ORENBURG - CITY AND FORTRESS

Unit 1 FIRST STEPS

SECTION ONE

1.1.1 Learn the following words and expressions

1.1.2Make up your own sentences using these words for your fellow students to translate them into Russian

1.1.3Complete the following sentences with the words from ex. 1.1.1

1.Russia was in great need to found a town that could be a center of ………

. with Asia.

2.Orenburg was founded in the territories of ……. steppe.

3.There were no ……. on the …….. borders of Russia those times that’s why Orenburg was founded.

4.Peter the Great thought that Russia had to …………………… with other countries and especially with the East.

5.Orenburg was a fortress to ………. all the troubles that could arise on the frontier.

1.1.4Find the synonyms in the right column to the words in the left

column

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1.1.5Paraphrase the following

1.Orenburg was a fortress placed on the border.

2.Strength was needed overcome all the problems arising in connection with the vast territory.

3.The state was involved in defending the western part of the country.

4.Russia founded a town to become both a fortress and a centre of communication with Asia.

5.The Jungars, who had established a powerful and aggressive state, were the reason of a lot of troubles on the Russian borders.

1.1.6Find the words and phrases from ex. 1.1.1 in the text below and translate the sentences with them into Russian

1.1.7Read the text and make a plan of it

Russia's Southeastern Border

Speaking of Orenburg and the history of its construction one cannot but mention the history of its foundation. A history that is most peculiar. But first we must briefly consider the cause why a stronghold of this kind was built in this remote part of eighteenth century Russia.

Though Orenburg was a fortress placed on the border, it must be stressed that at that time there was no military expansion in this direction on the part of the young Russian empire created by Peter the Great. There was enough land to be cultivated. Strength was needed to cope with all the problems arising in connection with the vast territory. It must also be noted that the whole Russia had a progressive influence upon the Asian peoples.

Russia reached the Yaik river, as the Ural was called, at the end of the XVI century. In the XVII century this river became her official border, which it was only nominally then. The state did not realize the importance of this vast region as it was involved in securing the western part of the country. It was only with Peter the Great at the head that Russia came to feel the necessity of establishing closer links with the East. It was clearly shown, when in 1716 Bekovitch Tcherkassky was sent on his fatal mission, but Peter was too occupied with establishing the young empire to take further measures, and soon he died. That is why it was only in the 30-s of the XVIII century that Russia founded a town to become both a stronghold and a centre of intercourse with Asia.

The vast steppe behind the Yaik was used by the nomadic Kazakh people, who succeeded the Kalmyks in this region, the latter having moved farther to the southwest. A good pretext to found a stronghold appeared when Khan Abulkhair the head of the Little Horde of the Kirghiz-Kaisaks asked for help being pressed by

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the Jungars, who had established a powerful and aggressive state and already caused a lot of trouble to the Kirghiz-Kaisak people. The only way out for Abulkhair was to become a vassal of the Russian Empire.

In 1731 Abulkhair reached a preliminary agreement that is considered to be the starting point of Kasakhstan's joining Russia. He swore to be faithful to this country, and among other provisions it was agreed to build a town-fortress to protect the Kirghiz-Kaisaks.

1.1.8 Make questions on the text for your fellow students to answer

them

1.1.9 Render the text in 10-12 sentences according to your plan

SECTION TWO

1.2.1 Find the following words and phrases in a monolingual dictionary or give your own interpretation

1.Stable connections

2.Settler

3.Personnel

4.The mouth of the river

5.Mission

6.Confluence

7.Colonel

8.Diary

9.The appointed place 10.Delay

1.2.2. Translate the given word combinations and learn them

1.2.3. Skim the following text to find out what it is about in general. Find the main subjects of the paragraphs and give each one a suitable title

Expedition

In 1734 a special expedition was organized, one of its tasks was to found the town. The initiator of this expedition was I.K.Kirillov, an able person, Secretary of the Senate. Bearing in mind the ideas of Peter the Great he wanted to establish stable connections with the Asian countries including India. That is why he chose the place at the mouth of the river Or, as this place was the nearest where from it was easier to reach the Aral Sea and proceed further South. The town had been

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granted a Privilege before it was founded (the Privilege is unique and is kept at the Orenburg Archives). One of the paragraphs gave the settlers the right to trade duty free during the first three years. The non-existing town was given both Privilege and name in 1734.

The main part of the expedition started from St. Petersburg on June 15, 1734 and arriving in Moscow stopped there to complete its personnel. It consisted of about 200 people. There were military personnel, engineers, geodesists, clerks, seamen of different rank, an interpreter. Kirillov's assistant was colonel Tevkelev who had already been on a mission in the Younger Hord. It is interesting to note that P.I.Rychkov was employed as a bookkeeper in this expedition. Later he became a scientist and historian of Orenburg and the region. Among the members of the expedition there were two Englishmen: John Qaestly (Oassel) and John Eiton. The former was employed as an artist to draw pictures; he kept a diary of his journey in 1736, but wrote it in German, spelling his name Jobann Cassel. The diary is of interest and of certain historic value. The latter was employed mainly as a map drawer though he was an astronomer, engineer, and sea captain (later he entered Persian service and brought harm to Russian navigation in the Caspian Sea).

On reaching the appointed place the expedition founded a small fortress on August 15, 1735 and on August 31, (September 11) the main fortress and town that has never been built (see fig. I). As it may be seen from the dates, it took more than a year to reach the confluence of the Yaik and Or rivers. The delay was caused by a Bashkir uprising stirred up by the feudal lords, who did not want any town to be built, because it would limit their power and freedom.

Though the main fortress that was originally designed to become Orenburg has never been built, its plan is worth considering as the subsequent ones have certain connections with it. Orenburg was to be a nine-bastion fortress. The fortification is based on a circle and the town planning is based on the radialcircular scheme accordingly.

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