Afanasy Ordin-Nashchokin - Later Life and Achievements

Later Life and Achievements

It was Ordin who first abolished the onerous system of tolls on exports and imports, and established a combination of native merchants for promoting direct commercial relations between Sweden and Russia. He also set on foot a postal system between Russia, Courland and Poland, and introduced gazettes and bills of exchange into Russia. With his name, too, is associated the building of the first Russian merchant-vessels on the Dvina and Volga.

But his whole official career was a constant struggle with narrow routine, and personal jealousy on the part of the boyars and clerks of the council. He was last employed in the negotiations for confirming the truce of Andrusovo (September 1669; March 1670). In January 1671 we hear of him as in attendance upon the tsar on the occasion of his second marriage; but in February the same year he was dismissed, and withdrew to the Krypetsky monastery near his native Pskov. There he took the tonsure under the name of Antony, and occupied himself with good works till his death in 1680.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.