Afanasy Ordin-Nashchokin

Afanasy Lavrentievich Ordin-Nashchokin (1605–1680) was a Russian statesman and diplomat under Tsar Alexis. Born to a poor landowning family near Pskov, he distinguished himself in the Pskov uprising of 1650 and the Russo-Swedish War of 1656–1658.

As head of the Posolsky Prikaz from 1667, he negotiated the Truce of Andrusovo with Poland-Lithuania, abolished tolls, set up a postal service and promoted shipbuilding on the Dvina and Volga.

The first junior noble to reach boyar rank through merit rather than family connections, he was dismissed in 1671, took monastic vows and died in 1680.