Boris Morozov

Russian statesman and treasurer with a long career at the Kremlin court. He was brother-in-law and tutor for Tsar Alexis and led the government during Alexis' early reign. Supervising Payroll and the Grand Treasury, Morozov tried to increase the state's income by lowering salaries and introduce new taxes. The high tax on salt caused, and gave name to, the Salt Riot of 1648. After a short exile in a monastery, Morozov was able to return to Moscow where he maintained a low profile while controlling much of the government. He later participated in drafting the Sobornoye Ulozheniye, a new legal code to replace the Sudebnik laws by Ivan III. It cemented serfdom as well as the nobility's exclusive privilege of owning serfs and stipulated class as both hereditary and unchangeable.