Count Rezanov Nikolai Petrovich - life for the good of the Fatherland
"Patriotism made me exhaust all my strength,
I sailed the seas like a duck
suffered from hunger, cold, at the same time from resentment,
and twice as much from my heart wounds. "
N.P.Rezanov - MM Buldakov
24-26 January 1807 year, Irkutsk
I sailed the seas like a duck
suffered from hunger, cold, at the same time from resentment,
and twice as much from my heart wounds. "
N.P.Rezanov - MM Buldakov
24-26 January 1807 year, Irkutsk
The nobleman Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov was born in St. Petersburg to the impoverished 8 family of April 1764 of the year, but received a brilliant education at home and by the 14 years he knew five European languages. From 1778, he served in military artillery, but due to his stature, bearing and external beauty, he was transferred to the Life Guards of the Izmailovo Regiment.
It is believed that the young boy liked Catherine II, as a result, already in 1780, he was personally responsible for the safety of the sovereign during her trip to the Crimea. It is impossible to reliably establish the events that occurred along the way, but in March, 1784, Nikolai, together with his mother, sister and two brothers, leaves for Pskov. He disappears for a long time from the sight of Catherine II, changes his military service as an assistant in the Pskov Chamber of the Civil Court. After serving five years in Pskov, Nikolai Petrovich is transferred to the State Chamber of St. Petersburg. His father, a collegiate adviser Peter Gavrilovich, at that time was living separately from his family in Irkutsk, where he was accused of embezzlement.
Fate smiles at Rezanov, and he gets the position of the head of the office with the vice-president of the Admiralty College, Count Chernyshev. The rapid growth of his career: the new position of the executor of the Admiralty Board was replaced in 1791 with a position in the office of Derzhavin, and later he became the office - secretary of Catherine II. The location of the Empress opens to him the doors of the houses and offices of high-ranking nobles. Nikolai Petrovich performs personal assignments of Catherine II. Most likely, the favorite of Empress Platon Zubov considered Rezanov a dangerous rival, as a result of which Nikolai Petrovich was seconded to Irkutsk in 1794 year. On the instructions of Zubov, he travels with the spiritual mission of Archimandrite Iosaf, participates in the inspection activities of G. Shelekhov, the founder of the first Russian settlements in America. In his forced journey, Rezanov meets a fifteen-year-old Anna, daughter of Shelikhov.
24 January 1795, at the age of 30, the earl is married to Anna Grigorievna. The marriage turned out to be mutually beneficial and happy: Anna Shelekhova received the title of nobility, and the impoverished husband - a rich dowry. In addition, the marriage gave Rezanov the opportunity to participate in the affairs of Russian America. A year after the marriage, Shelikhov’s wealthy father-in-law dies, and Nikolai Petrovich becomes co-owner of big business.
After the death of Catherine II and the fall of Count Zubov, Rezanov returned to St. Petersburg. Emperor Paul, in a personal conversation with the disgraced graph, approves of his plan to create a single Russian-American company (RAC), which is supposed to be created on the basis of Shelekhov and Siberian merchants' capital. Nikolai Petrovich is appointed the authorized representative of the Cancer Association, turning the state grandee into an entrepreneur. The headquarters of the company is transferred to Petersburg. In 1797, Rezanov, in the position of chief secretary of the Governing Senate, compiled the “Charter on workshops”, and also worked out the procedure for the land tax in St. Petersburg and Moscow. The results of the work satisfied the emperor, and the count was awarded the Order of St. Anne 2-oh degree, in addition, he received an annual pension in 2000 rubles.
A successful nobleman becomes a freemason and is made to the commanders of the order of the Maltese cross. In 1801, the son Peter appeared in the Rezanov family, and a year later, his daughter Olga, but his wife, who had a difficult birth, soon died, leaving young children in Nikolay Petrovich’s arms. The grieving father asks to resign, having only one desire - to retire somewhere off the beaten path and bring up his children. Alexander I asks Rezanova to remain in service, but as compensation he offers to go on a trip. The liberal thoughts of Nikolai Petrovich impressed the young emperor, so Rezanov easily entered the circle of those close to him.
In 1803, Nikolai Petrovich becomes the first Russian ambassador to Japan. He was given the title of chamberlain of the Highest Court and was awarded the Order of St. Anne 1 degree. Soon, the project of Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern on a round-the-world trip comes to the navy ministry. The combined expedition, headed by Rezanov and the great traveler himself, is sent 26 July 1803. Kruzenshtern and Rezanov could not build a relationship, only on arrival in Petropavlovsk Nikolai Petrovich offered Krusenstern a public apology for his quick temper.
In September 1804, the ship "Nadezhda" arrived in the city of Nagasaki. The Japanese crew was forbidden to go ashore to the crew of the ship; Krusenstern was forced to anchor in the bay. Rezanov was settled in a magnificent palace and asked to await the decision of the Japanese emperor. Six months spent in custody Nikolai Petrovich. They treated him like an expensive guest, but they did not let him outside the palace chambers. In March of the following year, a dignitary brought the emperor's refusal to accept the Russian ambassador. Japan also refused to establish trade relations with Russia. All gifts were returned, after which the Japanese government demanded to leave Japan immediately. The quick-tempered Nikolai Petrovich had spoken a lot of impudence to a dignitary. The treaty with Japan suffered a “fiasco”, and the ship returned to Petropavlovsk.
A cruel blow was struck again to Rezanov's pride: for the journey, Krusenstern received the Order of St. Anna of the 2 degree, while his mission was marked only with a valuable gift. Despite the fact that they handed Nikolai Petrovich a snuffbox, covered with diamonds, this meant the emperor's discontent. From further wanderings Rezanov was removed. He received orders to follow to Alaska with inspection. Upon arrival in Novoarkhangelsk, located on Sith Island, Nikolai Petrovich reveals serious violations. Russian settlers, not receiving food for months, died of hunger. The food delivered from Siberia was becoming unusable on the way and could not serve as food miserable. The decision Rezanov takes quickly, he buys from the merchant John Wolfe ship "Juno" with the products and gives them to the hungry population. Another Avos ship is being built urgently, and in March 1806, both ships are sailing south. During the monthly voyage, the entire crew of the ship “Juno” had scurvy of scurvy. Moored in San Francisco Bay, Nikolai Petrovich managed to negotiate with the Governor of Upper California, José Arilyagu, and the commandant of the fortress, José Dario Arguello.Fifteen Concepcion Marcella Argüello (Conchita) was the daughter of the commandant of San Francisco. Rezanov has already turned 42 of the year, but the noble grandee was still handsome and handsome, he won the heart of a young girl with his gallantry. He became a frequent guest at the house of commandant José Dario Arguello and spoke Spaniard a lot about Russia. On his proposal to share with him the secular life at the court of the Russian emperor, he received the consent of Conchita. Parents were not happy with the proposal, the daughter was taken to confession, but they could not convince the girl in love.
It was decided to get permission to marry the Pope, before receiving which the parents agreed to engage the couple. History the love of the Spanish Catholic and Russian Tsarist chamberlain is reflected in the rock opera Yunona and Avos, where Nikolai Karachentsov played the role of Count Rezanov (verses by A. Voznesensky, music by A. Rybnikov). Despite all the romance of history, for Russia marriage also had an important foreign policy value. The Union established not only personal relations, but also gave a favorable foreign economic relationship.
The count did not like his bride. So he writes in a letter from 24-26 in January 1807, Mikhail Buldakov, about his California bride: “My love is with you in Nevsky, under a piece of marble, and here is a consequence of Entuziazm (Rezanova orthography) and another victim to the fatherland . Contencia is sweet, kind-hearted, loves me, and I love her and cry, that she has no place in my heart. ”
After the betrothal, the Russian ship "Yunon" was delivered and loaded products. 11 June 1806, the Rezanov leaves California, taking away more 3000 pounds of grain and legumes, fat, oil, salt and other products for hungry settlers. He says goodbye to Conchita, intending to ask the emperor's petition before the Pope of Rome to obtain consent for marriage, promises her to return no later than two years later. The girl swears to wait for her beloved.
There are reports that on the ship “Avos” two faithful sailors Khvostov and Davydov, wanting to avenge the desecrated dignity of the Russian chamberlain, “visited” the Kuril Islands so much that the Japanese remembered this visit for a long time. In California, by order of Rezanov, a place was chosen to organize southern settlements in America. It was organized and existed for 13 years. Perhaps the death of the handsome Count deprived Russia of the California territories.
The way home in September 1806 was interrupted by bad weather, and Nikolai Petrovich had to spend some time in Okhotsk. However, the report was waited in Petersburg, and the traveler made the decision to ride a horse. On the way, Rezanov falls into ice-cold water several times, he has to sleep in the snow. As a result, the count had a serious cold and lay in the fever of 12 days. Having recovered a little from the illness, he sets off again. At the end of his journey, Rezanov fell from his horse, unconscious, and hit his head. The still living traveler was brought to Krasnoyarsk, where he died on March 1 of 1807. Nikolai Petrovich was buried in the cemetery of the Resurrection Cathedral.
Unhappy Conchita every morning went to the cape, sat on a stone and looked into the distance. A year later, Alexander Baranov in a letter informed her about the death of her lover, but the girl remained faithful to Rezanov until the end of her days. Until 1829, she lived with her parents, moving with them from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, and then to Loreto, to Guadalajara. After returning to San Francisco, she dedicated her life to charity, in New California, Donna Concepcion was called "Blessed".
16 August 1831 of the year on the grave of Rezanov a granite monument with an engraving was erected:
"On the summer of 1831 on August 16 of the day, this monument was erected by the dependency of the Russian-American company to commemorate the unforgettable services rendered to it by real chamberlain Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov, who, returning from America to Russia, died in Krasnoyarsk on 1 of March 1807 of March 2000, and the buried 13 of the same month. "
In 1954, the Resurrection Cathedral was destroyed during the construction of the Concert Hall, and the grave of Rezanova was lost. According to some reports, the coffin with the body of Rezanov was buried at the Trinity cemetery of Krasnoyarsk. In 2000, in Krasnoyarsk, at the burial site of Rezanov at the Trinity Cemetery, a monument was again erected - a white cross, on one side of which the inscription “Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov. 1764 — 1807. I will never forget you, ”and the other one reads:“ Maria Concepcion de Arguello. 1791 — 1857. I will never see you. ” The sheriff of the city of Monterrey dispelled a handful of earth from the grave of Conchita over the grave and took some of the Krasnoyarsk land to the burial of the unfortunate Spaniard.
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