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The Ofd Engjtsh Couirt::.

Tvade tan-ks wilth, Russ,ia

nui'nber of foreigners joumey exhibitions displaying large
to Russia to work as crafts- wall panels of historical
men, civil servants and texts, detailed documents
explorers - to an abiupt end, and maps, photographs and
expelling the English traders other images entitled
as a mark of his disgust at the "Medieval Russia from the
execution for treason of Eyes of the Foreigner" and
Charles I on 30 January "The History of Anglo-
1649. Russian Relations". The col-
lection mostly of coins and
The Old English Court docuinents was donated from
a nuinber of sources, inclu-
The building became private ding the British Libraiy and
property and was the home the Marquis of Salisbuiy's
of several prominent men private collection.
Situated in northemAsia and He pre-
and their fainilies. The house
Eastem Europe, tl'ie Russian sented the The Old English
was remodelled several One of the oldest secular
state originated from the Court to a group of English
tiines and was unrecognisa- buildings in Moscow, of spe-
expansion of the principality merchants who arrived in
ble by the twentieth century cial interest are the meticu-
of Muscovy. It played an Mumansk in 1553 from the
when it was split into apart- lously reconshucted interiors
increasing role in Europe court of Edward IV, under
ments by the Soviet authori- especially that of the Formal
from the tiine of tsar and the coininand of Richard
ties. Hall with its low vaultedroof
emperor, Peter the Great Chancellor. They had been
and elaborate brick fireplace
(1672-1725), who establis- sent to search for a northern
A Muscovite architect and where meetings were held and
hed Russia as a major power. passage to India but took the
restorer, who almost single the 'i'ansaction of official busi-
opportiu'iity to establish trade
handed protected Moscow's ness took place. Concerts of
Legendary are the sump- links with the Tsar who wel- early nusic are held regularly
medieval legacy in the Soviet
tuous life styles and grand comed them wannly, provi- and related events for children
Union, painstakingly resto-
palaces of the Romanov ded themwith a headquarters also take place there.
red the house to its original
dynasty of tsars and empe- and allowed them unlimited
form. There were no records
rors who ruled Russia from duty-free trade. The Old English Corut
of the interior designs of the
1613 to 1917. In October Muserun was opened to coin-
building so restoration is
1917 the Tsarist regime came Although good relations suf- cide with a State Visit of
based on the present d6cor of
to an endwith the Revolution fered when Elizabeth I repea- Queen Elizabeth II in 1994. It
Tudor interiors existing in
when the last Emperor of tedly rejected Ivan's propo- is cominemorated with a
Britain including those on
Russia, Nicholas n, his wife sals of maiage - the third plaque placed on the oritside of
display in Hampton Couit the building.
and family were imprisoned English envoy to the Tsar
Palace.
by the Bolsheviks and execu- was kept under house arrest
Ita Marguet

ted at Ekaterinburg on the here - trade flourished bet-
Close to Red Square the
night of 17 July 1918. ween the two countries for
Chambers of The Old Note: Aclaiowledgement is
ahnost a century with the
English Court are part of the given to all sources used iii
Trade links with Russia English bringing wool,
Moscow History Museuin. preparafion of fis text. It is
metals and wine in retum for
In one of the city's old dis- dimwn fi'om Moscow mid St.
Ivan the Terrible (1530-84) furs, caviar, honey and other
tricts it was initially built at Petersbtug: Heritage mid his-
was Grand Pice of Russian produce. Russian
the turn of the fiffeenth and tory (by Ita ALu'guet, May
Muscovy (1533-84) and timber was used to build the
sixteenth centuries. In the 2008).
crowned tsar in 1547. His English fleet, and the
past it was used as a residen-
reign became brutal and Russian army was equipped
ce by the English Moscow
tyrannical. He reformed the with English muskets and
Trading Company and later
legal code in 1555, expanded ainmunihon.
housed the first foreign
his territory and established
representation in the Russian
commercial relations with In 1649 Tsar Aleksei I
capital.
England. brought the alliance - which
had seen an unprecedented
The Museum contains two
44 12009 Diva
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