Tolstoy Petr Andreevich, whose brief biography will be presented later, was an outstanding Russian diplomat and statesman. He was one of the leaders of the secret service under the king, a real secret adviser.
Pyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy: biography
The future statesman was the son of a courtier. His mother, Solomonida Miloslavskaya, was a distant relative of Queen Mary. Tolstoy Petr Andreevich (1645-1729) served as a steward at the court. In 1682, on May 15, during the Streltsy rebellion, he actively supported his uncle I. M. Miloslavsky, raising the rebels, loudly blaming the Naryshkins for the death of Tsarevich Ivan. After the overthrow of Sophia Tolstoy, Petr Andreevich goes over to the side of the Great Reformer. However, the king treated the defector rather coldly. Peter 1 did not trust Tolstoy. The relations of the tsar were not improved by the military merits of the latter during the Azov campaign of 1696. In 1697, the emperor sent volunteers abroad for training. Pyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy also volunteered to go. The education of children at that time waspredominantly domestic, since the institutions that existed at that time produced clergy or civil servants. For two years in Italy, Tolstoy not only studied maritime affairs, but also got acquainted with Western European culture.
Working as a diplomat
At the end of 1701 Tolstoy Peter Andreevich was appointed ambassador to Constantinople. He became the first Russian diplomatic agent. The position was of great importance. The work was fraught with various dangers and problems. So, during the period of complications 1710-1713. the ambassador was twice in the Seven-Tower Castle. In addition, the position alienated the figure from the royal court. In 1714 Tolstoy Petr Andreevich returned to Russia. Here he wins over A. D. Menshikov, who enjoyed the special confidence of the tsar. Some time later, Tolstoy was appointed senator. Between 1715 and 1719 the diplomat carried out assignments in the framework of relations with Prussia, Denmark and England.
The case of the son of Peter 1
In 1717, Tsarevich Alexei was hiding in Naples with his mistress Efrosinya. Peter sent Rumyantsev and Tolstoy to look for him. The ambassadors used all their diplomatic skills to return the prince to Russia. Tolstoy gave him a letter from Peter, in which the father spoke about the forgiveness of his son if he voluntarily returned to his homeland. However, the message could not convince the prince to go back. Then Tolstoy intervened. Pyotr Andreevich bribed one of the Austrian officials to say that the return of Alexei was a matter already decided. As a result, the prince had to go toRussia.
Tolstoy also took an active part in the trial of Alexei. For this, he was rewarded with estates and the position of head of the Secret Chancellery, which at that time had a lot of work related to unrest among the people about the fate of the prince. From that moment on, Tolstoy became one of the trusted and closest people of Peter 1. The case of the prince contributed to the rapprochement of the diplomat with Empress Catherine. On the day of her coronation, May 18, 1724, by special decree of the king, he was given the title of count.
Conflict with Menshikov
After the death of Peter, Catherine ascended the throne. Tolstoy, together with Menshikov, actively contributed to its accession. There was, meanwhile, another candidate for the throne. But Tolstoy understood that if the minor then Peter Alekseevich (the son of Tsarevich Alexei) came to power, his career as a statesman would immediately stop. After all, it was he who took an active part in the search for and return to Russia of his father. However, fate did not decide as Tolstoy intended. Acting together with Menshikov for quite a long time, he disagreed with the latter on the issue of the successor to the Empress.
The plan for the accession 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 transferring power to the daughters of Peter 1. But Menshikov won this conflict. As a result, the 82-year-old diplomat was sentenced to death, replaced by a stay in Solovetskymonastery. By the personal decree of the emperor, Count Pyotr Andreevich Tolstoy and his sons were deprived of all titles. Six months after being in a damp casemate, the diplomat died. Together with him in the Solovetsky Monastery was his son Ivan. He died in 1728
Family
P. A. Tolstoy was married to Solomonida Timofeevna Dubrovskaya. She was the granddaughter of treasurer Bogdan Dubrovsky. She died in 1722. Sons were born in marriage:
- Ivan - was a real state councilor and was exiled with his father to a monastery. He was married to Rtishchev's great-niece Praskovya.
- Petr is a colonel in the Nezhinsky regiment. After his father's exile, he was removed for permanent residence "in the countryside." He died, like Ivan, in 1728. During his lifetime, he was married to the daughter of hetman I. I. Skoropadsky.
Interesting facts
In 1760, by the Highest Decree, the count title of Tolstoy was returned to the family. In addition, the rights of the diplomat's grandchildren have been restored. They were Andrei, Vasily, State Councilor Boris, Peter and Fedor Ivanovich, as well as Ivan and Alexander Petrovich. In 1697-1699. a diplomat, being on a trip abroad, wrote a diary. In it, he described his thoughts, attitudes, views, impressions of Western European life. Diary entries are preserved in three lists. They are considered one of the most important historical sources describing Russia during the reign of Peter the Great.
The first edition of 1888 was made according to the archive of Prince Potemkin. However, it cannot be considered sufficiently authoritative. The most complete records are reflected in the edition prepared by S. N. Travnikov and L. A. Olshevskaya, released as part of the "Literary Monuments" in 1992. In 1706, Tolstoy also described the Black Sea in detail.
Conclusion
P. A. Tolstoy undoubtedly played a prominent role in the Russian history of the Petrine era. His life was long and full of difficulties. For a long period he had to prove his loy alty to Peter 1. He played a special role during the search and then the trial of Tsarevich Alexei. His appointment as the head of the Secret Chancellery testifies to the trust that the king had for 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 activity. According to some reports, he was one of the last people whom the son of Peter saw before his death. After the accession of Catherine, he did everything that depended on him to strengthen her power and prevent the transfer of the crown to his son Alexei. However, he failed to save himself and his son from exile and death. P. A. Tolstoy was buried at the Transfiguration Monastery Cathedral from the western side in 1729
