279: Cameroon: The Slave General of Peter the Great

The podcast explores the life of Abram Petrovich Gannibal, a Cameroonian who rose to become a general and nobleman in the Russian Empire. It traces Gannibal's journey from his likely birth south of Lake Chad to his enslavement and eventual arrival in the court of Peter the Great, who became his benefactor. Gannibal's subsequent military career, including service in the French army and his role as governor of Tallinn, is discussed. The hosts also address Gannibal's complex personal life, including his marriages and descendants, notably Alexander Pushkin. The narrative further explores how Gannibal's legacy was perceived differently over time, from being a symbol of the Russian Enlightenment to an icon for black writers during the Harlem Renaissance.