2022, vol. 10, no. 1. Lyapin D.A.

2022, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 89-101

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22378/2313-6197.2022-10-1.89-101

   IMAGE OF TAMERLANE IN THE TALE OF TEMIR AKSAK

D.A. Lyapin
Bunin Yelets State University
Yelets, Russian Federation
Lyapin-denis@yandex.ru

Abstract: Research objectives: The author investigates the evolution of the image of Tamerlane (Temir-Aksak) in the Russian chronicles of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries to understand the specifics of his depiction in different chronicle texts. The author considers it important to analyze the dependence of the image of Tamerlane on the political situation in Russia.
Research materials: Three important Russian chronicles of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries: the Moscow chronicle dating from the end of fifteenth century, the Typogra­phical chronicle, and the Nikon chronicle. In addition, sources of oral origin are investiga­ted – particularly legends.
Results and novelty of the research: In the original version (the Moscow collection of the late fifteenth century) of the Tale of Temir Aksak, his image had religious significance and was important for demonstrating the religious idea of God’s intercession on behalf of the Orthodox people. In this text, Tamerlane was presented as a very proud and vicious king who wanted to destroy Orthodoxy. Tamerlane was at war with the religion of the Russians, threatening the Russian Orthodox faith. In the second version of the Tale, found in the Typographic Chronicle, the formidable conqueror is presented as an insidious robber who decided to attack the sacred borders of the Moscow principality. The realization of this idea required an appeal to a Biblical theme. As a result, the plot was based on the story of the invasion of Israel by the Assyrian emperor, Sennacherib. At the same time, the editor of the second version refused to recognize Tamerlane as an authentic emperor. The third version of the Tale, found in the Nikon Chronicle, reflected a new perspective on the events of 1395. To strengthen the motive of divine intercession for Moscow, the author turned Temir Aksak into a real tsar, a formidable conqueror, and a very proud ruler. He decided to conquer the possessions of the Moscow prince though nobody, even the best commander, ought to be permitted to invade the domains of the pious sovereign.
For the first time ever, this article shows the evolution of Temir Aksak’s image. The author demonstrates the relationship between its editing and the political situation in Russia. In the sixteenth century, when the Nikon Chronicle was compiled, it was important that Tamerlane was a strong king and a famous commander. But after the decision of the prince Vasily I of Moscow to bring the icon of the Mother of God there, we see God putting the conqueror to flight. Moscow’s prince is the exclusive ruler chosen by God.

Keywords: Tamerlane, Vasily, Cyprian, Tokhtamysh, Moscow, Russia, Golden Horde, Yelets

For citation: Lyapin D.A. Image of Tamerlane in the Tale of Temir Aksak. Zolotoordynskoe obozrenie=Golden Horde Review. 2022, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 89–101. DOI: 10.22378/2313-6197.2022-10-1.89-101 (In Russian)

REFERENCES

  1. Bartold V.V. Ulus emirs. The reign of Timur. Bartold V.V. Works. Vol. II. Part 2. Moscow: Nauka, 1964, pp. 37–62. (In Russian)
  2. Vernadsky G.V. Mongols and Russia. Transl. by E.P. Berenstein, B.L. Gubman, O.V. Strogonova. Tver; Moscow: Lean Agraf, 2001. 480 p. (In Russian)
  3. Vorotyntsev L.V. Upper Don on the trade routes of the Golden Horde. History: Facts and Symbols. 2016, no. 2 (7), pp. 59–73. (In Russian)
  4. Grebenyuk V.P. “The Legend of Temir Aksak” and His Literary Destinies in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Russian Literature at the Turn of Two Centuries
    (seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries)    . Moscow: AN SSSR, 1971, pp. 185–206. (In Russian)
  5. Gudziy N.K. History of Old Russian Literature. Moscow: Prosvechenie, 1966. 543 p. (In Russian)
  6. Dmitriev L.A. Literature of the pre-Renaissance Russian era. The fourteenth and mid-fifteenth century. History of Russian Literature. Vol. 1: Old Russian Literature. Literature of the eighteenth century. Ed. by D. Likhachev, G. Makogonenko. Leningrad: Nauka, 1980, pp. 182–183. (In Russian)
  7. Zhuchkova I.L. “The Legend of Temir Aksak” in the chronicle of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Old Russian Literature. Source Study. Leningrad: Nauka, 1984, pp. 97–109. (In Russian)
  8. Karamzin N.M. History of Russian Goverment. Sankt-Peterburg: Typ. N. Grecha, 1819. 285 p. (In Russian)
  9. Kloss B.M. Selected Works. T. II: Essays on the History of Russian Hagiography from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. Moscow: Jazyki russkoj kul’tury, 2001. 488 p. (In Russian)
  10. Kolesov V.V. Comments. History of Temir Aksak. Literary Monuments of Ancient Russia. The fourteenth and mid-fifteenth century. Ed. by L. Dmitrieva, D. Likhachev. Moscow: Khudozhestvennaya literatura, 1981, pp. 563–567. (In Russian)
  11. Likhachev D.S. Great Legacy. 2nd ed., Supplement. Moscow: Sovremennik, 1979. 413 p. (In Russian)
  12. Lyapin D.A. Was “The Tale of the Invasion of the Persian King Chosroes of Constantinople” a model for writing “The Tale of Temir Aksak”? Historical Format. 2016, no. 1, p. 218–233. (In Russian)
  13. Lyapin D.A. Historical geography of the Yeletsk land from the eighth to first half of seventeenth century. Bulletin of the University of Dmitry Pozharsky. 2017, no. 2 (6), p. 209–222. (In Russian)
  14. Lyapin D.A. Semantics of images and numbers in the “Tale of Temir Aksak”. Russian Scribe. 2015, no. 14, pp. 97–113. (In Russian)
  15. Lyapin D.A. The system of symbols in the “Life of St. Sergius of Radonezh”. History in Detail. 2014, no. 5 (47), pp. 22–28. (In Russian)
  16. Lyapin D.A., Vorobiev A.V. The legend of Tamerlane in the historical consciousness of the inhabitants of Yelets from the eighteenth to early twentieth centuries. Interuniversity Scientific and Methodological Readings in Memory of Kalaydovich. Issue 9. Yelets: YSU im. I.A. Bunin, 2010, pp. 21–26. (In Russian)
  17. Mirgaleev I.M. Wars of Tokhtamysh Khan with Aksak Timur. Kazan: Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, 2003. 88 p. (In Russian)
  18. Mirgaleev I.M. Political History of the Golden Horde during the Reign of Toktamysh Khan. Kazan: Alma-6it, 2003. 164 p. (In Russian)
  19. Nasonov A.N. History of Russian Chronicle Writing from the ninth to early eigh­teenth century. Moscow: Nauka, 1969. 554 p. (In Russian)
  20. Orlov A.S. Old Russian Literature from the eleventh to seventeenth centuries. Moscow: AN SSSR, 1945. 341 p. (In Russian)
  21. Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles, Vol. 11: Nikon Chronicle. St. Petersburg: Typ. Edward Prats, 1897. 286 p. (In Russian)
  22. Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles, Vol. 24: Typographical Chronicle. Petrograd: State Printing House, 1924. 272 p. (In Russian)
  23. Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles, Vol. 25: Moscow Chronicle Collection of the late fifteenth century. Moscow, Leningrad: Izdatel’stvo Akademii nauk SSSR, 1949. 462 p. (In Russian)
  24. Soloviev S.M. History of Russia with Teachers of the Times. 1054–1462. Book. II. Moscow: AST. 244 p. (In Russian)
  25. Telitsyn V.L. Tamerlane. Legends of Life and Death. “Sesame, open up…”. Moscow: Taus, 2006. 360 p. (In Russian)
  26. Tvorogov O.V. Literature of Ancient Russia. Moscow: Education, 1981. 128 p. (In Russian)
  27. Tropin N.A. Studies of medieval Yelets. Proceedings of the III (XIX) All-Russian Archaeological Congress. Novosibirsk: SO RAN, 2011, pp. 195–196. (In Russian)
  28. Cherepnin L.V. Formation of the Russian Centralized State in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries: Essays on the Socio-economic and Political History of Russia. Moscow: Sotsegiz, 1960. 899 p. (In Russian)
  29. Shambinago S.K. Historical Stories. History of Russian Literature. Moscow; Le­ningrad: Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1945, vol. 2, bldg. 1, pp. 220–222. (In Russian)
  30. Shakhmatov A.A. All-Russian annalistic collections of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Journal of the Ministry of Public Education. 1901, no. 11, pp. 32–81. (In Russian)

About the author: Denis A. Lyapin – Dr. Sci. (History), Associate Professor, Head of the Department of History and Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Bunin Yelets State University (28, Kommunarov Str., Yelets 399770, Russian Federation). E-mail: lyapin-denis@yandex.ru

Received  January 17, 2022   Accepted for publication  2 March, 2022
Published  Online March 29, 2022