“An Ardent Defender of State Benefits”: The Image of Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev in His First Scientific Biography

Abstract. Evidence of the development of historical science in Russia was the emergence of works on its history, and above all about individual historians, in particular, the work of N.A. Popov about V.N. Tatishchev. Historiography evaluates this work as fundamental and as the first study dedicated to this prominent Russian statesmen and scientist. It analyzes the diverse activities of V.N. Tatishchev in different spheres of his activity. It is emphasized by Peter I as a participant in the war with Sweden and as an able administrator. N.A. Popov paid special attention to the activities of V.N. Tatishchev during his service in the Urals and Astrakhan, his role in the creation of the Ural industry and in establishing relations with Bashkirs and Kalmyks, in the events of the acute political struggle associated with the “venture of the Verkhovniki”. V.N. Tatishchev is shown as a realist of his tine, who took into account the situation in the state and set a scientific tusk that could the completed at that time.

Keywords: Historiography, works about historians, N.A. Popov. V.N. Tatishchev.