Timofey Granovsky

From ArticleWorld

Timofey Granovsky was the creator of mediaeval studies in Russia. Granovsky thought that Western history was exceptional, unlike that in his own country. As a result, in 1839 Granovsky was the first Russian to deliver courses on the mediaeval history in Western Europe. Granovsky readings at the Moscow University were well-liked and admired. His readings brought him in touch with Westerners like Alexander Herzan.

Works

Granovsky rarely put his work in writing. This was due to the strict censorship that Russia had at the time. Instead, Granovsky chose to lecture. He thought that talking would be a better way to spread Western ideals throughout Russia.

Of Granovsky printed works, what is considered his best is his attempt to disapprove the history of Vineta. Vineta was an very old and renowned town believed to have been on the German or Polish coast of the Baltic Sea.

Leopold von Ranke

Granovsky was very much influenced by the Hegelian ideas of Leopold von Ranke. Leopold von Ranke was a German historian who lived from 1795-1886. He is often thought to be the father of modern objective historical school. Ranke’s goal was to reconstruct history as it actually happened, and to keep history away from the consciousness of the present. This approach is called historicism. To achieve his goal Ranke wanted two things: only contemporary accounts and related material be used as sources. In doing this Ranke had to bring into play an extensive amount of archival research and philological criticism.

Friedrich karl von savigny

Granovsky was also very much influenced by Friedrich Karl Von Savigny who was a German and legal historian. Savigny founded the historical school of jurisprudence. His thought was greatly linked to the German romantic movement. The movement put emphasis on the spirit of the people, folk culture and national history. Savigny’s theories on justistie had a great impact in the nineteenth century England, France, Italy and Germany. As a legal historian Savigny study of the Roman law have become models of historical research. This is because of the historical and social influence in the growth of the Roman legal system.