Tikhomirov Mikhail (1893–1965) – historian, paleographer.
After finishing a commercial school in St. Petersburg with a golden medal, he enrolled at the Historical Department of the Historical and Philological Faculty of the Moscow University. In 1917, he graduated it with the final study ‘Pskov Riot of the Seventeenth Century: From the History of Struggle of Social Classes in Russia’ (publ. in 1919). Since October 1917, he was a trainee in extracurricular education at the Cultural-Enlightening Department of the Cooperative Union of Dmitrov; that he was instructor in local history, Head of the Museum of Local History of the town of Dmitrov (by Moscow). In 1919-1920, he taught paleography in the University of Nickolaev (Saratov). In 1921-1923, he taught at the University of Samara. In 1923-1934, he was teacher in secondary schools and made some courses at various Moscow high schools. Since 1923, he was also free lancer at the Manuscript Department of the State Historical Museum; since 1935, he was taken into an official position there; since 1940 – Head of that department. Candidate in History (1936; ‘Pskov Rebellion of 1650’); Doctor in History (1939; ‘Study on the ‘Russian Code’, publ. in 1941). Dean of the Historical Faculty of the Moscow State University (1945-1947).
Senior Researcher of the Institute of History of the Ac. of Sc. of the U.S.S.R. (1935–1953), Senior Researcher of the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Ac. of Sc. of the U.S.S.R. (1957-1965). Correspondent Member of the Ac. of Sc. of the U.S.S.R. (1946); Academician of the Ac. of Sc. of the U.S.S.R. (1953)
Academician Secretary of the Department of Historical Studies of the Ac. of Sc. of the U.S.S.R. (1953–1957), member of the Department Bureau, Chairman of the Archaeographic Commission of the Ac. of Sc. of the U.S.S.R. (1956–1965), Executive Editor of such research periodicals as ‘Arkheograficheskyi ezhegodnik’, ‘Vizantiiskyi vremennik’ (since 1960), and book series ‘Monuments of the Medieval History of Peoples of Central and Eastern Europe’ (since 1957). Member of the Editorial Board of the multivolume ‘World History’ (since 1953), the multivolume ‘History of the U.S.S.R.’ (1956–1960), member of the Editorial Board of magazines ‘Voprosy istorii’ (1945–1949, 1953– 1957), ‘Sovetskoe slavyanovedenie’, and book series ‘Literary Monuments’.
He was a leading specialist and founder of a research school in the field of source study for the history of Russia. In the field of religious studies there are some of his important works on medieval Russian culture, Russian-Byzantine relations, as well as his works in source studies, including publication of chronicles and documents of Russian law codes.