Nikolai Petrovsky

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Nikolay Fyodorovich Petrovsky (Russian: Николай Фёдорович Петровский; 1837 - 1908) was the Russian consul-general in Kashgar from 1882 until 1902.

Petrovsky's main adversary during his time in Central Asia was George McCartney, his English counterpart. The competition between their two countries for influence in Central Asia is known as the Great Game. Between 1899 and June of 1902 the two did not speak to each other, although both were on friendly terms with visiting travellers such as Sven Hedin.

By the end of the 19th century, Petrovsky's personal collection included some texts in the then-unknown Tocharian languages, among other obscure dialects. The bulk of his collection was donated by Petrovsky to the Asiatic Museum in St. Petersburg.

[edit] Cultural allusions

• Petrovsky is mentioned in the Red vs Blue, Public Service Announcement, 'Going Global'. He is said to be the leader of an 'Eastern European country that changes its governments every ten days'.

[edit] See also

• Mikhail Nikolayevich Muravyov
• Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov

[edit] References

• Hopkirk, Peter (1980). Foreign Devils on the Silk Road: The Search for the Lost Cities and Treasures of Chinese Central Asia. Amherst: The University of Massachusetts Press. ISBN 0-87023-435-8.
• Meyer, Karl E. and Shareen Blair Brysac. Tournament of Shadows: the Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia (Basic Books: 2006) ISBN 0-465-04576-6
• Red Vs. Blue: Going Global