A disciple of Vasily Klyuchevsky and Matvey Lyubavsky, he graduated in 1904 from the Imperial University of Moscow.
From 1909 he pursued a doctorate, then taught from 1927 until the end of his life as a professor at Moscow State University.
As an activist Bakhrushin was a member of the Cadet Party and was especially concerned with combating homelessness.
In 1930 Bakhrushin was arrested and exiled during the "Academic Affair" for being involved in an alleged monarchist conspiracy.
[3] Bakhrushin's research areas were extremely broad: from Kievan Rus to the 19th century.