The statesman and diplomat Tolstoy Petr Andreevich: biography, features of activity and interesting facts

Tolstoy Petr Andreevich, whose brief biography will be presented later, was an outstanding Russian diplomat, statesman. He was one of the leaders of the secret service under the tsar, a real secret adviser.

Peter Andreevich Tolstoy: biography

The future statesman was the son of the Okolnichy. His mother, Solomonida Miloslavskaya, was a distant relative of Queen Mary. Tolstoy Peter Andreevich (1645-1729 gg.) Served as a steward at the court. In 1682, on May 15, during the Streltsy rebellion, he actively supported his uncle IM Miloslavsky, raising the rebels, loudly accusing the Naryshkins of the death of Tsarevich Ivan. After the overthrow of Sophia Tolstoy's throne, Pyotr Andreevich goes over to the side of the Great Reformer. However, the king treated the defector rather coldly. Peter 1 did not trust Tolstoy. They did not improve the tsar's attitude and military achievements during the Azov campaign of 1696. In 1697 the emperor sent volunteers abroad for training. Peter Andreevich Tolstoy also called out to go. The education of children at that time was predominantly domestic, as the institutions that existed at that time produced spiritual or civil servants. For two years in Italy, Tolstoy not only studied the marine business, but also became acquainted with Western European culture.

Work as a diplomat

At the end of 1701, Tolstoy Peter was appointed ambassador to Constantinople. He became the first Russian diplomatic agent. The post was of great importance. The work was fraught with various dangers and problems. So, in the period of complications of 1710-1713. The ambassador was twice in the Seven-Towers Castle. In addition, the post alienated the figure from the royal court. In 1714 Tolstoy Peter Andreevich returned to Russia. Here he disposes of AD Menshikov, who enjoyed the special trust of the tsar. After some time, Tolstoy is appointed a senator. In the period from 1715 to 1719 years. The diplomat executed assignments in the framework of relations with Prussia, Denmark and England.

The Case of Peter's Son 1

In 1717, Tsarevich Alexei was hiding in Naples with his mistress Euphrosyne. Peter sent him Rumiantsev and Tolstoy. The ambassadors used all their diplomatic skills to return the prince to Russia. Tolstoy gave him a letter from Peter, in which his father spoke of the forgiveness of his son, if he voluntarily returned to his homeland. However, the message could not persuade the prince to go back. Then Tolstoy intervened. Pyotr Andreevich bribed one of the Austrian officials to say that Alexei's return is a decided deal. As a result, the tsarevich had to go to Russia.

Tolstoy also took an active part in the trial of Alexei. For this he received as a reward the estates and the post of the head of the Secret Chancellery, which at that time had a lot of work connected with the unrest in the people about the fate of the prince. From that moment Tolstoy became one of the most trusted and closest people of Peter the Great. The Tsarevich's cause contributed to the rapprochement of the diplomat with Empress Catherine. On the day of her coronation, on May 18, 1724, according to a special decree of the tsar, he was given the title of Count.

Conflict with Menshikov

After the death of Peter, Catherine ascended the throne. Together with Menshikov, Tolstoy actively promoted its reign. There was, in the meantime, another candidate for the throne. But Tolstoy understood that if Petr Alekseevich (the son of Tsarevich Alexei) was to come to power then, his career as a statesman would immediately cease. After all, he was actively involved in the search for and the return of his father to Russia. Nevertheless, fate ordered not in the way Tolstoy had assumed. Acting along with Menshikov for quite a long time, he broke up with the latter in the matter of the successor to the empress.

The plan for the reign of Peter Alekseevich was proposed by the Austrian envoy Rabutin. He intended to elevate him to the throne by marrying Menshikov's daughter. Tolstoy, in turn, fearing for himself and his family, insisted on the transfer of power to the daughters of Peter 1. But Menshikov won in this conflict. As a result, the 82-year-old diplomat was sentenced to death, replaced by a stay at the Solovki Monastery. By a decree of the emperor, Count Pyotr Andreevich Tolstoy and his sons were deprived of all titles. Six months after his stay in the damp casemate, the diplomat passed away. Together with him in the Solovki monastery was his son Ivan. He died in 1728.

A family

PA Tolstoy was married to Solomonida Timofeevna Dubrovskaya. She was the granddaughter of the treasurer Bogdan Dubrovsky. She died in 1722. The sons were born in marriage:

1. Ivan - was an actual state councilor and was exiled to his monastery with his father. He was married to the great niece Rtishchev - Praskovye.
2. Peter is a colonel in the Nezhinsky regiment. After exile, his father was removed to permanent residence "in the village." He died, like Ivan, in 1728. During his lifetime he was married to the daughter of Hetman II Skoropadsky.

Interesting Facts

In 1760 the Highest Decree of the Count's title of Tolstoy was returned to the family. In addition, the rights of the diplomat's grandsons were restored. They were Andrew, Vasily, State Councilor Boris, Peter and Fedor Ivanovich, as well as Ivan and Alexander Petrovich. In the years 1697-1699. The diplomat, while traveling abroad, wrote a diary. In it, he described his thoughts, attitudes, views, impressions of Western European life. The diary entries are preserved in three lists. They are considered one of the most important historical sources describing Russia during the reign of Peter 1.

The first edition of 1888 was performed on the archives of Prince Potemkin. However, it can not be considered sufficiently authoritative. The most complete recordings are reflected in a publication prepared by SN Travnikov and LA Olshevskaya published in the framework of Literary Monuments in 1992. In 1706 Tolstoy also described in detail the Black Sea.

Conclusion

P. A. Tolstoy, undoubtedly, played a significant role in the Russian history of the Petrine era. His life was long, coupled with various difficulties. For a long period he had to prove his devotion to Peter 1. He played a special role during the search and then trial of Tsarevich Alexei. His appointment as head of the Secret Chancellery testifies to the trust that the tsar had with the figure. During his stay in Italy, Tolstoy was one of the first to adopt Western European manners. This had a significant impact on his subsequent diplomatic activities. According to some reports, he was one of the last people whom Peter's son saw before his death. After the reign of Catherine, he did everything that depended on him, to consolidate her power and prevent the transfer of the crown to her son Alexei. However, he failed to protect himself and his son from exile and death. PA Tolstoy was buried at the Transfiguration Monastery Cathedral on the western side in 1729.