Nikolay Mikhailovich Karamzin O.S. 1 December] 1766 – 3 June [Russian Imperial historian, romantic writer, poet in addition to critic. He is best remembered for his fundamental History of a Russian State, the 12-volume national history.
In 1794, Karamzin abandoned his literary journal and published a miscellany in two volumes entitled Aglaia, in which appeared, among other stories, The Island of Bornholm and Ilya Muromets, the former being one of the number one Russian Gothic novels and the latter, a story based on the adventures of the well-known hero of numerous a Russian legend. From 1797 to 1799, he issued another miscellany or poetical almanac, The Aonides, in conjunction with Derzhavin and Dmitriev. In 1798 he compiled The Pantheon, a collection of pieces from the working of the nearly celebrated authors ancient and modern, translated into Russian. many of his lighter productions were subsequently printed by him in a volume entitled My Trifles. Admired by Alexander Pushkin and Vladimir Nabokov, the style of his writings is elegant and flowing, modelled on the easy sentences of the French prose writers rather than the long periodical paragraphs of the old Slavonic school. His example proved beneficial for the creation of a Russian literary language, a major contribution for the history of Russian literature.
In 1802 and 1803, Karamzin edited the journal the Envoy of Europe Vestnik Evropy. It was non until after the publication of this take that he realized where his strength lay, and commenced his 12 volume History of the Russian State. In sorting tothe task, he secluded himself for two years at Simbirsk.
When Emperor Alexander learned the gain of his retirement, Karamzin was call to Tver, where he read to the emperor the first eight volumes of his history. He was a strong supporter of the anti-Polish policies of the Russian Empire, and expressed hope that "there would be no Poland under all shape or name". In 1816, he removed to St Petersburg, where he spent the happiest days of his life, enjoying the favour of Alexander I and submitting to him the sheets of his great work, which the emperor read over with him in the gardens of the palace of Tsarskoye Selo.
He did not, however, symbolize to carry his work further than the eleventh volume, terminating it at the accession of Michael Romanov in 1613. He died on 22 May old style 1826, in the Tauride Palace. A monument was erected to his memory at Simbirsk in 1845.