Bulgarin’s Services

The article is devoted to the history of F.V. Bulgarin’s service in the Russian Empire. Having entered military service as a cornet in the Uhlan Regiment in 1806, five years later he left for France and enlisted in Napoleon’s troops, fought against Russia, was captured, but fell under the amnesty declared by Alexander I. During the new reign, Bulgarin informally “served” the Third Section, but was looking for a way to formalize himself in the service hierarchy, which he succeeded in 1826: as an already well-known writer, he was assigned to the Ministry of Public Education, but in fact he did not serve and was dismissed in 1831. A new suitable place was not found soon: from 1843 to 1857 Bulgarin served in the Administration of State Horse Breeding, fully justifying his “registration.” In numerous articles he fervently advertised the development of Russian horse breeding. He retired with the general rank of actual state councilor. The article considers Bulgarin’s case as an example of the social adaptation of a writer in the 19th century: completely devoting themselves to literary work, many authors sought to find a convenient service “niche” that would give them a worthy place in the eyes of society and the state, not to mention a possible salary.