Russia Under Two Tsars, 1682-1689: The Regency of Sophia Alekseevna

Russia under Two Tsars, 1682–1689: The Regency of Sophia Alekseevna by C. Bickford O’Brien reexamines a pivotal but often overlooked era in Russian history. Long overshadowed by the towering figure of Peter the Great, the years of Sophia’s regency have typically been portrayed as a twilight period of weak governance and military failure. O’Brien challenges this view, showing instead that Sophia presided over a government of unusual distinction that pursued ambitious reforms at home and skil...