Which writer was killed in Persia. The fate of A. S. Griboyedov: a brilliant career and terrible death

“This is one of the most intelligent people in Russia, although his life was obscured by certain clouds: the result of ardent passions and powerful circumstances.”

A. S. Pushkin.

IN On this day in Tehran, Russian diplomat Alexander Griboedov was killed by a crowd of fanatics.
A.S. Griboyedov was born (most likely) January 4 (15), 1795 ( exact date unknown). Griboedov's parents were rich landowners who owned two thousand serfs. Having received an excellent education at home, in 1806, at eleven years of age, he entered the Moscow University Noble Boarding School, and upon graduation, entered the university.

By 1812, he had passed three faculties - verbal, legal and mathematical, in addition, he spoke French, German, English, Italian, independently studied Latin and Greek, and subsequently studied Persian, Arabic, Turkish. Griboyedov played the piano excellently and composed original musical compositions himself.

The war prevented Griboedov from continuing his education: he volunteered to enroll in military service- cornet in the Moscow Hussar Regiment. However, he spent the entire campaign in reserve, in the Kazan province.

Only in December 1812 Griboedov was transferred to the Irkutsk Hussar Regiment under the command of Colonel P.A. Kologrivova. He lived a real hussar's life - he caroused a lot and played mischief. In Brest-Litovsk, he rode on horseback to the second floor, to a ball where he was not invited; another time he climbed into a Polish church during a service and began to play the organ.
He played in such a way that he delighted everyone, but at the most blissful moment he suddenly switched to “Kamarinskaya”.

In 1816, Griboyedov retired and entered civil service at the Collegium of Foreign Affairs in St. Petersburg.

In 1818, in St. Petersburg, Griboedov took part in the notorious “quadruple” duel (over the ballerina Istomina), the victim of which was the 23-year-old cavalry guard Vasily Sheremetev, mortally wounded by Count Zavadovsky. The wound was the same as Pushkin’s later; Sheremetyev lived for 24 hours, died touchingly, forgave his cruel friends and the frivolous woman he loved. Griboedov's conscience was uneasy.

The fame of a notorious red tape did not prevent Griboedov from pursuing literature. Communication with Prince Trubetskoy and other members of the secret southern society did not lead Griboyedov to the Decembrists. His words are known: murderous chatter! They were said precisely to those same “sages who plan to rearrange everything in five minutes.” In addition, the poet's absent-minded lifestyle was too well known to his friends. “People are not watches,” he wrote. “Who always looks like himself and where can you find a book without contradictions?” Nevertheless, in January 1826, Griboyedov was arrested in the Grozny fortress and taken to St. Petersburg. Saying goodbye to his fellow soldiers, Griboedov told them: “Please don’t worry, I’ll see you soon.” And he turned out to be right.

Before leaving, he managed to destroy all his papers. Alexander Sergeevich brought only personal belongings and the comedy “Woe from Wit” to the capital. The courier delivered Griboedov and the package with his file to the main headquarters. While the officer on duty was minding his own business, Griboyedov calmly took the package with his file from the table... and so the few remaining pieces of evidence disappeared...

During the investigation, Alexander Sergeevich categorically denied his involvement in the conspiracy, referring, among other things, to the 4th act of his comedy, where the “conspirator” Repetilov is depicted in the most pathetic and ridiculous form.

Decembrists Trubetskoy and Obolensky testified during interrogation that Griboyedov was accepted into secret society. Alexander Sergeevich did not object. He stated that on his visit to St. Petersburg in December 1824, he was indeed accepted into the society... but only this was the “Free Society of Lovers of Russian Literature”!

In addition, when Staff Captain Bestuzhev was asked whether he accepted Griboyedov into the secret society, Bestuzhev replied: “I didn’t accept him because, firstly, he did not want to jeopardize such talent, and secondly, he is older and smarter than me.” ...".

Griboyedov was released on June 2, 1826 with a “cleansing” certificate, and was promoted to rank. Maybe it’s still not true that we always have grief from our minds? Although later, Griboedov’s brains didn’t help either...

In 1827, he was ordered to be in charge of diplomatic relations with Turkey and Persia. The Tsar appreciated Griboedov's merits, awarding him the title of Minister Plenipotentiary in Persia. This appointment became fatal.

Before being sent to Persia, Griboyedov marries the 16-year-old daughter of a famous Georgian writer A.G. Chavchavadze - Nina (in the picture on the left).

Griboyedov got married but had a presentiment that he would soon die and told his wife: “Do not leave my bones in Persia.”

But first he wants to complete his affairs in Russia and stop rumors about his cowardice. He looks for A.I. Yakubovich, punished for a duel and transferred to the Caucasus. At the duel, Yakubovich, who considered Griboedov to be the instigator of the quarrel - and therefore the culprit in the death of young Sheremetev, and even escaped punishment...

Yakubovich is glad to have the luck to fight Griboyedov. During the duel, he hits the diplomat in the hand and shouts in anger: “At least you won’t play pianos!”

The bullet mutilated the little finger of his left hand...

At the end of the Russian-Persian War of 1826-1828, Griboedov took an active part in the development and conclusion of the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty, which was beneficial for Russia. And after its signing, to ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement, in April 1828 he was appointed Russian Ambassador (“Minister Plenipotentiary”) to Persia.

Alexander Griboyedov as part of the Russian embassy (fifth from right, wearing glasses).

In Tehran, Griboyedov’s main task was to get the Shah to fulfill the articles of the peace treaty and, in particular, to pay indemnities following the Russian-Persian War. Under the terms of this treaty, Armenians were allowed unhindered exit from Persia to Armenia, protected by Russia.

Beginning in January 1829, Armenians who wanted to
return to your homeland. Among these were two Armenian women and an Armenian eunuch who fled from the Shah's harem. Despite the danger, Griboyedov showed integrity and allowed them to take refuge in the embassy.

This incident served as the reason for arousing discontent among Islamic fanatics, who began anti-Russian propaganda in bazaars and mosques. Hatred towards the ambassador in court spheres was incited by English diplomats, who really did not like the strengthening of Russia’s position in Asia. As a result, reactionary Tehran circles, dissatisfied with the peace with Russia, set a fanatical crowd against the Russian mission.

(January 30) On February 11, 1829, a crowd of rioting fanatics attacked the Russian embassy and killed everyone there. This event went down in history as the “massacre at the Russian embassy in Tehran” - the massacre of Russian embassy employees by Islamic fanatics. During the massacre, the head of the diplomatic mission, Alexander Griboedov, also died. His body was so mutilated.

“His mutilated corpse, which had been the playground of the Tehran mob for three days, was recognized only by his hand, shot by a pistol,” Pushkin writes in his essay “Travel to Arzrum.” This is the same little finger that was shot off in a duel.

Griboyedov was buried in Tiflis, in the monastery of St. David on Mount Mtatsminda. On his grave Nina wrote: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?..”

The remains of 35 Cossacks who defended the mission and honestly fulfilled their duty were buried in a mass grave in the courtyard Armenian Church Saint Tatevos in Tehran. The massacre at the Russian embassy caused a diplomatic scandal. To settle relations with Russia, the Persian Shah sent an official mission to St. Petersburg, headed by his grandson, Khozrev-Mirza.

The Persians sent an entire delegation to St. Petersburg with gifts, headed by the Shah's grandson Khozrev-Mirza.

Among the gifts to Nicholas I were not only the Shah diamond, but also two Kashmiri carpets, a pearl necklace, twenty ancient manuscripts, sabers and other precious things, according to the Persian Shah, which were supposed to soften the heart of the Russian Tsar. In response to Khorev Mirza’s florid speech, the Russian emperor allegedly said only seven words: “I consign the ill-fated Tehran incident to eternal oblivion.”

The Shah Diamond is one of the seven famous historical diamonds, weighing 88.70 carats. Clean, transparent, with a slight yellowish tint, slightly polished. It has three inscriptions in Persian: 1. Burhan Nizam Shah II 1000 (ruler of the Indian province of Ahmednagar, 1951 AD); 2. Son of Jenangir Shah Jehan Shah 1051 (eternal Mughal, grandson of Akbar -1641 AD); 3. Qajar Fatj-ali Shah Sultan 1242 (Shah of Persia 1824 AD).

The stone was probably found in India in the 16th century. Until 1595, it was kept by the rulers of Ahmednagar, after which, as a result of wars, the Great Mughal dynasty took possession of the stone. In 1739, during the defeat of Delhi by Shah Nadir, the diamond along with other stones was taken to Persia. Currently stored in the Diamond Fund of Russia. Alas, being a diplomat is not always easy...

We remember Griboyedov, he gave his life to Russia. In St. Petersburg there is a channel named after him... it’s just a pity that for some reason we forget about all the other Russian citizens and Cossacks who died that day.

Yuri KHECHINOV

Caucasus. 1850s. K. N. Filippov. Oil, canvas. A. Griboyedov’s routes passed along the same roads.

Moscow. Monument to A. S. Griboyedov. 1959 Sculptor A. A. Manuilov, architect A. A. Zavarzin.

N. A. Griboedova (nee Chavchavadze). 1820s. The artist E. F. Dessay (?) captured the young princess shortly after the wedding, but he failed to convey all her charm.

Science and life // Illustrations

Georgia. Tsinandali. View of the house and living room (right) on the estate of A. S. Griboedov’s father-in-law, Prince A. G. Chavchavadze. (Nowadays it is a House Museum.)

Delivery of indemnity sums by the Persians in the city of Tebrets on February 10, 1828. K. P. Beggrov from the original by V. I. Moshkov. 1829

An alleged portrait of secretary I. Maltsov, who survived the destruction of the Russian embassy in Tehran by fanatics. 1830s. Artist P. F. Sokolov.

“Bage-Ilchi” (“Ambassador’s Garden”) in Tehran is the place where A. S. Griboyedov was killed. Photography from the early twentieth century.

Tbilisi. Mount Mtatsminda. Monument at the grave of Griboyedov at the foot of the Church of St. David. Sculptor V. I. Demut-Malinovsky.

A. S. Griboedov devoted the first days of his stay in the Caucasus to studying the diplomatic mail related to eastern policy, official visits to the military governor Sipyagin, the Tiflis civil governor Major General Hoven, a detailed report on his arrival and official news to the director of the Asian Department Rodofinikin. Only after this did Griboyedov visit Praskovya Akhverdova and the entire company of princesses he loved, each of whom he often recalled in letters to his Tiflis friend.

Now a different Nina appeared before him - a slender, black-eyed princess. She remained as friendly and cheerful without coquetry and affectation, talkative and intelligent without pompousness and narcissism, as before, ingenuous and trusting - and yet this was a different Nina.

Griboyedov, who enjoyed success with women, never experienced deep and strong affection. But fascinated by Nina, he did not take his eyes off her dark brown eyes, framed by long eyelashes and radiating kindness and meekness. Trembling feelings took possession of him for the first time.

Returning to his apartment, he began to get ready for the road in order to leave for the active army as soon as possible to meet with General Paskevich and receive instructions from him regarding the latest relations with Tabriz and Tehran.

On July 13, 1828, he left Tiflis, but... got stuck in Shulavery. The heavy rains that occurred the day before completely washed away the already damaged roads to such a state that they made any movement unthinkable. The carriages got stuck in the mud, and the horses did not obey the riders. I had to turn back.

Finding himself in the city by the will of fate, he hurried to Akhverdova.

Griboedov described what happened in the widow’s house in a letter to Thaddeus Bulgarin: “It was the 16th. That day I had dinner with my old friend Akhverdova, I was sitting at the table opposite Nina Chavchavadze... I kept looking at her, thinking , my heart began to beat, I don’t know whether it was anxiety of another kind, due to my work, now unusually important, or what else gave me extraordinary determination, leaving the table, I took her hand and said to her: Venez avec moi, j "ai quelque chose a vous dire" ("Come with me, I wanted to tell you something (French)").

She listened to me, as always, she truly thought that I would sit her down at the piano, it didn’t turn out that way, her mother’s house is nearby, we ducked there, went into the room, my cheeks were flushed, my breathing was labored, I don’t remember what I started mutter to her, and more and more lively, she cried, laughed, I kissed her, then to her mother, to her grandmother, to her second mother Praskovya Nikolaevna Akhverdova, we were blessed..."

On the same day, the lovers asked for his blessing in a letter to Nina’s father. Alexander Chavchavadze was then in Erivan.

On July 18, in a letter from Tiflis, Griboedov shares the news with Amburger, who was appointed to the post of Consul General in Tabriz: “Congratulate me in a friendly manner. I am a groom, but I will return for my wife no earlier than winter. If she loves me half as much as I love her, then, of course, she will make me happy."

But the very next day Griboyedov was forced to leave his bride and go to Gumri. There, having received a message that detachments of Turkish partisans were operating in the rear, he took command of two companies of the Carabinieri regiment and a hundred soldiers and, together with Maltsov, moved to help Paskevich.

By the time Griboyedov joined Paskevich, the troops had already taken besieged Akhalkalaki. Having discussed the most important issues, Alexander Sergeevich returned to Tiflis, where a severe attack of fever confined him to bed. He became so thin that he did not even dare to show himself to his bride, and asked Praskovya Nikolaevna in a letter to explain to Nina the reason for his disappearance and to kiss her tenderly. But as soon as the young princess learned about the groom’s illness, she immediately hurried to him and did not leave the sick man’s bedside until he felt better.

In mid-August, despite the heat, the secretary of the English mission, a doctor by profession, John McNeil and his wife arrived in Tiflis to visit Griboedov, whom he knew, and congratulate him on his new appointment, and at the same time inquire about his health and meet the charming bride

Having barely recovered from his illness, Griboedov hastened to complete all the necessary preparations for the wedding. The wedding took place on August 22, 1828 in Zion Cathedral. During the ceremony, due to the fever that had once again seized him, Alexander could barely stand on his feet. His hand could not hold the wedding ring that the groom was trying to put on the bride. It fell onto the stone floor. But the sigh of regret and anxiety that silently swept among those present in the cathedral could not change the prevailing festive mood.

The celebrations continued for new apartment Griboyedov, where guests were invited for dinner. Adelung, who was in the city at that time, informed his father about the events associated with Griboyedov’s marriage: “The whole of Tiflis shows the most lively sympathy for this union; he is loved and respected by everyone without exception; she is a very sweet, kind creature, almost a child, since she just turned 16 years old..." (In fact, she was two and a half months away from turning 16. - Note)

Yu. H. Nina’s cousin, Roman Chavchavadze, took the newlyweds to Tsinandali, the family estate, and kept his word, given by father

. The fact is that on November 4, 1812, in honor of the birth of his daughter, Alexander Gersevanovitch ordered a large clay jug buried in the ground to be filled with the best wine and drunk on the wedding day.

It was this wine that was uncorked at the prince’s Tsinandali estate and horn by horn was filled with golden Kakhetian 16-year-old.

The next morning, Nina and Alexander were blessed with a family icon depicting St. Mary in a small church, which was erected next to the house by Gersevan Chavchavadze, Nina’s famous grandfather, the former ambassador of Georgia to Russia during the reign of Erekle II.

All day long the newlyweds, accompanied by noble Kakhetians, admired the surroundings, and in the evening they again indulged in a noisy feast and Georgian chants, the melodies of which Griboedov liked so much. Sometimes, in moments free from the festivities, he even played them on the piano that stood in the prince’s living room.

There were a few days left before leaving for Tabriz. Nina decided to go to Persia with her husband. Her mother Salome undertook to accompany her daughter to Erivan, where Alexander Chavchavadze was at that time.

Their favorite place was the climb from the Sololaki stream up to Mount Mtatsminda, from where a beautiful view of the Kura valley opened up, along which the new city was growing. Once, during one of his walks, Griboyedov, hugging Nina, thought for a long time, went into himself, and then said:

My love, Ninuli, if anything happens to me, give me your word, bury my remains here. This is the most awesome place!

“Oh, no, my Alexander,” she objected hotly. - Leave the sadness, we will live forever. And our love will not fade, just as your poetic gift will not fade.

Filled with a new strong feeling that pushed aside anxiety, Griboyedov writes to Varvara Miklashevich: “...I’m married, I’m traveling with a huge caravan, 110 horses and mules, we spend the night under tents at the heights of the mountains, where the winter cold is. My Ninusha doesn’t complain, she’s happy with everything, playful, cheerful; for a change we have brilliant meetings, the cavalry rushes at full speed, dusts, dismounts and congratulates us on our happy arrival to where we would not like to be. Today the entire clergy of the monastery in Etchmiadzin received us, with crosses, icons, banners, singing. ...

But can I be forgiven, after so many experiences, so many reflections, to rush into new life, indulge in the arbitrariness of chance, and everything further from calming the soul and mind. And independence! of whom I was such a passionate lover, has disappeared, perhaps forever, and no matter how sweet and comforting it is to share everything with a beautiful, airy creature, it is now so light and joyful, and ahead it is so dark! Uncertain!! Will it always be like this!! - and adds at the end of the letter: - Finally, after an anxious day, in the evening I retire to my harem; there I have a sister, a wife, and a daughter, all in one sweet little face... Love my Ninochka. Do you want to know her? In Malmaison, in the Hermitage, immediately at the entrance, to the right, there is the Virgin Mary in the form of a Murillo shepherdess - here she is."

The capital of Armenia arranged a solemn welcome for travelers. As the caravan approached the city, a cavalcade of horsemen and carriages moved towards them from the city walls. Griboyedov mounted a horse and galloped forward with his retinue.

The Erivan parade ground adjutant, wanting to show his knowledge of the Russian language, when meeting the distinguished guest, said:

The Erivan Khanya congratulates Your Excellency on Armenian soil!

After crossing the stone bridge over the Zanga, Griboedov was met by Armenian and Russian clergy with banners, icons, candles and censers. The envoy jumped off his horse, kissed the cross that the bishop handed him, and entered the city to the cheers of the townspeople. For two days, each of the noble khans considered it his honor to invite guests to dinner parties.

And ahead was Nina, Salome and Alexandra new meeting, desirable and touching. It happened on September 21, 1828. “Early in the morning,” Adelung wrote to his father from Erivan, “when everyone was still sleeping, Prince Chavchavadze, Madame Griboedova’s father, arrived from Bayazet to see the newlyweds before they left for Persia: he is the head of the Armenian province and therefore does not live in Tiflis.. "

In Erivan, the major general, cavalier and participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, saw his son-in-law for the first time, although he had previously had business correspondence with him.

On September 23, Griboyedov sent an official message to Paskevich, in which he informed about the misinterpretation of some articles of the Turkmanchay Treaty by local officials of both sides and asked the general to order in a circular to all border commanders of Erivan, Karabagh, Talish and other regions to strictly observe the principles aimed at benefiting Russia. From Erivan he sent several more communications concerning the details of the anti-Shah rebellion raised in Khorosan by one of the khans, the progress of matters regarding the payment of part of the amount of the 8th Kurur, as well as the orders and gifts with which the Russian Emperor awarded the English Minister John MacDonald and other officials of the mission . The secretary, Captain John Campbell, was not awarded. In his message, Griboyedov asks to correct the annoying omission and reward the secretary on an equal basis with others, which, in his opinion, will be gratefully received by the entire English mission. In addition, he brings to the attention of Paskevich that the Russian Ambassador Extraordinary in London has not yet made any communication to the English court about the awards bestowed by the Russian sovereign, and asked that Vice-Chancellor Nesselrode be informed about this.

The illness that followed the envoy along the entire route forced him to often linger on the road for several days, so the caravan reached the crossing at Julfa only on October 1, 1828. Taking advantage of the stop, Griboedov sent a detailed letter to Paskevich, in which he outlined compelling considerations regarding the ill-conceived policy of resettling Armenians in the Nakhichevan region, which caused fair criticism from local old-timers. In Nakhichevan itself, Armenian families, who were previously in a significant minority, after the arrival of settlers from Persia, noticeably outnumbered the old-time Muslims living there. “Here the Armenians, the newcomers, are better off than in any other place where I met them,” he reported to Paskevich, “but fermentation and displeasure in the minds of the Tatars reaches the highest degree...”

Griboyedov proposes a diplomatic solution to a complex problem threatening conflict: to resettle some of the Armenian families to other places, especially since most of them experienced cramped housing, and hence many inconveniences. “But it is much less inconvenient to earn the murmur of 100 or 150 families than of an entire province, newly acquired and bordering, which we finally forced to sigh for the former Persian rule, known to your Excellency for its unfatherly feelings towards its subjects; I even fear,” he continued, “ that all this will soon appear in foreign newspapers, and not very much in our favor... We are taking away power from the beks and khans, and in return we are giving the people the confusion of foreign laws.”

In his proposals one could already see not only a mature diplomat, but also a statesman, imbued with respect for the laws and customs of local peoples annexed to Russia, and caring about the international prestige of his homeland. “I repeat once again,” he proved the correctness of his judgments, “that you cannot allow yourself to be understood by the local people except through those tribal leaders and clergy who have long enjoyed the respect and trust assigned to their titles...”

Similar considerations could be expressed by a person who deeply studied local customs during long work in Persia, the Caucasus, and during frequent business trips to these regions. For him, his main desire was to find agreement not at the cost of saber rattling, but through a trusting attitude and legal justice towards the peoples who had sided with Russia.

The difference in views with Ermolov, who considered force and intimidation to be the main tool for pacifying the mountain peoples of the Caucasus, became stronger over the years for Griboyedov, and after becoming a minister-envoy, he was finally convinced of the unacceptability of punitive measures and the need for respectful treatment of the aborigines. Legality, justice and bringing the elders and local nobility to the side of the Russians - this is what Griboyedov called on the ruler of the Caucasus, taking his first steps in the field of diplomatic service in his new position.

“On the other side of the Araks I was received with great honor,” he reported to the vice-chancellor on October 20, 1828, “just as in Tabriz. But most of all I liked the good memory that our troops left among the rural people. The army of the Mikhmandar, sent to me on behalf of the Shah, irritated the peasants with their oppression and rude treatment; the poor people loudly reproached these soldiers for their dissimilarity with the Russians, who are both fair and kind, so the people would be very glad to see them return."

He explained in no less detail the state of affairs with the payment of the 8th Kurur, behind which there were insoluble, from his point of view, difficulties associated with an extremely impoverished people who had nothing to transfer to the revenue collectors: “Abbas Mirza pledged all his jewelry,” Griboyedov reported to Nesselrode, “his court, his wives even gave away diamond buttons from their dresses. In a word, the extreme is beyond any description.”

Burdened with a categorical demand Russian government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Tsar's governor in the Caucasus, Count Paskevich-Erivansky, to obtain the kururs required by the Turkmanchay Treaty, Griboedov did not agree to Abbas-Mirza's requests to soften the terms of the indemnity. In his message to Nesselrode, he even cited his dialogue with him: “You don’t know for sure,” he told me, “that the Shah doesn’t even want to hear about this money and that both Kururs will fall on my responsibility.” I objected that I was not obligated to know what kind of household settlements he had with his father, that the Shah signed and ratified the agreement, and it was my job to ensure its implementation..."

Understanding the plight of the Persians, the new envoy asked Nesselrode's consent to replace the monetary debt and accept goods for the same amount: cotton paper, silk, precious things - or to purchase horses, bread and other products. “Excuse me, Count,” he wrote to Paskevich, “that I have expanded so much on this subject, but I am afraid of the responsibility that is so easy to fall into when it comes to money and when one cannot expect either frankness or compliance from those people with whom I have to deal."

Strange as it may seem, Griboedov also had to make requests regarding the living conditions of his employees: “We live here in such conditions that everyone gets sick from it,” he informed Nesselrode. “Any English officer lives in much better conditions than I. I have already spent 900 ducats on repairing and furnishing the rooms that I occupy... My house is full, except for my people, there are prisoners in it, whom I managed to find, and their relatives who came for them. and they have no other opportunity to find a roof over their heads except in the mission premises. Until now, all my people, excluding me and the consul general, that is, secretaries, translators, 10 Cossacks whom I took with me, are forced to live in shacks. from which their owners were evicted, which, of course, does not contribute to maintaining a good attitude towards us from local residents."

In this letter, having described both his humiliating position and the position of the rest of the Russian mission employees, Griboyedov for the first time raised the question of the need to allocate a certain amount, according to his conservative calculations, not exceeding 3,000 tomans, and for the construction of the embassy in Tehran - an additional 7,000 tomans.

The emperor considered the envoy’s request to be justified, but the positive answer was clothed in a truly Jesuitical form: “The Emperor has all-mercifully allowed the use of 10 thousand tomans for buildings and decent equipment for placing our mission in the mentioned cities. This amount, as extraordinary, seems to you to be borrowed from the money 9 or 10 kurur, which will henceforth be received from Persia in payment of indemnity under the Treaty of Turkmanchay."

This answer put the envoy in a very difficult position. It followed from it: in order to provide mission employees with a decent standard of living, Griboedov must, after completing the already difficult collection of the 8th Kurur, direct all efforts to ensure the earliest possible receipts from the 9th Kurur. Only in this case could he use part of the amount for the benefit of his employees. The desire to fulfill the will of the sovereign and the terms of the Turkmanchay Treaty pushed for an early departure to Tehran. Griboyedov temporarily postponed it, having learned about the absence of the Shah in the capital.

The arrival of Roman, Nina's brother, in Tabriz brought joyful revival to her life. Until now, only meetings with John MacDonald and his family, who were kind to both the Russian envoy and his young wife, served as a pleasant outlet for her. In one of his letters to Rodofinikin, reporting on all the difficulties in collecting money that he had to face, Griboyedov, in justification of his zealous service, wrote: “This is also proof for you that my sovereign’s business is the first and most important, and I don’t put my own in a penny.” “I’ve been married for two months, I love my wife madly, and yet I’m leaving her here alone to hurry to the Shah for money in Tehran, and maybe to Ispagan, where he’s going the other day.”

Then the trip was postponed, but in early December it became a reality.

On December 3, 1828, Griboyedov continued the letter he had not sent two and a half months earlier, addressed to Miklashevich: “That’s right, you yourself will guess, invaluable Varvara Semyonovna, that I am writing to you not in the usual state of mind. Tears are flowing like hail...”

Nina's suffering caused by a painful pregnancy, and the resignation with which she endured them, and sad memories about Alexander Odoevsky, languishing in Siberian exile, were to blame: “Now I’m writing to Paskevich,” he tells a close friend, “if he doesn’t help him now, all his distinctions, glory and thunder of victories have failed, all this is not worth getting rid of the death of one unfortunate person and who!!"

Addressing Paskevich on the same day, Griboyedov wrote: “My priceless benefactor. Now, without further preamble, I simply throw myself at your feet and, if I were with you, I would do this and shower your hands with tears...

Help, help out the unfortunate Alexander Odoevsky. Remember to what high level the Lord God has placed you. Of course, you deserve it, but who gave you the means for such merit? The same one for whom the deliverance of one unfortunate person from death is much more important than the thunder of victories, assaults and all our human anxiety... Do this only good and it will be credited to you with God as the indelible features of his heavenly mercy and protection. His throne does not have the Dibichs and Chernyshevs, who could eclipse the price of a high, Christian, pious feat. I have seen how earnestly you pray to God, I have seen a thousand times how you do good. Count Ivan Fedorovich, do not neglect these lines. Save the sufferer."

The lines addressed to the general close to the court and favored by him were more reminiscent of a cry from the soul, the last desire of a person before throwing himself into the abyss of the unknown, and asking for his will to be fulfilled.

On December 9, 1828, after touchingly saying goodbye to his wife, mission staff and the MacDonald couple, Griboyedov left Tabriz, promising to return soon.

The court astrologer, drawing up a calendar for the Shah for the coming month, noted the movement of the celestial body towards the constellation Scorpio, and this foreshadowed serious upheavals. He reported the alarming forecast to Feth Ali Shah.

“Insh, Allah,” said the aging ruler of the country, leaving everything to fate, but nevertheless ordered to strengthen the security of the palace...

At this time, Griboyedov and his retinue were crossing Kaflanka, a mountain range on the way to Tehran. An early cold and heavy, deep snow that trapped horses made travel slow, tedious, and difficult. The Russian mission, in addition to the envoy, Maltsov, Adelung, a doctor and two heads of servants, consisted of 30 people - Muslims, Russians, Georgians and Armenians. The retinue was accompanied by a horse convoy of 16 Kuban Cossacks.

Having overcome a snow-covered mountain pass, they entered the city of Zanjan, where they were solemnly greeted by high officials. The next day, a reception was held in honor of the arrival of the distinguished Russian guest, during which the owner, Prince Abdul Mirza, presented Griboyedov with an excellent horse. In addition, he gave the embassy 15 horses to replace those tired on the journey (with which Crown Prince Abbas Mirza supplied them in Tabriz). Such expensive gifts and tokens of attention that Persian officials bestowed on the Russian mission throughout the long and difficult journey from Tabriz to Tehran suggested reciprocal steps on the part of the Russian envoy.

Griboedov, constrained by government money, about which he informed both Paskevich and Nesselrode, and not being able to respond in kind, was forced to limit himself to one or two chervonets, with which he paid the owners of the houses where they happened to stay overnight.

Moreover, along the way he had to take horses from passing merchants, replacing tired ones, with promises to pay them back later. Both of these caused displeasure that was noticeable to everyone. Griboyedov himself really hoped that the main and generous gifts to the Shah from the Russian sovereign had already reached Tehran, where they were supposed to arrive by sea from Astrakhan.

The ceremonial entry into the Persian capital coincided with the day when the Sun entered the constellation Scorpio, which the astrologer considered an unfavorable sign. The next day, Griboedov paid an official visit to Foreign Minister Mirza Abdul Hassan Khan and other important Persian officials.

And only a day later, after agreeing on the reception ceremony for the Russian envoy, his meeting with the Shah took place, at which Griboyedov presented his credentials.

The Shah of Persia sat on the throne in full festive attire and in a heavy headdress decorated with stones, as required by etiquette.

The negotiations, of course, concerned the most acute and painful problems for the Persians: the return of prisoners, former Russian subjects, full payment of the 8th Kurur and the final amount of indemnity determined by the terms of the Turkmanchay Treaty, as well as the elimination of obstacles to trade that Persian officials sometimes caused to Russian merchants.

As a sign of respect, the Shah sent the Russian envoy a beautiful horse with a golden bridle, valuable gifts and awarded him the Order of the Lion and the Sun, 1st degree. The remaining members of the Russian mission were not forgotten: the officials received gifts and the Order of the Lion and the Sun of the 2nd degree, everyone else, including the Cossacks guarding the Russian mission, also received gifts and gold medals. And Griboyedov himself sent his wife a beautifully inlaid ink set, which he bought in one of the Tehran shops. Angels were depicted on the front side of the inkwell, and on the back of the lid, at his request, an inscription was engraved on French

Nothing foreshadowed a tragic outcome then, not even Griboedov’s intractability during official meetings with the Shah’s officials when it came to monetary indemnity or the captive hostages they were hiding (for which he was even called cruel).

A few days before leaving for Tabriz, which Griboyedov was in such a hurry and for which he had even prepared in advance by ordering traveling oxen and horses, a certain Mirza-Yakub came to the Russian embassy and declared his desire to return to his homeland, Armenia. Griboyedov, having found out all the circumstances of the case, took an active part in the fate of Mirza-Yakub, leaving him on the mission, which caused the displeasure of the Shah.

The Shah's court was also indignant, demanding that the Russian envoy hand over Mirza-Yakub, who was also, as it turned out, the treasurer and chief eunuch, which means he knew many secrets of the Shah's personal life. Mirza-Yakub could announce them, which was considered sacrilege, and therefore caused general indignation.

The situation was further aggravated by the fact that in the envoy’s yard there were two Georgian women who had previously been taken from Georgia. At the request of their relatives, they returned home. Noble owners insisted on handing over the captives to them. Among them was Allayar Khan.

Griboedov found himself in a complex whirlpool of intricacies. This time the ardent heart of a citizen and patriot prevailed over the cold mind of a diplomat.

In order to somehow resolve the flaring conflict, Griboyedov agreed to a meeting between Mirza Yakub and Manuchar Khan. It seemed that everything was moving towards reconciliation of the parties, but... Mirza-Yakub at the very last moment made the final decision to remain under the protection of the Russian envoy, which caused a storm of indignation and curses addressed to him.

“Continue, take away from me and all my wives. The Shah will remain silent,” the ruler exclaimed on this occasion, offended by Griboedov’s intransigence, “but my son, the Naib Sultan, is going to St. Petersburg and will personally complain to the Emperor about you.” The Shah's words during the last audience had no effect on Griboyedov.

A local official, who had a favorable attitude toward the Russian envoy, warned of the impending danger, but Griboyedov stood his ground: “No one is allowed to raise a hand against the envoy of a great power.”

However, the morning of January 30th turned out to be fatal. From the streets adjacent to the Russian embassy, ​​the ominous stomping and roar of the crowd began to be heard, which was approaching the fence. Soon people crowded around the gate, shouting angry curses. Many of them armed themselves with sticks, stones, daggers, broadswords...

The Persian guards assigned to guard the Russian embassy were unable to resist the pressure of the crowd, which, having broken the gate, burst into the courtyard: “Bekosh hurray! Bekosh hurray!! (Kill him!)” - rushed from everywhere, arousing fanatical rage in the crowd.

The Russian Cossacks, defending themselves, opened fire, but this only enraged the crowd, which burst into the building, spreading through the premises, destroying everything in its path. Someone was already breaking into the roof, others were rushing to help them. There was no power to stop the avalanche of rioters and thugs. The local guards, making way for the angry crowd, remained a mute witness to what had happened.

Dressed in the uniform of a Russian envoy, Griboyedov with weapons in his hands, surrounded by his retinue, fell after a short fight at the hands of assassins. Adelung, Doctor Malberg, clerk Kabulov, translators, Mirza-Yakub, two Georgians, valet Alexander Gribov, and the Russian Cossacks guarding the embassy were killed...

“Make way for the ambassador, make way for the ambassador,” the crowd chanted, dragging the disfigured corpse of the Russian diplomat out into the street to drag it through the Persian capital for everyone to see. The midday January sun was reflected in the glare cast by the glasses, which were caught by the temple on his doublet.

The only one who could shed light on the details of the tragedy that unfolded was the secretary of the Russian embassy, ​​Ivan Maltsov, but he, having paid a hundred chervonets to the Persian guards assigned to his door, was all this time in the depths of another room and could see little.

Having killed the guards and servants, the riotous crowd began looting, dragging clothes, chairs, sofas, wardrobes into the yard, trampling papers, letters, memos and rough sketches into the mud. For a long time, the icy wind scattered scraps of some leaves across the empty yard... and among them, perhaps, those that belonged to the pen of a poet and diplomat, which would never see the light of day.

Only under cover of night did the Persian sarbaz, having dressed Maltsov in the soldier's clothes of a Persian warrior, transfer him to the Shah's palace.

The terrible news about the death of the Russian envoy and the entire Russian mission in Tehran reached Tabriz on February 6, and already on February 8, John MacDonald sent a letter to General Paskevich: “...Poor Madame Griboyedova, the daughter of Prince Chavchavadze, who just got married, still does not realize the unjust loss that she suffered with the death of the most loving and beloved of all spouses. She now lives with us, Your Excellency, and her grief-stricken parents can be sure that she will be given the most tender care and attention."

Russian consul Amburger, whom Griboedov asked before leaving to pay attention to Nina, having learned about the tragedy and fearing for his own life, without waiting for orders from above, left Tabriz and moved to Nakhichevan under the protection of Russian weapons. Worried about the fate of his daughter, the head of the Erivan region, Major General Alexander Chavchavadze, hastened to ask Count Paskevich for permission to urgently leave Armenia for Tabriz, but was refused.

Submitting to Paskevich’s demand not to cross the Russian-Persian border, concerned for the fate of his daughter, the prince sent his nephew Roman Chavchavadze to Persia.

Only Maltsov could clarify the true picture of the events that took place in Tehran, and this was well understood by Paskevich, who was looking forward to his return and was grateful to the English Ambassador John MacDonald for his efforts.

In a letter to Nesselrode dated March 9, 1829, the count reported: “The English mission in Persia, in any case, has shown all the signs of subtle polite decency since the unfortunate affair of Griboedov. MacDonald’s concerns about Maltsov’s safety and that he return to us as soon as possible make him honor, and in my last letter I offer him my sincere gratitude."

Among the circular letters sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Russian Empire to Russian embassies European countries In connection with the unheard of tragedy in Tehran, there was also a letter to Count Christopher Lieven. In it, the vice-chancellor notified the Russian ambassador in Great Britain that the Russian emperor was pleased with the actions of the British mission in Tabriz, which followed the death of the Russian envoy and the entire embassy, ​​and first of all Macdonald, who immediately sent his brother with an official note of protest about the barbaric act that occurred.

Thanks to the intervention of the English ambassador, the secretary of the mission, Maltsov, who was under arrest in the Shah's palace, was released, taken under escort to the Julfa crossing and handed over to the Russian side.

In the first report (March 18, 1829) from Nakhichevan, Maltsov explained the details of his rescue and stay in the Shah's palace, placing the blame for the bloody massacre committed by the mob on the spiritual leader Ayatollah Mirza-Masih-Mujtehid, not without the instigation of Allahyar Khan and other Persian officials , who called in the main Tehran mosque to rescue women allegedly forcibly held there from the hands of infidels and to deal with the main instigator of the Shah's peace, Mirza-Yakub, a native of the Erivan region, Armenian Markarian.

In the next message he added: “Abbas-Mirza seemed to me truly upset by everything that happened in Tehran, because he knows that on the other side of Kaflanka everyone hates him and he can never be Shah without the help of Russia... Abbas-Mirza says that he ready to declare war on Turkey, if only it pleases the Emperor."

When Maltsov learned that he had been appointed consul general in Tabriz instead of Amburger, who unexpectedly left the city, he sent a private letter: “From my reports,” he wrote to Paskevich, “Your Excellency, please see, que j"ai joue ruse pour ruse avec les Persans (that I responded with cunning to the cunning of the Persians (French). - Note Yu. H.) - and this only saved my life. Now I am on soil overshadowed by the immeasurable wing of the double-headed Russian eagle and I am telling the absolute truth to my superiors: the Persians will never forgive me for this, and for everything that happens unpleasant to them, they will harbor a personal grudge against me.”

He asked Paskevich to intercede for him with the vice-chancellor and not to return him to his previous job, but, if possible, to find “some kind of secretarial position at one of our European missions.”

The death of the Russian envoy in Tehran dramatically changed political situation in the region.

Already on February 23, 1829, Count Paskevich reported to Vice-Chancellor Nesselrode in St. Petersburg: “The insolence of the Turks even now extends to the point that a detachment of their troops, having made their way from Arzrum to the Akhaltsikhe pashalyk, despite the severity of the winter and impassable mountain roads, outraged the inhabitants of various sanjaks and numbering from 12 to 15 thousand people with four cannons and a mortar appeared 20 versts from Akhaltsikhe and intended to attack this city.

On the other hand, the terrible incident that happened to our Plenipotentiary Minister in Persia, Mr. Griboyedov, about whom I had the honor to inform Your Excellency in dispatch No. 18, threatens war with this last Power, for if neither the Shah nor Abbas Mirza participated in villainous act with Mr. Griboyedov, then this unfortunate incident, explaining to what extent the riot and frenzy of the Persian mob extends, shows how easily a general revolution can break out in Persia against the local Government, and if it happens, then, of course, our borders will not remain untouchable.

Now that circumstances have changed so dramatically not in our favor, I decide to ask for nothing more than the same reinforcements for which I petitioned before..."

Reports of preparations in individual provinces for war against the Russians, as well as intentions to help the Turks in their war with Russia, could not help but worry Paskevich. Therefore, Maltsov’s report, which “saw” the non-involvement of the Shah and his crown prince in the tragic events that occurred in Tehran, determined the position of the general and future plan actions. The main thing in it was to prevent a war on two fronts: with Persia and Turkey.

Paskevich considered it necessary to enlist the opinion of the sovereign himself, and not act independently in this suddenly aggravated and already difficult situation.

Given this sad event, His Majesty would have been pleased with the confidence that the Shah of Persia and the heir to the Throne were alien to vile and inhuman intent, and this incident should be attributed to the reckless impulses of the zeal of the late Griboedov, who did not consider his behavior with the rude customs and concepts of the Tehran mob, and on the other hand side, the well-known fanaticism and unbridledness of this very mob, which alone forced the Shah to start a war with us in 1826..."

Next, the vice-chancellor informed Paskevich of the sovereign’s consent to the arrival of either Abbas Mirza or his son in St. Petersburg with a letter of apology from the Shah as the only step “in order to justify the Persian Court in the eyes of Europe and all of Russia.” The decision to defer the payment of the 9th and 10th Kururs, which Griboyedov so insisted on at one time, was left to Nicholas I to make to Paskevich himself.

Neither the vice-chancellor himself, nor any of the other officials, nor the same Paskevich said a word about the harsh conditions they placed Griboedov under, demanding that he strictly collect Money, disregarding the capabilities of the Persians and not agreeing with the delay or softening of the terms of indemnity. Without waiting for acceptable advice and decisions, Griboedov, through forced intractability, incurred the indignation of the Persian side.

The state of Paskevich himself could be understood. The atrocity that took place in Tehran demanded revenge, but the prevailing situation, when the troops were at war with Turkey, did not allow it to be plunged into the borders of another country without sufficient reinforcements.

The Shah's court was also in great confusion: on the one hand, expecting revenge on Russia, and on the other, although it wanted to please its northern neighbor, it was still afraid to take harsh measures against the instigators and perpetrators of the murder of the Russian envoy, so as not to alienate the Muslim clergy and provoke another popular revolt.

The contents of the letter from Foreign Minister Mirza Abdul Hassan Khan to the English envoy, who expressed in a note of protest his extremely negative attitude towards the bloody events that took place in Tehran, brings some clarity to the intentions and actions of the Persian side.

It reported “that after the sudden and sorrowful murder of the Russian Envoy, His Majesty the Shah set in his heart the indispensable intention to punish all the perpetrators and those involved in this matter and only expected the return of his son Ryukhne Dovlet, who, upon arrival here, with his presentation, accelerated the fulfillment of this Shah’s intention to expel Mujtehid-Mirza-Masikh from Tehran, who gathered the black people and brought them into unrest. The mob wanted to resist Mujtehid’s departure and create a riot in the capital, but we, the all-zealous servants of the Shah’s Majesty, managed to disperse the popular gatherings and crush all violent plans. .. Believe me, most respected benefactor,” the minister concluded his letter, “that the Shah values ​​Russia’s friendship too highly to ignore the satisfaction due to this Power...”

In early May, it became known that the Shah agreed to send his grandson Khozrov-Mirza to St. Petersburg with an official apology for what had happened, and then Paskevich immediately sent Prince Kudashev to Tabriz, who gave Abbas-Mirza a letter explaining the reason for his adjutant’s departure to meet Khozrov-Mirza : “in order to calm your Parental heart and prove to Your Highness that I do not lose sight of everything that can serve to calmly follow the path of your son, and thereby prove to you my true commitment.”

They tried in every possible way to hide the truth from young Nina Griboyedova. Roman Chavchavadze, who arrived in Tabriz, managed to convince her that Griboedov was alive and instilled in her a ghostly hope. He even managed to persuade her to leave for Tiflis, allegedly at the request of her husband himself, who was planning to return home after her.

Meanwhile, all of Tiflis was in mourning, and it became impossible to conceal such stunning news any longer. Nina herself, in a letter to the wife of the English envoy on April 22, 1829, shared her experiences after returning to Tiflis: “A few days after my arrival, difficult days spent fighting the melancholy that gripped me, fighting vague anxiety and gloomy forebodings , increasingly tearing me apart, it was decided that it was better to immediately tear off the coverlet than to hide it from me the terrible truth. It’s beyond my strength to retell to you everything that I suffered; I appeal to your heart as a loving wife so that you can appreciate my grief, I am sure that you will understand me: my health could not withstand this terrible blow. The revolution that took place in my entire being brought the moment of my deliverance closer. Devastated by mental suffering more than by physical suffering, only a few days later I was able to accept the new blow that fate was preparing for me: my poor child lived for an hour, and then was united with his unfortunate father - in a world where, I hope, they will also be appreciated dignity, and their cruel suffering. However, they managed to baptize him and gave him the name Alexander in honor of his poor father."

And in March, when the news of Griboedov’s death reached Russia, both St. Petersburg and Moscow mourned him. “The death that befell him in the middle of a brave, unequal battle had nothing terrible, nothing painful for Griboedov. It was instantaneous and beautiful,” wrote A. S. Pushkin several years after the incident in “Travel to Arzrum.”

On May 1, a horse escort of 50 Persian sarbaz led by an officer of the Shah’s guard transported the body of the murdered plenipotentiary Russian minister Alexander Griboyedov to the Julfa crossing to hand it over to the Russian side. An Orthodox priest and one battalion of the Tiflis infantry regiment with two field guns were sent from Abbas-Abad to meet them at the crossing. Among those who met Griboedov's body were Major General Merlini, Colonel Eksan Khan, Andrei Amburger, Roman Chavchavadze, Pyotr Grigoriev and others.

“When we met the body, the battalion lined up in two rows. The coffin containing the mortal remains of the late Griboyedov,” Amburger reported in a letter to Paskevich, “was in the takhtirevan, accompanied by 50 horsemen, under the command of Kelb-Ali Sultan, who stopped in the middle. When they took the coffin out of the takhtirevan and were as sure as possible that it contained the body of the late minister, they gave it military honor and sang the eternal memory..."

According to D. A. Smirnov, a collector of information about the poet and the author of “Biographical News about Griboyedov,” it is known that the sister of the deceased, Maria Sergeevna, assured that there was no way to recognize him among the dead, and therefore allegedly “they put the first one they came across in the coffin and with brought to Russian possessions with various honors."

This version is completely refuted by Griboyedov’s widow. “The rumors that reached Maria Sergeevna that the body of A.S. (Griboedov) was not found are unfair,” she answered in a letter to the same Smirnov dated May 7, 1847. “I know from the faithful people who accompanied his coffin that His body was taken to Tiflis. True, they said that it was impossible to recognize him by his face, but he was recognized by his little finger, cramped from a wound in a duel."

Giving orders for the organization of the funeral, General Paskevich, who was in the active army in Turkey, wrote: “I instruct you to make an order so that it is met with honor befitting the rank of the deceased and with equal honor interred in Tiflis, in the Church of St. David...”

Nina insisted on this place, thereby fulfilling the will of her late husband.

The burial was scheduled for July 18, 1829, and the funeral service was decided to be held in Zion Cathedral, where the lovers had been married a few months earlier.

Next to the mourning widow and her relatives were the military governor of Tiflis, Adjutant General Strekalov, who had recently been appointed to this position in place of the suddenly deceased General Sipyagin, the civil governor and colleague of the deceased on economic projects, Zavileisky, generals, officers and honorary residents of Tiflis. The cathedral could not accommodate everyone who wanted to attend the funeral service, which was performed by the Exarch of Georgia himself, Metropolitan Jonah.

It seemed that the entire population of the city volunteered to see off the “Russian son-in-law” on his last journey. In mournful silence, with sorrowful faces, they walked behind the coffin of the deceased. The entire highest and noblest class, along with ordinary townspeople, participated in this sad procession, paying their last respects to the poet, minister-envoy and husband of Princess Nina Alexandrovna Chavchavadze.

In the book of records of the Zion Cathedral, in part three about those who died in 1829 and registered by the Tiflis Cathedral of the Assumption, there is still the date of burial of Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov: July 18, and in the column “Who died, with what disease” it appears: “Killed by the Persians in Tehran ".

The mother and widow of the deceased were given a one-time benefit in the amount of 60 thousand rubles for the damage caused. The widow herself was given a lifelong pension of 5 thousand rubles in banknotes.

Vice-Chancellor Nesselrode, in addition to the concerns expressed by Paskevich, was worried about the interruption of relations with Persia due to the unexpected departure of Consul General Amburger to Nakhichevan at that very inopportune moment when peace with such a large southern power was especially necessary. At the end of March 1829, St. Petersburg decided to send Major General Dolgorukov to Persia. In the instructions dated April 5, compiled by the Russian Foreign Ministry for the new envoy, it was noted that “the disastrous death of our minister in Tehran has caused a harmful situation in our friendly relations with this Power, while now its friendship is especially necessary for us due to military circumstances with the Ottoman Porto."

St. Petersburg chose the personality of Prince Dolgorukov because during the last Persian campaign, the major general personally met the heir to the throne, Abbas Mirza, and to some extent acquired his favor.

In his very first reports, Dolgorukov informed the vice-chancellor in St. Petersburg about what Paskevich already knew: about the actions taken by the Shah’s eldest son, Ryuhne Dovlet. “The long-promised punishment of the perpetrators of the disaster that befell the embassy in Tehran has finally taken place,” he wrote to Count Nesselrode. “...The Shah made all his efforts to capture those who participated in the beating of our embassy officials.

More than 1,500 of them finally received punishment due to their crime: some were executed by death, others had their hands cut off or their noses and ears cut, about a thousand families were driven out of Tehran; In addition, the strictest measures have been taken to capture the perpetrators who sought salvation by fleeing the capital..."

The main instigator of the Persian mob, the city confessor Ayatollah Mirza-Masih-Mujtehid, despite the protests of the Muslim clergy, including petitioners from Isfahan, was expelled from the country in disgrace and found refuge in Karbala, the holy city of Shiite Muslims in Asian Turkey.

After the completion of the negotiations, Khozrov-Mirza and his large retinue headed to St. Petersburg with letters of apology to the Russian emperor from Feth Ali Shah and Crown Prince Abbas Mirza and with gifts to the royal court.

One of the Shah’s parting words to his grandson before his departure was to visit the mother of the murdered envoy, Nastasya Filippovna Griboedova, in Moscow on the way to the Russian capital and ask her for an apology.

As a sign of reconciliation, Khozrov-Mirza presented Nicholas I with a mysterious shape and unprecedented size of the Shah diamond, on the sides of which there were inscriptions perfectly executed in Arabic script, the first of which is dated 1591 AD.

Only in mid-October 1829 did Khozrov-Mirza and his retinue leave St. Petersburg and go back to Persia, taking with them the hope of a long peace.

The pomp with which Khozrov-Mirza was greeted in the Russian capital was needed by Russia in order to further secure friendship with the recently defeated enemy and thereby ensure his neutrality in the Russian-Turkish war. The death of the Russian envoy turned out to be just a bargaining chip in a political game. In a response letter from Emperor Nicholas I to Crown Prince Abbas Mirza, it was reported: “We hope that the acceptance of Prince Khozrov-Mirza in the Russian State and the honors that were given to Him during his stay here, our royal goodwill towards the Sovereign of Persia... Between because in order to restore trust and establish mutual friendship, it is necessary for Our State to unite with Us through bonds of friendship.

We have carefully read the apologies expressed in your letter received, and wishing to prove our affection, We have agreed that the payment of the two kuururs, which you undertook to pay us under the Treaty, be deferred for another five years..."

The belated request of Minister Plenipotentiary Alexander Griboyedov to soften and defer the payment of the remaining two kururs was finally satisfied, and then the debt was completely forgiven.

Having received through Prince Dolgorukov the highest letter from the Russian Emperor, consigning the tragic incident to oblivion and reconciling the two neighboring powers in the south, the heir to the throne Abbas Mirza hastened to answer: “...I am so pleased and consoled by the generosity of Your Majesty and your favor, I am so happy and exalted at the Court of the Persian State and other countries of the world, which I am unable to describe and explain... Your Majesty’s Highest Charter confirms that the Persian Government did not participate in the misfortune that happened to the former envoy, then I consider it my duty to give praise to God for that that the truth is revealed to the eyes of Your Majesty."

The authorities came to terms with the loss of the genius, but the young widow remained inconsolable in her grief. Her first steps were aimed at erecting a proper monument on his grave, and on April 23, 1830, she addressed a letter to Thaddeus Bulgarin, asking him for advice, as a close friend of her late husband: “Until now, I could not do anything orders for the construction of a monument over the grave of the deceased, and at the same time there is no way to fulfill this in accordance with my desire,” she explained the reason for her appeal. “I am sure that you will not leave this to an artist who could depict the dignity of Alexander Sergeevich, his misfortune. the death and sorrow of his friends..."

She attached to the letter an architectural drawing of the proposed site where the mausoleum should be built.

Nina planned to invest 10 thousand rubles in banknotes for all costs, including delivery of the monument to Tiflis. A larger sum was required to dismantle the rock, build a mausoleum framed in granite, and a chapel above it.

For this purpose, she and her father went to St. Petersburg, and then stopped briefly in Moscow to discuss plans with the mother and sister of her late husband. The sculptural composition of the tombstone was commissioned to be completed by the then famous sculptor Demut-Malinovsky in St. Petersburg, and to be made in the workshop of the Italian Campioni, which was located in Moscow, near the Kuznetsky Bridge, on Neglinnaya.

Nina never succeeded in fully implementing her plan. In 1832, an anti-government conspiracy was revealed, in which Georgians who dreamed of the country's independence took part. Major General Alexander Chavchavadze was also included among them; in his youth he was exiled to Tambov as unreliable, but was soon forgiven and allowed to move to St. Petersburg. This time, the retired general and a poet recognized in Georgia, in whose circle there were also “conspirators,” was again sent into exile, but this time to the Kostroma province. The material difficulties that arose in this case forced Nina to turn to the Tiflis civil governor Niko Palavandishvili with a request for assistance from Exarch of Georgia Moses, who replaced Exarch Jonah: “Although I previously had the intention of renewing the entire Mtatsminda Church of St. David at my own expense, but as an assumption this is not was approved at one time by the spiritual authorities, then a significant change followed in the means available to me, and I not only erect a new church, but also completely correct the old one, I no longer have the opportunity.

Therefore, I am now forced to confine myself to the construction of only a monument over the ashes of my late husband, State Councilor Griboedov, for which I most humbly ask Your Excellency to ask me for the blessing of the Most Reverend Exarch of Georgia."

The answer turned out to be disappointing, about which Palavandishvili informed Nina Griboyedov: “Eminent Moses, Archbishop Exarch of Georgia, seeing from your feedback communicated to me, dear Empress, that due to changed circumstances you are now forced to limit yourself to the construction of only a monument over the ashes of your late husband, the attitude of On February 27, No. 235 answered me that given the current situation of the dilapidated Mtatsminda church, it is not possible to build the proposed monument, so as not to completely destroy it with its weight.”

The clergy stood their ground. Nina was in despair. To top it all off, she received news from Moscow, from which it followed that the monument she had ordered was already on its way.

Then she again, having secured the support of the Tiflis governor, turned to the military authorities with a request to inspect the burial place of her husband and give an opinion on the stability of the foundation of the Church of St. David during the installation of the monument. She herself accompanied a Tiflis officer who was involved in the expansion of the Georgian Military Road and had extensive experience in this area. After examining the area and rocky soil, he gave an answer that satisfied the widow.

And finally, in June 1833, after the conclusion of specialist engineers that the installation of a monument on the grave did not threaten, as the clergy claimed, the destruction of the Mtatsminda church, the Exarch of Georgia gave his permission for its installation.

A pedestal made of black marble and a bronze statue of a weeping widow, clasping the cross with her hands, are still located above the grave of Alexander Griboedov. “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?” reads the painfully touching inscription on the eastern edge of the pedestal, and on the western side - “To his unforgettable Nina.”

On June 13, 1857, Nina Griboyedova, writing in a letter to Nikolai Muravyov-Karsky, with whose wife she was brought up in Akhverdova’s house, thanked her for the gifts sent to her from Italy and at the same time reported on the departure of her sister Katenka from Tiflis to her home in Megrelia, where she also is getting ready soon, intending to stay with her in Zugdidi.

Fate decreed otherwise. The cholera that broke out in the Georgian capital not only disrupted all plans, but also ended her life.

For three days Nina was burning with fever, but even in her semi-delirium she did not let anyone near her, fearing for the people close to her. On the fourth day she was gone.

On July 4, the Kavkaz newspaper reported with regret: “Our Tiflis society suffered a significant loss. Last Friday, June 28, after a short illness, Nina Aleksandrovna Griboedova, nee Chavchavadze, died. The funeral service for her body took place last Sunday in the Kashveti St. George Church, at the confluence of all who respected the beautiful personality of the deceased, who was always the adornment of the best Tiflis salons and who was so early stolen by death from their circle, her body was carried in their arms to the monastery of St. David and laid in the same crypt next to her husband.”

Along Palace Street, past the building of the Russian governor, a mourning crowd slowly climbed the mountain. Neither the merciless epidemic, nor the hot July sun, nor the steep climb stopped those who came to say goodbye to this noble and beautiful woman, who remained devoted to her beloved husband until the end of her life.

Deeply experiencing the death of her sister, who did not live even 45 years, Ekaterina Dadiani then informed Nikolai Muravyov-Karsky in Rome, where the elderly general and friend of the Chavchavadze family was vacationing with his wife Sophia and children: “My dear and abundant sister Nina is no longer there. I have lost my angel ... In Tiflis, cholera stole her from me and thereby deprived me of my only friend.”

Having received the sad news, Muravyov-Karsky, deeply condoling the death of a person close to him, wrote a note at the end of his answer to Catherine: “I have never known a more meek and virtuous woman in my life than Nina Griboedova.”

On February 11, 1829, the writer Alexander Griboyedov passed away. Compared to other Russian literary losses of the 19th century, his death stood out for its tragic absurdity - he did not receive mortal wounds in duels, did not get sick and did not try to commit suicide, but fell victim to a crowd of angry Persians.

Griboyedov was only 34 years old, six months before the tragedy he married the lovely Georgian princess Nina Chavchavadze, he had plans to return to Russia, but fate decreed otherwise..

Homo unius libri

The Latin expression "homo unius libri" means "man of one book" and is applied to authors who have achieved great fame for their single notable work. So you can call Edmond Rostand with the play “Cyrano de Bergerac”, Alan Milne with “ Winnie the Pooh", Jerome Salinger from "The Catcher in the Rye".

He had a penchant for literature since childhood, but he himself did not dream of becoming a writer. At the age of eight, he was sent to the Moscow University Noble Boarding School; three years later, Griboyedov entered the verbal department of Moscow University, but later chose the moral and political department, and then the physics and mathematics department. His literary debut was associated with Patriotic War. Having enlisted as a volunteer in the hussar regiment, in 1814 he wrote “A Letter from Brest-Litovsk to the Publisher” (“Bulletin of Europe”), an essay “On Cavalry Reserves” and the comedy “The Young Spouses” (translation of the French comedy “Le secre”).

Arriving in St. Petersburg in 1815, he became close friends with the local circle of writers, but did not fully devote himself to this matter - he preferred a diplomatic career, taking the position of provincial secretary and translator of the College of Foreign Affairs. In August 1818, he refused to participate in the Russian diplomatic mission in the United States and was appointed secretary to the same position in Persia - a fatal appointment for him, which would play a final role in his fate only 11 years later.

Iran, Georgia and Iran again

Griboyedov described his travels on duty in diaries and some literary works (“Vagina’s Story”, “Ananur Quarantine”). As a diplomat, in 1819 he freed Russian soldiers from Iranian captivity and escorted them to Tiflis. In 1821, he achieved a transfer from Persia, which had bored him, to his more native and close Georgia, where he began work on the drafts of “Woe from Wit.”

Nina Chavchavadze and Alexander Griboyedov. The couple stayed together for only a couple of months. Photo: Collage AiF

A year later, he became secretary of the diplomatic mission in Tiflis under General Yermolov and wrote the drama “1812”. But he did not last long in Georgia either - already in 1823 he took a break and traveled around Russia for two years, staying in Moscow and St. Petersburg and continuing to work on the play. Literary exercises had to be interrupted, and a trip to Europe had to be abandoned. In 1825, on diplomatic matters, Griboyedov returned to the Caucasus. On the way, he met the Decembrists Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Muravyov-Apostol, Trubetskoy. This acquaintance served him badly - a year later the writer was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the underground affairs of the Decembrists.

True, no evidence of his guilt was found and he was soon released from arrest. Thanks to the “cleaning letter”, he managed to restore diplomatic activity and return to Iran as a resident minister (in other words, an ambassador). On the way to his duty station in Tiflis, he married the young Georgian princess Nina Chavchavadze, the eldest daughter of his friend the poet Alexander Chavchavadze. At the time of the wedding, the diplomat was 33 years old, and his wife was not yet 16.

Last business trip

The young couple spent a couple of weeks on Nina’s father’s estate in Kakheti, and then went to Persia. There, Griboyedov was supposed to appear at the Shah’s court in Tehran to discuss the Iranian side’s implementation of the articles of the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty and achieve indemnity as a result of the Russian-Persian War. He preferred to go alone - his young wife She had a hard time with her pregnancy and stayed in Tabriz.

This trip was his last. The day he arrived in Tehran went down in history as the “Russian Embassy Massacre.” By that time, dissatisfaction with the actions of Russia was already boiling in Persian society, and with the arrival of Griboedov it reached its highest point. The Persians did not want to pay the indemnity, and on top of that they were outraged by the fact that Griboedov hid several fugitive Armenians from the Shah’s harem in the embassy. Islamic fanatics carried out violent anti-Russian propaganda in bazaars and mosques.

"The conclusion of peace in Turkmanchay on February 10, 1828 during the Russian-Iranian war." Diplomat Griboyedov sits on the right with his back turned. Lithograph of the 19th century Photo: Public Domain The facts were fueled by rumors; members of the Russian embassy also violated the etiquette of the Shah’s court a couple of times during their visits. Everything was resolved by a raid by a crowd of religious fanatics on the Russian embassy in Tehran. About 100 thousand people gathered, and soon even the instigators themselves lost control over the angry Persians. Griboedov could not help but see the mood of the Tehran people and the day before he informed the Shah that he considered it necessary to withdraw his mission from Iran.

The members of the diplomatic mission were escorted by 35 Cossacks, but, of course, they could not resist the crowd. Of the entire Russian embassy, ​​only mission secretary Maltsov escaped, having managed to hide during the massacre. During the raid, 37 people from the embassy and 19 attackers were killed. The Cossack convoy was later buried in the courtyard of the Armenian Church of St. Tatevos in Tehran. The crowd carried the mutilated body of Alexander Griboyedov around the city for several days and threw it into a common pit.

Identified by little finger

The young widow Nina Chavchavadze learned about her husband’s death only two days later and put on mourning, which she did not take off for the rest of her life. On her husband’s grave she wrote: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?” She outlived him by 28 years - the widow was buried next to her husband.

In 1912, using funds raised by the Russian colony in Persia, the sculptor Vladimir Beklemishev created a bronze monument to Griboyedov, which was placed next to the embassy building where the massacre took place.

An outstanding poet, a great Russian satirist, an astute politician, a brilliant diplomat - all this is Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov (1795 - 1829).

Russia will not forget him classic comedy“Woe from Wit” - it has entered our speech, our way of thinking, as an eternally necessary classic. But there is a second reason for Griboyedov’s immortality. He is a civil general who gave his life defending the honor of the Russian state. The death of Griboyedov is a heroic page in our history. This tragedy happened on January 30, 1829, in the Persian capital.

But let's start from the beginning. Before us is a classic, bright “child prodigy”; his extraordinary tenacity of mind manifested itself in him frighteningly early. It is not so important where and what he studied officially - at the Noble boarding school, and then at Moscow University. Foreign languages, philosophy, and mathematics were easy for him. Poet, musician, politician, warrior - in all his incarnations he showed himself clearly. By the age of fifteen he could safely be considered a man with a university education. Perhaps early scholarship also determined the essence of Griboyedov’s most famous creation, “Woe from Wit.” It was not easy for him to get rid of the feeling of his own superiority over everyone. It was not easy to adapt both to the service and to the colorful world of art. Alexander Sergeevich could be quarrelsome and harsh. By nature he is a sarcastic knight.

He took part in the War of 1812 - however, as fate would have it, in a supporting role, and then he kept dreaming of writing a tragedy about these heroic events. In the spring of 1816 he left military service without reaching high ranks. And in 1817 his brilliant diplomatic career began.

On July 16, 1818, Count Nesselrode notified in writing the Commander-in-Chief of the Caucasian Army, General Ermolova, that “the official Mazarovich is appointed Charge d’Affaires of Persia, Griboyedov is appointed secretary under him, and Amburger is appointed clerical employee.” Nesselrede loved brevity - but with this cursory mention the Caucasian chapter in the life of our hero began.

At that time, Griboyedov was torn between creativity and service, sometimes dreaming of “resigning from the diplomatic service and recalling sad country, where instead of learning something, you forget what you know." Service in a distant foreign country was not to his liking. But General Ermolov - the wisest of the wise - was imbued with deep respect for the young talent, and it was he who time - a powerful commander - rescued Griboyedov from Persia, making him his secretary “for foreign affairs.” Loving Griboyedov like a son, according to Denis Davydov, he tried not to burden him with everyday work. Georgia is not Persia, here Griboyedov could breathe freely and write freely.

The diplomat, who was gaining strength, did not forget about literary matters. Attempts to create an epic drama, a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions remained in sketches. The service distracted Griboedov from creativity, and the mania for perfection prevented him from working quickly. “Woe from Wit” is Griboyedov’s only major completed work. The caustic comedy was published in full in the official press several decades after Griboyedov’s death. But by that time it had changed the face of Russian literature, influenced our best writers, caused controversy... Dozens of witty remarks entered Russian speech and became popular. Pushkin also noted: “Half of the poems should be included in proverbs.” And so it happened. According to Chatsky, Famusov and Molchalin they judged social types. Griboedov's comedy is perfect. We do not have a more polished poetic play. The comedy was considered unbearably free-thinking, although Griboedov clearly spoke from a patriotic position. He did not spare sarcasm either for Famusov or for Skalozub. The first attempt to stage “Woe from Wit” on stage was stopped by the capital’s Governor-General Miloradovich. But in the 1830s, comedy saw the stage in both capitals. This mysterious work, it will be solved for centuries – and with benefit. Satirical comedy and psychological drama in one ball, like a smile and suffering.

The comedy quickly gained fans, among whom, first of all, it is necessary to name Ivan Andreevich Krylov, Thaddeus Venediktovich Bulgarin, the tragedian Karatygin, actress Kolosova, literary friends Zhandra, Grech, Khmelnitsky. They supported Griboedov and did not leave him ununderstood. In 1824, he decided to hand over the manuscript of “Grief” for the census to his friend and co-author (they jointly wrote, or rather translated from French, the comedy “Feigned Infidelity”), Andrei Andreevich Zhandre, the ruler of the office of the Military Accounting Expedition, close to secret societies...

December 1825 is another milestone in fate. In the testimony of the Decembrist S. Trubetskoy, the name of Griboyedov flashed - and he found himself under investigation. And then he took him under his wing young employee A.P. Ermolov. The general benevolently prepared Griboedov for arrest, destroyed all his papers so that they would not fall into the hands of the investigative authorities and wrote to St. Petersburg: “I have the honor to convey Mr. Griboyedov to Your Excellency. He was arrested in such a way that he did not have the opportunity to destroy those who were with him.” he had documents. But he didn’t have anything like that with him, except for a few that I’m sending you.” He was under investigation until June 2, 1826, steadfastly denied his participation in the conspiracy and ultimately proved his non-involvement in the rebellion. Free! And again, “I’m happy to serve,” although “it’s sickening to be served.”

He was released from arrest with a “cleansing certificate” - and the diplomat again headed to Tiflis. General Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich, who replaced Yermolov, also highly appreciated Griboedov’s abilities and, if he sometimes chided him for his reckless courage, he did not hide his respect. During negotiations with the Persians, Paskevich fully relied on Griboyedov’s diplomatic foresight and openly admired him.

The primary political benefit of Griboyedov was the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty, which marked the victory over Persia, consolidated the territorial acquisitions of the Russian Empire, Russian hegemony in the Caspian Sea and in eastern trade. Contemporaries did not dispute main role Griboyedov in the development and signing of this breakthrough document. General Paskevich gave Griboedov the honor of “presenting the treaty” to the emperor. Nikolai Pavlovich granted him the rank of state councilor, the Order of St. Anne, decorated with diamonds, and four thousand chervonets. Griboedov accepted enthusiastic smiles, but was wary of the court routine and behaved independently.

In Tiflis he was greeted with even greater pomp and was even called Griboedov-Persidsky. Paskevich gave a salute in honor of him, as was done in St. Petersburg, when all the cannons of the Peter and Paul Fortress fired 201 salvos simultaneously. Well, it was he, Griboedov, who brought the long-awaited and victorious Turkmanchay Treaty to Nicholas I.

It is not surprising that in Persia the same Turkmanchay Treaty was perceived as a national catastrophe. Russia entered into a war with Turkey - and the Persians hoped to evade the treaty by taking advantage of the confusing international situation. They did not even think of fulfilling many agreements, hoping that the Russian Tsar would not start a new war.

IN eastern country a noisy anti-Russian campaign began. Market speakers incited fanatical rage among the people, mixed with pseudo-religious yeast. And Griboyedov was just supposed to demand another part of the indemnity from the Iranians... He tried to smooth out the contradiction, called on St. Petersburg to accept silk or jewelry instead of money. But the emperor’s verdict was strict: the agreement should be strictly implemented. This will give a reason later evil tongues reproach the emperor for the deliberate destruction of Griboedov at the hands of the Persian crowd. It is unlikely that such an insidious plan actually existed, but it must be admitted that Nicholas put his diplomat in an obviously dead-end situation.

The Russian embassy was located not in the capital of Persia, but in Tabriz; in Tehran at the beginning of 1829, Griboyedov stayed temporarily - to introduce himself to the Shah. Of course, the experienced politician felt the nerves of the current situation. He asked his wife to leave Tevriz for a while and return to Georgia - and such a trip was arranged. Griboyedov wrote to his wife every day. “It’s as sad as possible without you. Now I truly feel what it means to love...” - this is the last message from her husband that she read.

Mujtehids (influential Islamic theologians) convinced the heated people that Griboedov was the culprit of the introduction of new taxes, an atheist, a conqueror... Hatred knew no bounds, the mujtehids aroused the spirit of fanaticism. Griboyedov was also accused of harboring Armenians. He actually hid several Armenians on the territory of the embassy in order to smuggle them to Russia. But he acted in accordance with the Turkmanchay Treaty! These hot Persians were ready to abandon their obligations.

Behind these furious protests stood Allayar Khan, a disgraced minister and an adventurist politician who was trying to regain his lost influence. For the Shah, these unrest were an unpleasant surprise, a trap from which he tried to extricate himself. The Shah tried to avoid new war with Russia, but led precisely to war.

On January 30, 1829, the spiritual authorities declared a holy war on the Russians. The crowd that had gathered at the mosque headed towards the Russian mission house. A bloody pogrom began. On that day, the entire staff of the embassy was destroyed in Tehran, only the senior secretary Maltsov, an unusually cautious man, survived. He offered salvation to Griboyedov too, all he had to do was hide, go underground... “A Russian nobleman doesn’t play hide and seek,” was the answer. He met his death proudly and bravely. He met the uninvited guests with a saber and demanded their obedience. After all, he was on Russian territory! The embassy guard - 35 Cossacks - met the attack with dignity. Dozens of angry fanatics remained on the pavement forever, but every single one of the Cossacks died. Alexander Sergeevich also died. Having been hit on the head with a stone, he fell. Immediately a hail of stones rained down on him, and sabers screamed over his body.

For the death of Griboyedov and the entire Russian mission, the Shah made an official apology to Emperor Nicholas, to which he added a unique diamond. The emperor considered it reasonable to be accommodating; he accepted the gift and deferred the payment of that same indemnity for five years. During the difficult days of the Russian-Turkish War, Nicholas did not want to spoil relations with the Persians. He also turned a blind eye to the opinion of Paskevich, who spoke of the fatal British influence on the Persian crowd. “I consign the ill-fated Tehran incident to eternal oblivion,” said the emperor.

It turned out that the pogromists and provocateurs achieved their goal...

The diamond, according to the Persians, was supposed to atone for the terrible guilt of the murderers of the Russian minister Griboyedov. The stone joined the royal collection; courtiers admired it, and foreign ambassadors asked for the highest permission to look at such a rarity. But in what carats can one express the damage inflicted on Russia by the brutal murder of one of its greatest creators?..,” says one of Griboedov’s biographies.

He loved Mount Mtatsminda, towering above Tiflis. There, in the monastery of St. David, he bequeathed to bury himself. The Liturgy was performed by Exarch of Georgia Moses.

Nina Aleksandrovna Chavchavadze-Griboedova created one of the most memorable epitaphs in the world: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?”

With the news of the death of Alexander Sergeevich, she became seriously ill. Premature birth and death of the child occurred. Nina Alexandrovna mourned for her beloved husband all her life sincerely and inconsolably.

There, in a dark grotto, is a mausoleum,

And - the modest gift of a widow -

The lamp shines in the semi-darkness,

For you to read

That inscription and let it be for you

I reminded myself -

Two sorrows: sorrow from love

And grief from mind -

He wrote about Nina, about “The Black Rose of Tiflis”, Yakov Polonsky.

The respectful memory of Griboyedov unites Russians, Georgians and Armenians. The Caucasian Christian peoples are grateful to him as their protector. He spent a long time in Tbilisi, even wrote a note “About the best ways build Tiflis again." Petitioned for the opening of the newspaper "Tiflis Vedomosti" and educational institutions. Griboyedov visited Armenia several times. As part of the army of General Paskevich, he participated in the liberation of Erivan, Sardarapat, Nakhichevan and was awarded the medal “For the Capture of Erivan.”

Today, Griboyedov is rarely and thoughtlessly remembered, although school curriculum“Woe from Wit”, it seems, was not crossed out. His image, his ideas are not compatible with the attitudes of our time.

“The more enlightened a person is, the more useful he is to the Fatherland,” said Griboedov. And I followed this program to the best of my ability. The society that has emerged in our country since the fall of 1991 can be reproached for many things, but not for its excessive desire for enlightenment. What is not there is not. Everywhere - not only in Russia - counter-enlightenment is winning, as if from abundance we have forgotten how to think and feel. It is difficult to imagine Griboyedov in the modern world. But his killers seemed to have stepped off the front pages of today’s or tomorrow’s newspapers – alive. Here, of course, we are not talking only about Islamic radicals. Great provocations and irresponsible manipulation of the worst instincts are in use everywhere. Everyone is “good.” Barbarians with iPhones “are blissful in the world.” The biography of Griboedov, a writer and politician who combined subtle intellect with military courage, is all the more instructive for us.

Playwright, poet, diplomat Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was born on January 4 (15), 1795 in Moscow into a noble family. At the age of fifteen he graduated from Moscow University. During the Napoleonic invasion he enlisted in the army and served for two years in a cavalry regiment. In June 1817, Griboyedov entered service in the Collegium of Foreign Affairs; in August 1818 he was appointed secretary of the Russian diplomatic mission in Persia.

From 1822 to 1826, Griboedov served in the Caucasus at the headquarters of A.P. Ermolov, from January to June 1826 he was under arrest in the Decembrist case.

Since 1827, under the new governor of the Caucasus, I.F. Paskevich, he was in charge of diplomatic relations with Turkey and Persia. In 1828, after the conclusion of the Turkmanchay Peace, in which Griboedov took an active part and the text of which he brought to St. Petersburg, he was appointed “plenipotentiary minister” to Persia to ensure compliance with the terms of the treaty.

In the same year in August, Alexander Griboedov married the eldest daughter of his friend, a Georgian poet and public figure Alexandra Chavchavadze - Nina, whom he knew since childhood, often studied music with her. Having matured, Nina evoked in her soul Alexander Griboyedov, a man already mature, strong and deep feeling love.

They say she was a beauty: a slender, graceful brunette, with pleasant and regular features, with dark brown eyes, charming everyone with her kindness and meekness. Griboyedov called her Madonna Murillo. On August 22, 1828, they were married in the Zion Cathedral in Tiflis. There is an entry in the church book: “The Plenipotentiary Minister in Persia of His Imperial Majesty, State Councilor and Cavalier Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov entered into a legal marriage with the girl Nina, the daughter of Major General Prince Alexander Chavchavadzev...”. Griboyedov was 33 years old, Nina Alexandrovna was not yet sixteen.

After the wedding and several days of celebrations, the young couple left for the estate of A. Chavchavadze in Kakheti in Tsinandali. Then the young couple went to Persia. Not wanting to expose Nina to danger in Tehran, Griboyedov temporarily left his wife in Tabriz, his residence of the plenipotentiary representative of the Russian Empire in Persia, and went to the capital to present himself to the Shah alone. In Tehran, Griboedov was very homesick for his young wife and worried about her (Nina had a very difficult time with her pregnancy).

On January 30, 1829, a crowd incited by Muslim fanatics destroyed the Russian mission in Tehran. During the destruction of the embassy, ​​the Russian envoy Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov was killed. The riotous crowd dragged his mutilated corpse through the streets for several days, and then threw him into a common pit, where the bodies of his comrades already lay. Later he was identified only by the little finger of his left hand, mutilated in a duel.

Nina, who was waiting for her husband in Tabriz, did not know about his death; Worried about her health, those around her hid the terrible news. On February 13, at the urgent request of her mother, she left Tabriz and went to Tiflis. Only here they told her that her husband was dead. She suffered from premature labor due to stress.

On April 30, Griboedov’s ashes were brought to Gergery, where A.S. saw the coffin. Pushkin, who mentions this in his “Travel to Arzrum”. In June, Griboyedov’s body finally arrived in Tiflis, and on June 18, 1829, it was interred near the Church of St. David, according to the wishes of Griboyedov, who once jokingly told his wife: “Don’t leave my bones in Persia; if I die there, bury me in Tiflis, in the monastery of St. David." Nina fulfilled her husband's will. She buried him where he asked; Nina Alexandrovna erected a chapel on her husband’s grave, and in it there was a monument depicting a woman praying and crying in front of a crucifix - an emblem of herself. On the monument there is the following inscription: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory; but why did my love survive you?”