Boris Morozov

From Freepedia

Boris Ivanovich Morozov (Борис Иванович Морозов in Russian, 1590 - 1661), a Muscovite statesman and boyar who led the Russian government during the early reign of Tsar Alexis, whose tutor and brother-in-law he was.

During his long career at the Kremlin court, Morozov supervised a number of government departments (called prikazy) – Grand Treasury, Streltsy, Pharmacy, and Payroll. Aspiring to increase treasury’s income, Morozov reduced salaries of state employees and introduced a high indirect salt tax. These measures caused the Salt Riot of 1648. The rebels demanded Morozov's hand over, but the tsar hid him in his palace and then sent him in a fictitious exile into the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. After four months, however, Morozov returned to Moscow.

In 1649, Morozov took active part in preparing a legal code, which would survive well into the 19th century. In the early 1650s, while maintaining a low profile, he was still in the charge of Muscovite government. He owned 55,000 peasants and a number of mills, distilleries, factories that produced iron, bricks, and salt. His sister-in-law, Boyarynya Morozova, was involved into the Old Believer movement.

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