bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OSMANLI TAŞRA MECLİSLERİNE BİR ÖRNEK: KÜRE-İ NÜHAS MUHASSILLIK MECLİSİ
Authors: Kundakçı Sibel
Published: May 2024

Osmanlı Devleti’nin taşra teşkilatının yapılanmasında tımar sistemi oldukça önemli bir yere sahiptir. Ortaçağ şartlarında özellikle taşradaki gelirlerin merkez tarafından toplanması ve maaş olarak dağıtılması oldukça zor bir işti. Bu zorluk, vazife sahiplerinin maaş yerine doğrudan tarım gelirlerini toplaması gerekliliğini beraberinde getirmiştir. Böylece devlet, dirlik sahipleri aracılığıyla taşradaki çoğu vergiyi toplayabilir hale gelmiştir. Ancak zamanla tımar sisteminde meydana gelen bozulmalar karşısında alınan tedbirler, iltizam ve malikâne sistemini ortaya çıkarmıştır. Bu şekilde, vergiler, mültezim ve mütesellim ve hatta ayan gibi yerel idareciler tarafından toplanmıştır. Tanzimat Fermanı ile iltizam sistemi kaldırılmaya çalışılmış ve vergilerin merkez tarafından toplanmasını sağlamak amacıyla muhassıllık meclisleri kurulmuştur. Bu meclislerden biri de Küre-i Nühas Muhassıllık Meclisi olmuştur. Kastamonu Sancağı’na bağlı Küre-i Nühas Kazası’nda kurulan bu meclisin aldığı kararların yazılı olduğu defter çalışmanın ana kaynağını oluşturmaktadır. Deftere göre, Küre-i Nühas Muhassıllık Meclisi’ne bağlı olan meclisler, meclis üyeleri ve atanma şekilleri, meclisin idarî alanda aldığı kararlar değerlendirilerek meclisin bir mahkeme gibi de çalıştığı anlatılacaktır. Sancak dâhilinde Kastamonu ve Küre-i Nühas’ta olmak üzere sadece iki muhassıllık meclisi açılmıştır. Değerlendirilen Küre-i Nühas Muhassıllık Meclisi ise yaklaşık altı ay kadar çalışabilmiştir.
Retinopathy of prematurity in multiple births versus single births preterm, extremely preterm infants
Authors: Ikram Syeda Sadiya , N Soumiya , Puri Sanjeev Kumar
Published: May 2024

The purpose of the study was to compare the retinopathy of prematurity in preterm, extremely preterm infants between multiple and single births.

It was a hospital – based cross sectional comparative study conducted among preterm 28 - ≤37 weeks of gestational age, extremely preterm ≤ 28 weeks of gestational age at delivery of multiple and single births. Data on Gestational age, birth weight, birth order (single/multiple), Risk factors, Refractive status, and Treatment type were noted. Ophthalmological findings were performed routinely at 4 weeks and repeated later depending upon the severity.

49 infants were involved in this study; 22 were born as singletons and 27 as multiples. Our results show 2.0% of subject in stage 1, 18.4% in stage 2, 8.2% in stage 3, 2.0% in stage 4 substantially corresponds with the severity of retinopathy of prematurity due to lower gestational week and lower birth weight. Multiple birth infants statistically had 6.1% in stage 1, 18.4% in stage 2, 8.2% in stage 3, 2.0% in stage 4 retinopathy of prematurity than single birth infants. Risk factor results indicates necrotizing enterocolitis (33.3% in stage 2), oxygen (35.5% in stage 2 and 16.1% in stage 3), sepsis (37.9%, and 20.7% in stage 3), and continuous positive airway pressure (44.4% in stage 2 and 11.1% in stage 3) Compound hyperopic astigmatism was the most typical refractive error in both births. Laser treatment accounts for 18.1% in both groups.

This study showed a significant correlation with ROP development in multiple births.
Aiming Devices of the Smoothbore Artillery Period in the Collections of Lomonosov’s Museum at MAE RAS (Saint Petersburg Kunstkamera)
Authors: Lupanova Yevgenia
Published: May 2024

Vast military historiography pays nearly no attention to some very important aspects, which determined the global force allocation. One of aspects of that kind is the appearance and development of artillery aiming devices. The introductory part of this article could not present a numerous historiography. The few works touching upon thus question are filled with serious mistakes. Their authors can be partly excused by the obvious facts of source inaccessibility. During the period, when the aiming devices were in use they were a high-rate state secret, often transferred from one to another as an oral tradition; it is especially typical for the period before the middle of the 19th century, when best European armies averagely had 1—3 cannons for each thousand men. The sequence is the lack of documents. Therefore the most important source for researches should be museum artifacts. 12 aiming devices from Lomonosov’s museum at MAE RAS (St. Petersburg Kunstkamera) are under consideration of this article. The detailed study of these objects leads to substantiated conclusions about attributing and dating, basic principles of usage and some trends of technique development. Some attention is although payed to the meaning of aiming devices, history of forming the collection and reasons for its obscurity.
“Former” Political Police Employees of the Russian Empire in the Soviet Society
Authors: Kabytova Nadezhda
Published: May 2024

The review of the collection of documents traces the fate of ex-employees of the political police of the Russian Empire in Soviet times. The principles of selection, categorization, composition of the identified set of sources form the source base, topical scientific issues. The compilers managed to provide a representative range of documents, which reflect, the methods of Soviet state policy in relation to personnel, secret agents of the political police of the Russian Empire. Documentary materials characterize the ways of social adaptation of the “former” employees in the new realities of the revolutionary and post-revolutionary world. They reflect the waves of political repression of the Soviet government. A wide range of sources, mainly from the state and departmental archives of the Ulyanovsk region, as well as materials from the Borovsk Museum of local history (the Kaluga region), made it possible to identify the stages of rehabilitation of former political prisoners. It is necessary to particularly point out the value of the submitted documents of special records management systems. It is noteworthy that the authors have also paid attention to the state archival policy, identified the principles of using and preserving the funds of the political police, and determined the specifics of working with them.
Prostitution in Russia’s Asian Possessions in the Last Third of the 19th ‒ Early 20th Century
Authors: Abdrakhmanov Konstantin
Published: May 2024

The article deals with the phenomenon of prostitution in the Asian regions of the Russian Empire in the last third of the 19th — early 20th century. The article discusses the unique details of the organization of the sphere of commercial sex after the arrival of the Russian administration and laws in the cities of Central Asia. The study requires analyzing the causes of this social deviation, identifying the social status of prostitutes before they join the profession, demonstrating their national and gender-age composition. To do this, we used sources of personal origin created by contemporaries of the era, who directly observed changes in Central Asian society in the late 1870s — early 20th century, as well as statistical information, primarily materials of the First General Population Census of the Russian Empire. The legalization of paid sex services in Central Asia has significantly changed the daily life of the local population. Women who until then sold their bodies secretly were able to legally stay in brothels, receive guarantees of payment for services and protection from physical abuse by clients. Open access to Russian recreational traditions compelled many local men to reconsider the strict moral norms regulated by religion, so for them drinking alcohol in the company of prostitutes became quite commonplace in the cities of Central Asia in the early 20th century.
The Ideology of Ottomanism and Symbols of Power During the Reign of Sultan Suleiman I
Authors: Abidulin Alim
Published: May 2024

The article examines the symbols of power and ideological guidelines of Ottomanism, formed by Sultan Suleiman I, which later became the basis for the existence of the empire for many years. The Ottoman symbols of power were based on ancient traditions and Islamic values. The Sultan, endowed with power from Allah, had a strong influence on the subjects of the empire, and the symbols of power only strengthened the power of the emperor in the eyes of the people. The authors analyze the symbols of power during the reign of Sultan Suleiman I. They highlight visual symbols such as the tugra and the Venetian helmet of the Sultan and traditional ceremonies: The enthronement ceremony, the ceremony of "Girding the Sword" and «Cuma selamlığı» ceremony. Particular attention is paid to the origin of traditional Ottoman ceremonies, their stages and symbolism. The conclusion drawn in this article is that the symbolism in the Ottoman Empire during the reign of Sultan Suleiman I reflected ideological guidelines and was the regulator of the sultan's relations with his subjects. Within the framework of the new imperial history, the analysis and study of symbols of power provides an opportunity to take a fresh look at the relationship between the sultan and the subjects of the empire.
On Some Specifics in the Work of Russian Diplomatic Missions in the States of the German Confederation in the Middle of the 19th Century
Authors: Datsenko Pavel
Published: May 2024

The article is devoted to the work of the diplomatic missions of the Russian Empire in the secondary German states that were part of the German Confederation. In historiography, these missions are paid relatively less attention than Russia’s diplomatic relations with Austria and Prussia, as a result — the whole direction of Russian foreign policy towards the German Confederation and its members is beyond the scope of research interest. At the same time, the materials of the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire (AVPRI) make it possible to study the work of these missions and their significance for Russian foreign policy in general. The first part of the article discusses some features of organizational structure of Russian diplomatic service and mission staff in the German states: the unification of several missions under the control of one envoy, the need to have a separate representative at the Bundestag and the significant role of mission secretaries. The second part of the article is devoted to a brief review of the tasks and methods of work, as well as the level of independence of Russian diplomats during the German and European crises of the mid-19th century. These and other features of the activities of Russian missions in the secondary German states make it possible not only to add significant details to the image of foreign policy questions already known to researchers, but also to reveal new aspects of Russia's foreign policy in the middle of the 19th century.
Organization of the Russian Diplomatic Representation in the United Kingdom of Sweden and Norway at the turn of the 19th — 20th Centuries
Authors: Sadova Lyudmila
Published: May 2024

The Scandinavian vector in the foreign policy of the Russian Empire was far from a priority, but at the turn of the 19th — 20th centuries, the calm and non-conflicting European North, which it remained for many years, became involved in the political and strategic interests of the great powers, primarily Russia, Germany and Great Britain, and therefore attracted the attention of Russian diplomacy. The aggravation of the Swedish-Norwegian political crisis in the 1890s — 1900s, which ended with the dissolution of the Swedish-Norwegian union and Norway's independence in 1905, caused a lot of concern to the Russian Foreign Ministry, forced it to pay attention to many issues of bilateral relations with Sweden and Norway, which had previously remained in the shadows, to closely monitor not only the development of the conflict between two Scandinavian states, but also the position of other interested great powers. The reports of the Russian envoys in the United Kingdom, who closely watched the course of events, were one of the main sources for the Foreign Ministry. The main objective of this article is to identify the peculiarities of the work of the Russian diplomatic corps in Sweden and Norway at the turn of the 19th — 20th centuries. An attempt was also made to determine the range of sources of information of Russian diplomats, the degree of influence of foreign policy tasks on the selection and presentation of information by envoys to the central office, as well as the presence of their personal attitude to the events on the Scandinavian Peninsula in diplomatic correspondence. It was concluded that the specifics of the activities of the Russian imperial mission in the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway was due to the peripheral position of small countries in the region in the foreign policy of the Russian Empire. The work of the mission was influenced by current foreign policy tasks, legal features of the Swedish-Norwegian union, personal preferences and the existing experience of the diplomatic representative of Russia.
“The Reference Book for Officials of Central and Foreign Institutions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs” and Its Author-Compiler Mikhail Nikolayevich Nikonov
Authors: Shatokhina-Mordvintseva Galina
Published: May 2024

This article is intended to boost researchers’ interest towards a unique and understudied documentary source “The Reference Book for Officials of Central and Foreign Institutions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs” published in 1869. The article characterizes this collection of laws, statutes and circulars, covering almost all aspects of the Ministry’s activities with considerable attention paid to the personality of the author-compiler of “The Reference Book” — an official of the Department of Household and Accounting Mikhail Nikolayevich Nikonov (1832—1902). The article benefited from the information provided by his form list (service record) kept in the funds of the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire, “Yearbooks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs” (“Annuaires diplomatiques de L’Empire de Russie”), diaries of V. N. Lamsdorf, who was a senior Foreign Ministry counsellor in 1886—1896, as well as various reference books of the late 19th century. On their basis the author of the article has significantly enriched the existing biographical information about M. N. Nikonov, provided new data on his closest relatives, traced the stages of Nikonov’s promotion from a 1st category clerical officer in 1855 to his assignment as the Head of the Department of Personnel and Household in 1884.
Vienna Regulations on the Ranks of Diplomatic Representatives of 1815: Reasons for Adoption and Its Significance
Authors: Kotova Elena
Published: May 2024

Congress of Vienna 1814—1815 entered the history of international relations as the first experience of multilateral diplomacy of modern times. Along with the global problems of the reorganization of Europe, the congress participants also discussed the organization of the diplomatic service. An important achievement of the congress was the adoption of the Vienna Regulations, which unified the ranks of diplomatic representatives and established a simple and understandable principle of their seniority depending on the rank and time of arrival in the country. This put an end to centuries of disputes over seniority, which seriously complicated relations between states. The decisions of the congress played an important role in the process of professionalization of diplomatic activity.
The Mission of the French Diplomat N. H. de Bassville and the Roman Uprising of 1793
Authors: Mitrofanov Andrey
Published: May 2024

French diplomacy in 1792—1793 was in a deep crisis. The new system of political appointments was not yet fully formed, and people without experience and merit could be appointed to important positions. One of these diplomats of the revolutionary era was N. H. de Bassville, who, by coincidence, ended up in the position of secretary of the French embassy in Rome and tragically died during the uprising in January 1793. If in the French revolutionary press the figure of Bassville was immediately glorified, then from the 1880s. In the scientific literature, this plot is considered strictly within the framework of positivist methodology. Even today, the situation in historiography has not changed much. The role of Cardinal Zelada, Secretary of State of the Vatican, in these events is downplayed or even distorted. Although it was the cardinal who made every effort so that the sharp and thoughtless actions of the French representatives did not lead to an outbreak of popular protest. The article attempts to abandon the stereotypical perception of Bassville’s mission and fit it into the context of the political history of the Papal State at the end of the 18th century, paying special attention to the causes of the explosion of popular discontent. The author shows that the hypothesis that the uprising of January 1793 itself was inspired by the papal authorities is not supported by the sources. An analysis of the sources, according to the author, gives reason to believe that the causes of the uprising were associated not only with the mentality of the lower strata of Rome, with the image of the French in the public mind, but also with the socio-economic situation in the region. In particular, with the situation with wheat, rumors about the export of which to France caused an uprising on January 13—14, 1793.
Informants, Spies and Agents of the British Ambassador to Catherine's Russia
Authors: Smilyanskaya Elena
Published: May 2024

The goal of the article is to clarify the channels of information about the Russian Empire used by the British Ambassador Charles Cathcart in St. Petersburg in 1768—1772. On the base of mostly unpublished documents from the British National Archive and the private Cathcart archive stored in the National Library of Scotland, it can be concluded that with the limited staff of the British Embassy in St. Petersburg, in the absence of a network of secret paid agents, the ambassador could rely mainly on his personal observations and on the inquiries of compatriots invited to the Russian service. Although the ambassador achieved confidential permanent contacts with count N. I. Panin, using a mutually beneficial exchange of secret data obtained through diplomatic channels of the two countries, and managed to “buy” Panin’s employee Caspar Saldern, according to the political results, Cathcart’s mission to Russia is still considered unsuccessful. However, the ambassador's close personal relations with the Empress and her inner circle contributed to the strengthening of British cultural influence at the top of Russian society and the preservation of mutual interest, both in the economic and political fields.
Prussian Campaigns of European Nobility: on the Unique Study by Werner Paravicini
Authors: Matuzova Vera
Published: May 2024

This is a review of “Die Preussenreisen des europäischen Adels” (3 volumes) by Prof. Werner Paravicini, a well-known German medievalist. The first volume reflects the history of military campaigns to Lithuania, their duration and names and characteristics of their participants. The second one concentrates on the forms of the Prussian campaigns and their funding. The third volume is concerned with the Prussian campaigns as a form of existence of European aristocracy. By means of subsidiary historical disciplines the historian has reconstructed this mass phenomenon of the late Middle Ages, which can be regarded as an event of the European scope.
Museumification of Places of Memory in Iberoamerica
Authors: Koroleva Alina
Published: May 2024

In terms of a strict museological point of view, museumification is a complex process involving the transformation of cultural and natural heritage into museum objects with the aim of maximizing their preservation, revealing their historical, cultural, scientific, artistic value, and for their promotion. Since the 1990s, the concept of “memorial culture” has been established in scientific and journalistic discourses, and new museum institutions have begun to open — museums of memory, which, unlike classical historical museums, interpretate a difficult past, focusing on victims. Undoubtedly, the focus of memorial culture is also on Iberoamerican issues, in particular the memory of the Spanish Civil War, and of the countries of the Southern Cone — Argentina, Uruguay, Chile — there was an increase in attention to commemorative practices, which was caused by the end of the period of rule of authoritarian regimes, the cessation of some armed conflicts or the achievement of a state by society when it needed in reflection on the protracted painful and bloody processes. The problems of generational change in the commemoration are connected with a double generational change: firstly, a short historical era of living witnesses of the tragic events of the mid-20th century. firstly, a generation of direct witnesses of the events to which memory projects are dedicated will inevitably leave soon, and, secondly, generations who do not have their own memories of the relevant events have reached working age. events and personalities. The attitude to death and human sacrifice in memorial culture is connected with the recognition of places of memory. The museumification of the Spanish Civil War is considered on the example of the Federico Garcia Lorca Foundation and Center, the Cuelgamuros Valley (formerly the “Valley of the Fallen”) and the commemorations of the bombing of Guernica. Among the museum initiatives and commemorative institutions in the countries of the Southern Cone, the Naval Mechanics School (ESMA) in Buenos Aires, the Museum of Memory (MUME) in Montevideo, the Villa Grimaldi Memorial Park in Santiago are considered. The analysis of commemorative initiatives in Iberoamerica has shown the success of tangible, intangible and combined projects in the field of memory, assessed by how effective they are in terms of creating affect, mobilizing society and updating the relevant narrative.
The Right Political Thought of José Vasconcelos and Their Influence on the Transformation of the Image of the Mexican Intellectual
Authors: Veselova Irina
Published: May 2024

The object of the article is the right-wing views of the Mexican politician and intellectual J. Vasconcelos. On the basis of historiographical analysis and by referring to public sources the author attempts to identify the reasons for the revaluation of his figure in modern historiography and in the field of public history on the basis of academic studies of his right-wing views. The “dark” moment of J. Vasconcelos’s biography, which researchers for several reasons have long avoided, is his participation in the publication of the magazine Timón (1940) with the support of representatives of Nazi Germany. Due to the fact that historians have turned to the topic of pro-Nazi sympathies and anti-Semitic views of the Mexican thinker, the figure of J. Vasconcelos. Vasconcelos, which over the years became one of the unshakable symbols of the Mexican intellectual community of the first half of the twentieth century, has undergone a significant reassessment both in modern historiography and in the public sphere.
Revolutionary Struggle Against Salazar: Santa Maria Hijacking in 1961
Authors: Filatov Georgy
Published: May 2024

The hijacking of the ship Santa Maria in 1961 by the members of the Iberian Revolutionary Liberation Directorate (Diretório Revolucionário Ibérico de Libertação — DRIL) was a part of armed struggle against the regime of António Salazar. In contrast to other protests against the New State, mostly various attempts of a military or civil coup, it was distinguished by its terrorist nature. Although its participants hoped that their action would cause an uprising in some part of the Portuguese empire, their main goal was to draw international attention to the dictatorial nature of Salazar’s power. They ultimately managed to achieve this goal. Based on the memoirs of participants, as well as the materials from the National Archives of Torre de Tombo, the article examines how this event, similar to piracy, was in fact recognized as a political protest.
“The Persians Themselves Will Not Do Anything to Raise the Region”: Consul K. V. Ivanov on The Problems and Prospects of Russian Resettlement and Land Ownership in the Caspian Provinces of Iran (Early 20th Century)
Authors: Larin Andrey
Published: May 2024

The article is devoted to the views of the Russian consul in Astarabad K. V. Ivanov on the issues of Russian peasant resettlement and Russian land ownership in northeastern Iran on the eve and during the First World War. Already in the first decade of the 20th century, Russian peasants were drawn to the region in search of a new life. Starting spontaneously, this process soon attracted the attention of both Russian representatives in this country and the Foreign Ministry. At the same time, a large Russian land ownership in Persia began to arise. These issues directly affected the field of consul Ivanov's official activities and were the subject of his reflections and discussions with higher authorities. The article presents the consul's views on the subject, the proposed program of action to stimulate resettlement and assistance to settlers, as they appear in various sources, mainly in diplomatic correspondence. These issues have received insufficient coverage in historiography, and therefore require careful study.
Cemaats in the Realm of Social and Civil Activity in Turkey: Historical and Modern Dimensions
Authors: Shlykov Pavel
Published: May 2024

Turkish cemaats (jemaats) have a reputation of highly adjusted to the contemporaneity traditional religious communities. Within the last decades the number of their followers has been rapidly rising both inside Turkey and abroad. However, despite an increasing interest in the modern Islam worldwide the phenomena of Turkish cemaats and their impact on the political process and civil society development in Turkey and beyond remain understudied. What are the defining factors of cemaats’ rising socio-political influence? In what way do they contribute to the alternative perceptions of democracy and civil society in the non-Western and Islamic contexts? This article analyzes special features of civic activity in Turkey focusing on a number of influential Turkish cemaats. Based on a detailed study of various normative and narrative sources the author shows, how cemaats have developed high capacities to adapt to the fluctuations of the Turkish political process in the second part of the 20th century. In doing so cemaats also gradually proliferated beyond national borders functioning as parallel structures for secular civil society and state institutions in Turkey and beyond.
Dating Elements in Icelandic Family Sagas
Authors: Litovskikh Elena
Published: May 2024

As part of the problem of identifying (and delimiting) various chronological layers in the texts of Icelandic family sagas that have come down to us, we considered the possibility of using descriptions of everyday details and references to Icelandic flora and fauna as chronomarkers. Based on the saga descriptions, it is not possible to determine to what time the mentioned clothing belongs, 9th—10th or 13th—14th centuries. It is also completely impossible to use references to ships and various weapons that would seem convenient for dating (first of all, swords in view of the variety of their types and the short duration of the popularity of each of them), since the terminology found in family sagas in this area is extremely general and vague. Mentions of fishing, horses, sheep, and dogs are of no help either, since these animals (and related activities) have been active on the farm throughout Icelandic history. However, the descriptions in the family sagas of forests and arable lands, as well as pigs, goats and cows, are the reflections of the realities of the 10th century, which allows us to take a different look at the dating of various layers of sagas. At the same time, it should be taken into account that most of these references refer not so much to everyday details as to plot-forming details; therefore, they could have been preserved from the 10th century unchanged even when passed down through oral tradition.
Askari, Arabs, and Africans of Tanganyika: Colonial Times through the Eyes of German Photographers and Illustrators
Authors: Banschikova Anastasia
Published: May 2024

The article deals with the representation of local population of German East Africa (in regards of its main part which later formed British Tanganyika) on the photographs, book illustrations, and postcards published by German editors and photographers. These images reflect German colonial discourse in relation to specific circumstances of East Africa, where Germany was for centuries preceded by other “foreign colonizers”, namely the Arabs. On the one hand, these images constitute a valuable source for the study of history and ethnography of East Africa, on the other hand, they reflect “visual colonization” of subjugated territory and its hierarchies. We have before us a visual history of the “colonial period” that allows us to better understand this historical era as a distinct segment of the historical process.
The Category of Time in the Chronicle Story about Princess Olga
Authors: Solntsev Nikolai
Published: May 2024

The article deals with the analysis of the categories of time in chronicle stories about Princess Olga. As a result of the study, the author comes to the conclusion that the objective historicity of this historiographical plot was sacrificed for the artistic imagery of presentation. Considering the complex of chronicle stories about the Kiev princess, the researcher deals not with the activities of a particular historical figure, but with a literary image. The significance of this image was determined not objectively, but through the artistic comprehension of the era preceding the baptism of Rus’. The folklore and literary constructions united by the chronicler gave rise to redundant information that is not consistent with the coherent chronology of the chronicle narrative. All this leads to the fact that the dates available in the text are formed solely for the sake of the genre features of the text and are far from historical objectivity.
Race against Time: Safekeeping and Restoration of Books in the Byzantine Libraries of the Monasteries of Mount Athos
Authors: Zakharova Anna
Published: May 2024

The paper deals with the problem of organisation of the libraries of the monasteries of Mount Athos in the Byzantine and post-Byzantine eras. The available data allow us to identify the locations of the monasteries of Mount Athos where books were kept and trace their movements between them. Unique information on the movements of codices between monasteries is also analysed. Certain rhythms of time for the storage, cataloguing, reading and restoration of books and documents are explored. The main cultural and archival function of the Greek libraries of Mount Athos — the accumulation and preservation of books and documents — is shown through specific examples. Athonite librarians were actively engaged in the “production of eternity”, i.e., either preventing the physical aging of books or transferring texts from old media to new ones. It was book culture and the tradition of material support for intellectual pursuits (the creation, preservation and restoration of books), including on Mount Athos, that played a crucial role in the preservation and transmission of the Byzantine book heritage after the destruction of the Byzantine Roman Empire.
Time and Temporality in the “History of Emperor Heraclius”
Authors: Vashcheva Irina
Published: May 2024

The literature work of the early Medieval Armenian author Sebeos, traditionally perceived as “History”, poses a lot of problems for researchers, ranging from establishing the authorship and determining the structure of the work to solving specific issues related to the author’s coverage of certain events. However, despite the centuries-long tradition of studying this text, scholars have never raised the problem of time perception and temporality reflected in this work. Meanwhile, the methods of time fixation, the ways of dating events, the author’s choice of chronological system, and the whole system of temporality as such help to shed light on how the author saw his work and what the author’s intention was.
The Crossing of the Danube by the Russian Troops during the Russo-Turkish War (1877—1878): a View from the Ottoman Coast
Authors: Surikov Kirill
Published: May 2024

The paper explores one of the most important episodes during the 1877—1878 Russo-Turkish war namely the crossing of the river Danube by the Russian army which has not received deserved attention in works of both Russian and Turkish historians. The author analyses a wide range of understudied Ottoman sources that allows to reconstruct the “Ottoman perspective” of the Battle of the Danube and the preparation of Ottoman military for it. The comparative analysis of the memoirs of the Ottoman military figures, teachers of the Military Academy and the works of historians makes possible to revise well-established assessments of the Danube operation and its stereotypical interpretations, typical of both Russian and Western literature. The findings of the study show that the Ottomans were aware of the importance of the Danube defense line and the necessity of repelling the Russian offence. The Ottoman officers thoroughly analyzed and investigated this military experience. Going beyond the analysis of actions of army units, the Ottoman officers proposed an alternative plan of action, in their opinion more effective than the plan of the commander-in-chief of the Balkan front. The analysis of the Ottoman sources cast doubt upon a number of wide-spread judgements about the inability of the Ottoman army to defend the Danube effectively. Although the Ottoman military had to undertake drastic changes in the defense structure, the Ottoman army had the potential for successful actions on this theatre of war.
The Response of Salazar's Portugal to the Challenges of the Colonial War (1961—1968)
Authors: Filatov Georgy
Published: May 2024

Portugal waged a colonial war for almost twelve years. Such a lengthy conflict for a poor country raises the question of the strategies that António Salazar's regime used to counter African national liberation movements. Although the war in the Portuguese colonies is covered in extensive historiography, most researchers focus on the study of the actual fighting. The question of other, non-violent methods that the Portuguese used to hold their possessions remains insufficiently studied. Based on documents from the National Archives of Torre do Tombo, this article examines the ratio of forceful and non-coercive responses that the New State gave to the African challenge. The small number of troops scattered over vast territories forced the Salazar government not only to use brute force, but also to reform the colonies. The military and secret services reported about their need even before the start of a full-scale armed struggle, but only an uprising in the colonies forced Lisbon to start reforms. Their main goal was to improve the economic situation in overseas possessions. This was partly achieved thanks to the creation of a single economic space of the colonies and the metropole. Nevertheless, the reforms failed to stop the war, and as a result, the Portuguese resorted mainly to brute force, which was reflected in budgetary policy: Lisbon increased spending on defense in the colonies faster than on the civil sphere.
Transformations of the Image of Turkey in the Soviet Satirical Press of the 1940s — 1950s
Authors: Lyulchak Aleksander
Published: May 2024

The article analyzes the transformation of the image of Turkey in the Soviet satirical press during the 1940s and 1950s. That was a period characterized by a noticeable heating of the Soviet-Turkish relations due to the neutrality policy of Turkey during the Second World War. Using the methodological tools of imagology, the author explores the content diversity and polyphony of political subtexts of cartoons and journalistic essays of the Soviet satirical magazine “Krokodil” during the period of 1944—1953. The substantial deconstruction of the materials allows us to trace the nature of the transformation of the image of Turkey and the perception of Turkish political figures in the USSR. The study revealed the correlation of cartoons and satirical images of Turkey and Turks with the nonlinear dynamics of the development of the Soviet-Turkish relations. If in the mid-1940s individual political figures were mainly criticized, in the late 1940s — early 1950s the focus shifted to criticism of the foreign and domestic political actions of the Republic of Turkey, in particular its involvement in the Korean War (1950—1953), as well as a grotesque depiction of the plight, subordinate position of the Turkish people in relation to the West.
State and Islam in Syria: Evolution of Administration Practices in Independence Age
Authors: Kuznetsov Vasily A.
Published: May 2024

The article is devoted to the analysis of the dynamics of relations between Syrian political authorities and ‘ulama’ in the period of independent development of the country. The primarily sources of the study were both official Syrian documents and media materials, as well as expert interviews of the author with representatives of the Syrian Ministry of Awqaf and civil society. The research methodology is based on approaches developed within the framework of the theory of social orders, the theory of the economics of religion and the theory of political systems. The article consists of three sections. The first section deals with the methodological problems of studying the relationship between political powers and religious elites in the Arab world. Here I propose a combined research approach. In the second part of the article, I test this approach in the analysis of the dynamics of relations between political authorities and ‘ulama’ in the second half of the 20th century. I show that, on the one hand, there was a gradual integration of the ‘ulama’ into the political system, an increase in the administrative rent received by them and a reduction in the resource rent, which led to a shortage of supply in relations between them and a wide circle of believers. This shortage of supply created opportunities for the promotion of alternative religious leaders. At the same time, despite the gradual strengthening of the government institutions, the ‘ulama’ retained significant independence in relations with the government and did not perceive themself as a simple part of the state apparatus. In the third part of the article, I consider the transformation of relations that have taken place in the context of the armed conflict, and analyze the new role of the Ministry of Awqaf. In conclusion, the question is raised about the independent role of the ‘ulama’ in the Syrian elite and the place of the Ministry in the political system.
The Power and Weakness of the Sultan’s Army in the Description of the Allies of the Second Anti-French Coalition (the Asian Stage of the Campaign of 1799—1801)
Authors: Kobishchanov Taras
Published: May 2024

The article is devoted to a little-studied event of the Napoleonic Wars: the Ottoman campaign of 1799—1801 against the French expeditionary force that captured Egypt. The events of this campaign are revealed in documents, some of which have not yet been published, and some written in Arabic and Ottoman languages are poorly introduced into scientific circulation. Of particular interest is the fact that the most informative source covering the Asian part of the campaign was Enrico Frankini, the Russian agent in the army of the Grand Vizier. Comparing the views of European and Ottoman campaign participants on the system of organization and management of the Sultan’s army, the relationship between the central and provincial authorities, the Ottomans and the Arabic-speaking population, the self-identification of Muslim soldiers and their attitude to “infidel” enemies or allies — all this allows us to better understand the mutual perception of Europeans preparing for colonial conquests in the Middle East, and the Ottoman society, which was on the verge of transformation. Realizing the need for modernization, Sultan Selim III (1789—1807) began to organize the regiments of the “new order”, but the military reform, as well as several other transformations, caused a sharp rejection of the traditional Ottoman elites. Involvement in the Napoleonic Wars, first as part of the anti-French coalition, and then on the side of France, had fatal consequences both for Selim III himself and for his reforms. A significant role in assessing the low combat capability of the Sultan’s army was played by the reports of Russian and British informants who participated in the Ottoman campaign in Egypt.
To the Historical Way of Turkish Statism
Authors: Ul’chenko Nataliya
Published: May 2024

The article examines the historical way of Turkish statism — one of the most important components of the economic policy during the republican period. Its origin, obviously, should be attributed to the Ottoman period. Gradually weakening its influence, statism seems to have completely lost its relevance with the beginning of the period of economic liberalization in the last decades of the 20th century. Still a more careful analysis indicates the tendency of its preservation in the form of state financial expansion for a significant part of the 1980s and in the 1990s. And also in the 21st century there are signs of statism revival in the form of a rapidly developing partnership of the state as represented by the pro-Islamic Party of Power (the Justice and Development Party) and the conservative Anatolian bourgeoisie. This is a direct reference to the model of public-private partnership of the period of Turkish semi-statist “mixed economy” of the 1960s — 1970s.
The Cold War of Images in Political Cartoons: American Messianic Concept vs Soviet Messianic Concept
Authors: Zhuravleva Victoriya
Published: May 2024

During the Cold War, political cartoons played a powerful role in the propaganda rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. As an art form, political cartoons allowed to employ various techniques to portray the other side as the enemy. This article utilizes the constructivist approach to examine U.S.-Soviet relations via comparative analyzing of American and Soviet political cartoons as a specific primary source. The author demonstrates how the U.S. and the Soviet Union constructed “the Other” as the “enemy number one” while framing their messianic messages as universally recognized. Furthermore, the author emphasizes the significance of the romantic “Us” versus demonic “Them” opposition that political cartoons produced, constructing the dichotomic vision of the world. Among the antitheses American cartoons visualized were liberty versus political slavery, light versus darkness, democracy versus totalitarianism, religious faith versus atheism, the West versus the East. The Soviet Union, on the other hand, focused on the images of peacefulness versus arms race, internationalism versus racism, social equality versus unemployment and lack of welfare. The analysis of these techniques reveals the similarities in image construction processes on both sides of the Atlantic. Nevertheless, in the U.S. case, political cartoons remained the platform for critique and reflection. Some cartoonists mocked American attempts to demonize the Soviet “Other” amid serious problems in the U.S. domestic politics and foreign policy. Soviet cartoonists gained this opportunity toward the end of the Cold War and finally used it only after it ended.
Notes on the Vicissitudes of Research Policy in France
Authors: Blay Michel
Published: May 2024

This article aims to present the main stages in the organization of research policy in France since the beginning of the 20th century. It is centered on the history of the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research) since it is around and from this organization that a research policy has been put in place. That being the case, I will also insist on the last decades when we have seen the democratic and republican framework in which the research policy was inserted weakened and correlatively on the stagnation of means and the deplorable policy of “over-project”; a set of elements which has resulted in the current downgrading of French research internationally.
“The Current Kind of Museum Staff is Unsatisfactory...”: Soviet Scientific Politics and Training of Museum Personnel at the Leningrad Communist Institute of Political Enlightenment Named After N. K. Krupskaya in the Late 1930s — Early 1940s
Authors: Ananiev Vitaliy
Published: May 2024

The article is devoted to the attempt to create on the basis of the Leningrad Communist Institute of political enlightenment named after N. K. Krupskaya training centre for museum workers. The research is based on numerous materials from the archives of Saint-Petersburg and Moscow. The author views the circumstances of the organization of the faculty of museum studies and local lore in this Institute, analyzes the curricula, restores the contingent of teachers. Education began here in 1938 and continued until the beginning of 1942, although as early as August 1940 a new enrollment of students was cancelled. The history of the educational centre is considered in the context of the scientific politics of the USSR in the 1930s and the place that was assigned to museums in it.
The Planned System of Cuba in 1970—1975 in the Context of Joining the COMECON
Authors: Arabadzhyan Alexandra
Published: May 2024

The paper analyzes changes within the planning system of the Cuban Republic that took place in the context of changing methodological base of planning while entering the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon). The end of 1960s was marked by a radicalization of the methods of socialist construction: the system of economic register was applied and diminished the role of the category of value. This led to an economic imbalance, loss of control over the costs of production, deterioration of motivation to labour, etc. In addition, the plan of 10 million tons of sugar production in 1970 was not achieved. These factors prompted the Cuban leadership to reconsider the planning methodology and the development strategy, and to rely heavily on the experience of the USSR. Thus, the Soviet Gosplan experts started consulting their Cuban colleagues from the Central planning committee to a greater extent. However, sometimes there was misunderstanding between the parties, which is revealed in the conversations between the Soviet Gosplan head N. Baybakov and Cuban leader F. Castro. Carlos Rafael Rodríguez played a significant role in political economy diplomacy, and gave a speech as a representative of Cuba at the XXVI Comecon session when the country was accepted to the organization. Entering Comecon spurred the process of changes within the Cuban economic policy: the category of value recuperated its significance within the planning system, new annual plans were based on the value indicators and the input-output models. The midterm planning was also reintroduced due to 5-year plans preparation. Cuba integrated the mechanism of plan coordination with the Comecon countries, while the USSR continued to be its most important partner. Nonetheless, the process was slow: the 1971—1975 five-year plan had not been connected to the Comecon mechanism of plan coordination. Cuba insisted on a special attitude due to its low level of development. Cuban economy reconfiguration under the influence of planning mechanisms of Comecon countries favored consolidation of the new System of planning and direction of the economy approved by the decisions of the first congress of the Communist party of Cuba in 1975.