Matveev, Andrei Artamonovich

Born Aug. 15 (25), 1666, in Moscow; died there Sept. 16 (27), 1728. Russian statesman and diplomat; associate of Peter I; count (from 1715). Son of A. S. Matveev.

Matveev served as voevoda (military governor) in the Dvina region from 1691 to 1693. From 1699 to 1712 he was ambassador to Holland, and from 1712 to 1715 ambassador to Austria. Taking advantage of clashes between the European powers in connection with the War of the Spanish Succession, Matveev managed to restrain the governments of Holland and Great Britain from helping Sweden in the Northern War of 1700-21. Upon his return to Russia, he became president of the Naval Academy and the Navigation School. In 1719 he became a senator and president of the Collegium of Justice. Later he was president of the Moscow Senate Office (1724). In 1727 he retired. In the mid-1720’s, Matveev compiled a description of the Moscow revolt of 1682.