The importance of the panegyric tradition for early modern Russian literature cannot be overrated. Between the mid-seventeenth and the late eighteenth century, almost all Russian authors wrote poems in praise of the emperor. This poetry deserves to be considered as a specifi c form of political literature. As such, it is not only relevant for the cult of the Russian tsars, but also sheds light on the mentality of their loyal subjects in the age of Russian absolutism. Even though panegyric poetry is a thoroughly affi rmative form of political literature, it nevertheless offers some scope for the expression of diverse political ideals and expectations.