Focusing on the elite Boyar Duma, this study delves into the influential figures who shaped Russian governance and society in the seventeenth century. It explores their careers in government, family ties, factional alliances, and economic pursuits, offering insights into their values and attitudes. Through collective biography, the author sheds light on the dynamics of power and influence during a pivotal era in Russian history.
This is a comprehensive account of the rise of the late medieval Russian monarchy with Moscow as its capital, which was to become the territorial core of the Soviet Union. The legacy of the Grand Princes and Tsars of Muscovy -- a tradition of strong governmental authority, the absence of legal corporations, and the requirement that all Russians contribute to the defence of the nation -- has shaped Russia's historical development down to our own time.