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Count Alexander Ivanovich Musin-Pushkin,
1744-1817, was a very lucky collector. It was he who found "The Epic Of
The Host Of Igor," a great poetical description of prince Igor's campaign
against the "Cumans" in 1185 written by a contemporary author;
"Russkaya Pravda," (Russian Truth,) the first known collection of
legislative enactments that date from the time of Yaroslav, Grand Duke o Kiev
(1019-1054), and some other ancient chief historical documents. Count
Musin-Pushkin also found the "Laurentius Chronicle," forgotten in a
monastic library. As a chief prosecutor of the Synod, he could easily enter any
monastery, search out what he wanted and even take manuscripts for his
collection. In Musin-Pushkin's time there were already many die-hard collector
whose ambitions did not always value keeping national treasures within the
country. In 1797, Emperor Paul I issued an ukaz ordering that all ancient
scripts and books be returned to their original holders. Musin-Pushkin kept the
Laurentius Chronicle for some time and then gave it as a gift to Alexander I,
who in turn offered it to the St. Petersburg Public Library. In the middle of
the nineteenth century, I. I.Sreznevsky (1812-1880), and K. N.Bestuzhev-Riumin
(1829-1897), revived the interest in ancient scripts. However, it was A.
A.Shakhmatov who later did the most elaborate research and produced the most
reliable information. According to him and to other authorities on the subject,
Nestor was the author of the Chronicle that bears his name. Shakhmatov
concluded that several other chronicles preceded Nestor's. The Novgorod'
Chronicle of 1016 was assumed to be the oldest.
In the absence of other written historical sources, Russian chronicles had
become-the most dependable documents of information, particularly for the
chronology of events they describe. Though sometimes biased in favor of the
princes who commissioned them, Nestor and other monk chroniclers, were no less
objective than their fellow historiographers in Western Europe. Their works
inspire more confidence than the histories written today by the Soviet official
historians who within a short span of time rewrote their books several times,
sometimes distorting the facts or passing over important details.
The Chronicle tells us first that the people invited Riurik to head the
Russian state. Then we learn that he came with two brothers, Sineus and Truvor
and that both of them died soon, making Riurik the uncontested ruler of
Novgorod. Oleg succeeded Riurik in 879 and presumably ruled until 912.
According to the Chronicle, Oleg moved down the Dnieper, took first Smolensk
and then in 882, Kiev. In Kiev he treacherously murdered Askold and Dir, two
former members of Riurik's retinue who arrived there before and became first
known Kievan princes. Oleg's campaign reduced to submission several Slavic and
non Slavic tribes and laid the foundation for a unified eastern Slavic state to
be known as Kievan Rus. Oleg became its first "Grand Duke," a title
which he chose himself.
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