THE ROLE OF ARMENIAN TRADE CAPITAL IN THE ECONOMY OF THE RUSSIAN STATE IN THE SECOND HALF OF XVII CENTURY

The article deals with the issues of introduction of the Armenian trade capital into the Russian economy in the end of the 17th century. Since the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, Armenian merchants from the so-called «Shah region» were active in the Russian state, introducing certain elements of capitalism and contributing to the implementation of the Eastern and Western vectors of Russia’s foreign trade.
Thanks to their activities, Armenian merchants contributed not only to the development of foreign trade relations of the Russian state, but also to the development of the Russian economy and strengthening the positions of Armenian traders and entrepreneurs.
Russian-Armenian relations have a rich history. Today they continue to develop actively including the sphere of trade and the economy. There are approximately 2 million Armenians living in Russia. The beginning of Armenian settlements on the territory of the Russian Empire was laid several centuries ago and is also associated with the active establishment of trade ties and an increase of the percentage of Armenian capital in the Russian economy.
In this regard, it seems relevant to trace the origins and dynamics of these relations, demonstrating deep roots and successful experience of trade and financial interactions between the parties, and to identify the role of Armenian trade capital in the development both of the domestic market and the foreign trade strategy of the Russian state.
In addition, the significance and novelty of this research are emphasized by an insufficient level of analyses of this topic in modern Armenia and an intention to raise the awareness of the Armenian and Russian scientific communities about the role of Armenian merchants and their interactions with Russia since the 17th-18th centuries. From this point of view, special attention should be paid to the fact that it was the Armenian merchants who stood at the origins of the formation and establishment of the credit system of the Russian Empire. Their activities resulted in the introduction of the bill system, for the first time in Russia.
In the article, we have made an attempt to show that due to their rich experience the Armenian merchant houses and individual traders harmoniously fit into the main foreign trade vectors designated by Alexei Mikhailovich: Western and Eastern, having played an active role in their implementation.

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