Landlord in a ryassa. The rise and fall of priest Alexei Chulkov (1789-1867)

At the beginning of the 19th century and up to the abolition of serfdom in the Russian Empire, in connection with the expansion of the practice of awarding imperial orders, a small stratum of married priests-landowners arose, who, due to their noble status, had the right to own land with peasants and courtyards. The broad powers of power that the landowners possessed in the specified historical period often led to abuses and acts of mutual violence in the noble-peasant relationship. The practice of managing the estates of some noble priests, who were psychologically unprepared for a new social status, was no exception. The article examines the biography of Priest Alexei Chulkov (1789-1867), who was awarded the Order of St. Anne and the right to hereditary nobility for his service in various guards units. Having acquired an estate in the Shlisselburg district of the St. Petersburg province, Priest Chulkov became a living example of landlord despotism and tyranny, which led him, after a series of scandals, to the deprivation of a prestigious parish, suspension and expulsion from clerical orders.