Russian governmental regulation of the Fishery by Kalmyks in the 1740s

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines the formation and evolution of state re­gulation of fishery by the population of the Kalmyk Khanate in the 1740s, based on the materials of the interdepartmental discussion, correspondence between the Kalmyk khans and viceroys with the government and the regional authorities. The purpose of the article is to study and introduce into scientific circulation a set of unpublished documents related to the state regulation of the Kalmyk fishery, deposited in the I-36 collection “Consisting of the Kalmyk affairs under the Astrakhan governor” of the National Archive of the Republic of Kalmykia, collection 614 “Astrakhan fish office” of the State Archive of the Astrakhan Region. Materials and methods. The object of the analysis were the archival documents from the 1740s: the letter from Khan Donduk-Ombo to the head of the Kalmyk affairs L. V. Boborykin (1741), the response of the government to the appeal of the viceroy Donduk-Dashi (1741), the protocol of negotiations between the Astrakhan governor V. N. Tatishchev and Donduk-Dashi (1742), the letter by Donduk-Dashi to V. N. Tatishchev (1742), the decree of the Gover­ning Senate to the state councilor P. A. Sokovnin (1743). The following methods were used in the study: comparative historical analysis, historical-typological, chronological, historical-genetic methods. Results. The set of documents studied and introduced into scientific circulation in the article is an important source on the history of the Kalmyk fishery, its state regulation. In the letters of Donduk-Ombo and Donduk-Dashi the main reasons for the activation of the Kalmyk fishery in the 40s of the 18th century are determined; the interdepartmental correspondence and instructions to the regional officials are aimed at protecting the interests of Astrakhan fishermen first of all. The examined documents will allow expanding the source base of the research on the specifics and regional dynamics of participation of the national groups in the development of fishery in the Astrakhan province.