Boris Pavlovich Mansurov and the organization of the Russian presence in Holy Places (1857–1864)

We analyze the circumstances of the creation of Russian Palestine, a unique phenomenon of Russian history and culture. The role of one of the main ideologists of the Russian presence in the Holy Land, B.P. Mansurov is shown. The relevance of the work is determined by a comprehensive study of the activities of state structures in organizing Russian pilgrims in the Orthodox East, recreating the stages of work on the Jerusalem project. The lack of research of the first stage of the development of Russian Palestine, insufficient attention to the issue, give the work a historiographic novelty. It is shown that the concept of presence in the region appeared in the Naval Ministry under the leadership of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich. Attention is drawn to the contribution of B.P. Mansurov in justification and development of the program for the arrangement of Russian infrastructure in Jerusalem, the business of purchasing land and the construction of the Russian Compound. It is substantiated that the proposed by B.P. Mansurov, the project played the role of an important foreign policy program of Russia in the Orthodox East after the end of the Crimean War. It is revealed that the creation of the Russian pilgrimage and church infrastructure in the Holy Land opened a new stage in the development of the Russian presence in the region, strengthened the existing cultural and diplomatic ties between Russia and Palestine.

Russian Palestine, B.P. Mansurov, the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, the Palestinian Committee, Russian Compound