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Birth of Konstantin I. Arsenyev, historian, statistician and geographer
"Arsenyev, while still alive, had the happy share, which not all the writers get: the ideas, for which he was persecuted in his youth, are realized of the will of the person whom he as a young man, was telling the story of his own people and its real state. Arsenyev’s work as a writer and a teacher was perfect and many people in Russia know that he did not refuse to lend a helping hand to those fallen into misfortune. "
Academician P. P. Pekarsky
12 (23) October 1789 in the village of Mirokhanovo, Chukhlomsk District, Kostroma Province, in the family of a village priest was born Konstantin I. Arsenyev, future historian, statistician and geographer, corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, ordinary academician.
In 1799, Konstantin Arsenyev entered a seminary. After graduating with honors in 1806, he came to St. Petersburg to continue his studies at the Pedagogical Institute, which prepared teachers and mentors for religious schools. There Arsenyev studied with zeal history, geography, statistics, and political economy.
In 1810, having brilliantly passed examinations, Konstantin remained at the institute as a teacher of Latin and geography. In addition, Arsenyev taught at other schools, including the School of Engineering.
In 1819, when the Pedagogical Institute was transformed into University, Arsenyev was appointed associate to the Department of Geography and Statistics, but he had not stayed long at the university. In 1821, due to D. P. Runich’s information against Arsenyev the latter fell out of favor, as in his lectures, published under the title "The Outline of the Russian State Statistics", were raised the issues of serfdom abolishment. However, thanks to the intercession of the Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich, who liked the lectures of the scientist in the Engineering School, the case was closed, and Arsenyev was proposed the post of professor at the School of Guard sub-ensigns.
In 1825, Konstantin wrote "The history of the peoples and republics of ancient Greece", which was highly praised by N. M. Karamzin. In 1824-1828 Arseniev was appointed editor of the Commission to formulate laws, and then began to teach history and statistics to the heir to the throne, Alexander Nikolayevich, with the permission to use materials from the State Archives and the Archives of Foreign Affairs. As a teacher, Arsenyev had undeniable influence on the way of thinking and the character of the future Tsar Alexander II. In 1837, Konstantin accompanied Cesarevich in his trip across Russia.
From 1832 to 1853, Arsenyev headed statistical work at the Ministry of Interior. In 1836 he was elected a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and in 1841 – academician of the St. Petersburg Academy. In 1845, Arsenyev, along with Count F. P. Litke, was among the founders of the Russian Geographical Society, which he vice-chaired from 1850 to 1854.
In 1864, Konstantin Ivanovich got very sick and went to his son in Petrozavodsk, where he died on November 29 (December 11), 1865.
Academician Arsenyev is the author of the following works: "The review of the physical condition of Russia and the benefits arising from that for the current folk craft" (St. Petersburg, 1818), "A brief general geography" (St. Petersburg, 1818, 20th ed. 1849) , which had served for 30 years as the only textbook on the subject; "The reign of Peter II» (St. Petersburg, 1839), "Statistical sketches of Russia" (St. Petersburg, 1848), "The reign of Catherine I» (St. Petersburg, 1856), as well as many articles and studies published in the journals of the time.
After Arsenyev’s death, Academician P. P. Pekarsky issued the documents, collected by Konstantin at the archives, under the title of "Historical Papers of K. I. Arsenyev."
Lit.: Никитин Н. П., Академик К. И. Арсеньев и его роль в развитии экономической географии в России // Вопросы географии. Сб. 10. М., 1948.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Арсеньев К. И. Высшие правительственные лица времён царя Михаила Фёдоровича. СПб., 1857;