Subject
Captain Nabokov in Bulgaria
From
Date
Body
Interesting!
A number of Bulgarian history websites (in Bulgarian) do mention this figure as
"reserve captain Nabokov", "a Russian officer of Rumelian militia", "an
adventurist", and "a Russian spy".
One website lists him as "D. Nabokov, the nephew of Russian minister of justice"
(i.e. VN's grandfather Dmitri Nikolaevich, 1827-1904)
(http://www.tzankoff.de/9_juni.html).
Another Bulgarian website gives a short biography
(http://www.burgasguide.com/modules.php?name=Kalender&op=view&eid=1989)
It gives the name as Nikolay Aleksandrovich Nabokov, who fought in
Russian-Turkish war in 1877-78, then served in East Rumelian militia,
demobilized in 1885, headed the rebellion of 22 October 1886 against the
Regency of Prince Ferdinand at the Black Sea port of Burgas, was captured and
as Russian subject passed to the Russian Council in Burgas. He later continued
his activity in Turkey, where he formed the second group of volunteers.
In 1887 Captain Nabokov made a second attempt to land at Burgas with a small
group of anti-Ferdinand Russian volunteers and was killed near the village of
Novo Panicharevo, Burgas region.
However, Zimmer family chart of Nabokovs on Zembla, listed no such person.
Judging from the dates, it could indeed be a son of D.N.'s brother, Alexander
Nikolaevich (1825-1866), and patronymics agree, but no children are listed for
A.N. Nabokov in Zimmer chart.
"Adventurist Nabokov" is mentioned as courting another adventurist in
Constantinople, the Cossack Ataman Nikolay Ashinov (who worked to create New
Moscow colony in Africa), rumors flying th?t they ?re buying weapons to help
Italians conquer Abyssinia
(http://www.vokrugsveta.com/S4/proshloe/ashinov2.htm)
The "Nabokov's complot" of 1886, included a local priest, Russian subaltern
Zalevski, subaltern Kishelski, a couple of Montenegrin priests (Kontich and
Dragovich), and 5-6 local Russophiles in Burgas. This was a serious issue,
which impressed Europe. Nabokov seemed to be an agent of Russian government,
and a daily visitor to the Russian consulate; the Russian consul in Burgas was
his energetic defender.
Russian consul told Nabokov at his Bulgarian trial: "Captain Nabokov: I forbid
you to answer questions of the Court; I do not recognize it; I will take you
and send to Russia, you must go there" (Simeon Radev, Builders of modern
Bulgaria (in Bulgarian),
http://www.slovo.bg/showwork.php3?AuID=101&WorkID=4486&Level=3)
Captain Nabokov was passed to Russian authorities. The plot repercussions were
defused by a figure not less than General Nikolay Kaulbars, brother of former
Bulgarian defence minister, also Russian General Alexander Kaulbars whom the
'matchtrick' General Kuropatkin blamed for the infamous Mukden defeat in
Russo-Japanese war.
Both Kaulbars brothers were also famous geographers...
There seem to be more data in the book, "Avantyury russkogo tsarizma v
Bolgarii", M, 1935.
Will look more in local sources (I am now on sabbatical in Bulgaria until
summer...)
Victor Fet
-----Original Message-----
From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum on behalf of D. Barton Johnson
Sent: Tue 3/8/2005 10:33 PM
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Subject: Hmmmm.
The TREATY OF BUCHAREST (1886) established that from then on the Governor of
Eastern Rumelia should be the Prince of Bulgaria; however the union of the two
territories was still postponed, Ottoman sovereignty over Rumelia unquestioned.
Russia had opposed Prince Alexander; yet it did not recognize Prince Ferdinand;
a Russian adventurer, NABOKOV, in the hope of raising a rebellion against the
new dynast, made two incursions into Bulgaria in 1887; in the second he was
killed.
----- End forwarded message -----
A number of Bulgarian history websites (in Bulgarian) do mention this figure as
"reserve captain Nabokov", "a Russian officer of Rumelian militia", "an
adventurist", and "a Russian spy".
One website lists him as "D. Nabokov, the nephew of Russian minister of justice"
(i.e. VN's grandfather Dmitri Nikolaevich, 1827-1904)
(http://www.tzankoff.de/9_juni.html).
Another Bulgarian website gives a short biography
(http://www.burgasguide.com/modules.php?name=Kalender&op=view&eid=1989)
It gives the name as Nikolay Aleksandrovich Nabokov, who fought in
Russian-Turkish war in 1877-78, then served in East Rumelian militia,
demobilized in 1885, headed the rebellion of 22 October 1886 against the
Regency of Prince Ferdinand at the Black Sea port of Burgas, was captured and
as Russian subject passed to the Russian Council in Burgas. He later continued
his activity in Turkey, where he formed the second group of volunteers.
In 1887 Captain Nabokov made a second attempt to land at Burgas with a small
group of anti-Ferdinand Russian volunteers and was killed near the village of
Novo Panicharevo, Burgas region.
However, Zimmer family chart of Nabokovs on Zembla, listed no such person.
Judging from the dates, it could indeed be a son of D.N.'s brother, Alexander
Nikolaevich (1825-1866), and patronymics agree, but no children are listed for
A.N. Nabokov in Zimmer chart.
"Adventurist Nabokov" is mentioned as courting another adventurist in
Constantinople, the Cossack Ataman Nikolay Ashinov (who worked to create New
Moscow colony in Africa), rumors flying th?t they ?re buying weapons to help
Italians conquer Abyssinia
(http://www.vokrugsveta.com/S4/proshloe/ashinov2.htm)
The "Nabokov's complot" of 1886, included a local priest, Russian subaltern
Zalevski, subaltern Kishelski, a couple of Montenegrin priests (Kontich and
Dragovich), and 5-6 local Russophiles in Burgas. This was a serious issue,
which impressed Europe. Nabokov seemed to be an agent of Russian government,
and a daily visitor to the Russian consulate; the Russian consul in Burgas was
his energetic defender.
Russian consul told Nabokov at his Bulgarian trial: "Captain Nabokov: I forbid
you to answer questions of the Court; I do not recognize it; I will take you
and send to Russia, you must go there" (Simeon Radev, Builders of modern
Bulgaria (in Bulgarian),
http://www.slovo.bg/showwork.php3?AuID=101&WorkID=4486&Level=3)
Captain Nabokov was passed to Russian authorities. The plot repercussions were
defused by a figure not less than General Nikolay Kaulbars, brother of former
Bulgarian defence minister, also Russian General Alexander Kaulbars whom the
'matchtrick' General Kuropatkin blamed for the infamous Mukden defeat in
Russo-Japanese war.
Both Kaulbars brothers were also famous geographers...
There seem to be more data in the book, "Avantyury russkogo tsarizma v
Bolgarii", M, 1935.
Will look more in local sources (I am now on sabbatical in Bulgaria until
summer...)
Victor Fet
-----Original Message-----
From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum on behalf of D. Barton Johnson
Sent: Tue 3/8/2005 10:33 PM
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Subject: Hmmmm.
The TREATY OF BUCHAREST (1886) established that from then on the Governor of
Eastern Rumelia should be the Prince of Bulgaria; however the union of the two
territories was still postponed, Ottoman sovereignty over Rumelia unquestioned.
Russia had opposed Prince Alexander; yet it did not recognize Prince Ferdinand;
a Russian adventurer, NABOKOV, in the hope of raising a rebellion against the
new dynast, made two incursions into Bulgaria in 1887; in the second he was
killed.
----- End forwarded message -----