2-588-160 - The Art Collector/Heritage-Images

'Portrait of the Regent Sofia Alexeyevna', first half of 19th century. Copy of an earlier portrait. Detail. The third surviving daughter of Tsar Alexis I and his first wife, Maria Miloslavskaya, Sophia Alexeyevna (1657-1704) became Regent of Russia in 1682 after her brother, Tsar Feodor III died without a surviving heir. A power struggle ensued and Sophia was able to secure power by allying herself with the powerful courtier Prince Vasily Galitzine. She ruled during the minority of her younger brother, Ivan V and half-brother, Peter the Great, who were co-tsars, although Ivan's mental and physical disabilities effectively made him incapabable of ruling. She was overthrown in 1689 by Peter. Found in the collection of The Hermitage, St Petersburg.