Sophia Alekseevna, the half-sister of Peter the Great, was the first woman to tule Russia. In 1682, ten-year-old Peter and his mentally retarded brother Ivan were declared joint tsars with 25 year old Sophia as their regent. The regency lasted for seven years until Sophia was ousted by Peter and dispatched to a convent for the last 15 years of her life. This biography describes Sophia's life and rise to power, setting her against the background of a traditional society on the eve of major reform. Hughes examines the developments in foreign policy, and domestic, cultural, and religious affairs within Russia during the regency, and traces Sophia's influence over them.