Among professional historians there is a controversial, but not unfounded view of the history of states as a series of descriptions of the fate of individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development of society. The opinion, of course, is one-sided and limited, but, nevertheless, it is not devoid of a grain of objective truth, therefore today we propose to turn to the biography of one of the representatives of the Petrine era and his fate during the “Biron region”. The history of this man's life is a reflection of the change of eras, and its analysis allows one to draw specific conclusions about the atmosphere that reigned in Russia during the period of palace coups.
Artemy Petrovich Volynsky at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers
Artemy Petrovich Volynsky belonged to an ancient noble family, was born in 1689, although the exact date is not known. Due to the loss of reliable information about the specific age of this person, some historians indicate different years. The childhood of the future statesman and brawler was spent in a typical pre-Petrine house. This circumstance, coupled with a severe, God-fearing upbringing, left a deep imprint on the personality of Artemy Petrovich. However, the strict character of his father, as well as daily humble prayer, did not cool the ardor of the young Volynsky. Artemy's character was not only difficult, he was an intelligent person, but sharp and even explosive.
Barely reaching the age of 15, Volynsky goes to serve in the dragoon regiment and already in 1711 participates in the Prut campaign with the rank of captain. A brave, talented young man quickly stands out from the crowd, as a result of which Pyotr Alekseevich notices him. Attempts to portray Artemiy Petrovich as a stupid and rude person, undertaken by some historians, are unfounded. The fact that Volynsky was especially noted by the emperor is proof of the opposite. Peter I could not stand fools, considering them one of the most terrible troubles of the state. The location of the royal personage was obtained largely due to the fact that in 1712, having been captured together with his commander Shafirov in Constantinople, Volynsky remained loyal to Russia and the sovereign.
In addition, Artemy Pavlovich was sent by the emperor to Persia as an ambassador. The essence of the order was to study the state structure and conclude important trade agreements to provide Russia with certain advantages in trade. For diligence and intelligence, Volynsky received the rank of Adjutant General, which was a high honor even for a noble court prince. In 1719, Artemy Pavlovich expects a new post of governor in Astrakhan. The energetic and young governor put in order the administrative affairs, carried out a number of economic events. Volynsky's activities were aimed at supporting and organizing the Persian campaign.
Confidence in Artemy Pavlovich grew with each new business and enterprise. In 1722, his brilliant career, as well as the favor of the imperial house, allowed him to ask for the hand of his cousin Peter Alekseevich, and to receive a blessing for that. The wedding took place with all the luxury it should have, but the rise of Volynsky did not suit everyone. Soon the "well-wishers" whispered to the emperor that Artemy Pavlovich was to blame for the failures of the campaign against Persia. The tsar rejected such versions for a long time, but soon the fact of bribery was confirmed, and luck turned away from the successful dignitary.
According to his contemporaries, Pyotr Alekseevich was furious and even beat the greedy subject with his club. It should be said that the love of profit was characteristic of Volynsky, that was an ineradicable vice in his nature. After such a shameful punishment, Artemy Pavlovich was removed from the thick of political events, but he did not stop taking bribes. However, it was possible to avoid a strict trial, since Catherine, who ascended the throne, turned out to be merciful to the guilty, but honored official. The empress remembered his wife Alexandra Lvovna Naryshkina and appointed the guilty Volynsky governor of Kazan and the head of the local Kalmyks. Artemy Pavlovich had vast experience in the administration, and he coped with the assigned tasks perfectly. However, even during this period, due to his hot-tempered and even somewhat violent nature, he was removed from office, to which Cherkassky and Dolgoruky helped him to return.
Intemperance and frequent fits of anger nevertheless forced the government to remove Volynsky from the post of Kazan governor in 1730. Alas, a very smart and talented administrator could not control his behavior and often got involved in ugly squabbles and even fights, and bribery began to take on the character of robbery. The amazing ability to think and analyze was combined in this person with a complete lack of tact and any kind of self-control.
Again, Artemy Pavlovich was involved in state activities under the patronage of his longtime benefactor Saltykov, who, in all likelihood, recommended his candidacy to Biron. Levenvold, Biron and Minich were for Volynsky only a means to achieve a prestigious and lucrative position, but he shared completely different political views. Tatishchev, Khrushchev and other secret opponents of the "German clique", criticizing the dominance of foreigners and proposing their own projects for transforming the country, were frequent guests of his unpretentious home. To call Artemy Pavlovich a fool was a big mistake on the part of the famous historian Shishkin. The sharp mind of this man helped to win over the entire German elite who surrounded Anna Ioannovna, and then the empress herself. Respect for the intellectual level, experience and merits of the prince was so significant that harsh statements and excessive straightforwardness were forgiven him even in relation to very influential persons. Until some time Minich considered him to be his devoted servant and "bright head" of Russia. The prince earned special love of the wayward empress for a skillfully prepared wedding in the Ice Palace, which was later legendary.
Simultaneously with the development of plans for internal changes, so necessary, in the opinion of Volynsky and his associates, in Russia, Artemy Pavlovich participates in the siege of Danzig in 1733 as a detachment commander, in 1736 receives the title of Ober-Jägermeister, and in 1737 he is the second minister in Nemirov. Volynsky's trouble was only that he became Biron's tool in the fight against Osterman, and a very unpredictable and narcissistic tool. The prim and restrained Germans could not accept the hot temper and vices of the Russian prince, despite his bright head. He soon became burdensome and even dangerous for the powerful Biron.
The fact is that, among other things, Volynsky also suffered from excessive ambition. Having approached the empress and understanding her, to put it mildly, lack of education, which was especially noticeable when deciding matters of state importance, the prince increasingly began to claim the role of the first person in the country. In 1739, he made, perhaps, his most important mistake - he submitted to Anna Ioannovna a letter exposing his own patron. The attempt to report Biron was harshly suppressed, and Volynsky fell out of favor. Biron treated vindictive and vindictive politicians and did not forgive his protégé's attempt to betray him.
From that moment on, the influential German begins to actively provoke Volynsky's hot temper, in which the court jester Trediakovsky helps him. At the beginning of next year, the provocation succeeds. Trediakovsky publicly called Artemy Pavlovich a hare, hinting at his political views and early disgrace. The severity of the joke was expressed in the fact that, associating the prince with one of the favorite types of hunting prey of the empress, Trediakovsky expressed his assumption about the future fate of the prince, focusing on his low significance for the imperial court. The proud prince could not remain calm and, apart from swear words, according to some sources he himself, and according to others through his servants, beat the joker. The scuffle took place in the chambers of the Duke of Courland, Biron, which became the basis for his just indignation and complaints to the Empress. In his address, Biron pointed out that Artemy Petrovich became not only unbearably rude, but shamelessly pugnacious, as a result of the latter he was removed from affairs.
However, the duke was not going to stop there, since Anna Ioannovna, according to unverified information, still had some sympathy for the wayward rival. Biron decided to take advantage of the empress's discontent and reminded her of the attempts at moralizing and even the instructive tone of the guilty subject, but the ruler still doubted. Then, at the request of the German, audits and checks were carried out on the post of Volynsky, as a result of which numerous thefts were immediately revealed. The crime was obvious, and according to the imperial laws in force, it was supposed to bring the culprit to trial. The prince was placed under house arrest, but he behaved as before, trying to expose his enemies.
However, Artemy Pavlovich, as has been said more than once, was never a fool and soon realized that the situation was developing in the most unfavorable direction. He could no longer influence the development of events, and there was nowhere to expect help. The torture soon began. One of the prince's servants, a certain Vasily Kubanets, apparently bribed, testified about a certain conspiracy and that it was his master who was the organizer. Soon, many of the inner circle also confessed, under the most severe torture, their guilt and intention to overthrow the empress. In the testimony, information even appeared that Volynsky himself decided to ascend the Russian throne. The works of the prince, based on T. Mora's utopia, were also used as evidence. Despite the fact that the prince himself did not admit to the conspiracy, he was found guilty. The verdict was very harsh. It was decided to put Artemy Petrovich on a stake, having previously cut out his tongue.
The Empress also hesitated at the time of the approval of the verdict, which once again indicates that she was supportive of the unfortunate. Her decision was made under pressure from Biron and only on the third day. Anna Ioannovna nevertheless mitigated the punishment, replacing the stake with cutting off the hand and head. Some historians say that replacing one type of death penalty with another is not at all a mercy, but in this case it was just condescension. Impaling a criminal on a stake was the most brutal murder, and the executioners mastered this form of torture to such an extent that they could drag out the process for several hours. Especially appreciated were the executioners, who were able to insert a wooden stake in such a way that the victim remained alive for the longer time of the execution. The empress knew that the mighty Biron would be able to find the craftsmen of such a terrible action, so the replacement was just a favor.
The execution took place in public on the Sytny market square. Artemy Pavlovich went to his death with his head held high, but his tongue had already been cut out, so he did not have to ask for forgiveness from people according to the ancient Russian custom. The head was cut off on the memorable day of the Battle of Poltava, in which the executed on June 27, 1740 was a participant. The bright head of Russia, a devoted but absurd prince, fell with a dull thud on the wooden platform. This was the moment of the triumph of the "Bironshchina" on Russian soil.
