Tsarevna

A Tsarevna (Russian: царевна) was a title used in Tsardom of Russia and later in the Russian Empire for a daughter of a Tsar (царь) or Tsarevich (царевич). The title broadly corresponds to a princess.

Before 1722, when Peter the Great formalized the order of succession, a Tsarevna held a position of considerable influence, often playing significant roles in court politics. Some Tsarevnas, such as Sophia Alekseyevna, even served as regent. They frequently resided in convents, wielding power and influence from within the religious orders. They were considered desirable marriage partners, although foreign princes often faced religious conversion prerequisites.

Following Peter the Great's reforms, which sought to modernize Russia along Western European lines, the role and status of Tsarevnas diminished. The title was replaced by "Velikaya Knyazhna" (Grand Duchess). Daughters of emperors (Tsarinas reigning in their own right) were also referred to as Tsarevnas before the reforms, and after the reforms, they were called Empresses.

The term is sometimes loosely translated simply as "princess," but it's important to understand its specific historical and cultural context within Imperial Russia. While "princess" is a generic term, "Tsarevna" specifically denoted a daughter of a Tsar before Peter the Great's reforms.