The UyghiUygh Lj, it yes sure us, it yes sure us. Weh, hayhu, again, hushh'eras. Welcome to the Russian rulers podcast episode 26 the Strelsy Revolt

Last week we delved into the lives of Alexis I and Fyoda the 3rd and And introduced Alexi's children, Sophia, Ivan, and Peter. Internal squabbles abound and Russia continued with their wars with Poland and Sweden for disputed territory.

Fyter III, eldest son of Alexi I, had died. territory. was to be elevated to the throne. Two families were battling for position within the Romanovs,

then Arishkins, the family of Alexi's second wife Natalia, and then Milislavsky's with her numerous but

off sickly children of Sar Alexis's first wife, Maria. The Nouriskins were

safe and well taken care of when Alexis and his son Fyodor were in power, but the winds of change made their position tenuous

when Fyodor died in 1682.

Let's go back a bit and talk about how Alexi met Peter's mother in Natalia.

Now, in most of Europe, marriages were arranged to fortify treaties between countries

to end conflicts and strengthen alliances.

But Russia, it was different.

In Russia, the Tsar chose a fellow Russian,

but more importantly, a member of the Russian Orthodox Church.

It was under these circumstances that Alexis found himself

when in March of 1669 his first wife Maria Molosovskaya died.

Alexis was greatly saddened by her death in childbirth.

For a year he mourned until a fateful evening when he laid eyes on the beautiful Natalia Narashkina at the house of his friend and close advisor Ardoman Matve.

Although just 19 she was said to be a stunning beauty. She as many in Russia

had tatar blood in her. So Smitten was Alexis that he quickly told Mateo that he wished to marry her.

Now, this was not without danger as many competing boy or families would object

and try to subterfuge the Union as had been done to more than a few potential

brides in the past.

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