On the trail of a manuscript: Baron Ernst Friedrich Borgsdorf’s “Relation von Moscovien” and its fate

Schwarcz, Iskra

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132844 Copy

Description

Title

On the trail of a manuscript: Baron Ernst Friedrich Borgsdorf’s “Relation von Moscovien” and its fate

Author(s)

Schwarcz, Iskra

Issue Date

2025-12-24

Keyword(s)

• Baron E. F. Borgsdorf
• Siege Of Azov (1696)
• Military History
• Batthyaneum Library

Abstract

This article is dedicated to the French historian of Russian origin, Dmitry Gouzévitch, who initiated the search for the German manuscript "Relation von Moscovien" by Baron E. F. Borgsdorf. This scarcely known source from the time of Peter the Great is currently kept in the Batthyaneum Library in Alba Iulia, Romania. The manuscript was written in 1699. A comparative analysis of this text with Baron Borgsdorf’s letters and other manuscripts in Austrian libraries and archives allows us to conclude that we are dealing with an original manuscript, written by the author's hand. The text is divided into two books. The first book describes the reasons for his journey, details of the route from Vienna to Azov, the siege and capture of Azov (1696), and the circumstances under which Baron Borgsdorf and his family were allowed to return to Vienna. The second book consists of twenty chapters describing the Muscovite state: its size, governance, and military might, as well as its trade and fiscal system. Particular attention is given to justice, diplomatic relations and the conclusion of peace treaties. In the appendix, the author relates the death of the renowned French merchant and traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605-1689) in Moscow. The author also describes the measures taken by Baron Borgsdorf to leave the country; and provides a detailed description of the author's drawings of the fortifications of Azov and Taganrog.The introduction of this new narrative source into scholarly circulation will allow researchers to take a fresh look at the events associated with the siege of Azov, the construction of Taganrog, and the lives and fates of foreign engineers in the Muscovite state.

Series/Report Name or Number

ВИВЛIОθИКА / Vivliofika, volume 13

Type of Resource

text

Genre of Resource

Article

Language

eng

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132844

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21900/j.vivliofika.v13.2159

Copyright and License Information

• Copyright 2025 Iskra Schwarcz
• This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).

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