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SOPHIA'S REGENCY |
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Seven
years of Sophia's regency (1682-1689) in fact constituted the
period of her autocratic reign, since Ivan could not be
seriously considered a ruler, while Peter, together with his
mother, was expelled from the Kremlin. Both czars were present
in the Kremlin only on protocolar occasions, for example
during receiving foreign ambassadors. On those occasions they
sat on a special double-seated throne; Sophia, hidden behind
the back of the throne, was whispering all the necessary
phrases to the czars through a secret orifice. This throne
nowadays can be seen in the museum of the Moscow Kremlin.
The closest
and the most influential favourite of the regentess became
prince Vasiliy Golitsyn (1643-1714), a high-ranking statesman,
and an advocate of progressive reforms and
rapprochement with Europe. At that time the court in Moscow was under a
substantial Polish cultural influence on the grounds of the
common anti-Turkish alliance. Golitsyn
had also achieved substantial diplomatic successes -
contrary to his |
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military
defeats, which eventually brought the collapse of the system,
in which he played a key role. Undoubtfully, Sophia and her favourite had plans of reforms in
some areas of the state constitution, but they encountered a
lot of obstacles in their way. They came from the raskolniki
in the first place. There were a lot of sympathizers of the
"old believers" among streltsi.
And so the old ritualists put their far-fetching hopes in streltsi,
as the force that elevated Sophia during the events of May.
Prince Ivan Khovanskiy patronized them - perhaps he had some
illusive hopes for even bigger political career? Old
ritualists demanded equality, and they put their hopes in an
open and public "spiritual council", which they
demand through streltsi.
Trying to avoid antagonizing streltsi,
the government consented to the council. It was staged on 5
July 1682 in the Kremlin palace in the presence of Sophia,
patriarch Joachim, and other Orthodox clergy. Over the
"schismatic" clergy presided Nikita Pustosvyat, who
was executed already on the next day.
Therefore, a new, sinister conflict was looming. Streltsi
since the very beginning were defiant, and resorted even to
insulting Sophia: it's time to go to convent - stop stirring
the czardom - enough that we have czars, - an riots again
broke out in the city. But Sophia resolved to show an iron
hand: she uttered threats to turn to the people directly in
order to pacify streltsi,
and ordered about the immediate execution of Pustosvyat. Then
- and that is the most important - she turned to Khovanskiy.
Right at that time the gossips maintained that the commander
of the streltsi
regiments was thinking about the Russian crown for himself or
for one of his sons. As Sophia learned about it, she left
Moscow and together with her associates, changing horses in
the monasteries passed en
route, made for village Vozdvizhenskoye near the
Trinity-St.Sergius Monastery. There arrived numerous boyars
and with them the regentess discussed the question of
Khovanskiy's reportedly plotting to kill both czars.
Khovanskiy and his eldest son were summoned to Vozdvizhenskoye,
where they arrived not knowing that they were already
sentenced. Both Khovanskies were executed on 17 September.
Out of the fear of the reaction of streltsi
to the execution of their leader, there were published
pamphlets with explanations that the "royal anger"
does not concern streltsi.
But neither Sophia nor her associates were naďve enough to
disregard the old saying about God helping those, who help
themselves, and for bigger safety they locked themselves in
the Trinity-St.Sergius Monastery, having summoned popular
militia. The latter was the best of all the possible
decisions, since a new revolt was about to break out in
Moscow. But the news about the popular militia made streltsi
sober, and they asked forgiveness swearing simultaneously that
they would never interfere with the state matters again. This
way the situation stabilized and in the beginning of November
Sophia with her court could return to Moscow and take the
power in her hands. She made Feodor Shaklovity, a former
official in the Secret Prikaz,
the head of the Streletskiy
Prikaz. Some other important political developments occurred during
Sophia's regency as well. In 1684 once again were confirmed
the terms of the Treaty of Kardis with Sweden, which kept all
her conquests in Livonia. On the other hand an indisputable
success was the signing in 1686 the so-called Eternal Peace
with Poland; it was the result of three-years-long talks in
Moscow with the Polish legation led by the governor of Poznan,
Krzysztof Grzymułtowski. The Eternal Peace (in the Polish
historical literature known as Grzymułtowski's Peace)
confirmed the terms of the Treaty of Andrusov: Poland
renounced her rights to Kiev, and territories east of the
Dnieper with Chernigov and Smolensk in return for Russia's
access to the anti-Turkish league (together with Poland,
Austria and Venice). As a matter of fact, despite of the
agreement achieved in Moscow, Poland refused to ratify it for
the next 24 years.
Conclusion of the peace accords with Sweden and Poland was to
a great degree Golitsyn's merit, but Russia's entry to the
anti-Turkish alliance required from him activities that
involved military talents. Despite of liabilities coming out
of the alliance, Russia did not open hostilities at once, and
not against Turkey directly, but against Crimea. Of course,
even from the most disastrous Crimean defeat Turkey would even
shake, and the allies' objectives would not come any closer.
But Sophia did not pursue her allies' objectives; she had her
own objectives - yet another coup
d'état, removal of her two brothers and the actual
royal power. Her plans also included marriage with Golitsyn.
That is why she put the prince in van of the expedition
against Crimea. Sophia's own fate depended on the success of
the military campaign, and Golitsyn's victory could furnish
success to her plans.
But the dreams of the power were not to become true. During
the first expedition (1687 г.) Golitsyn's army were not
able to cross the steppes the Tartars had burnt and he had to
order the retreat. In vain they tried to orchestrate in Moscow
a triumphal welcome to Golitsyn - everybody knew about the
failure of the expedition. Nevertheless, Sophia did not
abandon her design and the next expedition was prepared
better. In the early spring of 1689 Golitsyn marched out
southwards again, and he even reached Perekop - the fortress
guarding the isthmus linking the Crimea with the mainland.
However, he did not dare to take the fortress or besiege it,
and instead he ordered the retreat once again.
Despite of the second Golitsyn's failure, Sophia resolved to
have the coup d'état
anyway. Its details are not know in full, and so it is
possible to interpret in different ways the results of the
further investigation in that matter, especially that
witnesses testimonies were extracted under tortures.
Shaklovity is believed to have advised radical measures, and
first of all killing Peter. Once again hopes were put in streltsi,
and Sophia, for the countless time, tried to attract then to
her side by various promises.
Meanwhile 17-years-old Peter already had his own military
force. Peter spent his childhood chiefly in the village of
Preobrazhenskoye, where he enjoyed playing war games with his
peers recruited among the court servants and children of the
local peasants. On the banks of the river Yauza (tributary to
Moskva) Peter used to organize "sea" war games. With
time boys obtained real sabres and muskets, and they started a
regular military drill under the command of foreign
specialists invited especially for that purpose. As the time
was passing, they formed two exercise (or "game" in
the contemporary language) regiments, disciplined and
professionally commanded. In 1687 one of them was named
Preobrazhenski and the other one Semyonovski; in 1700 they
became infantry regiments of guards.
Historians still try to find the answer to the question why
Sophia neglected an omen so sinister to her. Perhaps Peter's
young age played its role, as well as hopes put in Golitsyn's
military victories. It was not until August 1689 that the
regentess suddenly realised that she must not lose a day.
However, someone warned Peter about the pending attack, and by
night from 7 to 8 August the young czar fled to the sanctuary
of the walls of the Trinity-St.Sergius Monastery. Already on
the next day started coming there those, who were on Peter's
side or considered it safer to turn to him. Of course, there
came both "game" regiments, and with them also the
Naryshkins and some of the boyars.
The ranks of Peter's supporters grew, while Sophia hesitated
to challenge him openly. When Peter demanded from his sister
explanations as to the nature of her preparations, she sent
patriarch Joachim to conduct talks at the Trinity-St.Sergius
Monastery. He though chose to remain with Peter, who was his
favourite since the beginning. Nolens-volens
Sophia had to set off for the Trinity-St.Sergius Monastery by
herself, but on the way there she was confronted with such
threats that she found it safer to return to the Kremlin, and
there fence herself once again with the streltsi.
But all her hopes were shattered when the streltsi
gave away Shaklovity, and Golitsyn came to the conclusion that
everything was lost and voluntarily went to Peter to beg for
mercy. That decision saved his life, but he lost everything
else: boyar's title,
possessions and freedom. He was exiled in the north, where he
lived till his death in 1714. Shaklovity was executed among
other conspirators. Sophia was forced to retire to a convent,
although without taking the veil yet.
And once again there came reprisals: in 1691 among the
executed found himself Silvestr Medvedyev - a poet and a
printer brought up in the school of Semeon Polotskiy, just
like his master an avid advocate of the use of the Polish
language and creation of the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy. He
was arrested upon denunciation made by one of the accomplices
of Shaklovity, who was executed yet in 1689. In the beginning
of March 1697 was exposed another plot in support of Sophia,
led by Ivan Tsikler, and heads literally rolled. But most of
the heads rolled after the suppression of the last streltsi
revolt. Somehow aside of the mainstream events, on 27 August 1689 (it
means after Sophia's deposition), Russian diplomat Fyodor
Golovin concluded in Nerchinsk (Trans-Baikal Region, east of
Chita) a peace accord with China. He did it mainly under the
pressure of circumstances - Chinese armies invaded the areas
of Russian settlements, and besieged Udinsk and Albazin. The
terms of the peace accord were practically dictated by the
Chinese: Amur and Ussuri regions, whose frontiers though were
not exactly defined, went to China, and that settled the
matter for the next 150 years. |
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