to the accusations that are still heard against Griboyedov, who is allegedly guilty of what happened in Tehran.First charge the poet is that during his audience with Feth Ali Shah he expressed obvious disrespect for him, entering the “hall of mirrors” of the Gulistan Palace in shoes, sat there for too long on a chair, and then in correspondence called the ruler of Persia simply Shah without other titles. Meanwhile, the diplomat acted in strict accordance with the Turkmanchay Treaty, which established a special ceremony for the reception of Russian diplomats, including the right to sit in the presence of the Shah. Second charge concerns the excessive insistence of the minister-envoy in demanding payment of the remaining indemnity and the surrender of prisoners taken to Persia. However, according to clause XIII of the treaty, he could take under his protection any prisoners captured since 1795 and even conduct searches for them. Let’s not forget that we were actually talking about the liberation of forcibly abducted people from slavery. Let us turn to the “Report of the incidents that preceded and accompanied the murder of members of the last Russian embassy in Persia.” This document on behalf of the “Persian”, who was at the Russian mission, is of Anglo-Iranian origin. It was edited and submitted for publication to a Scottish magazine by the brother of diplomat Henry Willock, John Willock, and the English mission doctor, John McNeil, who was the personal physician of Feth Ali Shah, members of the very group that opposed Griboedov. But even this document did not dispute the right of the Russian envoy to protect prisoners and testified that he demanded the return of prisoners only if they agreed to return. Third charge, attributed to Griboyedov, is that in his retinue there were several unscrupulous and uncontrollable people who committed lawlessness in Persia, including the head of the servants, Rustam-bek. At the same time, it is somehow forgotten that these people helped the envoy in carrying out his unpleasant actions, and that it was Rustam Bek who was captured in Tabriz during Russian-Persian war Allayar Khan, son-in-law of Feth Ali Shah, first minister of Persia, one of the initiators of the war against Russia. It is not surprising that the enmity that was kindled towards Rustam-bek had a clear source.
Embassy destruction
A few days before Griboedov’s supposed departure from Tehran, the very event that became the main reason for the drama that unfolded occurred. As the first secretary of the Russian mission, I.S., recalled. Maltsov, who escaped the defeat, “a certain Khoja-Mirza-Yakub, who served for more than 15 years in the Shah’s harem, came to the envoy in the evening and announced to him his desire to return to Erivan, his fatherland. Griboedov told him that at night only thieves seek refuge... The next day he again came to the envoy with the same request; the envoy persuaded him to stay in Tehran, represented to him that he was a noble man here... but seeing Mirza-Yakub’s firm intention to go to Erivan, he accepted him into the mission house... The Shah became angry; the whole court cried out as if the greatest national disaster had happened.” As we see, Griboyedov acted very carefully. As Maltsov continued, he “made tireless efforts to free the prisoners who were in Tehran. Two women, captive Armenians, were brought to him from Allayar Khan, Griboedov interrogated them in my presence, and when they declared a desire to go to their fatherland, he left them in the mission house... However, this circumstance is so unimportant that there is nothing to spread about it. Not a word was said to the Persian ministry about these women, and only after the murder of the envoy they began to talk about them.” The last remark is especially important, because Griboedov’s accusations that one of the reasons for the defeat of the mission was some kind of desecration and forced exclusion from Islam of women from Allayar Khan’s harem are heard in Persia, and even in Russia to this day.
And then events followed which, if summed up, perfectly show that what happened in Tehran was not a spontaneous, uncontrolled riot of the mob, but a clearly planned operation to destroy the Russian mission. The crime, which looked outwardly like a riot of nature, was in fact calmly and deliberately prepared. Let us briefly list the most important known facts.
1 . Tensions have been escalating around the mission for days. According to the story of Ambartsum (Ibrahim-bek), a courier of the Russian embassy who survived the massacre, “every day in the bazaar we heard how the mullahs in the mosques and markets excited the fanatical people, convincing them to take revenge, to protect Islam from desecration by the “infidel.” “We constantly kept our guns and pistols ready, but the ambassador considered it impossible to make any attack on the embassy house, over the roof of which the Russian flag was flying.” The Tehran mujtehid (highest cleric) Mirza-Mesih was especially active, declaring that Mirza-Yakub betrayed the Muslim faith, and therefore “he is a traitor, infidel and guilty of death.”
2. Maltsov in his report rightly pointed out the peculiarities of local customs: “The Persian government says that it did not participate in the killing of our envoy, that it did not even know anything about the intentions of the mullahs and the people; but you only have to visit Persia to be convinced of the absurdity of these words... In Persia there are almost no secret affairs: amid important debates about state affairs, viziers drink coffee, tea, smoke hookahs, and argue loudly in public open windows... How could the Persian government not know a word about the matter in which the whole of Tehran participated?.. Let us even assume that it was not the Shah, but the mullahs who sent the people to the house of our mission; but even then the Shah is to blame: why did he allow this?.. But then Mirza-Yakub would have survived, and this is precisely what Feth-Ali Shah did not want... The Shah needed to exterminate this man, who knew everything secret history his home life...” Of course, Maltsov simplifies the causes of the Tehran tragedy, reducing them to the struggle for the return of Mirza-Yakub, but he is absolutely right in pointing out the psychology of the conspiracy.
3 . On the day of the tragedy, January 30, 1829, the Tehran bazaar was closed (imagine what it means to close a huge bazaar - the center of city life!), and from the very morning people began to gather in the main mosque, where calls were made: “Go to the house of the Russian envoy, take prisoners, kill Mirza-Yakub." There is direct incitement to the massacre of Tehran's spiritual leaders, and not spontaneous popular anger.
4 . Further, according to the “Relation,” the following happened: “Four hundred or five hundred people, preceded by shaking sticks and naked sabers, headed from the mosque to the envoy’s dwelling... The rain of stones was already falling into the courtyards, and the cries of the crowd at times merged into one general cheer.. The excitement increased more and more; Several shots were heard, and soon people burst into the courtyards. Unhappy Yakub... fell, struck by countless blows of the dagger. Allayar Khan's servants grabbed the women and dragged them away."
5 . It is significant that the Persian soldiers and officers guarding the mission immediately fled. It would seem that after Mirza Yaqub was killed and the women captives were taken away from the mission, the rebels had done their job. However, here the most incredible thing happens, proving that the main goal of the conspiracy was not the return of prisoners: after an hour and a half, the assault began with even greater pressure. According to the Report, the now larger crowd "was supplied firearms and soldiers from various military units also joined her.”
6 . The defending members of the Russian mission, almost without exception, including Griboyedov, showed examples of true heroism. Let's listen to the evidence. “The Cossacks fought heroically, gradually moving back to the rooms. When almost everyone was beaten and the crowd approached the rooms, the ambassador with me and together with two Cossacks stood face to face to meet the crowd... It turned out that he wounded several from the spot and killed several... Persians with a gun” (Ambartsum). “I was thrown back into a room where I saw 17 bodies of my comrades stretched out on the floor. The left side of the envoy's chest was pierced through with a saber, and they showed me a wrestler who was in the service of one of the residents of Tehran, a man of athletic build and enormous power, who allegedly dealt him this blow” (“Relation”). The death of Griboyedov, who faced danger like a soldier, was truly heroic. As Pushkin wrote, “the death itself, which befell him in the middle of a brave, unequal battle, had nothing terrible for Griboedov, nothing painful. It was immediate and beautiful.”
7. To be fair, it should be said that at the beginning of the indignation, the Shah's envoys made timid attempts to persuade the attackers to stop. Even princes Ali Shah and Imam Verdi Mirza arrived, but they had to take care of their own safety and hide. Where were the Shah's troops who were supposed to protect the mission? They appeared only after everything was over, and they themselves participated in the robbery and looting.
8 . Not far from the Russian mission there was an English embassy, and a very significant incident took place there. According to the Relation, “the extermination plan was carried out so well that the people even broke into the front yard of the British embassy and massacred seven or eight Russians living at the stables, after which they took possession of all the horses that belonged to the envoy.” Is it even possible to imagine that fanatics during the massacre would distinguish the “friendly” - British from the “hostile” - Russian, if among them there were no provocateurs with very specific tasks.
9 . Then the bacchanalia continued. The Relation reported this: “Subsequently, I learned from my servants that the mutilated corpse of Mirza-Yakub was dragged throughout the city and finally thrown into a deep ditch. They did the same with another corpse, which was considered to be the corpse of Griboedov... 44 people from the Russian embassy died (according to Maltsov - 37 people. - S.D.). After some searching in front of the window of the room occupied by Griboyedov, his body was found in a pile of corpses; I noticed with great satisfaction that it had not been desecrated.” It turns out that the purpose of the massacre in Tehran was precisely the destruction, and complete destruction, of all members of the Russian mission. Who was the instigator and scriptwriter of such a bloody drama? It seems that we will never know all the details and springs of the tragedy, but we can say with confidence that fatal role The coincidence of anti-Russian interests and objectives of several players in this drama played a role in the tragedy.
First of all, English diplomats, who, losing their influence in the face of the growing power of Russia in the East, tried in every possible way to create a rift between Russia and Persia, even to the point of breaking existing treaties and even resuming hostilities between them. English historians usually deny the involvement of their compatriots in the events, citing the friendly relations of Griboyedov and John MacDonald, as if forgetting about the actions of the group of adventurer Henry Willock and John McNeil, who represented the interests of the English aristocracy and the East India Company.
At the beginning of 1828, the Duke of Wellington became the new Prime Minister of Great Britain, who at that time set a course for confrontation with Russia and demanded that Persia be pitted against Russia again. In mid-1828, real hysteria began in London due to the fact that the Russians had already reached the Araks and that they were about to make a push to the Indus. On October 2, 1828, Wellington wrote in his diary: “We can no longer cooperate with Russia, we will oppose and untie our hands. One way or another... we must get rid of Russia." Lord Keeper of the Secret Seal Ellenborough spoke out even more openly: “Our policy in both Europe and Asia must pursue a single goal - to limit Russian influence in every possible way... In Persia, as elsewhere, it is necessary to create the preconditions so that, at the first need, to begin a broad armed fight against Russia."
One can imagine what instructions such rulers of Great Britain gave to their services, and that in such a sinister game the lives of some Russian diplomats were worth it, especially in the hands of such figures as G. Willock, whom even his boss MacDonald called a “shameless intriguer”: “...It is not in his character to do anything openly and directly, as befits a noble man... I could publicize such things of his here in Persia that he would be cursed to the end of his days...” It is very important, that these words were written by the English envoy after the death of Griboedov, and do they not contain MacDonald’s confession that he knew the truth about Willock’s role in the tragedy? Willock was actively assisted by the doctor John McNeill, who, thanks to his connections with the court of the Shah, according to many, “became the most influential person in all of Persia” (it was he who would later be appointed British Ambassador to this country, and perhaps as a reward for what was accomplished in 1829 .?).
Russian writer D.L. Mordovtsev in his novel “With Iron and Blood” put forward a very plausible version, according to which “the conspirators, taking advantage of the unfortunate fate of Mirza-Yakub, provoked his departure under the protection of the Russian ambassador in order to put Griboedov in a hopeless situation and put an end to him.” Most likely, Mordovtsev knew the book of the English diplomat J.-E. Alexander's "Journey from India to England", published in London in 1827, even before Griboedov's death, which stated that Mirza-Yakub was closely associated with English residents in Persia. It was he who played the most fatal role in the chain of Tehran events. The motives for this behavior of the eunuch are still unclear: did he act at his own peril and risk? was he forced to take such a step? did he not voluntarily agree to play out the scenario agreed upon with the British, expecting some benefits in the future? Had he not been deceived by the English residents in the end? The complete truth will probably never be known to anyone. And, of course, the widespread explanation for the non-involvement of the British in the tragedy in Tehran is that the fact that none of the leaders of the British mission were there directly in those days is very controversial. Was this absence, on the contrary, unsuccessful attempt create an alibi for yourself?
In addition to the British, the Tehran court also tried to maintain its interests in the unfolding drama. For Feth Ali Shah himself, in addition to resolving the issue with Mirza-Yakub, it was extremely beneficial, taking advantage of the situation of the Russian-Turkish War, to try to revise the terms of the Turkmanchay Treaty, stop paying the burdensome indemnity and, as if by proxy, take revenge on one of the main characters the last war with Russia - Griboyedov. The first minister of Persia, Allayar Khan, also opposed Griboedov, and the point here was not only the desire to return two female captives to the harem and avenge the shame of his captivity, but also the desire, by removing Griboedov from affairs, to thereby weaken Abbas Mirza, heir to the throne, who hoped for Russian support in the struggle for the throne. The spiritual Muslim leaders of Persia saw the defeat of the Russian mission as real chance incite anti-Russian sentiments and strengthen their political influence in Tehran in the face of a sharp decline in the authority of the Shah, who, after the lost war with Russia, became the object of criticism. And finally, the Sultan of Turkey and his henchmen, who also had a certain influence in Tehran, were vitally interested in causing a quarrel between Persia and Russia during the next Russian-Turkish war.
...And the consequences
Having learned about the tragedy in Tehran, the tsarist government, then busy with the war with Turkey, considered it possible to reduce the events that took place to an accident and demanded from Persia only apology letter Shah for the emperor, punishment of the guilty and the redemptive mission of one of the “princes of the blood” - the sons of Abbas Mirza. His seventh son, sixteen-year-old Khosrov-Mirza, was sent to St. Petersburg; on August 12, 1829, the redemptive mission was accepted by the emperor in the Winter Palace. Khosrow-Mirza read out the Shah's message, and subsequently handed over his gifts, including the famous Shah Diamond (88 1/2 carats), which was presented not as a gift for the poet's head, but as a reason to ease the financial burden of the Shah. The emperor eventually forgave the 9th Kurur and spread the payment of the 10th over five years, although in reality it was never paid at all. It turns out that the Shah achieved, albeit partially, what he wanted - a reduction in payments. Referring to hostilities with Turkey, Nicholas I also did not make any claims against the British government for the provocative actions of its representatives in Tehran.In a letter to the emperor, the Shah complained about the suddenness of the rebellion of the mob, “the non-compliance with whose customs on the part of the embassy retinue caused indignation,” he reported that he ordered the execution of everyone noticed in the pogrom, the governor of Tehran for failure to take proper measures “to be removed completely from service,” and who became the head the rebellion of the supreme mullah of Tehran, Mirza Mesikh, was “exiled to one of the remote cities.” Allayar Khan was beaten with sticks on his heels. In fact, the Shah admitted the guilt of his dignitaries for the tragedy, but this did not change anything. Nicholas I told the prince: “I consign the ill-fated Tehran incident to eternal oblivion”... However, some higher court nevertheless intervened in the fate of the rulers of the Qajar dynasty, who were somehow guilty, directly or indirectly, of the defeat of the Russian mission. In the fall of 1833, Abbas Mirza died, and a year later his father Feth Ali Shah died. As a result of a fierce struggle for the throne, the eldest son of Abbas-Mirza from his first wife, Mamed-Mirza, won, who ordered the blinding of his father’s two sons from another wife - Jehangir and Khosrow-Mirza, who lived blind in exile for 40 years. These were the morals demonstrated by the rulers of Persia in those years, who considered themselves “not guilty” of the cruelties of the Tehran defeat...
Paskevich, perhaps the only high-ranking figure of that time, stood up to defend the memory of Griboyedov. He most of all doubted the absence of an English trace in the tragic events and wrote to Nesselrode: “if the Persian ministers knew about the impending indignation, then, undoubtedly, this was also known to the English embassy, which has all of Tehran at its mercy.” Nesselrode asked Paskevich to behave with restraint, “to take care of the British and not give credence to the rumors that are being spread about them.” Paskevich demanded that 10 thousand soldiers be sent to Astrakhan in order to put pressure on Persia, and insisted on its entry into the war against Turkey. And it was his sharp letter of threat to Abbas Mirza that ultimately had an effect on Feth Ali Shah, who punished, albeit very mildly, those responsible for the defeat.
In Russia, besides Paskevich, there were many other people who did not believe in the official version of events and stood up in defense of the blessed memory of the minister-poet. Let us quote the words about Griboedov from his colleague, and later the governor of the Caucasus, N.N. Muravyov-Karsky: “Griboyedov was completely in his place in Persia... he replaced us there with his single face for an army of twenty thousand, and there may not be a person in Russia so capable of taking his place. He was persistent, knew the manners that needed to be dealt with the Persians... His trip to Tehran to meet with the Shah led him to fight with the entire Persian kingdom. If he had returned safely to Tabriz, then our influence in Persia would have been established for a long time... And no one recognized either his merits, or his devotion to his duties, or his complete and deep knowledge of his business!
In art, what always touches and makes you suffer is precisely what is connected with the creator himself, therefore in Griboyedov’s works main character- this is the poet himself, rising above the prose of life. 185 years have passed since the life of the great poet and diplomat was cut short in battle. And what a shame that it is still hidden even from our compatriots all the truth about the life feat of this man and he has not yet been given due honors. And in Tehran, behind the high fences of the Russian embassy, away from the eyes of ordinary people, a bronze monument to the poet-minister seems to be shyly hidden. The only comfort is the realization that the death of the “Persian wanderer” was not at all in vain: after the Tehran tragedy of 1829, the peoples of Russia and Persia actually never fought with each other again and, on the contrary, more than once acted as allies. I was lucky in recent years visit Iran three times, traveling the very roads that led Griboyedov there. Unfortunately, the scope of this article does not allow us to reveal many new details and facets of the undeveloped theme “Griboedov and Persia”, which I managed to discover during my travels. I hope that in the near future I will be able to do this in my book “Persian Tunes. From Griboyedov and Pushkin to Yesenin and the 21st century."
The memory of diplomats who honestly defended the interests of Russia and died in the performance of their duties is sacred. The most famous of them was also an outstanding poet and a thinker.
Alexander Griboyedov - where does it begin? Here we have a classic, flamboyant prodigy. His extraordinary tenacity of mind manifested itself frighteningly early. It is not so important where and what he studied officially - at the Noble boarding school, and then at Moscow University. Foreign languages, philosophy, and mathematics were easy for him. Poet, musician, politician, warrior - in all his incarnations he showed himself clearly. By the age of fifteen he could safely be considered a man with a university education. Perhaps early scholarship also determined the essence of Griboyedov’s most famous creation, “Woe from Wit.” It was not easy for him to get rid of the feeling of his own superiority over everyone. It was not easy to adapt both to the service and to the colorful world of art. Alexander Sergeevich could be quarrelsome and harsh. By nature he is a sarcastic knight. He took part in the War of 1812, although by the will of fate he played a supporting role, and then he kept dreaming of writing a tragedy about these heroic events. In the spring of 1816 he left military service without reaching high ranks. And in 1817, his brilliant diplomatic career began. On July 16, 1818, Count Karl Nesselrode notified in writing the Commander-in-Chief of the Caucasian Army, General Alexei Ermolov, that “the official Mazarovich was appointed Charge d'Affaires of Persia, Griboyedov as his secretary, and Amburger as the clerical employee.” Nesselrode loved brevity, but with this cursory mention the Caucasian chapter opened in the life of our hero.
At that time, Griboedov was torn between creativity and service, sometimes dreaming of “resigning from the diplomatic service and leaving a sad country, where instead of learning something, you forget what you know.” He did not like serving in a distant foreign country. But General Ermolov - the wisest of the wise - was imbued with deep respect for the young talent. It was he, a powerful commander at that time, who rescued Griboedov from Persia, making him his secretary “for foreign affairs.” Loving Griboyedov like a son, according to Denis Davydov, he tried not to burden him with daily work. Georgia is not Persia, here Griboyedov could breathe freely and write to his heart’s content.
The diplomat, who was gaining strength, did not forget about literary matters. Attempts to create an epic drama, a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions remained in sketches. The service distracted Griboyedov from creativity, and the mania for perfection prevented him from working quickly. “Woe from Wit” is Griboyedov’s only major completed work. The caustic comedy was published in full in the official press several decades after Griboyedov’s death. Although by that time it had changed the face of Russian literature, influenced our best writers, caused controversy... Dozens of witty remarks entered Russian speech and became popular. Alexander Pushkin also noted: “Half of the poems should be included in proverbs.” And so it happened. Social types were judged by Chatsky, Famusov and Molchalin. Griboedov's comedy is perfect. We don’t have a more polished poetic play. The comedy was considered unbearably free-thinking, but Griboyedov clearly spoke from a patriotic position. He did not spare sarcasm either for Famusov or for Skalozub. The first attempt to stage “Woe from Wit” on stage was stopped by the capital’s Governor-General Mikhail Miloradovich. But in the 1830s, comedy saw the stage in both capitals. This is a mysterious work that will be solved for centuries - and with benefit. A satirical comedy and psychological drama rolled into one, like a smile and suffering.
December 1825 is another milestone in fate. In the testimony of the Decembrist Sergei Trubetskoy, the name of Griboyedov flashed, and he found himself under investigation. And then Alexey Ermolov took the young employee under his wing. The general benevolently prepared Griboyedov for arrest, destroyed all his papers so that they would not fall into the hands of the investigative authorities, and wrote to St. Petersburg: “I have the honor to convey Mr. Griboyedov to Your Excellency. He was arrested in such a way that he did not have the opportunity to destroy the documents that were with him. But he didn’t have anything like that with him, except for a few that I’m sending you.” He was under investigation until June 2, 1826, steadfastly denied his participation in the conspiracy and ultimately proved his non-involvement in the rebellion. Free! And again, “I’m happy to serve,” although “it’s sickening to be served.”
He was released from arrest with a “cleansing certificate” - and the diplomat again headed to Tiflis. General Ivan Paskevich, who replaced Yermolov, also highly appreciated Griboedov’s abilities and if he sometimes chided him for his reckless bravery, he did not hide his respect. During negotiations with the Persians, Paskevich fully relied on Griboyedov’s diplomatic foresight and openly admired him.
The primary political benefit of Griboyedov was the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty, which marked the victory over Persia, consolidated the territorial acquisitions of the Russian Empire, Russian hegemony in the Caspian Sea and in eastern trade. Contemporaries did not dispute the main role of Griboedov in the development and signing of this breakthrough document. General Paskevich gave Griboedov the honor of “presenting the treaty” to the emperor. Nikolai Pavlovich granted him the rank of state councilor, the Order of St. Anne, decorated with diamonds, and four thousand chervonets. Griboyedov accepted enthusiastic smiles, but was wary of the court routine and behaved independently.
In Tiflis he was greeted with even greater pomp and was even called Griboyedov-Persidsky. Paskevich arranged a fireworks display in his honor, as was done in St. Petersburg, when all the cannons of the Peter and Paul Fortress fired 201 salvos simultaneously. Well, it was he, Griboedov, who brought the long-awaited and victorious Turkmanchay Treaty to Nicholas I.
It is not surprising that in Persia the same Turkmanchay Treaty was perceived as a national catastrophe. Russia entered into a war with Turkey, and the Persians hoped to evade the treaty by taking advantage of the confusing international situation. They did not even think of fulfilling many agreements, hoping that the Russian Tsar would not start a new war.
A noisy anti-Russian campaign has started in the eastern country. Market speakers incited fanatical rage among the people, mixed with pseudo-religious yeast. And Griboyedov was just supposed to demand another part of the indemnity from the Iranians... He tried to smooth out the contradiction, called on St. Petersburg to accept silk or jewelry instead of money. However, the emperor’s verdict was strict: the agreement should be strictly implemented. Later, this would give rise to evil tongues reproaching the emperor for deliberately destroying Griboyedov at the hands of the Persian crowd. It is unlikely that such an insidious plan actually existed, but it must be admitted that Nicholas put his diplomat in an obviously dead-end situation.
The Russian embassy was located not in the capital of Persia, but in Tabriz. In Tehran at the beginning. 1829 Griboyedov stayed temporarily - to introduce himself to the Shah. Of course, the experienced politician felt the nerves of the current situation. He asked his wife to leave Tabriz for a while and return to Georgia, and such a trip was arranged. Griboyedov wrote to his wife every day. “I couldn’t be more sad without you. Now I truly feel what it means to love...” - this is the last message from her husband that she read.
Mujtahids (influential Islamic theologians) convinced the heated people that Griboedov was the culprit of the introduction of new taxes, an atheist, a conqueror... Hatred knew no limits, the mujtahids evoked the spirit of fanaticism. In addition, Griboyedov was accused of harboring Armenians. He actually hid several Armenians on the territory of the embassy in order to smuggle them to Russia. But he acted in accordance with the Turkmanchay Treaty! These hot Persians were ready to abandon their obligations.
Behind these furious protests stood Allayar Khan, a disgraced minister and an adventurist politician who was trying to regain his lost influence. For the Shah, these unrest came as an unpleasant surprise, a trap from which he tried to extricate himself. The Shah tried to avoid a new war with Russia, but led precisely to it.
Alexander Griboyedov died in this house
On January 30, 1829, the spiritual authorities declared a holy war on the Russians. The crowd that had gathered at the mosque headed towards the Russian mission house. A bloody pogrom began. On that day, the entire embassy was destroyed in Tehran; only senior secretary Ivan Maltsov, an unusually cautious man, survived. He offered salvation to Griboedov as well. All that was required was to hide, go into underground passages... “A Russian nobleman does not play hide and seek” - that was the answer. His death was proud and brave. He met the uninvited guests with a saber and demanded their obedience. After all, he was on Russian territory! The embassy guard - 35 Cossacks - adequately repelled the attack. Dozens of angry fanatics remained on the pavement forever, but every single one of the Cossacks died. Alexander Sergeevich also died. Having been hit on the head with a stone, he fell. Immediately a hail of stones rained down on him, and sabers screamed over his body.
For the death of Griboyedov and the entire Russian mission, the Shah made an official apology to Emperor Nicholas, to which he added a unique diamond. The emperor considered it reasonable to be accommodating. He accepted the gift and deferred the payment of that same indemnity for five years. On difficult days Russian-Turkish war Nicholas did not want to spoil relations with the Persians. He also turned a blind eye to the opinion of Paskevich, who spoke of the fatal British influence on the Persian crowd. “I consign the ill-fated Tehran incident to eternal oblivion,” said the emperor. It turned out that the pogromists and provocateurs achieved their goal...
Diamond "Shah"
“The diamond, according to the Persians, was supposed to atone for the terrible guilt of the murderers of the Russian minister Griboyedov. The stone joined the royal collection. The courtiers admired it, and foreign ambassadors asked the highest permission to look at such a rarity. However, in what carats can one express the damage inflicted on Russia by the brutal murder of one of its greatest creators?..,” says one of Griboyedov’s biographies.
He loved Mount Mtatsminda, towering above Tiflis. There, in the monastery of St. David, he bequeathed to bury himself. The Liturgy was performed by the Exarch of Georgia, Archbishop Moses.
“The more enlightened a person is, the more useful he is to the Fatherland,” said Griboyedov. And I followed this program to the best of my ability. His image has not faded over the centuries. But, alas, Griboyedov’s killers seemed to have disappeared from the front pages of today’s or tomorrow’s newspapers - alive. Here we are talking, of course, not only about Islamic radicals, although primarily about them. Great provocations and irresponsible manipulation of the worst instincts are in use everywhere. Terrorists "have a blast in the world." The biography of Griboedov, a writer and politician who combined subtle intellect with military courage, is all the more instructive for us.