Alexander Vasilievich Kikin (Александр Васильевич Кикин; ca. 1670-1718) was a political mentor and advisor to

Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia Grand Duke Alexei Petrovich of Russia (28 February 1690 – 26 June 1718) was a Russian Tsarevich. He was born in Moscow, the son of Tsar Peter I and his first wife, Eudoxia Lopukhina. Alexei despised his father and repeatedly thwarted Peter's ...

; accused of having arranged the flight abroad of the latter, Kikin was broken on the wheel. Kikin began his career as a bombardier in the

toy army of Peter I The toy army of Peter I (russian: Потешные войска, Poteshnye voiska, literally ''amusement forces'' or ''fun forces'') was initially called ''Petrovskiy polk'', Peter's regiment (russian: Петровский полк) and was a colle ...

. He accompanied the monarch in the

Great Embassy The Grand Embassy (russian: Вели́кое посо́льство, translit=Velíkoye posól'stvo) was a Russian diplomatic mission to Western Europe from 9 March 1697 to 25 August 1698 led by Peter the Great. Description In 1697 and 1698, Pe ...

and learned the mast-maker's craft in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Upon returning to Russia, Kikin helped build the first Russian warships in

Voronezh Voronezh ( rus, links=no, Воро́неж, p=vɐˈronʲɪʂ}) is a city and the administrative centre of Voronezh Oblast in southwestern Russia straddling the Voronezh River, located from where it flows into the Don River. The city sits on ...

and

Olonets Olonets (russian: Оло́нец; krl, Anus, olo, Anuksenlinnu; fi, Aunus, Aunuksenkaupunki or Aunuksenlinna) is a town and the administrative center of Olonetsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, located on the Olonka River to t ...

. In the January campaign of 1706 he had Mitau Castle blown up and retreated with his regiment toward

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...

. In 1707 Kikin was put in charge of the

Admiralty Shipyard The JSC Admiralty Shipyards (russian: link=no, Адмиралтейские верфи) (''formerly Soviet Shipyard No. 194'') is one of the oldest and largest shipyards in Russia, located in Saint Petersburg. The shipyard's building ways can ac ...

. He was a

groomsman A groomsman or usher is one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony and performs the first speech at the wedding. Usually, the groom selects close friends and relatives to serve as groomsmen, and it is considered an honor to be s ...

at Peter's second wedding.The Russian Biographical Dictionary
/ref> Kikin's old rivalry with

Alexander Menshikov Alexander Menshikov may refer to: * Alexander Danilovich Menshikov (1673–1729), Russian statesman * Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov Prince Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov (russian: Князь Алекса́ндр Серге́евич Ме́н� ...

put him in a precarious position, however. In 1715 he was arrested on suspicion of

graft Graft or grafting may refer to: *Graft (politics), a form of political corruption * Graft, Netherlands, a village in the municipality of Graft-De Rijp Science and technology *Graft (surgery), a surgical procedure *Grafting, the joining of plant t ...

and was forced to leave the capital for

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

. A year later Peter relented, allowing him to return to the court. In 1718 Kikin was implicated in the conspiracy of Tsarevich Alexei, tortured and executed. Among other things he was accused of trying to kill the monarch when he had been asleep. He had apparently visited

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

in order to persuade

Emperor Charles VI Charles VI (german: Karl; la, Carolus; 1 October 1685 – 20 October 1740) was Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy from 1711 until his death, succeeding his elder brother, Joseph I. He unsuccessfully claimed the thron ...

to shelter the

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

.Peter Julicher. ''Renegades, Rebels and Rogues under the Tsars''. . Pages 124-127. Kikin's properties, including the unfinished Baroque residence in the vicinity of the

Smolny Convent Smolny Convent or Smolny Convent of the Resurrection (''Voskresensky'', Russian language, Russian: Воскресенский новодевичий Смольный монастырь), located on Ploschad Rastrelli (Rastrelli Square), on the le ...

, were confiscated by the Tsar. The much restored Kikin Palace is one of the oldest buildings in the city.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kikin Russian nobility Politicians of the Russian Empire People executed by breaking wheel 1670 births 1718 deaths 18th-century people from the Russian Empire 18th-century executions by Russia