The paired image of tsars Mikhail Fyodorovich and Aleksey Mikhaylovich was created by the Russian artist and painter of the Armory Chamber, Fyodor Zubov. It was commissioned by Tsar Fyodor Alekseyevich. The image is included among the tombstone “icon portraits” created for the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael of the Moscow Kremlin — the main necropolis of Moscow grand dukes and tsars, appanage princes and tsareviches (tsars’ sons). The images of Moscow grand dukes and appanage princes of the 14th — 15th centuries are placed in the lower row of the cathedral’s fresco ensemble. On the four tiers of the pillars one can see the depictions of princes — descendants of the Varangian Prince Rurik. In this way, the “portrait gallery” represents historical continuity of the reign of the Moscow sovereigns.
In the middle of the 17th century, the old frescoes were knocked down, but the artists of the Armory Chamber managed to trace over the paintings with tracing paper and then reproduce the images on the walls of the Archangel’s Cathedral. On the south-western pillar, opposite the grave of Mikhail Fyodorovich, an area of the wall was left unpainted: when his son, Tsar Aleksey Mikhaylovich, was buried next to the first monarch of the Romanov family, their paired portrait was placed there. By the end of the 19th century, the tombstone images had deteriorated, and at the insistence of the clergy they were transferred to the Russian Historical Museum.
Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich was the first Romanov monarch to ascend the Russian throne. In the first decade of his reign, his main task was to restore order in the state after the Time of Troubles. In 1617, he signed the Treaty of Stolbovo — a peace settlement which ended the Russo-Swedish war. At the end of 1618, an agreement was concluded with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Poland). Other countries recognized the new ruling dynasty: Russia restored diplomatic relations with the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Turkey and Persia.
Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich initiated the reorganization of the army and the creation of “new order regiments”. In addition, intensive urban construction began under his reign. The first Russian explorers reached the shores of the Pacific Ocean after having traversed Siberia. Due to the restoration and construction of new fortified lines (abatis lines), the borders of the country gradually shifted to the south.
Tsar Aleksey Mikhaylovich was the eldest son of Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich. The years of his reign were dominated by various state reforms. In 1649, the Sobornoe Ulozhenie was adopted — a legal code which regulated all spheres of social life. His economic policy was aimed at promoting domestic industry and Russian merchants. The biggest successes of his foreign policy were the return of Smolensk and the reunification with Ukraine in 1654. The church reform, initiated concurrently, established uniformity of church service throughout the territory of the country, which significantly expanded its borders. By the end of Aleksey Mikhaylovich’s reign, the class-representative monarchy gradually transformed into the absolute one.
In the middle of the 17th century, the old frescoes were knocked down, but the artists of the Armory Chamber managed to trace over the paintings with tracing paper and then reproduce the images on the walls of the Archangel’s Cathedral. On the south-western pillar, opposite the grave of Mikhail Fyodorovich, an area of the wall was left unpainted: when his son, Tsar Aleksey Mikhaylovich, was buried next to the first monarch of the Romanov family, their paired portrait was placed there. By the end of the 19th century, the tombstone images had deteriorated, and at the insistence of the clergy they were transferred to the Russian Historical Museum.
Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich was the first Romanov monarch to ascend the Russian throne. In the first decade of his reign, his main task was to restore order in the state after the Time of Troubles. In 1617, he signed the Treaty of Stolbovo — a peace settlement which ended the Russo-Swedish war. At the end of 1618, an agreement was concluded with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Poland). Other countries recognized the new ruling dynasty: Russia restored diplomatic relations with the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Turkey and Persia.
Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich initiated the reorganization of the army and the creation of “new order regiments”. In addition, intensive urban construction began under his reign. The first Russian explorers reached the shores of the Pacific Ocean after having traversed Siberia. Due to the restoration and construction of new fortified lines (abatis lines), the borders of the country gradually shifted to the south.
Tsar Aleksey Mikhaylovich was the eldest son of Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich. The years of his reign were dominated by various state reforms. In 1649, the Sobornoe Ulozhenie was adopted — a legal code which regulated all spheres of social life. His economic policy was aimed at promoting domestic industry and Russian merchants. The biggest successes of his foreign policy were the return of Smolensk and the reunification with Ukraine in 1654. The church reform, initiated concurrently, established uniformity of church service throughout the territory of the country, which significantly expanded its borders. By the end of Aleksey Mikhaylovich’s reign, the class-representative monarchy gradually transformed into the absolute one.
