N.M. PRZHEVALSKY AND TSAREVICH NIKOLAI ALEXANDROVICH: AWAKENING INTEREST IN ASIA

The article is devoted to the analysis of relations between N.M. Przhevalsky and the heir to the throne Nikolai Alexandrovich. The acquaintance of both persons occurred in 1881 and resulted in regular conversations, lectures and transfer of experience by the great traveler. The author examines in detail the influence of N.M. Przhevalsky's personality on the Tsesarevich, defines his role in the life of Nicholas Alexandrovich, establishes the connection between the outlook and activities of the Russian geographer and the political education of the heir to the throne, and extrapolates the ideas of N.M. Przhevalsky on the foreign policy line of the future Emperor Nicholas II. Special attention in the article is paid to the biography of N.M. Przhevalsky: the contribution of the Russian researcher to science and the image of N.M. Przhevalsky in domestic and foreign historiography are considered, the prospects for further research are outlined.