Mikhail Matveyevich Kheraskov (1733-1807) was regarded as the most important Russian poet by Catherine the Great and her contemporaries. Events February 12 - British colonist James Oglethorpe founds Savannah, Georgia. ... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Catherine II (Екатерина II Алексеевна: Yekaterína II Alekséyevna, April 21, 1729 - November 6, 1796), born Sophie Augusta Fredericka, known as Catherine the Great, reigned as empress of Russia from June 28, 1762, to her death on November 6, 1796. ...

Kheraskov's father was a Wallachian boyar who settled in the Ukraine. Patronized by his Freemason friends, Mikhail furthered his education abroad and was appointed dean of the Moscow University at the age of 30. In 1771-79 he wrote Rossiad, the first and only Russian epic in the tradition of Homer and Virgil. The subject of this vast and tedious poem is Ivan the Terrible's taking of Kazan in 1552. The Rossiad's only rival for the title of the longest poem in the Russian language is Kheraskov's Vladimir Reborn (1785), concerned with the Baptism of Kievan Rus. Somewhat more readable is his oriental tale Bakhariana (1803). Kheraskov also wrote 20 plays but, like the rest of his writings, they have been completely neglected by posterity. Map of Romania with Wallachia in yellow. ... A boyar (also spelt bojar; Romanian: boier) was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Ruthenian (Russian) and Romanian aristocracy, second only to the ruling princes, from the 10th through the 17th century. ... American Square & Compasses Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternal organization. ... Moscow State University campus M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (Московский Государственный Университет имени М.В.Ломоносова, often abbreviated МГУ, MSU, MGU) is considered the oldest university in Russia, founded in 1755. ... EPIC might be an acronym or abbreviation for: Electronic Privacy Information Center Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing Enhanced Programmable ircII Client El Paso Intelligence Center End Poverty In California European Privatisation and Investment Corporation Sometimes it is also used to refer to Epic Games game development company. ... Bust of Homer in the British Museum For other uses, see Homer (disambiguation). ... For other uses see Virgil (disambiguation). ... Ivan IV (August 25, 1530–March 18, 1584) was the first ruler of Russia to assume the title of tsar. ... Kazan (Qazan) is the capital city of Tatarstan and one of Russias largest cities. ... Events April - War between Henry II of France and Emperor Charles V. Henry invades Lorraine and captures Toul, Metz, and Verdun. ... Russian (русский язык   listen?) is the most widely spoken language of Europe and the most widespread of the Slavic languages. ... Clandestine Christian communities existed in Kiev for decades before the official baptism. ...