ON THE WAY TO THE GREAT EASTERN UNION: PERSIAN MOTIFS IN THE WORKS OF K.N. LEONTIEV

Abstract

Outstanding Russian writer, philosopher and diplomat K.N. Leontiev (1831–1891) is now one of the most quoted conservative publicists. However, there are still many unexplored aspects of his legacy. Thus, the topics “Leontiev and Turkey”, “Leontiev about the Greeks and South Slavs” overshadowed the topic indicated in the title of this report. Like N.Ya. Danilevsky and at the same time Leontiev spoke about the historical need for the formation of a union of states that could resist the destructive tendencies of Western civilization. But unlike Danilevsky, Leontiev included in his Great Eastern Union not only countries professing Orthodox Christianity, but also Turkey, Persia, India and China. He looked at ancient history not from a European point of view. For example, in the history of the Greco-Persian wars, he was rather on the side of Persia, noting the discipline and sacrifice of the Persians. Already in the first years of diplomatic service in the Turkish Empire, through educated Turks, he became acquainted with examples of Persian poetry and even intended to study Farsi. This interest was reflected in his artistic work: in the cycle of “oriental stories” and especially in the novel “Odysseus Polychroniades”. In his historiosophical work “Byzantism and Slavism”, when considering the “historical age” of cultures and civilizations, Leontiev pays great attention to Persia. A deeper understanding of the Eastern Union project dates back to the 1880s, so we can say that the Persian theme occupied the philosopher throughout his life. The report is intended for the first time to summarize all cases of Leontiev’s contact with Iranian studies.