12 Facts About Fyodor Apraksin

The Apraksin brothers were launched to prominence after the marriage of their sister Marfa to Tsar Feodor III of Russia in 1681.

Fyodor Apraksin entered the service of his brother-in-law at the age of 10 as a stolnik.

Fyodor Apraksin took part in military amusements of the young tsar and helped to build a toy flotilla for him.

In 1692 Fyodor Apraksin was appointed governor of Arkhangelsk, the foremost trade port of Russia at that time, and built ships capable of weathering storms, to the great delight of the tsar.

Fyodor Apraksin won his colonelcy at the siege of Azov.

Fyodor Apraksin was nominated the first Russian governor of Azov in 1700.

Fyodor Apraksin held the chief command in the Black Sea during the campaign of the Pruth.

In 1715, Fyodor Apraksin fell into temporary disgrace with the tsar, who had been informed about disorders and bribery in the Admiralty.

Whereas his elder brother Peter Apraksin was accused of sympathizing with the Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich, Fyodor was eager to demonstrate his zeal in persecuting the tsarevich, as did Count Peter Tolstoy.

Fyodor Apraksin remained his friend to the last, grateful probably, because of his helping to place the flexible and astute Catherine I on the throne on the death of Peter.

Fyodor Apraksin is said to have never made an enemy.

Fyodor Apraksin died on November 10,1728, aged 67, and was interred in the family sepulchre at the Chrysostom Monastery of Moscow, where his grave was destroyed by the Communists in the 1930s.