Mr. Chancelor's first Audience of the Czar of Moscovy — engraving

'Mr. Chancelor's first Audience of the Czar of Moscovy'.

A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in all Parts of the World. London: Longman, Hurst [&c.], 1808-1814

Richard Chancellor (1521 - 1556) was an English explorer and navigator; the first to penetrate to the White Sea and establish relations with the Tsardom of Russia. When Tsar Ivan the Terrible heard of Chancellor's arrival, he immediately invited the exotic guest to visit Moscow for an audience at the royal court. Chancellor made the journey of over 600 miles (over 1000 kilometres) to Moscow by horse-drawn sleigh through snow and ice-covered country. He found Moscow large (much larger than London) and primitively built, most houses being constructed of wood. However, the palace of the tsar was very luxurious, as were the dinners he offered Chancellor. The tsar was pleased to open the sea trading routes with England and other countries, as Muscovy did not yet have a connection with the Baltic Sea at the time and the entire area was contested by the neighbouring powers of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Swedish Empire. In addition, the Hanseatic League had a monopoly on the trade between Muscovy and Central and Western Europe. Chancellor was no less optimistic, finding a good market for his English wool, and receiving furs and other Muscovian goods in return. The Tsar gave him letters for England inviting English traders and promising trade privileges. In July 1556 Chancellor departed for home, taking with him the first Russian ambassador to England, Osip Nepeya.

Technique, Material: Steel engraving / Paper
Artist: Henry Corbould,  Engraver: George Cooke 
Date: Published by Longman Hurst Rees & Orme Paternoster Row.,  London, 1808.
Size: 267 x 208 cm.