Nikolai Nikolajewitsch Murawjow-Amurski

Count Nikolay N. Muravyov-Amursky

Nikolay Nikolayevich Muravyov-Amursky (sometimes spelled as Nikolai Nikolaevich Muraviev-Amurskiy) (Vorlage:Lang-ru) (August 11 (August 23 in the Julian calendar), 1809—November 30(18), 1881) was a Russian statesman and diplomat, who played a major role in expansion of Russian Empire to the Pacific rim.

Nikolay Muravyov was born in St. Petersburg. He graduated from the Page Corps in 1827. He participated in the Russo-Turkish war in 1828–1829, and later in supression of the November Uprising in Poland in 1831. He retired from the military for health reasons in 1833, but returned in 1838 to serve in the Caucasus region, where he was wounded.

Muravyov was promoted in rank to major-general in 1841, but had to permanently retire from the military due to illness. He was appointed the governor of Tula province in 1846. Muravyov was one of the people recommending tsar Nicholas I to abolish serfdom.

In 1847 Muravyov was appointed the Governor General of Eastern Siberia. His appointment was a subject of much controversy, as it was unusual for a person of his age (he was 38 at the time) to be put in charge of such a vast territory. Muravyov's first actions as a Governor General were to put end to the embezzlement of public funds. He also mandated the study of the Russian language in schools for native Siberian and Far Eastern peoples. He pursued the exploration and settlement of the territories north of the Amur River, often utilizing help of political exiles. Many of his actions were aimed to expand commerce in the Far Eastern region. Seeing religion as a powerful form of control over local population, he favored building of new Christian churches, as well as promoted local religious beliefs (shamanism, Buddhism, etc.).

After the 1689 Treaty of Nerchinsk, Russia lost the right to navigate the Amur River. However, the Chinese never claimed the lower courses of the river. In 1854–1858, Muravyov assisted Gennady Nevelskoy to explore the estuary of the Amur. The first expedition took place in 1854. A fleet of 77 barges and rafts, led by the Argun steamship, sailed to the Amur's estuary. Due to the Crimean War, a portion of the fleet was then sent to Kamchatka's Avacha Bay, where a series of artillery batteries was established to defend the peninsula. The batteries played major role in defending the city of Petropavlovsk, which was attacked by the English and French forces.

During the last expedition of 1858, Muravyov concluded the Treaty of Aigun with the Qing government of China. The Chinese were initially against setting any kinds of boundries along the Amur River, preferring the status quo of keeping the adjanced territories under joint control of Russia and China. Muravyov, however, was able to persuade the Chinese that Russia's intentions were peaceful and constructive. The Treaty of Aigun effectively recognized the Amur River as the boundry between Russia and Qing Empire and granted Russia free access to the Pacific Ocean. For this, Muravyov was granted the title of Count Amursky. The signing of the treaty was celebrated by grandiose illumination in Peking and festivities in Russian major Siberian cities. The new territories acquired by Russia included Priamurye, Sakhalin, and the territories of modern Primorsky and Khabarovsk Krais.

The Treaty of Aigun was confirmed and expanded by the provisions of the Beijing Treaty of 1860.

Muravyov-Amursky retired from his post of Governor General in 1861. He was one of the members of the State Council. In 1868, he moved to Paris, France, where he lived until his death in 1881.

In 1891, a bronze statue of Muravyov was erected on one of the Amur River's cliffs. In 1929, it was taken off and replaced with a statue of Lenin, which stood there until 1989.

In 1992, the remains of Muravyov-Amursky were brought from Paris to be re-buried in the central part of Vladivostok. A monument to Muravyov-Amursky in Khabarovsk was restored in 1993.