The Image of Alexander Menshikov in the «Polish Iliad» of Janusz Wiśniowiecki

The biography of Alexander Menshikov is one of the most popular topics among the scholars, who deal with the Peter the Great’s epoch. The main reason for this is his rapid climbing up the social ladder, when the Tsar’s favorite tried to prove his noble origin. Accordingly, it caused the early emergence of different myths and legends, concerning the Menshikov’s youth, the beginning of the friendship between him and Tsar Peter I. At the same time many disputable episodes of his biography remain unclear and obscure. «Ilias Polski» («The Polish Iliad»), the memoirs of the Polish aristocrat Janusz Wiśniowiecki contain some new facts about Menshikov’s biography, supplement the evidences, which were known before as well as describes his ambiguous role in the Russian-Polish relations during the Second Northern War 1700–1721. Wiśniowiecki doubted the Menshikov’s noble origin and described some cases that confirm his greed and arrogance. At the same time the author stressed his bravery, fidelity to Tsar Peter the Great, military aptitude and recognizes the favorite’s support in the case of release of his brother, the great hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Michał Serwacy Wiśniowiecki from the Russian captivity.