{{Short description|Russian nobleman and politician (1617–1700)}} {{expand Russian|topic=bio|date=October 2018}} [[Image:Godfrey Kneller - Portrait of Pyotr Potyomkin - WGA12213.jpg|thumb|right|''Pyotr Potemkin'' by [[Godfrey Kneller]]]] '''Pyotr Ivanovich Potemkin''' ({{langx|ru|Пётр Ива́нович Потёмкин}}; 1617–1700), also spelled '''Potyomkin''', was a Russian [[courtier]], [[diplomacy|diplomat]] and [[namestnik]] of [[Borovsk]] during the reigns of tsars [[Alexis I of Russia|Alexis I]] and [[Feodor III of Russia|Feodor III]]. He was a [[voivode]] during the [[Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)]] and took [[Lublin]] in 1655<ref>Brian Davies, ''Warfare, State and Society on the Black Sea Steppe, 1500–1700'', (Routledge, 2007), 122.</ref> and [[Siege of Nyenschantz (1656)|laid siege to Nyenschantz]] and [[Noteborg]] in 1656.<ref>Peter Englund, ''Den oövervinnerlige'', (Atlantis, 2000)</ref> Later he became a [[Stolnik#Stolnik in Russia|stolnik]] working as the tsar's ambassador.
== Service == Potemkin led the embassy to [[Habsburg Spain|Spain]] and [[Early Modern France|France]] between 1667 and 1668. This embassy established regular diplomatic relations between Russia and Spain. A colorful portrait of Pyotr Potemkin by Spanish painter [[Juan Carreño de Miranda]] is on display in [[Museo del Prado]] in [[Madrid]]. During his envoy to France he introduced a new term, ''Avgardent'' (Авгардент), into the Russian diplomatic vocabulary.<ref>[https://supercook.ru/vocab01.html Great Culinary Dictionary] {{in lang|ru}}</ref> The term meant "distilled spirits", especially [[Cognac (drink)|Cognacs]] and [[Armagnac (drink)|Armagnacs]]. Potemkin considered them harmful and advocated a complete ban on their import to Russia.
He travelled to [[Vienna]] in 1674 to discuss common actions against Polish king [[John III Sobieski]]. He also was the envoy of [[Feodor III]] to France and [[Kingdom of England|England]] in 1681. He died in 1700 in the rank of an [[okolnichy]].
== Legend == According to legend, Pyotr Potemkin, as a diplomat, had an eccentric sense of national pride. During his negotiations in Madrid he insisted that the King of Spain take off his hat every time Potemkin mentioned the title of [[Tsar#Full style of Russian Sovereigns|Tsar of All Russias]].<ref name=Zubkov>[http://www.openmag.ru/archive/articul_206.html?sList=8&idList=17 Alexander Zubkov ''His Serene Highness'', Open!', Spring 2003] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120905180009/http://www.openmag.ru/archive/articul_206.html?sList=8&idList=17 |date=2012-09-05 }} {{in lang|ru}}</ref> During his embassy to [[Copenhagen]], the [[Denmark–Norway|Danish]] king was ill and could receive Potemkin only lying in bed. Potemkin insisted that the Danes bring a second bed into the chamber and conducted all the talks lying down, thus showing the equality between the countries.<ref name=Zubkov/>
Famous Russian statesman Prince [[Grigory Potemkin]] was a distant relative.
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Commons category-inline|Petr Potemkin|Pyotr Potemkin}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20041216002205/http://www.spain.mid.ru/otn4.html History of diplomatic relations between Spain and Russia] {{in lang|ru}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Potemkin, Pyotr}} [[Category:1617 births]] [[Category:1700 deaths]] [[Category:Diplomats of the Russian Empire]] [[Category:17th-century Russian diplomats]] [[Category:Russian people of the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)]] [[Category:Potemkin family|Pyotr]]