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Russian Tsarevna Sophia Alexeyevna Romanova was born
On September 17 (27) 1657, Moscow, in the family of Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (Alexis of Russia) from the first marriage with M. I. Miloslavskaya was born daughter Sophia, regent of Russia (1682-1689) during the minority of her brothers — Russian Tsars Ivan V and Peter I.
Sophia received a good education and was fond of reading. Her teachers were writers, theologians Symeon of Polotsk, Silvestre Medvedev, Karion Istomin. Tsarevna knew Latin and Polish, was well versed in theological issues, and took an interest in history.
In 1682 after the death of her childless brother — Tsar Feodor Alexeevich, Sophia joined the struggle for the throne among court groups, who centered around relatives and followers of the first and the second wives of Alexei Mikhailovich — Miloslavsky and Naryshkin families. Boyars, who were aware of weak-mindedness of Tsarevich Ivan, elected little Peter for reign. On May 15 (25) 1682, Streltsy Uprising broke out in Moscow and as a result of it Peter I as a junior co-ruler together with his half-brother Ivan V were crowned as tsars, while Sophia, as the sister of the older Tsar, became their regent. Her name entered the official Tsar’s title “great sovereigns and great sovereign lady tsarevna and great princess Sophia Alexeevna…”. In 1684 Sophia ordered to mint coins bearing her portrait. From 1686 she called herself аn autocrat, while in January 1687 she issued a special decree concerning this title. Sophia’s closest advisers were Boyar Prince V. V. Golitsyn and clerk in the Boyars’ Council F. L. Shaklovity.
Eager to stabilize the affairs in the state, the government under Sophia cut down the number of Streltsy regiments in Moscow. In 1683 there was issued a decree on catching fugitive serves and their return, or either a life-long exile to towns of Siberia. The order of 1684 permitted peasants, who left for towns to remain there. Lessening of detention policies towards runaway peasants caused dissatisfaction among the nobles. Continuing the struggle with Old Believers, in 1683 the government introduced the order on detention of dissenters and bringing them to trial.
An important event in the history of Russian culture was foundation of Slavic Greek Latin Academy at the Epiphany Monastery in 1687 — the first higher education establishment in Russia. Sophia was anxious to attract foreigners - merchants, craftsmen, scholars - for service in Russia. Tsarevna wrote tragedies, and acted them out in the circle of her followers.
As for the foreign policy major steps of the government under Sophia included the approval of terms of the Treaty of Cardis of 1661 with Sweden (1684), conclusion of the “Eternal Peace Treaty” (1686) with Poland, Treaty of Nerchinsk (1689) with China, which established the border line between two states. During her reign Russia joined the alliance of the number of European states against Ottoman Empire, the aftermath of it were unsuccessful Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689. Failure of Crimean campaigns became heralds of the new revolt.
In 1689 relationship between Sophia and the party of Boyars and nobles who supported Peter I became sharper. Young tsar was supported by Patriarch Joachim and influential followers. Sophia suffered a defeat in the struggle with her half-brother and was placed to Novodevichy Convent. In 1698, as Peter I was absent with the Great Embassy to Europe, Sophia’s supporters again tried to use Streltsy Uprising to reinstate Tsarevna in the Kremlin. Peter urgently came back to Moscow and himself interrogated his sister.
After suppression of the Streltsy Uprising in October 1698 Sophia was tonsured a nun under the name Susanna. In the convent confinement she spent the last years of her life and was buried in Smolensky Cathedral of Novodevichy Convent.
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Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Аристов Н. Я. Московские смуты в правление царевны Софии Алексеевны. Варшава, 1871;