The article is devoted to the state and society of the 1860s understanding of the fiftieth anniversaries of the Patriotic War of 1812, the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the centenary of the birth of Napoleon I. The first (twenty five year) anniversary of 1812 was very solemnly celebrated by order of Nicholas I on the day of the victory over Napoleon at the end of August 1839. In 1862–1864, a celebration of the half-century anniversary was about to come and, it would seem, it should also be just as wide. However, in 1862 no official celebrations were held. Unlike the official state engaged in the celebration of another anniversary – the millennium of Russia, public thought didn’t forget the anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812 and was trying to comprehend the events of recent past in its own way. In 1864, against the backdrop of the changed foreign policy situation, the anniversary of the entry of Russian troops into Paris was celebrated solemnly by a parade on Palace Square and lunch in the Winter Palace. At the same time the official press reflected in details news about the celebration of the centenary of Napoleon I in 1869 in France. This article examines in details the publications of official newspapers, literary magazines and the epistolary and memoirs of the contemporaries of the 1860s, which somehow reflected the anniversary dates.

The author deals with the first Russian semi-popular magazine ‘Monthly essays serving to utility and entertainment' (1755−1764). The literary section was one of the most solid parts of the magazine. The magazine reflected events of the epoch’s literary life: literary polemic debates, personal relations of men of letters, European ‘polite literature' works' penetration into Russia etc.

The article deals with history of military education in the early 19th century Russia and, in the first place, with the history of the First cadet corps. The author focuses her attention on the period when K.Th.Ryleev, famous Russian poet attended the corps. The system of military and other disciplines learning that was introduced in the corps and morals that prevailed in the corps are studied. The mentioned features emerged, in many respects, due to personal traits of tutors who undoubtedly had an influence on their students. Besides that, the author investigates the corps' department for minors where Ryleev also spent several years and attempts to define the circle of cadet friends of the future revolutionary and analyze his first verses written in the cadet corps.

The authors deal with the situation in the Russian army after the Patriotic War of 1812 and the foreign campaigns of 1813 and 1814. Relations in mass of army officers are examined on the example of K. Th. Ryleev, the poet and conspirator, service activities. The authors reconstruct the circle of the army officers' interests and their attitude to the military service and come to the conclusion that the post-war officers' service could not meet aspirations of young gentlemen to the full in the later years of Alexander I reign.

The article deals with official performance of Prince Trubetskoy, a prominent figure in the secret societies of the 1820s. Analyzed is his trip to England in 1819, his service as aid-de-camp in the General Staff of the Russian army, as well as execution of military-police duties in his capacity of on-duty staff officer of the 4th Infantry Corps quartered in Kiev (1825). The conclusion is reached that his official activities were often associated with performance of special missions for the government. The experience gained in the service, Trubetskoy used to organize an anti-government plot, as well as to neutralize the enemies of this conspiracy.

The article deals with the family history of K.F.Ryleev, famous poet-Decembrist. The authors examine people who surrounded K.F.Ryleev in his childhood and adolescence, characterize the ambience within which he was born and emerged as a personality and within which his adult life ran to some extent. Connection of Ryleev’s history with his collection of letters, his creative, financial and journalistic activities is analyzed.

The author examines the revolutionary activities of Kondrati Ryleev, one of the Decembrists’ movement leaders and finds out that in the process of anti-government coup preparation Ryleev took advantage of his duty position of the senior manager of the Russian-American Company, the biggest Russian joint stock company of the time. For the first time in historiography the author specifies the Decemberists’ plans to bring the Czar’s family out of Russia and demonstrates that these plans were connected with a maritime expedition to Russian America which was scheduled for August, 1826, and was organized at the Russian-American Company’s expense.

The article is devoted to one of the most acute in the current research of Decembrist movement issues, the issue of the Decembrists' ‘plan of actions' on the even of the rebellion of December 14, 1825. The authors pay the particular attention to the Northern society’s leaders, to S.P. Trubetskoi, the rebellion ‘dictator'. It is demonstrated that at the basis of S. P. Trubetskoi’s intentions lied the idea of joint action of the Northern and the Southern societies. His activities aimed at implementation of this intent are analyzed. The authors also analyze the reasons due to which this ‘plan of action' was left unrealized.