Ambassadorial order: structure and functions. Formation and development of the diplomatic service in Russia in the XVI-XVII centuries Formation and development of the diplomatic service of Russia in the XVI-XVII centuries
How did the work of the Posolsky Prikaz, which was essentially the Russian “Ministry of Foreign Affairs” in the 16th-17th centuries, proceed?
The most important issues of foreign policy were decided by the tsar together with the Boyar Duma. Reception and seeing off of foreign embassies, negotiating, sending Russian diplomats abroad and much more - everything was done "according to the sovereign's decree and the boyar verdict." The most complex, "secret" cases, the sovereign previously discussed in a narrow circle of the most trusted persons - in the Middle Duma.
The task of the Ambassadorial order was the implementation of decisions supreme power in everything related to foreign policy. He was also in charge of cases related to the residence of foreign merchants and artisans in Russia, the ransom of prisoners, and some others. Later Ambassadorial order took over the functions of other departments. He managed some cities, was in charge of the post office, the court, the collection of customs and tavern revenues, etc.
But still, the central place in the work of the Ambassadorial Order was given to diplomacy, and it was headed by people who had experience of working on diplomatic field or in the command itself. Viskovaty's successors already bore the title of duma clerks, that is, they were members Boyar Duma. They enjoyed broad powers, were present at the “sitting” of the sovereign with the boyars, made reports on the work of their department, and had the right to express their opinion. In the 17th century the head of the Ambassadorial Department was given the state seal, he was given the title of "the royal great seal and the guardian of the state's great embassy affairs." Since in Russia the authenticity of any letter from time immemorial was certified by a seal hanging from a cord, the title of “printer” was considered important and honorable. Duma embassy clerks (or otherwise - "judges") enjoyed great prestige and influence at court. In the second half of the XVII century. some of them sometimes pursued an independent policy, independent of the Boyar Duma. The deputies of the Duma clerks were the second clerks, their "comrades" (i.e., assistants). Some of them eventually became the leaders of the Ambassadorial order.
The Posolsky Prikaz was one of the central state bodies of Russia in the mid-16th and early 18th centuries, which carried out general management and ongoing work on relations with foreign states.
The Posolsky Prikaz was one of the central state bodies of Russia in the mid-16th and early 18th centuries, which carried out general management and ongoing work on relations with foreign states. It was formed at the beginning of 1549 in connection with the transfer of "embassy affairs" to I. M. Viskovaty. The main functions of the Ambassadorial Order were: sending Russian embassies abroad and receiving foreign embassies, preparing texts of "mandates" for Russian ambassadors, agreements, negotiating, from the beginning of the 18th century. - Appointment and control over the actions of permanent Russian diplomatic representatives abroad.
The embassy order was in charge of foreign merchants during their stay in Russia. In addition, the Posolsky Prikaz was engaged in the ransom and exchange of Russian prisoners, ruled a number of territories in the south-east. country, was in charge of the Don Cossacks and service Tatars-landlords of the central districts. Depending on the Ambassadorial order in the 2nd half of the 17th century. were the Little Russian order, the order of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Smolensk order.
Board of the order in the 17th century. usually headed the Novgorod couple (see Cheti), as well as the Vladimir quarter and the Galician quarter. The order kept state seals (applied to diplomatic and internal political acts), state archive, which included the most important foreign and domestic political documentation. The appearance in the 17th century is associated with the order. a number of official historical and political works. In addition to his board (from 2-3 to 5-6 people), the structure of the order included clerks, clerks, translators and gold painters. Structurally, the Posolsky order was divided into povytya on a territorial-state basis. In the 16-17 centuries. The ambassadorial order was headed by the most prominent Russian diplomats - Viskovaty, A. Ya. and V. Ya. Shchelkalov, A. I. Ivanov, A. L. Ordin-Nashchokin, A. S. Matveev, V. V. Golitsyn and others.
With education in the early 18th century. The Embassy office (at first traveling, then permanent in St. Petersburg), the role of the Ambassadorial order is gradually falling. Abolished in 1720. Replaced by the College of Foreign Affairs.
Lit .: Belokurov S. A., On the ambassadorial order, M., 1906; Leontiev A.K., Formation of the command system of government in the Russian state, M., 1961.
The formation of the Ambassadorial order, its features and structure
Traditionally foreign policy in the Russian land was engaged directly Grand Duke along with nearby boyars. The most complex issues were submitted for consideration by the entire boyar duma. With time Moscow state faced more and more complex tasks, the solution of which required the establishment of a special body to manage diplomatic relations. The organization of a special institution that was in charge of international relations dates back to the 16th century: in 1549, an ambassadorial order was organized, headed by clerk Ivan Mikhailovich Viskovaty, under whose supervision 15-17 clerks and several translators worked. In the 17th century the growth of the international significance of the Russian state caused a significant expansion of the functions of the Ambassadorial order and its staff (in 1689 it already included 53 clerks, 22 translators and 17 interpreters). Structurally, it was divided according to the territorial-state basis into povyts. (5 lifts, 3 European and 2 Asian).
The Ambassadorial Order was entrusted with the overall management of the country's foreign policy and all current diplomacy: sending Russian embassies abroad, receiving and leaving foreign embassies, preparing texts of instructions (“orders”) for Russian ambassadors and corresponding with them, preparing agreements, negotiating, and with beginning of the 18th century, also the appointment and control over the actions of permanent Russian diplomatic representatives abroad. The embassy order was in charge of foreign merchants during their stay in Russia and, in general, of all visiting foreigners, except for the military. In addition, he was engaged in the ransom and exchange of Russian prisoners, managed the newly annexed territories (Siberia, Smolensk land, etc.), and was in charge of serving Tatar landowners in the central districts. The Posolsky Prikaz kept state seals (which were attached to diplomatic and domestic political acts), as well as the state archive, which included the most important foreign and domestic political documentation.
The structure of the department. The embassy order was headed Duma clerks. The assistants of the Duma clerks were clerks, which were divided into senior (old), middle and young. Middle and young clerks conducted office work and correspondence of the Ambassadorial order. The embassy order was divided into departments - povytya. Their number has changed over time. At the head of each such department was a senior clerk.
There was a clear gradation of diplomatic representatives: "great ambassadors", "light ambassadors", "envoys", "sent", "envoys", "messengers". As a rule, the ambassadors were elected from among the boyars. The rank of the sent ambassador was determined by the importance of the mission ahead of him. In addition, the staff of the Posolsky Prikaz included auxiliary workers, translators and interpreters, who were often recruited from foreigners. In the 17th century, the department made translations from Latin, Polish, Italian, Tatar, Greek, Swedish, Dutch, Turkish, Persian and other languages. Also in Russia there was a system of training diplomatic personnel. It was not uncommon for boyar children to be sent abroad to learn foreign languages and the skills needed to serve in foreign policy. With the intensification of Russia's foreign policy, orders were established to manage the annexed territories.
Results of the activities of the Ambassadorial Order. The first Russian permanent missions were created abroad: in Sweden, the Commonwealth. In the 17th century, permanent missions of foreign states appeared in Russia: Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Holland. Thanks to the diplomatic activity of the Posolsky Prikaz, a number of important agreements were signed. In 1667, a truce was signed in Andrusov between Russia and the Commonwealth. Friendly relations were established with Persia, an important ally against Turkey. Also concluded Nerchinsk Treaty with China, on which Russian-Chinese relations were built until the middle of the 19th century. Thanks to the archival activity of this order, more than 600 embassy books on Russia's relations with foreign states have survived to this day. By the end of the 17th century, a central apparatus and a fairly clear structure had formed in this department, which laid the foundation for the formation of subsequent foreign departments.
I. STAGES OF ORGANIZING THE OFFICE
The embassy order, as the first foreign policy agency in Russia, which until then had been absent for 500 years and had no analogue, or even a prototype, a distant likeness, was not formed immediately, not on the basis of a strong-willed decision of the tsar or the boyar Duma, but took shape and changed gradually, depending on from specific needs throughout the entire time of its existence for more than 150 years, i.e. from 1549 to 1700 (in fact) and to 1717 (formally).
During this time, not only the structure and volume of work of this institution, the composition of the titles of officials changed, but the very name of this institution also changed, which, however, has become customary to be called in popular and even in scientific historical literature with one term - Posolsky Prikaz, regardless from the date it is mentioned. In fact, the names of this department changed as follows.
As you can see, the Posolsky Prikaz as an institution grew very quickly and existed for a very long time, stably, and its functions grew, which reflected the degree of expansion of its tasks, volume of affairs and personnel.
The Posolsky Prikaz acquired the most complete, developed forms by the 50-70s. 17th century It was during this period that its structure, its services were determined, and the composition of the staff and its functions acquired a stable, traditional character, which is why the Ambassadorial Prikaz and its activities are most often judged precisely by this period (especially in historical popular and encyclopedic literature) and often they mix it up, contaminate (“combine”) with the activities of the Posolsky Prikaz in other eras - earlier and later than this period - when it looked a little different. Already in the period of the decade 1671-1681. the leaders of the Posolsky Prikaz discovered a tendency to further raise the rank of their institution in public administration, highlighting it with a special name from other "ministries".
In popular historical literature, there is also a tendency to consider the Posolsky Prikaz as a single institution for the entire period of its 170-year existence, or, in any case, not to emphasize that foreign policy affairs in the Moscow State, along with the Posolsky Prikaz, were also conducted by other departments closely associated with it, and that the Posolsky Prikaz itself, as a central institution, dealt not only with purely diplomatic, embassy affairs, but also with a host of administrative, economic, and financial ones. Only the reorganization at the beginning of the 18th century, the restructuring of the Posolsky Prikaz into the Collegium of Foreign Affairs, led to the “cleansing” of this department from a number of functions that were not characteristic of it and to its transformation (and even then not immediately) into a purely foreign policy, diplomatic department. Below we provide the structure of the Posolsky Prikaz in different periods (as far as the existing sources provide material for this), as well as a complete list of institutions involved in the XVI-XVII centuries. foreign policy issues along with the Ambassadorial Order and adjoining it in the nature of their activities, i.e., in relations with foreign countries.
2. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE AMBASSADOR'S ORDER AND ITS PERSONNEL
Boss Ambassadorial order - the head of the foreign affairs department. He could be a duma clerk (in the beginning) or then more and more often - a boyar, a close boyar, that is, a person especially trusted by the tsar. At the beginning of the XVIII century. - chancellor, i.e., the highest official of the first rank in the state, the second person after the king in management. This clearly shows the growing role of foreign affairs in the overall state leadership in Russia.
Chief's comrades Order.
At the beginning, in the 16th century, they were clerks, in the 17th century, clerks, but not duma, but only embassies, at the end of the 17th century, boyars. The comrade (i.e., deputy) of the head of the Order was, as a rule, one, although it could be from one to three at the same time, or in parallel, or sequentially. At least one of them had to have such competence that, if necessary, he could replace the head either as acting or as the actual head of the Order.
Povytya- departments or departments of the Ambassadorial order. As a rule, from the middle of the 17th century, there were five povytia, although at the beginning, in the 16th century, there were only two or three of them, in the first half of the 17th century. - four, and by the end of the XVII - beginning of the XVIII century. there were even six.
At the same time, despite the stable number of raisings, cases were distributed among them in different ways, i.e., firstly, different countries were included in separate departments at different periods, and secondly, administrative- economic functions between departments in different periods. However, the basic principle of dividing into departments from the very beginning of the existence of the Russian Foreign Ministry was regional studies.
At the head of the povyt was an old clerk, that is, the eldest of the clerks who worked in the povyt. In total, there were five old clerks in the Ambassadorial Order - strictly according to the number of povytiy. Each senior clerk was subordinate to 4 more junior clerks, from the last quarter of the 17th century. they began to be divided into middle clerks, junior (or young) clerks and new non-commissioned, or "new" ones - trainees, trainees appointed to the ranks without salary, so that they "keep an eye on things", i.e. for training. The total number of personnel engaged in this way in diplomatic work in the central office of the Posolsky Prikaz was as follows: 5 old clerks - heads of departments (povyty), 10-12 juniors. Since 1689, states have been established: 5 old, 20 middle and young, and 5 new, that is, a total of 30 people. However, in practice, foreign policy cadres were always short of funds due to the lack of trained persons, and they were part of the Ambassadorial Prikaz in different time from 18 to 28 people. It was on them, on this small number of people, that the main burden of foreign policy work for a century and a half lay.
When distributing functions from the old clerk (head of department) to the assistant (i.e., the junior clerk who had just transferred to this rank from among the trainee trainees, or “newcomers”), the consistently pursued principle of differentiation was maintained in strict dependence on knowledge and work experience . This was reflected primarily in the pay of diplomats. It ranged from 1600 rubles. (for the head of the department) up to 50 rubles. per year (for the referent) in comparable prices for late XIX in. On the Last year work of the Posolsky Prikaz (1701), before its actual liquidation, 6 old clerks, 7 middle and 11 young clerks worked in it, which gives some idea of the distribution of roles.
Distribution of responsibilities between the ranks. Povytia (departments) each dealt with a certain number of countries, like. usually far from equal. It depended on each historical stage from the specific state of international relations, from the presence of frequently changing contractors (partners), i.e., foreign powers with which Russia maintained relations, from the real significance and hence from the actual amount of work with this or that country, from the competence of individual old clerks, from their specific knowledge of certain countries and, last but not least, from the will of the tsar and the head of the order and their discretion about what should be the “equal” load for the workers of each rank, what criteria were guided by this and on what grounds it is in each specific historical period was determined and compared.
If we take into account all these complex circumstances, then for us the structure of changes that has never been constant, but has changed and formed in a confused and unsystematic way, will become explainable. Although the basis of the work of povyty already from the end of the XVI century. the principle of specialization of departments by country clearly prevailed, but the very arrangement of these countries in povite, their combination may seem to us meaningless, fantastic and simply inconvenient if we do not take into account the above circumstances and approach the assessment of the work of the then departments of the Ambassadorial Order from a modern point of view . Departments (povytya) were initially called by the names of their chiefs-clerks: Alekseev's povytya, Volkov's, Gubin's povytya, then by numbers; 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, So, already in mid-sixteenth 1st century (1646) there were 4 povyts (in the 70s - 5, in the 90s - 6). Responsibilities were distributed among them as follows:
1st generation: Kyzylbashi (Dagestan, Azerbaijani khanates, Persia), Denmark, Holland.
2nd generation: Bukhara, Yurgench (Khanate of Khiva), India, Crimea.
3rd generation: Sweden, Moldova, Greek authorities (i.e. Patriarch of Constantinople, Metropolitan of Kyiv).
4th generation: Lithuania and the Turkish sultan.
Inclusion of Moscow's relations with Denmark and Azerbaijan (Persia) in one department, which is “incomprehensible” at the present time, is in fact explained by the fact that these countries were in constant, stable friendly relations with Russia, and therefore the employees of this department had to develop and cultivate a certain diplomatic language, a certain soft, polite, respectful form of address in the preparation of documents.
On the contrary, in the 4th level, where it was necessary to speak rather harshly, but at the same time without breaking loose and not allowing insults, with two "eternal" enemies of Russia - with the Sultan and the Grand Duke of Lithuania, with Russia's most unpredictable neighbors - naturally , other qualities should have been developed among diplomats. Flexibility to change the form of relations on the go was not allowed by either tradition or prescription; and everything that concerned a change in policy was decided by the tsar, his Duma, and the strict observance of the instructions was left to the lot of the officials of the Ambassadorial Order. That is why all shades of diplomatic relations - from hostile to varying degrees of friendliness - were divided into five possible categories, and the distribution of countries in these categories changed depending on specific historical circumstances. So, for example, having quarreled with the Moldavian ruler, the tsar could order to transfer the conduct of business with Moldavia to the 4th povyt, and this was already enough, because the officials of this povyt would automatically write to the Moldavian ruler in the same tone and in the same spirit as the Turkish Sultan or Grand Duke of Lithuania. Retraining employees of the same department, changing forms of work depending on the situation, was considered in the 16th and 17th centuries. extremely inconvenient and impractical: the clerks themselves could get confused, and this would be detrimental to the prestige of the king. The king did not have to change his orders in such a way that this change of policy was noticeable to his subjects: they were used to everything being unchanged and stable, otherwise they would either get lost or, conversely, lose respect for power as a stable institution. Only in the 80s. XVII century., When at the head of the Ambassadorial order began to be placed European educated people and when the very nature and intensity of European affairs begin to differ too sharply from Asian affairs, and besides, the language factor begins to play an increasingly important role, knowledge of individual European and Asian languages, while previously it was enough to know two or three "international" - Church Slavonic (for all Slavic and Orthodox countries), Latin (for all Western European) and Greek (for all Eastern and for relations with church hierarchs - the Patriarch of Constantinople and the Metropolitan of Kyiv), the breakdown of the affairs of individual povyty begins to acquire a modern regional character.
1st class: The Holy See, the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, Spain, France, England and all matters of protocol.
2nd generation: Sweden, Poland, Wallachia, Moldavia, Turkey, Crimea, Holland, Hamburg, Hanseatic cities, Greeks and visits of the "Greek authorities" (Patriarch of Constantinople).
3rd class: Denmark, Brandenburg, Courland and all matters related to the conduct of technical support for relations: translators, interpreters, dragomans, scribes, gold painters.
4th line: Persia, Armenia, India, the Kalmyk state, the Don Cossacks, as well as everything related to communications: diplomatic mail and mail in general, couriers, messengers, messengers, messengers, the security service for diplomatic workers (“reprisal cases” ) and sales office.
5th generation: China, Bukhara, Urgench (Khiva), Siberian Kalmyks (Zhungar state), Georgia and providing equipment for embassy workers and decorating receptions (clothing, lace, linen factories, etc.).
Thus, in the 80s, XVII century, three departments dealt with European affairs, and two - with Asian ones. Here there was already a more rational organization of diplomatic work, in which the specialization of workers was possible not only in the form of work, but also in the country, in the very content of diplomatic work. Yet even at the end of the seventeenth century have not yet come to a decision on the separation from the diplomatic work of all auxiliary departments - security, communications, economic services, trade missions. They were given "to the load" little by little for each of the main promotions, not realizing to save the diplomats from the functions of caretaker or security guards that were not characteristic of them.
This structure remains, in fact, until the very end of the existence of the Ambassadorial order, for back in 1701-1702. there was the following division into povyts (departments), where, on the one hand, a shift towards even greater rationality in the division of countries is visible, and on the other hand, blind adherence to tradition in preserving the old order: 1st povyt: Papal Throne, German Empire, France , England, Portugal, Florence, Italy, Venice, electors of Germany, as well as protocol (ceremonial) business and medical support (quarantines, doctors, pharmacists).
2nd generation: Greek questions (Constantinople), Denmark, Brandenburg, Courland, as well as security issues (bailiffs and watchmen) and technical support (translators, interpreters, scribes, gold scribes, etc.).
3rd generation: Poland, Sweden, Holland, Turkey, Crimea, Moldavia, Wallachia. (It is easy to see that all the most important, key foreign policy relations of that time were united in this department, the tsar himself was often interested in this and led his affairs, and therefore both European and Asian affairs related to military-strategic and military-foreign policy issues were combined here. : it was a department of neighboring countries on the western border of the empire.) Holland fell into this company for two reasons: firstly, it was a country that was distinguished at that time by the tsar himself (Peter I), and secondly, it was closely connected with the solution of military-diplomatic issues, from there came all the naval equipment and training necessary for the wars of Peter I at sea with both Turkey and Sweden; in addition, Holland competed with Sweden in trade in the Baltic.
4th tribe: Persia, Armenia, Don Cossacks, Hanseatic cities, Riga, regulation of the position of foreign merchants in Russia - dealt with the affairs of neutral countries.
5th line: Georgia - Kartaliniya and Georgia - Imereti, China, middle Asia- Bukhara, Urgench (Khiva) - had a purely Asian character.
6th povyte: Separately, issues of relations with the North and Siberia, the so-called. Stroganov affairs, that is, for the first time the government took into its own hands a vast area of relations with the Siberian and northern peoples, which they began to manage from the 15th century. in fact, various private individuals by personal proxy of the king. As a result, Russia's relations with the peoples of Siberia, including with various local (native) states, acquired distorted, colonial-coercive forms, proceeding not even from the state, but from private individuals who for centuries allowed arbitrariness for narrowly selfish purposes. Such were the relations with the Great Permian, Vymsky, Pelymsky, Kondinsky, Lyapinsky, Obdorsky, Surgut “principalities”, i.e. with the local state-tribal formations of the Mansi (Vogul) and Khanty (Ostyak) peoples, as well as with the Zhungar, Oirat and others tribal unions and states (khanates) located from the Urals to the borders Chinese empire. Beginning in 1700, relations in this region were for the first time placed under the direct control of the state and therefore were included in the jurisdiction of the Posolsky Prikaz, its special, b-th, povyt.
Such was the structure of the Russian Foreign Ministry before its reorganization into the Collegium of Foreign Affairs.
In addition to the diplomats of the central office, various auxiliary workers constantly worked in the Embassy Prikaz, ensuring the technical implementation of diplomatic missions and acts.
1. translators- this was the name given only to translators from various foreign languages who prepared Russian texts of foreign letters and verified the identity of the texts of Russian treaties with their foreign version.
In addition to the actual diplomatic work, they were also busy compiling various reference and educational "state books". So, it was in the Ambassadorial Prikaz that the “Titular Book”, “Cosmography”, the collection of church-state canonical rules and laws “Vasiliologion” and other books that were enduring encyclopedic in nature and also associated with processing and collecting information from foreign sources were compiled. The interpreters were, in fact, the first press attaches of the then Foreign Ministry.
The number of translators from the moment the Posolsky Prikaz was organized until its dissolution at the beginning of the 18th century It fluctuated greatly, but grew all the time as the volume of work and the number of countries that entered into diplomatic relations with Moscow grew. There were from 10 to 20 translators from languages (payment from three to five times higher than interpreters, interpreters):
1) Greek classical (ancient Greek, or Hellenic);
2) Greek colloquial (modern Greek);
3) Volosh (Valakh, Romanian);
4) Latin (classical);
5) Caesar's Latin (that is, from Vulgar Latin);
6) Polish;
7) Dutch;
8) English;
9) Caesar (Austrian-German);
10) Tatar;
11) Kalmyk;
12) Turkish (Turkish);
13) Arabic;
14) German (Lower Saxon);
15) Swedish.
2. Tolmachi- in total from 12 to 16. Everyone knew from 2 to 4 languages. Combinations: Tatar, Turkish and Italian - common for that time, as well as Latin, Polish, German. Translated from the following languages:
1) Tatar;
2) Nogai;
3) Khiva (Uzbek);
4) Persian (Farsi);
5) Turkish (Turkish);
6) Italian;
7) Dutch;
8) Caesar (Austrian-German);
9) Volosh (Romanian);
10) French;
11) Greek;
12) Kalmyk.
3. STATE INSTITUTIONS MANAGED FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN THE MOSCOW STATE in the XVI-XVII centuries.
In the Moscow state in the XVI-XVII centuries. along with the Ambassadorial Order, i.e., the department involved in diplomatic and political activities, gradually formed and operated other institutions that one way or another had to come into contact with foreign countries on economic, border, military, administrative and other issues that were either local or specific. These institutions worked independently of the Posolsky Prikaz, many of them were even "older" than him, but always coordinated their activities with the Posolsky Prikaz. Thus, a whole network of a dozen departments was formed, which together formed the state apparatus, which kept in its field of vision all aspects of relations between the Moscow state and the “abroad”. Here is a list and description of all these institutions:
1. Ambassadorial order - the main department for the conduct of foreign affairs. Its functions included communication with the monarchs of foreign states, with their temporary and permanent representatives - messengers, ambassadors, envoys and residents, sending, meeting and equipping embassies, court protocol, foreign trade affairs (For more details, see the section on the structure of the Ambassadorial Order.)
2. The Pansky order was in charge of affairs related exclusively to Lithuania and Poland. The separation of this department from the Ambassadorial Order was explained by the peculiarity of the relations of Russia (the Muscovite State, Russia) with Poland and Lithuania as neighbors. Firstly, these were the main nearest neighbors of Moscow from the west, which, on the one hand, blocked Russia's exit to the West, and, on the other hand, were permanent open gates from the West to Russia. Secondly, these were the most ancient neighbors of Russia, with whom already from the X-XI centuries. there were dynastic alliances and at the same time there were continuous wars. These were "foreigners" who constantly interfered in Russian affairs. Thirdly, from the XIII century. these were countries that included most of the Russian historical territory, in fact, the entire territory Kievan Rus as it developed before the 11th century. Fourthly, on the territory of these "foreign" states lived not only a significant part of the Russian population (Russian, Belarusian in the Lithuanian-Russian state and South Russian, Ukrainian - in Poland), but also in ecclesiastical attitude The Lithuanian-Russian state was part of the Russian metropolia for a long time, the head of which the metropolitan was in Moscow. Fifthly, frequent relations with Moscow, a mixed Russian-Polish and Russian-Lithuanian population made these states (Lithuania and Poland) not as unknown as others for Russians, and language obstacles for Moscow to communicate with them, in fact, never arose and to no extent - in the Muscovite state there were many people who spoke Polish. That is why Lithuania and Poland, both in the eyes of the people, and even more so in the eyes of the grand ducal and tsarist administration, were not foreign, but, as it were, semi-foreign states. And for communication with them, for all matters relating to them, therefore, the Pansky order was allocated from the composition of the Ambassadorial. He was active in 1614-1623.
3. The same "semi-foreign" departments with an even lesser degree of "foreign" affairs, and with a greater degree of economic and national issues there were also so-called regional orders adjoining the Posolsky order: the Novgorod couple, the Smolensk order, the Kazan Palace, the Siberian order, the Little Russian order, the Lithuanian and Liflyandsky orders, which were in charge of the cities along the Western Dvina. The last two existed in 1657-1674. and in 1658-1662.
These areas, considered as buffer areas, were managed in an integrated manner not by central orders, but by specially adapted institutions uniform for each area. So the principle of autonomy of these territories and at the same time their connection with Moscow have ancient traditions,
4. The nursery order was also related to foreign problems, since it was in charge of cases of prisoners of war, both Russians in foreign states, and foreign prisoners of war held in the Moscow state. Since this department kept records, correspondence, exchange, redemption and collection of redemption money, as well as their exchange for foreign currency (since all calculations were made in "efimki", i.e. in thalers German Empire), then the relations of the Poloniannichiy order with foreign countries were quite intense and covered not only Western, but also Asian countries - the Horde, Nogaev, Crimea, Turkey, Bukhara, Khiva, Persia. The order of the Lithuanian maid affairs was especially distinguished in 1634-1636.
5. Another "foreign" order was Foreign, "in charge" in 1624-1701. all foreigners who lived in Russia, i.e. merchants, artisans, doctors, artists, scientists, personnel of embassy courts, as well as troops of a foreign system, i.e. hired royal guards and selected (ceremonial) and technical troops consisting of foreigners - Germans, Western Slavs, Albanians, partly Swiss and Scots. There were also people working in this department who should have known foreign languages, foreign orders, customs, and last but not least, those familiar with the economic situation in Europe (so as not to overpay for the services of foreign specialists).
6. The Order of Secret Sovereign Affairs (1654-1676) led in fact the preliminary preparation of the most important foreign policy issues. The king himself was its head. Liquidated after the death of Alexei I.
The original name of all these central institutions was the Izba, that is, each of them occupied from the very moment of its formation a separate house - a hut and at first did not combine its premises with any other department. Since it was for these “ministries” that they first of all tried to build more representative stone rather than wooden buildings (taking care of the safety of documentation, which was always threatened by the danger of fire in wooden buildings), they were soon renamed from huts to chambers, and others to palaces. , since they began to acquire auxiliary administrative premises, and only after the death of Ivan IV the Terrible, in 1587, they were given the general name of orders, which in the then language meant managing a category of affairs. This name and the Ambassadorial order, and the orders accompanying it, which conducted various aspects of relations with foreigners, were preserved until the 18th century.
So, along with the Ambassadorial Order, foreign affairs were in charge to varying degrees in the 16th-17th centuries. the following institutions (in alphabetical order):
1. Foreign order.
2. Kazan Palace.
3. Lithuanian order.
4. Livonian order.
5. Little Russian order (1662-1722).
6. Novgorod couple.
7. Pansky order.
8. Polonnichiy order.
9. Siberian order.
10. Smolensk order.
11. Secret affairs.
Thus, as the main foreign policy department, in fact, the Posolsky Prikaz, founded in 1549, existed until 1700, that is, 151 years. In its place, a different institution was created in terms of structure, but retaining its main purpose - the foreign policy department - the Embassy Office under the royal person. Formally, the Ambassadorial Order, that is, its other branches (huts) and services, except for the diplomatic one, lasted until December 15. 1717
4. LEADERS OF FOREIGN POLICY OF THE RUSSIAN STATE IN THE XVI-XVII centuries.
Heads of the Ambassadorial Order
2.1.1549-2.8.1562 - Viskovaty Ivan Mikhailovich: Undersecretary of the Embassy, from 1561 - a printer.
9.1562-28.8.1570 - Andrey Vasiliev: Duma clerk.
11.1570-17.6.1594 - Andrey Yakovlevich Shchelkalov: Duma clerk, since 1587 - Close thoughts "big clerk".
1572-1582 (second printer), "travelling" - Olferyev-Beznin Roman Vasilyevich: printer since 1572, a duma nobleman, later - ambassador at large.
30.6.1594-5.1601 - Shchelkalov Vasily Yakovlevich: near and embassy duma clerk; embassy clerk; printer from 1595
5.1601-8.5.1605 - Vlasyev Afanasy Ivanovich: Duma clerk.
8.5.1605-6.1606 (second time in the government of False Dmitry I) - Vlasyev Afanasy Ivanovich: chancellor, treasurer and embassy clerk; great secretary and treasurer of the courtyard (since July 1605).
8.1605-14.2.1606 - Gramotin Ivan Tarasevich (Kurbatovich): Duma clerk.
25.6.1608-8.1610 - Tretyakov Peter Alekseevich: Duma clerk, head of foreign policy of False Dmitry II (defector from Shuisky).
8.6.1606-3.1611 - Telepnev Vasily Grigorievich: Duma clerk, from 8.1610 - "Chancellor", head of Shuisky's foreign policy.
11/20/1611-9.1612 - Gramotin Ivan Tarasevich: printer and clerk of the Duma.
1610-6.1613 - Androsov Fedor: Duma clerk, acting. early Ambassadorial order in the absence of printers.
6.1613-16.5.1618 - Tretyakov Peter Alekseevich: Duma clerk, the first head of the Ambassadorial Department under the Romanovs.
5.1618-21.12.1626 - Gramotin Ivan Tarasevich: Duma clerk.
12/22/1626-7/30/1630 - Telepnev Efim Grigorievich: Duma clerk, printer.
9/21/1630-12/25/1631 - Likhachev Fedor Fedorovich: Duma clerk (since 1629).
1.10.1632-17.4.1634 - Gryazev Ivan Kirillovich: Duma clerk.
19.5.1634-19.7.1635 - Gramotin Ivan Tarasevich: printer and clerk of the Duma; thoughtful gentleman.
21.9.1635-1.9.1643 - Likhachev Fedor Fedorovich: Duma clerk; from October 27, 1641 - a printer; since 1643 - Duma nobleman and printer.
1.9.1643-27.12.1646 - Lvov Grigory Vasilyevich: Duma clerk.
6.1.1647-2.6.1648 - Pure (or Pure) Nazariy Ivanovich: Duma clerk, Duma embassy clerk, at the same time the head of the Novgorod couple.
4.7.1648-4.1653 - Volosheninov Mikhail Dmitrievich: Duma clerk.
28.9.1653-10.3.1667 - Ivanov Almaz (Ivan) Andreevich: Duma clerk, from 1648 - acting. early Prikaz, a printer since 1667. At the same time he managed the Print Prikaz.
1653-1665 (at the same time, as acting) - Larion Dmitrievich Lopukhin: Duma embassy clerk, acting head. Order in the absence of A. Ivanov and in the royal office.
18.2. (15.7.) 1667-21.2.1671 - Ordin-Nashchekin Afanasy Lavrentievich: close boyar. Royal large seals and state embassy affairs protector.
22.2.1671-3.7.1676 - Matveev Artamon Sergeevich: Duma nobleman, roundabout; boyar; from 1674 - close boyar; protector of embassy affairs.
4.7.1676-21.12.1680 - Ivanov Larion Ivanovich: Duma clerk; interim head Ambassadorial order with assistants - clerks V. Bobinin, Em. Ukraintsev, P. Dolgovo and Domnin.
12/21/1680-5/6/1681 - Volynsky Vasily Semenovich: close boyar, guardian of the embassy press, governor of Obdorsky; transferred to the province in Veliky Novgorod.
6.5.1681-15.5.1682 - Ivanov Larion Ivanovich: Duma clerk, acting. early Ambassadorial order.
17.5.1682-6.9.1689 - Vasily Vasilyevich Golitsyn: close boyar; governor of Novgorod; royal large seals and state great embassy affairs protector (since 1685).
6.9.1689-19.4.1699 - Ukraintsev Emelyan Ignatievich: Duma clerk (from 1689 acting, from 1697 - head of the Ambassadorial order).
1697-1699, 1702-1705 - Lev Kirillovich Naryshkin: boyar, replaced the tsar in all foreign affairs in his absence (E.I. Ukraintsev remained the 1st head of the Ambassadorial order in these cases); then managed the Ambassadorial order and the Collegium in the absence of F.F. Golovin.
19.4.1699-18.2.1700 - Golovin Fedor Alekseevich: manager of embassy affairs; the last administrator of the Posolsky Prikaz.
5. ACTIVITIES OF THE AMBASSADOR'S ORDER ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE STATE OF MOSCOW AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES
A. Establishment of diplomatic relations with European countries and regular peaceful (diplomatic or tributary) relations with the countries of the East
Over the entire 150-year history of its activity, the Posolsky Prikaz established relations with 10 new European states and 8 Asian ones, while before the formation of the Posolsky Prikaz, relations were established with 18 countries in just 70 years, that is, in half the period.
If we take into account that out of 10 countries that entered into relations with Russia during the period of the Ambassadorial Prikaz, only 5 can be considered real countries with which the Ambassadorial Prikaz “worked” (since the Order of Malta could not be considered a “country”, and Bavaria, Hanover , Genoa and Sardinia can actually be recorded in the assets of the Ambassadorial Office of Peter I, and not the apparatus of the Ambassadorial Prikaz), it must be admitted that the Ambassadorial Prikaz was almost ... inactive. In Asia, the quantitative results of the activities of the Ambassadorial Order in establishing diplomatic relations with new countries look even more discouraging: if we exclude the puppet semi-states, semi-colonies, which were absorbed by Moscow half a century later, then Persia and Georgia remain, relations with which were maintained extremely irregularly and became permanent only with XVIII century, i.e. outside the chronological framework of the activities of the Ambassadorial order.
These quantitative results of the work of the Ambassadorial Order allow us to draw a conclusion about the nature and direction of the activity of this department. The department, of course, did not sit idle, but worked at full capacity and even, as we know from the documents, with great tension. But the main task of Russian diplomacy was to control and monitor relations with foreign countries, and not to encourage these relations, not to develop and stimulate them. On the contrary, the task was to keep relations with any power within rigid, strictly defined limits. And the observance of these rules was vigilantly monitored by the clerks and the clerk of the Foreign Ministry.
Another important task of Russian diplomacy was the gradual gathering of powers, the tireless acquisition and annexation of new territories to the Russian state. In this matter, Russian diplomats showed exceptional zeal, perseverance and purposefulness, consistency and patience, and often selflessness, that is, the best, brightest state and human qualities. This fact cannot but be noted and emphasized, because the monument to the activity of the diplomats of the Ambassadorial Order is Russian state, Russia as a great power.
For decades, sometimes even half a century, for centuries, they stubbornly, persistently pursued their goal, without forcing events in order to prevent any mistake, which was always considered an unforgivable mistake in Russian diplomacy. Better less, but better, you drive more quietly - you will continue - these are the principles that were seriously guided by the Ambassadorial Order, never striving for quick, but transient and ephemeral success, for external effects. So, for example, the complete annexation of the tribal states of the Ob region - a task that seemed to be "doomed" to success in advance - nevertheless dragged on for 50 years, but went exceptionally smoothly, without any excesses; the annexation of Georgia (Kakheti, Kartaliniya, Imereti) took more than a century, but it took place in full agreement and unity with the ruling circles and estates of this state, with the consent and approval of the entire Georgian people.
It was in this truly bee, painstaking work of collecting and incorporating new territories into the Russian state that the meaning and historical meaning throughout the activities of the Posolsky Prikaz as a foreign policy department.
The activities of the Ambassadorial Order in relation to European countries are especially indicative. It is an excellent illustration of the working methods of this institution.
If we carefully look at the above table, we will notice that the establishment of relations with new European countries during the period of the existence of the Ambassadorial Order was always preceded by lengthy, preliminary, “probing” negotiations, often dragging on for years. They talked about whether it is possible and worth recognizing the foreign state that turned to the king with a request to enter into diplomatic relations. Often, such an appeal was generally followed by a sharp rebuke from the Moscow boyars, who declared on behalf of the tsar that it was “unhandy”, unprofitable, unnecessary for our state to enter into relations with someone.
The embassy order found out, checked and rechecked with all the means available at that time whether this kingdom-state, which asked to enter into relations with Russia, was solid, and whether “acquaintance” with it would lower the dignity of the Muscovite kingdom and its tsar.
As a result of this captious, strict policy, Moscow established relations with such countries as Great Britain (as it began to be called from the time of the Tudors!), Holland - at that time the possession of Spain under Philip II and Isabella of Spain - that is, with the two largest states Europe of that time, politically strong and economically extremely useful for relations with Russia. As for their political orientation, the reactionary regime of Philip II in Europe (covering Spain, Portugal, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Milan, Belgium and the Netherlands) needs no special "presentation", its historical significance is well known.
With regard to the "small" states - Tuscany and Switzerland - and here the Moscow diplomats showed themselves completely up to par, not making a mistake in choosing friends. Tuscany and Switzerland responded to the principle of "small spool, but expensive." These were the best training centers for highly qualified specialists in Europe at that time. It was from here that the military, engineers, architects, builders, artisans, doctors, scientists, artists, artists were recruited into the Moscow State, used both directly as specialists in their profession and as teachers preparing Russian specialists in the same industry.
At the same time, countries such as Courland, which Moscow diplomats did not consider at all to be a state, because its territory was only equal to two counties (Mitavsky and Goldingensky), and its head was not at all a noble person, but an impoverished grandson of the former Livonian germeister Gotthard Kettler, a longtime enemy of the Russian state, were not at all needed by Russia as "friends", but could become, if they were "caressed", unprofitable freeloaders. And therefore, Moscow diplomats forced Duke James I for 11 years to persuade the clerks of the Ambassadorial Order to send them valuable gifts and other “commemorations” so that they would only put in a good word about him and his duchy before His Royal Majesty.
So “poor relatives” and other “unprofitable” states that were unnecessary “for business”, but only able to increase the number of foreign counterparties, were sifted out as empty ballast for Russia’s foreign affairs by the vigilant diplomats of the Ambassadorial Order. They did not pursue the size of the diplomatic corps at all and did not think about expanding the staff of their department, modestly working to maintain relations with three dozen countries, which was quite enough then.
The main direction of the work of the Posolsky Prikaz was to prevent the infiltration of various Western "seditions" into Russia, to isolate foreigners in Russia and Russians from foreigners, and also to collect military, political and economic data on the situation in the countries of Europe and Asia.
Only under Peter I, even before the complete elimination of the Ambassadorial Order, did a change occur in the previous methods of work and in the principles of establishing diplomatic relations with foreign countries. Peter 1 introduced foreign policy a lot of subjectivism and voluntarism, regardless of the old Russian traditions. He established diplomatic relations with everyone who either asked for it or was personally familiar to him in one way or another. That is why, already in the first years of his reign, he established relations with a mass of petty German monarchs, whom he met during his stay and visits to Western Europe(we do not even indicate them, because most of these "states" simply disappeared from the political map after Northern war and especially after the Napoleonic wars at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th century). It is precisely because of these qualities of Peter I that among the “friends” of Russia or countries that have diplomatic relations with it, there was any “rogue” like the decrepit Republic of Genoa, the semi-puppet “kingdom” of Sardinia and Sicily, sandwiched between the Austrian Empire and Prussia, Bavaria or the tiny Order of Malta , relations with which could only tickle the pride of such monarchs as Peter I and his "great-grandson" Paul I. The old clerks of the Ambassadorial Order would not allow establishing relations with such countries. Under the old tsars, for all their supposedly slavish subordination to the will of the sovereign, they (i.e., the apparatus of the Posolsky Prikaz) possessed the ability to force the monarch to make only those decisions that were traditional for Russian diplomacy, and had the full opportunity, with facts in hand, to prove all the disadvantages recognition of the country that was not needed, useless or even harmful to Russia.
Peter the Great broke this tried and tested, faultless, albeit terribly routine, slowly operating machine. During his lifetime, he removed professional diplomats from decision-making in foreign affairs. But this practice did not last long - only a quarter of a century.
The Collegium of Foreign Affairs, which replaced the Ambassadorial Order soon after the death of Peter I, turned, as we will see below, into a body with sovereign power planning, building and deciding in principle all foreign policy affairs, not at all taking into account the weak-willed German monarchs on the Russian throne. Moreover, all the affairs of the Collegium were decided not at all collectively, but absolutely single-handedly by the most powerful and strongest person in this Collegium - its head or his deputy. And he was guided exclusively by the historical interests of Russia, although it also happened that along the way, but without violating state interests, this or that chancellor also decided his personal affairs (for example, A. I. Osterman, A. P., Bestuzhev-Ryumin, N. I. Panin).
B. The first permanent missions of foreign states in Russia, permitted by the Ambassadorial Order
1) Trade agents, consuls, but not diplomats
1. England - 1585
2. Denmark - 1627
3. France - 1629 First petition french king on the opening of a permanent consulate. Rejected by Moscow - there is no need, France is far away, there are few French in Moscow
4. Holland - 1631 The first Dutch request for a trading agency. Not formally rejected but left unanswered
5. Sweden - 1631
6. Schleswig-Holstein - 1634 Agreement on the exchange of permanent agents. Holstein agent from January 1639 in Moscow. In 1641, the representation was closed due to disadvantage for Holstein
7. Brandenburg - 1675
8. Holland - 1678
2) The first permanent diplomatic missions in Moscow of foreign states
1. Sweden - Sept. 1666 Resident Johan de (af) Lilienthal
3. Poland - Sept. 1673 Ablegate (envoy) Pavel Svidersky
B. Creation of the first Russian permanent missions in European states by the Ambassadorial Order
1634 - Sweden (in Stockholm).
1673 - Commonwealth (in Warsaw).
1699 - Holland (in The Hague).
1700 - Denmark (in Copenhagen).
1701 - Austrian Empire(in Vienna).
1701 Turkish Empire (in Istanbul).
1702 - France (in Paris).
1706 - Great Britain (in London).
Almost until the beginning of the XVIII century. there were only two permanent missions - in Sweden and in Poland, that is, in the two most important neighboring states. As you can see, in the matter of creating missions, especially permanent ones, the Ambassadorial Order had different principles than when establishing diplomatic relations. Diplomatic relations were mainly and easily entered into with distant, but large prestigious countries. However, it was considered pointless to keep permanent missions there precisely because of their remoteness and the uselessness of intelligence given to distant friends. On the contrary, they considered it necessary to keep missions as an outpost of foreign policy intelligence and surveillance with close neighbors, and, moreover, with potential enemies: here the missions were really necessary “for business”, and therefore no expense was spared on them.
Peter I in this respect also broke the logical, business-like, precisely the truly Russian order of organization diplomatic service based on common sense considerations. He established a permanent mission in the most friendly country to him and in the country most remote from Russia - in Holland, moreover, in a small country, not at all in great power. For there he had many acquaintances and personally he liked the country. So the subjective, voluntaristic decision of the tsar broke the firm principles of Russian diplomacy, and she began to follow the Western "fashion", the Western principles of diplomatic relations. The founding of missions in Copenhagen, Vienna, Paris, London was a clear tribute to Western European diplomatic customs and went completely apart from the Ambassadorial Order, for these missions were supplied and subordinated exclusively to the royal Embassy Office.
The establishment of a permanent mission in Turkey was also new, in Muslim country. This was news to Russian diplomacy, but in principle it still corresponded better to its inner spirit than the creation of missions in Paris and London. After all, Turkey was an enemy and, moreover, a neighboring state, and it was necessary, logical and generally beneficial to keep an observation post there, although Russian diplomats in a Muslim country were very connected.
conclusions
Summing up the results of the activities of the first foreign policy department of Russia - the Ambassadorial Order from its creation in the form of an apparatus of 5-7 people (including the "minister" himself) and until the transfer of all affairs by this institution to the Foreign Collegium, when its staff reached 75-80 people, it should be emphasized that that, firstly, the Posolsky Prikaz practically created all the foundations of the diplomatic service in all its manifestations and handed over to its successor, the Foreign Collegium, an actually completed institution that needed only to be improved and supplemented, but in which all the main parts had already been created - the central apparatus, its departments - and the principles of their work were developed, their personnel were determined from the minister to the referent, translator and scribe. Secondly, diplomatic relations were established with all the most important and necessary European countries. Thirdly, permanent diplomatic missions were created in all the great powers of that time - Austria, Turkey, Sweden, Great Britain, France, Denmark and in all the main neighboring countries - in Sweden, Poland, Turkey, that is, the necessary and sufficient a minimum of a foreign network of diplomatic missions, which could only be supplemented as needed and the changing international situation.
Therefore, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Posolsky Prikaz, despite all its archaism, turned out to be an effective and advanced institution and, with its modest but purposeful work, gradually prepared the main backbone, a strong foundation for the Russian Foreign Ministry, with which it was not ashamed and quite reliable to enter into new, enlightened XVIII century. In its diplomacy, in its level, Russia was already at the beginning of this century at the most perfect height, and this only provided the basis for the successes of Peter I, can serve as a good explanation for them, but was not at all created as a result of his activities in this field, but was a consequence of the fact that in the Foreign Ministry for a number of previous generations, for almost a century and a half, exceptionally talented people worked and trained personnel, the flower of Russian thought, Russian education and Russian organizational talent.
Peter I broke something in this already existing building, gave something, on the contrary, new impulses, somewhere expanded, and somehow narrowed the scope of his activities, but on the whole did not change the basic condition that the Foreign Ministry continued keep the tradition of attracting the best forces in the state administration, that the largest and most talented personalities were involved here, and there was, also traditionally, always more freedom of thought and less bureaucracy than in any other domestic political institution in Russia. It was precisely this circumstance that ensured the “survival” of the Russian Foreign Ministry in its struggle with the diplomacy of other countries. And it was precisely this that ensured the successful work of Russian diplomats on the whole, although the risk of a personal nature, the “dangerous nature” of the diplomatic service did not decrease at all in the 18th century: disgrace, exile, arrests and executions of leading diplomats continued throughout the next century, although not in such cruel forms as during the period of the Ambassadorial order.
In commemoration of the 200th anniversary Russian Ministry Foreign Affairs by Presidential Decree Russian Federation V. V. Putin on October 31, 2002, a professional holiday was established - the Day of the Diplomatic Worker, which is celebrated on February 10. This date in Russian historiography is conventionally considered to be the day of the formation of the first foreign policy department of Russia - the Posolsky Prikaz.
There is no exact official date for the establishment of the Ambassadorial Order, since no special act on its creation and functions has been preserved. It was created from the Treasury Court - the office of the Moscow State, which also dealt with foreign relations. By the middle of the 16th century, the external relations of the Moscow state had expanded so much that there was an urgent need to create a central department for foreign affairs.
In 1549, Tsar Ivan IV ordered the Duma clerk Ivan Mikhailovich Viskovaty to "be in charge of the embassy business", who in a short time managed to put the embassy documents in order, sorted out and systematized the vast tsar's archive, which was badly damaged by the fire of 1547. For the first time, descriptions appeared with him archival documents kept records of used business papers. It was under Viskovat that the Ambassadorial Office was finally formed, which was soon called the order.
Here is what the documents of those years say, in particular the "Brief extract on the correspondence between Poland and Russia, wars and truces", made in the Ambassadorial order around 1565-1566: "In the 57th year (i.e., in 7057" from the creation of the world" or 1549) the embassy work of Ivan Viskovaty was ordered, but he was still a clerk ...". It also says that on February 1 (10), 1549, I. Viskovaty, together with the clerk Bakaka Karacharov and a Lithuanian clerk, wrote a truce letter, that is, an agreement on a truce, at the Treasury Court. Thus, the date of February 1 (10), 1549 is considered the most accurate date for the founding of the Ambassadorial Order.
From the very beginning, the Posolsky Prikaz became the center where information about all external affairs flowed. Visiting strangers were asked here about what they saw and heard, about events that took place in the world, about the relationship of monarchs, etc. Reports of Russian ambassadors came here, containing a wide variety of information about the countries where they happened to be, by which it was possible to judge what represented interest for Russia at that time. Orders were also prepared here for Russian ambassadors who were going abroad. Only from 1549 to 1559 Moscow was visited by 32 embassies from different countries.
The Posolsky Prikaz was in charge of not only diplomatic affairs, but also legal ones related to trade. Letters of commendation to foreign merchants directly stated that, in addition to exemption from duties, they could enjoy the privilege of suing Russian subjects through the Posolsky Prikaz.
In the 17th century, the growth of the international significance of the Russian state caused a significant expansion of the functions of the Ambassadorial Order. Structurally, it was divided on a territorial-state basis into povytia, that is, peculiar departments that performed certain functions. The bailiffs and the watchman appeared in the order. All employees of the order were sworn in, promising to keep state secret, do not communicate with foreigners, and when translating, translate truthfully. There were also gold painters in the order, that is, those who painted letters sent to foreign countries with gold and paints (usually the borders of letters and initial words). The Ambassadorial Order was entrusted with the overall management of the country's foreign policy and all current diplomatic work. In addition, the Posolsky Prikaz kept state seals and the state archive.
If in the 16th century the Posolsky Prikaz was mainly the office for foreign relations, executing the decisions of the tsar and the Boyar Duma, then in the 17th century it turned into a central government agency with broad powers and considerable autonomy.
Since 1667, not the clerks, but the boyars, were at the head of the Ambassadorial Department, some of them, for example, A.L. Among the leaders of the Ambassadorial Department there were many outstanding Russian diplomats - A. Ya. Shchelkalov and V. Ya. Shchelkalov, A. S. Matveev, V. V. Golitsyn, E. I. Ukraintsev and others.
The main task of Russian diplomacy of that time was control, monitoring of relations with foreign states, the annexation of new territories and the gathering of the Russian state. A. L. Ordin-Nashchokin, in one of his appeals to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, especially emphasized: “In the reigning city of Moscow, the Immaculate People of the Ambassadorial order, like the apple of an eye, keep. Because this institution is the eye of the whole great Russia!" Russian diplomacy most closely followed the observance of the "state interest".
The small staff of the Posolsky Prikaz tirelessly maintained relations with almost three dozen countries, collected military, political, economic and cultural information about the countries of Europe and Asia. In fact, the employees of the Order laid the foundations and principles of Russian diplomacy.
In the second half of the 17th century, the Posolsky order began to be called the State Order, which emphasized its special significance. Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, he received the name of the State order of the embassy press. From the 80s of the 17th century, it was sometimes called the State Embassy Office, which later, under Peter I, was transformed into the Ambassadorial Field Office, and then in 1720 into the Collegium of Foreign Affairs.
Prepared on the basis of the article A. Yu. Guseva,
third secretary of the IDD
