Pyotr Danilovich Svyatopolk-Mirsky

Pyotr Danilovich Svyatopolk-Mirsky (born 1857—died May 16 [May 29, New Style], 1914, St. Petersburg, Russia) was a Russian minister of the interior during the years of prerevolutionary unrest.

Svyatopolk-Mirsky, who owned much land and had been governor-general of several important districts, was named minister of the interior in 1904 upon the assassination of his predecessor, the fervently reactionary V.K. Plehve. The new minister was a man of enlightened views who attempted to include moderate liberal opinion in governmental policies. The contrast with the preceding ministry caused his administration to be referred to as the “political spring.” He repealed several of the most unpopular censorship measures, released a number of zemstvo (district and provincial assembly) leaders from internal exile, and permitted the zemstvos to resume their normal activities. These gestures, although well-received by the public and the press, could not stem the political disaffection of the period. In November 1904 the National Zemstvo Congress that had met under Svyatopolk-Mirsky’s sponsorship sent him a series of recommendations for reform. Svyatopolk-Mirsky responded by proposing to Tsar Nicholas II the inclusion of members of the zemstvos and other bodies in the State Council, but this provision was struck out by the tsar at the last moment and replaced by a denunciation of the government’s opponents as enemies of the state. The resulting proclamation served to widen the breach between the government and the agitators for reform. Svyatopolk-Mirsky was dismissed from office on Jan. 15, 1905, in the wake of the government massacre of peaceful demonstrators on January 9 (known as Bloody Sunday).