The First Siberians Governor M. P. Gagarin and the Founding of the Russian Fortress on the Om River

About the author:

Arkady V. Kontev, Cand. Sci. (Hist.), Associate Professor, Department of National History, Altai State Pedagogical University (Barnaul); arkkont@mail.ru

Abstract:

The author on the basis of new archival sources examines the history of the implementation of the plan proposed by the Siberian Governor Matvei Petrovich Gagarin on the construction of fortresses along the Irtysh River. The issue of the Foundation of the fortress is studied in the context of the large-scale plan of advance of the Russian troops from Tobolsk to the south for occupation of the gold mines near the city of Erket (modern Yarkand). The publication presents new data about the circumstances of the occurrence of Yamyshev and Omsk fortress.

On the eve of the 300th anniversary of the founding of the city of Omsk, the author specifies date of the Foundation of the Omsk fortress by Ivan Bukholz. According to the Siberian Governor, Bukholz’s group came to the mouth of Om by June 10, and it allows to correct the widespread in literature opinion that Omsk fortress could have been founded in the beginning of May 1716. Collected materials show that not the lieutenant colonel Bukholt, but the first Siberian Governor Matvei Gagarin was the initiator of construction of fortress on Om.

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