Sophia: Regent of Russia, 1657-1704

by Lindsey Hughes

Sophia Alekseevna, the half-sister of Peter the Great, was the first woman to tule Russia. In 1682, ten-year-old Peter and his mentally retarded brother Ivan were declared joint tsars with 25 year old Sophia as their regent. The regency lasted for seven years until Sophia was ousted by Peter and dispatched to a convent for the last 15 years of her life. This biography describes Sophia's life and rise to power, setting her against the background of a traditional society on the eve of major reform. Hughes examines the developments in foreign policy, and domestic, cultural, and religious affairs within Russia during the regency, and traces Sophia's influence over them.

Genres: History, Russia, Russian History, Royalty, Nonfiction

368 pages, Hardcover

First published December 26, 1990

About the author

Professor of History at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (part of University College London) from 1997.

Reviews

[Jan-Maat]

Perhaps you have never heard of Sophia who briefly ruled over Russia as regent for her brothers at the close of the seventeenth century, and if you have heard of her you may have the impression that she was a purely conservative figure holding back Peter from chopping off the boyars' beards, dragging Russia into the eighteenth century and thus becoming great.

Lindsey Hughes' rare attempt, if not to rehabilitate Sophia, then at least asserts her historical significance, and helps to demonstrate the continuity from Tsar Alexis through to Peter.

During the reign of Tsar Alexis, the Lutheran community in Moscow were invited to perform a religious play for the royal family. On account of the still dominant Byzantine practise of the seclusion of elite women, Sophia, her sisters and mother were only allowed to watch the performance from behind a curtain. Despite this official segration Sophia was able to seize executive power and rule Russia for a few years as regent for her brothers for about six years until pushed out by Peter.

Peter the Great's accomplishments were remarkable, yet Sophia's political life in a society that allowed no public role for women could be no less fascinating, though sadly the available source material doesn't allow us to come close to her, probably in part because she lost out in the power struggle with her brother Peter and was obliged to become a nun at the Novodevichi convert in Moscow where she was kept in strict confinement until her death at the age of forty-six.

[Zosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than the other book I’ve read from this author, perhaps because the entire book was just devoted to one person and wasn’t as rushed. The portrayal is balanced, first and second hand sources are well evaluated, and the subject is properly put in historical context. Again, the book has more of an academic bent but I found it easier to read than the Romanovs and the information imparted was very interesting.

[Erin Bottger (Bouma) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The few people, other than scholars, who have ever heard about Sophia, know her as Peter the Great's older half-sister who preceded him on the throne and tried to thwart the modernization of Russia.

In reality, Peter's idiot brother, Ivan shared a short reign with his intelligent and capable half-sister Sophia as regent. In a period when women in the royal terem of Russia were isolated from public life and only allowed to marry anyone other than an Orthodox Royal candidate, Sophia stepped up to take charge in a rigidly patriarchial society.

Historian Lindsey Hughes fills out the limited record of Sophia's life and rule and rehabilitates her reputation that suffered greatly as Peter, at 17, pushed her aside and banishes her to a convent to get rid of her. Since Peter is a larger-than-life figure, dominating much of Russian history, she shrunk in importance in his shadow and his negative opinion of her became the accepted Russian narrative.
In truth, she was a devout Christian believer and, remarkably, handled foreign and domestic affairs with firmness and skill. Sophia, contrary to popular belief, foreshadowed Peter in opening Russia to European influence (bringing Western theater in), while juggling the political currents and conflicting forces swirling around Moscow.

I read this book over 20 years ago, while I was living in Moscow teaching English, and it impressed me very much. I had the opposite reaction when I read "Peter the Great: His Life and World"
by Robert Massie which totally disgusted me by his lack of character and humanity. So I say, thumbs up for Sophia!

[Carolyn Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definitive biography of the Regent Sophia, who reigned in Russia on behalf of her younger brothers Czar Ivan V and Czar Peter I (later Peter the Great) from 1682-1689. Hughes questions longstanding myths about Sophia including unflattering accounts of her appearance by foreign observers and speculation about her relationship with her foreign minister and military commander, Vasily Golitsyn. The chapter on Sophia's foreign policy remains topical today as Sophia gained control of Kyiv in 1685 from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and attempted an invasion of the Crimea towards the end of her regency. There are also insightful chapters about arts and culture, domestic policy and religion during Sophia's time in power before she was overthrown by Peter the Great in 1689 and sent to a convent. A postscript discusses how Sophia was perceived by subsequent biographers and popular culture.

[Kevin Moynihan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely in depth. Makes very clear some of the difficulties of writing history when source material is weak, obviously biased or non-existent. Not for the casual reader perhaps, but if you’re looking for in depth analysis of the Petrine era, this is great.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hughes does a wonderful job researching and presenting the available material on Sophia, the 1/2 sister to Peter the Great. Scholarly and well-documented, the text could have used better reproduction of the few photographs included.