Osip Nepeia
Nepeia, Osip Grigor’evich
Dates of birth and death unknown. First Russian ambassador to England.
Nepeia was dispatched to England by Ivan IV in July 1556 with a message to Queen Mary proposing that trade relations be established. After a four-month voyage around Scandinavia, the English ship on which he traveled sank off the coast of Scotland. Most of the crew perished, but Nepeia managed to survive. He remained in London until May 1557 and concluded his negotiations successfully. After receiving the queen’s written reply to Ivan IV, Nepeia returned to Russia.