This day in Russian history and the History of the world.

February 10

February 10, 1784: Catherine II (the Great) ordered Grigory Potyomkin to rebuild a a base for a naval squadron into a fortress and call it Sevastopol.

Thus the city of Sevastopol was founded.

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February 10, 1837: Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, Russian author of the Romantic era, who is considered by many to be the greatest Russian poet and the founder of modern Russian literature died at the age of 37.

He was mortally wounded by Georges d'Anths at a duel for Pushkin's wife reputation.

Critics consider many of his works masterpieces, such as the poem "The Bronze Horseman" and the drama "The Stone Guest", a tale of the fall of Don Juan.

His poetic short drama "Mozart and Salieri" was the inspiration for Peter Shaffer's Amadeus.

Pushkin's verse novel "Eugene Onegin" starts tradition of Russian novels.

Translated into all the major languages, his works are regarded as expressing most completely Russian national consciousness.

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