Russian tsars after catherine. Emperors of Russia: Chronology. All the emperors of Russia in order. The last Russian emperor was shot in the basement

Peter I Alekseevich 1672 - 1725

Peter I was born on 05/30/1672 in Moscow, died on 01/28/1725 in St. Petersburg, Russian Tsar from 1682, Emperor from 1721. Son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich by his second wife, Natalia Naryshkina. He ascended the throne for nine years, together with his elder brother Tsar John V, during the regency of his elder sister, Princess Sophia Alekseevna. In 1689, his mother married Peter I to Evdokia Lopukhina. In 1690, a son was born, Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich, but family life did not work out. In 1712, the tsar announced his divorce and married Catherine (Marta Skavronskaya), who since 1703 was his de facto wife. In this marriage, 8 children were born, but apart from Anna and Elizabeth, they all died in infancy. In 1694, the mother of Peter I died, and two years later, in 1696, the elder brother, Tsar John V. Peter I, became the sovereign sovereign. In 1712, the new capital of Russia became Petersburg, founded by Peter I, where part of the population of Moscow was transferred.

Catherine I Alekseevna 1684 - 1727

Catherine I Alekseevna was born on 04/05/1684 in the Baltic States, died on 05/06/1727 in St. Petersburg, the Russian empress in 1725-1727. Daughter of the Lithuanian peasant Samuil Skavronsky, who moved from Lithuania to Livonia. Before the adoption of Orthodoxy - Marta Skavronskaya. In autumn 1703, she became the de facto wife of Peter I. The church marriage was formalized on 02.19.1712. Following the decree on the succession to the throne, not without the participation of A.D. Menshikov, she bequeathed the throne to the grandson of Peter I - 12-year-old Peter II. She died on May 6, 1727. Buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

Peter II Alekseevich 1715 - 1730

Peter II Alekseevich was born on 10/12/1715 in St. Petersburg, died on 1/18/1730 in Moscow, Russian emperor (1727-1730) from the Romanov dynasty. Son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich and Princess Charlotte Christina Sophia of Wolfenbuettel, grandson of Peter I. Erected to the throne through the efforts of A.D. Menshikov after the death of Catherine I, Peter II was not interested in anything except hunting and pleasure. At the beginning of the reign of Peter II, power was actually in the hands of A. Menshikov, who dreamed of becoming related to the royal dynasty by marrying Peter II to his daughter. Despite the engagement of Menshikov's daughter Maria to Peter II in May 1727, in September followed by dismissal and disgrace, and then Menshikov's exile. Peter II was influenced by the Dolgoruky family, I. Dolgoruky became his favorite, and Princess E. Dolgorukaya became his bride. The real power was in the hands of A. Osterman. Peter II fell ill with smallpox and died on the eve of the wedding. With his death, the Romanov family was interrupted in the male line. He was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

Anna Ioannovna 1693 - 1740

Anna Ioannovna was born on 01/28/1693 in Moscow, died on 10/17/1740 in St. Petersburg, Russian empress in 1730-1740. Daughter of Tsar Ivan V Alekseevich and P. Saltykova, niece of Peter I. In 1710 she was married to the Duke of Courland Friedrich-Welgem, soon became a widow, lived in Mitava. After the death of Emperor Peter II (did not leave a will), the Supreme Privy Council at a meeting in the Lefortovo Palace on 01/19/1730 decided to invite Anna Ioannovna to the throne. In 1731, Anna Ioannovna published a Manifesto on the popular oath of allegiance to the heir. 01/08/1732 Anna Ioannovna, together with the court and the highest state. Institutions moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Power during the reign of Anna Ioannovna was in the hands of E. Biron, a native of Courland, and his proteges.

Ivan VI Antonovich 1740 - 1764

John Antonovich was born on 08/12/1740, killed on 07/07/1764, the Russian emperor from 10/17/1740 to 11/25/1741. Son of Anna Leopoldovna and Prince Anton Ulrich Braunschwezg-Brevern-Luneburg, great-grandson of Tsar Ivan V, grand-nephew of Empress Anna Ioannovna. On November 25, as a result of a palace coup, the daughter of Peter I, Elizaveta Petrovna, came to power. In 1744, John Antonovich was exiled to Kholmogory. In 1756 he was transferred to the Shlisselburg fortress. On July 5, 1764, Lieutenant V. Mirovich tried to free Ioann Antonovich from the fortress, but failed. The guards killed the prisoner.

Elizaveta Petrovna 1709 - 1762

Elizaveta Petrovna was born on December 18, 1709 in the village of Kolomenskoye, near Moscow, died on December 25, 1761 in St. Petersburg, the Russian Empress in 1741-1761, daughter of Peter I and Catherine I. She ascended the throne as a result of a palace coup on November 25, 1741, during which representatives of the Braunschweig dynasty (Prince Anton Ulrich, Anna Leopoldovna and John Antonovich), as well as many representatives of the "German party" (A. Ostermann, B. Minich, etc.) were arrested. One of the first actions of the new reign was the invitation from Holstein to the nephew of Elizabeth Petrovna Karl Ulrich and the announcement of him as heir to the throne (the future emperor Peter III). In fact, Count P. Shuvalov became the head of domestic policy under Elizaveta Petrovna.

Peter III Fyodorovich 1728 - 1762

Peter III was born on 02/10/1728 in Kiel, killed on 07/07/1762 in Ropsha near St. Petersburg, the Russian emperor from 1761 to 1762. Grandson of Peter I, son of the Duke of Holstein-Gottop Karl Friedrich and Tsarevna Anna Petrovna. In 1745 he married Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbskaya (future Empress Catherine II). Having ascended the throne on December 25, 1761, he immediately ceased hostilities against Prussia in the Seven Years' War, and ceded all his conquests to his admirer Frederick II. The anti-national foreign policy of Peter III, disregard for Russian rituals and customs, the introduction of Prussian orders in the army caused opposition in the guard, led by Catherine II. During the palace coup, Peter III was arrested and then killed.

Catherine II Alekseevna 1729 - 1796

Catherine II Alekseevna was born on 04.21.1729 in Stettin, died on 11.06.1796 in Tsarskoe Selo (now the city of Pushkin), Russian empress 1762-1796. She came from a small North German princely family. Born Sophia Augusta Frederika Anhalt-Zerbst. Received a home education. In 1744, she was summoned to Russia with her mother by Empress Elizabeth Pertovna, baptized according to the Orthodox tradition under the name of Catherine and was named the bride of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich (future Emperor Peter III), with whom she married in 1745. In 1754, Catherine II gave birth to a son, the future Emperor Paul I After the accession of Peter III, who was more and more hostile to her, her position became precarious. Relying on the guards regiments (G. and A. Orlov and others), on June 28, 1762, Catherine II made a bloodless coup and became an autocratic empress. The time of Catherine II is the dawn of favoritism, characteristic of European life in the second half of the 18th century. After parting in the early 1770s with G. Orlov, in subsequent years the Empress changed a number of favorites. As a rule, they were not allowed to participate in solving political issues. Only two of her famous favorites - G. Potemkin and P. Zavodovsky - became major statesmen.

Paul I Petrovich 1754 - 1801

Paul I was born on September 20, 1754 in St. Petersburg, killed on 03/12/1881 in the Mikhailovsky Castle of St. Petersburg, the Russian emperor 1796-1801, the son of Peter III and Catherine II. He was brought up at the court of his grandmother Elizaveta Petrovna, who intended to make him heir to the throne instead of Peter III. N. Panin was the main educator of Paul I. Since 1773 Paul I was married to Princess Wilhelmina of Hesse-Darmstadt, after her death in 1776 - to Princess Sophia Dorothea of \u200b\u200bWürttemberg (in Orthodoxy Maria Fedorovna). He had sons: Alexander (in the future Emperor Alexander I, 1777), Constantine (1779), Nicholas (in the future Emperor Nicholas I, 1796), Michael (1798), as well as six daughters. A conspiracy matured among the guards officers, about which the heir to the throne, Alexander Pavlovich, was aware. On the night of March 11-12, 1801, the conspirators (Count P. Palen, P. Zubov and others) entered the Mikhailovsky Castle and killed Paul I. Alexander I ascended the throne, in the very first weeks of his reign he returned many who had been exiled by his father and destroyed much of his innovations.

Alexander I Pavlovich 1777 - 1825

Alexander I was born on 12.12.1777 in St. Petersburg, died on 19.11.1825 in Taganrog, the Russian emperor 1801-1825, the eldest son of Paul I. By the will of his grandmother Catherine II, he was educated in the spirit of the 18th century enlighteners. His mentor was Colonel Frederic de Laharpe, a Republican by conviction, the future leader of the Swiss revolution. In 1793 Alexander I married the daughter of the Margrave of Baden, Louise Maria Augusta, who took the name of Elizaveta Alekseevna. Alexander I succeeded to the throne after the assassination of his father in 1801 and undertook wide-ranging reforms. He became the main executor of the social transformations of Alexander I in 1808-1812. his State Secretary M. Speransky, who reorganized the ministries, created the state. advice and carried out financial reform. In foreign policy, Alexander I participated in two coalitions against Napoleonic France (with Prussia in 1804-05, with Austria in 1806-07). After being defeated at Austerlitz in 1805 and Friedland in 1807, he concluded the Peace of Tilsit in 1807 and an alliance with Napoleon. In 1812 Napoleon invaded Russia, but was defeated during the Patriotic War of 1812. Alexander I, at the head of the Russian troops, together with his allies, entered Paris in the spring of 1814. Was one of the leaders of the Vienna Congress of 1814-1815. According to official data, Alexander I died in Taganrog.

Nicholas I Pavlovich 1796 - 1855

Nicholas I was born on June 25, 1796 in Tsarskoe Selo, now Pushkin, died on February 18, 1855 in St. Petersburg, Russian emperor (1825-1855). The third son of Paul I. Enrolled in military service since birth, Nicholas I was brought up by Count M. Lamsdorf. In 1814 he first visited abroad with the Russian army under the command of his elder brother Alexander I. In 1816 he made a three-month journey across European Russia, and from October 1816 to May 1817 he traveled and lived in England. In 1817, he married the eldest daughter of the Prussian king Frederick Wilhelm II, Princess Charlotte Frederick Louise, who took the name of Alexandra Feodorovna. Under Nicholas I, the monetary reform of Minister of Finance E. Kankrin was successfully carried out, streamlining money circulation and protecting the backward Russian industry from competition.

Alexander II Nikolaevich 1818 - 1881

Alexander II was born on 04/17/1818 in Moscow, killed on 03/01/1881 in St. Petersburg, the Russian emperor of 1855-1881, the son of Nicholas I. His educators were General Merder, Kavelin, as well as the poet V. Zhukovsky, who instilled in Alexander II liberal views and romantic attitude towards life. 1837 Alexander II made a long journey across Russia, then in 1838 - across the countries of Western Europe. In 1841 he married Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt, who took the name of Maria Alexandrovna. One of the first acts of Alexander II was the pardon of the exiled Decembrists. 02/19/1861. Alexander II issued a manifesto on the emancipation of the peasants from serfdom. Under Alexander II, the annexation of the Caucasus to Russia was completed and its influence expanded in the east. Turkestan, the Amur region, the Ussuri region, the Kuril skeletons in exchange for the southern part of Sakhalin became part of Russia. He sold Alaska and the Aleutian Islands to the Americans in 1867. In 1880, after the death of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, the tsar entered into a morganatic marriage with Princess Catherine Dolgoruka. A number of assassination attempts were made on the life of Alexander II, he was killed by a bomb thrown by the People's Will I. Grinevitsky.

Alexander III Alexandrovich 1845 - 1894

Alexander III was born on 02/26/1845 in Tsarskoe Selo, died on 10/20/1894 in the Crimea, the Russian emperor in 1881-1894, the son of Alexander II. The mentor of Alexander III, who had a strong influence on his outlook, was K. Pobedonostsev. After the death of his elder brother Nicholas in 1865, Alexander III became the heir to the throne. In 1866, he married the bride of his deceased brother, the daughter of the Danish king Christian IX, Princess Sophia Frederick Dagmara, who took the name of Maria Feodorovna. During the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78. was the commander of the Separate Ruschuk detachment in Bulgaria. Created the Voluntary Fleet of Russia in 1878, which became the nucleus of the country's merchant fleet and the reserve of the military fleet. Having ascended the throne after the assassination of Alexander II on 03/01/1881, he canceled the draft constitutional reform signed by his father just before his death. Died Alexander III in Livadia in the Crimea.

Nicholas II Alexandrovich 1868 - 1918

Nicholas II (Romanov Nikolai Alexandrovich) was born on 05/19/1868 in Tsarskoe Selo, shot on 07/17/1918 in Yekaterinburg, the last Russian emperor in 1894-1917, the son of Alexander III and the Danish princess Dagmara (Maria Feodorovna). From 14.02.1894 he was married to Alexandra Feodorovna (nee Alice Princess of Hesse and Rhine). Daughters Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, son Alexey. He ascended the throne on October 21, 1894 after the death of his father. 02/27/1917 Nicholas II, under pressure from the high military command, abdicated the throne. 03/08/1917 was "imprisoned". After the Bolsheviks came to power, the regime of his detention was sharply increased, and in April 1918 the royal family was transferred to Yekaterinburg, where they were accommodated in the house of the mining engineer N. Ipatiev. On the eve of the fall of Soviet power in the Urals, a decision was made in Moscow to execute Nicholas II and his relatives. The murder was assigned to Yurovsky and his deputy Nikulin. The royal family and all the confidants and servants were killed on the night of 16 July 17, 1918, the execution took place in a small room on the lower floor, where the victims were taken under the pretext of evacuation. According to the official version, the decision to kill the royal family was made by the Ural Soviet, fearing the approach of Czechoslovak troops. However, in recent years it became known that Nicholas II, his wife and children were killed on the direct orders of V. Lenin and Y. Sverdlov. After that, the remains of the royal family were discovered and by the decision of the Russian government on July 17, 1998, they were buried in the tomb of the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The Russian Orthodox Church abroad canonized Nicholas II.

The first Russian emperor Peter the Great

“People of all generations in their assessments of the personality and activities of Peter agreed on one thing: he was considered a force. Peter was the most prominent and influential figure of his time, the leader of the entire people. Nobody considered him an insignificant person, unconsciously using power or blindly walking along a random path. " (S. F. Platonov "Personality and Activity").

Peter I was the first Russian emperor. He took this title in 1721 after the victory in the Great Northern War (1700-1721), which resulted in the expansion of the territory of Russia in the Baltic region. According to the Peace of Nystad (August 30, 1721), Russia received access to the Baltic Sea, annexed the territory of Ingria, part of Karelia, Estland and Livonia. Thus, the country became a great European power, and by the decision of the Senate, Peter was proclaimed emperor of the Russian Empire, while he was given the titles "Great" ("Peter the Great") and "Father of the Fatherland").

It is known that from the time of his activity to the present, there have been diametrically opposite assessments of both the personality of Peter I and his role in the history of Russia. Let's try to understand them and form our own opinion about him, although the obvious fact is that Peter I is one of the most prominent statesmen who determined the direction of Russia's development for many years to come.

short biography

Young Peter

He was proclaimed tsar at the age of 10 (in 1682), began to rule independently from 1689. From a young age, he showed interest in sciences and a foreign way of life, among his youth friends there were many foreigners, especially Germans, who lived in Moscow in German settlement. Peter was the first of the Russian tsars to make a long trip to the countries of Western Europe (1697-1698), where he not only got acquainted with the lifestyle and culture of these countries, but also learned a lot, delving into many crafts and sciences, as well as self-education. After returning to Russia, he launched large-scale reforms of the Russian state and social order. He possessed tireless energy and curiosity, knew 14 crafts, but the main reason for the ambiguous attitude towards him was that he also demanded the same from others - full dedication to the cause uncompromisingly. He firmly believed in the correctness and necessity of his actions, therefore, to achieve his goals, he did not reckon with anything.

You can read about the reform activities of Peter I on our website:,.

In this article, we will pay more attention to the personality of Peter I and the assessment of his activities.

Peter's personalityI

Appearance and character

Peter was very tall (204 cm), but not a heroic build: he had a small foot (size 38), a slender build, small arms, and a swift gait.

They are distinguished by the beauty and liveliness of his face, disturbed only by occasional strong convulsive twitchings, especially in moments of excitement or emotional stress. It is believed that this was due to a childhood shock during the streltsy riots - the time of the seizure of power by his sister Sofya Alekseevna.

K.K. Steiben "Peter the Great in childhood, saved by his mother from the rage of archers"

Those around him were often frightened by these twitching of the face, which distorted his appearance. This is how the Duke of Saint-Simon, who met Peter during his stay in Paris, recalls this: “ He was very tall, well built, rather thin, with a roundish face, high forehead, fine eyebrows; his nose is rather short, but not too short, and somewhat thick towards the end; the lips are rather large, the complexion is reddish and dark, beautiful black eyes, large, lively, penetrating, beautifully shaped; the look is majestic and affable when he watches himself and restrains himself, otherwise stern and wild, with convulsions on his face that do not often recur, but distort both the eyes and the whole face, frightening everyone present. The convulsion usually lasted for one instant, and then his gaze became strange, as if bewildered, then everything immediately assumed a normal look. All his appearance showed intelligence, reflection and greatness and was not devoid of charm". But not only this frightened the sometimes refined foreign aristocrats: Peter had a simple disposition and rude manners.

He was a lively, cheerful person, savvy and natural in all his manifestations: both joy and anger. But his anger was terrible and was often combined with cruelty. In anger, he could hit and even beat his entourage. His evil jokes are known, especially often they were directed at the noble and old boyars, who did not approve of his innovations and hindered the implementation of reforms, were supporters of the primordial Russian moral and religious foundations. In general, he treated the opponents of transformations with particular cruelty and disdain. What is only the All-Sense, All-Drunken and Extravagant Council, created by him, which was engaged in mockery of everything that was revered in society as primordially Russian. It was one of the undertakings he established for the purpose of entertainment, drinking amusements, a kind of buffoonish "order organization" that united tsarist like-minded people.

Y. Pantsyrev "Peter and Menshikov"

The main feature of the "Council" was a parody of the rites of the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Some historians even believe that the “Cathedral” was created with the aim of discrediting the church and, along with shaving beards, is part of a general series of destroying the stereotypes of old Russian everyday life; at the "Cathedral" they drank a lot and swore a lot. It existed for about 30 years - until the mid-1720s. Perhaps that is why Peter I is still perceived by some as the Antichrist (the opposite and antipode of Christ).

In this anti-behavior, Peter was similar to Ivan the Terrible. Also, Peter sometimes personally performed the duties of an executioner.

Family

For the first time, Peter entered into marriage at the age of 17 at the insistence of his mother in 1689. Evdokia Lopukhina became his wife. Their son, Tsarevich Alexei, was brought up mainly by his mother, he was alien to the reform activities of Peter. The rest of the children of Peter and Evdokia died in infancy. Subsequently, Evdokia Lopukhina was implicated in an archery riot and was exiled to a monastery.

Alexei Petrovich, the official heir to the Russian throne, condemned the transformation of his father and fled to Vienna under the patronage of a relative of his wife (Charlotte of Brunswick), Emperor Charles VI. There he hoped to find support for his idea of \u200b\u200boverthrowing Peter I. In 1717 he was persuaded to return home, where he was immediately taken into custody. In 1718 the Supreme Court sentenced him to death and found him guilty of high treason.

But Tsarevich Alexei did not wait for the sentence to be carried out and died in the Peter and Paul Fortress. The true cause of his death has not yet been established.

The tsarevich had two children: Peter Alekseevich, who became Emperor Peter II in 1727 (read about him on our website :), and his daughter Natalya.

In 1703, Peter I met 19-year-old Katerina, nee Martha Samuilovna Skavronskaya, captured by Russian troops as spoils of war during the capture of the Swedish fortress of Marienburg. Peter took the former servant from the Baltic peasants from Alexander Menshikov and made her his mistress. They had 6 daughters (including Elizabeth, the future empress, and three sons who died in infancy). The official wedding of Peter I with Ekaterina Alekseevna took place in 1712, shortly after returning from the Prut campaign. In 1724, Peter crowned Catherine as empress and co-ruler. After Peter's death in January 1725, Yekaterina Alekseevna, with the support of the service nobility and the guards regiments, became the first ruling Russian empress Catherine I (read about her on our website :), but she did not rule for long and died in 1727, leaving the throne to Tsarevich Peter Alekseevich.

According to some sources, Peter I had 14 officially registered children. Many of them died in infancy.

Death of PeterI

Peter I died on February 8, 2725 in the Winter Palace. The cause of his death was kidney stones, complicated by uremia, but a sharp exacerbation of the disease began after Peter, examining the Ladoga Canal in October, entered the water waist-deep to rescue a stranded boat with soldiers. It turns out that he could not only execute and be angry, but also sacrifice his health and, as it turned out, his life for the sake of others. After that, his state of health deteriorated sharply and death occurred.

I. Nikitin "Peter on his deathbed"

Contemporaries and historians on the activities of Peter the Great

Here are just some of the many characteristics of this person, which cannot be characterized unambiguously. They say that a person should be judged by his deeds. Peter's affairs are enormous, but when realizing this, another problem always arises: at what cost?

Let's hear different opinions about Peter I.

Mikhail Lomonosov always spoke enthusiastically about Peter: “With whom can I compare the Great Sovereign? I see in antiquity and in modern times the Owners who were called great. Indeed, they are great before others. However, before Peter they are small. ... To whom will I liken our Hero? I often wondered what the One who rules the sky, the earth and the sea with an omnipotent beating: his spirit dies - and the waters will flow, touch the mountains - and rise up " .

L. Bernshtam. Monument to Peter I "Tsar Carpenter"

Swedish writer and playwright Johan August Strindberg characterized it as follows: “The barbarian who civilized his Russia; he, who built cities, but did not want to live in them; he, who punished his wife with a whip and gave the woman wide freedom - his life was great, rich and useful in the public sense, in the private sense as it turned out. "

Historian S.M. Soloviev gave a high assessment of the activities of Peter, and the polarity of assessments of such a broad personality as Peter, considered inevitable: “The difference in views stemmed from the enormity of the work accomplished by Peter, the duration of the impact of this work. The more significant a phenomenon, the more contradictory views and opinions it generates, and the longer they talk about it, the longer they feel its influence on themselves.

P. N. Milyukov believes that the reforms were carried out by Peter spontaneously, from time to time, under the pressure of specific circumstances, without any logic and plan, were "reforms without a reformer." He also mentions that only “at the cost of ruining the country, Russia was elevated to the rank of a European power”. According to Milyukov, during the reign of Peter, the population of Russia within the borders of 1695 declined due to incessant wars.

N. M. Karamzin He agreed with the characterization of Peter as "the Great", but criticizes him for his excessive enthusiasm for foreign affairs, the desire to make Russia the Netherlands. According to the historian, the abrupt change in the "old" way of life and national traditions undertaken by the emperor is far from always justified. As a result, Russian educated people "became citizens of the world, but ceased to be, in some cases, citizens of Russia." But "A great man proves his greatness by the most mistakes."

Some historians believe that Peter did not change the most important thing in the country: serfdom. Temporary improvements in the present have doomed Russia to a crisis in the future.

Thinker and Publicist Ivan Solonevich gives an extremely negative description of the activities of Peter I. In his opinion, the result of Peter's activities was the gap between the ruling elite and the people, the first denationalization. He accused Peter of cruelty, incompetence, petty tyranny and cowardice.

IN. Klyuchevsky understands Peter's reforms not as transformations carried out according to a pre-planned plan, but as a response and reaction to the dictates of the times: “The reform itself emerged from the urgent needs of the state and the people, instinctively
felt by a domineering person with a sensitive mind and strong character. " "The reform was his personal affair, an unparalleled violent affair, yet involuntary and necessary." And then the historian notes that “The reform gradually turned into a stubborn internal struggle, stirred up all the stagnant mold of the Russian
life, excited all classes of society ... ".

Conclusion

Peter I, the first Russian emperor, influenced Russian history so significantly that interest in his activities is unlikely to ever fade away, no matter how evaluated his reforms.

The great emperors of Russia were the alpha and omega, as well as the welfare of their people. As God is the master of the universe, so they were the rulers of their lands. And they were subject to many things. The very first representative of this title was Peter the Great. And, probably, it is not in vain that the history of the Russian Empire begins with this greatest personality.

Future Great Emperor

Peter was born in Moscow in 1672, on the ninth of June. It was the fourteenth child of Alexei Mikhailovich and his second wife Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. After the death of the tsar, Peter inherited a country that was very undeveloped compared to the culturally prosperous European countries. While the Renaissance and Reformation swept across Europe, Russia rejected Westernization and remained isolated from modernization.

Peter the Great is the first emperor of Russia, who became famous for his numerous reforms and attempts to make his state a great power. He created a strong navy, reorganized the army to Western standards. Under him, new administrative and territorial divisions of the country were introduced, he initiated a number of changes that affected all spheres of Russian life.

Radical changes and general development

The first emperor of Russia paid special attention to the development of science. He hired several foreign experts to train his people in all manner of technological advancements. He focused on the development of trade and industry, modernized the Russian alphabet, introduced the Julian calendar, and also created the first Russian newspaper.

Pyotr Alekseevich was a forward-looking and skillful diplomat who abolished archaic forms of government and created the Governing Senate. It was the supreme body of state power, which regulated all branches of the administration, as well as decisions and innovative achievements in Russian foreign policy.

New territorial possessions

During the reign of Peter the Great, the state acquired numerous territories, such as Estonia, Latvia and Finland. After battles with Turkey, he gained access to the Black Sea. And in one thousand seven hundred and twelve, Pyotr Alekseevich moved the capital to a new city on the Neva - Petersburg, founded by him and which soon became a "window to Europe".

Under Peter's rules and changes, Russia became a great European power. And in 1721 he proclaimed it an empire, respectively, Peter Alekseevich himself was awarded the title of the All-Russian Emperor, the Great Father of the Fatherland.

Peter was married twice and had eleven children, many of whom died in infancy. The eldest son from his first marriage, Alexei, was convicted of and secretly executed in 1718. Pyotr Alekseevich died on February 8, 1725 without nominating an heir.

Another Petr Alekseevich

Naturally, not only the emperors of Russia ruled, the chronology also indicates the presence of four empresses. One of them was Catherine the First. She sat on the throne after Peter the Great. And then the grandson of Peter the Great came to power. He was born on October 12, 1715. His mother died ten days after his birth. And three years later, his father followed his mother.

In 1727 Menshikov urged Catherine the First to sign a will in favor of Peter. And when the empress died, Peter II continued the list of emperors of Russia.

Menshikov settled the boy in his house and began to control all his actions. Little Peter was lively, smart, skillful and very much like his great-grandfather. Despite this similarity, he, unlike Peter the Great, did not want to study.

Being too young, Peter II could not rule the empire and almost did not participate in the activities of the Privy Council. This quickly led to the disruption of the state system, as officials were afraid of Peter's unmotivated actions and did not want to take responsibility for any important decisions.

On November 30, one thousand seven hundred and twenty-ninth, Peter II was engaged to the eighteen-year-old beauty Ekaterina Alekseevna Dolgorukova. But the next year, on January 6, he caught a cold during a military examination and fell ill with smallpox. He died on January 19, 1730.

After death, a woman sits on the throne again - Anna Ioannovna. And the subsequent emperors of Russia - the chronology shows the ten-year period of her reign - await their place in the history of the state.

Baby Emperor or Power Struggle

Ivan the Sixth was born in St. Petersburg on August 12, 1740. He was the son of Prince Anton Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel and Anna Leopoldovna. Twelve days before her death, the Empress announced the two-month-old Ivan as her heir. And Ernst Johann Biron was supposed to serve as regent with the boy until he reaches the age of seventeen.

But Ivan's mother in 1740 overthrew Biron and declared herself regent. A year later, she herself was overthrown by Elizaveta Petrovna, who was supported by the grenadiers and officers of the Preobrazhensky regiment. Peter the Great's daughter Anna with her whole family and baby was arrested by the emperor and imprisoned in a fortress near Riga. Then Emperor Ivan the Sixth was transferred to Kholmogory. There the bishop's empty house was converted into a prison. The boy lived there for the next twelve years, seeing no one but his jailer.

A mysterious prisoner or the death of another emperor

Many representatives of the royal family, who were to take their place on the throne, had a difficult fate. And, perhaps, this was one of the reasons why some emperors of Russia (the chronology indicates their names) voluntarily relinquished power in favor of one of their relatives.

But what happened next to the matured Ivan the Sixth? Rumors of his imprisonment in Kholmogory are spreading more and more, and the regnant transfers him to where he was placed in solitary confinement. The prisoner's identity was kept in deep secrecy. Even the jailers did not know who they were guarding. Ivan was kept in terrible conditions. The only source of light for him was candles.

The guards reported that the young man's mental abilities were impaired, Ivan lost his memory and had no idea who he was. His stuttering was so strong that it became almost impossible to understand what the prisoner was talking about, nevertheless Ivan the Sixth remembered his real name.

The deposed emperor was dangerous for the German princess who seized the Russian throne, and she ordered to guard him very carefully, and in case of an attempt to free the prisoner, to kill him. And soon after that, on the night of July 4-5, 1764, second lieutenant of the Smolensk infantry regiment Vasily Mirovich, at the head of the rebellious soldiers, tried to save Ivan, and the prisoner was immediately executed. So the list of emperors of Russia was replenished with one more name. Poor Ivan the Sixth, who was never able to take his rightful place.

Grandson of two emperors of Russia and Sweden

All the emperors of Russia who, by succession or by way of occupying the throne, are listed in the historical archives in one way or another. And we cannot fail to mention here Peter III, who ruled Russia for only six months. He was born on February twenty-first in one thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight in northern Germany. This was the only son of Anna Petrovna and Karl Friedrich. Grandson of two emperors - Peter the Great and Charles the Twelfth.

The boy showed interest in art, loved military parades and dreamed that one day he would become a world famous warrior. At the age of fourteen he was brought to Russia to visit his aunt, the reigning Elizabeth. On August 21, 1745, Peter married the princess of Anhalt-Tserbskaya, who took the name Catherine. The political marriage orchestrated by Peter's aunt was a disaster from the start.

The Emperor who hated the Russian state and its people

Catherine was a woman of tremendous intelligence, and Peter remained a child in the body of an adult man. They had one son - Paul, the future emperor, and daughter Anna, who dies in childhood. All the emperors of Russia, in order to occupy the throne and govern the state, basically tried to bring the country maximum benefit. But Peter the Third was an exception. He hated Russia. He did not care about the Russian people, and could not stand the Orthodox Churches.

After Peter the Third took his place on the throne, he canceled the foreign policy of his aunt, withdrew Russia from the Seven Years War, and this step was seen by his contemporaries as a betrayal of the Russian victims of the war. But at the same time, experts who are interested in the history of the emperors of Russia suggest that perhaps this decision of Peter III was part of a pragmatic plan for the influence of the Russian state in the west.

Reforms or services to the state

Nevertheless, Peter III, during his reign, organized a series of internal reforms, which today seem to be very democratic. Proclaimed freedom of religion, abolished the secret police, banned the killing of serfs by their owners. And also created the first state bank.

The reign of many emperors in Russia ended in tragic death. It also happened with Peter III. There are many assumptions about his death, but in fact he became a victim of a conspiracy of his own wife Catherine, who dreamed of getting rid of him in order to take the throne. On June 28, 1762, Peter was arrested and soon killed.

Paul's Tyrannical Rule

Some of the names of the emperors of Russia cannot be mentioned with special gratitude or pride. So, for example, Paul the First, who ruled the country for five tyrannical years before he was killed. He was born in St. Petersburg in 1754. His parents are the future Emperor Peter the Third and Catherine the Second. His mother did not consider him as a future ruler and sent him to live on an estate in Gatchina. And in the place of the future emperor, Catherine was preparing his son Alexander.

But after the death of the empress, Paul seized the throne, and his first decree was to establish the birthright to the throne, and not the choice of a successor by the emperor himself. Believing that Russia needed an absolute monarchy, he began to curtail the power and privileges of the nobility. To prevent the ideals of the French Revolution from spreading in the country, he outlaws foreign books and travel outside the state.

Numerous changes in Paul's domestic and foreign policy, combined with his oppressive attitude and fits of rage, caused rumors to spread about his mental imbalance. And on the twenty-third of March 1801, Paul the Third was killed. And his son Alexander ascended the throne.

Pupil of grandmother Catherine

Alexander was born in St. Petersburg on December 12, 1777. He was brought up by Catherine the Great, who did not love her son Paul at all and did not think that he was capable of running the country. She saw her grandson as the future emperor. He was well versed in European culture, history and politics and was brought up in the free-thinking spirit of the Empress's court.

But the hatred between Paul and Catherine made him play two different roles. Under his grandmother, he adhered to the principles of human rights and civil liberty, enjoyed opera and philosophy. And next to my father was strict military discipline and endless training. Soon Alexander turned into a natural chameleon, became secretive and easily changed his views according to the circumstances.

In 1801, at the age of twenty-three, Alexander was crowned. The handsome and charming emperor was extremely popular. True to the ideals of his liberal school, he embarked on a series of social reforms. Torture was prohibited, and the new law allowed peasants to redeem themselves from serfdom. Administrative, financial and educational changes followed.

The triumph of the great monarch

During the reign of the emperors of Russia, there were many different wars and battles. But one of the most important, even called the Patriotic War, was the war with Napoleon. For Alexander, it was a divine mission, more than just a war between the two countries. It was a battle between good and evil. And when Alexander, after the victory, entered Paris at the head of his troops, he turned into one of the most powerful monarchs. It was a triumph for his reign.

In the last years of his reign, the emperor becomes especially obsessed with God and Christianity. And when he died on November 19, 1825, there were many rumors that the king had secretly abdicated the throne and became a monk. Which emperors of Russia were in reality and what kind of thoughts visited their great minds, even history does not know.

Childhood and reign of Nicholas

Nicholas I was the ninth child of Paul the First and Maria Feodorovna. Born on the twenty-fifth of June alone, 1796. As a child, he was rude and mischievous. Educated first from a Scottish nanny, and then from General Gustav Lambsdorff. Lacking a broad and inquisitive mind, Nikolai did not like to study. The young prince became animated only when the lessons came to an end and he was allowed to put on a military uniform and participate in war games.

Nicholas was not raised as a future emperor, and already at the beginning of his reign he faced an event that shocked him. This is the uprising of the Decembrists. Five leaders were executed and about one hundred and twenty were exiled to Siberia. Realizing the need for reforms, the king nevertheless feared that the changes would shake the foundations of the empire, which he was obliged to pass on to his descendants. There were other obstacles on the way to reforms - these are the closest relatives of the emperor, whose views had a huge impact on his actions.

Nicholas' slogans were Orthodoxy, autocracy and nationality. His reign marked the flourishing of an absolute monarchy in Russia. He died on the eighteenth of February one thousand eight hundred and fifty-five from pneumonia. And finally, the last emperors of Russia. The chronology marks their years of rule. These were Alexander II and Alexander III, as well as Nicholas II. This is where the story of the Russian emperors ends.

The reign of Nikolai's son

Alexander II, the eldest son of Nicholas I, was born on April 17, 1818. He received an excellent education. He knew several languages, studied military art, finance and diplomacy. From an early age he traveled a lot.

After becoming emperor, Alexander issued a law on the emancipation of the peasants. The serfs were now given a more dignified life. And since they became free citizens, it was necessary to reform the entire local government system. During the reign of Alexander, the judicial system was reformed, all social classes became equal before the law. The pressure on censorship was eased and people began to have more freedom of speech.

Despite numerous reforms to improve the life of the Russian people, Alexander II became a target for the revolutionaries. A member of a terrorist group killed the emperor in 1881.

The personification of the Russian bear

Alexander the Third was born on the twenty-sixth of February alone, 1845. A strong, formidable, desperate patriot, he became the embodiment of the legendary Russian bear. He came to power at a critical moment for the empire. One half of the society was dissatisfied with the slow pace of reforms, the other was afraid of change. The economy has not yet recovered from the war with Turkey. The widespread terror unleashed by the revolutionaries led to the formation of a counter-revolutionary group of monarchists.

The emperor did not like foreigners and pursued a policy of Russification. This led to outbreaks of Russian nationalism and Jewish pogroms. He firmly adhered to the principle of "Russia for the Russians" and strengthened the authority of the administration. Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov died of jade in 1894. And the last emperor of Russia, Nicholas II, came to power.

The tragic ending of the imperial family

Interesting fact! The royal titles are composed of three different structural units. The title of the Emperor of Russia also has its own forms, one of which is full. And such a title of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II consisted of one hundred and thirteen words.

Nicholas II was born in 1868. In 1894, Nicholas becomes emperor. Despite his deep education, he felt that he was not ready for the responsibility that was imposed on him. And many contemporaries note that he looked bewildered and confused.

For most of his reign, he followed his father's policies. He was stubborn and very slow to recognize the need for change in connection with the events of 1901. Despite the fact that his powers became limited, the last emperor of Russia tried to act as if he were still an autocrat. Nikolai wanted to go back in time and restore the power of his ancestors.

After the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, the position of the imperial family became very difficult, and a year later, early in the morning of July 17, Nicholas II, his wife and children were shot. This is how the reign of the emperors in Russia ended, and another point of reference began in the history of the country.

Consider the life of the last tsar and the first emperor of Russia, the reformer Peter I. He completely overthrew the old customs and brought Russia to a new level of development in various industries. Thanks to his successful innovative ideas, competent approach in the leadership of the country, he was called the Great.

The personality of a great man

Outwardly, Peter I (06/09/1672 - 02/08/1725) was handsome, distinguished by his tall stature, regular physique, large penetrating black eyes, beautiful eyebrows.

From an early age he was fond of mastering various crafts such as carpentry, turning, blacksmithing and others. He had the ability to learn foreign languages. He was distinguished by a wayward character, in a rage he could beat his subordinates. Even he himself was the executioner during the execution of those guilty of the Streltsy uprising.

Fight for the throne

In 1682, after the death of the childless Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich, there was a struggle for the throne. In addition to Peter, his elder half-brother Ivan wanted to take the throne of the tsar, but they were both minor heirs. Therefore, until they came of age, the country was ruled by their elder sister, Princess Sophia.

Peter's mother was unhappy with this situation and, in order to change the situation, in her favor forces Peter to marry at the age of 17. According to the laws of that time, if he is married, he is considered an adult. Married Peter was able to claim the throne. He overcame the uprising organized by Princess Sophia and imprisoned her in a monastery. And a very painful brother Ivan did not interfere with Peter's ascent to the throne.

Title of emperor

Peter I took the title of Emperor in 1721 after the victory in the Northern War, which lasted more than 20 years. To reward the king for ending such a difficult and exhausting war. The Senate decided to give Peter the title of "Emperor, Father of the Fatherland and Great". The Holy Synod approved this decision and the senators in full force went to ask the tsar to accept this title.

Peter I agreed and on October 22, 1721, after the end of the service in the Trinity Cathedral, where the entire elite was present, he accepted the title. Of course, this alarmed the whole of Europe, and the recognition of Peter as Emperor dragged on for 20 years. The title of emperor was recognized without delay by Holland, Prussia, Switzerland, and only later by Turkey, England, France, Austria, Spain and Poland.

Great reforms

Peter's reforms affected all spheres of obsolete Russia. He completely changed the principles of government, created a navy, transformed the army, and subordinated the church to himself. He was engaged in education, opening schools and gymnasiums. Introduced compulsory training for nobles and clergy. Distributed positions depending on education, not origin. Created the first printing houses. Approved the charter of the Academy of Sciences. Forbidden the forced marriage of girls. Canceled the petition.

He was very fond of St. Petersburg, founded by him, and led the stone and marble arrangement of the city. During these years, the first canals were dug to supply the new capital with water. Peter learned the basics of economic development: every nation, in order not to be poor, must produce everything it needs. And in order for the people to become richer, you need to import a lot and buy less products from other countries.

At the end of the reign of Peter I, 233 factories, more than 90 manufactories were already operating in Russia, and up to 4000 people were employed in highly developed shipbuilding at the shipyard. Metallurgy developed, 27 metallurgical plants were built. Peter, the first emperor of Russia, completely broke the old order of life. He brought Russia to a new level of development, making it an invincible, highly developed power in the world in all spheres of activity.

The history of Russia is rich in different eras, each of which left its mark on the life of the country. One of the most intense and causing numerous controversies was the reign of Peter I the Great, which ended on January 25, 1725 in connection with the sudden death of the emperor.

Russia without a Tsar? Who ruled after Peter 1

Three years before his death, the autocrat managed to issue a decree that changed the previous order of the throne's inheritance: now it was not the eldest son who became the heir, but that of the sons whom the father deemed worthy to take such an honorable place. This decision was due to the fact that the son of the king, the potential heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei, was accused of preparing a conspiracy against his own father and, as a result, was sentenced to death. In 1718 the prince died within the walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

However, before his death, Peter I did not manage to appoint a new tsar, leaving the country, for the development of which he had put so much effort, without a ruler.

As a result, the next few years were marked by multiple objectives to seize power. Since no official heir was appointed, those wishing to sit on the throne tried to prove that it was they who deserved this right.

The very first coup carried out by the guardsmen of the wife of Peter I - by birth of Martha Skavronskaya, popularly known as Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova (Ekaterina I) - brought the first woman in Russian history to power.

The enthronement of the future empress of the All-Russian associate of the deceased tsar, Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov, who became the de facto ruler of the state, supervised the enthronement.

Russia after Peter 1 is a special milestone in world history. The strict orderliness and discipline that partly characterized the reign of the emperor have now lost their former strength.

who is she?

Marta Skavronskaya (the real name of the empress) came from a family of Baltic peasants. She was born on April 5, 1684. Having lost both parents early, the girl was brought up in the family of a Protestant pastor.

During the Northern War (between Sweden and Russia), in 1702, Marta, along with other residents, was captured by the Russian troops, and then into the service of Prince Menshikov. There are two versions of how this happened.

One version says that Marta became the mistress of Count Sheremetyev, the commander of the Russian army. Prince Alexander Danilovich, the favorite of Peter the Great, saw her and, using his authority, took the girl to his house.

According to another version, Martha became the managing servant of Colonel Baur, where Menshikov laid eyes on her and took her to his house. And already here she was noticed by Peter I.

Rapprochement with Peter I

For 9 years Martha was the king's mistress. In 1704, she gave birth to his first child - the son of Peter, and then the second son - Paul. However, both boys died.

The future empress was educated by Peter I's sister, Natalya Alekseevna, who taught Martha to read and write. And in 1705 the girl was baptized into Orthodoxy under the name of Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova. In 1708 and 1709, the daughters of Catherine from Peter Alekseevich - Anna and Elizabeth (who later took the throne under the name

Finally, in 1712, a wedding with Peter I took place in the Church of John Dalmitsky - Catherine became a full member of the royal family. The year 1724 was marked by the solemn coronation of Martha Skavronskaya at the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. She received the crown from the hands of the emperor himself.

Who and when ruled in Russia

After the death of Peter 1, Russia fully learned what a country is worth without a powerful ruler. Since Prince Menshikov won the favor of the tsar, and later helped Catherine I become the head of state, to the question of who ruled after Peter 1, the correct answer would be Prince Alexander Danilovich, who actively participated in the life of the country and made the most important decisions. However, the empress's reign, despite such strong support, did not last long - until May 1727.

During the tenure of Catherine I on the throne, an important role in the politics of Russia of that time was played by the one created even before the empress ascended the throne. It consisted of such noble and prominent people in the Russian Empire of that time as Prince Alexander Menshikov (who headed this body), Dmitry Golitsyn, Fyodor Apraksin, Pyotr Tolstoy.

At the beginning of the reign of Catherine I, taxes were reduced and many convicted to exile and imprisonment were pardoned. Such changes were caused by fear of riots due to price increases, which were bound to lead to discontent among the inhabitants.

In addition, the reforms carried out by Peter were canceled or modified:

the Senate began to play a less prominent role in the country's political life;

voivods changed local authorities;

for the improvement of the troops, a special Commission was organized, consisting of flagships and generals.

Innovations of Catherine I. Domestic and foreign policy

For the one who ruled after Peter 1 (we are talking about his wife), it was extremely difficult to surpass the reformer king in the versatility of politics. Among the innovations, it is worth noting the creation of the Academy of Sciences and the organization of an expedition led by the famous navigator Vitus Bering to Kamchatka.

In foreign policy in general, Catherine I adhered to the views of her husband: she supported the claims of the Holstein Duke Karl Friedrich (who was her son-in-law) to Schleswig. This led to an aggravation of relations with England and Denmark. The result of the confrontation was the accession of Russia to the Vienna Union (which included Spain, Prussia and Austria) in 1726.

After Peter 1, Russia gained significant influence in Courland. It was so great that Prince Menshikov planned to become the head of this duchy, but the locals showed discontent about this.

Thanks to the foreign policy of Catherine I and Alexander Danilovich (who ruled Russia after the death of Peter I in fact), the empire was able to seize the Shirvan region (having achieved concessions on this issue from Persia and Turkey). Also, thanks to Prince Raguzinsky, friendly relations with China were established.

The end of the empress's reign

The power of Catherine I came to an end in May 1727, when the Empress died at the 44th year of her life from lung disease. They buried her in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Before her death, Catherine wanted to make her daughter Elizabeth empress, but once again she obeyed Menshikov and appointed her grandson, Peter II Alekseevich, the heir and tsar of Russia, who was 11 years old at the time of accession to the throne.

The regent was none other than Prince Alexander Danilovich (this fact once again proves who ruled after Peter 1 in Russia). Menshikov soon married the newly-made tsar with his daughter Maria, thus further strengthening his influence on court and state life.

However, the power of Prince Alexander Danilovich did not last long: after the death of the emperor, he was accused of a state conspiracy and died in exile.

Russia after Peter the Great is already a completely different state, where not reforms and transformations came to the fore, but the struggle for the throne and attempts to prove the superiority of some estates over others.