Tsarevna Sofya Alekseevna is one of the most mysterious figures in Russian history. In a patriarchal country where a woman’s public activity was unthinkable, she rose to the pinnacle of power. Who is she - a retrograde who usurped power, holding the future great transformer in a black body, or a wise ruler who solved problems that were beyond the power of many crowned men? Had the princess retained her influence, would Russia have remained a medieval semi-Asian state - or would its Europeanization have taken place more gently than Peter’s grandiose destruction of the traditional way of life? Historian Viktor Naumov answers these questions, often through the mouth of the book’s heroes themselves, based on documents, reconstructing the speeches of Sophia, her adherents and enemies; refutes numerous myths and misconceptions associated with her personality and reign, shows her real role in the Streltsy rebellions of 1682 and 1698, gives a sensational interpretation of the princess’s relationship with her favorite Prince Golitsyn, creates a vivid and tragic image of an outstanding woman who stood at the helm of a huge country. sign of information products 16+