Authors

Oleksandr Kravchuk¹;  ¹ University of Bristol (UK),

Discussion

The annexation of the Northern Shore of the Black Sea region and Crimea played a critical role in the history of the Russian empire. The displacement of the Ottomans outside this region allowed Catherine the Great to transform former frontier territories, which were previously located on the border with the Crimean Khanate, into the hinterlands. In this presentation, I examine the internal policy of Paul I on the Northern Shore of the Black Sea region in the context of his rethinking of Catherine’s accomplishments. I pay particular attention to those areas of internal policy which were significantly transformed by Paul I. I primarily focus on Paul I’s administrative reforms, economic development and the transformation of the elites.
This approach allows for a better understanding and a reassessment of the perception of the situation in the region and beyond during the reign of Catherine and Paul I. It also allows me to dispel the myth about Paul I, who is often portrayed in historical literature as a vindictive son undermining his mother’s accomplishments. Furthermore, the study of regional history could allow for a better understanding of the specificities of the Russian empire itself, as it was not homogeneous. Indeed, to realize the processes that took place in the empire, it is necessary to study views expressed both at the core and the periphery. This approach allows us to decolonize the Russian empire’s history and reveal the periphery’s reaction to the policies pursued by central authorities. Moreover, until now researchers have primarily focused on Crimea, however, the entire region was interconnected, and to understand the ongoing processes better, it should be viewed as a whole.
In my research of the Northern Shore of the Black Sea region and Crimea, the use of new archival sources plays a critical role. I aim to address this gap by presenting new findings from the Russian State Historical Archive. These documents were created by officials from the central authorities after their visit to the region and include the complaints of the local population. This enhances their significance for my research in that it provides a vista into local perceptions of imperial administration.