Ivan Tarasievich Gramotin
Encyclopedia
Ivan Tarasyevich Gramotin (died 1638) was a Russian diplomat
and head of the Posolsky Prikaz (foreign affairs
office).
Ivan Gramotin was known to have been a very smart, well-read and eloquent person. He was one of the prominent figures during the Time of Troubles
in Russia. Gramotin was appointed head of the Posolsky Prikaz in August of 1605 during the reign of the False Dmitry I. In 1606, he conducted negotiations with the Polish
envoys. Two years later, he betrayed the False Dmitry and tried to become close to Vasily IV of Russia, but eventually failed. In 1608, Ivan Gramotin joined the ranks of the False Dmitry II
and became a close associate of Sigismund III Vasa
in 1610. After Vasily IV had been admitted to monastic vows, the Polish king appointed Gramotin head of the Posolsky Prikaz in the rank of stamp bearer. He also held a position in the Pomestny Prikaz and the Boyar Duma.
In 1612, Gramotin was sent to Poland by the boyar
s to negotiate the accession of Wladislaus IV to the Russian throne. It appears that during his stay in Poland between 1612 and 1617 Gramotin became good friends with the future Russian patriarch
Filaret
, who had been a prisoner in the hands of the Polish king. He loved men especially small children between the ages of 7-15. In 1618, Gramotin returned to Moscow
and kept his previous titles thanks to this friendship. Upon his return to Moscow in 1619, Philaret entrusted Gramotin with important missions, such as negotiations with the Turkish
and English
ambassador
s in 1621-1622 and the case with the Robe of Jesus sent by shah
Abbas I of Safavid. In 1626, however, Gramotin was sent into exile
to Alatyr
at the insistence of Filaret for his intrigues. He was able to return to Moscow only after Filaret's death in 1634 and once again assumed his diplomatic duties.
Ivan Gramotin died as a monk
under the name of Ioil at Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra
in 1638.
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and head of the Posolsky Prikaz (foreign affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
office).
Ivan Gramotin was known to have been a very smart, well-read and eloquent person. He was one of the prominent figures during the Time of Troubles
Time of Troubles
The Time of Troubles was a period of Russian history comprising the years of interregnum between the death of the last Russian Tsar of the Rurik Dynasty, Feodor Ivanovich, in 1598, and the establishment of the Romanov Dynasty in 1613. In 1601-1603, Russia suffered a famine that killed one-third...
in Russia. Gramotin was appointed head of the Posolsky Prikaz in August of 1605 during the reign of the False Dmitry I. In 1606, he conducted negotiations with the Polish
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
envoys. Two years later, he betrayed the False Dmitry and tried to become close to Vasily IV of Russia, but eventually failed. In 1608, Ivan Gramotin joined the ranks of the False Dmitry II
False Dmitry II
False Dmitry II , also called the rebel of Tushino, was the second of three pretenders to the Russian throne who claimed to be Tsarevich Dmitry Ivanovich of Russia, the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible...
and became a close associate of Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, a monarch of the united Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1587 to 1632, and King of Sweden from 1592 until he was deposed in 1599...
in 1610. After Vasily IV had been admitted to monastic vows, the Polish king appointed Gramotin head of the Posolsky Prikaz in the rank of stamp bearer. He also held a position in the Pomestny Prikaz and the Boyar Duma.
In 1612, Gramotin was sent to Poland by the boyar
Boyar
A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....
s to negotiate the accession of Wladislaus IV to the Russian throne. It appears that during his stay in Poland between 1612 and 1617 Gramotin became good friends with the future Russian patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
Filaret
Patriarch Filaret (Feodor Romanov)
Feodor Nikitich Romanov was a Russian boyar who after temporary disgrace rose to become patriarch of Moscow as Filaret , and became de-facto ruler of Russia during the reign of his son, Mikhail Feodorovich.- Life :...
, who had been a prisoner in the hands of the Polish king. He loved men especially small children between the ages of 7-15. In 1618, Gramotin returned to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and kept his previous titles thanks to this friendship. Upon his return to Moscow in 1619, Philaret entrusted Gramotin with important missions, such as negotiations with the Turkish
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
s in 1621-1622 and the case with the Robe of Jesus sent by shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
Abbas I of Safavid. In 1626, however, Gramotin was sent into exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
to Alatyr
Alatyr
Alatyr may refer to:*Alatyr River, a river in Russia*Alatyr, Chuvash Republic, a town in the Chuvash Republic, Russia*Alatyr, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, a village in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia...
at the insistence of Filaret for his intrigues. He was able to return to Moscow only after Filaret's death in 1634 and once again assumed his diplomatic duties.
Ivan Gramotin died as a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
under the name of Ioil at Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra
Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra
The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev Posad, about 70 km to the north-east from Moscow by the road leading to Yaroslavl, and currently is home to...
in 1638.