MATVEYEV, ARTAMON SERGEYEVICH (d. 1682), Russian statesman and reformer, was one of the greatest of the precursors of Peter the Great. His parentage and the date of his birth are uncertain. In 1671 the tsar Alexius and Arta mon were already on intimate terms, and on the retirement of Orduin-Nashchokin, Matveyev became the tsar's chief counsellor. Matveyev remained paramount to the end of the reign and intro duced play-acting and all sorts of refining western novelties into Muscovy. The deplorable physical condition of Alexius's immedi ate successor Theodore III. suggested to Matveyev the elevation to the throne of the sturdy little tsarevich Peter, then in his fourth year. He purchased the allegiance of the stryeltsi, or musketeers, and then, summoning the boyars of the council, urged the sub stitution of Peter for Theodore. His arguments failed, and he was banished to Pustozersk, in northern Russia, where he re mained till Theodore's death (April 27, 1682). The first ukaz
issued in Peter's name summoned Matveyev to return to the capital and act as chief adviser to the tsaritsa Natalia. He reached Moscow on May 5, and at once proceeded to the head of the Red Staircase to meet and argue with the assembled stryeltsi, who had been instigated to rebel by the anti-Petrine faction. They seized and flung Matveyev into the square below, where he was hacked to pieces by their comrades.
See R. Nisbet Bain, The First Romanovs (London, 19°5) ; M. P. Pogodin, The First Seventeen Years of the Life of Peter the Great (Rus.) (Moscow, 1875) ; S. M. Solovev, History of Russia (Rus.) (vols. 12, 13) (St. Petersburg, 1895, etc.) ; L. Shchepotev, A. S. Matveyev as an Educational and Political Reformer (Rus.) (St. Peters burg, '906).