A. V. Makarov, Peter I’s Cabinet Secretary, and Anonymous Letter of 1724
https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2025-14-6-482-502
Abstract
This study offers a fresh perspective on the circumstances surrounding an anonymous letter delivered to Peter I in November 1724, which contained allegations of misconduct by members of the Supreme Court and Cabinet Secretary A. V. Makarov. The analysis explores Makarov's role in the state-building efforts of the Petrine era, emphasizing his significant mediating function in the formulation and adoption of political decisions. It is noted that for certain administrative experiments characteristic of the reign of Russia's first emperor, the Cabinet Secretary acted as a sort of alter ego for the sovereign, facilitating communication with various administrative institutions and conveying the monarch's will to them. In this context, the article examines the charges presented in the letter and investigates the circumstances surrounding the cases mentioned therein. The roles of individuals who were justly or unjustly accused of misconduct are highlighted. The conclusion drawn is that the document reflects a set of stereotypical views typical of mid-level clerks, suggesting that the claims and accusations against Makarov lack substantive grounding.
Keywords
social connections,
informal networks,
Peter I's Cabinet,
judicial inquiries,
anonymous correspondence
Supporting agencies: The research was carried out at the expense of a grant from the Russian Science Foundation, project № 23-78- 0105, https://rscf.ru/project/23-78-01059/.
About the Author
M. T. Nakishova
Ural Federal University named after the First President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Marina T. Nakishova, PhD in History, Researcher at the Laboratory of Traditional Archeography
Yekaterinburg
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For citations:
Nakishova M.T. A. V. Makarov, Peter I’s Cabinet Secretary, and Anonymous Letter of 1724. Nauchnyi dialog. 2025;14(6):482-502. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2025-14-6-482-502
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