Abstract: The subject of the study is the economic life of the city of Ancient Russia and the medieval city of Germany. The object of the study is an ancient Russian and Western European city in the XII – first third of the XIII centuries. For more than a century, the debate has been going on about whether Russia is following its own special path of development, different from the Western one, or whether our country is developing in the general direction of the world historical process, lagging behind Western European states for various reasons. The appeal to the economic problems of the city is due to the exceptional importance of the economic sphere of life, it determines the course of all processes taking place in society, affecting the other subsystems of society. For comparison, we have chosen one of the dominant political centers of Russia in the era of fragmentation – the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality and the cities of Germany, which are a classic example of a medieval city in Western Europe. The work used a comparative historical method that allows us to identify common and specific features of the development of the economic sphere of the urban centers of Ancient Russia and medieval Europe in order to reveal the versatility of the phenomenon of the ancient Russian city. The ancient Russian and medieval German city in the XII – first third of the XIII century had a deep connection with the nearby agricultural district and were agrarian in nature. Despite this, the most important direction of the economic development of the cities of Vladimir-Suzdal land and medieval Germany was their development as trade and craft centers. Merchant associations operate in both countries, and active trade and credit operations are carried out. Both cities were distinguished by the differentiation of the craft and its narrow specialization. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that a comparative analysis of the level of economic development of a significant number of ancient Russian and German medieval cities was carried out. As a result of the study, it was concluded that in German cities of the High Middle Ages, a special urban world was developing, characterized by strict regulation of almost all aspects of the life of citizens. The ancient Russian cities, on the contrary, did not develop a specific urban law that would operate only within the city walls.

Keywords: trading, rural districts, comparative history, German city, medieval craft, Medieval Germany, political fragmentation, Vladimir-Suzdal Rus, the ancient Russian city, corporation

Abstract: The subject of this research is the iconography of the capitals and provinces of the Russian Empire of the late XIX – early XX centuries in the illustrative series of essays authored by the foreigners on their trip to Russia (travelogues). The topic seems relevant due to the “visual turn” and active study of the image of Russia as “Other” in the humanities. Based on application of the comparative and quantitative analysis, the author determines the frequency of storylines used for depicting St. Petersburg, Moscow and other regions of the Russian Empire in photography and drawings; as well as reveals the key elements of iconography and connections between them within the framework of a single illustration, which indicates the accents made by the travelers. The conclusion is made on versatility of the images of the Russian capitals and provinces of the late Imperial period in the illustrative series of travelogues, which manifests in the differences of frequency of the strategies for their representation and iconographic elements. Moscow and St. Petersburg were mostly described through visitor attractions and urban, which blended them in the “East – West” dichotomy. Although in the context of everyday life storylines, the province represented the journey and daily activity of the tourists, then through the landscapes, wooden buildings, dirt on the streets and appearance of the local dwellers, it formed the image of “authentic Russia”, close to the “barbaric”.

Keywords: Moscow, image representation, notes of foreigners, travelogues, photographs, the image of Russia, visual turn, Saint-Petersburg, Russian provinces, East-West

Abstract: The subject of this research is the regional concept of Simon Bolivar, known in scientific and journalistic literature as the "Bolivar's dream". This concept originated at the beginning of the 19th century and proclaimed the idea of the independent development of the countries of Latin America and Caribbean basin that was supposed to be implemented through the creation of a single regional confederation. The article pays particular attention to the substantive aspects of "Bolivar's dream", as well as to the debated issues regarding the set of countries that Bolivar included in his concept. The chronological frame of this work covers the period from 1811 to 1830. The research is constructed on the examination of the historical base that reflects the regional concept of Simon Bolivar. As the directing methodology, the author uses the theory of comparative regionalism. The study allows to understand the content and evolution of the concept, as well as the issue of the different interpretations of "Bolivar's dream" that appear as a result of the fragmented nature of how this topic has been studied. The conducted analysis has allowed to identify a series of key provisions. "Bolivar's dream" was finalized completely in 1815; in this period the virtual confederation included the biggest set of countries that almost completely encompassed all colonial possession in the New World. In the middle of the 1820s, in the attempt to practically implement his regional concept, Bolivar, realizing the difficulty in converging together all the states of the region, sought to limit the number of members in the confederation, every year reducing it more and more. In connection with this, Bolivar encountered opposition among the political elite of the region, in the first place, the vice-president of Gran Colombia Francisco Santander. The author spells out the reasons that prevented  "Bolivar's dream" of being embodied into life.

Keywords: Bolivar's Dream, Simon Bolivar, early regionalism, Spanish America, war for independence, Panama congress, Andean confederation, Gran Colombia, Latin America, supranational management system

Abstract: The article focuses on the development of the Russian state in the pre-Revolution period (1380–1917) in a comparative analysis with England (1066–1640) and France (1214–1789). The research subject is the same periods of development in the lives of these three countries: liege monarchy, estate-representative monarchy, absolutism. The author traces the evolution of separate statehood elements (army, government, representative bodies in the centre and locally). Particular attention is given to the relationship between state and church. The aim is to construct a clear synchronised statehood development pattern in the above-named countries. The method of comparative analysis is used. The article examines the analogous processes and events in these three countries. The study’s novelty is that it is the first given comparative analysis of the unfolding analogous processes in the history of Russia, England, and France during the course of several centuries. The main conclusions resulting from the study are the following: modern England originated in 1066, France – 1214, Russia – 1380. This is why the analogous statehood processes “lag behind” England by about 150 years in France and by about 300 years in Russia. The equivalent of the English Magna Carta (1215) is the French Great ordinance (1357) and the Cross-oath charter of Vasiliy Shuysky (1606) in Russia. The parallels of the English parliament (1265) are the French Estates general (1413) and Russia’s Zemsky sobor (1565). The concept of a capitalist formation period in Russia from 1861 to 1917 is criticised, and it is asserted that with the beginning of the Revolution in Russia in 1917 began the Great Russian bourgeois revolution, which ended in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR and the collapse of the communist regime. This revolution marked the beginning of the so-called capitalist era in the history of the Slav-Orthodox linguistic-religious population groups.

Keywords: absolutism, estate-representative monarchy, liege monarchy, dominant state, linguistic-religious population groups, representative body, parliament, analogous development periods, government, army

Abstract: The name of P.S. Uvarova has a special place of honour in the history of Russian science and culture. Upon becoming the chairman of the Moscow Archeological Society, she spared no effort in expanding its work, enriching Russian history and contributing to the wide spread of knowledge, and the preservation and research of antiquities in Russia. Countess P.S. Uvarova belonged to a generation, the work of which constituted the basis of a social uplift which defined Russia’s intensive growth in XIX-early XX centuries. Uvarova’s life can be viewed as an example of the forming of a new generation of women – independent, educated, concerned about the public sphere. The result of her fruitful life and work is the discovery of various sources, the informational potential of which is not discovered till the present time, because Russian historiography has not yet conducted their intensive, complex research. The article provides the experience in systematization of documents and materials, relevant to P.S. Uvarova’s life and work. Defining the problems regarding the study of source material, which are closely related to researching documentary sources, will allow not only to look a little deeper into Uvarova’s life, but to appreciate the scale and practical significance of her work.

Keywords: history, source study, archeology, P.S. Uvarova, Moscow Archeological Society, State Historical Museum, archives, historic science community, science communities.

Abstract: the article is devoted to analysis of information about ancient ancestor of the royal dynasty Ryurik in the Primary Chronicle. It is concluded that the editor of the Chronicle puts Ryurik and his people (original Rus) in Denmark. This could be due to the receipt of information about the origin of Rurik, received during the conclusion of the Russian-Danish marital union in 1116.

Keywords: history, Russia, Middle Ages, state, chronicles, Ryurik, the Varangians, Denmark, Schleswig, Rorik.

Abstract: The article discusses the features of a communications strategy of the authorities on informing the Soviet citizens of life abroad in 1920–1930-ies. The major activities of the Soviet media to raise awareness of the foreign events are listed. Concludes that, despite of existing contradictions in the organization of information process at the time the system of the Soviet press was completely controlled by government structures.

Keywords: History, information, strategy, media, newspapers, Soviet, state, news, foreign, policy.

Abstract: the article examines the social features of the Russian intelligentsia in the middle of the XIX century. The author points out that the ideological setting of the intelligentsia were not contrary to industrial progress in Russia, but expressed and theoretically sanctioned the overcome of its social consequences. Since they were generated by the modernization itself, the intellectuals were looking for theoretical models of overcoming the barbaric nature of capitalist reconstruction of Russia.

Keywords: history, populism, intellectuals, socialism, modernization, science, opinions and interests, repentant nobles and men of honor, mind and feelings, people and nation