The article considers a document of 1768 with the autograph of Catherine the Great, telling about her incognito travelling (1742) to a number of medieval monuments of the North Caucasus. On the basis of data of the early XXth century historian N.F. Katanov, who rightly pointed to the three facts in the document when the empress narrated from the “man’s perspective”, the article verifies his presumption that this information was “copied by empress” from some another source. Comparison of the mention of Golden Horde Majar, legends of the ataman A. Shadra and other data allows to suggest that the data of the document could be borrowed from V.N. Tatishchev. Today this assumption is supported also by the find of an almost identical text in the Tatishchev‘s “Russian History”. The comparison of the texts of the empress’ document and the fragment from the Russian historian’s work clearly explains the reasons for Catherine narrating from the “man’s perspective”. This also highlights the necessity for further investigation (in prospective) of the data stating reasons and time when Kizlyar, Tatartup, “Yulat” and other monuments of the region were visited.

Keywords: works of Catherine the Great, Bolgar, North Caucasus, Majar, Kizlyar, V.N. Tatishchev, beginning of the North Caucasus studies.

References:

1. Leonid Petrovich Semenov. Serija: Rossijskie issledovateli Kavkaza. Istorija, arheologija i jetnografija [Leonid Petrovich Semenov. Series: Russian researchers of the Caucasus. History, archaeology and ethnography]. Armavir, Armavir State pedagogical Institute Publ., 1994, iss. 2. 216 р.

2. Takho-Godi E.A. Literaturnaja predystroija psevdonima uchenogo: L.P. Semenov – Glybov [Literary prehistory of the pseudonym of the scientist: L.P. Semenov – Glybov]. Vestnik Moskovskogo universitа, Seriya 9: Filologija [Bulletin of the Moscow University. Series 9: Philology]. 2012, no. 6, рр. 127-133.

3. Semenov L.P. Tatartupskij minaret [Tatartup Minaret]. Dzaudzhikau, 1947. 52 p.

4. Sidorova I.V. Uchjonoe bratstvo Obshhestvo arheologii, istorii i jetnografii pri Kazanskom universitete (1878-1931 gody) [Scientific brotherhood the Society of Archaeology, History and Ethnography at the Kazan University (1878-1931)]. Kazan, Kazan (Privolzhsky) Federal University Publ., 2014, part 1. 304 p.

5. Katanov N.F. Dva istoricheskih dokumenta imperatricy Ekateriny II o drevnostjah Volgi i Kavkaza [Two historical documents of Empress Catherine II on the antiquities of the Volga and the Caucasus]. Izvestija Imperatorskogo Kazanskogo universiteta [News of the Imperial Kazan University]. Kazan, Imperial Kazan University Printing house, 1907, vol. XXIII, iss. 3, pp. 228-244.

6. Pchelina E.G. O mestopolozhenii jasskogo goroda Dedjakova po russkim letopisjam i arheologicheskoj literature [On the location of the city of Dediakov in the Russian chronicles and archaeological literature]. Materialy i issledovanija po arheologii SSSR [Materials and research on archaeology of the USSR]. Moscow, USSR Academy of Sciences Publishing house, 1963, vol. 114, Medieval Monuments of North Ossetia, pр. 152-161.

7. Markovin V.I., Oshaev H.D. O mestopolozhenii jasskogo goroda Dedjakova [On the location of the city of Dediakov]. Sovetskaja arheologija [Soviet archeology]. Moscow, 1978, no. 1, рр. 83-96.

8. Mamaev Kh.M. O gorode Dedjakove i Alhan-Kalinskom gorodishhe [About the city of Dediakov and the Alkhan-Kalin fortress]. Arheologija i voprosy jetnicheskoj istorii Severnogo Kavkaza [Archeology and issues of ethnic history of the North Caucasus]. Grozny, Chechen-Ingush State University Publ., 1979, рр. 112-120.

9. Narozhny E.I. Russko-ordynskij pohod protiv «slavnogo jasskogo goroda v kontekste politicheskoj obstanovki na Severnom Kavkaze [The Russian-Horde campaign against the glorious city in the context of the political situation in the North Caucasus]. Zolotoordynskaja civilizacija [The Golden Horde civilization]. Kazan, IA AN RT Publishing house, 2009, iss. 2, рр. 154-162.

10. Kodzoev N.D. O mestonahozhdenii «slavnogo jasskogo goroda Dedjakova» [On the localization of the “glorious city of Dediakov”]. Vestnik Ingushskogo nauchno-issledovatel'skogo instituta gumanitarnyh issledovanij im Ch. Ahrieva [Bulletin of the Ch. Akhriev Ingush Scientific Research Institute of Humanitarian Studies]. Magas, 2016, no. 1, рр. 8-19.

11. Kodzoev N.D., Hajrov B.A. K voprosu istoricheskoj jetimologii toponima “Dedjakov” (v dopolnenie k skazannomu) [On the question of the historical etymology of the toponym Dediakov (in addition to what has been said)]. Aktual'nye problemy alanovedenija. Materialy nauchnogo seminara [Actual problems of Alan studies. Materials of the scientific seminar]. Magas, 2016, рр. 20-26.

12. Tarieva L.U. K voprosu o slavnom gorode Dedjakove i ob ingushskom termine “Da'-da' kov” [On the question of the glorious city of Dediakov and the Ingush term “Dai-dai kov”]. Aktual'nye problemy alanovedenija. Materialy nauchnogo seminara [Actual problems of Alan studies. Materials of the scientific seminar]. Magas, 2016, рр. 31-35.

13. Narozhny E.I. O lokalizacii “Trehstennogo gorodka” na Nizhnem Tereke: nekotorye voprosy istoricheskoj geografii ХIII-ХVII vv. [On the localization of the “Three-Walled Town” on the Lower Terek: some issues of historical geography of the 13^th – 17^th centuries]. Dialog gorodskoj i stepnoj kul'tur na evrazijskom prostranstve. Istoricheskaja geografija Zolotoj Ordy. Materialy Sed'moj Mezhdunarodnoj konferencii, posvjashhjonnoj pamjati G.A. Fjodorova-Davydova [Dialogue of urban and steppe cultures in the Eurasian space. Historical geography of the Golden Horde. Materials of the Seventh International Conference in memory of G.A. Fyodorov-Davydov]. Yalta–Kazan–Chisinau, 2016, рр. 225-231.

14. Fren H.M. Monety hanov Ulusa Dzhuchieva ili Zolotoj Ordy [Coins of the Khans of the Ulus Dzhuchiev or the Golden Horde]. St. Petersburg, Imperial Academy of Sciences printing house, 1832. 80 p. + 14 tables.

15. Kuznetsov V.A. Verhnij Dzhulat. K istorii zolotoordynskih gorodov Severnogo Kavkaza [Upper Djulat. On the history of the Golden Horde cities of the North Caucasus]. Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkarian Institute of humanitarian studies Publ., 2014. 160 p.

16. Savenko S.N. K istoricheskoj topografii Nizhnego i Verhnego Dzhulatov zolotoordynskogo vremeni (istoriograficheskie aspekty) [To the historical topography of the Lower and Upper Djulats of the Golden Horde time (historiographical aspects)]. Dialog gorodskoj i stepnoj kul'tur na evrazijskom prostranstve. Istoricheskaja geografija Zolotoj Ordy. Materialy Sed'moj Mezhdunarodnoj konferencii, posvjashhjonnoj pamjati G.A. Fjodorova-Davydova [Dialogue of urban and steppe cultures in the Eurasian space. Historical geography of the Golden Horde. Materials of the Seventh International Conference in memory of G.A. Fyodorov-Davydov]. Yalta–Kazan–Chisinau, 2016, рр. 232–237.

17. Lebedev V.P. Novye dannye o rannedzhuchidskom chekane Horezma i Saraja [New data on the early Juchid stamp of Khorezm and Saray]. Stepi Evropy v jepohu srednevekov'ja. [Steppes of Europe in the Middle Ages]. Donetsk, Donetsk State University Publ., 2000, vol. 1, рр. 277-282.

18. Narozhny E.I., Narozhnaja F.B. O monetnyh dvorah Severnogo Kavkaza ХIII-ХIV vv. [On Mints of the North Caucasus of the XIII–XIV centuries]. Materialy i issledovanija po arheologii Severnogo Kavkaza [Materials and research on archaeology of the North Caucasus]. Armavir, RNIC AGPA Publishing house, 2004, iss. 4. pp. 322-330.

19. Vinogradov V.B., Narozhny E.I. Plagiat Ekateriny II [Plagiarism of Catherine II]. Rossijskij istoricheskij zhurnal [Russian Historical Journal]. Balashov, 1994, no. II, рр. 3-8.

20. Narozhny E.I. V.N. Tatishhev kak organizator pervyh issledovanij Severnogo Kavkaza [V.N. Tatishchev as an organizer of the first studies of the North Caucasus]. Nauchnaja mysl' Kavkaza [Scientific thought of the Caucasus]. Rostov-on-Don, 2003, no. 12, Application, рр. 111-117.

21. Narozhny E.I. Severnyj Kavkaz v ХIII-ХV vekah: problemy politicheskoj istorii i jetnokul'turnogo vzaimovozdejstvija [North Caucasus in the 13th-15th centuries: problems of political history and ethno-cultural interaction]. Thesis abstract of the doctoral dissertation (in History). Vladikavkaz, K.L. Khetagurov North Ossetian State University Publ., 2010. 88 p.

22. Trudy istoricheskie. Zapiski kasatel'no Rossijskoj istorii [Historical proceedings. Notes on the Russian history]. Sochinenija Imperatricy Ekateriny II s objasnitel'nymi primechanijami akad. A.N. Pypina [The works of Empress Catherine II with explanatory acad. A.N. Pypin’s notes]. St. Petersburg, Imperial Academy of Sciences Publishing house, 1906, vol. ХI. 1062 р.

23. Mamaev H.M. Iz istorii izuchenija srednevekovyh gorodov Central'nogo Kavkaza [From the history of studying the medieval cities of the Central Caucasus]. Poselenija i zhilishha narodov Checheno-Ingushetii [Settlements and dwellings of the peoples of Checheno-Ingushetia]. Grozny, Chechen-Ingushian book Publishing house, 1986, рр. 79-94.

24. Abakarov A.I., Davudov O.M. Arheologicheskaja karta Dagestana [Archaeological map of Dagestan]. Moscow, Nauka Publishing house, 1993. 325 p.

25. Gadzhiev B.I. Carskie i Shamilevskie kreposti v Dagestane [Tsar’s and Shamil’s fortresses in Dagestan]. Makhachkala, Epoch Publishing house, 2006. 256 p.

26. Shennikov A.A. Chervlenyj Jar. Issledovanie po istorii i geografii Srednego Podon'ja v ХIV-ХVI vv. [Chervleny Yar. A study on the history and geography of the Middle Don in the ХIV-ХVI centuries]. Leningrad, Leningrad branch of Nauka Publishing house, 1987. 220 р.

27. Tatishchev V.N. Istorija Rossijskaja s samyh drevnejshih vremen neusycnymi trudami cherez tridcat' let sobrannaja i opisannaja pokojnym tajnym sovetnikom i astrahanskim gubernatorom Vasiliem Niktichem Tatishchevym [Russian History since the most ancient times, in thirty years collected and described by indefatigable works of deceased secret adviser and Astrakhan governor Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev]. Moscow, Imperial Moscow University printing house, 1769, book 1, part 2. 400 р.