Matveev Artamon Sergeyevich

Russian Russian statesman and military leader Artamon Sergeyevich Matveev, a fellow boyar, and one of the first "Westernizers" in Russian history.

Years of life:

Date and place of birth: April 13 (23), 1625, Moscow.
Date and place of death: May 15 (25), 1682, Moscow (died during the Streletsky revolt).

Occupation and key achievements

Diplomacy and management: headed the Embassy Order (1671-1676) and the Little Russian Order, determined the foreign policy course of Russia in the second half of the 17th century. He secured Kiev's position as the Russian state, established relations with European powers and eastern khanates, and sent the embassy of N. G. Spafaria to China.
Court influence: he was a close associate of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich; it was at Matveev's house that the tsar met Natalia Naryshkina, who became his second wife and the mother of Peter I.
Cultural innovations: He was at the origins of the Russian court theater (he organized the first theatrical performances at the court), participated in the creation of the first pharmacy in Moscow, organized a printing house under the Embassy Order, and assembled a large library.
Book and reference projects: he led the creation of the "Royal Titular", an important reference book on monarchs and history, and also initiated work on historical works about Russian sovereigns.

End of career and death

After the death of Alexei Mikhailovich (1676), Matveev fell into disgrace due to the confrontation of factions at the court (primarily with the Miloslavskys). He was exiled first to Verkhoturye, then to Pustozersk. In 1682, he was returned to Moscow, but soon he became one of the first victims of the Streletsky rebellion.