Alexis of Russia
Alexei Mikhailovich (Russian: Алексей Михайлович, IPA: [ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ]; 29 March [O.S. 19 March] 1629 – 8 February [O.S. 29 January] 1676), also known as Alexis, was Tsar of all Russia from 1645 until his death in 1676.
| Alexis Алексей Михайлович | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait of Alexis by an unknown Russian artist, c. 1670 – c. 1680 | |||||
| Tsar of all Russia | |||||
| Reign | 12 July 1645 – 29 January 1676 | ||||
| Coronation | 28 September 1645 | ||||
| Predecessor | Michael | ||||
| Successor | Feodor III | ||||
| Born | 29 March 1629 Moscow, Russia | ||||
| Died | 8 February 1676 (aged 46) Moscow, Russia | ||||
| Burial | |||||
| Spouse | Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya
(m. 1648; died 1669)Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina
(m. 1671) | ||||
| Issue among others... |
| ||||
| |||||
| House | Romanov | ||||
| Father | Michael of Russia | ||||
| Mother | Eudoxia Streshneva | ||||
| Religion | Russian Orthodox | ||||
He was the first tsar to sign laws on his own authority and his council passed the Sobornoye Ulozheniye of 1649, which strengthened the bonds between autocracy and the lower nobility.
In religious matters, he sided closely with Patriarch Nikon during the schism in the Russian Orthodox Church which saw unpopular liturgical reforms.
While finding success in foreign affairs, his reign saw several wars with Iran, Poland (from whom left-bank Ukraine and Smolensk were annexed) and Sweden, as well as internal instabilities such as the Salt Riot in Moscow and the Cossack revolt of Stenka Razin in southern Russia. At the time of his death, Russia spanned almost 8.1 million km2 (3.1 million sq mi).