5
1721, January 25. The regulations of the Spiritual Collegium
The church policy of Peter I was aimed at subordinating the church to the power of the state. After the death of Patriarch Adrian in 1700, Peter I appointed S. Yavorsky as locum tenens of the patriarchal throne. In 1701, the activity of the Monastic Order, a secular institution for the administration of church lands, was resumed. In the early 1720s, a Synod - the Spiritual Collegium - was established to govern the church. Its regulations were drawn up by a prominent figure of Peter's time, Archbishop Feofan Prokopovich (1681-1736), Novgorod. The spiritual regulations reflected the victory of absolutism over the church, determined the rights and functions of the Synod, its place in the system of central government institutions.
* * *
Among many, God-given authorities owed to us, care for the correction of our people and other states subject to us, looking at the spiritual rank, and seeing in it a lot of disorder and its great poverty in deeds, we had fear that was not vain on our conscience, yes we will not appear ungrateful to the one above, if we have received a bit from him in the correction of both the military and civil rank, we neglect the correction and the spiritual rank<…>
We establish a spiritual collegium, that is, a spiritual conciliar government, which, according to the following regulations, has all kinds of spiritual affairs in the All-Russian Church to govern. And we command all our faithful subjects, of every rank, spiritual and worldly, to take this as an important and strong government, and it has extreme matters for spiritual administration, the decision and the decision to ask, and be content with its definite judgment, and listen to its decrees in everything, under great resistance and disobedience by punishment, against other collegia<…>
Part 1
What is the spiritual collegium and what are the important guilt of such a government.
The collegium government is nothing else, only a government meeting, when some of its own affairs are not for a single person, but for many, moreover, those that are pleasing and from the highest power established are subject to management<…>May anyone not think that this government does not want to exist, and it would be better for a single person to rule the spiritual affairs of the whole society, as well as private countries, or dioceses, affairs are governed by individual bishops. Here important guilt is proposed, which show that this reign is always conciliar, and like the everlasting synod or the Sanhedrin, the most perfect is and better than the sole government, especially in the monarchical state, which is our Russian one.
1. Firstly, the truth is more known to be sought by the conciliar estate than by a single lyceum.<…>It happens that a simple person will see this in some difficulty, which a bookish and witty person will not see; how is it not necessary to have a conciliar government, in which the minds of many understand the proposed need, and what one does not comprehend, the other will comprehend, and what this one does not see, he will see? And this is a meaningful thing and is better known and will sooner be explained, and which requires a definition, it will not seem difficult.
2. And as news is in knowledge, such and power in determining the matter is great here, the conciliar verdict is more likely to be assured and obedient than a sole decree. The power of monarchs is autocratic, which God himself commands for conscience; both have their advisers, not only for the sake of a better truth of discipline, but so that the rebellious people do not slander, that behold, or it is by force and according to their whims, rather than the judgment and truth command the monarch: then it is even more in church government, where the government is not monarchical is, and commanded by the ruler, so that the clergy do not rule. Where if there is only one that bothers, opponents with a single person may defame him by defamation of the power to establish his withdrawal of which they are not so able, where from the conciliar estate the determination takes place<…>
5. But it is most useful that in such a collegium there is no place for addiction, deceit, and covetous judgment. How can they form in the intercession of the wine, or in the condemnation of the innocent side, where they will also be biased or furious from them to the person being tried, both the other and the third and others from the anger and predilection of that one be free? How can one overcome a bribe, where not because of power, but for the right and important reasons, the matter is verified, and one other (if he does not show his blessed opinion of his guilt) will shy away, so that he will not be recognized in his bribe? Behold, most importantly, when the collegium is held in such persons, for whom it is by no means possible for everyone to secretly eat, eat, even if there will be persons of different ranks and titles: bishops, archimandrites, abbots and from the authorities of the white priesthood. In truth, one cannot see here how they are to each other and open up some insidious intention, not only that they agree to be wrong.
6. And behold, it is similar that the collegium, the freest spirit in itself, has to justice: not so, as the sole ruler of the wrath of the strong is afraid; there are still reasons to look for many, and even different persons, it is convenient to eat it, as if for a single person.
7. It is also great that from the conciliar government the fatherland should not fear rebellions and confusion, yak come from a single spiritual ruler of their own. For the common people do not know how the spiritual power differs from the autocratic one; but astonished by the great highest shepherd by honor and glory, he thinks that there is such a ruler, that there is a second sovereign, equal to the autocrat, or greater than him, and that the spiritual rank is another and better state, and this is how the people think about it. Why, then, always will the trivial, power-hungry spiritual conversations be added, and the fire will be placed on dry admiration? Such simple hearts are corrupted by this opinion, which is not so at their autocrat, as if at the supreme shepherd, in any matter they look. And when a certain strife is heard between them, everything is more spiritual than a worldly ruler, if they both blindly and madly agree and dare to fight and rebel for him, and the accursed flatter themselves that they are fighting by the very Bose, and their hands do not desecrate, but sanctify , if only he rushed to bloodshed. The same opinion among the people of the Velma is welcomed and not simple, but insidious people; when they see a quarrel between the sovereign and the shepherd, they kidnap their malice for a good chance, and under the guise of church jealousy, they will not hesitate to raise their hands against Christ the Lord; and to that same lawlessness, as if to the work of God, the common people ascend. Well, when the shepherd himself is haughty with such an opinion of himself, he will not want to sleep? Crack hard, there is a calamity from here<…>
9. Finally, in such a government, the conciliar will be like a certain school of spiritual government. For from the communication of many and various considerations, and advice, and correct arguments, frequent deeds require that everyone from neighbors can conveniently learn spiritual politics, and with the daily art of getting used to how best the house of God could be managed, and therefore the most pleasing of the number of colleagues, or neighbors, persons will appear worthy to the rank of bishopric. And so in Russia, with the help of God, soon the rudeness will disappear from the spiritual rank and hope for all the best ...
Complete collection of laws of the Russian Empire. T. VI. No. 3718.
6
1721, October 22. The act of presenting to Peter I the title of Emperor of All Russia
After the signing of the Nystadt Peace Treaty with Sweden on August 30, 1721, Peter I celebrated the end of the Northern War. On October 22, at the Trinity Cathedral, the oldest senator, Chancellor G.I. The presentation of the title of emperor meant recognition of the merits of Peter I in the victorious end of the Northern War, and also emphasized the increased power of Russia and its influence on the international arena.
* * *
On the 20th day of this October, on the advice of the Senate in common with the Spiritual Synod, the intention was accepted, His Majesty, as an indication of his due thanksgiving, for his high mercy and paternal care and diligence, which he about the welfare of the state during all the time of his most glorious state and especially during the past Swedish wars, he deigned, and the All-Russian state in such a strong and good state, and the people of his subject to such glory among the whole world through a single leadership, led, as everyone is quite aware, in the name of the entire Russian people to ask, in order to deign to accept , following the example of others, from them the title: the father of the fatherland, the Emperor of All Russia, Peter the Great ...
Complete collection of laws of the Russian Empire. T. VI. No. 3840.
7
1722, February 5. Decree on the inheritance of the throne
The decree on the inheritance of the throne in 1722 was the first attempt at legislative regulation of the issue of the succession of power in Russia. The appearance of the decree was preceded by tragic circumstances: in June 1718, Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich, the son of Peter I by Evdokia Lopukhina, was killed on charges of treason, and in April 1719, at the age of three, Peter Petrovich, the son of Peter I by Catherine, died.
* * *
We are Peter the First Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia and so on and so forth and so on.
We declare, before everyone knows there is, what Absalom's anger our son Alexei was haughty, and that not by repentance this intention was his, but by the grace of God to our entire fatherland (which is apparently enough from the manifesto about that matter); and this did not grow with him for anything else, only from the old custom that a big son was given an inheritance, besides, he was the only man of the sex of our surname then, and for this he did not want to look at any paternal punishment; This unkind custom, I do not know why, was so consolidated, for not exactly in people, according to the reasoning of smart parents, there were abolitions, but in the Holy Scripture we also see when Isakov's wife to her aging husband, her youngest son, sought an inheritance, and what is even more surprising, that God's the blessing followed; Our ancestors are still alive, we see this when the blessed and eternal memory of the Grand Duke Ivan Vasilyevich, and truly great, not in word, but in deed: for this, scattered by the division of the children of Vladimirov, our fatherland gathered and approved, which not according to primacy, but at will he repaired this, and twice canceled, seeing as a worthy heir, whom he would not have missed the packs collected and approved by our fatherland, first gave past his sons to his grandson, and then left his grandson, already married, and gave his son his inheritance (which is clear from the Book of Degree it is possible to see), Namely, in the summer of 7006 February on the 4th day, the great prince Ivan Vasilyevich made the heir to his grandson, Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, by himself, and was married in Moscow on the grand reign with a princely crown, Metropolitan Simon, and in the summer of April 7010, on the 11th day, the grand duke Ivan Vasilyevich was angry with his grandson, Prince Dmitry, and did not order him to be remembered in churches as the Grand Duke, and put him on guard, and on the same April, on the 14th day, he made the heir lump of his son Vasily Ivanovich, and was married to the same Metropolitan Simon; for which there are other similar examples, which, for the sake of brevity, we do not mention here now, but henceforth these will be especially issued to the press. In the same reasoning, in the last 1714, we were merciful about our subjects, so that their particular houses would not come from unworthy heirs to ruin, although we made a statute that we should give real estate to one son, however, we gave it up to the parental will, to whom the son they want to give, look for something worthy, albeit a smaller one, past the big ones, recognizing the convenient one, who would not squander the inheritance. Kolmi, however, should we have more concern for the integrity of our entire state, which, with the help of God, is now more widespread, as it seems to everyone; what for we have disposed of this statute, so that this would always be in the will of the ruling sovereign, to whom he wants it, he will determine the inheritance, and to a certain, seeing what indecency, he will cancel the packs, so that children and descendants do not fall into such anger as it is written above, having this bridle on you. For the sake of this we command, so that all our subjects and the worldly without exception, this our rule before God and his gospel should be approved on such a basis that everyone who is disgusted with this, or otherwise how to interpret, will be honored for a traitor, the death penalty and the church oath will be subject.
Complete collection of laws of the Russian Empire. T. VI. No. 3893.
8
1726, February 18. Establishment of the Supreme Privy Council
After the death of Emperor Peter I, through the efforts of his favorite, Prince A. D. Menshikov and the noble guard, the widow of Peter, Empress Catherine I, was elevated to the throne. the highest government body of power was created - the Supreme Privy Council. The ruling Senate actually lost its significance, since the three most important collegia - the Military, Admiralty and Foreign Affairs - were reassigned to the Supreme Privy Council. The published decree reflects the functions of the new government body and its personal composition.
* * *
Still blessed and highly Orthodox memories, the Sovereign Emperor, our dear sovereign husband, in the past 1711, for his then frequent military campaigns and absences, deigned to determine the government of the Senate in several persons, and there was that meeting at first, except for secret real advisers and secret advisers from other noble and confidant persons who, besides the government of internal affairs, had no other business and were always inseparable in their business. And secret real counselors were then on campaigns for His Majesty, and in the current Senate meeting, honor all the secret real counselors. And although this was done according to His highly-Orthodox memory of the Sovereign Emperor by decree, however, he decided to sit with them in the Senate from other ranks, namely: two persons from major generals with a change of weather. And before we saw that secret real advisers and besides the Senate government have a lot of work in the following matters: 1) that they often have, as the first ministers, secret councils on political and other important state affairs; 2) some of them sit as presidents in the first collegia, namely in two military, in the land and sea, and the third political, which is why in the first and very necessary case in the privy council, they are often insane, and in the Senate in business they stop and continue from the fact that they, being busy, cannot soon mend resolutions on state internal affairs. For the good, we judged and commanded from now on at our court, both for external and internal important state affairs, to establish a Supreme Privy Council, at which we ourselves will be present. One of the first senators will be with us in that Supreme Privy Council, and instead of them others will be elected to the Senate, who will always be under one Senate rule. The following persons will be with us in the Privy Supreme Council: Field Marshal General and Privy Active Counselor, His Serene Highness Prince Menshikov, Admiral General and Privy Counselor Count Apraksin, State Chancellor and Privy Counselor Count Golovkin, Privy Counselor Count Tolstoy, Secret Real Counselor Golitsyn , Vice-Chancellor and Privy Active Counselor Baron Osterman. And there will be special days for hearing cases each week.
And according to the above-mentioned Her Imperial Majesty's decree of the Supreme Privy Council, the following were determined:
1) To the Senate and to all collegiums and other places where it will be subject, to send decrees with the following image: in the title, the decree of Her Imperial Majesty, held in the Supreme Privy Council (and name, in which place, where). 2) And from the Senate and from all other colleges to write about what the most important thing will happen in this regard: a report to the Supreme Privy Council. 3) From the Senate to the Military, Land and Naval and Foreign and from these to the Senate to write promemories. 4) In the Supreme Privy Council, although in the presence of Her Imperial Majesty, although in her absence, to strengthen what will be determined, protocols, resolutions, to all appointed persons of the Supreme Privy Council. And from then on, where the proper decrees should be sent to the Supreme Privy Council of the newly acquired member of the Foreign Collegium, the actual state councilor Vasily Stepanov. 5) And this definition for the first time has to serve, and henceforth how to be, and what ministers to have with this Supreme Privy Council, to compose a clear and detailed definition, and eventually convey Her to the Imperial Majesty.
Complete collection of laws of the Russian Empire. T. VII. No. 4830.
9
The year is 1730. Condition
After the death of Emperor Peter II in January 1730, the male line of the Romanov dynasty was cut short. The young monarch did not leave a will, so another dynastic crisis ensued. At a meeting of the Supreme Privy Council, at the suggestion of Prince D. M. Golitsyn, it was decided to invite the niece of Peter I, the dowager ruler of Courland, Anna Ioannovna, to the Russian throne. However, members of the Supreme Privy Council tried to impose conditions on the new ruler, limiting her power - "Condition". Anna Ioannovna first signed these conditions, however, having arrived in Moscow and seeing the dissatisfaction of wide circles of the nobility with the "trick" of the supreme leaders, she publicly tore up the document.
* * *
Ponezhe, by the will of the Almighty God and by the common desire of the Russian people, We, after the repose of the All-Blessed Sovereign Great Sovereign Peter the Second, the Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, our dear nephew of the sovereign, accepted the Imperial All-Russian throne and, following the Divine law, I intend and wish to conduct my government in this way. so that at the beginning, to the glorification of the Divine name and to the well-being of our entire state and all our faithful subjects could serve. For the sake of this, through this we most firmly promise that my most important care and diligence will not only be about the content, but also the extreme and all possible spread of our Orthodox faith of the Greek confession, so, after accepting the Russian crown, not to enter into marriage throughout my life, and the heir, do not define anyone by yourself or by yourself. We also promise that the integrity and well-being of any state consists of good advice, for the sake of this, for the sake of this, we will always maintain the currently established Supreme Privy Council in eight persons and without this Supreme Privy Council consent:
1) Do not make wars with anyone.
2) The world does not conclude.
3) Do not burden our faithful subjects with any new taxes.
4) In noble ranks, both in the state, and in the military, land and sea, do not favor higher than colonel's rank, do not appoint anyone lower for noble affairs, and the guards and other regiments should be under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Privy Council.
5) From the gentry of the belly, and the estate, and honor without a trial can not be taken away.
6) Do not favor estates and villages.
7) Not to be promoted to court ranks, both Russians and foreigners, without the advice of the Supreme Privy Council.
8) State revenues should not be used for expenditure - and all loyal subjects should be supported in their irrevocable mercy. And if I do not fulfill and hold on to, according to this promise, I will be deprived of the Russian crown.
Korsakov D.A. Accession of Empress Anna Ioannovna.
Kazan, 1880. S. 17-18.
10
1762, July. A.G. Orlov's letters to Catherine II of Ropsha about the circumstances of the death of Emperor Peter III
The letters of A.G. Orlov, one of the most active participants in the palace coup of 1762, report the actual circumstances of the death of the deposed Emperor Peter III. These documents were found among the papers of the deceased Empress Catherine II and handed over to Emperor Paul. After reviewing the letters, the emperor handed them over to Chancellor AA Bezborodko for safekeeping, but the next day he claimed the papers back and threw them into the fireplace. However, we owe the preservation of this valuable source to the beloved of Emperor Pavel FV Rostopchin, who managed to make a copy of the documents.
* * *
BUT
Mother gracious Empress, we all wish you good health for countless years. We are now happy with the leave of this letter and with the whole team, only our freak was very sick, and he was seized by unintentional colic, and I am dangerous that he would not die tonight, but I am more afraid that he would not come to life. The first danger is that he says all nonsense and it is a little fun for us, and the other danger is that he is really dangerous for all of us because he sometimes responds in this way, although in the same state of being.
By virtue of your personal command, I gave the soldiers money for six months, and so did the non-commissioned officers, except for one Potemkin the sergeant in order to serve without salary. And some of the soldiers, through tears, said about your mercy, that they still did not deserve this for you, to reward them so in a short time. With that, I am sending you a list of the entire team that is now here, but thousands of rubles, mother, were not enough, and I supplemented them with chervonny, and we here had a lot of laughter at the gronoders about the chervonny, when they took from me, others asked for something that was not they saw and again gave them away, thinking that they were worthless. Chertkov, who was sent back to Your Majesty, has not yet been to us, and for that I was late to report you, and I am writing this on Tuesday at nine o'clock at half-past.
After death, your faithful slave Alexey Orlov.
B
Our mother, merciful Empress, I don’t know where to start now, I’m afraid of your Majesty’s anger, why didn’t you deign to think frantically about us and we weren’t the cause of death of your villain and all of Russia, also our law, and now that Maslov, a footman assigned to him for a service, has fallen ill, and he himself is now so ill that I don’t think he will live until evening and is almost completely oblivious, about which the whole team here already knows and prays to God that he would get out of our hands as soon as possible. I got away, and the same Maslov and the sent officer can convey to Your Majesty what state he is in now, if you doubt me, if you please; Your faithful servant wrote this ( signature torn off).
IN
Mother merciful Empress! How can I explain, describe what happened: you will not believe your faithful slave; but as before God I will tell the truth. Mother! Ready to die; but I myself do not know how this misfortune happened. We perished when You will not have mercy. Mother - he is not in the world. But no one thought of this, and how can we plan to raise our hands against the sovereign. But, Empress, trouble has happened. He argued at the table with Prince Fyodor (Boryatinsky); we did not have time to separate, and he was no longer there. We ourselves do not remember what we did; but every one is guilty, worthy of execution. Have mercy on me, even for my brother. I have brought you a blame, and there is nothing to look for. Forgive me or order me to finish soon. The light is not nice; angered you and destroyed souls forever.
The coup of 1762. M., 1908.S. 136, 141, 142.
Retrieving
Decree what to do after our departure. 1. The court to have unhypocritical and unrighteous judges punish by deprivation of honor and all property; then let the snitchers follow. 2. Look throughout the state of expenditures and unnecessary, and especially in vain to set aside. 3. Money, as possible, to collect, money is less than the essence of the artery of war. 4. The nobles to collect the young for the reserve in the scammers, and especially those who are hidden to find. 5. Bills to fix and keep in one place. 6. Goods that are farmed or by concessions and provinces, to inspect and certify. 7. About the salt of the prospector to give at the mercy and the donor of profits from this ...
4.4. General regulations
Retrieving
Ponezhe his royal majesty ... following the examples of other Christian regions, he deigned to accept the most merciful intention, for the sake of the decent management of his state affairs, and the correct determination and calculation of his parishes, and the correction of useful justice and police, also for the sake of the possible protection of his subjects and the maintenance of his sea and land troops in good condition, also commerce, arts and manufactories, and the good establishment of their sea and land duties, and for the sake of multiplying and increasing the mines, and other state needs, the following necessary and appropriate State Collegiums to establish. Namely: Foreign Affairs, Camor, Justitz, Revision, Military, Admiralteyskaya, Kommerts, State offices, Berg and Manufactories of the Collegium.
And in this, presidents, vice-presidents and other members and clerical and office workers belonging to that, and more from their own subjects to determine, also to establish the necessary offices and offices at the same ...
4.5. Charter of the succession to the throne
We, Peter I, the emperor and autocrat of all Russia, and so on and so forth and so forth ... We must have concern for the integrity of our entire state, which, with the help of God, is now more widespread, as it seems to everyone; what for we have deliberately decided to institute this charter, so that this would always be in the will of the ruling sovereign, to whom he wants it, he will determine the inheritance, and ... I will take this bridle on myself.
4.6. From the order of Catherine II of the commission for drawing up
new code
1767 g.
CHAPTER 3
9. The sovereign is autocratic, for no other, as soon as the power united in his person, can act similarly to the space of such a great state.
11. Any other government would not only be harmful to Russia, but completely ruinous.
12. Another reason is that it is better to obey the laws under one master than to please many.
13. What is the pretext for autocratic rule? Not the one to take away their natural freedom from people, but to direct their actions towards receiving the greatest of all good.
15. Autocratic rule of intention and end is the glory of the citizens, the state and the sovereign.
Chapter 13
295. Agriculture cannot flourish here where no one has anything of their own.
296. This is based on a very simple rule: "Every man has more care about his own than about what he may fear that another will get rid of."
317. Trade is removed from there, where it is oppressed, and settles there where its peace is not disturbed ...
Chapter 15
358. Farmers live in villages and hamlets, cultivate the land, from which growing fruits nourish every condition of people, and this is their lot.
359. The townships are inhabited by burghers who practice crafts, trade, arts and sciences.
360. The nobility is a denunciation of honor, distinguishing from others those with whom they are adorned.
363. Virtue with merit raises to the rank of nobility.
364. Not only is it befitting the nobility, but this nobility can also be acquired by civil virtues, koi and the military.
4.7. Certificate of Appreciation to the Nobility
"Peter's Petersburg" - Peter and Paul Fortress. Russian dress. Life of St. Petersburg. Shameless ignorance. Beard sign. New capital. Comparison criteria. Master. Petrovskoe Baroque. Work with plans and a map of the city. Order huts. Compare the fortresses. Peter's assemblies. Vedomosti. Sinkwine. Knowledge of architectural structures.
"The Board of Peter 1" - Alexei Mikhailovich (1645-1676). Inspired, impudent, stately. Peter. Rus, who felt the burning need for something new, the need for transformation ... ”S.М. Soloviev. 2. The beginning of the reign of Peter I. Golitsyn was sent into exile. He defeated the Swedes at Poltava. Cover. Who was supposed to become king according to the existing order of succession to the throne?
"Lesson Peter 1" - Preobrazhenskoye village. Game "Guess who I am". Patrick Gordon. Peter Andreevich Tolstoy. VI Surikov "The Morning of the Strelets' Execution". Franz Lefort. The Great Embassy (1697-1698). Alexey Semenovich Shein. Companions of Peter I. Assess the significance of the characteristics presented about Peter I. Support your answer with a passage from this text.
"Amusing troops" - "Amusing" there were already two regiments: Semyonovsky was added to Preobrazhensky, located in the village of Semyonovskoye. The amusing regiment began to be called the Preobrazhensky regiment. In the fall of 1690, the first maneuvers took place, organized according to all the rules of military art. Peter dressed and armed his "amusing" army, which consisted of peers in boyish games.
"The birth of an empire" - Domestic policy. Great embassy. The Azov fortress was hastily restored. Military actions. The birth of an empire. The main stages of the Northern War. Azov campaigns. Creation of the "Northern Union". Formation of the bureaucratic apparatus. Nystadt world. The table of ranks. Cossacks in Azov. Customs tariff. Tsar.
"The state under Peter" - Draw up the result and discuss it at the final lesson. He instilled in Russian culture the best aspects of the Western. Peter's reforms were necessary for the state. Find out the role of Peter I in the development of Russia. And they brought much-needed transformations to the organization of the army, to the economic sphere. During the construction of the fleet, Peter relied on foreign specialists.
Born May 30, 1672 in Moscow. The only son of the king Alexey Mikhailovich from his second marriage with Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina, a pupil of the enlightened boyar Artamon Matveyev. The fourteenth child in the family, Peter was educated at home under the supervision of "uncle" Nikita Zotov. He lamented that by the age of 11 the tsarevich did not have much time in literacy, history and geography, seized by the "exercise of the soldier's system" - military "fun" first in the village of Vorobiev, then in the village. Preobrazhensky. Specially created detachments of "amusing troops" (which later became the guard and the nucleus of the Russian regular army) took part in these exercises of the future tsar. Physically strong, agile, inquisitive, Peter mastered with the participation of palace craftsmen carpentry, arms, blacksmith, watchmaking, and printing. Foreigners (F.Y. Lefort, Y.V. Bruce, P.I. Gordon) had a great influence on the formation of his interests - first teachers in various fields, and later - his associates. The tsar knew German from childhood, later he studied Dutch, partly English and French.
Under the guise of studying shipbuilding and maritime affairs, he went to Europe as one of 30 volunteers at the Grand Embassy in 1697-1698. There, Peter Mikhailov, as the tsar called himself, completed a full course of artillery sciences in Konigsberg and Brandenburg, worked as a carpenter in the shipyards of Amsterdam for six months, studying ship architecture and drawing plans, and completed a theoretical course in shipbuilding in England. By his order, books, devices, weapons were purchased in these countries, foreign masters and scientists were invited. At the same time, the Grand Embassy prepared the creation of the Northern Alliance against Sweden, which was finally formed two years later (1699). In the summer of 1697, he negotiated with the Austrian emperor, suggesting to also visit Venice, but having received news of the uprising of the archers in Moscow, to whom Princess Sophia had promised a salary increase in the event of the overthrow of Peter, returned to Russia. Having met in Moscow only with his mistress Mons in the German Quarter, on August 26, 1698, he began a personal investigation into the Strelets case and did not spare any of the rebels (1182 people were treasury, Sophia and her sister Martha were tonsured a nun).
In February 1699 he ordered to dissolve the unreliable rifle regiments and begin the formation of regular ones - soldiers and dragoons, for "until now this state had no infantry." Soon he signed decrees that, under pain of fines and flogging, ordered men to “cut their beards” (previously considered a symbol of the Orthodox faith), wear European-style clothes, and women to reveal their hair (previously hidden under warming and kicks). Such measures prepared society for radical changes, undermined the traditionalism of the foundations of the way of life and habits. Since 1700, he introduced a new calendar with the beginning of the year on January 1 (instead of September 1) and the chronology from the "Nativity of Christ", which he also saw as a step in breaking the old mores.
European policy did not give grounds to expect that Russia would receive support in the fight against Turkey for access to the southern seas, so Peter ordered to continue the construction of the Azov fleet in Voronezh, begun during the Azov campaigns, personally checked the shipbuilders. And yet the Grand Embassy forced him to change his foreign policy course from south to west.
Having concluded the Peace of Constantinople in 1700 with Turkey, Peter switched all the country's efforts to the struggle with Sweden, ruled by 17-year-old Charles XII, who, despite his youth, gained a reputation as a talented commander. The Northern War of 1700-1721 for Russia's access to the Baltic began with the November battle near Narva. The 40,000 untrained and untrained Russian army lost to his army of Charles XII. Calling the Swedes "Russian teachers" for this, Peter ordered decisive reforms that could make the Russian army truly combat-ready.
Considering Russia defeated after Narva, Karl XII left to fight ("got stuck for a long time", according to Peter) in Poland, which gave Peter the necessary respite. He hoped to change the face of his country, making it similar to the West, but preserving autocracy and serfdom. "Now an academician, now a hero, now a navigator, now a carpenter" (A.S. Pushkin), Peter did not regret and was ready to ignore personal interests in the name of the prosperity of Russia with its innumerable natural resources. He did not separate himself from the state, believing that only he knows how to overcome Russian backwardness, ignorance and laziness: "our people are like children of ignoramuses, who will never take up science if they are not forced to be from a master."
Peter's reform activities proceeded in an acute struggle with the conservative opposition. Already the first, superficial attempts at reform, made at the end of the 17th century, provoked resistance from the boyars and clergy (I. Tsikler's conspiracy, 1697). The tsar-reformer continued to experience secret opposition to his decrees over the course of many years of the 18th century (the conspiracy of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich in 1718).
But eradicating at the root all kinds of sedition, Peter, with the rigidity of the son of his age (“kind as a man, was rude as a tsar,” according to V.O.Klyuchevsky) began a “major overhaul” of Russia. In need of like-minded people and companions, he ordered to send young nobles abroad to study navigation, mechanics, artillery, mathematics and foreign languages. In 1701, the first Navigation School in the history of the country was founded. "Bondage drove laziness away, and forced to diligence and art day and night," he later wrote. A hasty recruitment of 100,000 soldiers to the army began in the country (after 1705, the term “recruits” appeared). They were "seen off as they were buried" (according to Peter's decree, the term of service was 25 years), while according to the established practice in Russia, the most obstinate and recalcitrant young people who violated the traditional norms of peasant behavior began to be sent to the soldiers. As a result, it turned out that mostly energetic, brave and outstanding people got into the new army. The officer corps was formed, according to the plan of the king, from the nobles who were obliged to serve in the guards regiments to receive the rank.
The maintenance of recruits, whose number had quadrupled during the years of the Great Northern War, required twice as much money as previously consumed: 1,810,000 rubles instead of 982,000. (the town hall, created in 1699 and which laid the foundation for the creation of a system of local self-government, "burmister chambers") - Peter easily found state funds for the maintenance of the new cavalry (recruited in 1701). Next, new taxes were imposed (dragoon money, ship, recruit, household). The recasting of a silver coin into a coin of the lowest denomination at the previous nominal price (damage to the coin) gave 946 thousand rubles each in the first 3 years (1701-1703), 313 thousand each - in the next 3 (from which foreign subsidies were paid). The forced creation of a Russian industrial base forced the tsar to sign orders for the construction of iron plants and manufactories, arms factories in Karelia and the Urals (in the Olonets Territory), in Lipetsk, and the extraction of non-ferrous metals (copper, silver).
The measures conceived by the king brought success. After its radical transformation, Russian artillery played a decisive role in the capture of Dorpat in 1701 (now Tartu). In 1702, it was possible to conquer Noteburg (Oreshek, now Shlisselburg) from the Swedes at the mouth of the Neva, after which fortresses began to grow in its place, and ships began to be built at the shipyards. In 1703, near the fortress of Nyenskans seized from the Swedes, the tsar ordered to lay the city of his name, Petersburg, and make it the new capital. Dutch and English merchant ships appeared in the harbor near him. The "window to Europe" was cut open, and the breadth of the tsar's state thinking already extended to dreams of connecting the Baltic with the Caspian through a system of rivers and canals. Peter began to come to the old capital only for Christmastide; then the wild life he was accustomed to in the German settlement was resumed here, but at the same time the most urgent state affairs were discussed and decided.
The laying of the new capital coincided with changes in Peter's personal life: he met the washerwoman Marta Skavronskaya, who was given to Menshikov as a trophy of war; named her Catherine, the tsar baptized her according to the Orthodox rite. In 1704, she already became the common-law wife of Peter, and by the end of 1705 he became the father of Paul's son, born to Catherine. On this occasion, the tsar ordered to hold celebrations and to lay the foundation of the Church of Peter and Paul on Basmannaya Street in Moscow, and Peter himself sketched the drawing for the future church; it was built on it (1705-1715). But the tsar, who was always in a hurry, overwhelmed by state concerns, had no time for household chores: he was occupied with the successes of the Russian troops and their advance into Courland.
The continuation of the war with Charles XII (the anti-Swedish alliance disintegrated after the defeat of Saxony by the Swedes in 1706) and the deepening of reforms in the spirit of the Europeanization of the country expressed the Peter's understanding of patriotism, and the old Russian traditions seemed not only symbols of inertia, but also danger, like the rifle riots in his youth. The construction of new manufactories, providing them, in fact, with free labor (state and yasak peasants were attributed to state and private factories by families and villages) continued. Most of the enterprises were created at the expense of the treasury. Peter personally delved into financial issues, followed the signing of state orders and the mass mobilization of peasants and townspeople into the army and for the construction of cities, fortresses, canals.
The severity of the Northern War and the reforms laid a considerable burden on the peasantry, who constituted the majority of the country's population. The main form of peasant protest was flight from the owners, but sometimes discontent broke out in real popular uprisings. One of them was the Peasant the war led by KA Bulavin in 1707–1708, preceded by the powerful Astrakhan uprising of 1705, as well as the unrest of the Bashkirs in 1705–1711. But ruthless to himself, to his health, obsessed with the idea of serving the state, the tsar in Russia "introduced Europe as a barbarian" (AI Herzen), remaining intolerant of all manifestations of disagreement with his will. The uprisings were suppressed with Asian cruelty and indifference, but at the same time they showed the need to reorganize not only the punitive apparatus, but also the entire system of local government.
Immediately after the suppression of the Bulavin revolt, Peter ordered a regional reform of 1708-1710, which divided the country into 8 provinces headed by governors and governors-general. The autocrat transferred to them the highest military and civil functions, the fullness of the judiciary on the ground. Later (1719), the provinces were divided into provinces, provinces into counties: this greatly inflated the local bureaucracy, but at the same time made the territories remote from the center under control. However, Peter could not then pay due attention to the systematic reform of state institutions, since foreign policy occupied all his time, and the affairs of its provision required his presence in all parts of the state.
Nevertheless, the innovations turned out to be timely, since at the height of the Bulavin war, Swedish troops invaded the western borders of Russia, sent by Charles XII straight to the old capital (Moscow). A secret conspiracy with the Ukrainian hetman Mazepa forced Karl to change his plan and move south. The swift rush of the cavalry detachment, led personally by Peter, made it possible to prevent the union of Charles's army with the corps of General Levengaupt, who was marching to his aid: at the village of Lesnoy near Mogilev in 1708, the reinforcements that were going to Charles were defeated. The tsar called this battle "the mother of the Poltava battle" - the decisive battle on June 27, 1709 near the Poltava fortress, which ended in the complete defeat of the Swedish army. The famous words of the tsar, who called on the army to fight "not for Peter, but for the Orthodox faith and the Church ... so that the Fatherland may live in bliss and glory" inspired the soldiers. Charles XII was wounded in the battle, but managed to escape to Turkey. In 1710 annexing new lands to Russia in the Baltics (Riga, Revel, Vyborg), who personally went at that time on the Munker shnava (boat) as part of the squadron of Admiral Apraksin, Peter never tired of proving that the concept of winning a war in one general battle was outdated. At that time, it dominated among the military theorists of the West, but it turned out to be refuted by Peter's idea of mobilizing all means and capabilities for waging a long-term war on land and at sea. The “three-time school” of the Northern War (21 years old) confirmed the validity of Peter's innovation in military strategy, which was far ahead of its time and frightened Western rulers and diplomats who were dissatisfied with the growth of Russian power and tried to prevent a change in the balance of power in northern Europe.
Peter was above their petty intrigues. He was more concerned with the southeastern direction of foreign policy, so successfully outlined in the mid-1690s. But 1711 turned out to be unsuccessful for the tsar-commander. Russian regiments surrounded in Moldova on the river. Prut was saved by the superior forces of the Turks, according to legend, the wife of the autocrat, who from 1709 accompanied the tsar on all trips and campaigns, and just before the campaign was declared "the true and legitimate empress." Catherine made it possible to start negotiations for peace, giving the Turkish vizier the jewelry brought with him and persuading him to sign an agreement. But Turkey still had to return the Azov, destroying the newly created new base of the Azov fleet - Taganrog.
Simultaneously with attempts to advance to the southeast, Peter continued to reform the state apparatus, liquidate old institutions that were too clumsy and unadapted to change. The most important financial institution was the Near Chancellery, created back in 1699, while the place of the Boyar Duma in 1711 was taken by the Senate, which was now in charge of legislation and management affairs. The members of the Senate were appointed by Peter himself, they made decisions collegially, and the decisions came into force only with general consent. The course of the meeting, all oral statements were recorded: "for by this every foolishness will be revealed," the autocrat believed. In addition, the tsar personally conducted congresses of generals who received fees for urgent military needs.
The decree on the single inheritance of 1714 equalized estates and estates, introduced a majorat (granting the right to inherit real estate to the eldest of the sons), which was designed to ensure a stable growth of noble land tenure. In the same year, the Russian fleet won a victory at Cape Gangut, and the Aland Islands became part of Russia. On September 9, 1714, the tsar, who personally participated in the Gangut battle, solemnly brought the ships seized from the Swedes to St. Petersburg, presented a report of victory in the presence of the Senate and assumed the title of vice admiral in connection with the victories.
The birth of daughters in these years, who received the same names Natalya - in 1713 from the official wife of E.F. Lopukhina (with whom Peter divorced in 1712, but the daughter was born after that) and from Martha (Catherine) in 1714 did not bring Peter joy. The birth of a grandson in 1715 did not become long-awaited. Peter II Alekseevich from the unloved son Alexei, who later became king for 3 years (1727-1730). Domestic affairs not only did not occupy, but rather depressed the tsar-reformer. In addition, his son Alexei disagreed with his father's vision of good governance. Peter tried to influence him by persuasion, then threatened to imprison him in a monastery. Fleeing from such a fate, Alexei fled to Europe in 1716. Peter declared his son a traitor, achieved his return, imprisoned him in the fortress, and in 1718 personally conducted his investigative business, seeking the abdication of Alexei from the throne and the issuance of the names of his accomplices. The "case of the tsarevich" ended with a death sentence for Alexei. After these events, suspicion, unpredictability and cruelty increased in the character of the king. Even Catherine and Petrov, Menshikov's favorite, went under the threat of execution.
Trying to distract himself from suspicions of impending treason, the tsar delved into all the little details of the administrative, military, tax and many other reforms. From 1716, the Military Regulations of 1716 began to determine the organization, weapons and equipment, the rules of training and tactics, the rights and duties of all ranks of the army and navy, in the drafting of which Peter took an active part. In 1716, as a royal vice admiral, he arrived in the capital of Denmark, connected a squadron of Russian ships with English, Danish and Dutch, but he did not succeed in achieving more active Allied actions against the Swedes.
At this time, the Senate's attempts to organize control over the provinces also ended in failure. On the orders of the tsar, the government constantly violated the newly established order, demanded from the governors more and more "instruments" (increase in income), since expenses did not decrease (they were demanded by the needs of the Baltic fleet, the construction of a new capital, the defense of southern Russia). The task of increasing tax collection put Peter in front of the need for decrees on a new population census (1718), and the administrative reform required the urgent replacement of outdated orders with executive institutions of a new type - colleges (1718). Their control apparatus was represented by the fiscal subordinate to the prosecutors headed by the prosecutor general. Among the collegia, the "first" (Military, Admiralty, Foreign), financial, economic, justice collegiums stood out, and the Preobrazhensky order, which was in charge of political investigation, acted as a collegium.
Disagreements with the allies over the fate of the German possessions of Sweden prompted Peter I in 1718 to begin negotiations with Charles XII (Aland Congress), but the unexpected death of the king during the siege of Fort Frederikshall (Norway) untied the hands of the Russian army, which twice devastated the coast of Sweden near Stockholm. The landing in Sweden itself prompted her to agree to a peace agreement. By this time, Peter, with the rank of vice admiral, had already commanded (since 1719) the entire Baltic Fleet, working on drawing up the Naval Regulations, sometimes sitting at work for fourteen hours a day. The result was enshrined in law in 1720 and coincided in time with the victories of the Russian fleet at Grengam. For two decades, the Petrine army finally surpassed the Swedish one both in organization and in armament. It had a rigid structure (brigades and divisions, strong regimental and battalion artillery, grenadier regiments, dragoon cavalry, light corps - corvolant - with horse artillery), was perfectly equipped with the latest rifles with shock-flint locks and bayonets, field and naval guns, by types and calibers. Children's hobbies "amusing regiments" showed an obvious leadership talent, which allowed Peter to remain in history not only as the creator of the Russian regular army and the navy, but also as the founder of a special military school that later gave birth to A.V. Suvorova , F.F.Ushakova , M.I.Kutuzova.
In the same 1720, when he wrote the Naval Regulations, Peter, seeking to consolidate the merchants, completed the reform of the city administration. The Chief Magistrate in the capital (as a collegium) and magistrates in the cities were created on the European model. All of them were intended to "multiply" trade and manufacture. In those years, a significant part of state-owned enterprises was transferred to private hands, entrepreneurs were encouraged with subsidies, especially those that participated in the construction of Vyshnevolotsky, Ladoga bypass and other canals. Peter himself more than once complained that of all state affairs for him "nothing is more difficult than commerce" and he (according to IG Fukerodt) allegedly "could never form a clear idea of this matter in all its connection." But at the same time he was a talented administrator: by the beginning of the 1720s, Russia was freed from the need to import textile products, since more than 100 manufactories operating in the country satisfied the demand. In a similar way, Peter's plan to meet the country's needs for metal was realized, and Russian iron was highly valued in Europe for its quality. Trade from Arkhangelsk was forcibly transferred to the new commercial port (Petersburg). The first artificial waterways of communication were designed to connect the capital with central Russia and the East, for which the autocrat personally granted privileges to the organizers of new factories and ordered craftsmen from abroad.
In 1721, as a co-author of another "regulation", this time - Dukhovny, Peter spoke out against the preservation of the patriarchate, which was followed by its liquidation and the establishment of the Spiritual Collegium, or Synod, controlled by the government (1721).
At the conclusion of the peace after the long Northern War, the signing of which took place in Nystadt in 1721, the tsar proved himself to be a talented diplomat, deeply grasping the tasks of Russian foreign policy, showing the ability to take advantage of circumstances and use compromises. Russia's victory over Sweden was unconditional and significant (“We are made from nothingness into existence,” the autocrat exclaimed, referring to the access to the sea and the favorable prerequisites he created for the development of economic and cultural ties). Under the agreement, Russia received land along the Neva, in Karelia and the Baltic States with the cities of Narva, Revel, Riga, Vyborg, etc. At the same time, Peter transferred Finland and 2 million rubles in silver to the losing side - Sweden - as compensation for the lost territories.
Following the signing of the peace, Russia was declared an empire. A year later (1722) was published Table of ranks of all military, civil and court service ranks, according to which the tribal nobility could be obtained "for the immaculate service to the emperor and the state." Establishing the order of rank production in the military and civil service not according to nobility, but according to personal abilities and merit, Peter hoped to consolidate like-minded people from among the "educated class" and at the same time expand its composition at the expense of those who are loyal to him and those from among the unnatural and ignorant.
Having forced the Western world to recognize Russia as one of the great European powers, the emperor set about solving urgent problems in the Caucasus. Peter's Persian campaign of 1722-1723 secured the western coast of the Caspian Sea with the cities of Derbent and Baku for Russia. There, under Peter the Great, for the first time in the history of Russia, permanent diplomatic missions and consulates were established, and the importance of foreign trade increased.
Soon after the end of the military campaigns, the autocrat ordered to change the tax unit: the household taxation of the peasants was replaced by the poll tax (1724). Realizing the danger of imports for the development of Russian industry, Peter ordered the introduction in the same year of a protective tariff that protected new branches of domestic industry from foreign competition.
Over the course of more than 35 years of his reign, Peter managed to carry out many reforms in the field of culture and education. Their main result was the emergence of a secular school in Russia, the elimination of the monopoly of the clergy on education. School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences (1701), Medical and Surgical School (1707) - the future Military Medical Academy, which still exists today, the Naval Academy (1715), the Engineering and Artillery Schools (1719), schools of translators at the colleges - all this was laid down in the time of Peter the Great. In 1719, the first museum in Russian history began to operate - Kunstkamera with a public library. Primer books, educational maps were published and, in general, a beginning was laid for the systematic study of the country's geography and mapping. The spread of literacy was facilitated by the reform of the alphabet (replacement of cursive by civilian type, 1708), the publication of the first Russian printed newspaper Vedomosti (from 1703). In the era of Peter I, many buildings were erected for state and cultural institutions, the architectural ensemble of Peterhof (Petrodvorets). Fortresses were built (Kronstadt, Peter and Paul Fortress, etc.), the planned development of the capital (Petersburg) began, which laid the foundation for urban planning and the construction of residential buildings according to standard projects. The emperor encouraged the activities of scientists, engineers, artists, seeing in it the way to strengthen the absolutist state, to develop ties with Western European culture.
In 1725, the doors of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences with a gymnasium and a university opened, but the emperor was no longer destined to evaluate the results of its activities. In October 1724, he caught a bad cold when he met a boat that had run aground on the way and decided to help, standing up to his waist in water, remove the soldiers from it. Vain life went on as usual until the end of January 1725, when he decided to seek the help of doctors. Pneumonia turned out to be too neglected, and on January 28, 1725, Peter died in St. Petersburg, not having time to appoint an heir and thereby dispose of the fate of the state. Later he was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
The bearer of the rationalistic idea of the monarch as the first official of the state, the emperor, like many smart, strong-willed, decisive people who spare no effort in the name of the cherished goal, was strict not only towards himself, but also towards others. He was at times cruel and ruthless, did not take into account the interests and lives of those who were weaker than him. In his state and military activities, Peter I relied on talented, devoted associates, who were later called "chicks of Peter's nest." Among them were both representatives of the nobility (B.P. Sheremet, F.Yu. Romodanovsky, P.A. Tolstoy, F.M. Apraksin, F.A. Golovin) and persons of non-nobility origin (A.D. Menshikov , P.P. Shafirov... F. Makarov). Energetic, purposeful, greedy for new knowledge, Peter was not petty and, for all his contradictions, went down in history as “raising Russia on its hind legs”, who managed to radically change its appearance and the course of history for many centuries.
Many strong-willed Russian rulers (from Catherine II to Stalin) admired the "life and deeds" of Peter I. In the 18th and 20th centuries. numerous monuments were erected to him in St. fortress), Kronstadt (F. Jacques), Arkhangelsk, Taganrog, Petrodvorets (M.M. Antokolsky), Tula, Petrozavodsk (I.N.Shreder and I.A.Monighetti), Moscow (Z. Tsereteli). In the 20th century. memorial house-museums of Peter I were opened in Leningrad, Tallinn, Vologda, Liepaja, Pereslavl-Zalessky. Writers (A.S. Pushkin, A.N. Tolstoy, A.P. Platonov and others) turned to the image of the outstanding Russian ruler, artists (M.V. Lomonosov, V.I. Surikov, V.I. A. Serov, A. N. Benois, E. E. Lansere).
Compositions: Letters and Papers of Emperor Peter the Great... TT. 1-11. St. Petersburg, Moscow - Leningrad, 1887–1964; Voskresensky N.A. Legislative acts of Peter I... M. - L., 1945
Natalia Pushkareva
APPENDIX
ORDER ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT SENATE AND ON ITS PERSONNEL
The decree is to be announced as follows:
Designated to be absent from our Governing Senate to govern:
Mr. Count Musin Pushkin,
Mr. Streshnev,
Mr. Prince Peter Golitsyn,
Mr. K. Mikhaila Dolgorukoy,
Mr. Nephews,
Mr. K. Grigorey Volkonskaya,
Mr. Samarin,
Mr. Vasiley Apukhtin,
Mr. Melnitskaya,
Obor-Secretary of this Senate Anisim Shchukin.
1. Moscow province to rule and report to the Senate Vasily Ershov.
2. On Prince Petrov Golitsyn's place Mr. Kurbatov.
3. Instead of the order of Rozryadnago, there should be a distribution table under the above-mentioned Senate.
4. Likewise, from all the provinces in the above-mentioned court for the demand and adoption of decrees there will be two commissars from the provinces.
FROM THE GENERAL REGULATIONS OR STATUTES,
FOR WHICH THE STATE COLLEGES, ALSO AND ALL OF THE STATE COLLEGES AND ALL THE STATIONERY AND OFFICES OF THEM ARE OFFICERS, NOT ONLY IN EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL INSTITUTIONS, BUT IN SENDING YOUR OWN QUOTE AND SUBMITTING
Ponezhe E.I.V., the most merciful Our Sovereign, according to the examples of other Christian regions, He most mercifully deigned to accept the intention, for the sake of the decent management of His State affairs, and the correct determination and calculation of his parishes and the correction of the useful Justice and Police (that is, in the punishment of the court and citizenship), also for the sake of the possible protection of His loyal subjects, and the maintenance of His sea and land forces in good condition, also commerce, arts and manufactories, and the good establishment of His sea and land duties, and for the sake of multiplying the increment of mines and other state needs, the following in addition, the necessary and proper State Collegia should be established, namely: Foreign Affairs, Camor, Justice, Revision, Military, Admiralteyskaya, Kommerts, Shtats-Kontor, Berg and Manufactories of the Collegium.
And in these Presidents, Vice-Presidents and other members belonging to that and clerical and clerical servants, and more from his own subjects to determine, also necessary Chanceries and Offices to be established at the same time. For that, for the sake of E.I.V., he desperately deigned, to everyone in the above-described State Collegiums as a high and lower servant in common, and to each separately, with this General Regulations in the news, and instead of the General Instruction (order) to declare his most merciful command in the chapters described below.
Chapter I. Of the sworn office
Members of the State Collegiums, as well as other ranks of civil society, and each one especially has, most of all, H.I. and as far as possible to seek and advance, to avert harm and danger, and in good time to declare what it is to honest people and subjects of H.I. all honest light can give an answer. What for each, high and lower minister, especially both in writing and verbally, has an oath of obligation in a titular manner ... (The text of the oath is given below.)
Chapter II. ABOUT THE ADVANTAGE OF COLLEGES
Ponezh, all the State Collegia, only under the EI. V. special, as well as the Governing Senate, are acquired by decrees; If the Senate orders something about what matter, and the Collegium discerns that the E.V.'s decrees, and high interest are disgusting, then the State Collegium should not do so soon, but has a proper written proposal in the Senate about it. And if the Senate, in spite of it, with its previous definition remains, then the Senate is guilty of that answer, and the Collegium, by written decree of the Senate, must execute and then E.I.V. all will be subject to that punishment, according to the power of harm. For this, E.I.V. allows all his decrees to be sent to the Senate and the Collegium, as well as from the Senate to the Collegium, to send in writing: for both in the Senate and in the Collegiums, verbal decrees should never be sent.
ABOUT ASSIGNED DAYS AND HOURS TO SEAT
Collegiums have their seat every week, except for Sundays, and Lord's holidays, and State Angels, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and on Thursday it is usual for Presidents to gather in the Senate Chamber, on the shortest days at 6 o'clock, and in the long at 8 o'clock and be for 5 o'clock. And if important things happen, which do not have to be delayed, but are soon completed, then according to the invention of affairs and circumstances, either the entire Board, or some members, by definition from the Colleges, despite the mentioned time and hours, should come together and send those matters. And the office clerks ... sit all days and come together an hour before the judges. For the orderly people, arrival and departure is determined by the President and other members, depending on the case [...] and for an hour of absence, a week of deduction of salary.
Chapter IV. ABOUT FULFILLMENT OF ORDERS
Every President must all the decrees of the E.V. and the Senate, which must be written and commissioned, and not verbal, urgently executed, and these two notes, which are made and executed in action, are to be entered into the book; and those that are not accomplished or and are not accomplished, but are not executed by action, so keep the list on the table, so that it will never cease in memory.
Interpretation. Things are understood, about which a written decree is required, those that are to be performed in the action, and not those that are necessary for the composition of the action. For example, it is necessary to collect money or provisions, then order it in words, so that they complain about it, how to fix it; but when they put it in, then Report whether it is so, and when it is tested, then do not put it into action without a written decree. And in order to fulfill these as soon as possible, namely: no more than a week of time, if it is impossible sooner. But if the State affairs will require information with the Provinces and Provinces, give a period until the Provinces and Provinces for travel in one way, for a hundred versts for two days, and upon returning on the same train. And in the Provinces and Provinces in them to correct themselves, not postponing for anything a little time, as soon as possible; and not to continue for more than a month. But if it will be corrected in such a period of time, it will not be good ... and for the correction of this, another period of two weeks is given; and more than that, namely: for six weeks, it is by no means to continue, even after receiving those corrections, those deeds should be done on the same week, under the punishment of mortals, or by exile to the galleys, and deprived of all property by the force of deed and guilt. And all sorts of petitions on adjustments should be done according to the re-register without any hassle as possible, and then for six months, as ordered by His Majesty's Named Decree on December 8, 1714, not to continue under punishment. If, after this due date, whoever drags along without a legitimate reason, then he will be punished for each day for 30 rubles, if the losses from the one who did not occur, and if the loss did occur, then it will be doubled the first and the next time, and the third , as the hearer of the decree, is punished to be.
Chapter V. ABOUT REPORTS TO THE COLLEGE
As soon as the Collegium meets at the aforementioned time and hours, although not all, but most of the members, then the Secretary informs and honors everything in the proper order, namely, in the below written manner: first public State affairs concerning E. I. V. interest , then private affairs. Under both such directorates, the position of the secretary's rank consists in signing numbers on all incoming letters and reports, and assigning numbers to them, when submitted, and on them, without any forgery or bias, to report them by numbers and numbers, unless such things will happen, by the way, that they cannot have stops, but soon they have to be sent, and in this case, the order should be set aside, and those who are more needed should be reported in advance. It is the same in petition cases, which the cases and the senior on the re-register are written, and the plaintiff and the defendant will not arrive at the proper time, but in other cases that are written in the register afterwards, the plaintiff and the defendant will arrive, after graduating from the Sovereign, immediately their cases according to the above-described order, report, and not a choice, so as not to drag them for a long time, but as soon as possible to send. If someone acts against this and neglects, he will be punished with a monetary fine: and if from whom any harm or loss occurs, then it will be corrected on them ... harm could have happened, although it was not.
When the proposal is made, then according to the above-described order from the Notary, one by the other is recorded in the minutes, and then in the entire Collegium each case is discussed in detail, and finally, without falling into one another's speech, they give their votes, and the greatest number of votes follows; and if the votes are equal, then follow them, with which the President agrees. Moreover, each member, by his oath and position, is obliged, while they are discussing what matter, freely and clearly declare their opinion, according to their right reason and conscience, regardless of the person, since in that, before E.V., God himself can give an answer, and for the sake of that, no one, in his opinion of intent, stubbornness, pride, or any other kind of any kind, has not stayed. But if from a different opinion, which has good grounds and reasons, he sees them to follow: in the same way, each member is given freedom if his vote is not accepted, and he judges the interest of E. I. V. to be well-founded and useful, through a notary in the protocol tells me to write it down. And most of all it is necessary to look, if matters are doubtful, and what kind of clarification they require, so as not to rush to the decision, but according to the invention of the case and circumstances in advance: either report to the Senate, or inquire from where it is necessary; and when all this is clarified, the votes have been given and collected, then the conclusion of that has been done, and this is clearly recorded from the word to the Notary in the minutes, and then they have to be given to be sent to the Chancellery and Offices (where each case should be, about which later in the proper place will be mentioned), however, it is necessary to collect all the votes from below, and administer the order of the matter, and strengthen the resolution to everyone; and on these resolutions sent decrees only to those who got in the Collegium to sign; for dishonest giving of votes, punished against the third chapter, for every wrongdoing. If someone, out of stubbornness or untruth, does not follow the truthful voices, and if there is no one to follow, and he does not order his right vote to be recorded in the protocol, then they will be guilty, if the search case is subject to such a fine, as if the guilty was subject to what; but if it is a State affair, the loss only belongs to money, then it will be doubly corrected; if it is criminal, then it will also be criminally punished according to the importance of the case. [...]
Chapter VIII. ABOUT DIVISION OF LABOR
In the Collegium, the Presidents do not have special work, or supervision, but the general and supreme directorates (or management), and the affairs between the Counselors and Assessors will be divided so that each of the affairs taking place in the collegium has a certain part, as well as over the Chancellery and Offices, and over by the deeds and works of these, supervision is especially given, as it is possible to see at length in the particular instructions of the Colleges; moreover, the office of the President and Vice-President is to look firmly so that the other Members of the Collegiate Deals and in the examination ordered by them with due diligence and diligence have care; and if the President is aware that some of them are not intelligent enough, or because of the weakness of his rank, he cannot send his affairs, then the President must declare it in the Senate with appropriate circumstances, so that in his place the most skillful can be determined. And if the President will see that some of them of the Collegiate Members in his special supervision and affairs will show negligence, and the President should remember and punish him with polite words, so that he will continue to repair E.I.V.'s best care and diligence in service; If this is not corrected from those words, then it must be announced to the Senate about its failure; But out of his negligence, that a harmful stop will occur in business, and that he should be inflicted on the President against the 25th chapter. [...]
Complete collection of laws of the Russian Empire. Collection 1.Vol. 6., 1830
CHARTER OF THE HERITAGE OF THE THRONE
We are Peter the first emperor and autocrat of all Russia and so on and so forth and so on. We declare, before everyone knows there is, what Absalom's anger our son Alexei was, arrogant, and that not by repentance his intention, but by the grace of God to our entire fatherland, was cut short (which is enough from the manifesto about that matter); and this did not grow with him for anything else, only from the old custom, that a big son was given an inheritance, besides, he was the only man of the sex of our surname then, and for this he did not want to look at any paternal punishment; this unkind custom, I don’t know why, was so consolidated, for not exactly in people, according to the reasoning of smart parents, there were canceled the blessing followed; we also see this in our ancestors, when the blessed and eternal memory of the great prince Ivan Vasilyevich, and truly great, not in word, but in deed; for this, scattered by the division of the children of the Vladimirovs, our fatherland gathered and approved, which he repaired not by primacy, but at will, and twice canceled, seeing a worthy heir, whom he would not waste the packs collected and approved by our fatherland, first gave past the sons to his grandson , and then set aside the already married grandson, and gave his son his inheritance (which is clear from the Book of the Degree to see it is possible), namely, in the summer of 7006 February, on the 4th day, Prince Ivan Vasilyevich created the heir to his grandson, Prince Dmitry Ivanovich , and was married in Moscow on the grand reign with a princely crown, Metropolitan Simon, and in the summer of April 7010, on the 11th day, the Grand Duke Ivan Vasilyevich was angry with his grandson, Prince Dmitry, and did not order him to be remembered in the churches as the Grand Duke, and put him on guard and that on the 14th day of April, he made his son Vasily Ivanovich heir apparent and was married by the same Metropolitan Simon; for which there are other similar examples, which, for the sake of brevity, are now not mentioned here, but henceforth these will be especially published in print. In the same reasoning, in the past 1714, we were merciful about our subjects, so that their particular houses did not come from unworthy heirs to ruin, although we made a statute that we should give real estate to one son, however, we gave it up to the parental will, to whom the son they want to give, look for something worthy, albeit a smaller one, past the big ones, recognizing the convenient one, who would not squander the inheritance. Kolmi, however, should we have more concern for the integrity of our entire state, which, with the help of God, is now more widespread, as everyone seems to be; what for we have disposed of this statute, so that this would always be in the will of the ruling sovereign, to whom he wants it, he will determine the inheritance, and to a certain, seeing what indecency, he will cancel the packs, so that children and descendants do not fall into such anger as it is written above, having this bridle on you. For the sake of this we command, so that all our faithful subjects and the worldly without exception, this our charter before God and his gospel should be approved on such a basis that anyone who is disgusted with this, or otherwise how to interpret, will be honored for a traitor, death penalty and ecclesiastical he will be subject to an oath.
Literature:
Soloviev S.M. Public readings about Peter the Great... M., 1872
Anisimov E.V. Time of Peter's reforms... L., 1989
Pavlenko N.I. Peter I and his time... M., 2004
