Материалы из архива И. Е. Забелина по истории Калмыцкого ханства

Introduction. The paper actually attempts a source study. Goals. The work aims at introducing into scientific circulation some materials on the eighteenth-century history of the Kalmyk Khanate collected by the outstanding Russian historian and archaeologist Ivan E. Zabelin (1820–1908). The documents articulate additional data on how the Russian imperial government bestowed the title of khan to Donduk-Dashi, and that of namestnik (Russ. ‘viceroy’) — to his son Ubashi. Materials. The study focuses on documents collected by I. Zabelin and nowadays contained in the researcher’s archives at Written Sources Department of the State Historical Museum. The key one among the former is a handwritten journal describing the journey of Astrakhan Governor to the Kalmyk Khanate. Results. In Russian historiography, issues of Kalmykia’s history from the mentioned period have been considered already, yet the introduced documents do shed additional light on them. In particular, the documents indicate both sides attached utmost importance to the ceremony of appointing Donduk-Dashi as Khan and his son Ubashi as Viceroy. This is evidenced by the detailed observations of diplomatic and military etiquette, solemn oaths, mutual treats, and the exchange of luxury gifts. The ceremony was also intended to be perceived by the Kalmyk people as an act associated with certain changes in their social environment. Conclusions. In addition, the source reports on the newly appointed Khan dispatched a military corps under the command a local chieftain and agreed to follow the Russian foreign policy line, which indicates the Russian government was eager to win over Kalmyk elites and the entire people to its side. The selection of documents from I. Zabelin’s archives attests to the historian did take keen interest in this aspect of Russian nationhood.