In the history of Russia there were many oracles and prophets who foreshadowed our country now unprecedented fires and riots "with pestilence and glory", then the coming of the time of general prosperity.
True, the names of many of them have not survived to this day for a very simple reason: their predictions did not come true. But there were others, those who warned of future events, and these warnings came true. Such a gift was possessed by people who were later canonized by the Orthodox Church as saints: Seraphim of Sarov, John of Kronstadt, Seraphim Vyritsky …
At the same time, few people know that at the beginning of the 20th century an attempt was made to provide a global explanation not only of the previous stages of development of our country, but also to look beyond distant horizons. This attempt was carried out by Lieutenant General, full member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, coordinator of the Society of Archeology, History and Ethnography at the Imperial Kazan University, holder of the Orders of St. Alexander Nevsky, St. Vladimir, St. Anna, St. Stanislav - Valentin Alexandrovich Moshkov.
The Moshkov family, judging by the genealogical books of the Kostroma, Moscow and Penza provinces, originates in the 17th century. The founder of the clan, Ivan Yakovlevich Moshkov, served as the tsar's power housekeeper, and his son Peter Ivanovich was in the high position of the quartermaster general under Peter I. As for Valentin Alexandrovich Meshkov, born on March 25, 1852, he belonged to the Kostroma branch of the clan. Studying at the Second St. Petersburg Military Gymnasium predetermined his future.
This was followed by service at the Constantine School and transfer to the Mikhailovskoye Artillery School, after which Lieutenant Moshkov was assigned to the St. Petersburg fortress artillery. Most likely, his fascination with history and ethnography began from the time he was appointed to the post of artillery inspector at the Olonets mining plants. Here, in Karelia, he found his family happiness by marrying the daughter of a Petrozavodsk merchant, Alexandra Ilyina. Here he also wrote his first scientific work "Permian-Karelian Parallels".
Wherever fate threw an inquisitive officer in the service, he was everywhere engaged in research into the life, beliefs, traditions and rituals of indigenous peoples. Already one listing of his works is impressive: "Scythians and their tribesmen Thracians", "Cheremis sect" A bunch of varieties "," Gagauzes of Bendery district "," Materials characterizing the musical creativity of non-Russians of the Volga-Kama region. " By the way, Moshkov had an absolute ear for music and played excellently on wind instruments. So his studies of the musical culture of Tatars, Mari, Mordovians, Udmurts and Chuvashes were by no means a satisfaction of amateurish ambitions.
In 1892, now Lieutenant Colonel Moshkov was transferred from Kazan to Warsaw. It was here that the accumulated historical and ethnographic material passed into a new quality: Valentin Moshkov, who became Major General by 1905, created an original theory of the cyclical nature of history.
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The two-volume work of an artilleryman and ethnographer was titled "A New Theory of the Origin of Man and His Degeneration, Based on the Data of Zoology, Geology, Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnography, History and Statistics." The first volume, entitled The Origin of Man, was published in Warsaw in 1907, the second, The Mechanics of Degenerations. 1912 - the beginning of the Iron Age - was published in 1910. And only now, when the "Iron Age" is over, can we with full confidence call General Moshkov the Russian Nostradamus, and his work - the book of the fate of Russia.
Judging by the title of the book, Moshkov, to create his system of historical events, proceeded from the provisions of a number of sciences, and not "revelations." According to the views of the author, all great and small states make a continuous series of turns, which are called "historical cycles".
Each cycle lasts exactly four hundred years. According to Moshkov's conclusion, after four hundred years of its history, the people return to where they started. Each of the four centuries of the cycle was named in the following sequence: gold, silver, copper and iron.
In addition, each of the centuries is divided into segments of fifty years, differing from each other in their character. The first fifty years mark a decline, and the second - a rise, with the exception of the "Iron Age". In the Iron Age, both the first and second fifty years were characterized by decline.
The boundaries between cycles, centuries and half a century, according to the author, "are events whose nature sharply differs from the previous direction of state life, which makes it possible to determine in the history of each state the dates of the beginning and end of its cycle."
How did Moshkov correlate his theory with the history of Russia? For the beginning of the first historical cycle, he took the year 812 - the year of the unification of the Slavic tribes into a union, which later became the basis of the ancient Slavic state - Kievan Rus. Thus began, according to Moshkov, the first "golden age" of Russian history. Of course, in order to trace the correlation of all cycles with the events of Russian history, it is necessary to become a modern Nestor and write more than one Tale of Bygone Years. But still…
According to Moshkov's theory, in 1612, the third four-hundred-year cycle began in Russia, which ended in 2012. Until 1712, the "golden age" lasted there (the time of Russia's recovery from the Troubles, the reign of the "quietest" Alexei Mikhailovich and Peter I); then the "Silver Age" (the time of palace coups - the time of decline; the time of Catherine II and the young Alexander I, up to the defeat of Napoleon's "twelve languages" - the time of rise). The next century was the "copper age" - until 1912 (the first half - "Nicholas time", before the defeat of Russia in the Crimean War - decline; the second half - the reign of Alexander II and Alexander III - rise). And here, according to Moshkov's classification, the “Iron Age” began, which lasted until 2012.
The author devoted a separate volume to this century and no longer played the role of a commentator of history, but a soothsayer, who is now called a "futurologist". I will give the floor to Moshkov himself: “In two years,” the researcher wrote in 1910, “we are entering the Iron Age. The reader can only observe the reality and check the historical data with it. For the time nearest to us, it is possible to predict with a high probability: a constant rise in prices for all basic necessities, and especially food supplies, which will increase every year.
As a result, it will be followed by the breakdown of the financial system and the indebtedness of all segments of society, especially urban residents and the intelligentsia. Industrial and commercial institutions will go bankrupt one after another and cease their activities or pass into the hands of foreigners. As a result of such phenomena, hunger strikes will begin, especially among the poorest strata of the urban population … The hungry mob, driven to despair … will look for the culprits of their misfortune and find them in government bodies, in the wealthy classes of the population … Riots will begin, the beating of wealthy and powerful people …
The provinces inhabited by foreigners will take advantage of this confusion and will raise the banner of uprisings here and there, but all these attempts to violate the integrity of the state will not succeed … External enemies will also take advantage of our internal confusion and try to take part of the territory from us. Maybe they will sometimes have good luck, but our losses … will be insignificant."
Thus, the "Russian Nostradamus" foresaw already in 1910 a revolution, a civil war and an attempt by the interventionists to pull the empire apart. But that is not all. On the eve of the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov, the general predicted the tragic fate of Nicholas II. These are the words: “Gradually, selfless love for the government is replaced by love and attachment to the personality of the ruler. This latter gives way to complete indifference. This is followed by hatred, first towards the personnel of the government, and then towards the government in general, combined with an irresistible desire to destroy it."
Moshkov singled out 1962 as the boundary between half a century of the "Iron Age". Why? It should be borne in mind that, according to the author's classification, there is no upsurge in this century, but there is a decline in the first fifty years and in the second fifty. Only now we realized that 1962 could become, due to the "Cuban missile crisis" (the installation of Soviet missiles in Cuba and the actions of the American administration), "the last year of history." Here is another confirmation of the correctness of the predictor methodology.
And it’s not at all in the eyebrow, but in the eye, Moshkov’s words about the degradation of morality, culture and art by the end of the “Iron Age” sound: … In the literary field, decadence and pornography are bursting as something new. The desire to read disappears … For many, the pursuit of pleasure becomes the only goal of life. People become susceptible to all kinds of games, especially gambling, indulge in drunkenness, the use of all kinds of drugs, revelry and debauchery. Honesty disappears from people, lies and deceit become virtues … Officers lose their sense of honor, energy and respect of soldiers."
Alas, Valentin Moshkov did not write a separate book about the coming “golden age”. In 1913, he submitted his resignation letter and was dismissed from service with the production of lieutenant general. The few authors who wrote about this amazing man believe that after 1913 his traces are lost. In fact, General Moshkov, seeing his forecasts in reality, emigrated to Bulgaria in 1921, where he died in 1922 at the age of seventy.
Until recently, his name was under a vowel and unspoken ban. The author of these lines, forty-five years ago, who studied at the Faculty of History and Philology of Petrozavodsk State University and studied such special courses as "Anthropology and Ethnography", as well as "History of Karelia", cannot boast that in those years he heard about Valentin Alexandrovich Moshkov. And how could one talk about the hardships of the "Iron Age" when completely different predictions were made - that by 1980 communism would be built! It is no coincidence that the poet-bard sang: "After all, clairvoyants, like eyewitnesses, have been burned by people at the stake all their lives."
But let's not dwell on the "Iron Age". After all, according to Moshkov, it ended in 2012. According to the "Russian Nostradamus", at the beginning of 2013 a new four-hundred-year cycle of Russian history opens. As you know, it begins with the "golden age". True, its first half, ending in 2062, is not the best. But everything is learned by comparison. After all, the worst half of the "golden age" should be much better than any of the worst halves of the "iron age", isn't it?
Well, in conclusion, I will once again quote the never tired of surprising seer. This is how he described the coming upsurge in the “golden age” of Russian history (2062-2112): “Enmity between people disappears and is replaced by harmony, love, friendship and respect. Parties no longer have any meaning and therefore cease to exist. Civil strife, riots, uprisings and revolutions recede into the realm of legends, since a person of uprising is peaceful and does not strive for power … Another's property begins to enjoy the same respect as its owner … In science, the people is in a hurry to catch up with their civilized neighbors, from which they were far behind in time of decline …
Abuses of power cease. Officials are being made honest. Children at this time love and highly respect their parents. The army is being reformed and acquiring invaluable qualities. A person adheres to the faith of his fathers, seeing in it the banner of his nationality. Citizens of the country are linked by common patriotism, boundless, unaccountable and instinctive love for a common homeland."
Alexander OBUKHOV, Corresponding Member of the Petrovsk Academy of Sciences (Luga)
The X-Files November 2013