ESTATES OF GRAND DUKE MIKHAIL ALEXANDROVICH. FACES AND DESTINIES. SERBIAN TRAIL

Abstract

The subject of this study is the estates of Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, located in various provinces of the Russian Empire. Mikhail Alexandrovich was the brother of the last Emperor of Russia, Nicholas II. The personality of the Grand Duke, who is one of the key figures of the turning point of Russian history, is of interest not only from the point of view of its national significance, but also in the cultural and everyday aspect. In this regard, his private life as a landowner deserves attention. The possessions of the Grand Duke were an excellent example of an advanced estate economy of the late 19th – first quarter of the 20th centuries. Great merit in this belonged to the employees of his estates. In the future, some of them linked their lives with the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Being witnesses, and often participants in the events that took place in the cultural, socio-political life of Yugoslavia, they became one of the pages of the history of this country. The scientist forester V. T. Shatsky made a significant contribution to the development of forestry in the Kingdom of SCS. Julia and Yuri Rakitin became famous theater figures of Yugoslavia. N. A. Paganuzzi worked in the agricultural sector of the country. E. V. Pletneva (Daniel) made a significant contribution to the education and upbringing of the younger youth, her role in the formation of the First Russian-Serbian gymnasium is difficult to overestimate. Little-known documents in the Russian archives were used in writing this work.

Keywords

• grand duke mikhail alexandrovich
• the russian empire
• noble estates
• kingdom of serbs
• croats and slovenes
• valentin t. shatsky
• nikolay a. paganuzzi
• yuri l. rakitin
• julia v. rakitina (shatskaya)
• evgenia v. pletneva (daniel)
• agricultural industry
• experimental farm