Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov- Russian diplomat, poet, playwright, pianist and composer, nobleman. State Councilor (since 1828). Griboedov is known as the writer of one book, the brilliantly rhymed play “Woe from Wit,” which is still often staged in Russian theaters. It served as the source of numerous catchphrases.
Russian writer, poet, playwright, diplomat. Alexander Griboyedov was born on January 15 (according to the old style - January 4) 1795 (some sources indicate 1790) in Moscow, into an old noble family. "The noble family of the Griboyedovs is of gentry origin. Jan Grzhibovsky moved to Russia in the first quarter of the 17th century. His son, Fyodor Ivanovich, was a clerk under the tsars Alexei Mikhailovich and Fyodor Alekseevich and was the first to write as Griboyedov." ("Russian Biographical Dictionary") He spent his childhood in the Moscow house of Alexander's loving, but wayward and unyielding mother, Nastasya Fedorovna (1768-1839) (Novinsky Boulevard, 17). Alexander and his sister Maria (1792-1856; married to M.S. Durnovo) received a serious education at home: educated foreigners Petrosilius and Ion were tutors, and university professors were invited for private lessons.
In 1803, Alexander was assigned to the Moscow Noble University Boarding School. In 1806, Alexander Griboedov entered the literature department of Moscow University, from which he graduated in 1808 with the title of candidate of literature; continued his studies at the ethical and political department; In 1810 he graduated from law, and then entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. From the moment he studied at the university and throughout his life, Alexander Sergeevich retained his love for history and economic sciences. Upon completion of his studies, Griboedov surpassed all his peers in literature and society: he spoke French, English, German, Italian, Greek, Latin, and later mastered Arabic, Persian and Turkish. In 1812, before Napoleon's invasion of Russia, Alexander Sergeevich was preparing for the exam for his doctorate.
In 1812, despite his family’s dissatisfaction, Griboyedov signed up as a volunteer cornet in the Moscow hussar regiment, recruited by Count Saltykov, but while it was being organized, Napoleon managed to leave Moscow, and then Russia. The war ended, but Alexander decided to prefer the unattractive cavalry service in the remote corners of Belarus to the career of an official. He spent three years first in the Irkutsk Hussar Regiment, then at the headquarters of the cavalry reserves. In Brest-Litovsk, where cornet Griboyedov was seconded to the headquarters of the reserves and served as an adjutant to the humane and educated cavalry general A.S. Kologrivov, his taste for books and creativity reawakened in him: in 1814 he sent his first articles (“About cavalry reserves” and “Description of the holiday in honor of Kologrivov”).
Having visited St. Petersburg in 1815 and prepared his transition to the Collegium of Foreign Affairs, Griboedov retired in March 1816. In 1817, Alexander Griboyedov was enrolled in the College of Foreign Affairs, where he soon began to be in good standing. His first plays were published and staged in St. Petersburg, he met A.S. Pushkin, V.K. Kuchelbecker, P.Ya. Chaadaev. Griboyedov's official position almost spoiled his participation as a second in the duel between Sheremetev and Zavadovsky, which outraged everyone with the bitterness of the opponents: according to some assumptions, after this duel a duel between the seconds should have taken place. At the insistence of his mother, in order to allow the gossip to subside and soften the anger of his superiors, Alexander Griboedov had to temporarily leave St. Petersburg and, against his will, he was provided with the position of secretary of the embassy in Persia.
On March 4, 1819, Griboyedov entered Tehran, but a significant part of the service took place in Tabriz. The duties were simple, which made it possible to intensively study Persian and Arabic. Periodically, Griboedov had to travel to Tiflis on business errands; once he took out of Persia and returned to their homeland a group of Russian prisoners unjustly detained by the Persian authorities. This enterprise brought Griboedov to the attention of the commander of the Russian troops in the Caucasus, Alexei Petrovich Ermolov (1777-1861), who recognized in him rare talents and an original mind. Ermolov achieved the appointment of Alexander Griboyedov as secretary for foreign affairs under the commander-in-chief in the Caucasus, and from February 1822 he began to serve in Tiflis.
Here work continued on the play "Woe from Wit", which began even before his appointment to Persia. After 5 years of stay in Iran and the Caucasus, at the end of March 1823, having received leave (first short, and then extended and generally covering almost two years), Griboyedov arrived in Moscow, and in 1824 - in St. Petersburg. The comedy, completed in the summer of 1824, was banned by tsarist censorship and on December 15, 1825, only fragments were published in F.V. Bulgarin’s almanac “Russian Waist”. In order to promote their ideas, the Decembrists began to distribute “Woe from Wit” in tens of thousands of lists (in January 1825, the list of “Woe from Wit” was brought to Pushkin in Mikhailovskoye). Despite Griboyedov’s skeptical attitude towards the military conspiracy of the future Decembrists and doubts about the timeliness of the coup, among his friends during this period were K.F. Ryleev, A.A. Bestuzhev, V.K. Kuchelbecker, A.I. Odoevsky.
In May 1825, Griboyedov again left St. Petersburg for the Caucasus, where he learned that on December 14 the Decembrist uprising was defeated. In connection with the opening of the case about the Decembrists, in January 1826, Alexander Griboyedov was arrested in the Grozny fortress; Ermolov managed to warn Griboedov about the arrival of the courier with the order to immediately take him to the investigative commission, and all incriminating papers were destroyed. On February 11, he was delivered to St. Petersburg and put in the guardhouse of the General Staff; Among the reasons was that during interrogations 4 Decembrists, including S.P. Trubetskoy and E.P. Obolensky, named Griboedov among the members of the secret society and in the papers of many of those arrested they found lists of “Woe from Wit”. He was under investigation until June 2, 1826, but because... It was not possible to prove his participation in the conspiracy, and he himself categorically denied his involvement in the conspiracy, he was released from arrest with a “cleansing certificate.” Despite this, Griboyedov was under secret surveillance for some time.
In September 1826, Griboyedov continued his diplomatic activities, returning to Tbilisi. Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich (1782-1856), married to Alexander Griboedov's cousin Elizaveta Alekseevna (1795-1856), was appointed commander-in-chief in the Caucasus. Griboedov returned to the Caucasus reluctantly and seriously thought about retirement, but his mother’s requests forced him to continue serving. At the height of the Russian-Iranian war, Griboedov is entrusted with managing relations with Turkey and Iran. In March 1828 he arrived in St. Petersburg, delivering the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty, which was beneficial for Russia, which brought it significant territory and a large indemnity. Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov took a direct part in the negotiations with Abbas Mirza and the signing of the agreement. The concessions were made by the Persians against their will and Griboedov, rightly proud of his success, did not hide his fears of revenge and the imminent resumption of the war.
In April 1828, Griboyedov, who enjoyed a reputation as a specialist in Persian affairs, was appointed plenipotentiary resident minister (ambassador) to Iran. Despite the reluctance to go to Persia, it was impossible to refuse the appointment due to the categorically stated desire of the emperor. During his years of service in the East, Griboyedov took a closer look at the Eastern way of life and way of thinking, and the prospect of a long life that opened up to him in one of the centers of stagnation, arbitrariness and fanaticism did not arouse in him any particular desire to begin fulfilling new duties; he treated the appointment as a political exile.
On the way to his destination, Griboyedov spent several months in Georgia. In August 1828, while in Tiflis, he married the daughter of his friend, the Georgian poet and Major General Alexander Garsevanovich Chavchavadze (1786-1846), Princess Nina Chavchavadze (1812-1857), whom he knew as a girl. Despite the fever that did not leave him during the marriage ceremony, Alexander Sergeevich, perhaps, experienced happy love for the first time, experiencing, in his words, such a “novel that leaves far behind the most bizarre stories of fiction writers famous for their imagination.” The young wife has just turned sixteen. After recovery, he took his wife to Tabriz and went without her to Tehran to prepare everything there for her arrival. On December 9, 1828 they saw each other for the last time. One of his last letters to Nina (December 24, 1828, Kazbin) speaks about the tenderness with which he treated his little “Murilyov shepherdess,” as he called Nina: “My priceless friend, I feel sorry for you, I’m sadder without you than I could be.” Now I truly feel what it means to love. Before I parted with my legs, to which I was also tightly attached, but a day, two, a week - and the melancholy disappeared, now the further we get from you, the worse it will be, my angel. Let us pray to God that we will never be separated after that."
Arriving in Tehran, Griboyedov sometimes acted in a defiant manner, did not yield in any way to the obstinacy of the Persians, persistently demanding payment of indemnity, violated the etiquette of the Shah's court, showing the Shah himself the least possible respect. All this was done contrary to personal inclinations, and English diplomats took advantage of these mistakes to incite hatred of the ambassador in court spheres. But a more formidable hatred of the Russians, supported by clergy, was kindled among the masses: on market days the ignorant crowd was told that the Russians should be exterminated as enemies of the people's religion. The instigator of the uprising was the Tehran mujshehid (highest cleric) Mesih, and his main accomplices were the ulema. According to the official version, the purpose of the conspiracy was to cause some damage to the Russian mission, and not to massacre. When on the fateful day of February 11 (according to the old style - January 30) 1829, about 100 thousand people gathered (according to the testimony of the Persian dignitaries themselves), and a mass of fanatics rushed to the embassy house, the leaders of the conspiracy lost power over them. Realizing the danger he was exposed to, the day before his death, Griboyedov sent a note to the palace, declaring in it that “in view of the inability of the Persian authorities to protect the honor and the very lives of the representatives of Russia, he asks his government to recall him from Tehran.” But it was already too late. The next day there was an almost complete massacre of the Russians (only embassy adviser Maltsov managed to escape); The murder of Griboyedov was especially brutal: his disfigured and mutilated body was found in a pile of corpses.
Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was buried in accordance with his wishes on Mount David in Tiflis - near the Monastery of St. David. On the gravestone are the words of Nina Griboedova: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?”
Among the works are plays, poems, journalism, letters: “Letter from Brest Litovsk to the publisher” (1814; letter to the publisher of “Bulletin of Europe”), “On cavalry reserves” (1814, article), “Description of the holiday in honor of Kologrivov” ( 1814, article), “The Young Spouses” (1815, comedy; adaptation of Creuset de Lesser’s play “The Family Secret” 1807), “One’s Own Family, or the Married Bride” (1817, comedy; co-authored with A.A. Shakhovsky and N. I. Khmelnitsky: Griboyedov owns five phenomena of the second act), “Student” (1817, comedy; co-authored with P.A. Katenin), “Feigned Infidelity” (1818, play; co-authored with A. Gendre), “Test of Interlude "(1819, play), "Woe from Wit" (1822-1824, comedy; the origin of the idea - in 1816, the first production - November 27, 1831 in Moscow, the first publication, cut by censorship - in 1833, full publication - in 1862), "1812" (drama; excerpts published in 1859), "Georgian Night" (1827-1828, tragedy; publication - 1859), "Special cases of the St. Petersburg flood" (article), "Country trip" (article). Musical works: two waltzes for piano are known.
Griboyedov was born on January 4, 1795 (according to other sources, 1794) in Moscow. His father was a guards officer who dreamed of his son receiving a decent education and career. Sasha studied at first at home, then entered in 1802 (according to other sources 1803) to the Noble boarding school at Moscow University.
Studying at the University
To obtain higher education, young Alexander Griboyedov in 1806 entered the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow University, the best educational institution in Russia at that time. He graduates from the law and literature departments of the university and continues his education by attending lectures for students in the physics and mathematics department.The young man stands out among his comrades for his versatile talents and desire to acquire knowledge from certain branches of the humanities and exact sciences. He is fluent in foreign languages, not only the required knowledge of French and German, but also Italian and English. In addition, he has extraordinary musical abilities.
Griboedov's first steps in literature
In 1812, a patriotic young man volunteered to join the army; he served in the Moscow Hussar Regiment, in the reserve cavalry troops. In 1814, his first opuses appeared in the popular magazine “Bulletin of Europe”, small letters-notes reporting on the everyday life of cavalrymen in reserve.
He appeared as a playwright in 1815, presenting to the public the comedy “The Young Spouses,” a revised play by a French writer. Griboyedov's creation receives its stage embodiment and, at the same time, deserved criticism from the famous writer M.N. Zagoskin. But the young writer does not accept caustic remarks about the play; on the contrary, he responds to the critic with a vivid pamphlet entitled “Lubochny Theater.”
Social circle
Alexander Griboyedov enters the St. Petersburg literary society, meets the writers Grech and Kuchelbecker. A little later, he will meet with the genius of Russian poetry, Alexander Pushkin.The circle of acquaintances is expanding, close cooperation with A. Shakhovsky, N. Khmelnitsky, P. Katenin begins. In 1817, co-authored with the latter, he wrote the comedy “Student”, which ridiculed the poets who followed the enthusiastic N. Karamzin and the sentimental V. Zhukovsky. In terms of literary views, Krylov and Kuchelbecker, Derzhavin and Katenin, Shishkov and his company, the so-called “archaists,” were closer to Griboedov.
Career and creativity
Griboyedov retired in 1816 and chose St. Petersburg, known for its cultural traditions, to live. A year later he is enrolled in the College of Foreign Affairs, thus beginning his career as a diplomat. Soon he was appointed secretary of the Russian diplomatic mission in Persia. However, this position is not a career boost, but rather a punishment and exile, since the future diplomat allowed himself to participate in a duel, albeit as a second.Tabriz meets the diplomat and writer in the chilly February of 1819; probably, the first meeting with the place of future service contributed to the writing of the poem “The Traveler” (another name is “The Wanderer”), especially the part that talks about the sale of a captive Georgian boy at the Tabriz market. 
Since 1822, Griboyedov has been in Tiflis in the diplomatic service at the headquarters of General Ermolov, who is the commander-in-chief of Georgia. In 1823 - 25 Alexander Sergeevich is on a long vacation, part of which he spends on the estate of his friend Begichev near Tula. It was here that in the summer of 1823 the third and fourth parts of the comedy “Woe from Wit” were born (the first two, according to creativity researchers, were written in Tiflis). And in the fall of the same year, in collaboration with P. Vyazemsky, Griboyedov wrote “Vaudeville”, A. Verstovsky composed music for it.
At the end of 1825, the vacation ends, and Griboedov has to return to Tiflis. But literary activity comes to the fore; unfortunately, most of his works have not been identified to date or are known in fragments.
The great plans of the writer are evidenced by the plan of the drama called “1812”, the surviving fragment of the tragedy “Georgian Night”, based on local ancient legends, another tragic work telling about historical events that took place in Armenia and Georgia.
In the first half of 1826, Griboedov was under investigation related to the Decembrists' performance on Senate Square. No incriminating information about him has been revealed; in September of this year he returns to the Caucasus.
The tragic ending of Griboedov's biography
A year later, Griboedov was given an important diplomatic mission - maintaining relations with Persia and Turkey. In August 1828, Griboyedov married Nadya Chavchavadze in Tiflis, who is distinguished by her refined manners, human qualities and, moreover, is unusually beautiful. A young wife, expecting her first child, accompanies her husband to Tabriz, and then, a few months later, returns to Tiflis. In Tehran in those days it was turbulent, and Griboyedov feared for the life of his mother and unborn baby.
The diplomat takes an active part in the political, economic, and social life of the Caucasus region, contributes to the opening of the “Tiflis Gazette”, a “working house” for women serving sentences. With his participation, the Turkmanchin peace treaty with Persia was signed, and soon he was appointed minister plenipotentiary to this country.
But he views this position as just another exile, and not at all a royal favor. Together with the embassy, he travels to Tehran, where the tragic events took place. Embassy employees, including Alexander Griboedov, were brutally killed by Persian fanatics, who were backed by Shah Fet-Ali and his subordinates, who did not want to allow Russian influence to increase in the East.
On January 4, 1795, the life of Alexander Griboedov, a great diplomat, writer and playwright, tragically ended. But his works have retained their relevance, they are more modern than ever, and any reader today can be convinced of this.
“It would be the work of his friends to write his biography;
but wonderful people are disappearing from us,
leaving no traces behind.
We are lazy and incurious...”
A. S. Pushkin, “Travel to Arzrum” (1835)
On January 4 (15), 1795, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov, Russian writer and diplomat, was born. He came from an ancient noble family, the founder of which was Jan Grzybowski, a native of Poland.
Griboyedov spent his childhood and teenage years in his mother's house in Moscow. Dreaming of a brilliant career for her son, she gave him an excellent education, first under the guidance of foreign tutors, and then at the Moscow University Noble Boarding School. In 1806, Griboyedov entered Moscow University, where he graduated first from the literary and then from the ethical and political department, supplementing his humanitarian education with legal education.
Griboedov was one of the most educated people of his time and, according to A. S. Pushkin, “one of the smartest people in Russia.” Having an excellent command of the main European languages (French, English, German, Italian, Greek, Latin), and later having mastered eastern languages (Arabic, Persian and Turkish), he also had musical abilities - he was an excellent pianist, had a talent for composition (two of his waltzes are known for piano).
With the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, Griboyedov left his academic studies and joined the Moscow Hussar Regiment as a cornet as part of the reserve units. At the end of 1815, he retired and settled in St. Petersburg, leading a secular lifestyle. Having become interested in literature and theater, Griboyedov met the famous poet and theatergoer P. A. Katenin, with whom he created the comedy “Student” in 1817, and became close to the circle of playwright and theater figure A. A. Shakhovsky.
In 1817, Griboyedov entered the service of the State Collegium of Foreign Affairs, but due to “ardent passions and powerful circumstances,” as defined by Pushkin, in 1818 he was forced to leave the capital and go as secretary of the Russian diplomatic mission to Persia.
After three years of service in Tabriz, in February 1822 he transferred to Tiflis to the chief administrator of Georgia, General A.P. Ermolov. The 1st and 2nd acts of his most famous work, the comedy “Woe from Wit,” were written here, the first listener of which was the author’s Tiflis colleague, the Decembrist V. K. Kuchelbecker. By the autumn of 1824, the comedy was completed, but only excerpts published in 1825 by the writer F.V. Bulgarin in the anthology “Russian Waist” were cleared through censorship.
This work immediately became an event in Russian culture, spreading among the reading public in handwritten copies, the number of which was close to the book circulation of that time. Already in January 1825, the Decembrist I. I. Pushchin brought one of these lists to Pushkin to Mikhailovskoye. As Pushkin predicted, many lines of “Woe from Wit” became proverbs and sayings (“The legend is fresh, but hard to believe,” “Happy people do not watch the clock”).
In February 1826, Griboyedov was summoned to St. Petersburg as a suspect in the Decembrist case, since the papers of many of those arrested contained lists of “Woe from Wit,” and during interrogations, some of them named him among the members of the secret society. However, Griboyedov managed to destroy part of his archive, and during the investigation he categorically denied his involvement in the conspiracy, and in early June he was released from arrest.
Returning to the Caucasus shortly after the start of the Russian-Persian War of 1826-1828, Griboyedov was involved as a diplomat and, having achieved significant success in this field, prepared the Turkmanchay Peace, beneficial for Russia. In March 1828, the Russian diplomat brought documents of the peace treaty to St. Petersburg, for which he received the Order of St. Anne, the rank of state councilor and appointment as minister plenipotentiary to Persia.
Returning to Persia, Griboedov began implementing one of the articles of the peace treaty, which provided for the return of Russian citizens to their homeland. The appeal to him for help by two Armenian women who ended up in the harem of a noble Persian, heated the situation around the Russian mission to the limit and became the reason for reprisals against the active diplomat.
On January 30 (February 11), 1829, a crowd incited by Muslim fanatics destroyed the mission in Tehran. The Russian envoy was killed.
Griboyedov was buried in Tiflis on Mount St. David. The words of his wife Nina are inscribed on the gravestone: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?”
Lit.: Griboedov A. S. Complete works. T. 1-3. St. Petersburg, 1911-1917; A. S. Griboedov in the memoirs of his contemporaries. M., 1980; Piksanov N.K. Chronicle of the life and work of A.S. Griboyedov, 1791-1829. M., 2000; Fomichev S. A. Comedy by A. S. Griboyedov “Woe from Wit”: Commentary. M., 1983; Russian writer-playwright and diplomat Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov: website. 2003-2014.
URL: http://www. griboedow. net. ru/.See also in the Presidential Library:
A. S. Griboyedov: for the 220th anniversary of his birth: collection.
Every schoolchild knows it, and his “Woe from Wit” has long been recognized as the pinnacle of Russian drama. However, for his contemporaries, Alexander Sergeevich was, first of all, not a writer, but a diplomat - and a cult diplomat at that. Thanks to Griboyedov, the Russian-Persian War ended with a peace treaty extremely beneficial for Russia, known as the Turkmenchay Treaty. Not only did the Russian Empire liberate the city of Erivan (modern Yerevan), but they also imposed an indemnity of 20 million rubles in silver on Persia - a gigantic sum at that time. The Russian navy received a monopoly on the Caspian Sea, and domestic merchant ships also began to sail freely there. As Friedrich Engels would later say, “The Turkmenchay Treaty turned Persia into a vassal of Russia.” And military leader Nikolai Muravyov-Karsky will add: Griboyedov “replaced us there with his single person for an army of twenty thousand.”
"Wai, wai, Turkmanchay"
Alexander Griboyedov was considered one of the most educated people of his time. Already at the age of 6, the future writer and ambassador spoke three languages, and at 13 he already had the title of candidate of literary sciences. By the way, at Moscow University he graduated from three departments: verbal, moral and political, and physics and mathematics. At the same time, he studied literature and music - he played the piano and wrote compositions (the “Griboyedov Waltz” is most famous).
Helping General Paskevich (his relative and immediate superior) during the Persian campaign, the future diplomat negotiated with Tehran. The fact that Russia achieved favorable terms for itself in the peace treaty is also due to Griboyedov - and quite a lot. The writer personally reported on the concluded peace to the emperor Nicholas I, after which the sovereign granted him the Order of St. Anne with diamonds, the rank of state councilor and 4 thousand gold chervonets. Thus, Griboyedov contributed to the annexation of vast lands to his country and liberated Erivan from Islamic rule, which was extremely important for Russia, which positioned itself as a defender of oppressed Christians. Along the way, the diplomat “bargained” unprecedented conditions for the domestic fleet and merchant ships. The importance of these events is easy to assess - Armenia and Russia are still friends, and in Iran to this day there is an expression: “Wai, wai, Turkmanchay” - this is how the locals call a very unfavorable, ruinous deal for themselves.
Undiplomatic Diplomat
As some contemporaries recalled, Griboyedov sometimes behaved recklessly - not as befits a diplomat. For example, he could prance on horseback in front of enemy troops or not observe local customs. And when the writer was 22, all of St. Petersburg was discussing the famous “quadruple duel” in which he participated. The cause of the conflict was a famous ballerina Avdotya Istomina- the same one that Pushkin sang in poetry.
The fact is that the dancer was in a relationship with a cavalry guard Sheremetev, but while he was away, she spent a couple of days in the house of the chamber cadet Count Zavadovsky. It was none other than Griboyedov who brought her there - he was fond of theater and was friends with Istomina, and after the performance he simply invited her to visit him. Alexander Sergeevich then lived with his friend Zavadovsky, so it turned out that the ballerina lived with the men for 2 days. Sheremetev, who returned, insisted on a duel - and he had to fight not with the instigator, Griboyedov, but with the owner of the house, Zavadovsky. But the future writer-diplomat also suffered - he had to fight with a friend of the offended Sheremetev.
“At least you’ll stop playing!”
A day after the first duel (Zavadovsky-Sheremetev), Count Sheremetev, Istomina’s lover, died from his wound. Griboyedov behaved diplomatically - he invited his rival to make peace. But for some reason this did not suit cornet Yakubovich (that was his name). The duel took place - however, a year later (the emperor punished the duelists with “exile” to the Caucasus and they managed to meet only the following autumn). Yakubovich shot first - he hit the enemy in the hand. One of the seconds later wrote: “They say that Yakubovich exclaimed: “At least you’ll stop playing!” Griboyedov lost one finger on his hand, which did not stop him from still playing the piano perfectly. The writer himself nobly shot past and did not take advantage of his advantage (according to the rules, he could have come closer to the barrier and taken aim properly).
Since then, Griboyedov, when sitting down at the piano, put a special leather “cover” on the little finger of his left hand - after all, his finger had become one phalanx shorter. And after the tragic death in Tehran, the ambassador could only be identified by this wound from 11 years ago.
“We will be killed there”
After an unexpected and resounding success in Turkmanchay, the writer was appointed ambassador to Persia. At that time, Griboyedov finally wanted to focus on literature - he finalized “Woe from Wit” and the play was popular among the capital’s youth. Although during his lifetime the author did not see either the publication of his brainchild or its production in the theater, the play was copied by hand and immediately snapped up for aphorisms. “Happy people don’t watch the clock”, “The smoke of the Fatherland is sweet and pleasant to us”, “I would be glad to serve, it’s sickening to be served” - all these phrases came precisely from Griboyedov. In 1828, the author left the final version of the manuscript to one of his friends and left - again for service, again in Persia. Saying goodbye to friends, he said: “Don’t congratulate me on this appointment. They will kill us there.”
Last happiness
But on the way to Tehran, one last happy event awaited the newly appointed ambassador. Driving through Tiflis (modern Tbilisi), he stopped by his friend, Prince Chavchavadze(major general of the Russian army and famous Georgian poet). There Griboyedov met the prince's 15-year-old daughter - Nina, whom he taught to play the piano as a child. Later the author wrote: “I was sitting at the table opposite Nina Chavchavadze... I kept looking at her, thinking, my heart began to beat... Coming out from the table, I took her hand and said: “Come with me, I need something.” tell you." She obeyed me, as always; That’s right, she thought that I would sit her down at the piano: but it turned out differently. We entered the room, my cheeks flushed... I don’t remember what I started telling her, and everything became more and more alive. She cried, laughed, and I kissed her...”
Memorial plaque to Alexander Griboyedov. St. Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya st., 14. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Shcherbakov 4
Two months later, the newlyweds got married - a very unexpected and spontaneous decision for a diplomat. The groom was 33, the bride half that age. During the wedding, Griboyedov dropped the ring... The ambassador went to Persia with his wife, but left pregnant Nina in a safe residence in Tevriz, just in case. And he himself wrote beautiful messages to her from Tehran.
The dramatic finale of the playwright's life
A few months after the wedding, Griboyedov died. The ambassador, who defended the interests of Russia to the last and did not make any concessions to the Persians, was killed by a crowd of angry religious fanatics - they burst into the embassy building on January 30, 1829 and killed almost everyone (only the secretary survived). Local residents openly condemned Griboyedov’s behavior: he sometimes expressed disrespect for Eastern traditions (for example, he might not take off his shoes at a reception with the Shah) and, in general, acted on the principle of “woe to the vanquished.” Shortly before his death, he took under his protection the eunuch of the Shah's harem - an Armenian by origin, who wanted to return to his homeland. This act only irritated the rulers of Persia, but for the ambassador it was more important to help a simple eunuch - Griboedov always supported Armenia.
Griboyedov's legacy: "Woe from Wit", a unique diamond and a 16-year-old widow
Upon learning of her husband's death, Nina fainted. This provoked premature birth, but the child lived only an hour... The 16-year-old widow wore mourning for the rest of her life, rejected all advances and spent large sums on charity. People called her the Black Rose of Tiflis - for her loyalty. At the grave of the writer and diplomat, Chavchavadze installed a black marble tombstone with a woman crying on her knees. There is an inscription on the marble: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?”
In literary circles, Griboyedov remained “a writer of one book.” In his main passion - literature - he simply did not have time to fully realize himself. And after the bloody history with the Persians, they tried not to pronounce the name of Griboedov even in their homeland. However, in some moments even Pushkin could envy the brilliant writer, musician and diplomat. In “Travel to Arzrum” he wrote: “His handwritten comedy “Woe from Wit” produced an indescribable effect and suddenly placed him on a par with our first poets... The very death that befell him in the middle of a brave, unequal battle had nothing terrible for Griboyedov, nothing tedious. It was immediate and beautiful.”
And a diplomatic scandal with Persia was avoided. The Shah, unlike religious fanatics, understood how dangerous it was to fight with Russia and what could follow from the barbaric murder of the ambassador. More than one and a half thousand people in Tehran were punished for “popular riot”: someone was killed, someone was maimed “for edification.” An emergency Persian embassy headed by the Shah's grandson Khasrow-Mirza arrived at Nicholas I - he threw himself on his knees before the emperor, put a saber to his chest and begged to take his life in exchange for Griboyedov's life. Also, rich gifts were brought to the Russian court: pearls, cashmere carpets, ancient manuscripts... And also one of the greatest Persian treasures: the unique Shah diamond of 88.7 carats (about 3 cm in length), which has long belonged to the greatest rulers of the East. This is how the Persians assessed the life of the incredible Russian diplomat.
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Presentation for the history lesson “Foreign Policy of Nicholas 1” “The Diplomatic Activities of Alexander Griboedov.” Galina Kuzminichna Krasnoyurchenko, history and social studies teacher, Alina Chislova, 11th grade student, Ochkurovskaya Secondary School, sample title
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“A life quickly cut short…” 220 years since the birth of A.S. Griboedova 1795 1829
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“I have never happened in my life in any nation to see a person who loved the Fatherland so ardently, so passionately, as Griboyedov loved Russia.” F.V. Bulgarin “This is one of the smartest people in Russia, although his life was obscured by some clouds: a consequence of ardent passions and powerful circumstances.” A.S. Pushkin
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It was precisely this ardent patriotic feeling for Russia that accompanied Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov, the famous writer and outstanding diplomat, throughout his entire dynamic and turbulent life. Griboedov's life ended early, his diplomatic service was short-lived, but he left a bright mark on the history of Russia's foreign relations. In the literature about Griboyedov’s diplomatic activities, conflicting opinions were expressed: his diplomatic activities did not have much political significance, and the post he held was a simple “official assignment within the reach of any executive official,” that it was a “minor diplomatic service,”
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the position of the Russian representative in Iran at that time was not a minor government assignment, but a vast field of activity for a diplomat of great scope, such as A. Griboyedov. Difficulties in studying the diplomatic activities of A.S. Griboedova: the publication of the necessary documents began decades after the death of the Plenipotentiary Minister of Russia in Iran A.S. Griboyedov, most researchers were interested in him as the author of the immortal comedy “Woe from Wit”: Griboyedov the poet overshadowed Griboyedov the diplomat, many valuable documents disappeared without being published, new archival materials are published, studies devoted to certain periods of his life and work are published , his connections with the progressive social movement of the era, with the Decembrist movement are revealed; not all the circumstances of the death of the diplomat in Tehran have yet been revealed.
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Beginning of diplomatic activity In 1817, Griboedov entered the College of Foreign Affairs and was expelled from St. Petersburg to Persia to perform a diplomatic mission for being present in a duel as a second. On August 28, 1818, Griboyedov leaves St. Petersburg and goes to his place of new service as an exile. “Now I’ll explain to you my unfeigned sadness,” Griboyedov complained to his soulmate S.N. Begichev. - Imagine that they certainly want to send me, where do you think? - To Persia, and to live there. No matter how much I deny it, nothing helps.” This was a period of aggravation of the Eastern Question. Russian-Iranian, Russian-Turkish, Russian-English contradictions were intertwined with Anglo-Iranian, Anglo-Afghan and Iranian-Turkish contradictions into one knot. First of all, the diplomatic service in the East had to resolve them. Therefore, Russia’s relations with the countries of the Middle East and Central Asia were determined not only by the success of weapons, but also by the activities of Russian diplomacy, in particular in Iran.
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Tabriz period of diplomatic service (1819-1821) Iran at that time was a backward country in a vast area from Georgia to the shores of the Persian Gulf, from Iraq to the highlands of Afghanistan. The seat of the Russian mission in Iran was not its capital Tehran, but Tabriz, the main city of Southern Azerbaijan. Crown Prince Abbas Mirza lived there, the ruler of Azerbaijan, who was entrusted with Iran's foreign policy. Despotism and arbitrariness in Iran made a very strong impression on Griboedov: “... this ladder of blind slavery and blind power...” - this is what the young diplomat wrote in his diary. It was in Iran that Griboedov conceived the idea of limiting autocracy by constitution. Diplomatic service in Iran was complex and difficult due to the intrigues of powers competing with Russia and the traditions of eastern diplomacy. “I had to withstand the dialectic of the 12th century for a whole day,” Griboyedov once remarked about his negotiations with Iranian diplomats. He also looked closely at the activities of British diplomats.
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Transfer of the diplomat to Tiflis The Tauriz period of Griboedov's diplomatic service ended in November 1821 with his trip to Georgia to see Ermolov. He came there with a report on the state of affairs in Iran in connection with the outbreak of the Iranian-Turkish war. The general decided to leave Griboedov in Tiflis and petitioned Nesselrode to designate the diplomat under him, Ermolov, as “secretary for foreign affairs.” The request of the chief manager was granted, and the collegiate assessor Griboyedov (he also received this rank at the insistence of Ermolov) in February 1822 began serving as a diplomatic secretary under the “proconsul of the Caucasus.”
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In 1823, thanks to the assistance of Ermolov, Griboedov received a four-month leave to Moscow and St. Petersburg “on diplomatic affairs.” The vacation dragged on, and Griboyedov returned to the Caucasus only in October 1825, only to soon leave for the capital again. This time the diplomat left the Caucasus in an unusual manner. Griboyedov was involved in the investigation into the Decembrist case. A courier from St. Petersburg hastily galloped after him, and on January 22, 1826, in the Groznaya fortress, Griboedov was arrested “by the highest order,” but was soon released due to lack of incriminating evidence.
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Russian-Iranian War 1826-28. On July 31, 1826, a 40,000-strong Persian army invaded the southern borders of Russia without declaring war. A threat was created to Tiflis, the Russian capital of the Caucasus. The second Russian-Persian war began since the beginning of the 19th century. This coincided with Griboyedov’s return to the headquarters of the Caucasian Corps, which by this time was commanded by General Paskevich. A turning point came in the war when, in October 1827, Russian troops took Erivan and entered South Azerbaijan. The defeat of the Persians was inevitable; the Shah understood that the war was lost. The Persians asked to sign a peace treaty. The Russian side did not object, and peace negotiations between Russia and Iran began in July 1827. Started in Dey-Kargan, they were later resumed in Turkmanchay in early 1828. In “Memories of the Unforgettable Griboedov,” Thaddeus Bulgarin wrote about the continuous labors and important services the diplomat provided during the conclusion of the treatise.
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The main provisions of the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty were written by Griboyedov. According to it, Persia lost almost all of its territories acquired earlier in the Caucasus. Eastern Armenia with the city of Erivan went to Russia, freedom of navigation for Russian merchant ships was declared, as well as Russia’s monopoly right to have a military fleet in the Caspian Sea. The border between Russia and Persia was established along the Araks River. It remained almost unchanged until the collapse of the USSR. Persia had to pay Russia an indemnity - 20 million rubles in silver, which was unthinkable money at that time. The memory of this agreement is still preserved in Iran. It is no coincidence that a person who has made an unsuccessful transaction says: “Vai-vai!” Turkmanchay!”, implying that then they lost almost everything they had.
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Among the articles in which “Griboyedov’s handwriting” was particularly noticeable was Article 15 of the Treaty “on forgiveness for the residents of Azerbaijan and on the deadline for the resettlement of those who wish to live in Russia.” The special significance of this article was that it granted the right to the Armenian population of Iran to move into Russian borders and accept Russian citizenship, and the Iranian government pledged not to interfere. Griboyedov also participated in the preparation of the “Treatise concluded with Persia on the trade of Russian and Persian subjects.” In a letter to Nicholas I, General Paskevich directly wrote that without Griboyedov, the conclusion of peace would have been impossible. I.F. Paskevich
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“If you don’t maintain a tone of moderation in words and in correspondence, the Persians will consider him impotent. Threaten them with riot for rioting. Threaten that we will take all their provinces in South Azerbaijan.”
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The Order of St. Anna is a diplomat's award. On March 12, 1828, Griboedov arrived in St. Petersburg. The newspaper “Northern Bee” wrote: “This day at three o’clock in the afternoon, a cannon shot from the Peter and Paul Fortress announced to the residents of the capital that peace had been concluded with Persia. The news of this and the treatise itself was brought here from the Headquarters of the Russian army operating in Persia by collegiate adviser Alexander Griboyedov.” Nicholas I appreciated the merits of the winners. General Paskevich received the title of Count of Erivan and a million rubles in gold, and Griboyedov received 4 thousand gold chervonets, the Order of St. Anne with diamonds and the rank of state councilor.
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The diplomat's last mission A few days later, by the highest will of Emperor Nicholas I, Alexander Griboyedov was appointed plenipotentiary ambassador of the Russian mission in Persia (in Persian, envoy - vazir-mukhtar). Those who knew Griboedov later said: “He had bad premonitions.” “Don’t congratulate me on this appointment,” Griboyedov remarked to one of his friends, “We will be killed there.” The situation in the East was indeed very difficult. In the spring of 1828, the war between Russia and Turkey began. The Russian mission in Iran was Russia’s foremost diplomatic outpost in Asia. It was here that the “front line” took place, where the struggle between Russia and England for influence in the Middle East continued. The Russian representative in Iran had to be a man of great will, endurance and an outstanding master in the art of diplomacy. Finally, he had to know the country perfectly. All the techniques of Iranian diplomacy and the peculiar maneuvers of the Shah's dignitaries had to be well known. It was necessary to know perfectly the ceremony of the ambassadorial ceremony in Iran. The choice of the Russian government fell on Alexander Griboyedov.
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The work of the Russian mission, despite all the difficulties, proceeded successfully. The complex work of the Russian-Iranian delimitation commission was nearing completion. Griboedov's activities irritated English politicians. They were especially alarmed by Griboyedov’s reluctance to “act cool and quarrel” with Iran. The British could not allow friendly relations between Russia and Iran. The Shiite clergy also entered into a conspiracy against the Russian mission.
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The Death of Vazir-Mukhtar Stills from the film "The Death of Vazir-Mukhtar. The Love and Life of Griboyedov." Based on the novel by Yu. Tynyanov, 2009.
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On the morning of January 30, 1829, after a sermon, at the main mosque of Tehran, the verdict on Griboedov’s death was pronounced. The crowd headed towards the Russian embassy building. First, stones were thrown at the windows, then the uprising and assault began. When the excitement subsided somewhat, the Shah ordered Griboyedov’s corpse to be taken away from the crowd and sent first to Tabriz, and then to the borders of Russia. The defending members of the Russian mission, almost without exception, including Griboyedov, showed examples of true heroism. The courier Ambartsum-bek, who was directly involved in protecting the mission, received 18 wounds. He said the following: “The Cossacks fought heroically, gradually moving back towards the rooms. When almost everyone was beaten and the crowd approached the rooms, the ambassador with me and 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. I was thrown back into the 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 fighter who was in the service of one of the inhabitants of Tehran, a man. athletic build and enormous strength, which allegedly inflicted this blow on him."
