190 years ago, religious fans tore to pieces the poet and diplomat Alexander Griboyedov

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

The Middle East is a dangerous region. Even for inviolable persons - diplomats. Not so long ago, Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov was shot dead in Istanbul. And 190 years ago in Tehran, a crowd of religious fanatics tore another ambassador - the poet Alexander Griboyedov.

- They killed Alexander! - exclaimed the head of the Russian mission in Persia, who is also the author of the comedy "Woe from Wit" banned in his homeland, State Councilor Griboyedov, when the attackers broke through the roof of the embassy and with the first shots killed his servant-namesake. People climbed into the windows and into the gap, the crowd raged in the courtyard. Griboyedov's head was covered in blood from being hit by a stone. The ambassador, his staff and the surviving Cossacks from the guards - a total of 17 people - retreated to the farthest room, and a fire started to come from the roof. No one hoped that the Shah would send soldiers to disperse the maddened crowd. The besieged prepared to sell their lives dearly to the armed men who broke into the room. Griboyedov fired back and put several to death before a wounded Cossack sergeant fell, fighting shoulder to shoulder with him, and a tall Persian drove a saber into the chest of the Russian envoy. The infidel is finished! The bodies were dragged out into the street and dragged around the city on ropes for a long time, shouting: "Make way for the Russian envoy!"

One way or something like this, judging by the sources, a Russian poet and diplomat died in the Persian capital. But why did the townspeople choose the ambassador and his people, who arrived on a peaceful mission, as victims of their anger?

Version one: "I ran into it myself"

In the St. George Hall of the Winter Palace, Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich, surrounded by his family and many officials, received Khosrov Mirza, the grandson of the Persian shah. Begging forgiveness for the unfortunate incident in Tehran, the prince slowly approached the throne with his head bowed. A saber hung around his neck as a sign of obedience, and boots filled with earth were thrown over his shoulders. In this form, according to Shiite legends, the repentant commander of his enemy expressed loyalty to Imam Hussein.

Russia waged hostilities with Turkey and was not interested in issuing an ultimatum to Persia, with which, with such difficulty, entered into a profitable Turkmanchay peace, which ended the war of 1826-1828. It was decided that Griboyedov displayed "reckless impulses of zeal" in the role of the head of the mission and thus angered the townspeople, which is why he died with his people. The emperor gave his hand to Khosrov-Mirza and proclaimed: "I consign the unfortunate incident in Tehran to eternal oblivion."

The official version soon became public knowledge. It was said that Griboyedov behaved defiantly with the Shah and his dignitaries and neglected the ceremonial. As if the ambassador's people robbed the local population and forcibly took the former meadow women out of their harems. As if the last straw was the case with the two concubines of the shah's son-in-law Allayar Khan, whom the embassy staff brought to the mission building and held there against their will. Tehrans took this as an insult: the infidels, they say, kidnap Muslims' wives and forcibly convert them to Christianity, and the mullahs called on people to avenge the desecration of faith and customs. The accumulated rage of the people escaped from the control of the authorities.

In fact, Griboyedov, an expert on oriental languages and culture, would hardly have disregarded the rules accepted in Persian society. Even ill-wishers noted the exceptional competence of the diplomat and his ability to negotiate with the Persians.“He replaced us there with a single face of an army of twenty thousand,” said military leader Nikolai Muravyov-Karsky about Griboyedov, with whom the poet always had a strained relationship. Actually, the Turkmanchay agreement was for the most part the fruit of the efforts of Griboyedov. The fulfillment of the articles of this agreement became the main task with which he was sent to Persia. First of all, Griboyedov had to get the Persian side to pay Russia all the indemnity. The empire was due 10 kururs (about 20 million rubles in silver in the money of that time), but it did not receive even eight. Further, according to the document, Griboyedov was ordered to return to his homeland former captives from the territory of the Russian Empire, including from the Erivan and Nakhichevan khanates annexed under the Turkmanchay agreement. The ambassador was looking for such people and asked in front of witnesses their consent to leave. The diplomat followed instructions that were unpleasant for the Iranians, but he just strictly followed the agreement signed by both parties. Moreover, Griboyedov, seeing that for the sake of issuing the indemnity, the heir to the Persian throne, Abbas Mirza, even pledged the jewelry of his own wives, wrote to Petersburg authorities asking them to delay payments. But the Foreign Ministry was adamant: money for the war with Turkey was required as soon as possible. A document on the court ceremony was attached to the Turkmanchay treaty, according to which the Russian ambassador at the Persian court had exclusive privileges: to appear in boots and sit in the presence of the shah. So here Griboyedov did not violate any rules. Two girls from Allayar Khan's harem were indeed at the Russian embassy on the day of the assault, but, as the surviving first secretary of the mission Ivan Maltsov wrote by a miracle, “this circumstance is so unimportant that there is nothing to spread about it. Not a word was said about these women with the Persian ministry, and only after the murder of the envoy did they begin to talk about them. In 1828, after the conclusion of peace, the ruler of Persia, Feth-Ali-shah, himself, following the articles of the treaty, freed several Polonians from his harem. The first persons of the state owned hundreds of concubines, the loss of one or two, who did not have a special status, was hardly intolerable.

The official version did not stand up to criticism, but suited the authorities of both states. But if Griboyedov did not provoke the anger of the Tehranians with his behavior, then by whose efforts did the turmoil begin?

Version two: "the Englishman crap"

Immediately after the tragedy, there were rumors about the "British trail". The commander-in-chief of the troops in the Caucasus, General Ivan Paskevich, a relative and patron of Griboyedov, wrote to Foreign Minister Karl Nesselrode: "It can be assumed that the British were not at all alien to participating in the indignation that erupted in Tehran, although, perhaps, they did not foresee the harmful consequences thereof." … "It is strange," Paskevich also noted, "that on the bloody day of the murder of Griboyedov, there was not a single Englishman in Tehran, while at other times they followed the Russians step by step." That is, the British, at least, could know something about the impending riots and retired in advance to a safe distance.

Of course, who, if not the main rivals in the Great Game, the rivalry for influence in the East, sought to embroil Russia and Persia? The British credited Iranian dignitaries, supplied weapons and sent military instructors to this country. Ambassadorial physician and indefatigable intelligence officer John McNeill, who also treated the Shah and his harem, enjoyed exceptional confidence in the Iranian court. London feared the advancement of Russia in the East and viewed Persia as a barrier between the empire and British possessions in India. According to the historian Sergei Dmitriev, the British did not want Griboyedov to again use his influence on Prince Abbas Mirza, as he had once before, and convinced him to fight together with Russia against Turkey, the British ally. The Petersburg bosses of the diplomat, not wanting to provoke the British, did not give him the authority to induce the prince to do this; nevertheless, the anti-Russian party from Foggy Albion theoretically had a motive. However, an English professor, Slavic Lawrence Kelly notes that during this period the British Crown was more interested in stability in Persia and the preservation of the dynasty on the throne, which was able to establish contact, and therefore would not provoke unrest and a new war with Russia.

Version of that British diplomats, if not orchestrated conspiracy against Griboyedov and his mission, then at least put a hand to him, expressed by many Soviet historians. But no, even indirect evidence of the involvement of the British to defeat the embassy in Tehran in the sources has not yet been discovered, so it is difficult to confirm this hypothesis.

Version Three: recognition of a Dangerous Mind

Maybe talking about because of Tehran's disaster, you should use Occam's razor, and not look for complicated explanations where there is a plausible simple? Two concubines Allah Yar Khan - not only the prisoners, who were waiting in the repatriation of the embassy. There was also a Persian citizen Yakub Mirza, who is also an Armenian Jakub Markarian. A survivor of the massacre in the Persian embassy secretary who accompanied the mission in the "communiques accidents …" is called Markarian man "whose appearance among us has caused … a terrible accident." Many years ago, Jakub was captured by the Persians, was castrated, was in the Shah's palace, and eventually rose to the position of the second eunuch in the harem of the court and the treasurer.

When Griboyedov and his entourage was about to leave Tehran to "diplomatic capital" Persia, Tabriz, Markarian came to them and asked for help to move home. The ambassador tried to persuade the guardian of state secrets, but he insisted, pointing out that it is his right under Turkmanchay contract. There was nothing to argue.

Gathered to emigrate Mirza Yaqub may have been for the royal court more dangerous than Edward Snowden for the CIA. In the words of Secretary Maltsev, "Shah one had to destroy this man, who knew all the secret history of his home life, all the gossip of his harem." Besides Jakub adds Persian eyewitness, could promulgate financial secrets that after it was easier to squeeze out the rest of the indemnity. Shah felt humiliated, did not want to pay the bills and was afraid of a riot, because after the defeat in the war of the prestige of the dynasty has suffered greatly and the people murmured against extortion. Do not forgive the humiliation.

Mirza-Yakub tried to arrest on charges of embezzlement, but could not prove anything. Russian Ambassador lawfully refused to extradite him. And then the rumors spread that the defector offends not only the Shah, but the true faith. High Tehran Mullah Mirza Mesih Yakub urged to punish and punish the Russian mission. January 30 (Old Style), 1829 people gathered in the mosque, where the mullah implored to go to the embassy and destroy the wicked. At first the townspeople rend-Yakub Mirza, and then killed almost the entire Russian mission. The crowd, which pointed to the stranger as an object of hatred - terrible element.

In this case, the protection of the Persian mission during the assault was unarmed. Their guns, for some reason, folded in the attic, got the rebels, made his way to the roof. Besieged waited for reinforcements, but, according to the Secretary of the Persian, Tehran Governor Zilli-Sultan, the son of the Shah, meekly listened to their insults and mobile, rather than to disperse the crowd with the help of subordinate groups, retired and shut himself up in the palace. Among attacking the embassy were seen people Shah's son-in-Allah Yar Khan: they came for the captives. Too much evidence is not just idle, and the direct connivance of the authorities. And the government is very high. The main inspirer of religious fanatics Mirza Mesih during the assault was … the Shah.

BIOGRAPHY

When concerns about a possible war with Russia has settled, it turned out that from the destruction of the embassy most benefited Shah and his court. The people took out the accumulated grievances on strangers, Nicholas I forgave Persia the ninth kurur of indemnity (about 2 million rubles in silver), postponed the payment of the tenth for five years, and the human element destroyed the dangerous informant and intractable ambassador.