TSAR’S CHARITY TO CONSTANTINOPLE IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 17th CENTURY

The Russian government positioned itself as the successor of the Byzantine Empire and supported theOrthodox world in every possible way in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as the extant archival documents attest.Large sums, mostly in the form of “furs” were given to the patriarchs, hierarchs and monasteries of the Orthodoxworld through their representatives who came to Moscow. In the first half of the 17th century, regular aid was sent withembassies to Constantinople: Russian-Turkish diplomatic relations during this period were not interrupted, and ambassadorsto the Sultan had the opportunity to visit also the residences of the patriarchs of Constantinople and Jerusalem,as well as the churches and monasteries of Constantinople. The present work is the first to introduce into science theinformation contained in the orders and revenue and expenditure books of Russian embassies, as well as in the greek receipts and letters of recommendation with translations, discovered by us, preserved in the fonds of the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts, is introduced, which allows us to get a more complete picture of the relations between Russia and the Christian East in this period.

embassy, donation, Constantinople, 17th century, Greek documents, Cyril Loukaris, Othoman Empire, Patriarchate of Constantinople