The Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod А. А. Yakovlev and his Memoirs
Abstract
This paper deals with the sphere of activities of the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod A. Yakovlev, A. Herzen’s uncle, who left memoirs about his work in the Synod. The paper examines his origins and background, family life and personal qualities. The authors of the paper have compared Yakovlev’s memoirs with archival materials. It is shown that Yakovlev’s memoirs cannot be considered a reliable source. According to the opinion widespread in historiography, Yakovlev’s activities were the fi rst step in increasing the role of the Chief Procurator’s office. Yakovlev’s projects, aimed at strengthening the control functions of the Chief Procurator, gained no support from the Emperor. The monarch did not take the side of the Chief Procurator in his confl ict with the episcopate. Yakovlev’s resignation was caused by the need to find a post for A. Golitsin, the personal friend of Alexander I. Yakovlev did not wish to resign, which led to his resentment being reflected in his notes. This fact cannot be ignored when using Yakovlev’s memoirs as a historical source. The ministerial principle in church administration indeed came to be implemented in the 19th century, but the activities of the Chief Procurator A. Yakovlev had nothing to do with this process.
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