The Slavic Question (The National and the Imperial) in the Reception of Egor Kovalevsky
Authors:   Tomsk State University, Aleksandrova Elena V. 
Published: February 2023

Since the end of the 18th century, the so-called “Eastern question” has become one of the key issues in international relations of Eastern European countries and in the Middle East. The “Eastern question” for most Russians was primarily a “Slavic” question. The progressive part of Russia considered the development of the national liberation movement of the Balkan peoples from Turkish enslavement as the most important moral support of Russia’s foreign policy. The participation of writers in the coverage of the Slavic question made the political situation nationwide. One of these writers, who consistently defended the interests of the Slavic peoples in the fight against their oppression by Turkey for many years, was Egor Petrovich Kovalevsky. This article explores Kovalevsky’s role in solving the Slavic question. This role was manifested in his diplomatic activities and expressed in his writings, as well as his influence on the reflection of the Slavic problem in works of writers of the second half of the 19th century. The main result of Kovalevsky’s stay in the Balkans was his literary works. The essays Four Months in Montenegro (1841), which earned him the fame of a “Montenegro Columbus”, introduced Kovalevsky as a writer to readers. Interest in the lifestyle and socio-historical structure of the “Slav brothers” was also reflected in the 3rd and 4th parts of The Wanderer by Land and Sea: “The Carpathians” (1845), “The Lower Danube and the Balkans” (1849). “The Life and Death of the Last Ruler of Montenegro, and the Events That Followed” (1854), “Travel Notes on the Slavic Lands” (1859), “An Episode From the War of Montenegrins with Austrians” (1864) - all these works are interesting not only from the point of view of the Slavic question and its influence on the socio-political thought in Russia, but also from an artistic point of view. The main problem that Kovalevsky raises in his works is the problem of the nation. The national identity of Montenegrins is shown in their struggle for independence against the Turkish yoke. Defending their right to the Orthodox faith, they heroically fight with all those who encroach on their freedom. Four Months in Montenegro is the first work in the cycle about the Slavic lands that raises these questions. Episodes of the historical confrontation between Turkey and Montenegro - Christians and Muslims - run through the entire work. In Kovalevsky’s narrative, imbued with both realistic details of Montenegrins’ life and customs description in the spirit of the “natural school”, and a romantic perception of their way of life, the reader gets acquainted with the customs of the Asian tribe. Kovalevsky’s book Four Months in Montenegro increased interest in the Slavic question and brought it closer to the progressive circles of society. Appointment as director of the Asian Department allowed Kovalevsky to consistently pursue a policy that meets the interests of the Slavic world. Kovalevsky’s works had a direct and indirect influence on Russian writers both in terms of content and form. The author declares no conflicts of interests.