Princess Sophia

Princess Sophia Alexeyevna is one of the most enigmatic figures in Russian history. In a patriarchal country where public activity for women was unthinkable, she rose to the pinnacle of power. Who is she - a retrograde usurper of power, holding in her dark body the future great reformer, or a wise ruler addressing challenges too heavy for many crowned men? If the princess had retained her influence, would Russia have remained a medieval semi-Asian state - or would its Europeanization have proceeded more gently than the grand Petrine rupture of the traditional order? Historian Viktor Naumov answers these questions, often through the voices of the book's characters, reconstructing the speeches of Sophia, her supporters, and enemies based on documents; he debunks numerous myths and misconceptions associated with her personality and reign, shows her real role in the Streltsy uprisings of 1682 and 1698, provides a sensational interpretation of the relationships between the princess and her favorite Prince Golitsyn, and creates a vivid and tragic image of an outstanding woman who stood at the helm of a vast country.