Sofya Romanova: biography, interesting facts

Sophia Romanova's daughter Alexei Mikhailovich was born on September 27, 1657. She was the sixth child in the royal family. Her mother, Maria Miloslavskaya, was the first wife of Alexei and was the mother of the kings of Fedor III and Ivan V. By the will of circumstances Sophia Romanova, as well as the brothers, became ruler - the first since the time of Princess Olga in the 10th century.

Personality

Sophia Alexeevna's teacher was a theologian Simeon of Polotsk - one of the most educated people of Russia of that era. Therefore it is not surprising that contemporaries considered the princess a bright and intelligent person.

In the Moscow state a tradition has developed, according to which the daughters of the monarchs led an extremely closed way of life. Very often the princesses did not marry at all. Marriage from compatriots (even with the boyar) was considered inappropriate, and a wedding with representatives of European dynasties was also impossible due to religious differences. Sofia Alexeyevna also had no spouse. But, becoming a political figure, she violated the established domestic tradition of ousting women of royal blood from a public field.

Dynastic crisis

Alexei Mikhailovich had many children, but almost all of them were distinguished by poor health. The king experienced two older sons. Dying in 1676, the Crown Prince made his heir the third offspring, Fedor, who became Fyodor III. This young man was also painful. He died in 1682 at the age of 20 years.

The departure from the life of the young king gave birth to a dynastic crisis. There was a question about the heir. Then on the political scene and appeared Sophia Romanova. In Fedor, besides several sisters, there were two younger brothers: Ivan and Peter. Since the king was dying childless, the power should be transferred to one of them.

Ivan was older, but his fragile health caused a lot of questions. The youngest, Peter, on the other hand, was notable for his energy, well-being and a childish mind. In addition, the princes were children of different wives of Alexei. Mother of Ivan was Maria Miloslavskaya, mother of Peter - Natalia Naryshkina. Behind the heirs, their relatives from boyar families acted.

Regency

Oddly enough, but the compromise figure for the Moscow elite was Sophia Romanova, whose biography shows that she had a strong will and was capable of public administration. In 1682, when Fedor III died, a rebellion of the streltsi-soldiers took place in the capital, which formed the basis of the regular Russian army of that time.

The army, incited by the Miloslavskys, opposed the candidacy of Peter. Streltsy accused the Naryshkins of killing Ivan and attacked the royal palace. Many of the boyars who stood on Peter's side perished, including his "guardian" Artamon Matveyev. As a result of this armed intervention, the feuding aristocrats agreed that both brothers would rule together.

But even this compromise did not abolish their early childhood. Then the boyars decided that the best regent would be Sophia Romanova. Biography of Alexei Mikhailovich's daughter suited all representatives of the Moscow elite and in June 1682 she became a sovereign with her younger brothers.

The right hand of Sophia

Before Russia at the end of the 17th century there were several serious internal and external problems. They accompanied the entire reign of Sophia. Romanova had considerable powers, but she made decisions based on the advice of her favorite. The closest adviser to the princess was the boyar and diplomat Prince Vasily Golitsyn. Officially, he served as the head of the Ambassadorial Order (an analogue of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

«12 articles»

In the legacy from Father Sophia the problem of the Orthodox religious schism was inherited. Under Tsar Aleksei and Patriarch Nikon, a church reform was carried out. The change in some traditional dogmas and rites led to an unprecedented resistance from society. People who did not want to accept innovations were accused of heresy.

Sofya Alekseevna Romanova, whose reign was the logical continuation of her father's rule, supported the previous repressive policy against dissenters. In 1685, the princess adopted the so-called "12 articles". In this law, punishments were systematized against the Old Believers. Executions, torture, imprisonment in the walls of monasteries, confiscation of property were authorized.

The adoption of the "12 articles" led to a mass flight of dissenters from Moscow and other major cities of the Russian state. Historian Lev Gumilev, like many other researchers, believed that the law had become one of the cruelest in the history of the domestic state punitive policy. It is curious that in that year Louis XIV at the same time as Sofya abolished the Nantes edict in France, refusing to tolerate against Protestants.

Eternal peace with Poland

Even under Aleksei Mikhailovich, Russia waged a war with Poland. The armed conflict ended in 1667, but many territorial disputes were never concluded. The decision of this diplomatic problem was taken up by Sofya Alexeyevna Romanova. The regent's years of government fell on a time when both countries were interested in resolving long-standing disagreements. Against this background, Ambassadors of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth arrived in Moscow.

The apple of discord remained Hetmanate - the land of Cossacks in Ukraine. Around this region and heated up controversy. After lengthy negotiations in 1686, the Eternal Peace was finally concluded. On it, Poland recognized for Russia Kiev, the entire Left Bank Ukraine, Zaporozhye, Chernigov, Starodub and Smolensk. In exchange, Moscow paid 146 thousand rubles and agreed to participate in the joint European war against Turkey, which threatened the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the south. Warsaw retained Volhynia and Galicia, and also guaranteed the observance of the rights of its Orthodox subjects.

Crimean campaigns

A direct consequence of the Eternal Peace with Poland was the organization of Russia by the Crimean campaigns against the Ottoman Empire and its vassal of the Crimean Khan. There were only two campaigns. Both led by Vasily Golitsyn. Sophia Romanova supported the appointment of the commander-in-chief. A brief biography of the diplomat seemed to the princess the most suitable.

In 1687, the 100,000-strong Russian army set out on its journey. Crimean Tatars set fire to the steppe, greatly complicating the life of the army. As a result, Golitsyn's main army was defeated. However, the detachment of the commander Grigory Kosagov, who was on the right flank, took possession of Ochakov and defeated the Budjak horde.

The second Crimean campaign began in 1689. Golitsyn reached Perekop, but did not take it and turned back. The prince motivated his decision to retreat with a lack of fresh water. As a result, Crimean campaigns did not bring Russia any tangible benefits. Nevertheless, it was they who increased Moscow's prestige in the eyes of Western Europe, for which Turkey was the main enemy that threatened the peace and order of the entire Christian civilization.

Relations with China

The diplomacy of Sophia concerned not only the European capitals, but also the distant eastern borders of the country. Throughout the 17th century, the Russian colonists (primarily Cossacks) followed east until they finally reached the Chinese border. For a long time, relations with the Qing Empire were not regulated by any document.

The biggest trouble was that the two states had not officially agreed their borders, which caused conflicts in neighboring regions. The Russians, who sought suitable land for farming, settled in the Amur region, which was also abundant in furs. However, this region was in the zone of influence of the Qing Empire. Apogee of disputes with the colonists was the siege by the Chinese of the Russian outpost Albazin in 1685.

To settle relations with the eastern neighbor in Transbaikalia, an embassy was organized by Sofya Alexeyevna Romanova. The results of the reign of the princess were generally positive, but it was the episode with China that became an unpleasant stroke in the history of the regency. The Qing Empire achieved the signing of a treaty that was extremely unprofitable for Moscow. Russia was deprived of its Far Eastern regions, Priamurye, and also the fortress Albazin. The border with China was conducted along the banks of the Argun River. The corresponding document was signed in Nerchinsk and became known as the Nerchen treaty. Its action ceased only in the middle of the XIX century.

Loss of power

The existing order of the regency of Sophia could not be eternal. Peter gradually grew up, and sooner or later the sister would have to give him power. The second brother, the weak-willed Ivan, did not play any independent role despite his high status. According to the traditions of that time Peter finally became an adult after he married the daughter of boyar Evdokia Lopukhina. However, Sofya Alekseevna Romanova, whose brief biography shows her as a power-hungry woman, did not in the least rush to yield her dominant position to her younger brother.

For several years of regency, the princess surrounded herself with loyal people. The military commanders, including those from the Streltsy, received their posts thanks to Sophia and supported only her claims. Peter continued to live in the village of Preobrazhensky near Moscow, and his relationship with the Kremlin became more hostile.

The only force on which the future emperor could rely was his amusing troops. These regiments were formed over several years. Initially, the prince only entertained with military games, but gradually his army became a formidable force. In August 1689, supporters informed Peter that an attempt was being made on him. The young man took refuge in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Gradually, thanks to decrees and letters, he lured the streltsi to his side, and Sophia remained in Moscow in isolation.

Life in a monastery

In September 1689, the king's sister was deposed and sent to the Novodevichy Convent. Within the walls of the monastery she lived surrounded by guards. In 1698, in Moscow, in the absence of the tsar, an armed rebellion broke out. The mutiny was suppressed. The investigation concluded that the conspirators were going to put Sophia on the throne. Her relationship with her brother had not been warm before, and now Peter ordered to cut his sister into a nun. Sofya Romanova, whose portraits portray her grave condition in prison, died on July 14, 1704, in the Novodevichy Convent.