I'm proud to announce the publication (on Amazon) of my translations of volumes I-VII of Nikolai Karamzin's History. They are all free to read if you're a member of Kindle Unlimited. They can be read in any web browser or any smartphone (via the free Kindle app), plus of course on a Kindle device.
The History is a foundational work in Russian historiography, but no full English translation has yet been published. It takes the reader from pre-history until the 17th century, and covers iconic events such as the supposed "Invitation of the Varangians", the Christianization of Rus', the period of Mongol-Tatar domination, the Black Death, and the rise of Moscow as a power centre. It affords the reader a long-term view of the creation of a state and a nation stretching from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean. Amongst the colourful characters who feature are Prince Vladimir (Volodymyr), Genghis Khan, Tamerlane (Timur), and Ivan IV ('the Terrible').
The existence of a professional-quality, annotated translation should be of interest to students of the history of Russia and neighbouring states; but non-specialist readers will also find much of interest. Recent and ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine has focused attention on the history of this region and shown the need for a fuller understanding of it. Although the work is entitled History of the Russian State, much of the activity in the first volumes takes place not in modern-day Russia, but on the territories of what is now Ukraine. This translation will give readers a long-term view of the shifting relations between the power centres which have ruled these territories, including Moscow and Kyiv.
Karamzin wrote much of his History at a time when Russia was also at war in Europe, and himself embodied some dichotomies which continue to face the country now. An admirer of European culture and of Enlightenment values, he emphasized Russia’s European (as opposed to Asian) nature, and always insisted in the History that Russia was an integral and mutually dependent part of Europe. However, his support for strong centralized rule in Russia, and antipathy to democracy, seem to contradict the usual modern understanding of Enlightenment principles. And while the History at times romanticizes war and conquest, it also reserves high praise for rulers who avoided ‘needless’ wars and entanglements, an approach which was also reflected in Karamzin’s recommendation of caution and compromise in dealing with Napoleon.
The series can be found here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F489XZP9?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tkin
