Alexander Kasimovich Kazembek (22 June 1802 or 3 August 1803 – 27 November 1870) was an orientalist, historian and philologist in the Russian Empire.
Born in Rasht, Qajar Iran, Kazembek hailed from a prominent family originally based in Derbent, a city historically tied to Iran. Kazembek grew up during the tumultuous period of the Russo-Iranian war of 1804–1813, which culminated in the Russian conquest of Derbent in 1806. His father, Hajji Qasim Kazem-Beg, was appointed the principal qazi (Muslim judge) of Derbent by the Russians, and in 1811, Kazembek and his mother rejoined him there. However, after his father was accused of treason, the latter was banished to Astrakhan, where Kazembek joined him in 1821.
In Astrakhan, Kazembek encountered Scottish missionaries and converted from Islam to Christianity, which led to severe opposition from his father. Despite this, he remained committed to his new faith and was baptized by the Scottish mission in July 1823. Following his conversion, Kazembek entered the compulsory Russian imperial service and later joined Kazan University in January 1826. He advanced rapidly in his academic career, becoming a professor of Arabic and Persian literature and dean, and earning international recognition for his contributions to Oriental studies.
In 1849, Kazembek moved to the University of Saint Petersburg, where he was appointed as a professor of Persian. He was appointed dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies in 1855, and he founded the Department of Oriental History in 1863. After his death, he was buried in Saint Petersburg's district Pavlovsk, where had probably stayed for some days before his death.
Notable for his deep engagement with both English-speaking and Russian cultures, Kazembek was a distinguished scholar in Persian and Turkish studies. His expertise in these fields, similar to that of the Russian orientialists Vasily Bartold and Vladimir Minorsky, established him as a pioneer to both the prominent school of Iranian studies in Saint Petersburg and the scholarly traditions in London. He was the great-grandfather Mladorossi founder Alexander Kazembek.
Biography Background and early life Kazembek was born on 22 June 1802 or 3 August 1803, in the town of Rasht in Qajar Iran. His family was one of the leading families of Derbent, a town on the western coast of the Caspian Sea with deep historical ties to Iran. Since the 1500s, Derbent had been under Iranian rule. During the wars of the Iranian shah (king) Nader Shah (), Kazembek's grandfather Nasir Mohammad-Beg moved to the Derbent region and eventually became the minister of the semi-independent ruler of the Quba Khanate, Fath-Ali Khan. Kazembek's father, the Muslim cleric Hajji Qasim Kazem-Beg was born in Derbent, but on the way back from a pilgrimage to Mecca, he made Rasht his home after marrying the daughter of the local governor. Kazembek received an extensive education. Leading clerics were hired by his father to instruct him in Arabic, logic, rhetoric, and jurisprudence, with the hope that he would also become a cleric.
Kazembek grew up during the Russo-Iranian war of 1804–1813, which led to the Russian conquest of Derbent in 1806. The Russians subsequently appointed Hajji Qasim Kazem-Beg as the principal qazi (a Muslim judge who performs both judicial and administrative tasks) of Derbent. Although Iran continued to lay formal claim to Derbent until the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813, the event decisively ended Iranian domination of the city. After peace and order was established in Derbent in 1811, Kazembek and his mother rejoined Hajji Qasim Kazem-Beg at Derbent. A few years later, Hajji Qasim Kazem-Beg was found guilty of treason, likely due to his growing support among Iranian loyalists. As a result, the Russian governor-general of Georgia seized his belongings and banished him to Astrakhan as a prisoner.
Conversation to Christianity from Islam After moving to Astrakhan in 1821 to live with his father, Kazembek quickly started going to the Scottish mission on a regular basis. Located on the western edge of the Grand Square, the Scottish mission was housed in one of the prominent buildings in the area. On Sundays, there was community prayers. There, several of the children had attained a high level of skill in Persian and Turkish, and distinguished themselves with their Persian calligraphy. While studying Christianity, Kazembek also started teaching the missionaries Tatar, Persian, and Arabic. During a previous visit to Derbent, Kazembek had encountered several missionaries, including William Glen, who was reportedly fluent in Persian. Glen's influence may have started Kazembek's interest in Christianity. Richard Knill, who served as pastor of the Independent Chapel in Saint Petersburg from 1821 to 1831, noted Kazembek's conversion in his journal on 15/22 May 1823. He wrote, "The Lord be praised for this trophy of his grace."
Kazembek's father became distraught when he found out about his abandonment of Islam. Despite being confronted by the Iranian consul and a group of Iranians, Kazembek refused to abandon his Christian beliefs. When threatened by his father to delivered to the authorities in chains, Kazembek responded, "I cannot recant; my flesh would willingly become a Mahomedan, but my conscience will not allow me." Upon being told by his father that force and coercion decided all disputes regarding Islamic orthodoxy, Kazembek responded, "A sure proof that your religion is not of God, for he does not need such carnal weapons to decide matters of faith."
As soon as the missionaries learned that Kazembek's father had beaten him brutally, put him in jail, and denied him food, they made a swift request to the governor of Astrakhan to save him. Soon after, the Russian civil authorities had Kazembek taken to the house of the Scottish mission, where the chief of police placed him in a secure location. In an attempt to claim Kazembek for the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Archbishop of Astrakhan tried to get involved in his Baptism. Muslims in the Russian Empire were only allowed to get baptised and tutored by Eastern Orthodox Church priests.
The missionaries of the Scottish colony of Karass, worried that their efforts would be hindered by this law, notified the Archbishop of Astrakhan about the special privileges they had been granted by the Russian emperor Alexander I (). Eventually, the archbishop decided that the Russian emperor should make the final judgment about the rights of the Karass missionaries to train and baptize non-Orthodox converts. In a Persian-language letter to Alexander I, Kazembek pleaded to be baptized by the Scottish missionaries who had played a crucial role in introducing him to Christianity. To present their concerns to the emperor, the missionaries submitted a formal request to Alexander Nikolaevich Golitsyn, the Minister of Religious Affairs.
Parts of the journal of the missionaries showed the results of their interactions with other Iranians in Astrakhan, which motivated them seek official recognition of their rights. One instance involved an Iranian cleric named Rasul, who was hesitant to embrace Christianity because he was worried about the backlash from people he owed money to. Golitsyn's reply confirmed that the Karass missionaries, according to the imperial charter's articles, had the authority to baptize those who were converted through their efforts. Before being baptized, Kazembek publicly declared his Christian religion in July 1823. Glen, McPherson, and Ross performed his Presbyterian baptism, giving him the name Aleksandr upon his request. The sacrament was performed in English, Tatar, and Persian in the Astrakhan mission chapel in front of Scots, Iranians, Tatars, Russians, Armenians, English, French, and Germans. As a result, everyone in the congregation understood a portion of the ceremony.
Kazembek's missionary request and initial employment at Astrakhan Due to his conversion to Christianity, Kazembek was required to join the Russian imperial service in either a military, civil, or commercial position. He was told this by the governor-general of Astrakhan, who was following orders from the Russian general Aleksey Yermolov. The conditions placed upon Kazembek also included a written assurance not to leave Astrakhan without police approval and a prohibition against participating in Christian missionary work. Wishing to propagate the teachings of Christianity among his fellow countrymen, Kazembek submitted a formal request to Alexander I seeking authorization to do so.
The missionaries initially sent Kazembek's request to Golitsyn for Alexander I's review, but he refused due to the latters worsening health. Subsequently, they reached out to Princess Sofia Sergeievna Meshcherskaia, a close companion and spiritual advisor to Alexander I, known for her role in facilitating communication between the Emperor and the missionaries. She agreed to present the request when the timing was more favorable but noted that it was not advisable to do so at that moment.
Regarding future employment proposals, the Scottish Edinburgh authorities recommended on 2 September 1823 that Kazembek should not receive financial support that would elevate his lifestyle above his usual standard. They were concerned that such a change could tempt other Iranians to convert for material reasons. Additionally, Kazembek needed further training before he could teach others to prevent any potential for pride. Kazembek's study of religious texts, English language and literature was approved by the Edinburgh directors on 6 March 1824. Given a relatively small allowance, he was to be housed with one of the missionaries.
Many months later, the Edinburgh board later disapproved of the 1,500 rubles annual allowance for Kazembek, noting that an unmarried missionary's standard was 1,200 rubles. They questioned why an upcoming missionary should receive more than a fully qualified European missionary. Kazembek's allowance was thus adjusted to 1,200 rubles. In November 1824, concerns arose after it was found that wine was among Kazembek's expenses, leading to a regulation that he should only be given wine for health reasons to prevent any potential for misuse or scandal. By late 1824, the Russian government decided to remove Kazembek from missionary care, and he requested to join the College of Foreign Affairs in Saint Petersburg instead of military or commercial service. In April 1825, the Edinburgh directors agreed to support him if he could go to Saint Petersburg, but Kazembek was ultimately ordered to attend the College of Omsk in Siberia by 1 November 1825.
Career at the Kazan University
In January 1826, Kazembek, on his journey from Astrakhan to Omsk, had to stop in Kazan to recover from an illness. He was able to stay with Karl Fuchs, who was the rector of the Kazan University. In October 1826, Kazembek was officially named to the university's faculty after Fuchs managed to persuade the Russian foreign minister Karl Nesselrode to relieve Kazembek from his duties in Omsk. At that time, Kazan was seeking a new instructor in Tatar, with Kazembek being chosen due to his knowledge and personality.
Established in 1804, the Kazan University was the only Russian university in a city mostly populated by Muslims. Kazan was a city with a mix of Russian and Tatar inhabitants. Many of its residents were also Christian Tatar converts. Kazembek started his career at the Kazan University around the same time as its superintendent Mikhail Magnitskii was replaced by Mikhail Musin-Pushkin, who was more open to Oriental studies. The latter had spent many years working with the Ministry of Education, and was a dedicated advocate for the study of the Orient. With a distinguished family background and an admirable service record from the Napoleonic Wars, he passionately advanced the field of orientology.