“Pain points” of the reign of Nicholas II: truth and fiction. But it was impossible to give the soldiers another command

Livonian War, the capture of Narva... I will not deprive you of my mercy, Alexey Danilovich, for the loyalty and courage shown in battles, - Ivan the Terrible proudly looked at Basmanov, placing his hand on his shoulder. Mother Rus' needed people who would stand up for their native land, not spare themselves on the battlefield, and fulfill the sovereign’s word as the word of God. The boyars' conspiracies were a bone in their throats, and their hearts were yearning for the devotion and courage of the Tsar's servants.

I heard that your son is fourteen years old. Good job?

Good, sir! Agile, fast, like a marten. And that’s the only way he wields a saber, playfully snapping his opponents on the nose with a whip! - Realizing where the tsar was going with this, Alexey Danilovich answered enthusiastically - despite the stupid childishness, unbecoming of a man, in battle the younger Basmanov was worthy of admiration. With a flexible and dangerous blade, he fought the enemy tribe, which against his background looked like a clumsy accumulation of shafts.

If so, Alexey Danilovich, let the bell serve me. Go!

A heavy hand tightly squeezed the back of his head, not allowing him to raise his head and raise his eyes - Fyodor’s gaze was buried in the toes of the royal boots, and his father’s quiet hiss burned his ears:

Bow down, fool, and don’t stare at the sovereign! Is there an extra head?!

Joy and curiosity raged in my heart. But the young man still obeyed, yielding to his father’s will. Unusual attire and untested weapons burned the skin, causing fussiness and a desire to show oneself, to give everything, to distinguish oneself in a new service. But the hand was unyielding in its grip - to be honest, the last thing Alexey Basmanov wanted was for his son to appear to the sovereign as an unreliable and rebellious man, to attract the angry gaze of a suspicious and merciless ruler.

But his fears were in vain. Grozny watched the youthful dreams with a slight smile, now so rarely appearing on his gloomy face. Basmanov’s valor was imprinted in his memory by the fire of loyalty and honor with which he so fiercely carried out the royal will. And in the son of this man, the king saw only the beginnings of a flame, a future fire, which, despite its strength, must submit to him.

Say your name.

His father's iron grip finally loosened, and Fyodor took this as a sign that he could move. But the tense muscles were cramped, and the lips were sealed with a seal of silence - neither move nor breathe. The sovereign's voice was immobilizing.

The young man shook like an aspen leaf in the wind, under the oppressive gaze of the ruler. Calling upon all his spirit to help, he looked at him, and, hesitating, lowered his gaze, quietly answering:

Fyodor, my lord.

Leaning forward like a hawk, Grozny grabbed him by the chin, forcing him to look into his eyes. Fyodor did not dare to twitch. His sincerity attracted the king - it seemed that these eyes knew no lies: admiration, fear, unquenched audacity and devotion bordering on blind adoration. Like a dog that licks a beating hand, the young man looked at the king with wide eyes and now entrusted his life and will to him.

Do you, dog, swear allegiance to your sovereign, your lord, the viceroy of God on earth? - Goosebumps rose on the back of Fyodor’s neck, greedily catching the Tsar’s every word. The fingers firmly holding him hurt, but he did not notice it, reveling in the feeling of someone else's power over him, someone else's strength.

The freedom-loving spirit submitted to the stronger one, and the young man thought he heard the click of a collar closing around his neck.

For you, sir, I’m happy to give my life! - Fyodor exclaimed, falling on his face and immediately raising a burning, inspired gaze to the sovereign.

Alexey Basmanov, a silent block looking at the action taking place in front of him, shuddered noticeably - fear pierced his father’s heart, momentarily throwing off the indifferent mask from his rough and stern face. That fear was not definite, but penetrated to the very depths, giving rise to a vague apprehension about the correctness of his son’s choice.

You are impudent,” the Tsar ruffled his resin curls with a satisfied smile, “you will stand by my right hand, Fyodor.”

Holiday “Meeting with the King of the Seas and Oceans”

Preparatory stage. Each squad prepares costumes and their performance at the festival.

Characters: Neptune, Chief, mermaids, devils, merman, leader.

Everyone gathers on the shore of a lake, river or pool. Music plays, the children are greeted by the presenter and Neptune’s retinue: mermaids, devils, merman, etc.

Leading: There lived a king of the sea, at the bottom of the sea
I wasn't bored with nothing to do,
He cleaned the crown with sand
Yes, he rocked ships.
In all the seas
Knew thousands of roads
What ship is sailing where?
What river, where does it flow,
What kind of fish, where does it live?
He knew better than anyone.

Guess who I'm talking about? Today we have gathered here with you to meet the king of the seas and oceans - Neptune. Let's call him together:

King of the seas and oceans
Show up, we are waiting for you!

Neptune appears. A throne has been prepared for him on the shore. Next to him are mermaids, devils, and a merman.

Neptune: Who woke me up with his screams? Who's in charge here? Submit it here.

Main: O king of the seas and oceans! We came here to have fun ourselves and to have fun for you. A man has arrived to meet you, one of them... can’t swim. But they really want to learn. They are not afraid of the storms of the sea, nor the cold, nor even your anger. O formidable lord of the seas and oceans, allow them to plunge into the water.

Neptune: Oh no! First of all, you will amuse me and show me your games and songs. And if I like it, then my retinue and I will make a decision. And first I will read the decree.

I order:

1. Start a water festival.

2. Enter and exit the water only at my command.

3. Conduct an inspection of everyone’s readiness to meet me, the Lord of the Sea.

Neptune, along with his retinue, passes by spectators and participants of the holiday.

Neptune: Now show me what you have prepared for me.

Each squad shows their performance.

Neptune: Well done! They made the old man happy and comforted my soul! As the ruler of the seas and oceans, I praise you for your songs, dances and jokes. I accept all of you who can and cannot swim into my club. My helpers, mermaids, devils, merman, douse everyone with water. This is my main order, carry it out at the same time.

Everyone is doused with water.

Neptune: Now you are all accepted into my club. Therefore, you must be dexterous, strong and courageous. Now we will check this.

Neptune's assistants conduct water games with children.

Main: Oh, formidable lord of the seas and oceans, now allow everyone to plunge into the water!

Neptune: I, lord of the seas and oceans,
Big rivers and small rivulets,
All the swamps and small tributaries,
All lakes and ponds,

I command everyone to follow my order - to plunge into the water and swim in it as much as you wish. But swim and listen carefully to my signal, which will notify you that it is time to go ashore, since sweet prizes and surprises that my retinue has prepared for you will be waiting for you here.

What do you say, Ivashka? - the lame marker Terenty asked him when Vanyushka appeared in the billiard room.

“Nothing,” Vanyushka responded and immediately said: “Do you know our Tipka?” Do you remember when you lived in our yard? He cheats at the Apraksin market.

Yah? - Terenty answered mechanically, taking the pocketed ball out of the pocket.

Taking a careful look at Terenty’s partner, Vanyushka became wary. He recognized the same four-fingered uncle Akim, whose order a year and a half ago he had not been able to fulfill.

Vanyushka listened to their conversation.

They played somehow wonderfully, accompanying each blow with a saying, putting into it some kind of meaning that only they themselves understood.

“I’m at Protopopov now,” Uncle Akim muttered, aiming at the ball standing at the side. - He now has no support in the Duma.

“And I’m in Trenev,” said Terenty, aiming at the ball with number nine. “He won’t last long in power.”

Vanyushka realized that they were talking about ministers and that the most important ball by number was none other than the Emperor. Undoubtedly, Uncle Akim had something to do with the incident in the factory canteen. He also allegorically told Terenty about this.

Aim at Nikolashka,” muttered Terenty, adjusting his blow more comfortably.

Uncle Akim grinned into his mustache.

Patience, friend,” he reassured Terenty. - You got burned at Rasputin, but you can’t cool it off with Purishkevich.

Uncle Akim also took aim at Nikolashka.

I told him... Miliukov... - he explained. - Did you hear what speech he made in the Duma?

Vanyushka walked around the players several times, peering inquisitively into Uncle Akim’s face; since then memorable day Vanyushka never met him again. I wanted to say to him loudly: “Hello, Uncle Akim... Have you probably forgotten me? I am Vanyushka Chulin. You gave me an order then... I rushed with him from the teahouse to the yard and back without any sense. And you took it and left.”

But, carried away by the game and conversation, Uncle Akim never paid attention to Vanyushka.

Coming out of the billiard room, Vanyushka went up to his favorite Michel. The electric orchestra thundered and played the waltz “On the Hills of Manchuria.” But Mikhel no longer stomped his feet or waved his arms. Some mechanism has gone bad inside the wooden man. They invited a repairman, and he also could not fix Michel. Frozen Mikhel stood with one arm raised, his patent-leather shoe put forward, and sadly looked at Vanyushka, as if complaining about his helpless state.

V-Vanyushka! - someone’s very familiar voice was heard.

Vanyushka turned around. Two front-line soldiers were sitting at the next table, drinking tea. One soldier is like a soldier, broad-shouldered, black-moustached, hefty, with a shaggy head. The other is very young, with a short haircut, not a soldier, but a boy in a soldier’s uniform, like two peas in a pod similar face to Tipka Tsar.

Vanyushka,” repeated the soldier, smiling broadly and friendlyly, “s-sit down and have tea with us!”

Unable to say anything, Vanyushka mechanically sat down on an empty chair. He couldn't believe his eyes.

D-don't you recognize? - asked the soldier. - It's me. Tsarev type.

On the green military tunic of the Tsar's type, a brand new St. George's Cross glittered on a three-color ribbon. Next to the Tsar, on another free chair, lay shaggy black soldier’s hats and a stick-stick with a rubber tip stood leaning against the wall.

How are you? - the Tsar asked Vanyushka, narrowing his eyes.

Fine...

Your spine? - the big black-mustachioed soldier inquired.

The king nodded affirmatively.

How did you... - Vanyushka finally found the power of speech. - Are you at war?

“I’m fighting,” the Tsar confirmed. - And you?

“And I’m studying at school,” Vanyushka sighed.

The conversation was getting better. The guy spoke simply and in few words.

R-they shot me in the leg. I was lying with Uncle Prokofy, we were fellow soldiers, in the infirmary. Now he is on the mend. I'll be checking out one of these days. I'll go to war again.

Vanyushka asked about the St. George Cross.

“Deserved it,” the Tsar answered modestly, without any boasting, smiling slightly. But his eyes sparkled at the same time. How he earned the St. George Cross, Tipka did not tell.

Vanyushka still did not take his eyes off the silver “George” glittering on the Tsar’s tunic. He was ready to give half his life just to pin such a St. George's Cross on his chest.

W-went to see my aunt... Ivanikha, and we have strangers living there. D-don't know where she is?

No, no. - Vanyushka shook his head vigorously. Since Ivanikha and Tipka were taken to the police a year and a half ago, she has not been seen in the yard anymore.

After briefly questioning Vanyushka, the Tsar took his hockey stick and, visibly limping, walked with his colleague to the exit.

Vanyushka, having dressed, walked him to the door. When leaving, Tipka promised to visit the Skobsky Palace again soon.

Apparently, the Tsar was in no hurry to leave for the front. Vanyushka still stood on the street, now dreaming of meeting the Flower. A bell could be heard not far away. It was in St. Andrew's Cathedral that they rang for Vespers.

“Well, Flower, now I’ll break you!” - he thought.

Alexander liked Marakanda with its magnificent palace and its picturesque surroundings, and he decided to give his army a rest here until the fall, before going to India. And with the approach of cold weather, he will lead the army south. Around the city there were extensive gardens in which early fruits were already ripening. On three sides along the horizon were blue mountains, blocking the path into the valley of cold winds from the north and hot winds from the south. The dense forests that grew along Polytimet, called tugai in the local dialect, were full of animals and birds. And Alexander passionately loved hunting from his youth.

One day, Alexander invited Namicha to his room and offered to share his morning meal with him. At breakfast he asked if he liked hunting. “Of course,” said Namić, gnawing on a pheasant leg. - In my youth I was an avid hunter. But over the years, I gradually lost interest in this activity. Now I don’t even remember when last time went to tugai..."

From a distance, your forests appear completely covered with flowers,” said Alexander. - Sometimes it seems to me that even the breeze flying from there is filled with aroma...

Namić nodded in agreement. Yes, there are a lot of different colors extraordinary beauty. If the great king has a desire to take a walk there or go hunting, then Namich is ready to personally accompany him.

Along the entire floodplain of the Polytimetus, from the very mountains where the river begins, and to the middle of the desert, where it is lost, spilling into many small branches, they have grown mixed forests, so thick that you can’t get through them without an axe. There are many places where no human has gone before. Huge centuries-old plane trees raise their spreading crowns high, looking like clouds from a distance. Under them grew, intertwining branches, white-trunked poplars, willows, ash-silver olives, evergreen juniper, and elm with a rounded, as if specially trimmed, crown. All kinds of fruits and berries serve as food for animals and birds all year round. The banks of the river abound with nuts, jida, almonds, rose hips, blackberries, and sea buckthorn; it is not difficult to go there in a boat and find a place where it is convenient to moor. Old Tabibs say that one day spent in such a forest adds a year to life. The air there is saturated with the aroma of medicinal herbs. Matched bright colors butterflies of amazing beauty flutter, from bush to bush, birds with rarely seen plumage fly from tree to tree...

I’ll be glad if you join me,” Alexander said. - Still, we could use an experienced guide. Who would you recommend?

Aspata. His father was once an unsurpassed hunter and served as my guide. And Aspat is nevertheless famous. It is unlikely that there is a person in Maracanda who knows the places rich in game better than him...

Then tell him to come to the palace tomorrow. Yes, warn me not to tell anyone...

They prepared for the hunt in secret; it was ordered not to disclose it even to the army. Only the closest assistant of King Lysimachus was initiated into the upcoming event from the very beginning, for he was entrusted with preparing everything necessary for the hunt. Only she could distract the king from painful thoughts. Let him rest, have fun, unwind, enjoy the beauty wildlife. But, as they say, God protects those who are careful. Find out about the king’s desire to hunt Spitamen, this ubiquitous “steppe leopard” can suddenly appear in the very unexpected place and turn the holiday into mourning. First one detachment of Macedonians, then another, as soon as he lags behind the main forces or settles for the night outside the city walls, is attacked by his bandits.

At first, Alexander decided that insolent warriors from Bess’s undead troops were trying to take revenge on him for their disgraced leader. But when they managed to capture three or four robbers, it turned out that none other than Spitamen allowed himself such insolence. You have to keep your ears open with this barbarian.

For greater safety, Alexander ordered a large formation of hetaira and hypotoxotes to leave the city and camp at Polytimetus, not far from the place where the royal hunt was supposed to be.

As usual, we set off to hunt long before dawn. The king rode ahead, Lysimachus to his right, and Namich, slightly behind, dozing in the saddle to his left. The guide Aspat received permission to gallop far ahead, to the tugai forests. Alexander was in a great mood, he was smiling. However, the attempts of Lysimachus and Namicha to start a conversation with him failed, because he either turned a deaf ear to their questions or answered them in monosyllables. And then they too fell silent, deciding that the king just wanted to admire the dawn and listen to the singing of the early birds.

Alexander smiled, remembering the warm embrace of Ravshanak, whom he had just reluctantly left. For the sake of this woman alone, it was worth taking possession of an impregnable fortress, which was considered the castle of her father. True, her defenders surrendered to his mercy. But Alexander would have taken this fortress in any case, even if it had cost the lives of many hundreds of his soldiers...

As soon as in the crowd of men and women greeting the king with bread and salt, he saw a girl covering her face right up to her eyes, his heart skipped a beat, and he quietly said: “It’s her, the daughter of Oxyartes!” And he immediately thought how poor his life had been until he knew about the existence of such a beauty on earth...

That same evening, Alexander called Ravshanak to his place. She didn't come alone. With mother and maid. Alexander at first wanted to send the old women away, but noticing how gloomy their faces were, he smiled and decided that it was better not to spoil relations with them.

Ravshanak,” he said. - I, as a winner, can make you a concubine...

No, she answered. -You didn't defeat us. We opened the gate ourselves. But even if I had won, I still would not have become your concubine. You couldn't stop me from killing myself.

“Yes, you are worthy to become the queen of my huge power,” said the king, without taking his eyes off her and, to his chagrin, not noticing a bit of joy on her face. - And therefore I offer you to become my legal wife.

You already have her, and she recently gave birth to your son.

Alexander lowered his eyes and was silent for a while. Barsina, daughter of Artabazus, accompanied him last years on hikes. Persian. She's also beautiful. But there is no comparison with this one. The king was pale, and there were lumps on his cheekbones. It was noticeable that it was not easy for him to make a decision. He abruptly turned to the door and called out to Lysimachus. And when he entered, he said:

Tomorrow, send Barsina and the baby to her parents!

Lysimachus nodded and left.

Are you satisfied? - the king asked Ravshanak.

“Anyway, I don’t have the right to decide this myself,” the girl answered quietly. Tears ran down her cheeks.

And who?.. Who has the right?.. - Alexander roared, stamping his foot, and all three women almost fainted from fright.

Father... - the girl answered quietly, lowering her head. “You, of course, can forcefully turn me into your concubine, but I cannot become your wife without his blessing...

Where is he, take him, your Angra - Mainyu?!

In Maracanda.

I won’t take Maracanda earlier than in a month, and I don’t want to wait that long!..

And he would have taken Maracanda much earlier, no matter what the cost, even if he had to climb the fortress walls himself and smash the towers with battering rams. Fate, however, decreed otherwise: on the sixth day of the capture of the castle, its owner himself, Oxyart, appeared.

The wedding was celebrated in the castle solemnly, according to Sogdian customs. But Alexander decided to observe his own customs - he ordered bread to be brought: bread was considered by the Macedonians to be the most sacred guarantee of a lasting marriage. The hot bun, freshly taken out of the tandoor, was cut in half with a sword, and Alexander and Ravshanak tasted it.

The son of Oxyart, brother Ravshanak, was accepted into the squadron of hetayrs close to the king. Now he is also somewhere there, at Polytimet, ensuring the safety of the king.

When we approached the tugai, the sun had already risen. The agema's detachment, which was lagging behind, galloped their horses, quickly caught up with them and followed at a short distance, so that if something happened, they would be next to the ruler in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, from the trunk of an ash-gray olive tree, human figure. Several bodyguards simultaneously raised their bows and would have shot arrows a moment later if the king had not exclaimed:

This is Cleitus!.. What is he doing here early in the morning?

Judging by his equipment, he was going hunting with us! - Lysimachus answered cheerfully.

It turns out he found out?.. How did you get wind of our plans, hey, Cleitus? - Alexander asked, laughing.

He loved this young hipparch, his own age, who combined in equal measure a cheerful disposition and courage. Often, when left alone, they remembered the house where they spent their childhood, where they played the same games together, and dear Lanika, Cleitus’s sister, Alexander’s nurse, who was perhaps more affectionate with him than with her brother, tried to make up for what his mother did not give him.

Cleitus, of course, knew about the king’s special attitude towards him, and therefore he dared, without his permission, to join the hunt organized secretly, for the “rest of the royal soul.” If anyone else had been in Cleitus’s place, both the one who found out about the secret and the one who revealed it would undoubtedly have lost their heads. In addition, Alexander was almost sure that Lysimachus had informed Cleitus about the hunt. And who else?.. He looked sternly at Lysimachus and shook his finger.

Sorry, Alexander,” said Cleitus, approaching. - I decided that you simply forgot about my passion for hunting.

It really is, my friend! - Alexander exclaimed. - Join us. But just keep in mind: they say there are mighty tigers here. And all I see for you is a bow and arrows. I don’t need another crippled hipparch,” he glanced at Lysimachus, who embarrassedly looked away and mechanically stroked his right shoulder. While hunting in Syria two years ago, he fought with a leopard and killed it. However, the beast bit through his shoulder, damaging the tendon. Since then he has not been able to raise his arm high. Now he is not a warrior, not a fighter. But his brain works well. And therefore the king keeps him with him as a chiliarch, often consults with him, but more often entrusts him with economic affairs.

Emerging from somewhere behind the thickets, Aspat rode up on a horse. Cleitus, looking at him suspiciously, said:

Is this the hunter who has undertaken to show the way?

Do you know this too?.. - the king was surprised. - Well, it turns out that there are talkers among my hetaira!

Lysimachus turned pale, his eyes, fixed on Cleitus, expressed reproach. “Doesn’t he really understand that every word spoken in the presence of the king is like an arrow shot vertically upward? Falling down, it can pierce the crown. Because of his chatter, I will lose the king’s trust!”

“To check whether Aspatus is really a skilled hunter, I sent him to get some game,” Lysimachus said, justifying himself. - He brought a young boar, killed with one blow right in the heart... In the evening, Cleitus and I had a small feast...

And were you alone? - Alexander asked, squinting, and from the sly sparkles in his eyes it was noticeable that he knew everything else.

While they drank wine and ate wild boar, they kept four young Sogdian women locked up. And then, flushed with wine, we amused ourselves with them until the morning...

The king did not take his eyes off Lysimachus, who lowered his head guiltily.

Well, I don’t blame you for that,” Alexander said, laughing. - The more Macedonians the local women give birth to, the better!.. But the fact that they didn’t bring me to try even a piece of wild boar, even a wing of a pheasant, offended me deeply.

Lysimachus and Cleitus looked at each other. Things were taking an undesirable turn. “He knows about pheasants!” The king did not tolerate it when little things were kept from him.

Sorry, great Alexander- said Lysimachus. - We ate in secret from everyone, so that no one would know about the impending hunt...

So secretly that I immediately became aware of it,” the king grinned.

And Lysimachus thought with reverence: “You know everything about each of your warriors. Otherwise you wouldn’t be great..."

The king nodded to Aspat:

“We will enter the tugai here,” he said and pointed to a small clearing.

As they rode through the forest, Aspat explained to each of the king's bodyguards his duties. Here he felt like a master.

Ahead there appeared thickets of reeds, growing so high that a rider could get lost in them. The river was visible behind them, and cool air was blowing from there. The clearing turned sharply to the right and led out into a vast clearing. The trees around her grew so thick that it seemed that they would have to cut a new clearing to penetrate the forest. The incessant hubbub of birds hung in the air. The sun gradually warmed up, and the moisture evaporating from the greenery permeated the busy day with its aroma.

The horses were hobbled and allowed to graze under the supervision of horse handlers.

Aspat sent a dozen warriors to the river so that, making their way along the edge of the bank, they would scare away the animals arriving at that hour at the watering hole. Boars, deer, and roe deer will soon rush headlong through the forest. And then, great king, don’t yawn!..

Aspat led Alexander and his two closest friends into the depths of the forest along a path he knew, and soon they again found themselves in a place where the forest ends and the reed thickets begin. The path, trodden by the beast, dived under old trees, the rough trunks of which with traces of boar tusks were bizarrely curved, and the branches, hanging almost to the ground, tenaciously grabbed clothes, scratched their hands and face.

Lysimachus, bypassing Aspatus, went ahead and began to cut down with his sword the branches that were preventing the king from passing, and threw them aside.

Alexander also took out his sword, deciding to practice. He cut down two or three branches, and suddenly it seemed to him that he had entered into a battle with a forest that was trying to hide its secrets from him. And I immediately remembered the words of the Scythian ambassador, who visited his camp near Tanais a year ago. “You came to this world for war,” said the Scythian. - You are not capable of anything else. If today you subjugate the people of the whole earth to your power, then tomorrow you will enter into war with nature itself: with wild animals, forests, rivers, snow, rain!..” There was probably some truth in the barbarian’s words. Now he has already entered into a battle with the forest and its inhabitants...

From the direction of the river, the piercing sounds of a horn and the screams of the beaters were heard, which echoed in the forest, throwing animals and birds into panic, who had probably never heard such a frightening noise. A flock of ducks flashed overhead, almost touching the panicles of the reeds, and pheasants flashed by like flashes of flame.

And no one except Alexander at that moment heard the crackling sound of breaking reeds on the left. The reeds parted, and five or six steps away the king saw a huge Turanian tiger, known for its gigantic size and ferocity. Both the beast and the king froze. The Sogdians claim that tigers are so noble that they never attack a person first unless he provokes them. Here it is - a miracle of nature!.. Dark stripes ran along the velvety red sides, which became lighter at the bottom, and every hair shimmered golden in the sun. Well, how can you not covet the skin of such a handsome man? That's what the king thought. But it is not known what the striped giant was thinking about at that moment, keeping his wary green eyes on the man. Alexander didn’t remember how many times he had gone hunting in his life, but it was here that fate brought him so close to this mighty beast that you could look into his eyes. What is he waiting for?.. Never seen a person in his life, or has curiosity made him careless? Or is he so confident in himself and his strength? Or maybe he is counting on the nobility of a person who will not harm him if he retreats?..

Cleitus, who had lagged behind them, appeared from behind the thickets and shouted:

Be careful, Alexander!..

Aspatus and Lysimachus instantly turned around and rushed back. However, the king waved his hand and ordered:

Stop!.. He is mine...

The tiger bared his fangs and roared menacingly.

So the two kings met.

There was no challenge in the eyes of the king of beasts; one could rather read in them: “Let’s part ways on good terms. If you don't touch me, I'll go my own way. And you go yours...” But if he had been more insightful and not so trusting, he would have understood from the eyes of the ruler of the world that he does not tolerate on his path anyone equal to himself in strength, and only battle can reveal which of them has the right to be called ruler, and that he is already planning the place where he will strike...

The blade he held out shone dazzlingly in the sun.

Who will start first?.. Who is stronger?..

The beast, wrinkling its muzzle once again, roared menacingly and showed its fangs, warning that the person had better leave, because he is the master here. But the man stepped towards him. And it was a challenge. The tiger's eyes flashed, he leaned back slightly and jumped high. Alexander rushed forward and, dodging the clawed paw, threw his sword up, plunging it into the belly of the beast up to the hilt. A dull groan was heard above Alexander's head. The tiger collapsed, breaking bushes and reeds. Trying to get up, he somersaulted over his head several times, his roar became quieter and quieter. Finally, he stretched out on the path, convulsively twitched his powerful paws and fell silent. Blood flowed from his grinning mouth in a thin stream, mixing with saliva, it disappeared into the grass. The eyes fixed on Alexander quickly glazed over.

Alexander was surrounded by Lysimachus, Cleitus, Aspatus and bodyguards who had come running to hear the noise.

Are you injured, great king? - Cleitus asked with a trembling voice.

But he didn't hear. He stood leaning over the victim and admired her. Those gathered admired his courage, Lysimachus and Cleitus vied with each other in recalling the details of the battle.

Aspat, looking thoughtfully at the defeated tiger, said sadly:

You killed the strongest, great king!.. You are truly great... I see this giant for the second time...

Yes?.. - the king grinned mockingly. - Probably, when I saw you for the first time, you pooped your pants?

Those standing near him laughed.

Aspat, stung by the king's mockery, turned around.

This was about five years ago. Then Spitamen called me to be a guide... They also met on a narrow path. I was nearby and, having fired an arrow, I could hit the beast right in the heart. But Spitamen did not allow him to be killed. “You can’t touch such a handsome man,” he said. “Let him leave offspring behind him...” He stood only three steps from the tiger. And he deliberately slowly put the sword into its sheath. The tiger understood him and left...

While Aspat was talking about this, Alexander did not take his piercing gaze off him. “Aren’t you Spitamenov’s spy?” he thought. “And it’s not without reason that you gain the trust of Lysimachus and Cleitus... We must tell them not to be too trusting and to take a closer look at you.”

Without saying a word, Alexander followed further along the path, entrusting others with skinning the dead animal. " Good gift there will be Ravshanak..."

They came across a family of wild boars running across the path. Alexander managed to kill two with a dart. But hunting no longer gave him pleasure. Having allowed Clitus and Lysimachus to wander a little more in search of prey, he made a sign to Aspatus, ordered him to follow him and went back to the clearing where they had left the horses. There they must have lit fires for him and cooked food from fresh meat in large cauldrons...

Seeing the king emerge from the thickets, soldiers immediately rushed to him and escorted him to a spring, near which a carpet was laid on soft grass and mattresses were laid out. The king lay down, placing pillows under his side.

Aspat poured cold Qumran into a bowl and brought it to him.

The king accepted and said:

Pour it for yourself too.

And he gladly quenched his thirst only after Aspat took a few sips.

So, did Spitamen hunt here too? - asked the king, listening to the singing of the birds.

Eh-heh, he was considered in Sogdiana best hunter! - Aspat said admiringly, his eyes sparkled with delight, and his mouth stretched to his ears. - He could hit a bustard with an arrow at a hundred paces!..

“Does this barbarian know that the one about whom he speaks with such admiration has declared war on me?..” thought Alexander, looking closely at his interlocutor. “It’s unlikely that he would be so frank with me in that case...” this thought brought him some peace. “After all, everything that is in his soul is reflected, as in a mirror, on his face...”

And many of the king’s entourage made it a rule to hide from him everything that could upset him in the slightest degree, but they stretch out pleasant things that can shed balm on the heart, like leather made for a tambourine, and do not understand that sometimes bad news can be more important than pleasant.

Listen, Aspat, where did you meet this tiger that time?

Over there,” Aspat pointed with his hand. - Not far from the place where you met him, great king!..

And again suspicion crept into the king’s soul, and his gaze became piercing. “Didn’t you bring me here on purpose, calculating that the tiger would attack unexpectedly, and I wouldn’t have time to react?.. Otherwise, you would have warned me that this is the territory of the striped giant...”

Did you know Spitamen well?.. What kind of person is he?

How can I tell you... - Aspat thought, unable to find words. - He is strong and dexterous...

The king laughed, but his blue eyes flashed like lightning.

Don't you think that the tiger I killed is also strong and agile?

Yes, great... But the tiger does not have the insightful mind and talent of a commander...

I would have started with this!.. The leaders of numerous Sogdian clans, eminent warriors recognized my power over them. Why is Spitamen not among them, do you think?

This is difficult for me to answer, great king. I know one thing for sure: Spitamen pays good for good and does not forgive anyone for deception...

“So he’s naive,” Alexander thought. - In war one wins not only by force. An equally effective weapon is deceit.” He fluffed the pillow with his fist, placed it under his head and closed his eyes.

Aspat stood with his hands folded on his stomach and did not take his reverent gaze off him. The man, at the mere mention of whose name the mountains tremble, was reclining on a felt carpet and having a simple conversation with him, a simple hunter. Will his friends believe him when he tells them about this?..

It didn’t even occur to Aspat that if he had to grab the battle ax tucked into his belt and hit him hard on the white neck, where the blue vein beats, how many evils he would have saved the world from!.. The bodyguards running around the cauldron, shrouded in smoke, did not have time he would even run up... But such a thought could not arise in him, for people like him are not characterized by either deceit, pretense, or lies; and he would consider it a great sin if, during a friendly conversation, hostile thoughts arose against someone. In a word, this was one of the ordinary sons of Sogdiana, one of thousands, a particle of its very nature. Hunters can easily outwit an animal or a bird, but they never plot against their own kind. If there is enmity with someone, then they prefer a fair fight. A real hunter would never shoot a partridge sitting on the ground - what if it was hatching eggs? - will make you fly up first and then release the arrow.

Listen, Aspat,” Alexander opened his eyes and raised himself on his elbow. - Could you invite Spitamen to hunt in these places again? After all, these lousy tigers are probably invisible here!..

Why are you talking about tigers like that?.. - Aspat was offended. - The tiger takes great care of itself and does not allow even a speck to stick to its fur. You yourself saw the animal you killed, it is clean from the tips of its ears to the tip of its tail... And for its habitat it chooses places in the most beautiful tracts, near rivers, lakes, springs... it loves to admire beautiful sunrises and listen to birdsong...

It is unknown how much more he would have talked about the tiger if the king had not interrupted him with irritation:

I asked you about Spitamen!..

Well... He's a real hunter, and that says it all.

If you bring him here, you will receive a big reward. Lots of gold. Understood?

I still wouldn’t understand... But where can you find him now? Is he in the steppe, in the mountains, in the forest?..

Alexander sat up abruptly and asked in a threatening tone:

Will you bring him or not?.. A lot of words, as they say, are an extra burden for a donkey.

Having learned about your desire, he might have agreed...

Alexander smiled wryly.

“It turns out that I might not agree... Yes, this barbarian should crawl on his belly if I deign to see him!..” - he thought, and asked out loud:

Do you think we could come to an agreement with him?

Wise people always reach an agreement. If you allow me, I'll tell you a parable.

Your oriental parables always give me pleasure. Speak:

A tiger, a wolf and a fox once went hunting together. They were immediately lucky, they caught a pheasant, a hare and a fallow deer. When they settled down to rest, the tiger said to the wolf: “Come on, divide the prey!” The simpleton - the wolf, without hesitation, answered: “You, sir, take the doe, I’ll take the hare, and the fox - the pheasant...” Before the wolf could finish speaking, the enraged tiger killed him with one blow of his paw. And then he turned to the fox: “Now, madam, you share!” The fox stood up hind legs and wagged her lush tail: “Oh, great Shah!.. You will eat this hare for breakfast!.. The fallow deer is just enough for lunch!.. Have a pheasant in the evening, before you go to rest!..” The tiger was satisfied and asks the fox: “Who did you, godfather, get so much wisdom from?” “The wolf, whom you stroked so tenderly,” answered the fox.

Alexander laughed.

Your parable deserves to be included in my epitome,” he said.

The food in the bubbling cauldrons was already ready when the warriors, hot from the hunt, began to enter the clearing. Twos, or even fours, carried killed game tied by the legs to long poles. The booty was rich. About a dozen wild boars, six deer, a bunch of foxes, hares, and pheasants.

Cleitus was one of the last to emerge from the thickets - with two cheetah cubs in his bosom. He was all beaming when he carefully lowered the half-blind kittens, pitifully squealing and smacking their lips in search of their mother’s milk, onto the carpet where the king sat.

I give you one, Alexander. Choose anyone...

Alexander knew that in Bactria and Sogdiana they had long ago learned to tame these ferocious-looking animals. Instead of hounds, they are used when hunting fallow deer, deer and hares. And rich horsemen, in order to intimidate enemies and insure themselves from attack, put cheetahs on horses behind them. The rulers of many Persian satrapies spared no expense to acquire this intelligent beast, which, growing up, becomes a friend.

This one,” said Alexander, pointing his finger at the spotted kitten, whose face was buried in his knee. - Thank you, Cleitus.

After lunch, seasoned with a good portion of wine, we began to pack our things to head back to Maracanda. Alexander ordered a roll call. Two hetayrs were missing.

Who is absent? - asked the king, sensing evil.

Names were called.

The king ordered to search every bush, every tree. And while the warriors were looking for the missing, wandering through the tugai, loudly shouting their names, Alexander nervously walked back and forth across the clearing without a headdress, not noticing that the himation had slipped off his shoulder and was dragging along the grass.

They looked for the soldiers for a long time, but they were not found anywhere, neither alive nor dead. The sun was already setting. However, Alexander could not leave here without getting to the bottom of the reason for the strange disappearance of the soldiers.

Finally, near the river, in the reed thickets, someone discovered footprints on the clay soil: as if someone had been dragged here to the water.

The soldiers climbed into the water and began to search the bottom. We found the helmet of one of the hetairas. Drowned?.. Or, throwing them bound into a boat, they transported them to the opposite shore?..

The impression of a wonderful day was completely ruined. Alexander saw that those accompanying him were frightened and were in a hurry to leave this dangerous place. They stand, looking at the king, and just wait for an order. The prey was laid on a stretcher and loaded onto horses.

To Marakanda!.. - the king said listlessly, stepped on the palms of his bodyguard and flew into the saddle.

When leaving the forest, he called Lysimachus to him and, pointing with his eyes at Aspatus riding at a distance, said:

This one seems suspicious to me... Kill him!

Lysimachus's jaw dropped in surprise, but, encountering the king's cold gaze, he hastened to nod...

Tabib is a healer, healer.

Chiliarch (lit., “thousand’s”) is the king’s closest assistant, corresponding to the vizier of the eastern rulers.

Was Emperor Nicholas II weak-willed ruler who brought Russia to a revolutionary catastrophe? Who was guilty of the execution on January 9, 1905 and the Khodynka tragedy? - About the most frequent complaints against the latter Russian Emperor and about how fair and adequate they are, we talked with the doctor historical sciences, Associate Professor, Faculty of History, Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov Fyodor Gaida.

We agreed to discuss with you a kind of " pain points» the reign of Nicholas II, those aspects or events of his reign that are still the subject of public controversy and contention. I will list the main complaints that are most often made against the Emperor. The first one is terrible tragedy on the Khodynka field (stampede on the day of the coronation and the death of more than 1,300 people) and the Emperor and Empress’s visit to the French ambassador’s ball on the same day. It is often said that this behavior of the young Tsar was insensitive and completely wrong. What do you think about this?

Here it is necessary to clearly separate the two plans. There is a situation related to human relationships, issues of empathy, compassion and mercy. On the other hand, there are issues of diplomacy and diplomatic protocol. And then one thing is layered on top of the other. There was an official reception with the French ambassador, and it was necessary to demonstrate a good relationship with France. It was quite obvious that if Nicholas II for some reason ignored this event, it would have a negative impact on Russian-French relations. As you know, he attended the ball purely officially, did not stay there and spent very little time.

An official reception is not an entertainment event

Couldn't this visit be canceled altogether? After all, today entertainment events are canceled in the country and mourning is declared when large-scale tragic events occur.

An official reception does not have the character of an entertainment event as such. This is work. There are things that need to be done, despite the fact that something tragic happened at the same time.

- So the Tsar didn’t dance there and, for example, didn’t drink champagne?

There was no casualness expected there. He fulfilled his duties and received a certain European political resonance. The domestic Russian context is a slightly different story. It is known that he sympathized with the victims and helped them from his personal, not government funds. For example, all orphans received a pension and were raised at state expense. Everything was done to show that he sympathized with the victims of the Khodynka tragedy.

The events themselves were not his personal fault. It is clear that he himself does not organize the ceremonial events associated with his coronation. This is a matter for completely different people.

- Were those responsible for organizing the coronation punished?

The Minister of the Imperial Household resigned. The Moscow police chief was fired. An investigation was conducted and those who were responsible for the stampede were identified. This was criminal negligence, although it is clear that there was no malicious intent here.

It is also necessary to keep in mind that no one expected such an influx of people; this was a fairly new phenomenon for Russia. This is a traditional place for celebrations, and everyone is accustomed to the fact that celebrations are held on Khodynskoye Field. Of course, it is necessary to ensure a certain security, but no one has encountered any serious excesses before.

Although this does not justify anyone, nevertheless, cases of mass crushes at ceremonial events in the world are not such a rarity, and they happened not only in Russia. For example, in England, shortly before this, at the next anniversary of Queen Victoria, there was also a stampede, and many people died there. more people. But no one began to call her Victoria the Bloody.

That is, for all the tragedy of the Khodynka situation, it could have been used as a weapon in the opposition struggle, or it could not have been used. And in in this case, of course, this was seized upon by those people for whom it was important to show that Nicholas II was a “bloody” monarch.

The next, very painful point is the execution on January 9th. In your opinion, were there any perpetrators on the part of the authorities there, and were they punished?

Yes, of course, there were culprits on the part of the authorities. The main culprit was the Tsar's uncle - Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, commander of the St. Petersburg Military District, who said that he would ensure order at any cost. And who really didn’t care at what cost to ensure order. According to the ideas of that time, the 19th - early 20th centuries, the army could be used in internal affairs to restore order. At the beginning of the twentieth century, troops in Europe were very often used to shoot a variety of demonstrations: in Italy, Ireland, and shortly before that in France. Probably, any general of that time could easily say that if I encountered any internal unrest, I would suppress it at any cost.

The revolution began at the end of 1904

- But people walked with icons and portraits of the Tsar.

The situation was actually very difficult. It must be borne in mind that this event was subsequently overgrown with numerous myths. The first myth is that the revolution began on January 9, 1905. This is not so: the revolution began already at the end of 1904. Myth number 2: Gapon is almost a tsarist provocateur, an secret police agent who specially brought out the workers in order to nip the revolution in the bud.

If we discard these two myths, the picture begins to change. Firstly, indeed, already at the end of 1904 the authorities did not control the situation in the country. The Minister of Internal Affairs Svyatopolk-Mirsky made concessions to the moderate and liberal opposition, but only achieved further radicalization of the zemstvo movement. Already in November 1904, protesters raised the question of changing the political system, introducing universal voting rights and the legislative parliament. In November there was a “banquet company” where all these demands were voiced publicly, and, in fact, it was from this moment that the revolution began.

Moreover, the people who organized the “banquet campaign” at the end of 1904 knew perfectly well what they were doing, because it was with the banquet campaign that the French revolution 1848. It was a conscious copy of those events. The banquet company demonstrates the powerlessness of the authorities, and thus the country is called to action. Gapon heard the call to action. At that time, he headed a huge legal labor organization in St. Petersburg, which was initially created under the supervision of the police. Then the police lost control of this organization. And after the founder of this workers’ organization, the head of the Special Department of the Police Department Sergei Zubatov, was dismissed, Gapon no longer worked for any police. He kicked out all the police agents from his organization long before the January events. When drawing up a petition to the Tsar, liberals, Socialist-Revolutionaries, and Social Democrats actively helped him, because Gapon communicated very closely with opposition circles. Moreover, this petition was rewritten and supplemented even after it began to be signed by workers who believed in Gapon as their leader. The petition was framed as a plea, as a request. But what does this request sound like? It contains very radical demands.

Essentially, this is an ultimatum. There, in an ultimatum, covered with demagogic rhetoric, they demand the immediate release of all those convicted in political cases, the responsibility of ministers to the people, the separation of Church and state, and complete freedom of the press and assembly.

Absolutely right, this is an ultimatum, and not just a political one. After all, the political system can be changed with the stroke of a pen. But they also demand a change in the economic system. If they tried to implement the list of these requirements in practice, the Russian economy would not be able to withstand it and would lose competitiveness.

It was like a peaceful demonstration, but at the same time the workers were armed with sticks, and not just banners. The revolutionaries and Socialist Revolutionaries who were in the crowd had weapons. Walking with Gapon was Pyotr Rutenberg, an acquaintance of his, an activist of the Socialist Revolutionary Party. By the way, he came to Gapon with a plan of the city and explained to him how to bypass military barriers and break through to the Winter Palace.

So, the petition actually says that either the Tsar fulfills all our demands, or he is “no longer our father.” The workers walk with sticks and are not afraid of being dispersed. There are tens of thousands of them. Gapon said in advance that they wouldn’t dare disperse us. But if they dare, then we no longer have a father.

When the shooting began, one volley was not enough; no one began to run away at first.

“Nevertheless, this does not negate the savagery and tragedy of what happened.

No, of course, but it explains that the situation was provoked. The authorities, of course, acted extremely badly and cruelly, but at the same time they were driven into a dead end. She was first driven into a dead end, and then forced to act the way she eventually acted. What was the alternative in this situation?

- At least, don’t give the order to shoot right away. Moreover, there were children and women there.

There were not only children and women there. There were also police there, who walked in the first rank because they were guarding the demonstration. The crowd walked towards the line of soldiers, and they were ordered to stop and warned that there would be further shooting. The crowd didn't stop. What could the troops do next? They act according to the charter and cannot allow the crowd to approach them closer than the distance specified by the charter. Because if you let the crowd get closer, the troops lose the initiative, and the crowd simply crushes the line of soldiers.

- Were there any warning shots in the air?

There were warning commands, but no shots were fired into the air. But the shots were fired after unsuccessful attempts to disperse the cavalry. And the police received the first bullets. The soldiers used weapons in a situation where there was a demonstration going on against them, which was protected by the police. This is already a situation of disaster. The soldiers have only one alternative: do not shoot and disperse.

- Couldn’t you have given the soldiers another command?

For example, there should be warning shots in the air, so that lethal fire would be opened after the first line of soldiers had broken through. That is, act more subtly?

IN Russian Empire- No. No one could allow anyone to break through the line of soldiers.

- But why couldn’t they fire at least a few warning shots in the air?

As sad as it is, most likely nothing would have changed.

- But why?

Let's simulate the situation.

- At least the women and children would leave.

No. Everyone is led by Gapon, who says that they won’t dare shoot. And that everyone should go to the Winter Palace.

- So they started shooting in the air. Gapon's words have been refuted.

When they started shooting, it took several volleys at point-blank range for the crowd to waver and start running away. So neither shots in the air nor a bloodless breakthrough of the first rank of soldiers would have given anything.

Perhaps then there would not have been the wild impression of a cruel and unmotivated execution. The provocative nature of the demonstrators’ actions would have been clearer. That is, “this is worse than a crime, it is a mistake.”

If they had simply broken through the first line of soldiers, and only then started shooting, the impression would have been exactly the same. Because the question for the demonstrators was stark: either we go to the Winter Palace and the Tsar meets with us, or from now on he is nobody to us and there is no way to call him.

- Nevertheless, today even, for example, such a respected modern historian as Modest Alekseevich Kolerov, believes that it was a completely “senseless and paranoid execution”.

I have been arguing with him on this topic for a long time. Modest Alekseevich repeats what Pyotr Bernhardovich Struve (a Marxist and former ally of Lenin who switched to liberal positions) wrote; he looks at this event through the eyes of a man whom he studied a lot.

- What would happen if the demonstrators were allowed to go to the Winter Palace, and the Tsar came out to them?

Most likely, the revolution would have continued. They would occupy the Winter Palace, build barricades, and announce the transfer of power into the hands of the workers and Gapon.

- Was it real?

The fact of the matter is that everything was built exclusively under one alternative: either you completely capitulate, or use force. For the authorities, this is a dead end; they lose in any case. The authorities on January 9 could only either do as they did, or simply leave St. Petersburg and the Winter Palace and give it up for plunder. And there was no other option.

The Tsar was asked to go out to the demonstration in person and risk himself, because there were also armed revolutionaries in the crowd. Meet with the workers and swear that he will do everything that is written in the petition.

- What if you come out and say that here are some things I can do, but some I can’t.

No. It was suggested that he swear that he would do everything written in this paper. It was necessary to go out and capitulate - or not to go out. There was no other option.

But why then do we even talk about the guilt of the authorities and the fact that someone should be punished? What if there was no other option?

I would say that the fault of the authorities is second only to the opposition. The provocation was organized by the opposition. Despite the fact that the blood was shed by the authorities, it was the opposition that did everything to ensure that it was shed. But the fault of the authorities is that at the end of 1904 they lost control over the situation in the country.

In your opinion, can we say that Gapon’s march was a kind of prototype of the methods of the “color revolutions”?

I think yes.

“But now we’ve learned to cope with them without such brutal executions, thank God.”

By and large, then the authorities were faced with an unusual phenomenon. We call the first Russian revolution that way not only because it is the first chronologically, but also because it is the first experience. No one in Russia has ever encountered anything like this before.

Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich was removed from the post of commander of the St. Petersburg Military District. Also, the post of mayor was replaced with the post of palace commandant, appointing Trepov to it. He clumsily tried to reach a compromise. That is, they gathered representatives of workers from different factories and organized a meeting with the Tsar. In general, from the point of view of the authorities, she was not to blame. That is, she acted as she should have acted.

- There is still an impression of some unreasonability and, to be honest, even a little sanity.

I'm saying that everything was done rather ineptly. The authorities did not want to admit to mistakes. But, I repeat, she was not the main culprit and acted as best she could. I am not going to justify the authorities, but I am saying that there are more guilty in this situation.

The opposition acted very skillfully, but the government acted very ineptly

What was the role of the events of January 9 in unleashing the revolution? Were they really the trigger for her?

On January 9, the revolution, which had already begun at the level educated society, switched to workers. Essentially, what is January 9, 1905? Workers joined the banquet campaign.

To summarize, we can say that the opposition acted very skillfully, and the authorities acted very ineptly. The initiative clearly belonged to the opposition, which had the blood of the workers in the first place, because the revolutionaries knew perfectly well what would happen and understood perfectly well how it would end. Including blood on Pyotr Berngardovich Struve, who, starting in 1902, with the founding of the magazine “Osvobozhdenie,” did a lot to ensure that the revolution began, although it was quite obvious that it would be bloody.

The revolutionaries knew perfectly well how it would end.

When Gapon led the demonstration, did he understand that they might start shooting? Of course I understood. Did the Socialist Revolutionaries and Social Democrats, who actively worked with Gapon and helped draw up the petition, understand that there would be an execution? Undoubtedly, they understood and really counted on it.

Were there any statements or articles by any publicists who would have approved of the actions of the authorities then, or at least not condemned them? They said that the blame lies primarily with the revolutionaries?

The situation at the beginning of 1905 was that the authorities had no support at all, from anywhere. In principle, no one stood or spoke for her. And if you look at what our famous conservatives of that time write, they all advocated the need to seriously change the regime.

Was Nicholas II a weak-willed ruler?

Nicholas II is often spoken of as a weak ruler who did not know how to behave harshly and powerfully. Is there some truth in these words?

Emperor Nicholas II was an ordinary person of his time, and his interests were also typical of that time. He was an avid motorist, photographer, tennis player, film buff, etc. IN Winter Palace ordered the construction of a swimming pool. He was a normal aristocrat of his time, but without some of the aristocratic stupidity, without deviance, deviations and tyranny, which is sometimes generally characteristic of aristocrats.

And this one, in general, a common person found himself in such a high position as an autocratic ruler, and found himself in a rather unusual situation for himself. The fact is that no one expected Alexander III to die so quickly, at only 49 years old. One could safely assume that he would live another quarter of a century. Roughly speaking, until about 1917. Nicholas II had every chance of growing old as an heir. And indeed, the heir to the throne did not even manage to become a general, and remained a colonel. At this point he had very little experience government activities. I do not think that Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich, with whom Nicholas II was very friendly, came up with this phrase, which the young Emperor allegedly told him when ascending the throne: “Sandro, I don’t know how to reign, I don’t even know how to talk to ministers.” He really didn't know how to talk to ministers, he just didn't have that kind of experience.

With all this, it must be borne in mind that the transfer of royal power in 1894 was one of the calmest in the entire history of the Romanov dynasty. A young man ascends to the throne at the age of 26 not in extraordinary circumstances, when there is no Crimean War, no regicide, no Decembrists, no palace coup. It would seem that everything is wonderful. Relative calm both outside and inside the country.

“Nevertheless, after a few years the situation swayed to the point of revolution.

I would not say that this is personally the fault of Nicholas II. Europe has come a long way since 1894 big way towards a serious crisis, and here little depended on him. Still, it was not his fault that the world war began in 1914.

On the other hand, within the country there is already a certain tradition domestic policy, formed under the father. Nicholas II did not change this course. There are advisers that he inherited from his father and whom he tried to keep. In a situation where there are already authority figures who advise something, all he can do is gradually gain experience and gradually increase his personal influence.

- What kind of manager did he ultimately become?

I would say this: he really gradually gained experience and changed seriously, especially during the first revolution. He became much more careful, more circumspect and mature in his actions. I began to act very carefully in terms of selecting people.

It is often said that he was under the thumb of his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, and that the evil genius Rasputin also acted through her.

No no. Alexandra Feodorovna’s real influence on politics appeared only in 1915, but even then her influence was far from dominant. This can be clearly seen from their personal correspondence. The Empress gave the Tsar great amount advice, but he essentially ignored most of them.

As for Rasputin, if we look at what advice regarding internal and foreign policy he gave, almost none of them were put into practice. Yes, Rasputin tried to play politics, tried to take the side of one or another power group or, rather, one or another person in power. But him real impact it was small.

This is true. He really was so delicate that he was afraid to tell the person directly that he was fired, and if he fired, then “behind his back.” The person received a resignation package. These are features of nature. As a person, in this sense he was quite shy, but he had to periodically dismiss someone.

- Doesn’t this indicate a timid nature and low managerial qualities?

In the end, what difference does it make how exactly a person formalizes the decision to resign? If it is difficult for him to say this in person, he does not do it in person.

Nevertheless, is the opinion that Nicholas II was a weak ruler, whose reign ended disastrously, including because of his personal managerial qualities, justified or not?

I don't think so. It seems to me that the situation is much more complicated, and ultimately it is not a matter of the personal qualities of the last Emperor. The most significant thing is, perhaps, how people who are called to government, perform their duties. It is desirable that they do not conflict with each other too much and that they understand that, having authority and having taken a personal oath to a certain person, they should not act treasonably towards that person. But often statesmen At the beginning of the 20th century, this is exactly how they behaved. There are a significant number of examples where a person with the rank of minister could spread slanderous rumors about the Emperor while holding a high government position. I'm not even talking about the period when he retired.

By 1905, a steam boiler exploded

But what happened after death? Alexandra III? Why did the situation go downhill and why did a kind of “unfreezing” occur?

The point is not the death of Alexander III, but the policy that he pursued. Because if you pursue this policy of freezing, exclude any participation of society in the political sphere, but at the same time you have universities that these social forces are constantly growing, then the situation will ultimately be a dead end. What do we have in Russia turn of XIX-XX centuries? A rapidly growing economy and industry, a rapidly growing number educated people. These people can't help but be interested political sphere, and she is completely closed from them. The same censorship regime that does not allow discussion political topics in the press. This is being discussed “in kitchens”, and the further it goes, the more radical it becomes. Political views are radicalizing, and the authorities, closed by the censorship regime, do not know what is happening. Since the end of the 19th century we have had a very sad picture, when a gap arises between official and unofficial Russia. And by 1905, the steam boiler exploded.

- But why did the cauldron begin to fill precisely with the death of Alexander III?

It started filling up earlier. Social revival began at the turn of the 1880-1890s. After all, we often judge those years at the level of stereotypes. They say that Alexander III came in 1881 and brought order with a harsh hand. Nothing like this. After the events of March 1, 1881, there was a strong change in sentiment in the public environment. The regicide was perceived as a terrible, nightmarish, dirty absurdity. This very event turned people away from politics and joining the revolution. The outflow in the 1880s was mainly natural. And the authorities considered it to be their merit.

But even during the life of Alexander III, public interest in politics began to return, which the authorities were unable to restrain. And if the regime had been able to build relationships with these people, then a return to politics could have occurred in a more moderate manner. But the authorities did not at all set themselves the task of making political contact with educated people who could no longer help but be interested in politics. You run universities, educate a large number of European educated people. They are very different political views, and very often they are quite well-intentioned, but you still treat them like little children. And they are ready for a certain interaction, but not ready for the fact that they will not be taken into account at all.

There was a moderate-liberal zemstvo movement with which it was quite possible to find a common language. At first they did not raise the question of any constitution, but talked about the need to increase zemstvo fees and the zemstvo budget. And this is objectively overdue. It was necessary to increase the zemstvo budget. They also wanted to be able to organize all-Russian zemstvo congresses to exchange experiences on issues of agronomy, fire prevention, etc. But the authorities were categorically against it. And people like Struve and the magazine “Osvobozhdenie” began to take over the situation.

And after a quarter of a century of tough policies, the authorities suddenly decide that they need to make concessions. But this “suddenly” was very costly, because if you make belated concessions, they are always perceived as weakness. As a result, supporters of radical approaches take power among the zemstvo. Instead of a moderate majority, suddenly, unexpectedly for the authorities, a radical majority arises, which demands a change in the political system. So it was necessary 10 years ago to negotiate with those, and not with these. It's no use with these. Time has passed.