From the Napoleonic Wars to the Crimean War. Faddey Bulgarin’s Influence on Russian-French Relations in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century

Faddey Bulgarin [Polish: Tadeusz Bułharyn] (1789–1859) was one of the best-known authors and journalists in the Russian Empire in the first half of the nineteenth century. A former French army officer (1811–14) who had settled down in St. Petersburg, he was particularly interested in maintaining a good relationship between the two countries. The opinion-making newspaper Severnaya Pchela, edited by him, published information on France regularly. Moreover, Bulgarin dealt with French affairs in his reports and letters to the Third Department of His Imperial Majesty’s Own Chancellery, mainly in connection with the Polish question. Bulgarin sought to influence the Russo-French relations in breakthrough moments, such as the French Revolution of July 1830, the Polish November Insurrection 1830–1, the Spring of Nations, and the Crimean War. During the forty years of his activity as a man-of-letters, he successfully broke the stereotypes prevailing among the Russians concerning Napoleon I. This article seeks to analyse several aspects of Bulgarin’s influence on the Russian Empire’s policy toward France.