Naryshkin

a Russian noble family, known since the mid- l6th century.

The Naryshkin family entered the political arena in 1671, when Tsar Aleksei Mikhailovich took as his second wife Natal’ia Kirillovna Naryshkina (1651–94), the future mother of Peter I. Her upbringing in the family of A. S. Matveev had helped her gain an introduction to the tsar. When Peter I ascended the throne in 1689 Natal’ia Kirillovna became prominent in the administration of the state. Lev Kirillovich Naryshkin, the uncle of Peter I, served as chief of the Foreign Office (Posol’skii prikaz) from 1690 to 1702 and became a leading figure in state affairs.

The role of the Naryshkins declined after the early 18th century, but through the reign of Alexander I and even later, members of the family held prominent court and state positions and thus could exert significant influence on Russian policies. The Decembrist M. M. Naryshkin was also a member of the family.