What was the price of the Pushkin family estate Mikhailovskoe?

Abstract

The article considers the history of financial relationships between A. S. Pushkin and his relatives about their family estate Mikhailovskoe, which has not been studied by Pushkinists, historians or economists despite its importance for understanding the economic life of both Pushkin and Russian nobility in the mid and late 19th century. Mikhailovskoe belonged to Pushkin's mother, Nadezhda Osipovna. After her death in 1836, according to the law, Pushkin's father, Sergey Lvovich received its seventh share, Pushkin's sister Olga - its fourteenth share, while the rest was divided equally between brothers - Alexander and Lev. Pushkin's father refused his share in favor of his daughter. The real division of the estate with 80 male serfs was complicated and economically meaningless, unlike financial settlement. Pushkin suggested to buy out Mikhailovskoe for 40 thousand rubles (500 rubles per serf). N. I. Pavlishchev, Olga's husband, wanted to receive more money, insisting that the estate was twice more expensive. Later he reduced the price, but Pushkin did not have enough money, and it was the second half of 1936, when the events that led to Pushkin's tragic duel were already unfolding. In February 1837, Pushkin's widow, Natalia Nikolaevna, asked the Tsar for permission to buy out Mikhailovskoe for her children. The сustody of Pushkin's children was appointed, and, after lengthy negotiations, in 1841 Mikhailovskoe was bought out. The heirs - Lev, Olga and Natalia Nikolaevna - received money for their shares based on the estate's price of 34 thousand rubles. Owners of the estate with equal shares were Pushkin's children - Maria, Alexander, Grigory and Natalia. In 1856, Pushkin's sons bought out their sisters' shares. In 1870, Grigory became the sole owner of Mikhailovskoe. In 1899, the estate was bought out by the Treasury for 144,600 rubles; however, this was mainly the price of forest rather than serfs.