Kutepov’s The Grand Princely, Tsarist and Imperial Hunting in Rus' – A Royal Treasure in My Library.

Kutepov’s The Grand Princely, Tsarist and Imperial Hunting in Rus' – A Royal Treasure in My Library. Few possessions whisper the grandeur of a vanished empire quite like a complete set of Nikolai Kutepov’s monumental work, Bol’shaya Knyazheskaya, Tsarskaya i Imperatorskaya Okhota na Rusi (The Grand Princely, Tsarist and Imperial Hunting in Rus'). To hold these four volumes – published between 1896 and 1911 in the twilight years of the Russian Empire – is to cradle a tangible piece of imperial history, meticulously chronicled by the man who orchestrated the very hunts he describes. As the proud owner of this extraordinary set, I feel an immense sense of privilege and connection to a world of opulence, tradition, and meticulous record-keeping that vanished with the Revolution. The Author: Keeper of the Imperial Hunt Nikolai Aleksandrovich Kutepov (1850–1915) wasn't just an author; he was the Ober-Yegermeister (Chief Master of the Hunt) for the last three Russian Emperors: Alexander III, Nicholas II, and briefly, the doomed heir Alexei. This position placed him at the very heart of one of the Romanovs' most cherished pastimes. Hunting wasn't merely sport for the Tsars; it was a state ritual, a display of power, a diplomatic tool, and a deeply ingrained aristocratic tradition stretching back to the Grand Princes of Kiev. Kutepov had unparalleled access – to the imperial archives, the hunting grounds, the participants, and the Emperor himself. His work is thus not just history; it's an insider's definitive account, written with the authority of the man who made it happen. The Volumes: A Lavish Chronicle of Imperial Pursuit Published in St. Petersburg by the Imperial Court's own printing house, the four volumes are masterpieces of late-imperial Russian publishing: Book One (1896): Lays the foundation, exploring the origins of hunting in Ancient Rus', the traditions of the Grand Princes of Moscow, and the early Tsars (Ivan the Terrible, the early Romanovs). It establishes the deep cultural and historical roots of the practice. Book Two (1898): Focuses on the transformative reign of Peter the Great and the 18th century, detailing how hunting evolved under Western influence while retaining its Russian character, covering the eras of Catherine the Great and Paul I. Book Three (1902): Chronicles the golden age of imperial hunting under Alexander I, Nicholas I, and Alexander II. This volume is particularly rich in detail about the organization, scale, and specific hunts of this period. Book Four (1911): Brings the narrative to the then-present day, covering the reigns of Alexander III and Nicholas II. This volume is especially poignant, capturing the final, magnificent flourish of the imperial hunt just years before the world it described would be obliterated.