Her Imperial Majesty Deigned to Declare Herself'': V. N. Tatishchev''s Journal-Book for 1734
This is the first publication of the journal-book kept by famous Russian statesman and historian Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev from February 10 to April 2, 1734, after his appointment director of the Urals state-owned metallurgical plants. This document allows to clarify the circumstances of V N. Tatishchev's appointment to the Urals, including its date. According to the document, it was made on February 10 by oral order of the Empress. Immediately afterwards Vasily Nikitich plunged into planning his trip assisted by cabinet-ministers A. I. Osterman, A. M. Cherkassky, and president of the Commerce-Collegium P. P. Shafirov. The journal-book allows to reconstruct the flow of communication within the bureaucratic elite in 1730s. It also shows that internal documentation (minutes and registers) of the Cabinet of Ministers does not fully reflect its activities. It indicates that the Empress took a most active part and interest in Tatishchev's appointment and his sending away; she thus sought to keep under her personal control all most important state affairs, including management of metallurgical plants. The document is of interest for studying history of Russian culture of the 18th century, as it contains some information about translator and writer K. A. Kondratovich and historian P. N. Krekshin. It intimates that Kondratovich was exiled to the Urals with Tatishchev by oral order from Anna Ioannovna. To this, there is no other documentary evidence, and therefore, Kondratovich attempted to mystify the circumstances of his exile to the Urals and to bury the fact in oblivion. The document is stored in the State Archive of the Sverdlovsk Region, Ekaterinburg.