Almaz (Yerofey) Ivanovich Ivanov
(Алмаз (Ерофей) Иванович Иванов in Russian
) (? – April 27 (N.S.
May 7), 1669) was a Russia statesman
From 1640 to 1646, Almaz Ivanov held the post of a dyak
of the royal treasury
(Казённый двор, or Kazyonniy dvor
). In 1646, he was transferred to the Posolsky Prikaz
(Посольский приказ, or Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Ivanov was appointed head of the Posolsky Prikaz
in 1653 and remained on this post until 1667. He also managed the Pechatny Prikaz
(Печатный приказ, or Stamp Office) between 1653 and 1669.
Ivanov played an important role in the government of tsar Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov
. He knew several languages and was a skillful diplomat
and manager. In foreign affairs, Ivanov supported Russia's struggle against Poland
and the cause for integration of the Russian lands in the south and west into a unified Russian state. Ivanov went to Sweden
in 1649 as a member of a diplomatic mission
and visited Poland on numerous occasions. Under Ivanov's supervision, they introduced a new Customs
Charter in 1653, which unified customs duties.