The Tsar’s constant pressure to make his son strong had backfired. Rather than making Alexis strong, Peter’s pressure drove his son to the edge, and made him attempt to abdicate. Alexis eventually fled to Vienna, and then to Italy to escape his father. One of the Boyars who encouraged Alexander to Flee was First Lord of the Admiralty; Alexander Kikin. Kikin should have taken his own advice.
Tsaravitch Alexis was tricked into returning to Russia. Once home, Peter interrogated his son, and eventually had him condemned to death (although Alexis died mysteriously before the death sentence could be carried out). “This unexpected, sudden death has caused great sadness…we have found solace in divine providence.{according to Peter in a lengthy explanation to the King, and the Regent of France} ”(Before Alexis died, he gave the names of his conspirators in a plot to kill his father. Alexander Kikin was named, and Kikin was executed.
Since Kikin was out of his house Peter decided to put the building to good use. The house became the first home of Peter’s bizarre art collection, which was the beginning of the modern day Kunstkamera. The Collection has grown, its collections have been divided and are now housed in multiple museums.