During the reign of Peter the Great, the name of Prince Matvey Petrovich Gagarin was widely known in Russia. He came from a noble family and was destined for a successful career in public service from a young age. At the end of the 17th century, Matvey Petrovich held important positions in Siberia: he was first the assistant to the voivode of Irkutsk, and then became the voivode of Nerchinsk. Siberia was already famous for its riches, and Prince Gagarin, along with a relative, the Yakut voivode, played a significant role in managing these resources.

In the early 18th century, Peter the Great summoned Prince Gagarin to the capital and assigned him a new task related to canal construction. Interestingly, his activities in Siberia were already under the close scrutiny of Peter's entourage, including the tsar himself. However, Gagarin's diligent work and his successful administration of Moscow as commandant strengthened the emperor's trust, and the prince was appointed the first governor of Siberia. Gagarin indeed made a significant contribution to the development of Moscow, reinforcing the Kremlin and Kitai-gorod, as well as engaging in other projects. At the same time, he did not forget about his own well-being and became one of the richest people in Russia, with service in Siberia ahead of him.

In 1711, the prince set off for Siberia but arrived in Tobolsk only in 1712. At that time, even the small Tobolsk was considered an important center in the vast expanses of Siberia. Thanks to Gagarin's directives and the efforts of the famous Siberian explorer Semyon Ulyanovich Remezov, a Kremlin and other structures were built in Tobolsk. Subsequently, the prince accomplished many useful deeds, although there were also failures, such as the unsuccessful expedition to Yarkend. In 1718, he was summoned to the capital under the pretext of participating in a trial against the emperor's son, but soon found himself under arrest. He was accused of corruption and even attempted separatism. Gagarin did not admit guilt and was executed in 1721. Today, a memorial plaque has been installed in his honor in Tobolsk, and he has also become the hero of several films.