We are seldom given cause to contemplate the reign of Fyodor Alekseyevich (Fyodor III, 1661-1682) who ascended to the throne on February 8 (January 29), 1676. Apparently, the tsar who died early suffered as a child from gout and scurvy. To most historians he seemed a copy of Peter I’s co-ruler, Ivan Alekseyevich – a seriously ill man who ended up on the throne only out of chance and leaving no trace in Russian history (unless, of course, we do not consider his daughter Anna). In our opinion, it is impossible to agree with this assessment. Fyodor Alekseyevich was, of course, not a great leader like his younger brother or even his father (perhaps, though, he simply did not have time to become one). Nevertheless, in his short reign the young tsar was able to carry out several important reforms that had a significant impact on Russia’s future development.
The most important of his reforms, of course, should be recognized as the abolition of mestnichestvo (localism). Virtually everything written about this institution is negative, which seems somewhat unjustified to us: nobles and magistrates were measured after all not by their “stock” as by the same services of their ancestors, so similar controversies ultimately raised the motivations of the elite to engage in state service. But by the middle of 17th century, such parochial disputes had outlived themselves and served only to hinder the normal functioning of the army and the state.
Almost from the first days of his reign, Fyodor Alekseyevich launched a resolute struggle against mestnichestvo. Invitations to the royal dinners and shows, diplomatic receptions and other official events were almost always accompanied by a postscript without an indication of the invitees’ “localities.” The final abolition of mestnichestvo took place on January 12, 1682, when, in order to “eradicate the lack of fraternity between Christians,” the tsar publicly burnt all disruptive books that the disputes over locality were based on. According to Sylvester Medvedev, however, Fyodor Alekseyevich delivered a fiery speech in which he said that honor and ranks were only for those of merit and sound mind.
Beginning with Mikhail Fyodorovich, all the tsars of the Romanov dynasty were consistently engaged in the reorganization of Russia’s armed forces on European models. Under Fyodor Alekseyevich, this policy did not change. In particular, despite vociferous protests from the church, the tsar continued to actively invite foreign professionals to the state service. Incidentally, among those who were accepted to the Russian service during those years was the Genevan Franz Lefort, the future mentor and favorite of Peter the Great.
The Russian army demonstrated its fighting capabilities during the Russo-Turkish War of 1676–1681 when Russia was able to stop further Turkish expansion into Ukraine. It is true that this war did not bring big victories, like at Ramnicu or Cahul, but we should not forget that the Ottoman Empire was much more formidable in those years than in the days of Suvorov, Rumyantsev or even Minikh.
Despite this, Fyodor Alekseyevich, just like his father and brother, succeeded in significantly expanding the borders of the Russian state. This happened in 1679-1680 when, under threat of invasion by the Tatars, the government sent a huge army to the steppe. Through its forces a new chain of border fortifications went up in the wild field – the Izyum line stretching hundreds of kilometers and including several fortresses (the most southern of which, Izyum, was completed in 1681). As a result, the border moved by 150-200 kilometers, encompassing 30,000 square kilometers of fertile, arable land. Unlike the majority of Peter's campaigns, however, the forces suffered virtually no losses due to disease and starvation.
The reign of Fyodor Alekseyevich was also accompanied by the ordering and the recovery of the country’s financial and fiscal system. In 1677, a gross (running) account of the Russian state was launched; it was completed by the autumn of 1679. This made it possible to sharply increase the number of taxpayers, covering many social layers that had previously been able to successfully evaded taxes – all kinds of landless peasants, private landowners, the “young” ones at the monasteries, and rural craftsmen – as well as to simultaneously reduce the taxes themselves and forgive numerous arrears.
During the reign of Fyodor Alekseyevich, a significant reorganization of the central office (administrative orders) was carried out, which led to a reduction in their number from 43 to 38 (for example, four independent commands, previously in charge of the army, were combined under the leadership of the well-known commander Yury Dolgoruky). Their functions were given greater clarity and more clearly delineated. At the same time, the number of state officials in each of the orders was substantially increased – up to 400 people or more in the most important of them. Of course, such measures failed to completely eliminate confusion and red tape, which had come together over the course of centuries, but in general, the bureaucratic machine began to spin a little more quickly and efficiently.
Reform also touched upon regional governance. On November 27, 1679, a decree was issued by which regional governance was passed to the full authority of governors sent from Moscow. All the other administrative officials were withdrawn. The aim of this reform was to reduce the financial burden caused by the need to feed and maintain numerous officials.
Of course, during the short six years of his reign, Fyodor Alekseyevich was hardly able to implement all of his plans, for example, the creation of Russia's first university, although the necessary documents were signed in 1672 and shortly before his death, the tsar was able to sign the charter of the Moscow Academy. According to this document, the future university was to receive the tsar’s libraries, as well as income from several palace villages. Representatives of all social classes were admitted as students, and future graduates of the academy received preference for high government posts. Also left unestablished were the state schools for orphans conceived by the tsar. According to ability, these schools were expected to teach sciences, military affairs or crafts (these schools would later be created by Peter I).
About Peter, we remembered that the great reformer “shaved us smooth, so as to be disguised as Dutchmen by Christmas.” We all know this from school. But few people remember that similar measures were also taken by Peter’s elder brother. In October 1681, instead of old clothes, men and women were ordered to wear shorter dresses. This decree was implemented fairly quickly, because the older clothing was simply not allowed into the Kremlin. Russian dress still retained its national color, although it became much more European.
It is difficult to say what else Peter’s elder brother could have achieved had his health been better and he had lived longer than twenty-two. One thing is certain, however: had the reforms undertaken during his reign not taken place, the younger brother would have had a much harder time and his momentous transformation would have been faced with a much more powerful and organized resistance.
