Russian philology
This arrangement was brought before the people of Moscow, as ancient tradition demanded,
and was ratified. Sophia Alekseyevna, one of Alexis' daughters from his first marriage, led a
rebellion of the Streltsy (Russia's elite military corps) in AprilMay 1682. In the subsequent
conflict some of Peter's relatives and friends were murdered, including Matveev, and Peter
witnessed some of these acts of political violence.
The Streltsy made it possible for Sophia, the Miloslavskys (the clan of Ivan) and their allies to
insist that Peter and Ivan be proclaimed joint Tsars, with Ivan being acclaimed as the senior.
Sophia acted as regent during the minority of the sovereigns and exercised all power. For
seven years, she ruled as an autocrat. A large hole was cut in the back of the dual-seated
throne used by Ivan and Peter. Sophia would sit behind the throne and listen as Peter
conversed with nobles, while feeding him information and giving him responses to questions