The French in Moscow: a view of a Russian historian

Abstract

The paper considers the monograph of V. N. Zemtsov «Napoleon in Moscow.» It is noted that this study is a new word in the history of science, as regards the known events on the basis of a large number of published sources and archival documents that have not yet been entered into circulation in the Russian historical science. It was also noted that the monograph examines these still little-studied aspects of Russian historiography as the activities of the Moscow municipality, as the functioning Orphanage during the stay of French in Moscow, and the religious life in the city during this difficult period. On the basis of the French archival documents the author received a number of interesting results that deepen our knowledge of the Patriotic war of 1812. For example Zemtsov was able to obtain reliable information about the real strength of Napoleon’s army in October 1812 before the retreat. However, along with positive aspects, a number of shortcomings of the monograph should be noted. Although the author has made extensive use of foreign documents, not many valuable sources were drawn upon. It is difficult to agree with the inappropriate, as it seems in this case, term «micro history», which is widely used by Zemtsov, as well as the mistranslation of a number of French terms. Refs 12.