October 31, 2013

Dmitry Pozharsky: Russian Hero


Dmitry Pozharsky: Russian Hero

November 1st marks the 435th birthday of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, commander of the second popular uprising to free Moscow of Polish occupation.

In 1610, Prince Dmitry Pozharsky probably felt pretty good about where his life was going. He had been a successful courtier and military commander in the service of three successive rulers, and received gifts of land and titles – all at the fresh young age of 32.

Unfortunately, looking around him, he had little to be happy about. One ruler had possibly finished off the last few members of the once-proud Rurik dynasty to secure the throne. The next one was likely an impostor, claiming to be one of those his predecessor had allegedly killed. The third led a popular uprising to kill the second, after which he was himself deposed by a group of boyars and forced to become a monk. And while the boyars supposedly ruled the country, in practice they only ruled Moscow, while Polish and Lithuanian armies ravished the countryside and threatened Moscow itself.

By Pozharsky’s 32nd birthday, Polish forces had entered the city. Some birthday present.

And yet our Dmitry did not despair (if he had, we probably wouldn’t be talking about him now). In 1611 he joined the first volunteer army as it headed toward Moscow to sort things out with the Poles. In the end, things did not actually get sorted out – the army was defeated and scattered, Pozharsky’s men were surrounded, and Pozharsky himself was wounded in the line of duty.

But if at first you don’t succeed… Yet again, Pozharsky did not despair. In fact, this failed first attempt is not what we remember him for – and when we remember his name, we usually remember it along with Kuzma Minin, a humble salt merchant from Nizhny Novgorod who invited Pozharsky to lead a second uprising. While Pozharsky took care of the military side of things, Minin was responsible for housekeeping and, most importantly, financing the new expedition. The Russian people responded enthusiastically to Novgorod’s call for funds, giving one-fifth to one-third of their possessions – granted, not paying up meant being sold into slavery and having all of your possessions confiscated. Better be enthusiastic!

The second attempt went a little better than the first, to put it lightly. On Pozharsky’s 34th birthday, his army finally unseated the Poles and took control of the city – a much better present than two years prior.

 

Monument to Minin (left) and Pozharsky (right) on Red Square,
with St. Basil's Cathedral in the background.

Pozharsky achieved true hero status in the early nineteenth century, with the creation of the Minin and Pozharsky monument in Moscow. The project had Alexander I’s approval and the financial backing of the entire country even before the war with Napoleon, but the war’s victorious end gave the monument new significance – it became a symbol of not just historical, but also contemporary patriotism and heroism in repelling the French invaders. Over four hundred years later, the monument still stands and still commands respect (even if Soviet leadership felt the need to move it aside to clear the way for military parades).

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons, Eugenia Sokolskaya

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
At the Circus

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
The Little Humpbacked Horse

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Steppe / Степь

Steppe / Степь

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Russia Rules

Russia Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
PO Box 567
Montpelier VT 05601-0567

802-223-4955