Russian conservatives at the beginning of the 20th century about Byzantium and Byzantism

The article is devoted to the position of Russian monarchists of the early twentieth century on Byzantine issues. The author analyzed a number of journalistic articles, essays, public speeches, sermons by famous clergymen, scientists, writers, publicists, politicians who shared monarchical views. The article notes that Russian right-wing conservative politicians, publicists, scientists, clergymen of the early twentieth century, starting from the theory of official nationality, in their writings and public speeches emphasized the importance of referring to the Byzantine heritage. The author concludes that the appeal of the Russian monarchists to Byzantium, its culture and traditions was explained, first of all, by the fact that it was from Constantinople that Russia adopted Christianity. They also did not deny the idea of Russia as the guardian of Orthodoxy, which it became after the fall of Constantinople. However, the theory of the Third Rome, known since the XVI century, was practically not used by the monarchists of the early twentieth century. Russian monarchists' analysis of their works allows us to conclude that the basis of their position on Byzantium should be sought, first of all, in the works of the outstanding Russian thinker K. N. Leontiev, in particular, in his work "Byzantium and Slavism". The article notes that the monarchists of the early twentieth century creatively reinterpreted Leontiev's ideas about Byzantium (preservation of the monarchical principle and the estate system in the state, obedience to the authorities, ecclesiasticism, the principle of the symphony of the authorities, the idea of a "strong state", etc.).