History of the Secret Chancellery of Peter's Time

8 hrs. 22 min.

Language Russian

Author Vasily Veretennikov

Narrator Sergey Kirsanov

Description

Vasily Ivanovich Veretennikov’s book, first published in 1910, is a foundational study on the history of Peter I’s Secret Chancellery.

Using extensive archival material, the author explains what preceded the Secret Chancellery, how it came into being, what it did, and what its internal structure was like—who led it, how decisions were made, where the rank-and-file executors came from, what role the tsar himself played in all of this, and why, although the Secret Chancellery was essentially abolished even during Peter’s lifetime, it nevertheless soon reemerged and soon played a crucial role in shaping the state system of the Russian Empire.

This book sheds light not only on the activities of a specific institution engaged in investigation—above all, political investigation—it also makes it possible to understand many events of Russian history, not only the eighteenth century, but later centuries as well.

Vasily Ivanovich Veretennikov (1880–1942) was an archivist, Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor, and a specialist in the history of Russia in the 18th century.