Knyazhnin's last tragedy, "Vadim of Novgorod" (1789), was inspired by Catherine II's treatment of Vadim's revolt against Rurik in her own play "From Ryurik's Life". Disputing with her, Knyazhnin depicted Vadim as a champion of Novgorod's ancient liberties who has to stab himself in the face of triumphant authoritarianism. When the play was posthumously published in 1793, the Empress had it banned as a "literary revolt". Against the background of the French Revolution, it was decided wise to burn all the copies. "Vadim of Novgorod" was never staged and was not reprinted in Russia until 1914.