Nikolai Rezanov
Nikolai Petrovich Resanov (Russian Николай Петрович Резанов, scientific transliteration Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov; * 28 Märzjul / April 8 1764greg, St. Petersburg, .. .. † 1 Märzjul / March 13 1807greg, Krasnoyarsk ), was a Russian statesman and one of the founding founders of the Russian - American Company (RAK ).
Life
Resanov came from a distinguished family of the lesser nobility, but had relations with the Russian aristocracy. His father, Peter Gawrilowitsch Resanov was, at least for a few years strafverbannt as a judge on suspicion of embezzlement to Irkutsk, where he lived at that time separated from his family. After his education, he enjoyed at home, Resanov joined in 1778 the first artillery in and later by favoring the famous Ismailov Guard Regiment. After two years, put out that he appeared unfit for military service, so he left it and took a job as Assessor at a civil court in Pskov ( Pskov ). Five years later he joined the Treasury in Saint Petersburg. After two years in this post Resanov 1787 Office Manager of the Vice - President of the College Admiral, Count Ivan Tschernyschow. In 1791 he moved to the same position in the office of the newly appointed Senate Secretary Gavriil Derzhavin ( 1743-1816 ), a well-known poet and courtier, while long-time friend of the family. Resanov won so slow access to the Imperial Court. For a time he even served the favorite of Catherine II, Prince Platon Zubov. The Tsarina even entrusted him with special missions. In gratitude for his services Resanov received the Order of St. Anna, 2nd class and an annual pension of 2,000 rubles.
In 1794 he was sent again with a mission to Irkutsk, where his father still acted as judges. Here he met Grigori Shelikof (or deepened his friendship from previous visits ) and married on January 25, 1795 the only 14 - year-old daughter Anna. Through his connections with Zubov and thus Zarin Resanov was extremely useful for Shelikhov. When Grigori Shelikhov sudden death on July 20, 1795 Resanov took over the family interests. After Catherine's death on November 6, 1796 Resanov influence grew even under the successor Tsar Paul I even. In 1797 he became secretary of the Senate and a month later Chief Secretary of the Senate.
On August 11, 1799, he brought the Tsar to 1797 initiated Interest Grouping of the last remaining and mutually warring fur trading companies in Russian America and the Kuril Islands in a decree under the name of a monopoly company, the Russian - American Company (RAK ), new to constitute. On October 18, 1800, the Tsar also agreed to relocate the headquarters of RAK from Irkutsk to Saint Petersburg. The Board of RAK was so moved very close to the actual decision makers. When Alexander I on March 12, 1801 ascended the throne, he made Resanov a member of the Commission and Finland participated with other members of his family in the capital of RAK. End of 1802, the number of shareholders of the RAK had risen from 17 to 400.
On July 18, 1801 his wife Anna gave birth to a boy, Peter. On October 6, 1802, the daughter Olga was born, but died just 12 days later, Anna. The grieving Resanov sought distraction and took the following year at the first Russian circumnavigation under Krusenstern as a special ambassador for Japan. When there arrival in 1804, he and the ship's crew, however, half a year or less in captivity spend ( October 1804 - April 1805 ), before heading off to no avail. Resanov broke up in 1805 by the Krusenstern expedition and went with a few followers by Novo- Arkhangelsk (now Sitka ), the capital of Russian America to inspect the colony. In 1806, he traveled to California, where he managed to acquire much-needed food for the RAK and to socialize friendly contacts with the Spaniards. This reached the 42 year old, inter alia, the fact that he, " the head twisted " the just 15 -year-old ( born February 19, 1791) daughter of the commander of the Spanish Presidio of San Francisco, Maria de la Concepcion Marcela Arguello ( Conchita ). On the way back to Saint Petersburg the utter disaster of the Japan Mission Resanov, the naval officers Davydov and Khvostov prompted to give orders to carry out retaliatory strikes against Japan. This, a handwritten declaration of war coming action burdened the Japanese- Russian relations for decades. During the return journey overland to St. Petersburg Resanov died in March 1, 1807 of a fever in the city of Krasnoyarsk in Siberia. On March 13, he was buried near the entrance to the old Voskresensky Cathedral ( Savior ).
On November 28th of the same year, the German scientist von Langsdorff, who was with Resanov in California, whose grave visited. It was only set up a similar altar stone without inscriptions on the grave. 1831 established the RAK a monument that was damaged in 1936. Due to considerable modifications it was a short time later necessary to change beds Resanov zinc coffin. Since then, his final resting place is considered to be unknown. Assume the Krasnoyarsk Troitsky Cemetery ( Trinity Cemetery ), where in 2000 another grave site was prepared, as well as, built by the RAK grave monument in 2007.
Reception
The shape Resanov is not yet registered historic sufficient. There is still no basic biography. In particular, because of the " Conchita Love Affair " is his person transfigured unrealistic, as this affair. His preference for young girls, the Japan mission and the retaliatory actions allow for a different assessment of this man. Through the publication of the diary of a member of Krusenstern circumnavigation, Hermann Ludwig von Loewenstern (1777-1836) in 2003 threw another negative image on Resanov. This diary was not intended for the public, giving it some special credibility.
Resanov left in Russian America and California no lasting impressions. However, were honored for his services in connection with the establishment of RAK, his anticipatory thoughts about the future of Russian America and fighting the onset of famine in Novo- Arkhangelsk by his trip to California in 1806.
The appreciation in his lifetime Resanov was demonstrated by the fact that he was allowed in 1800, not far from Saint Petersburg to start their own village. He named it in honor of his wife Annenski ( according to other sources Resanowskoje - Annenskoje ). The village was on the right bank of the Neva River, 43 km east of Saint Petersburg and 17 km from Castle Key. It belonged in 1884 to his grandson, the landowner Kokoshkin ( son of his daughter Olga ). Resanov mother, Alexandra Gavrilovna, born Okunewa (* 1741), who died shortly after the foundation of the village, was buried there.
Nikolai Resanov life has been an issue in the 1980 rock opera Juno and Avos incurred (Russian Juno Awos i ) the composer Alexei Rybnikow to a libretto by the poet Andrei Voznesensky. The play, which also was referring to the " Conchita Love Affair ", but themed among others, the desire of Russian society for an opening to the West, had already in the first production of the theater of Lenin's Komsomol in Moscow under director Mark Zakharov great success. It was filmed twice and still stands today on the game board.