Jerome Gorsey's essays on Moscovia: diplomatic reports or encyclopedic writings?

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The subject of the research is the political views of English diplomats and travelers on Muscovy in the 16th century. The focus of the study is on Jerome Gorsey's perspectives on Muscovy, as reflected in his travel notes. In these notes, the author departs from the descriptive and encyclopedic nature typical of English travelers' accounts, opting for a narrative approach with detailed descriptions not only of the geography and everyday life of the inhabitants of the Muscovite state but also of the political activities of its rulers. The aim of this work is to examine "The Travels of Jerome Gorsey" in a broader context of political writings from his era. The search for similarities between Gorsey's political language and that of political figures during the Elizabethan era will help to understand the reasons behind the characteristics given to Muscovy and the merchant's particular attention to the activities of Moscow rulers. The work relies on the methodology of the Cambridge School for the study of political languages in the Early Modern Period, whose key method involves examining historical sources in the broad context of contemporary writings and identifying recurring linguistic markers. The main conclusions of the conducted research indicate that Gorsey's writings on Muscovy should be viewed not only as a form of accountability to the Privy Council and one of many travel accounts but also in conjunction with the political pamphlets and chronicles of his time. The study of Jerome Gorsey's political language will help to better understand the features of communication between English diplomats and the state elite of Britain, particularly the members of the Privy Council, to whom the representative of the Muscovy Company addresses at the beginning of "The Travels." Moreover, "The Travels of Jerome Gorsey" should be seen not as precise descriptions of diplomatic and trade activities in Muscovy, but rather as one of the means of transmitting the political ideas of the English elites, whose influence the diplomat experienced.

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