Russian philology
wife to become a nun and thus freed himself from the union.
By the summer of 1689, Peter, then age 17, planned to take power from his half-sister Sophia,
whose position had been weakened by two unsuccessful Crimean campaigns. When she
learned of his designs, Sophia conspired with the leaders of the Streltsy, who continually
aroused disorder and dissent. Peter, warned by the Streltsy, escaped in the middle of the night
to the impenetrable monastery of Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra; there he slowly gathered adherents
who perceived he would win the power struggle. Sophia was eventually overthrown, with
Peter I and Ivan V continuing to act as co-tsars. Peter forced Sophia to enter a convent, where
she gave up her name and her position as a member of the royal family.
Still, Peter could not acquire actual control over Russian affairs. Power was instead exercised
by his mother, Natalya Naryshkina. It was only when Natalya died in 1694 that Peter, now age
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