Доклады Международного конгресса ИИСАА. Т. 1

II. Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asia / Ближний Восток, Кавказ и Центральная Азия 288 Proceedings of the International Congress on Historiography and Source Studies of Asia and Africa.Vol. I. 2020 was brought to Moscow in 1567 by Sekit Imildesh, envoy of the Shamhal of Tarki. 1 Amention of an elephant sent to the tsar is also found in archival documents related to 1620. 2 The mammal set out for Muscovite Russia with the embassy of Bulat Bek (1619–1621). The embassy was accompanied by two ‘Moorish’ elephant keepers. 3 However, the animal has not reached its destination for it was not listed among other diplomatic gifts presented by Bulat Bek to the tsar. It is important to note that shortly before the departure of the embassy for Moscow six elephants with ‘Moorish’ riders were received by the shah as part of lavish gifts from the Mughal emperor. 4 According to a postscript to ‘Piskarevsky Chronicler’ (‘Piskarevskiy letopisets’), among presents gifted to Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich (1613–1645) in 1625 were two elephants accompanied by ‘Moors’ (‘arapy’). 5 It’s not clear, though, if the ‘Moorish’ (African) appearance of elephant keepers and riders reflected in Russian sources was related more to their ethnic identity and origin, or rather, their skin colour. In 1703 ‘Vedomosti’ reported, citing sources from Iran, that an elephant was sent by ‘the Indian tsar’ as part of numerous gifts to Peter I the Great (1682–1725). The animal was reported to have reached Shamakhi and set out by land for Astrakhan. 6 No further information on its route and whereabouts appeared in later issues of the Moscow: Universitetskaya tipografiya (Katkov i K), 1867. (In Russian). P. 162. It should be taken into consideration, though, that Heinrich von Staden’s account lacks credibility, still remaining a matter of discussion. 1 Белокуров С. А. Сношения России с Кавказом: Материалы, извлеченные из Московского главного архива министерства иностранных дел. М.: Университетская типография, 1889. Вып. 1: 1578–1613 гг. / Belokurov S. A. Snosheniya Rossii s Kavkazom. Materialy, izvlechennye iz Moskovskogo glavnogo arkhiva ministerstva inostrannykh del [Relations between Russia and the Caucasus. Materials extracted from the Moscow Main Archives of the Ministry of foreign affairs]. M.: Universitetskaya tipografiya, 1889. Issue 1: 1578–1613 gg. (In Russian). P. 578. Another source mentions ‘Moors’(‘arapy’) as its keepers. 2 Bushev P. P. Istoriya posol’stv i diplomaticheskikh otnosheniy russkogo i iranskogo gosudarstv v 1613–1621 gg. P. 234; Pamyatniki diplomaticheskikh i torgovykh snosheniy Moskovskoi Rusi s Persiei. St Petersburg, 1898. Vol. III: Tsarstvovanie Mikhaila Feodorovicha (prodolzhenie) [Reign of Mikhail Feodorovich (continuation)]. P. 388. 3 Bushev P. P. Istoriya posol’stv i diplomaticheskikh otnosheniy russkogo i iranskogo gosudarstv v 1613–1621 gg. P. 241; Pamyatniki diplomaticheskikh i torgovykh snosheniy Moskovskoi Rusi s Persiei. Vol. III. P. 501, 556, 557. 4 Bushev P. P. Istoriya posol’stv i diplomaticheskikh otnosheniy russkogo i iranskogo gosudarstv v 1613–1621 gg. P. 197; Pamyatniki diplomaticheskikh i torgovykh snosheniy Moskovskoi Rusi s Persiei. Vol. III. P. 422. 5 Полное собрание русских летописей / Академия наук СССР. Институт истории СССР. М.: Наука, 1978. Т. 34: Постниковский, Пискаревский, Московский и Бельский летописцы. / Polnoe sobranie russkikh letopisei [Complete collection of Russian chronicles] / Akademiya nauk SSSR. Institut istorii SSSR. Moscow: Nauka, 1978. Book 34: Postnikovskiy, Piskarevskiy, Moskovskiy i Bel’skiy letopistsy. (In Russian). P. 220. 6 Ведомости . 2 января 1703 г. / Vedomosti . [ News ]. 2 January 1703. (In Russian).