Serbian Biography of Peter the Great: Sources, Method and Historiographical Context of Orphelin’s Work

Zacharias Orfelin’s most significant and extensive historiographical work is his two-volume biography of Peter the Great, published in two editions in 1772 and 1774. Despite not being a trained historian, Orfelin wrote this work, possibly motivated by the attitude of the Serbs of the Habsburg monarchy towards Russia at the time. Ever since the collapse of the Serbian medieval states, the Serbs had regarded monotheistic Russia as their protector. This relationship has especially developed since the reign of Peter the Great and Russia’s greater involvement in the Balkans. Also, the enlighteners saw Peter the Great as proof that reform and enlightenment could improve and strengthen the state. Zachariah Orfelin used 15 Russian and 31 foreign books as sources for this biography, along with numerous published proclamations and archival documents at his disposal (most often cited are Antonio Catiforo’s work Life of Peter the Great, the Petrograd Academy’s Everyday Works, Miller’s Compendium of Sources on Russian History, and Peter Pavlovich Shafirov’s Reflections). Orfelin’s method is similar to that of his Russian contemporaries Tatishchev and Lomonosov. His historiographical narrative reflects an Enlightenment style.

Keywords

Zaharija Orfelin, Peter the Great, Enlightenment, biography, historiography

Received

16.12.2023

Publication date

25.03.2024

Number of characters

44407

Cite

GOST	Djuric D. Serbian Biography of Peter the Great: Sources, Method and Historiographical Context of Orphelin’s Work // ISTORIYA – 2024. – V. 15. – Issue 2 (136) [Electronic resource]. URL: https://history.jes.su/S207987840030297-5-1 (circulation date: 22.07.2024). DOI: 10.18254/S207987840030297-5
MLA	Djuric, Djordje "Serbian Biography of Peter the Great: Sources, Method and Historiographical Context of Orphelin’s Work." ISTORIYA 15.2 (136) (2024) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840030297-5
APA	Djuric D. (2024). Serbian Biography of Peter the Great: Sources, Method and Historiographical Context of Orphelin’s Work. ISTORIYA 15(2 (136)) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840030297-5

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