Kuzma Minin

Kuzma Minin was a tradesman in the Nizhny Novgorod who became nobleman and landowner due to his role in the Russian national-liberation movement in the Time of Troubles.

Minin’s family was from the small town of Balakhna on Volga River and owned a salt plant, while he himself was a tradesman in the Nizhny Novgorod. In June 1611 several Russian cities were preparing a new revolt against the Poles and Minin the head of one of Nizhny Novgorod’s districts at the time, was gaining more and more influence with his ideas on how to get rid of the occupiers. He suggested every resident should devote one third - or in some cases one fifth - of their belongings to form a militia.

Troops headed by Minin joined with the forces of Count Dmitry Pozharsky and by early April 1612 an impressive army headed by the two of them was on its way to Moscow. On 20 August they finally reached the occupied city and for the next four days Minin and Pozharsky and their troops took part in a bitter battle to free Moscow from the Poles. On 24 August Moscow was liberated, turning Kuzma Minin and Count Dmitry Pozharsky into national heroes.

For his role in the liberation of Moscow, Michael I of Russia conferred on Minin the title of a Duma nobleman, and in 1615 granted him land near Nizhny Novgorod. However he stayed in Moscow where he was in charge of tax collection from merchants.