The South Russian (Caucasian) Plot in the History of the Jesuits’ Stay in the Russian Empire (1772-1918)

Introduction. The study specifies the role and direction of activities of representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and the Order of Jesus, in particular, in the Caucasus region, having isolated it from the context of their presence in the area of the Russian Empire. The authors emphasize that despite the relatively short period of official favor towards the Jesuits in Russia, they managed to prepare and educate a sufficient number of their adherents and conductors of sentiments favorable to Catholic Europe and at the same time sow the spirit of unstable loyalty to the Russian throne and the interests of the state among some part of the Russian aristocratic elite, which could contribute to many negative consequences.

Materials and methods. The study is based on the analysis of texts of a number of archival sources and official documents of different focus and functional purpose published in thematic collections. Of considerable importance for clarifying the essence of the problem under study and solving the set scientific task were also the materials of scientific works of domestic and foreign historians, one way or another touching upon and covering the stated topic. The appeal to the works of specific scientists was determined by the perspective of their approaches and the conclusions obtained, which contributed to the heuristic productivity of the interpretation.

Analysis. The works of a number of researchers of different times, in particular, Alexander Andreev, Eduard Winter, Johann Huber, Marek Inglot, priest Mikhail Moroshkin, examine the teaching, organization and practical activities of Jesuits in various spheres of public life and politics, their numerous connections with the Catholic and political elites of Europe and Russia, emphasizing their selfish focus aimed at ensuring access and influencing the minds of those in power.

Results. Based on the results of the study, the authors came to the conclusion that the initial favor towards the Jesuits on the part of the Russian monarchs of the second half of the 18th – early 19th centuries was preconditioned by a number of interdependent reasons related to both the pan-European socio-political situation that developed from the consequences of the French Revolution of 1789-1793, both external and internal threats to the Russian throne, and the desire to take advantage of the temporary dislike of the European political elite for the Order of Jesus, its sociopolitical experience in order to gain new opportunities for secret or public influence of Russia in Europe, to consolidate its geopolitical status. At the same time, having identified and realized the selfish ambitions of the Jesuits in relation to the Russian throne and the aristocratic elite, their desire to turn Russian politics and social structures into instruments for satisfying the interests of the order’s congregation and the Roman papacy led to a decisive break with the Order of Jesus and its official expulsion from the borders of the Russian Empire.

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