Grand Duke of Kiev and Chernigov Igor Olgovich

Igor Olgovich
(in baptism -
George
; in monasticism -
Gabriel
; in schema -
Ignatius
; ? - 9 (according to other sources, September 19, 1147)) - son of Oleg Svyatoslavich, Prince of Chernigov. Holy Russian Orthodox Church; memory: June 5 (18) (transfer of relics) and September 19 (October 2). Grand Duke of Kiev (1146)[1].

Kiev reign

On August 1, 1146, Prince Vsevolod, Igor’s brother, died. Hostility towards Vsevolod, apparently, served to incite hatred towards his brother Igor and all the Olgovichs.

Igor, according to the will of his late brother, ascended the grand-ducal throne; The residents of Kyiv swore allegiance to him. But soon discontent began due to the new prince’s reluctance to remove the tiuns. The people of Kiev secretly offered the throne to Prince Izyaslav Mstislavich of Pereyaslavl.

Near Kiev, near Lake Nadova, a battle took place between the troops of Prince Igor and Izyaslav Mstislavich, and the Kyiv troops at the height of the battle went over to Izyaslav’s side. For four days Igor Olgovich hid in the swamps near Kyiv before being captured on August 13, 1146; was brought to Kyiv and put in a “cut” (a cold log house, without windows or doors)[2][3][4]. His reign lasted two weeks. While in the woods, the prince became seriously ill and was close to death. Under these conditions, the prince’s opponents allowed him to be “knocked out” from captivity and, according to his will, tonsured into the schema in the Kiev Feodorovsky Monastery (the tonsure was performed by Bishop Euthymius of Pereyaslavl). But the prince recovered, remaining a monk of the monastery.

In 1147, the Kiev veche, wanting to take revenge on the Olgovich family in connection with the revealed plans to capture or kill Izyaslav, decided to deal with the monastic prince. The Metropolitan and the clergy, especially the brother of the Grand Duke, Vladimir Mstislavich, tried to stop the senseless bloodshed. The rebels burst into the church during the liturgy, grabbed Igor, who was praying before the icon of the Mother of God (Igor’s Icon; celebrated on June 5), and dragged him to death. Vladimir Mstislavich managed to recapture Igor from the angry, completely uncontrollable crowd and bring him to his mother’s courtyard, but the Kievans broke down the gates, tore Igor out of the hands of the defenders, killed him, and dragged the corpse, tying a rope to his leg, and threw it on the market square. Even the dead body of the prince was beaten and desecrated. The next morning the prince was buried in the monastery of St. Simeon, on the outskirts of Kyiv[5][6][7][8][9][10].

According to academician Rybakov B.A., the murder of Prince Igor, in addition to the general dislike of broad sections of the population of Kyiv for the Olgovichs, was also due to the fact that even in the doll of a schema-monk, he posed a real danger to the new Grand Duke Izyaslav Mstislavich. So, half a century later, Izyaslav Mstislavich’s nephew, Rurik Rostislavich, was tonsured a monk by his son-in-law Roman Mstislavich (Izyaslav’s grandson), but at a turn of fate, he took off his hair and again became a prince. Igor went through all the coronation formalities and even entered into a “row” with the people of Kiev; The prince also had his own grand ducal seal, on one side of which was depicted St. George, Igor’s patron, and on the other – St. Sophia, the patroness of Kyiv[9].

Doctor of Historical Sciences I. Ya. Froyanov believes that “Igor’s murder did not occur on social grounds, although there is an undeniable flavor of sociality in it. You can’t… treat it as a political murder.” It was of a magical nature, corresponding to pagan consciousness. Killing Igor and ending the Olgovichs are one and the same thing. The murder of Igor had “a magical sign of suppressing any attempts by the Olgovichs to sit on the Kiev table...”[11].

According to the chronicle, Prince Igor was a brave man and a great hunter of birds and animals, he was a reader of books and a scholar in church books; He was of average height, lean, with a dark complexion, and wore long hair and a small narrow beard beyond the usual.

In 1150, Prince Svyatoslav Olgovich of Novgorod-Seversky transferred the relics of his brother to Chernigov and placed them in the Transfiguration Cathedral.

During the Mongol-Tatar invasion of Rus' (1237-1240), the relics of Prince Igor along with the shrine, in order to avoid their desecration, were hidden by the Chernigov people under the foundation of the cathedral, where they remain to this day[12]. All attempts to raise the reliquary with the relics to the top did not bring the desired result due to the danger of the collapse of the load-bearing wall of the cathedral. The reliquary with the relics of St. Igor is hidden, probably near the northern wall.

He left no children behind.

His own nephew was named after Saint Igor - Prince of Novgorod-Seversk and Chernigov Igor Svyatoslavich, the future hero of the literary monument of Ancient Rus' “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, who, like his holy uncle, was buried in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the city of Chernigov.

early years

Like other Rurikovichs of the period of political fragmentation, Igor Olgovich spent his entire life in strife and bloody clashes between the East Slavic princes. The first chronicle evidence of him dates back to 1116. Then young Igor Olgovich took part in the campaign against Minsk, organized by Vladimir Monomakh. 13 years later, under Mstislav the Great, he went with his squad to Polotsk. Ruled over the territory now belonging to sovereign Belarus, the princes belonged to a side branch of the Rurikovichs and regularly clashed with their relatives, which led to frequent wars in the region.

In 1136, Igor Olgovich supported the children of Mstislav the Great in their fight against Yaropolk of Kyiv. For this, the prince, together with his brothers, received part of the Pereyaslavl land and the outlying city of Kursk. Igor belonged to the Chernigov dynasty. In his family, he remained on the sidelines for a long time. His brother Vsevolod, to whom Chernigov belonged, was considered the eldest.

Ancestors

Defeat

Oleg Svyatoslavich spent his entire life in the war against the Kyiv princes. Now his second son found himself in exactly the opposite position. He himself was a Kyiv prince, but almost all the other Rurikovichs opposed him. Even the capital's governors Ivan Voitishich and Lazar Sakovsky, as well as Uleb of the Thousand, betrayed him.

Despite the desperate situation, Igor, Prince of Kiev, did not give up the fight. Together with his younger brother and nephew, he armed a small squad and together with it advanced against Izyaslav Mstislavovich. The regiments of the Grand Duke, due to their small numbers, were naturally defeated. The scattered warriors fled. Both Svyatoslavs managed to break away from their pursuers, but Igor Olgovich’s horse got stuck in a swamp. The Grand Duke was caught and brought to the victorious Izyaslav. He ordered the enemy to be sent to a monastery in the city of Pereyaslavl near Kyiv.

Veneration in Orthodoxy

Prince Igor is revered by the Orthodox as a saint and also a passion-bearer.
Memorial Days:

• September 19 (October 2) - the day of the martyrdom of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Igor of Chernigov and Kyiv (1147)
• June 5 (18) - transfer of the relics of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Igor of Chernigov and Kyiv (1150). Igor's Icon of the Mother of God (1147)[13]
• September 22 (October 5) - in the Cathedral of the Tula Saints (since 1987)[14].

Prince Igor is also revered in Catholicism - he is included in the Catholic calendar as Saint Igor II, Prince of Moscow

[15][16].

tonsure

The houses of Igor's supporters in the capital were looted. The vigilantes of Olgovich’s imaginary allies, the princes Davidovich, took part in the pogroms. Igor’s younger brother Svyatoslav tried to help out his relative. He unsuccessfully persuaded Yuri Dolgoruky to help. In the end, he and Igor’s wife had to flee their native Seversk land.

Meanwhile, the deposed Kiev prince became seriously ill. His life was in the balance. The prisoner in the monastery asked Izyaslav for permission to take monastic vows, to which he received consent. Soon Igor accepted the schema. Moreover, he even recovered and moved to the Kiev monastery.

Igorevskaya Icon of the Mother of God

Main article: Igorevskaya Icon of the Mother of God

The Igor Icon of the Mother of God, before which the holy passion-bearer, Grand Duke of Chernigov and Kiev Igor Olgovich prayed in the last minutes of his life on September 19, 1147), was placed in the chapel of St. John the Theologian in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. This icon is of ancient Greek writing with an inscription about belonging to Saint Igor[17][13][18].

The earliest known lists of icons are two icons from the 2nd half of the 16th century (both in the State Tretyakov Gallery: one comes from the collection of P. M. Tretyakov, the other came from the State Historical Museum). Both were made in Moscow, possibly during the time of Metropolitan Macarius (1542-1563), when in his workshops repetitions of ancient revered icons were created with exact observance of their iconography and sizes.

Hymnography

Troparion, tone 4:
Today has come the all-honorable memory of the passion-bearer, blessed Prince Igor, convening people to the most honorable Church of the Savior, where joyfully gathered many pious people prayerfully celebrate your holy memory, and cry out to you with faith: pray, holy, to the land of Russia, to the city of Chernigov and to all the Orthodox Christians will be saved in peace and prosperity.[19]

Another troparion, tone 4:

Having been enlightened by Divine baptism, we illuminate with the Holy Spirit, you have received the Gospel of Christ in your heart, fulfilling the word of the Son of God in deed, blessed Prince Igor, pray to our all-merciful Savior to grant us peace, and mercy, and the salvation of our souls, who honor your honorable memory.

Kontakion, tone 6:

You changed the glory of your earthly reign into a humble image of monasticism, and having ended your earthly life in suffering, now you rejoice in heaven, praying earnestly for those who honor you, Igor, praise to the sufferers.

Another kontakion, tone 8:

You stained the princely diadem with your blood, God-wise, passion-bearing Igor, you took the cross in your hand for the scepter, you appeared as a victor and you offered an immaculate sacrifice to the Lady for yourself. For thou art a kindly lamb who was slain by a servant, and now, rejoicing before the Holy Trinity, we pray to save our souls.

Magnification:

We magnify you, passion-bearing holy prince Igor, and honor your holy memory, for you pray for us to Christ our God.

Prayer to Saint Igor

Having endured severe mental suffering and physical torment, Holy Prince Igor of Chernigov helps those who have difficult circumstances in their lives.
Especially when a person has been betrayed. Through prayers, people ask him for healing from many illnesses, as well as patience in enduring the trials he sends. They pray to him for peace in the country and tranquility in society. His prayers are asked by those who are looking for true love.

Holy Prince Igor patronizes statesmen in their good endeavors and Orthodox warriors, and is also a heavenly patron for men who bear the name Igor.

Prayer to Prince Igor

Holy Prince Igor

O holy servant of God, passion-bearing saint, Prince Igor!

From your youth you loved God, carnal wisdom, the honor and glory of a prince, you counted the honor and glory of a prince for nothing, and the monastic image, while still young, you reached, you clung to God alone with all your soul, and the good yoke of Christ is upon us, the path of salvation You walked steadily even to the death of martyrdom.

For this reason, the Lord, blessed Igor, crowned you with a crown of glory and accepted you into His Heavenly village, where you are now, enjoying unspeakable glory and joy in the eternal days of the Kingdom of Christ, from the faces of the holy passion-bearers and all the saints of God, begging for us.

We pray to you, Holy One of God, falling before your honest image: pray for us sinners and indecent ones, ask through your prayers for peace to our power, to this city (and to this holy temple) grace and mercy.

Protect the holy Church with your prayers from heresies and schisms, ask its shepherd to be zealous and pious, and grant us all unfeigned love and patience, forgiveness of our sins, healing of illnesses and all ailments.

Cover and save us all from all troubles, sorrows and misfortunes, and, with thanksgiving, let us glorify the Holy Life-Giving Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Churches in honor of the saint

• Church of St. Igor of Chernigov (Novo-Peredelkino)
• Church-chapel of the Blessed Prince Igor of Chernigov (Pushkin)
• [sv-voin.ru/ Temple of the Holy Blessed Prince-Passion-Bearer Igor of Chernigov (Vladivostok)]
• [eparchia.patriarchia.ru/db/text/2502238.html Temple of the Holy Blessed Prince-Passion-Bearer Igor of Chernigov (Kyiv)]
• [timer.od.ua/rubric/Society/v_odesse_osvyatili_tserkov_svyatogo_igorya_chernigovskogo_930.html Temple of the Holy Blessed Prince-Passion-Bearer Igor of Chernigov (Odessa)]
• [igor.church.ua Temple of the Holy Blessed Prince-Passion-Bearer Igor of Chernigov (Dneprodzerzhinsk)]

Notes

1. [enc-dic.com/enc_biography/Igor-olgovich-105960.html Igor Olgovich. Great Biographical Encyclopedia, 2009]. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
2. [statehistory.ru/books/Vasiliy-Tatishchev_Istoriya-Rossiyskaya—CHasti-2-4/18 Tatishchev V.N. Collected works: In 8 volumes: T. 2. Russian History. Parts 2-4: - Reprint from ed. 1963, 1964. - M.: Ladomir, 1994]. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
3. [www.gumer.info/bibliotek_Buks/History/Solov/2_4_2.php Solovyov S. M. History of Russia since ancient times. Publisher: St. Petersburg. Publication of the Supremely Approved Partnership “Public Benefit”, 1896]. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
4. [co6op.ru/node/601 Karamzin N. M. History of the Russian State. T.2. Publisher: AST, 2003]. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
5. [litopys.org.ua/ipatlet/ipat15.htm Complete collection of Russian chronicles: T.2. Ipatiev Chronicle. 1st edition. St. Petersburg, 1843]
6. Complete collection of Russian chronicles: T.1. 1st edition. Laurentian and Trinity Chronicles. St. Petersburg, 1846
7. Complete collection of Russian chronicles: T.7. 1st edition. Chronicle of the Resurrection List. St. Petersburg, 1856
8. Complete collection of Russian chronicles: T.13. A chronicle collection called the Patriarch's or Nikon's Chronicle. Part I. St. Petersburg, 1904
9. ↑ 12
   Rybakov B. A. Pyotr Borislavich. Search for the author “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” M.: Publishing House “Young Guard”, 1991
10. Slavic encyclopedia. Kievan Rus - Muscovy: in 2 volumes / Author-comp. V. V. Boguslavsky. - M: Olma-Press, 2003. ISBN 5-224-02251-7
11. Froyanov I. Ya. Ancient Rus' of the 9th-13th centuries. Popular movements. Princely and veche power. M.: Russian Publishing Center, 2012. P. 243, 245
12. Poselyanin E.N. The Legend of the Holy Leaders of the Russian Land. Moscow, publishing house "Palomnik", 1997 (from a reprint of 1900)
13. ↑ 12
    [www.pravenc.ru/text/293515.html Igorevskaya Icon of the Mother of God. Orthodox Encyclopedia]
14. [mospat.ru/calendar/sobor1/tul.html Cathedral of Tula Saints]. Official calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
15. [severr.livejournal.com/33551.html?thread=1013519 Day of St. Igor of Chernigov]
16. [nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saints_1277.html Saint Igor II - prince de Moscovie (✝ 1147). French ecclesiastical Catholic calendar]
17. [days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life1244.htm Igor's Icon of the Mother of God. Orthodox calendar]
18. [www.sedmitza.ru/text/718041.html Igor's Icon of the Mother of God. Sedmitsa.RU]
19. [www.irmologion.ru/fonts.html Church Slavonic Fonts]

Literature

• Igor Olgovich // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
• Complete collection of Russian chronicles: T.1. 1st edition. Laurentian and Trinity Chronicles. St. Petersburg, 1846
• Complete collection of Russian chronicles: T.2. Ipatiev Chronicle. 1st edition. St. Petersburg, 1843
• Complete collection of Russian chronicles: T.7. 1st edition. Chronicle of the Resurrection List. St. Petersburg, 1856
• Complete collection of Russian chronicles: T.13. A chronicle collection called the Patriarch's or Nikon's Chronicle. Part I. St. Petersburg, 1904
• Tatishchev V.N. Collected works: In 8 volumes: T. 2. Russian History. Parts 2-4: - Reprint from ed. 1963, 1964. - M.: Ladomir, 1994
• Solovyov S. M. History of Russia since ancient times. Publisher: St. Petersburg. Publication of the Supremely Approved Partnership for Public Benefit, 1896
• Karamzin N. M. History of the Russian State. T.2. Publisher: AST, 2003
• Rybakov B. A. Pyotr Borislavich. Search for the author “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” M.: Publishing House “Young Guard”, 1991
• Poselyanin E.N. The Legend of the Holy Leaders of the Russian Land. Moscow, publishing house "Palomnik", 1997 (from a reprint of 1900)
• Pchelov E.V. Rurikovich. History of the dynasty. Moscow, Publishing house "Olma-Press", 2003
• Slavic encyclopedia. Kievan Rus - Muscovy: in 2 volumes / Author-comp. V. V. Boguslavsky. - M: Olma-Press, 2003. ISBN 5-224-02251-7
• Froyanov I. Ya. Ancient Rus' of the 9th-13th centuries. Popular movements. Princely and veche power. M.: Russian Publishing Center, 2012. P. 217, 218, 220-222, 224, 226-247, 442.
• Berezhkov M.N. [dlib.rsl.ru/viewer/01003634958#?page=2 Blessed Igor Olgovich, Prince of Novgorod-Seversky and Grand Duke of Kiev.] / M.N. Berezhkov - M.: Book on Demand, 2012. - 46 p. ISBN 978-5-458-14984-6
• Exemplyarsky A.V.
  Chernigov princes // Russian biographical dictionary: in 25 volumes. - SPb.-M., 1896-1918.

Links

• Igor Olgovich // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.

• Chronicle tribes	Slavic: White Croats · Bolokhovo · Drevlyans · Dregovichi · Dulebs (Volynians) · Vyatichi · Krivichi · Polyans · Radimichi · Northerners · Ilmen Slovenians · Tivertsy · Ulichi; Finno-Ugric: all · Merya · Muroma · Chud Zavolochskaya · Cheremis, Mordovians, Perm, Pechera, Em, Narova, Livs; Baltic: Golyad · Lithuania · Letgola · Zimigola · Kors · Yatvingians;
  Kyiv rulers before the collapse of the Old Russian state (1132)	Askold and Dir · Oleg the Prophetic · Igor Rurikovich · Olga · Svyatoslav Igorevich · Yaropolk Svyatoslavich · Vladimir the Great · Svyatopolk the Accursed · Yaroslav the Wise · Izyaslav Yaroslavich · Vseslav Bryachislavich · Svyatoslav Yaroslavich · Vsevolod Yaroslavich · Svyatopolk Izyaslavich · Vladimir Monomakh · Mstislav the Great
  Significant wars and battles	Campaigns of Rus' against Byzantium · Caspian campaigns of the Rus · Eastern campaign of Svyatoslav · Russian-Pecheneg wars · Russian-Polovtsian wars · Civil wars in Rus' · Battle of the Kalka River · Battle of the City River
  The main principalities in the XII-XIII centuries	Vladimir-Suzdal · Galicia-Volynskoye · Kiev · Murom · Novgorod land · Novgorod-Severskoye · Pereyaslavskoye · Polotsk · Ryazanskoye · Smolenskoye · Turovskoye · Chernigovskoye
  Society	Paganism of the Slavs · Dual faith · Christianity in Rus' · Veche · Druzhina
  Crafts and economics	Money in Ancient Rus' · Crafts in Ancient Rus' · Trade in Ancient Rus' · Old Russian facial sewing
  Culture	Old Russian folklore · Holy Rus' · Russian icon painting
  Literature	Russian Chronicles · Russian Truth · The Word about Law and Grace · The Tale of Bygone Years · The Teaching of Vladimir Monomakh · The Word about Igor's Campaign · The Prayer of Daniil Zatochnik · The Word about the Destruction of the Russian Land
  Architecture	List of ancient Russian architectural structures of the pre-Mongol period · Cross-domed churches of Ancient Rus' · Fortress structures in Ancient Rus'

  Geographical and ethnographic division	Northwestern • Northeastern (colonization) • Western • Southwestern • Great • Small • White • Black • Chervonnaya • Novaya • Carpathian • Pryashevskaya
  Stages of development	baptism of Rus' • political disintegration of Rus' • Russian principalities • unification of Rus'
  Wars with nomads	Russian-Pecheneg wars • Russian-Polovtsian wars • Mongol invasion of Rus' • Crimean-Nogai raids on Rus'
  Etymology and vocabulary	name of Rus' • “all Rus'” • Holy Rus' • Ruthenia
  Associated ethnonyms	Rus • Old Russian people/Rusichi • Rusyns/Rusnaki/Ruthens (ethnonym of the past) • Great Russians • Belarusians • Little Russians • Russians • Carpathian Rusyns • Pannonian Rusyns
  Identities on an all-Russian basis	Little Russian identity • Western Russianism • triune Russian people

  Hieromartyrs	Kuksha Pechersky • Onisim (Pylaev) • Peter (Pavlushkov) • Nikita (Pribytkov)
  Martyrs	Mikhail Vsevolodovich
  Reverends	Nikola Svyatosha • Alexander Peresvet • Andrey Oslyabya • Makary Zhabynsky
  Saints	Nicholas of Mirlikiy • Theoktist of Pechersky • Pimen (Black)
  The faithful	Princes Boris and Gleb • Igor Olgovich • Alexander Nevsky • John Kalita • Dimitri Donskoy
  other	Schema nun Sophia

Conflict with subjects

Before entering the capital as ruler, Igor sent his younger brother Svyatoslav there. The greatest indignation of the Kievites was caused by Vsevolod's tiuns (the chronicles preserved the name of one of them - Ratsha). The townspeople began to complain about the previous managers and boyars. Svyatoslav, on behalf of his brother, promised that after his accession to the throne, the people of Kiev would be able to choose their own tiuns. News of this inflamed the townspeople so much that they began to destroy the palaces of those close to the deceased Vsevolod. With great difficulty, Svyatoslav managed to restore order in the capital.

When Igor, Prince of Kiev entered the city, he did not rush to fulfill his promises. At the same time, residents of the capital began to establish a secret connection with Izyaslav Mstislavovich (son of Mstislav the Great and grandson of Vladimir Monomakh). It was in this prince that many dissatisfied people saw the legitimate ruler, whose dynasty was forcibly expelled from the Kyiv throne by Vsevolod.

Excerpt characterizing Igor Olgovich

“Please see, my dear, I read your note,” Arakcheev interrupted, saying only the first words affectionately, again without looking him in the face and falling more and more into a grumpily contemptuous tone. – Are you proposing new military laws? There are many laws, and there is no one to enforce the old ones. Nowadays all laws are written; it is easier to write than to do. “I came by the will of the Emperor to find out from your Excellency what course you intend to give to the submitted note?” - Prince Andrey said politely. “I have added a resolution to your note and forwarded it to the committee.” “I don’t approve,” said Arakcheev, getting up and taking a paper from the desk. - Here! – he handed it to Prince Andrey. On the paper across it, in pencil, without capital letters, without spelling, without punctuation, was written: “unfoundedly composed as an imitation copied from the French military regulations and from the military article without the need of retreating.” – Which committee was the note sent to? - asked Prince Andrei. - To the committee on military regulations, and I submitted a proposal to enroll your honor as a member. Just no salary. Prince Andrei smiled. - I don’t want to. “Without a salary as a member,” Arakcheev repeated. - I have the honor. Hey, call me! Who else? - he shouted, bowing to Prince Andrei. While awaiting notification of his enrollment as a member of the committee, Prince Andrei renewed old acquaintances, especially with those persons who, he knew, were in force and could be needed by him. He now experienced in St. Petersburg a feeling similar to what he had experienced on the eve of the battle, when he was tormented by a restless curiosity and irresistibly drawn to higher spheres, to where the future was being prepared, on which the fate of millions depended. He felt from the embitterment of the old people, from the curiosity of the uninitiated, from the restraint of the initiated, from the haste and concern of everyone, from the countless number of committees, commissions, the existence of which he learned again every day, that now, in 1809, was being prepared here in St. Petersburg, some kind of huge civil battle, the commander-in-chief of which was a person unknown to him, mysterious and who seemed to him a genius - Speransky. And the most vaguely known matter of transformation, and Speransky, the main figure, began to interest him so passionately that the matter of military regulations very soon began to pass into a secondary place in his mind. Prince Andrei was in one of the most favorable positions to be well received into all the most diverse and highest circles of the then St. Petersburg society. The party of reformers cordially received and lured him, firstly because he had a reputation for intelligence and great reading, and secondly because by his release of the peasants he had already made himself a reputation as a liberal. The party of dissatisfied old men, just like their father’s son, turned to him for sympathy, condemning the reforms. Women's society, society, welcomed him cordially, because he was a groom, rich and noble, and almost a new face with the aura of a romantic story about his imaginary death and the tragic death of his wife. In addition, the general voice about him from everyone who knew him before was that he had changed a lot for the better in these five years, had softened and matured, that there was no former pretense, pride and mockery in him, and there was that calmness that purchased over the years. They started talking about him, they were interested in him and everyone wanted to see him. The next day after visiting Count Arakcheev, Prince Andrei visited Count Kochubey in the evening. He told the count his meeting with Sila Andreich (Kochubey called Arakcheev that way with the same vague mockery that Prince Andrei noticed in the reception room of the Minister of War). - Mon cher, [My dear,] even in this matter you will not bypass Mikhail Mikhailovich. C'est le grand faiseur. [Everything is done by him.] I will tell him. He promised to come in the evening... - What does Speransky care about military regulations? - asked Prince Andrei. Kochubey smiled and shook his head, as if surprised at Bolkonsky’s naivety. “He and I talked about you the other day,” Kochubey continued, “about your free cultivators...” “Yes, it was you, prince, who let your men go?” - said the old man from Catherine, turning contemptuously at Bolkonsky. “The small estate did not bring in any income,” Bolkonsky answered, so as not to irritate the old man in vain, trying to soften his act in front of him. “Vous craignez d'etre en retard, [Afraid of being late," the old man said, looking at Kochubey. “There’s one thing I don’t understand,” the old man continued, “who will plow the land if you give them the freedom?” It is easy to write laws, but difficult to govern. It’s the same as now, I ask you, Count, who will be the head of the wards when everyone has to take exams? “Those who will pass the exams, I think,” answered Kochubey, crossing his legs and looking around. “Pryanichnikov, a nice man, a golden man, works for me, and he’s 60 years old, will he really go to the exams?” by the hand of Prince Andrei, he walked towards the entering tall, bald, blond man, about forty years old, with a large open forehead and an extraordinary, strange whiteness of an oblong face. The man who entered was wearing a blue tailcoat, a cross on his neck and a star on the left side of his chest. It was Speransky. Prince Andrei immediately recognized him and something trembled in his soul, as happens at important moments in life. Whether it was respect, envy, expectation - he did not know. Speransky's entire figure had a special type by which he could now be recognized. In no one from the society in which Prince Andrei lived did he see this calmness and self-confidence of awkward and stupid movements, in no one did he see such a firm and at the same time soft look of half-closed and somewhat moist eyes, did he not see such firmness of an insignificant smile , such a thin, even, quiet voice, and, most importantly, such a delicate whiteness of the face and especially the hands, somewhat wide, but unusually plump, tender and white. Prince Andrei had only seen such whiteness and tenderness of the face in soldiers who had spent a long time in the hospital. This was Speransky, Secretary of State, rapporteur of the sovereign and his companion in Erfurt, where he saw and spoke with Napoleon more than once. Speransky did not move his eyes from one face to another, as is involuntarily done when entering a large society, and was in no hurry to speak. He spoke quietly, with the confidence that they would listen to him, and looked only at the face with whom he spoke. Prince Andrei especially closely followed every word and movement of Speransky. As happens with people, especially those who strictly judge their neighbors, Prince Andrei, meeting a new person, especially one like Speransky, whom he knew by reputation, always expected to find in him the complete perfection of human merits. Speransky told Kochubey that he regretted that he could not come earlier because he was detained in the palace. He did not say that the sovereign detained him. And Prince Andrei noticed this affectation of modesty. When Kochubey named him Prince Andrei, Speransky slowly turned his eyes to Bolkonsky with the same smile and silently began to look at him. “I’m very glad to meet you, I’ve heard about you, like everyone else,” he said. Kochubey said a few words about the reception given to Bolkonsky by Arakcheev. Speransky smiled more. “The director of the commission of military regulations is my good friend, Mr. Magnitsky,” he said, finishing every syllable and every word, “and if you wish, I can put you in touch with him.” (He paused at the point.) I hope that you will find in him sympathy and a desire to promote everything reasonable. A circle immediately formed around Speransky, and the old man who was talking about his official, Pryanichnikov, also addressed Speransky with a question. Prince Andrei, without engaging in conversation, observed all the movements of Speransky, this man, recently an insignificant seminarian and now in his own hands - these white, plump hands, who had the fate of Russia, as Bolkonsky thought. Prince Andrei was struck by the extraordinary, contemptuous calm with which Speransky answered the old man. He seemed to be addressing him with his condescending word from an immeasurable height. When the old man began to speak too loudly, Speransky smiled and said that he could not judge the benefits or disadvantages of what the sovereign wanted. After talking for some time in a general circle, Speransky stood up and, going up to Prince Andrei, called him with him to the other end of the room. It was clear that he considered it necessary to deal with Bolkonsky. “I didn’t have time to talk to you, prince, in the midst of that animated conversation in which this venerable old man was involved,” he said, smiling meekly and contemptuously, and with this smile, as if admitting that he, together with Prince Andrei, understands the insignificance of those people with whom he just spoke. This appeal flattered Prince Andrei. - I have known you for a long time: firstly, in your case about your peasants, this is our first example, which would so much like more followers; and secondly, because you are one of those chamberlains who did not consider themselves offended by the new decree on court ranks, which is causing such talk and gossip. “Yes,” said Prince Andrei, “my father did not want me to use this right; I started my service from the lower ranks. – Your father, a man of the old century, obviously stands above our contemporaries, who so condemn this measure, which restores only natural justice. “I think, however, that there is a basis in these condemnations...” said Prince Andrei, trying to fight the influence of Speransky, which he was beginning to feel. It was unpleasant for him to agree with him on everything: he wanted to contradict. Prince Andrei, who usually spoke easily and well, now felt difficulty in expressing himself when speaking with Speransky. He was too busy observing the personality of the famous person. “There may be a basis for personal ambition,” Speransky quietly added his word. “Partly for the state,” said Prince Andrei. “What do you mean?...” said Speransky, quietly lowering his eyes. “I am an admirer of Montesquieu,” said Prince Andrei. - And his idea that le principe des monarchies est l'honneur, me parait incontestable. Certains droits et privileges de la noblesse me paraissent etre des moyens de soutenir ce sentiment. [the basis of monarchies is honor, it seems to me beyond doubt. Some rights and privileges of the nobility seem to me to be a means of maintaining this feeling.] The smile disappeared on Speransky’s white face and his physiognomy benefited a lot from this. He probably found Prince Andrei’s idea interesting. “Si vous envisagez la question sous ce point de vue, [If that’s how you look at the subject,” he began, pronouncing French with obvious difficulty and speaking even more slowly than in Russian, but completely calmly. He said that honor, l'honneur, cannot be supported by advantages harmful to the course of service, that honor, l'honneur, is either: the negative concept of not doing reprehensible acts, or a well-known source of competition for obtaining approval and awards expressing it. His arguments were concise, simple and clear. The institution that maintains this honor, the source of competition, is an institution similar to the Legion d'honneur [Order of the Legion of Honor] of the great Emperor Napoleon, which does not harm, but promotes the success of the service, and not the advantage of class or court. “I don’t argue, but it cannot be denied that the court advantage achieved the same goal,” said Prince Andrei: “every courtier considers himself obliged to bear his position with dignity.” “But you didn’t want to use it, prince,” said Speransky, smiling, indicating that he wanted to end the argument, which was awkward for his interlocutor, with courtesy. “If you do me the honor of welcoming me on Wednesday,” he added, “then I, after talking with Magnitsky, will tell you what may interest you, and in addition I will have the pleasure of talking with you in more detail.” “He closed his eyes, bowed, and a la francaise, [in the French manner], without saying goodbye, trying to be unnoticed, he left the hall. During the first time of his stay in St. Petersburg, Prince Andrei felt his entire mindset, developed in his solitary life, completely obscured by those petty worries that gripped him in St. Petersburg. In the evening, returning home, he wrote down in a memory book 4 or 5 necessary visits or rendez vous [meetings] at the appointed hours. The mechanism of life, the order of the day in such a way as to be everywhere on time, took up a large share of the energy of life itself. He did nothing, didn’t even think about anything and didn’t have time to think, but only spoke and successfully said what he had previously thought about in the village. He sometimes noticed with displeasure that he happened to repeat the same thing on the same day, in different societies. But he was so busy all day that he didn’t have time to think about the fact that he didn’t think anything. Speransky, both on his first meeting with him at Kochubey’s, and then in the middle of the house, where Speransky, face to face, having received Bolkonsky, spoke with him for a long time and trustingly, made a strong impression on Prince Andrei. Prince Andrei considered such a huge number of people to be despicable and insignificant creatures, he so wanted to find in another the living ideal of the perfection for which he was striving, that he easily believed that in Speransky he found this ideal of a completely reasonable and virtuous person. If Speransky had been from the same society from which Prince Andrei was, the same upbringing and moral habits, then Bolkonsky would soon have found his weak, human, non-heroic sides, but now this logical mindset, strange to him, inspired him with respect all the more that he did not quite understand it. In addition, Speransky, either because he appreciated the abilities of Prince Andrei, or because he found it necessary to acquire him for himself, Speransky flirted with Prince Andrei with his impartial, calm mind and flattered Prince Andrei with that subtle flattery, combined with arrogance, which consists in silent recognition his interlocutor with himself, together with the only person capable of understanding all the stupidity of everyone else, and the rationality and depth of his thoughts. During their long conversation on Wednesday evening, Speransky said more than once: “We look at everything that comes out of the general level of inveterate habit...” or with a smile: “But we want the wolves to be fed and the sheep to be safe...” or : “They can’t understand this...” and all with an expression that said: “We: you and I, we understand what they are and who we are.” This first, long conversation with Speransky only strengthened in Prince Andrei the feeling with which he saw Speransky for the first time. He saw in him a reasonable, strictly thinking, enormously intelligent man who had achieved power with energy and perseverance and used it only for the good of Russia. Speransky, in the eyes of Prince Andrei, was precisely that person who rationally explains all the phenomena of life, recognizes as valid only what is reasonable, and knows how to apply to everything the standard of rationality, which he himself so wanted to be. Everything seemed so simple and clear in Speransky’s presentation that Prince Andrei involuntarily agreed with him in everything. If he objected and argued, it was only because he deliberately wanted to be independent and not completely submit to Speransky’s opinions. Everything was so, everything was good, but one thing embarrassed Prince Andrei: it was Speransky’s cold, mirror-like gaze, which did not let into his soul, and his white, tender hand, which Prince Andrei involuntarily looked at, as they usually look at people’s hands, having power. For some reason this mirror look and this gentle hand irritated Prince Andrei. Prince Andrei was unpleasantly struck by the too much contempt for people that he noticed in Speransky, and the variety of methods in the evidence that he cited to support his opinions. He used all possible instruments of thought, excluding comparisons, and too boldly, as it seemed to Prince Andrei, he moved from one to another. Either he became a practical activist and condemned dreamers, then he became a satirist and ironically laughed at his opponents, then he became strictly logical, then he suddenly rose into the realm of metaphysics. (He used this last tool of evidence especially often.) He transferred the question to metaphysical heights, moved into the definitions of space, time, thought, and, making refutations from there, again descended to the ground of dispute.