Nikita Romanov

Descendant of a nonroyal branch of rulling dynasty, Nikita Romanov was the largest land and serf owner among the Russian nobility in the mid-17th century known for his admiration of Western culture.

Although his family didn’t belonged to the branch of the Romanovs which held the Russian throne from 1613 to 1917, it enjoyed a great wealth and prestige in society. With estates in ten districts and more than seven thousand serf household, his father is considered the wealthiest magnate in the service of Czar Michael Romanov. According to sources, Nikita’s presence at the court initially revolved around attendance of the ceremonial events. However, in 1645 he was promoted to boyar, the highest rank of the Russian aristocracy. In his ownership were numerous estates with some 7,012 serf households and around thirty thousand peasants.

After the Czar Alexis, he was the wealthiest Russian aristocrat and the second richest man in the country. Contrary to expectations, they were popular among the lower strata of society in Moscow. That was the reason why he was assigned to calm the Moscow Salt Tax Rebellion, actually directed against Boris Ivanovich Morozov, the czar’s brother-in-law and closest adviser, his associates and their unpopular military, political and financial reforms. In the aftermath of this event, Romanov was at the height of his political power and was appointed head of the Boyar Duma, the council of aristocrats that advised the czar.

However, the situation changed dramatically following Morozov’s return from exile – he withdrew from the government and in later period he even lost favor of the Czar Alexis. He died in 1654 in the city of Vyazma. Since he wasn’t married and was childless, his land and serfs went to the Czar.