Golitsyn Boris Alekseevich
Boris Alekseevich Golitsyn — prince, boyar, statesman of the era of Tsarevna Sophia and Peter I, one of the educators of young Peter ("uncle"), a large landowner. He came from an ancient princely family (leading the family tree from the Lithuanian Prince Gediminas). His father is Prince Alexei Andreevich Golitsyn, his mother is Irina Fedorovna (nee Princess Khilkova).
Years of life: July 20 (30), 1654 — October 18 (29), 1714
The beginning of the service and the approach to the court
He began his career under Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich:
In 1670 he became a stolnik.;
In 1676, he became a room steward.;
In 1682, he received the rank of governor (responsible for the royal table).
He was well educated for his time: he knew Latin and Greek, and maintained contacts with foreigners. It was in his honor that the German philologist Heinrich Ludolf dedicated his Grammatica Russica (the first grammar of the Russian language in Latin, 1696).
Peter the Great's Tutor and the growth of influence
Peter the Great's mother, Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina, entrusted Golitsyn with the upbringing of the young tsarevich — he became his "uncle". Boris Alekseevich encouraged Peter's interest in military affairs and sciences, introduced him to European culture.
During the confrontation between Peter and Tsarevna Sophia (1689), Golitsyn strongly supported the young tsar: he followed him to Trinity‑St. Sergius Monastery. This was an important step towards the transfer of power to Peter. For his support, he received a boyar rank (1690) and key positions.
Government activities
The order of the Kazan Palace. Since 1683, he headed the order, which governed the vast territories of the Volga region and the Urals. In fact, he was responsible for an entire macroregion, controlled relations with local peoples and the development of the outskirts.
Military and infrastructure projects. He participated in the Azov campaign of 1695, commanding the "grassroots cavalry." He oversaw attempts to build a canal between the Volga and the Don (the project was not completed in the end).
Governing the country in the absence of the tsar. During the Great Embassy (1697-1698), he was one of those who ruled the state while Peter the Great traveled through Europe. He participated in the investigation of the Streletsky rebellion of 1698.
Connections with Europe and the cultural vector. Golitsyn was one of the agents of European influence at court. His openness to foreigners and his education helped Peter to build new connections. His contemporaries noted his wit and broad outlook, although they reproached him for his lack of "diligence to business" and a penchant for entertainment.
Manors and architecture
Golitsyn was a large landowner (he owned at least 20 estates). The most famous are:
Dubrovitsy. The Church of the Sign was built here by his order (consecrated in 1704). The temple stands out for its unusual appearance: it combines the traditions of Russian architecture and Western European Baroque.
Bolshye Vyazemye and Marfino (Bogoroditskoe) are another significant estates that he built.
There is even a concept of "Golitsyn Baroque" associated with architectural projects that were implemented with his participation or at his behest.
Recent years
After the Astrakhan uprising of 1705, Golitsyn was indirectly considered responsible for the situation on the southeastern borders, and he lost his former influence. At the end of his life, he took monastic vows with the name Bogolep and died in the Florishcheva desert (Vladimir province). At his expense, a stone building was built in the monastery, later named Golitsynsky.
Character and assessments of contemporaries
Prince Kurakin wrote about him as follows: "a man of great intelligence, and especially sharpness, but not diligent to business, he loved fun a lot." This characteristic shows the inconsistency of the figure: educated and influential, he was not always focused on routine administrative work.