Patriotism of the nobility during the Patriotic War of 1812

Ogorodnikova Svetlana Vladislavovna Assistant, Department 614, Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University)" 125993, Russia, g. Moscow, ul. Volokolamskoe Shosse 4, 4 lalalala008@mail.ru

Introduction

The manifestation of the patriotism of the nobles during military operations is considered in detail in the work of I. G. Dyrysheva ^[1]. A number of articles have been published ^{[2, 3]} examining the relationship between patriotism and the legitimization of the Russian government.  However, not enough attention has been paid to the issues of the manifestation of patriotism of the civilian population. The novelty of this study consists in generalizing examples of patriotic behavior of nobles and highlighting the main models of patriotic behavior of representatives of the nobility during the war.

The object of research is literary and archival sources describing the life of nobles during the War of 1812. The subject of study and classification is the manifestation of patriotism of representatives of the nobility in the period under review.

Research methods

In the work, using the method of an integrated approach to sources: the issue under study is considered from various points of view. In order to make a comprehensive and objective picture of noble patriotism, a comparative analysis was carried out.

In the work, the author sought to provide:

· Consistency and consistency of presentation of the material;

·        Objectivity, by considering different, contradictory sources and different points of view of historians on the issue under consideration.

Before proceeding to the analysis of literary sources, it is necessary to determine what we will understand by the concept of "patriotism". Patriotism is a social feeling, which is the highest degree of human attachment to the Motherland ^{[4, p. 176]}. At the level of behavior, this feeling can manifest itself in a variety of ways. Manifestations of patriotism do not necessarily have to be publicly available and can only be reduced to participation in military operations or financial assistance to the army. They can be contained in personal correspondence, diary entries and memoirs. Therefore, an extensive historiographical database was used in the analysis, containing both scientific articles and monographs that provide information about the object of research, as well as various documents: diaries and letters, pre-revolutionary publications, newspaper articles, legislative acts, examples of assessing patriotism available in fiction.

  Patriotism of women

The model of the male manifestation of patriotism – the defense of the Motherland with weapons in hand, is practically not found in the female environment. Of course, everyone is well aware of the biography of the cavalryman-maiden Nadezhda Durova ^[5], but her model of behavior is an exception to the rules. There is an opinion in the scientific community that the male model of perception of the concept of "patriotism" is characterized by politicized content, and the female model of behavior is "spiritual" ^{[6, p. 31]}. In our opinion, the female model of behavior is characterized by greater psychologism: women worried about relatives participating in the war, helped the maimed, orphans, children left homeless. Of course, this activity should cause them strong emotions. And for men, an excessive violent display of emotions, especially during military operations, could seem like a manifestation of weakness.

E. A. Tonchu in the book "Charitable Russia", published in 2005, tells in detail about the activities of the women's Patriotic Society ^[7].

"The desire to be useful to society does not consist in one male field" ^{[8, p. 39]} – these words published in the magazine "Son of the Fatherland" very accurately reflect the essence of the patriotic sentiments of women. Their desire to help the Motherland in a difficult moment.

Empress Elizabeth Alekseevna rendered great help to the Patriotic Society. From the letters she wrote to her mother, we learn about the patriotism of the Empress. She writes that it was during this period that she finally felt Russia as her country ^{[6, p. 32]}. The initiative of Petersburgers was supported by other cities: Perm, Tomsk, Saratov, Yaroslavl.

The main directions of the organization were educational and charitable activities. The needy were provided with means of subsistence, hospitals were organized for those with disabilities and diseases. Work was carried out to help children from poor families and orphans of the war. To restore the country's economy, assistance was provided to artisans so that they could resume their work. Subsequently, the main emphasis in the work of the society was directed to the development of women's vocational education.

In the period from 1812 to 1816, the Women's Patriotic Society helped one thousand three hundred and ninety-two families. The total amount of assistance amounted to forty-six thousand seventy-three rubles and twenty-one kopecks ^{[9, p. 245]}.

The biography of the noblewoman Margarita Tuchkova is noteworthy ^{[10, p. 154]}. Her husband died on the Borodino field. She decided to build a church on the site of her husband's death. She sold the diamonds and in 1818 began to build the Church of the Savior Not Made with Hands. She and her son lived very modestly in a small gatehouse. In 1826, her son died. Girls and widows of different classes settle around the gatehouse, seeking prayer and solitude, a women's community is gradually forming, which in 1838 received the status of the Spaso-Borodino second-class convent. Tuchkova takes vows, and then becomes the abbess of the monastery. It has survived to the present day, now about 20 nuns are working there.

The abbess's activity was not limited to religious issues only. A shelter for the disabled of the Battle of Borodino was organized at the monastery, then a hospital for the poor, and then a hospice where medical care was provided to those in need.

The nuns were trained to care for the sick, and when they left for other monasteries, they could organize medical aid points there. In fact, the monastery became a place of medical education. The life of Margarita Tuchkova is an example of unbending will, firmness of spirit and selfless service to the Fatherland.

The functioning of the monastery proves the existence of another model of patriotic behavior – service to God: prayers for the dead and help for the living. This model of behavior is not typical for the nobility as a whole, but it could be resorted to by women who became widows because of the war, or young girls left without parents. Of course, we must not forget about women who have decided to devote their lives to God.

Women's charity work is a special element of the charity of that time. ^[11].

 Patriotism of children

Children, hearing the conversations of adults, were also imbued with patriotic ideas. The letter of A. I. Konovnitsyna, written to her husband on July 2 (14), 1812, is indicative. This is how she describes the behavior of children: "Liz is fighting hard – the spirit of the fatherland is terrible in this child – and she regrets very much that she is not a boy: she would gladly serve and defend the Fatherland and says that it is a pity that the brothers are small, that they cannot be useful to the good sovereign. Ivan says, "I will defend myself with knives." Well, such a spirit is in all of ours, and I'm already thinking only: God protect the Fatherland!" ^{[12, p. 66]}.

The feat of General Rayevsky is well known, who, in order to encourage the soldiers, went on the attack together with his children: Alexander 16 years old and Nikolai 11 years old. Information about this feat is documented by a letter from N. N. Rayevsky to his wife Sophia Andreevna ^{[13, pp. 66-68]}. At the same time, there are directly opposite data from K.N. Batyushkov's notebook, in which N. N. Rayevsky's words are quoted that the younger son was picking berries in the forest, and all described is nothing more than a historical anecdote ^[14].

The objectives of this study do not include establishing which of the sources is more relevant to reality. The examples given in this section show that the strength of patriotism in children was not inferior to adults, so society widely accepted and replicated the story of the feat of the young Rayevskys. If people did not allow such a manifestation of childish patriotism, this story would not have become so popular. But the example of the Konovnitsyns shows the resolute patriotic attitude of the noble children. It can be assumed that Alexander and Nikolai Rayevsky had the same moods, and most of the young nobles.

The Cathedral Prayer is an example of the manifestation of patriotism

Considering patriotism, we can also talk about its religious manifestation. The concept of "Moscow – the third Rome" was shared by representatives of the noble community.

The prayer for the expulsion of the enemy from the Russian lands was composed by Archbishop Augustine Vinogradsky of Moscow and Kolomna. After July 11, when Napoleon's army was approaching the capital, the emperor ordered this test to be compiled. In the churches and temples of Moscow, prayer was read on their knees. Its text is given in L.N. Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" ^[15].

We know about the prayer service on the eve of the Battle of Borodino from many historical sources. Lithographs of the beginning of the XX century, made from drawings by N. Samokish and P. Kovalevsky, have been preserved. Commander-in-Chief M.I. Kutuzov ordered to carry the icon of the Smolensk Mother of God in front of the troops ^[16].

Charity of nobles

The growth of patriotism during the war "caused an active collection of donations... The years 1812-1816 were marked by the appearance of three legal provisions" ^[17].

According to the memoirs of R. Wilson, the French were amazed by the "donations incurred by the nobility" ^[18].

The largest donor was the nobleman Count Dmitriev-Mamonov. At first he planned to form an infantry regiment from serfs at his own expense, but then he changed his mind and organized a mounted regiment that took an active part in the war and the foreign campaign of the Russian army ^{[19, p. 74]}.

Nobles from the province donated money, fodder and food. In the popular consciousness, the role of donations from the nobility was very high "Donations from the nobility were much more valid and useful for the fatherland than donations from merchants, burghers, artisans" ^{[19, p. 74]}. This was explained by the fact that the nobility donates not only banknotes, but gives away from the estate of serfs, the property forms a squad.

There are quite a lot of studies of charitable donations of nobles in the literature ^{[20],[21],[22]}. This proves that the nobles showed patriotic feelings, and supported the army to the best of their abilities.

Alternative points of view on noble patriotism

Attempts to reduce and downplay the role of patriotic behavior of the civilian population have been made for a long time. This is reflected even in fiction. For example, Famusov from the comedy "Woe from Wit" Griboyedov sarcastically exclaims: "But because patriots!".

Panasenkov writes that the "correct understanding" of patriotism and the "role of the people", as well as the talents of M.I. Kutuzov were raised in the dungeons of the OGPU ^{[23, p. 42]}. St. Petersburg officials have attached themselves to "feed" foreign terms like "patriotism" to the Russian common people ^{[23, p. 109]}.

The compulsory charitable donations of nobles, the facts of embezzlement, charity on the principle of "I donate what I don't need myself" are noted.

Some of this criticism is fair and documented. Prince S. G. Volkonsky reported to Tsar Alexander I about the facts of embezzlement and the unwillingness of landowners to allocate provisions for the army. A dialogue took place, preserved in the Prince's personal notes. When asked by Alexander I about the sentiments of the nobility, S. G. Volkonsky replied, "My Lord, I am ashamed that I belong to him: there were many words, but in fact nothing" ^[24].

Individual examples of unpatriotic behavior may have taken place. Similar examples can be found during other wars.

But in our opinion, these individual examples cannot characterize the mood and level of patriotism of the entire noble class.

 The patriotism of the Russian nobility is proved by the very course of history. If most of the nobles who held leadership positions in the Russian army sympathized with Napoleon, did not want to fight for the Fatherland and sabotaged the collection of charitable aid, victory over the enemy would simply be impossible.

Models of patriotic behavior of nobles

The analysis made it possible to identify a number of both patriotic and non-patriotic models of behavior of nobles during the Patriotic War.

3 models of patriotic behavior are typical for male noblemen:

1)    Participation in hostilities as part of military units organized from their serfs.

2)     Donations to the front in cash and in kind.

3) Evasion from charity or "donation" of substandard products.

Women of the noble class are also characterized by 3 behaviors:

1)    Support of male defenders of the Motherland in personal correspondence.

2)    Indirect participation in patriotic events through donations, mainly in cash.

3) Personal participation, consisting in interaction with the wounded, orphans and other groups of the population affected during the war.

The model of behavior of the nobles included weekly church attendance on Sunday. During the war, it was supplemented with church fees to help the army and the victims and a prayer appeal for the expulsion of the enemy from the territory of the country.

The Patriotic War of 1812 led to the transformation of mass consciousness ^{[25, p. 1]}. Most of the nobles fought at the front with a sense of patriotism ^{[26, p. 31]}.

The analysis shows that the civilian population was characterized by the use of the models of patriotic behavior discussed above.