The great Russian historian, S.M. Soloviev, regarded Patrick Gordon as “one of the most remarkable men” ever employed by the tsars, and was grateful to him for “recording his adventures and existence day by day, leaving to us curious tidings of himself, of his brothers in arms, and of Russia before the age of transformation” – and much else besides. Passages from the Diary were published in 1859. Now, 150 years on, the appearance of the first of six volumes marks the beginning of the publication of the complete work.

Patrick Gordon (1635-1699), born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, was a Soldier of Fortune who became a Russian general under Tsar Peter I. He was a close friend and advisor to the Tsar. After his death in 1699, Gordon left detailed diary of his life and times, written in English.

Dmitry Fedosov CorrFRSE is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of World History at Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, Russia. Dr Fedosov is an expert on medieval and early modern history of Russia, Scotland, and Scotland-Russia links from the Middle Ages to the present. He is also the co-founder and chairman of the Moscow Caledonian Club, established in 1994.