Biography of Peter I begins on June 9, 1672 in Moscow. He was the youngest son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich from his second marriage with Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. Peter was the youngest of 13 children in the large family of Alexei Mikhailovich. From one year he was brought up by nannies.
Before his death, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich blessed his eldest son Fedor, who at that time was 14 years old, to rule. After Fedor ascended to the throne, Natalya Kirillovna decided to leave with the children to the village of Preobrazhenskoye.
Father
Alexey I Mikhailovich Romanov Mother
Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina Nikita Zotov took an active part in the upbringing of the young tsarevich, but Peter initially did not care for the sciences and did not differ in literacy.
V.O. Klyuchevsky noted:
“More than once you can hear the opinion that Peter I was brought up not in the old way, in a different way and more caring than his father and older brothers were brought up. As soon as Peter began to remember himself, he was surrounded in his nursery by foreign things; everything he played reminded him of a German. Over the years, the nursery Petra is filled with military items. A whole arsenal of toy weapons appears in it. So in Peter's nursery, the Moscow artillery was quite fully represented, we meet many wooden squeaks and cannons with horses. " Even foreign ambassadors brought toy and real weapons as a gift to the tsarevich. "In his spare time he liked to listen to different stories and look at books with kunshtami (pictures)."
The revolt of 1682 and the coming to power of the princess-regent Sophia
The death of Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich in 1682 marked the beginning of an active confrontation between two clans of nobles - the Naryshkins (relatives of Peter on the part of his mother) and the Miloslavskys (relatives of the first wife of Alexei Mikhailovich defending the interests of Ivan). Each of the families tried to promote their candidate, however, the boyar duma had to make the final decision and most of the boyars decided to make Peter the king, since Ivan was a sickly child. On the day of Fyodor Alekseevich's death, April 27, 1682, Peter was proclaimed tsar.
Not wanting to lose power, the Miloslavskys spread a rumor that the Naryshkins strangled Tsarevich John Alekseevich. Under the blows of the alarm, many archers broke into the Kremlin, breaking the defense of the few tsarist guards. However, to their confusion, Tsarina Natalya, together with Tsarevich Ivan and Peter, appeared to meet them from the Red Porch. Ivan answered the questions of the archers:
"Nobody harasses me, and I have no one to complain about"
Tsarina Natalya goes to the archers to prove that Ivan V is alive and well. Painting by N. D. Dmitriev-Orenburg
The crowd, heated to the limit, was provoked by the accusations of Prince Dolgorukov of treason and theft - the archers killed several boyars, many from the Naryshkin clan and streltsy chiefs. Having placed their own guards inside the Kremlin, the archers did not let out and did not let anyone in, in fact, taking the entire royal family hostage.
Realizing the high likelihood of revenge on the part of the Naryshkins, the archers filed several petitions (in fact, these were not requests, but an ultimatum) so that Ivan was also appointed king (moreover, senior), and Sophia as the regent-ruler. In addition, they demanded to legitimize the riot and refuse to prosecute its instigators, recognizing their actions as legitimate and protecting the interests of the state. The Patriarch and the Boyar Duma were forced to fulfill the demands of the archers, and on June 25, Ivan V and Peter I were crowned king.
Tsarevna Sophia watches with pleasure as the archers dragged Ivan Naryshkin out, Tsarevich Peter calms his mother. Painting by A. I. Korzukhin, 1882
Princess Regent Sofia Alekseevna Romanova
Peter was seriously shocked by the events of 1682 described above, according to one version, nervous convulsions distorting his face during the excitement appeared shortly after the experience. In addition, this revolt and the future one, in 1698, finally convinced the tsar of the need to dissolve the rifle units.
Natalya Kirillovna considered that it was very unsafe to remain in the Kremlin completely captured by the Miloslavskys and decided to move to the country estate of Alexei Mikhailovich - the village of Preobrazhenskoye. Tsar Peter could live here under the supervision of loyal people, sometimes going to Moscow to participate in ceremonies obligatory for the royal person.
Funny shelves
Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was very fond of falconry and other similar entertainments - after his death a large farm and about 600 servants remained. These devoted and intelligent people did not remain idle - having arrived at Preobrazhenskoye, Natalya Kirillovna set the task of organizing a military school for her son.
The tsarevich received the first "amusing" detachment in the fall of 1683. By the next year, in the Preobrazhensky, next to the royal palace, the "amusing city" of Presburg had already been rebuilt. Peter received military training on a par with other teenagers. He began his service marching in front of the Preobrazhensky regiment as a drummer, and eventually rose to the rank of bombardier.
One of the first selected candidates for the "funny army" was Alexander Menshikov. He was to fulfill a special role: to become the bodyguard of the young king, his shadow. According to the testimony of contemporaries of those events, Menshikov even slept at Peter's feet near his bed. Being under the tsar almost relentlessly, Menshikov became one of his main associates, especially a confidant in all important matters relating to the management of a huge country. Alexander Menshikov received an excellent education and, like Peter I, received a certificate of teaching shipbuilding in Holland.
Menshikov A.D.
The personal life of young Peter I - the first wife
The first wife of Peter I, Evdokia Lopukhina, was chosen by the mother of Peter I as his bride without agreeing this decision with Peter himself. The queen hoped that the Lopukhins' clan, though not considered particularly noble, but numerous, would strengthen the position of the young prince.
The wedding ceremony of Peter I and Lopukhina took place on February 6, 1689 in the Church of the Transfiguration Palace. An additional factor in the necessity of marriage was the Russian custom of that time, according to which a married person was a full-fledged person and an adult, which gave Peter I the right to get rid of the princess-regent Sophia.
Evdokia Fedorovna Lopukhina
During the first three years of this marriage, two sons were born: the younger Alexander died in infancy, and the elder Tsarevich Alexei, who was born in 1690, will be deprived of his life by order of Peter I himself somewhere in the dungeons of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.
Accession of Peter I - removal of Sophia
The second Crimean campaign of 1689, led by Sophia's favorite, Prince Golitsin, was unsuccessful. The general dissatisfaction with her rule added the seventeen-year-old Peter's chances to return the throne - his mother and her loyal people began preparations for the removal of Sophia.
In the summer of 1689, his mother summoned Peter from Pereslyavl to Moscow. At this turning point in his fate, Peter begins to show Sophia his own power. He sabotaged the procession planned for July this year by forbidding Sophia to participate in it, and after her refusal to obey, he left, thus causing a public scandal. At the end of July, he barely succumbed to persuasion to issue awards to the participants of the Crimean campaign, but refused to accept them when they came to him with gratitude.
By early August, relations between brother and sister had reached such a level that the entire courtyard was expecting an open confrontation, but both sides did not show the initiative, fully focusing on defense.
Sophia's last attempt to hold on to power
It is not known whether Sophia decided to openly oppose her brother, or whether she was frightened by rumors that Peter I with his amusing regiments was planning to arrive in Moscow to remove his sister from power - the princess's henchmen on August 7 began agitating the streltsy in favor of Sophia. The tsar's adherents, seeing such preparations, immediately informed him of the danger, and Peter, accompanied by three escorts, rode from the village of Preobrazhensky to the monastery of the Trinity Lavra. Starting from August 8, the remaining Naryshkins and all supporters of Peter, as well as his amusing army, begin to come to the monastery.
From the monastery, on behalf of Peter I, his mother and her associates put forward a demand to Sophia in a report on the reasons for arming and agitation on August 7, as well as messengers from each of the rifle regiments. Having forbidden the archers to send electives, Sophia sent Patriarch Joachim to her brother for reconciliation, but the patriarch, loyal to the prince, did not return back to the capital.
Peter I again sent a demand to the capital to send representatives from the townspeople and archers - they came to the Lavra despite Sophia's ban. Realizing that the situation is in her brother's favor, the princess decides to go to him herself, but on the way she is persuaded to return, warning that if she comes to Trinity, she will be treated “dishonestly”.
Joachim (Patriarch of Moscow)
After the massacre of people who were devoted to Sophia, Peter felt the need to clarify his relationship with his brother and wrote to him:
“Now, sir brother, the time has come for our two persons by God, the kingdom entrusted to us, to rule ourselves, before they have come to the extent of their age, and to the third shameful person, our sister, with our two men, we do not deign to be in titles and in the punishment of affairs ... It is shameful, sir, at our perfect age, for that shameful person to own the state by us. "
Ivan V Alekseevich
Princess Sophia Alekseevna in the Novodevichy Convent
Thus, Peter I expressed an unequivocal desire to take the reins of government into his own hands. Left without people willing to take risks for her, Sophia was forced to obey Peter's demands and retire to the Svyatodukhovsky monastery, and then move even further, to the Novodevichy monastery.
From 1689 to 1696, Peter I and Ivan V ruled simultaneously until the latter died. In fact, Ivan V did not take part in the reign, until 1694 Natalya Kirillovna ruled, after - Peter I himself.
The fate of Tsar Peter I after accession
First mistress
Peter quickly lost interest in his wife and in 1692 became friends in the German Quarter with Anna Mons, with the assistance of Lefort. With his mother still alive, the king did not show open antipathy to his wife. However, Natalya Kirillovna herself, shortly before her own death, became disillusioned with her daughter-in-law, due to her independence and excessive stubbornness. After the death of Natalya Kirillovna in 1694, when Peter left for Arkhangelsk and even stopped corresponding with Evdokia. Although Evdokia was also called the queen and she lived with her son in a palace in the Kremlin, her clan of the Lopukhins fell out of favor - they began to be removed from leadership positions. The young queen tried to establish contacts with persons dissatisfied with the policy of Peter.
Alleged portrait of Anna Mons
According to some researchers, before Anna Mons became Peter's favorite in 1692, she was associated with Lefort.
Returning in August 1698 from the Great Embassy, Peter I visited the house of Anna Mons, and on September 3 he sent his lawful wife to the Suzdal Pokrovsky Monastery. It was rumored that the king was even planning to officially marry his mistress - she was so dear to him.
House of Anna Mons in the German Quarter in the painting by Alexander Benois.
The tsar presented her with expensive jewelry or intricate gizmos (for example, a miniature portrait of the sovereign, decorated with diamonds worth 1,000 rubles); and even built a stone two-story house in the German settlement for her with government money.
Big amusing hike Kozhukhovsky
Miniature from the manuscript of the 1st half of the 18th century "The History of Peter I", the work of P. Krekshin. Collection of A. Baryatinsky. State Historical Museum. Military exercises near the village of Kolomenskoye and the village of Kozhukhovo.
Peter's amusing regiments were no longer just a game - the scope and quality of equipment were quite consistent with real combat units. In 1694, the tsar decided to hold his first large-scale exercises - for this, a small wooden fortress was built on the banks of the Moskva River near the village of Kozhukhovo. It was a regular pentagonal parapet with loopholes, embrasures and could accommodate 5,000 garrison men. The plan of the fortress drawn up by General P. Gordon assumed an additional moat in front of the fortifications, up to three meters deep.
The archers, as well as all the clerks, nobles, clerks and other service people who were nearby, were gathered to recruit the garrison. The archers had to defend the fortress, and the amusing regiments carried out the assault and carried out siege work - they dug tunnels and trenches, blew up fortifications, climbed the walls.
Patrick Gordon, who drew up both the plan of the fortress and the scenario of its assault, was Peter's main teacher in military affairs. During the exercise, the participants did not spare each other - according to various sources, there were up to 24 killed and more than fifty wounded on both sides.
The Kozhukhov campaign was the final stage of the military-practical training of Peter I under the leadership of P. Gordon, which lasted from 1690.
First conquests - the siege of Azov
The urgent need for the trade routes of the Black Sea water area for the economy of the state was one of the factors that influenced the desire of Peter I to extend his influence to the coasts of the Azov and Black Seas. The second determining factor was the young king's passion for ships and navigation.
Blockade of Azov from the sea during the siege
After the death of his mother, there were no people left who were able to dissuade Peter from resuming the struggle with Turkey within the framework of the Holy League. However, instead of previously failed attempts to march on the Crimea, he decides to advance south, near Azov, which did not submit in 1695, but after the additional construction of a flotilla, which cut off the supply of the fortress from the sea, in 1696 Azov was taken.
Diorama "The capture of the Turkish fortress of Azov by the troops of Peter I in 1696" The subsequent struggle of Russia against the Ottoman Empire within the framework of the agreement with the Holy League lost its meaning - the war for the Spanish inheritance began in Europe, and the Austrian Habsburgs no longer wanted to reckon with the interests of Peter. It was not possible to continue the war with the Ottomans without allies - this was one of the key reasons for Peter's trip to Europe.
Great embassy
In 1697-1698, Peter I became the first Russian tsar to make a long trip abroad. Officially, the tsar participated in the embassy under the pseudonym of Peter Mikhailov, with the rank of bombardier. According to the original plan, the embassy was to go along the following route: Austria, Saxony, Brandenburg, Holland, England, Venice and, finally, a visit to the Pope. The actual route of the embassy passed through Riga and Koenigsberg to Holland, then to England, from England - back to Holland, and then to Vienna; It was not possible to get to Venice - on the way, Peter was informed of the uprising of the archers in 1698.
The beginning of the journey
March 9-10, 1697 can be considered the beginning of the embassy - it moved from Moscow to Livonia. Arriving in Riga, which at that time belonged to Sweden, Peter expressed a desire to inspect the fortifications of the city fortress, but General Dahlberg, the Swedish governor, did not allow him to do so. The tsar, in anger, called Riga "a cursed place", and leaving after the embassy in Mitava wrote the following lines about Riga:
We drove through the city and the castle, where the soldiers stood in five places, there were less than 1,000 people, and they say that they were all. The city is ukrѣplen much, but not finished. They are afraid of evil here, and they are not allowed into the city and other places and with the guard, and they are not very pleasant.
Peter I in Holland.
Arriving on August 7, 1697 in the Rhine, Peter I descended to Amsterdam along the river and canals. Holland was always interesting to the tsar - Dutch merchants were frequent guests in Russia and talked a lot about their country, arousing interest. Not devoting much time to Amsterdam, Peter rushed to the city with many shipyards and shipbuilding workshops - Zaandam. On arrival, he enrolled as an apprentice at the Linst Rogge shipyard under the name of Peter Mikhailov.
In Zaandam, Peter lived on Crimp Street in a small wooden house. Eight days later, the king moved to Amsterdam. The burgomasters of the city of Witsen helped him obtain permission to work at the shipyards of the Dutch East India Company.
Seeing such an interest of the Russian guests in the shipyards and the process of building ships, the Dutch laid on September 9 a new ship (the frigate "Peter and Pavel"), in the construction of which Pyotr Mikhailov also took part.
In addition to teaching shipbuilding and studying the local culture, the embassy was looking for engineers for the subsequent development of production in the Russian kingdom - the army and the future fleet were in dire need of re-equipment and equipment.
In Holland, Peter got acquainted with many different innovations: local workshops and factories, whaling ships, hospitals, orphanages - the tsar carefully studied Western experience for its application in his homeland. Peter studied the mechanism of a windmill, visited a paper mill. He attended lectures on anatomy in the anatomical study of Professor Ruysch and expressed a particular interest in the embalming of corpses. In the anatomical theater Boerhaave, Peter participated in the autopsy. Inspired by Western developments, in a few years Peter will create the first Russian museum of rarities - the Kunstkamera.
For four and a half months, Peter managed to study a lot, but his Dutch mentors did not live up to the Tsar's hopes, he described the reason for his displeasure as follows:
At the East India shipyard, having entered himself with other volunteers into the study of ship architecture, the Emperor in a short time accomplished what a good carpenter should know, and with his labor and skill he built a new ship and launched it into the water. Then I asked that shipyard bass Jan Paul to teach him the proportion of shipbuilding, which he showed him four days later. But even before in Holland there is no such mastery of perfection in a geometrical way, but the exact same principle, the rest with long-term practice, about which the above-mentioned bas said, and that he could not show everything in the drawing, then it felt disgusting for him that such a long way for I perceived this, but did not reach the desired end. And for a few days his Majesty happened to be at the country house of the merchant Jan Tessing in the company, where he was much sad for the reason described above, but when between conversations he was asked: why he was so sad, then he announced this reason. There was one Englishman in that company who, hearing this, said that they, in England, had this architecture as perfect as the other, and that it was possible to learn in a short time. This word, his Majesty, made him angry, and he immediately went to England and there, four months later, he graduated from this science.
Peter I in England
Having received a personal invitation from William III in early 1698, Peter I went to England.
After visiting London, the king spent most of his three months in England at Deptford, where, under the guidance of the famous shipbuilder Anthony Dean, he continued to study shipbuilding.
Peter I talks to English shipbuilders, 1698 In England, Peter I also examined everything related to production and industry: arsenals, docks, workshops, visited the warships of the English fleet, getting acquainted with their structure. Museums and cabinets of rarities, an observatory, a mint - England was able to surprise the Russian sovereign. There is a version according to which he met with Newton.
Having ignored the Kensington Palace art gallery, Peter became very interested in the device for determining the direction of the wind, which was present in the king's office.
During Peter's visit to England, the English artist Gottfried Kneller managed to create a portrait that later became an example to follow - most of the images of Peter I common in Europe during the 18th century were made in the Kneller style.
Returning back to Holland, Peter could not find allies to fight against the Ottoman Empire and went to Vienna, to the Austrian Habsburg dynasty.
Peter I in Austria
On the way to Vienna, the capital of Austria, Peter received news of the plans of Venice and the Austrian king to conclude a truce with the Turks. Despite the long negotiations that took place in Vienna, Austria did not agree to the demand of the Russian kingdom to transfer Kerch and offered only to preserve the already conquered Azov with the adjacent territories. This put an end to Peter's attempts to gain access to the Black Sea.
July 14, 1698 Peter I said goodbye to the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Leopold I and planned to leave for Venice, but news of the Streltsy revolt was received from Moscow and the trip was canceled.
Meeting of Peter I with the king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Already on the way to Moscow, the tsar was informed of the suppression of the riot. July 31, 1698 in Rawa, Peter I met with the King of the Commonwealth August II. Both monarchs were almost the same age, and in three days of communication they managed to get closer and discuss the possibility of creating an alliance against Sweden in an attempt to undermine her dominance in the Baltic Sea and adjacent territories. The final secret agreement with the Saxon elector and the Polish king was signed on November 1, 1699.
August II Strong
Peter I Alekseevich the Great. Born May 30 (June 9) 1672 - died January 28 (February 8) 1725. The last Tsar of All Russia (since 1682) and the first Emperor of All Russia (since 1721).
As a representative of the Romanov dynasty, Peter was proclaimed tsar at the age of 10, and began to rule independently in 1689. The formal co-ruler of Peter was his brother Ivan (until his death in 1696).
From a young age, showing an interest in sciences and a foreign way of life, Peter was the first of the Russian tsars to make a long journey to the countries of Western Europe. Upon his return from it, in 1698, Peter launched large-scale reforms of the Russian state and social order.
One of the main achievements of Peter was the solution of the task set in the 16th century: the expansion of the territories of Russia in the Baltic region after the victory in the Great Northern War, which allowed him to accept the title of Russian emperor in 1721.
In historical science and in public opinion from the end of the 18th century to the present, there are diametrically opposite assessments of both the personality of Peter I and his role in the history of Russia.
In official Russian historiography, Peter was considered one of the most prominent statesmen who determined the direction of Russia's development in the 18th century. However, many historians, including N.M. Karamzin, V.O. Klyuchevsky, P.N. Milyukov, and others, expressed sharply critical assessments.
Peter I the Great (documentary)
Peter was born on the night of May 30 (June 9) 1672 (in 7180 according to the then accepted chronology "from the creation of the world"): "In the current year 180, May 30, for the prayers of the saints Father, God forgave Our Queen and the Great Princess Natalia Kirillovna, and gave birth to a son for Us, the blessed Tsarevich and Grand Duke Peter Alekseevich of All Great and Little and White Russia, and his name day is June 29th. "
The exact place of birth of Peter is unknown. Some historians indicated the Kremlin's Terem Palace as the birthplace, and according to folk tales, Peter was born in the village of Kolomenskoye, Izmailovo was also indicated.
The father - the king - had numerous offspring: Peter I was the 14th child, but the first from his second wife, Queen Natalia Naryshkina.
June 29, St. The apostles Peter and Paul the Tsarevich was baptized in the Chudov Monastery (according to other sources in the church of Gregory of Neokesariyskiy, in Derbitsy), by Archpriest Andrei Savinov and named Peter. The reason why he received the name "Peter" is not clear, perhaps as a euphonic correspondence to the name of his older brother, since he was born on the same day. It was not found in either the Romanovs or the Naryshkins. The last representative of the Moscow dynasty of Rurikovich with this name was Peter Dmitrievich, who died in 1428.
After spending a year with the queen, he was given to be raised by nannies. In the 4th year of Peter's life, in 1676, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich died. The prince's guardian was his half-brother, godfather and new tsar Fyodor Alekseevich. Peter received a poor education, and until the end of his life he wrote with mistakes, using a poor vocabulary. This was due to the fact that the then patriarch of Moscow, Joachim, in the framework of the struggle against "romanization" and "foreign influence" removed from the royal court the disciples of Simeon of Polotsk, who taught Peter's older brothers, and insisted that less educated clerks be engaged in teaching Peter N. M. Zotov and A. Nesterov.
In addition, Peter did not have the opportunity to receive an education from a university graduate or from a high school teacher, since neither universities nor secondary schools existed in the Russian kingdom during Peter's childhood, and among the estates of Russian society only clerks, clerks and higher clergy were taught to read and write.
Clerks taught Peter to read and write from 1676 to 1680. Peter was able to compensate for the shortcomings of basic education with rich practical lessons.
The death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and the accession of his eldest son Fyodor (from Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna, nee Miloslavskaya) pushed Tsarina Natalia Kirillovna and her relatives, the Naryshkins, into the background. Tsarina Natalya was forced to go to the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow.
Shooting riot in 1682. Princess Sophia Alekseevna
On April 27 (May 7), 1682, after 6 years of reign, the sickly Tsar Fedor III Alekseevich died. The question arose of who should inherit the throne: the sickly elder Ivan, according to custom, or the young Peter.
Enlisting the support of Patriarch Joachim, the Naryshkins and their supporters on April 27 (May 7), 1682, elevated Peter to the throne. In fact, the Naryshkin clan came to power and Artamon Matveyev, summoned from exile, was declared a "great guardian".
Supporters found it difficult to support their challenger, who could not reign due to extremely poor health. The organizers of the actual palace coup announced the version of the dying Fyodor Alekseevich's handing over the "scepter" to his younger brother Peter, but no reliable evidence of this was presented.
The Miloslavskys, relatives of Tsarevich Ivan and by their mother, saw in the proclamation of Peter as tsar an infringement of their interests. Sagittarius, of whom there were more than 20 thousand in Moscow, have long been showing discontent and willfulness. Apparently, instigated by the Miloslavskys, on May 15 (25), 1682, they came out openly: with shouts that the Naryshkins had strangled Tsarevich Ivan, they moved to the Kremlin.
Natalya Kirillovna, hoping to calm the rioters, together with the patriarch and the boyars, led Peter and his brother to the Red Porch. However, the uprising was not over. In the first hours, the boyars Artamon Matveyev and Mikhail Dolgoruky were killed, then other supporters of Tsarina Natalia, including her two brothers Naryshkins.
On May 26, electives from the rifle regiments came to the palace and demanded that the elder Ivan be recognized as the first tsar, and the younger Peter - the second. Fearing a repetition of the pogrom, the boyars agreed, and Patriarch Joachim immediately performed a solemn prayer for the health of the two named tsars in the Assumption Cathedral. On June 25, he crowned them to the kingdom.
On May 29, the archers insisted that Princess Sophia Alekseevna take over the government due to the young age of her brothers. Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna had to, together with her son Peter - the second tsar - retire from the courtyard to a palace near Moscow in the village of Preobrazhenskoye. In the Kremlin Armory, there is a double throne for young tsars with a small window in the back, through which Princess Sophia and those close to them told them how to behave and what to say during palace ceremonies.
Funny shelves
Peter spent all his free time away from the palace - in the villages of Vorobyov and Preobrazhensky. Every year his interest in military affairs increased. Peter dressed and armed his "amusing" army, which consisted of peers in boyish games.
In 1685, his "amusing", dressed in foreign caftans, accompanied by drums, regimental formation marched through Moscow from Preobrazhensky to the village of Vorobyovo. Peter himself served as a drummer.
In 1686, 14-year-old Peter started up artillery with his "amusing" ones. Fire master Fyodor Sommer showed the tsar grenade and firearms. 16 guns were delivered from the Pushkar Prikaz. To control the heavy weapons, the tsar took from the Konyushenny order adult servants who were eager for military affairs, who were dressed in uniforms of a foreign cut and identified as amusing cannons. The first to wear a foreign uniform was Sergei Bukhvostov. Subsequently, Peter ordered a bronze bust of this first Russian soldier, as he called Bukhvostov. The amusing regiment began to be called Preobrazhenskoye, after the place of its quartering - the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow.
In Preobrazhensky, opposite the palace, on the banks of the Yauza, a "funny town" was built. During the construction of the fortress, Peter worked actively, helped to cut logs, install cannons.
It was also where Peter created "The Most Hearing, the Most Drunken and the Most Extravagant Cathedral"- a parody of the Orthodox Church. The fortress itself was named Presburg, probably after the famous Austrian fortress of Presburg (now Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia), which he heard about from Captain Sommer.
Then, in 1686, the first amusing ships appeared near Preshburg on the Yauza - a large shnyak and a plow with boats. During these years, Peter became interested in all the sciences that were associated with military affairs. Under the guidance of the Dutchman Timmerman, he studied arithmetic, geometry, military sciences.
Once walking with Timmerman through the village of Izmailovo, Peter went to the Linen Yard, in the barn of which he found an English boat.
In 1688, he instructed the Dutchman Karshten Brandt to repair, arm and equip this boat, and then lower it to the Yauza River. However, the Yauza and Prosyan pond turned out to be cramped for the ship, so Peter went to Pereslavl-Zalessky, to Lake Pleshcheev, where he laid the first shipyard for the construction of ships.
There were already two "amusing" regiments: Semyonovsky was added to Preobrazhensky, located in the village of Semyonovskoye. Preschburg was already completely like a real fortress. For commanding regiments and studying military science, knowledgeable and experienced people were needed. But there were no such people among the Russian courtiers. So Peter appeared in the German settlement.
The first marriage of Peter I
The German settlement was the closest "neighbor" of the village of Preobrazhenskoye, and Peter had been eyeing her life with curiosity for a long time. More and more foreigners at the court of Tsar Peter, such as Franz Timmermann and Karsten Brandt, came from the German settlement. All this imperceptibly led to the fact that the tsar became a frequent guest in the settlement, where he soon turned out to be a great admirer of a relaxed foreign life.
Peter lit a German pipe, began attending German parties with dancing and drinking, met Patrick Gordon, Franz Lefort- future associates of Peter, started an affair with Anna Mons... Peter's mother strongly opposed this.
To reason her 17-year-old son, Natalya Kirillovna decided to marry him to Evdokia Lopukhina, daughter is devious.
Peter did not contradict his mother, and on January 27, 1689, the wedding of the "younger" tsar was played. However, less than a month later, Peter left his wife and went to Lake Pleshcheyevo for several days.
From this marriage, Peter had two sons: the eldest, Alexei, was the heir to the throne until 1718, the youngest, Alexander, died in infancy.
Accession of Peter I
Peter's activity greatly disturbed Princess Sophia, who understood that when her half-brother came of age, she would have to part with power. At one time, the princess's supporters hatched a coronation plan, but Patriarch Joachim was categorically opposed.
The campaigns against the Crimean Tatars, carried out in 1687 and 1689 by the favorite of the princess, Prince Vasily Golitsyn, were unsuccessful, but were presented as large and generously rewarded victories, which aroused the discontent of many.
On July 8, 1689, on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, the first public conflict took place between the matured Peter and the Ruler.
On that day, according to custom, a religious procession was performed from the Kremlin to the Kazan Cathedral. At the end of the Mass, Peter went up to his sister and announced that she should not dare to go along with the men in the procession. Sophia accepted the challenge: she took the image of the Most Holy Theotokos in her hands and followed the crosses and banners. Unprepared for such an outcome of the case, Peter left the course.
On August 7, 1689, unexpectedly for everyone, a decisive event took place. On this day, Princess Sophia ordered the head of the archers Fyodor Shaklovite to equip more of her people to the Kremlin, as if to accompany them to the Donskoy Monastery on a pilgrimage. At the same time, a rumor spread about a letter with the news that Tsar Peter decided at night to occupy the Kremlin with his "amusing" regiments, to kill the princess, the brother of Tsar Ivan, and seize power.
Shaklovity gathered the rifle regiments to march in a "great assembly" to Preobrazhenskoye and beat all of Peter's supporters for their intention to kill Princess Sophia. At the same time, three horsemen were sent to observe what was happening in Preobrazhenskoye with the task of immediately informing if Tsar Peter went somewhere alone or with regiments.
Peter's supporters among the archers sent two like-minded people to Preobrazhenskoe. After the report, Peter with a small retinue rode in alarm to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. A consequence of the horrors of the shooters' performances was Peter's illness: with strong excitement, convulsive movements of his face began.
On August 8, both queens, Natalia and Evdokia, arrived at the monastery, followed by "amusing" regiments with artillery.
On August 16, a letter came from Peter that all the regiments sent chiefs and 10 privates to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Tsarevna Sophia strictly forbade the execution of this command on pain of death, and a letter was sent to Tsar Peter with a notice that his request could not be fulfilled in any way.
On August 27, a new letter from Tsar Peter arrived - to go to all the regiments to the Trinity. Most of the troops obeyed the lawful king, and Princess Sophia had to admit defeat. She herself went to the Trinity Monastery, but in the village of Vozdvizhenskoye she was met by Peter's envoys with orders to return to Moscow.
Soon Sophia was imprisoned in the Novodevichy Convent under strict supervision.
On October 7, Fyodor Shaklovity was captured and then executed. The elder brother, Tsar Ivan (or John), met Peter in the Assumption Cathedral and in fact gave him all the power.
Since 1689, he did not take part in the reign, although until his death on January 29 (February 8), 1696, he nominally continued to be a sovereign.
After the overthrow of Tsarevna Sophia, power passed into the hands of people rallied around Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna. She tried to accustom her son to government, entrusting him with private affairs, which Peter found boring.
The most important decisions (declaration of war, election of the Patriarch, etc.) were made without taking into account the opinion of the young tsar. This led to conflicts. For example, at the beginning of 1692, offended by the fact that, against his will, the Moscow government refused to renew the war with the Ottoman Empire, the tsar did not want to return from Pereyaslavl to meet the Persian ambassador, and the top officials of the government of Natalia Kirillovna (L.K. Naryshkin with B.A. Golitsyn) were forced to personally follow him.
On January 1, 1692, at the behest of Peter I in Preobrazhensky, NM Zotov's "ordination" to "all Yauza and all Kokui patriarchs" was the tsar's response to the appointment of Patriarch Adrian, committed against his will. After the death of Natalya Kirillovna, the tsar did not dismiss the government of L.K. Naryshkin and B.A.
Azov campaigns of 1695 and 1696
The priority of Peter I's activity in the first years of autocracy was the continuation of the war with the Ottoman Empire and Crimea. Peter I decided, instead of the campaigns to the Crimea, undertaken during the reign of Princess Sophia, to strike at the Turkish fortress of Azov, located at the confluence of the Don River into the Sea of Azov.
The first Azov campaign, which began in the spring of 1695, ended unsuccessfully in September of the same year due to the lack of a fleet and the unwillingness of the Russian army to operate at a distance from the supply bases. However, already in the fall of 1695, preparations began for a new campaign. In Voronezh, the construction of a rowing Russian flotilla began.
In a short time, a flotilla of different ships was built, led by the 36-gun ship "Apostle Peter".
In May 1696, the 40,000-strong Russian army under the command of Generalissimo Shein again laid siege to Azov, only this time the Russian flotilla blocked the fortress from the sea. Peter I took part in the siege with the rank of captain on the gallery. Without waiting for the assault, on July 19, 1696, the fortress surrendered. So the first exit of Russia to the southern seas was opened.
The result of the Azov campaigns was the capture of the Azov fortress, the beginning of the construction of the port of Taganrog, the possibility of an attack on the Crimean peninsula from the sea, which significantly secured the southern borders of Russia. However, Peter failed to get access to the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait: he remained under the control of the Ottoman Empire. Russia did not yet have the forces for a war with Turkey, as well as a full-fledged navy.
To finance the construction of the fleet, new types of taxes were introduced: the landowners were united in the so-called kumpanstvo of 10 thousand households, each of which had to build a ship with its own money. At this time, the first signs of dissatisfaction with Peter's activities appear. The conspiracy of Zikler, who was trying to organize a rifle uprising, was exposed.
In the summer of 1699, the first large Russian ship "Fortress" (46-gun) took the Russian ambassador to Constantinople to negotiate peace. The very existence of such a ship persuaded the Sultan to conclude peace in July 1700, which left the fortress of Azov for Russia.
During the construction of the fleet and the reorganization of the army, Peter was forced to rely on foreign specialists. After completing the Azov campaigns, he decides to send young nobles to study abroad, and soon he himself sets off on his first trip to Europe.
The Great Embassy of 1697-1698
In March 1697, the Great Embassy was sent to Western Europe through Livonia, the main purpose of which was to find allies against the Ottoman Empire. General-Admiral F. Ya. Lefort, General F. A. Golovin, and the head of the Ambassadorial Office P. B. Voznitsyn were appointed great plenipotentiary ambassadors.
In total, the embassy included up to 250 people, among whom, under the name of the sergeant of the Preobrazhensky regiment, Peter Mikhailov, was Tsar Peter I. For the first time, the Russian tsar took a trip outside his state.
Peter visited Riga, Koenigsberg, Brandenburg, Holland, England, Austria, a visit was scheduled to Venice and to the Pope.
The embassy recruited several hundred specialists in shipbuilding to Russia, purchased military and other equipment.
In addition to negotiations, Peter devoted a lot of time to the study of shipbuilding, military affairs and other sciences. Peter worked as a carpenter at the shipyards of the East India Company, with the participation of the king, the ship "Peter and Paul" was built.
In England, he visited a foundry, an arsenal, parliament, Oxford University, the Greenwich Observatory and the Mint, of which Isaac Newton was the caretaker at that time. He was primarily interested in the technical achievements of Western countries, and not in the legal system.
They say that after visiting the Palace of Westminster, Peter saw there "lawyers", that is, barristers, in their robes and wigs. He asked: "What kind of people are these and what are they doing here?" He was told: "These are all legalists, Your Majesty." “Lawyers! - Peter was surprised. - What are they for? There are only two lawyers in my whole kingdom, and then I suppose to hang one of them when I return home. "
True, having visited the English parliament incognito, where the speeches of the deputies before King William III were translated to him, the tsar said: "It's fun to hear when the sons of the patronymic to the king are clearly telling the truth, this should be learned from the British."
The Grand Embassy did not achieve its main goal: it was not possible to create a coalition against the Ottoman Empire due to the preparation of a number of European powers for the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714). However, thanks to this war, favorable conditions were created for the struggle of Russia for the Baltic. Thus, there was a reorientation of Russia's foreign policy from the south to the north.
Peter in Russia
In July 1698, the Grand Embassy was interrupted by the news of a new Strelets rebellion in Moscow, which was suppressed even before Peter's arrival. Upon the arrival of the tsar in Moscow (August 25), a search and inquiry began, the result of which was a one-time execution of about 800 archers(except those executed during the suppression of the riot), and subsequently several hundred more until the spring of 1699.
Princess Sophia was tonsured as a nun under the name of Susanna and sent to the Novodevichy Convent where she spent the rest of her life. The same fate befell Peter's unloved wife - Evdokia Lopukhina, who was forcibly sent to the Suzdal monastery even against the will of the clergy.
During the 15 months of his stay abroad, Peter has seen a lot and learned a lot. After the return of the tsar on August 25, 1698, his reform activities began, aimed at first at changing the external signs that distinguish the Old Slavic way of life from the Western European one.
In the Transfiguration Palace, Peter suddenly began to cut the beards of the nobles, and already on August 29, 1698, the famous decree "On wearing a German dress, on shaving beards and mustaches, on walking schismatics in the dress indicated for them" was issued, banning the wearing of beards from September 1, 1698.
“I want to transform the secular goats, that is, citizens, and the clergy, that is, monks and priests. The first, so that without beards they look like Europeans in goodness, and the others, so that they, although with beards, in churches would teach parishioners Christian virtues as I have seen and heard pastors teaching in Germany ”.
The new 7208th year according to the Russian-Byzantine calendar ("from the creation of the world") became 1700th year according to the Julian calendar. Peter also introduced the celebration of the New Year on January 1, and not on the day of the autumnal equinox, as previously celebrated.
In his special decree it was written: “Because in Russia the New Year is considered differently, from now on, stop fooling people's heads and count the New Year everywhere from January 1. And as a sign of good beginnings and fun, wish each other a Happy New Year, wishing well-being in matters and prosperity in the family. In honor of the New Year, decorate with fir trees, amuse children, sled from the mountains. And adults do not commit drunkenness and massacre - there are enough other days for that ".
Great Northern War 1700-1721
Kozhukhov's maneuvers (1694) showed Peter the advantage of the regiments of the "foreign order" over the archers. The Azov campaigns, in which four regular regiments participated (Preobrazhensky, Semyonovsky, Lefortovsky and Butyrsky regiments), finally convinced Peter of the poor suitability of the troops of the old organization.
Therefore, in 1698, the old army was disbanded, except for 4 regular regiments, which became the basis of the new army.
Preparing for war with Sweden, Peter ordered in 1699 to make a general recruitment and begin training recruits according to the model established by the Transfiguration and Semyonovites. At the same time, a large number of foreign officers were recruited.
The war was supposed to start with the siege of Narva, so the main attention was paid to the organization of the infantry. There was simply not enough time to create all the necessary military structure. There were legends about the tsar's impatience, he was eager to enter the war and test his army in action. Management, combat support service, strong well-equipped rear still had to be created.
After returning from the Grand Embassy, the tsar began to prepare for a war with Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea.
In 1699, the Northern Alliance was created against the Swedish king Charles XII, which, in addition to Russia, included Denmark, Saxony and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, headed by the Saxon Elector and the Polish king Augustus II. The driving force behind the alliance was the desire of Augustus II to take Livland from Sweden. For help, he promised Russia the return of lands previously owned by the Russians (Ingermanlandia and Karelia).
To enter the war, Russia had to make peace with the Ottoman Empire. After reaching an armistice with the Turkish Sultan for a period of 30 years Russia on August 19, 1700 declared war on Sweden under the pretext of revenge for the insult shown to Tsar Peter in Riga.
In turn, Charles XII's plan was to defeat the opponents one by one. Shortly after the bombing of Copenhagen, Denmark withdrew from the war on August 8, 1700, even before Russia entered it. The attempts of August II to capture Riga ended unsuccessfully. After that, Charles XII turned against Russia.
The beginning of the war for Peter was discouraging: the newly recruited army, entrusted to the Saxon field marshal Duke de Croa, was defeated near Narva on November 19 (30), 1700. This defeat showed that everything had to start from the very beginning.
Considering that Russia was weakened enough, Charles XII went to Livonia to direct all his forces against August II.
However, Peter, continuing the reforms of the army on the European model, resumed hostilities. Already in the fall of 1702, the Russian army, in the presence of the tsar, captured the Noteburg fortress (renamed Shlisselburg), in the spring of 1703 - the Nyenskans fortress at the mouth of the Neva.
On May 10 (21), 1703, for the bold seizure of two Swedish ships at the mouth of the Neva, Pyotr (who then held the rank of captain of the Bombardier company of the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment) received an approved order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
Here On May 16 (27), 1703, the construction of St. Petersburg began, and on the island of Kotlin the base of the Russian fleet was located - the fortress of Kronshlot (later Kronstadt). The outlet to the Baltic Sea was broken.
In 1704, after the capture of Dorpat and Narva, Russia established itself in the Eastern Baltic. On the offer to conclude peace, Peter I was refused. After the deposition of August II in 1706 and his replacement by the Polish king Stanislav Leszczynski, Charles XII began his fateful campaign against Russia.
Having passed the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the king did not dare to continue the attack on Smolensk. Enlisting the support of the Little Russian hetman Ivan Mazepa Karl moved his troops south for food reasons and with the intention of reinforcing the army with Mazepa's supporters. In the battle at Lesnaya on September 28 (October 9), 1708, Peter personally led the corvolant and defeated the Swedish corps of Levengaupt, which was marching to join the army of Charles XII from Livonia. The Swedish army lost reinforcements and a convoy with military supplies. Peter later celebrated the anniversary of this battle as a turning point in the Northern War.
In the Battle of Poltava on June 27 (July 8) 1709, in which the army of Charles XII was utterly defeated, Peter again commanded on the battlefield. Peter's hat was shot through. After the victory, he took the rank of first lieutenant general and shautbenacht from the blue flag.
In 1710, Turkey intervened in the war. After the defeat in the Prut campaign in 1711, Russia returned the Azov to Turkey and destroyed Taganrog, but due to this it was possible to conclude another truce with the Turks.
Peter again focused on the war with the Swedes, in 1713 the Swedes were defeated in Pomerania and lost all possessions in continental Europe. However, thanks to the domination of Sweden at sea, the Great Northern War dragged on. The Baltic Fleet was just being created by Russia, but managed to win the first victory in the Battle of Gangut in the summer of 1714.
In 1716, Peter led the combined fleet from Russia, England, Denmark and Holland, but due to disagreements in the Allied camp, it was not possible to organize an attack on Sweden.
As the Baltic Fleet of Russia strengthened, Sweden felt the danger of an invasion of its lands. In 1718, peace negotiations began, interrupted by the sudden death of Charles XII. The Swedish queen Ulrika Eleanor resumed the war, hoping for help from England.
The devastating Russian landings in 1720 on the Swedish coast pushed Sweden to resume negotiations. August 30 (September 10) 1721 between Russia and Sweden was concluded Nystadt world who ended the 21-year war.
Russia gained access to the Baltic Sea, annexed the territory of Ingria, part of Karelia, Estonia and Livonia. Russia became a great European power, in commemoration of which on October 22 (November 2) 1721 Peter, at the request of the senators, took the title of Father of the Fatherland, Emperor of All Russia, Peter the Great: "... we thought, with the butt of the ancients, especially the Roman and Greek peoples, the daring to accept, on the day of the celebration and the announcement of the glorious and prosperous peace concluded by these in the century. With all the most grateful thanks for the intercession of this world, to bring my petition to you publicly, so that he would deign to accept from us, as if from his faithful subjects, in gratitude the title of Father of the Fatherland, Emperor of All Russia, Peter the Great, as is usual from the Roman Senate for the noble deeds of emperors such titles they were publicly presented as a gift and signed on statutes for memory in eternal childbirth "(Petition of the senators to Tsar Peter I. October 22, 1721).
Russian-Turkish War 1710-1713. Prut campaign
After the defeat in the Battle of Poltava, the Swedish king Charles XII took refuge in the Ottoman Empire, the city of Bender. Peter I entered into an agreement with Turkey on the expulsion of Charles XII from Turkish territory, but then the Swedish king was allowed to stay and pose a threat to the southern border of Russia with the help of part of the Ukrainian Cossacks and Crimean Tatars.
Seeking the expulsion of Charles XII, Peter I began to threaten Turkey with war, but in response on November 20, 1710, the Sultan himself declared war on Russia. The real reason for the war was the capture of Azov by Russian troops in 1696 and the appearance of the Russian fleet in the Sea of Azov.
The war from Turkey was limited to the winter raid of the Crimean Tatars, vassals of the Ottoman Empire, to Ukraine. Russia waged a war on 3 fronts: the troops made campaigns against the Tatars in the Crimea and the Kuban, Peter I himself, relying on the help of the rulers of Wallachia and Moldavia, decided to make a deep campaign to the Danube, where he hoped to raise Christian vassals of the Ottoman Empire to fight the Turks.
6 (17) March 1711 Peter I left for the troops from Moscow with a faithful friend Ekaterina Alekseevna, whom he commanded to be considered his wife and queen (even before the official wedding, which took place in 1712).
The army crossed the border of Moldova in June 1711, but already on July 20, 1711, 190 thousand Turks and Crimean Tatars pressed the 38 thousandth Russian army to the right bank of the Prut River, completely surrounding it. In a seemingly hopeless situation, Peter managed to conclude the Prut Peace Treaty with the Grand Vizier, according to which the army and the tsar himself escaped capture, but in return Russia gave the Azov to Turkey and lost access to the Sea of Azov.
Since August 1711, there have been no hostilities, although in the process of negotiating a final treaty, Turkey several times threatened to resume the war. Only in June 1713 was the Adrianople Peace Treaty concluded, which generally confirmed the terms of the Prut Agreement. Russia got the opportunity to continue the Northern War without a 2nd front, although it lost the conquests of the Azov campaigns.
The expansion of Russia to the east under Peter I did not stop. In 1716, the Buchholz expedition founded Omsk at the confluence of the Irtysh and Omi., upstream of the Irtysh: Ust-Kamenogorsk, Semipalatinsk and other fortresses.
In 1716-1717, a detachment of Bekovich-Cherkassky was sent to Central Asia in order to persuade the Khiva khan to become citizens and to scout the way to India. However, the Russian detachment was destroyed by the khan. During the reign of Peter I, Kamchatka was annexed to Russia. Peter planned an expedition across the Pacific Ocean to America (intending to establish Russian colonies there), but did not manage to carry out his plan.
Caspian campaign 1722-1723
The largest foreign policy event of Peter after the Northern War was the Caspian (or Persian) campaign in 1722-1724. The conditions for the campaign were created as a result of the Persian feuds and the actual collapse of the once powerful state.
On July 18, 1722, after seeking help from the son of the Persian shah Tohmas Mirza, a 22,000-strong Russian detachment sailed from Astrakhan across the Caspian Sea. Derbent surrendered in August, after which the Russians returned to Astrakhan due to problems with food.
In the next 1723, the western coast of the Caspian Sea was conquered with the fortresses of Baku, Rasht, Astrabad. Further progress was stopped by the threat of the Ottoman Empire entering the war, which was capturing western and central Transcaucasia.
On September 12, 1723, the Petersburg Treaty was concluded with Persia, according to which the western and southern coasts of the Caspian Sea with the cities of Derbent and Baku and the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran and Astrabad were included in the Russian Empire. Russia and Persia also entered into a defensive alliance against Turkey, which, however, turned out to be ineffective.
Under the Treaty of Constantinople of June 12, 1724, Turkey recognized all of Russia's acquisitions in the western part of the Caspian Sea and renounced further claims to Persia. The junction of the borders between Russia, Turkey and Persia was established at the confluence of the Araks and Kura rivers. In Persia, the turmoil continued, and Turkey challenged the provisions of the Treaty of Constantinople before the border was precisely established. It should be noted that soon after the death of Peter, these possessions were lost due to the high losses of garrisons from diseases, and, in the opinion of Tsarina Anna Ioannovna, the hopelessness of the region.
Russian Empire under Peter I
After the victory in the Northern War and the conclusion of the Nystadt Peace in September 1721, the Senate and Synod decided to present Peter with the title of Emperor of All Russia with the following wording: "As usual from the Roman Senate for the noble deeds of the emperors, such titles were publicly donated to them and signed on statutes for memory of eternal birth.".
On October 22 (November 2), 1721, Peter I took a title, not just an honorary one, but testifying to the new role of Russia in international affairs. Prussia and Holland immediately recognized the new title of the Russian Tsar, Sweden in 1723, Turkey in 1739, England and Austria in 1742, France and Spain in 1745, and finally Poland in 1764.
Secretary of the Prussian Embassy in Russia in 1717-1733, I.-G. Fokkerodt, at the request of the one who was working on the history of the reign of Peter, wrote memoirs about Russia under Peter. Fokkerodt tried to estimate the population of the Russian Empire by the end of the reign of Peter I. According to his information, the number of taxable people was 5 million 198 thousand people, from where the number of peasants and townspeople, including females, was estimated at about 10 million.
Many souls were hidden by the landowners, a second revision increased the number of taxable souls to almost 6 million people.
Russian nobles with families were counted up to 500 thousand, officials up to 200 thousand and clergy with families up to 300 thousand souls.
Inhabitants of the conquered regions, who were not under the universal tax, were estimated to be from 500 to 600 thousand souls. Cossacks with families in the Ukraine, on the Don and Yaik and in the border towns were counted from 700 to 800 thousand souls. The number of Siberian peoples was unknown, but Fokkerodt put it down to a million people.
Thus, the population of the Russian Empire under Peter the Great was up to 15 million subjects and was second only to France in number in Europe (about 20 million).
According to the calculations of the Soviet historian Yaroslav Vodarsky, the number of men and male children increased from 1678 to 1719 from 5.6 to 7.8 million. 11.2 to 15.6 million
Reforms of Peter I
All internal state activities of Peter can be conditionally divided into two periods: 1695-1715 and 1715-1725.
The peculiarity of the first stage was haste and not always well thought out character, which was explained by the conduct of the Northern War. The reforms were aimed primarily at raising funds for the war, were carried out by force and often did not lead to the desired result. In addition to state reforms, at the first stage, extensive reforms were carried out with the aim of modernizing the way of life. In the second period, the reforms were more systematic.
A number of historians, for example V.O. Klyuchevsky, pointed out that the reforms of Peter I were not something fundamentally new, but were only a continuation of those transformations that were carried out during the 17th century. Other historians (for example, Sergei Soloviev), on the contrary, emphasized the revolutionary nature of Peter's reforms.
Peter carried out a reform of state administration, transformations in the army, a navy was created, a reform of church administration in the spirit of Caesaropapism was carried out, aimed at eliminating church jurisdiction autonomous from the state and subordinating the Russian church hierarchy to the emperor.
Also, a financial reform was carried out, measures were taken to develop industry and trade.
After returning from the Grand Embassy, Peter I fought against the outward manifestations of an "outdated" way of life (the ban on beards is best known), but no less paid attention to the introduction of the nobility to education and secular Europeanized culture. Secular educational institutions began to appear, the first Russian newspaper was founded, and many books were translated into Russian. Success in the service Peter made for the nobility dependent on education.
Peter was clearly aware of the need for enlightenment, and took a number of decisive measures to this end.
On January 14 (25), 1701, a school of mathematical and navigational sciences was opened in Moscow.
In 1701-1721, artillery, engineering and medical schools were opened in Moscow, an engineering school and a naval academy in St. Petersburg, mining schools at the Olonets and Ural factories.
The first gymnasium in Russia was opened in 1705.
The goals of mass education were to serve the digital schools created by the decree of 1714 in provincial cities, designed to "teach children of every rank to read and write, digital and geometry."
It was supposed to create two such schools in each province, where education was to be free. Garrison schools were opened for soldiers' children, and a network of theological schools was created from 1721 to train priests.
By decrees of Peter, compulsory training of nobles and clergy was introduced, but a similar measure for the urban population met with fierce resistance and was canceled.
Peter's attempt to create an all-class elementary school failed (the creation of a network of schools after his death ceased, most of the digital schools under his successors were re-profiled into estate schools for training the clergy), but nevertheless, in his reign, the foundations were laid for the spread of education in Russia.
Peter created new printing houses, in which 1312 titles of books were printed in 1700-1725 (twice as many as in the entire previous history of Russian printing). Thanks to the rise of book printing, paper consumption increased from 4,000-8,000 sheets at the end of the 17th century to 50,000 sheets in 1719.
There have been changes in the Russian language, which includes 4.5 thousand new words borrowed from European languages.
In 1724, Peter approved the charter of the organized Academy of Sciences (opened a few months after his death).
Of particular importance was the construction of stone St. Petersburg, in which foreign architects took part and which was carried out according to the plan developed by the tsar. He created a new urban environment with previously unknown forms of life and pastime (theater, masquerades). The interior decoration of houses, the way of life, the composition of food, etc. changed. By a special decree of the tsar in 1718, assemblies were introduced, representing a new form of communication between people for Russia. At the assemblies, the nobles danced and communicated freely, in contrast to previous feasts and feasts.
The reforms carried out by Peter the Great affected not only politics, economics, but also art. Peter invited foreign artists to Russia and at the same time sent talented young people to study "arts" abroad. In the second quarter of the 18th century. "Peter's pensioners" began to return to Russia, bringing with them new artistic experience and acquired skills.
On December 30, 1701 (January 10, 1702), Peter issued a decree, which ordered to write names in petitions and other documents completely instead of derogatory half-names (Ivashka, Senka, etc.), do not fall on your knees in front of the tsar, a hat in winter in the frost in front of the house where the king is, do not shoot. He explained the need for these innovations: "Less baseness, more zeal for service and loyalty to me and the state - this honor is characteristic of the king ...".
Peter tried to change the position of women in Russian society. He, by special decrees (1700, 1702 and 1724), prohibited forced marriage and marriage.
It was prescribed that there should be at least a six-week period between the betrothal and the wedding, "So that the bride and groom can recognize each other"... If during this time, it was said in the decree, "The bridegroom does not want to take the bride, or the bride does not want to marry the groom", no matter how parents insist on it, "In that there is freedom".
Since 1702, the bride herself (and not only her relatives) was given the formal right to terminate the betrothal and upset the agreed marriage, and neither of the parties had the right to "beat the forehead for a penalty."
Legislative prescriptions 1696-1704 on public celebrations, it was mandatory for all Russians, including the "female", to participate in the celebrations and celebrations.
From the "old" in the structure of the nobility under Peter, the former enslavement of the service class remained unchanged through the personal service of each service person to the state. But in this enslavement its form has changed somewhat. Now they were obliged to serve in the regular regiments and in the navy, as well as in the civil service in all those administrative and judicial institutions that were transformed from the old and re-emerged.
The decree on single inheritance of 1714 regulated the legal status of the nobility and consolidated the legal merger of such forms of land ownership as patrimony and estates.
The peasants from the reign of Peter I began to be divided into serfs (landowners), monastic and state peasants. All three categories were recorded in revision tales and taxed with a poll tax.
Since 1724, the proprietor peasants could leave their villages to earn money and for other needs only with the written permission of the master, attested by the zemstvo commissar and colonel of the regiment that was stationed in the area. Thus, the landlord's power over the personality of the peasants received even more opportunity to strengthen, taking into its unaccountable disposal both the personality and the property of the private peasant. This new state of the rural worker receives from that time the name of "serf", or "revision", soul.
In general, Peter's reforms were aimed at strengthening the state and introducing the elite to European culture, while strengthening absolutism. In the course of the reforms, the technical and economic lag of Russia from a number of other European states was overcome, access to the Baltic Sea was conquered, and reforms were carried out in many spheres of the life of Russian society.
Gradually, among the nobility, a different system of values, perception of the world, aesthetic ideas took shape, which radically differed from the values and worldview of most representatives of other estates. At the same time, the forces of the people were extremely exhausted, the prerequisites (the Decree on succession to the throne) were created for the crisis of the supreme power, which led to the "era of palace coups."
Having set himself the goal of equipping the economy with the best Western production technologies, Peter reorganized all sectors of the national economy.
During the Great Embassy, the tsar studied various aspects of European life, including the technical one. He mastered the foundations of the then dominant economic theory - mercantilism.
The mercantilists based their economic doctrine on two principles: first, every nation, in order not to become impoverished, must produce whatever it needs, without resorting to the help of other people's labor, the labor of other peoples; second, every nation, in order to get rich, must export manufactured products from its country as much as possible and import foreign products as little as possible.
Under Peter, the development of geological prospecting begins, thanks to which deposits of metal ore are found in the Urals. In the Urals alone, at least 27 metallurgical plants were built under Peter. Gunpowder factories, sawmills, glass factories were founded in Moscow, Tula, St. Petersburg. In Astrakhan, Samara, Krasnoyarsk, the production of potash, sulfur, saltpeter was established, sailing, linen and cloth manufactories were created. This allowed the start of the phasing out of imports.
By the end of the reign of Peter I, there were already 233 factories, including more than 90 large factories built during his reign. The largest were shipyards (only the St. Petersburg shipyard employed 3.5 thousand people), sailing factories and mining and metallurgical plants (9 Ural factories employed 25 thousand workers), there were a number of other enterprises employing from 500 to 1000 people.
To supply the new capital the first channels in Russia were dug.
Peter's transformations were achieved through violence against the population, its complete submission to the will of the monarch, the eradication of all dissent. Even Pushkin, who sincerely admired Peter, wrote that many of his decrees were "cruel, capricious and, it seems, were written with a whip," as if "escaped from an impatient, autocratic landowner."
Klyuchevsky points out that the triumph of the absolute monarchy, which sought to drag its subjects from the Middle Ages into the present by force, contained a fundamental contradiction: “Peter's reform was a struggle of despotism with the people, with their inertia. to establish European science in Russia ... I wanted the slave, while remaining a slave, to act consciously and freely. "
The construction of St. Petersburg from 1704 to 1717 was mainly carried out by the forces of "working people" mobilized within the framework of in-kind labor service. They felled forest, filled up swamps, built embankments, etc.
In 1704, up to 40 thousand workers were summoned to St. Petersburg from different provinces, mainly serfs, landowners and state peasants. In 1707, many workers fled, sent to St. Petersburg from the Belozersk Territory. Peter I ordered to take the family members of the fugitives - their fathers, mothers, wives, children “or whoever lives in their houses” and to keep them in prisons until the fugitives are found.
Factory workers of Peter's time came from a wide variety of strata of the population: runaway serfs, vagabonds, beggars, even criminals - all of them, according to strict orders, were taken and sent “to work” in factories.
Peter could not stand "walking" people, not attached to any business, he was ordered to grab them, not sparing even the monastic rank, and send them to factories. There were frequent cases when, in order to supply factories, and especially factories, with workers, villages and villages of peasants were attributed to factories and factories, as was still practiced in the 17th century. Those assigned to the factory worked for it and in it at the behest of the owner.
In November 1702, a decree was issued stating: “There will continue to be in Moscow and in the Moscow court order no matter whether people or from cities governors and clerks, but from monasteries they will send authorities, and landowners and patrimonials will bring their own people and peasants, and those people and peasants will learn to say after themselves“ the sovereign's word and deed "- and without asking those people in the Moscow court order, send an order to the Preobrazhensky to the steward to Prince Fyodor Yuryevich Romodanovsky. Yes, even in the cities, the governors and clerks of people who learn to say "the sovereign's word and deed" after themselves, send them to Moscow without asking. ".
In 1718, the Secret Chancellery was created for the investigation of the case of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich, then other political affairs of extreme importance were transferred to her.
On August 18, 1718, a decree was issued, which under the threat of the death penalty was forbidden to "write locked". A non-informant about this was also entitled to the death penalty. This decree was aimed at combating anti-government "anonymous letters".
The decree of Peter I, issued in 1702, proclaimed religious tolerance as one of the main state principles.
“One must deal with the opponents of the church with meekness and understanding,” said Peter. "The Lord gave the kings authority over the nations, but Christ alone is ruled over the conscience of people." But this decree was not applied to the Old Believers.
In 1716, in order to facilitate their accounting, they were given the opportunity of a semi-legal existence, provided they pay "for this split all payments in half." At the same time, the control and punishment of those who evaded registration and double tax payments were strengthened.
Those who did not confess and did not pay a double tax were ordered to be fined, each time increasing the rate of the fine, and even exiled to hard labor. For seduction into schism (any Old Believer divine service or the performance of sacraments was considered seduction), as before Peter I, the death penalty was imposed, which was confirmed in 1722.
Old Believer priests were declared either schismatics, if they were Old Believer mentors, or traitors to Orthodoxy, if they were priests before, and they were punished for both. The schismatic sketes and chapels were ruined. Through torture, punishment with a whip, pulling out nostrils, threats of execution and exile, Bishop Pitirim of Nizhny Novgorod managed to return a considerable number of Old Believers to the bosom of the official church, but most of them soon again “fell into schism”. Deacon Alexander Pitirim, who headed the Kerzhen Old Believers, forced him to abandon the Old Believers, shackling him in shackles and threatening him with beatings, as a result of which the deacon "was afraid of him, of the bishop, great torment, and exile, and tearing nostrils, as if it was done over others."
When Alexander complained in a letter to Peter I about the actions of Pitirim, he was subjected to terrible torture and was executed on May 21, 1720.
The acceptance by Peter I of the imperial title, as the Old Believers believed, testified that he was the Antichrist, as this emphasized the continuity of state power from Catholic Rome. According to the Old Believers, the calendar changes made during his reign and the population census introduced by him for the per capita salary also testified to the antichrist nature of Peter, according to the Old Believers.
Family of Peter I
For the first time, Peter married at the age of 17, at the insistence of his mother, to Evdokia Lopukhina in 1689. A year later, Tsarevich Alexei was born to them, who was brought up under his mother in concepts that were alien to the reform activities of Peter. The rest of the children of Peter and Evdokia died shortly after birth. In 1698, Evdokia Lopukhina was involved in an archery revolt, the purpose of which was to elevate her son to the kingdom, and was exiled to a monastery.
Alexey Petrovich, the official heir to the Russian throne, condemned the transformation of his father, and in the end fled to Vienna under the patronage of a relative of his wife (Charlotte of Braunschweig) Emperor Charles VI, where he sought support in the overthrow of Peter I. In 1717, the prince was persuaded to return home, where he was taken into custody.
On June 24 (July 5), 1718, the Supreme Court, which consisted of 127 people, sentenced Alexei to death, finding him guilty of high treason. On June 26 (July 7), 1718, the prince, without waiting for the execution of the sentence, died in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
The true cause of the death of Tsarevich Alexei has not yet been reliably established. From his marriage to Princess Charlotte of Braunschweig, Tsarevich Alexei left a son, Peter Alekseevich (1715-1730), who became Emperor Peter II in 1727, and a daughter, Natalya Alekseevna (1714-1728).
In 1703, Peter I met 19-year-old Katerina, nee Martha Samuilovna Skavronskaya(the widow of the dragoon Johannes Kruse), 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. In 1704, Katerina gave birth to her first child, named Peter, the next year, Paul (both died soon after). Even before her legal marriage to Peter, Katerina gave birth to daughters Anna (1708) and Elizabeth (1709). Elizabeth later became empress (ruled 1741-1761).
Katerina alone could cope with the tsar in his fits of anger, was able to calm Peter's convulsive headaches with affection and patient attention. The sound of Katerina's voice calmed Peter. Then she “sat him down and took, caressing, by the head, which she lightly scratched. This produced a magical effect on him, he fell asleep in a few minutes. So as not to disturb his sleep, she held his head on her chest, sitting motionless for two or three hours. After that he woke up completely fresh and vigorous. "
The official wedding of Peter I to Ekaterina Alekseevna took place on February 19, 1712, shortly after returning from the Prut campaign.
In 1724, Peter crowned Catherine as empress and co-ruler.
Ekaterina Alekseevna gave birth to her husband 11 children, but most of them died in childhood, except for Anna and Elizabeth.
After Peter's death in January 1725, Ekaterina Alekseevna, with the support of the serving nobility and the guards regiments, became the first ruling Russian empress, but she did not rule for long and died in 1727, vacating the throne for Tsarevich Peter Alekseevich. The first wife of Peter the Great, Evdokia Lopukhina, outlived her happy rival and died in 1731, having seen the reign of her grandson Peter Alekseevich.
Children of Peter I:
With Evdokia Lopukhina:
Alexey Petrovich 02/18/1690 - 06/26/1718. He was considered the official heir to the throne until his arrest. He was married from 1711 to Princess Sophia-Charlotte of Braunschweig-Wolfenbittel, sister of Elizabeth, wife of Emperor Charles VI. Children: Natalia (1714-28) and Peter (1715-30), later Emperor Peter II.
Alexander 10/03/1691 05/14/1692
Alexander Petrovich died in 1692.
Paul 1693 - 1693
He was born and died in 1693, which is why sometimes the existence of a third son from Evdokia Lopukhina is questioned.
With Catherine:
Catherine 1707-1708.
Illegitimate, died in infancy.
Anna Petrovna 02/07/1708 - 05/15/1728. In 1725 she married the German Duke Karl-Friedrich. She left for Kiel, where she gave birth to the son of Karl Peter Ulrich (later the Russian emperor Peter III).
Elizaveta Petrovna 12/29/1709 - 01/05/1762. Empress from 1741. In 1744 she entered into a secret marriage with A. G. Razumovsky, from which, according to contemporaries, she gave birth to several children.
Natalia 03.03.1713 - 27.05.1715
Margarita 09/03/1714 - 07/27/1715
Peter 10/29/1715 - 04/25/1719 Was considered the official heir to the crown from 06/26/1718 until his death.
Pavel 01/02/1717 - 01/03/1717
Natalia 08/31/1718 - 03/15/1725.
Decree of Peter I on succession to the throne
In the last years of the reign of Peter the Great, the question of succession to the throne arose: who will take the throne after the death of the emperor.
Tsarevich Pyotr Petrovich (1715-1719, son of Ekaterina Alekseevna), who was declared heir to the throne during the abdication of Alexei Petrovich, died in childhood.
The direct heir was the son of Tsarevich Alexei and Princess Charlotte, Pyotr Alekseevich. However, if you follow the custom and declare the son of the disgraced Alexei heir, then the opponents of the reforms aroused the hopes of returning the old order, and on the other hand, fears arose among Peter's comrades-in-arms, who voted for the execution of Alexei.
On February 5 (16), 1722, Peter issued a decree on succession to the throne (canceled by Paul I after 75 years), in which he canceled the ancient custom of transferring the throne to direct descendants in the male line, but allowed the appointment of any worthy person by the will of the monarch as the heir. The text of this most important decree justified the need for this measure: "why did they discern this statute, so that this would always be in the will of the ruling sovereign, to whom he wants, to determine the inheritance, and to the certain, seeing what indecency, packs away, so that children and descendants do not fall into such anger as above written I have this bridle on myself ".
The decree was so unusual for Russian society that they had to explain it and demand the consent of the subjects under oath. The schismatics were indignant: “He took a Swede for himself, and that queen would not give birth to children, and he issued a decree to kiss the cross for the future sovereign, and kiss the cross for the Swede. The Swede will eventually reign ”.
Pyotr Alekseevich was removed from the throne, but the question of succession to the throne remained open. Many believed that either Anna or Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter from the marriage with Ekaterina Alekseevna, would take the throne.
But in 1724, Anna renounced any claim to the Russian throne after she became engaged to the Duke of Holstein Karl-Friedrich. If the youngest daughter Elizabeth, who was 15 years old (in 1724), took the throne, then the Duke of Holstein would rule instead, who dreamed of returning the lands conquered by the Danes with the help of Russia.
Peter and his nieces, daughters of Ivan's older brother, did not suit: Anna Kurlyandskaya, Ekaterina Mecklenburgskaya and Praskovya Ioannovna. There was only one candidate left - Peter's wife, Empress Ekaterina Alekseevna. Peter needed a person who would continue the work he had begun, his transformation.
On May 7, 1724, Peter crowned Catherine as empress and co-ruler, but after a short time he suspected of adultery (the Mons case). The decree of 1722 violated the usual order of succession, but Peter did not manage to appoint an heir before his death.
Death of Peter I
In the last years of his reign, Peter was very ill (presumably, kidney stones, complicated by uremia).
In the summer of 1724, his illness intensified, in September he felt better, but after a while the attacks intensified. In October, Peter went to inspect the Ladoga Canal, contrary to the advice of his life physician Blumentrost. From Olonets, Peter drove to Staraya Russa and in November went to St. Petersburg by water.
At Lakhta, he had to, standing waist-deep in water, rescue a boat with soldiers that had run aground. The attacks of the disease intensified, but Peter, not paying attention to them, continued to be engaged in state affairs. On January 17 (28), 1725, he had such a bad time that he ordered to install a camp church in the room next to his bedroom, and on January 22 (February 2) he confessed. The strength began to leave the patient, he no longer screamed, as before, from severe pain, but only moaned.
On January 27 (February 7), all those sentenced to death or hard labor (excluding the murderers and those convicted of repeated robbery) were amnestied. On the same day, at the end of the second hour, Peter demanded paper, began to write, but the pen fell out of his hands, only two words could be made out of what he had written: "Give everything ...".
The tsar then ordered his daughter Anna Petrovna to be called so that she would write under his dictation, but when she arrived, Peter had already fallen into oblivion. The story about Peter's words "Give everything ..." and the order to call Anna is known only from the notes of the Holstein secret adviser GF Bassevich. According to N.I. Pavlenko and V.P. Kozlov, it is a biased fiction aimed at hinting at the rights of Anna Petrovna, the wife of the Holstein Duke Karl Friedrich, to the Russian throne.
When it became obvious that the emperor was dying, the question arose of who would take Peter's place. The Senate, the Synod and the generals - all institutions that did not have the formal right to decide the fate of the throne, even before Peter's death, gathered on the night of January 27 (February 7) to January 28 (February 8) to decide the question of Peter the Great's successor.
Guards officers entered the conference room, two guards regiments entered the square, and to the drumming of troops withdrawn by the party of Ekaterina Alekseevna and Menshikov, the Senate adopted a unanimous decision by 4 am on January 28 (February 8). By the decision of the Senate, the throne was succeeded by Peter's wife, Ekaterina Alekseevna, who became the first Russian empress on January 28 (February 8), 1725 under the name of Catherine I.
At the beginning of the sixth hour of the morning on January 28 (February 8), 1725, Peter the Great died in terrible agony in his Winter Palace near the Winter Canal, according to the official version, from pneumonia. He was buried in the Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg. An autopsy showed the following: "a sharp narrowing in the back of the urethra, hardening of the bladder neck and Antonov fire." Death followed from inflammation of the bladder, which turned into gangrene due to urinary retention caused by narrowing of the urethra.
The famous court icon painter Simon Ushakov painted on a cypress board the image of the Life-Giving Trinity and the Apostle Peter. After the death of Peter I, this icon was installed over the imperial tombstone.
The sage avoids all extremes.
Lao Tzu
The reforms of Peter 1 are his main and key activities, which were aimed at changing not only the political, but also the social life of Russian society. According to Pyotr Alekseevich, Russia lagged very far behind Western countries in its development. This confidence of the king was further strengthened after he held a great embassy. Trying to transform the country, Peter 1 changed almost all aspects of the life of the Russian state, which had been taking shape for centuries.
What was the central government reform
The central government reform was one of the first reforms of Peter. It should be noted that this reformation lasted a long time, since it was based on the need to completely restructure the work of the Russian authorities.
The reforms of Peter 1 in the area of central government began as early as 1699. At the initial stage, this change affected only the Boyar Duma, which was renamed to the Near Chancellery. With this step, the Russian tsar alienated the boyars from power, allowed him to concentrate power in a more compliant and loyal office. This was an important step that required priority implementation, since it allowed the centralization of government in the country.
Senate and its functions
At the next stage, the king organized the Senate as the main body of government in the country. It happened in 1711. The Senate became one of the key bodies in governing the country, with the broadest powers, which included the following:
- Legislative activity
- Administrative activity
- Judicial functions in the country
- Control functions for other organs
The Senate consisted of 9 people. These were representatives of noble families, or people who were raised by Peter himself. In this form, the Senate existed until 1722, when the emperor approved the post of Attorney General, who controlled the legality of the Senate. Prior to that, this body was independent and did not carry any report.
Creation of collegia
Central government reform continued in 1718. It took the reformer tsar three whole years (1718-1720) to get rid of the last legacy of his predecessors - orders. All orders in the country were abolished and collegiums took their place. There was no actual difference between collegia and orders, but in order to radically change the administrative apparatus, Peter also went for this transformation. In total, the following bodies were created:
- Collegium of Foreign Affairs. She was in charge of the foreign policy of the state.
- Military Collegium. She was engaged in ground forces.
- Admiralty Collegium. She controlled the Russian navy.
- Office of Justice. She was engaged in litigation, including civil and criminal cases.
- Berg collegium. It was subordinate to the country's mining industry, as well as factories for this industry.
- Manufacturing collegium. She was engaged in the entire manufacturing industry in Russia.
In fact, one can single out only one difference between collegia and orders. If in the latter the decision was always made by one person, then after the reform all decisions were made collectively. Of course, not many decided, but the leader always had several advisors. They helped to make the right decision. After the introduction of the new system, a special system was developed to control the activities of the collegia. For these purposes, the General Regulations have been created. It was not general, but was published for each collegium in accordance with its specifics of work.
Secret Chancery
Peter created a secret office in the country, which dealt with cases of state crimes. This office replaced the Preobrazhensky order, which dealt with the same issues. It was a specific state body that was not subordinate to anyone except Peter the Great. In fact, with the help of a secret office, the emperor maintained order in the country.
Decree on single inheritance. The table of ranks.
The decree on single inheritance was signed by the Russian tsar in 1714. Its essence boiled down, besides everything, to the fact that the courts, which belonged to the boyar and noble possessions, were completely equated. Thus, Peter pursued one single goal - to level the knowledge of all levels that were represented in the country. This ruler is known for the fact that he could bring a person without family closer to him. After the signing of this law, he could give each of them what they deserve.
This reform continued in 1722. Peter enacted the Table of Ranks. In fact, this document equalized rights in the civil service for aristocrats of any origin. This table divided the entire civil service into two large categories: civil and military. Regardless of the type of service, all government officials were divided into 14 ranks (classes). They included all key positions, from simple performers to managers.
All ranks were divided into the following categories:
- 14-9 levels. An official who was in these ranks received the nobility and peasants in his possession. The only limitation was that such a nobleman could use the property, but not dispose of it like property. In addition, the estate could not be inherited.
- 8 - 1 levels. This is the highest government, which not only became the nobility and received full control of the property, as well as the serfs, but also received the opportunity to transfer its property by inheritance.
Regional reform
The reforms of Peter 1 affected many areas of the state's life, including the work of local government bodies. The regional reform of Russia was planned for a long time, but was carried out by Peter in 1708. It completely changed the work of the local government apparatus. The whole country was divided into separate provinces, of which there were a total of 8:
- Moscow
- Ingermanland (later renamed to Petersburg)
- Smolensk
- Kievskaya
- Azov
- Kazan
- Arkhangelsk
- Simbirsk
Each province was ruled by a governor. He was personally appointed by the king. All the administrative, judicial and military power was concentrated in the hands of the governor. Since the provinces were large enough in size, they were divided into counties. Counties were later renamed provinces.
The total number of provinces in Russia in 1719 was 50. The provinces were ruled by voivods who were in charge of the military power. As a result, the governor's power was somewhat curtailed, since the new regional reform took away all military power from them.
Urban Governance Reform
Changes at the local government level prompted the king to reorganize the system of government in the cities. This was an important issue as the urban population grew annually. For example, by the end of Peter's life, 350 thousand people already lived in cities, who belonged to different classes and estates. This required the creation of bodies that would work with every estate in the city. As a result, the city government reform was carried out.
Special attention in this reform was paid to the townspeople. Previously, their affairs were dealt with by the governors. The new reform transferred power over this estate into the hands of the Burmistra Chamber. It was an elected body of power, which was located in Moscow, and in the localities this chamber was represented by individual bailiffs. Only in 1720 was the Chief Magistrate established, who was engaged in control functions in relation to the activities of the bailiffs.
It should be noted that the reforms of Peter 1 in the field of urban governance introduced clear distinctions between ordinary townspeople, which were divided into "regular" and "mean". The former belonged to the upper inhabitants of the city, and the latter to the lower estates. These categories were not straightforward. For example, "regular townspeople" were divided: rich merchants (doctors, pharmacists and others), as well as simple artisans and traders. All "regular" ones enjoyed great support from the state, which endowed them with various benefits.
The city reform was quite effective, but it had a clear bias towards wealthy citizens who received maximum support from the state. Thus, the tsar created a situation in which it became a little easier for the cities to live, and in response the most influential and wealthy citizens supported the power.
Church reform
The reforms of Peter 1 did not pass by the church either. In fact, the new transformations finally subordinated the church to the state. This reform actually began in 1700, with the death of Patriarch Adrian. Peter forbade elections for a new patriarch. The reason was quite convincing - Russia entered the Northern War, which means that elective and church affairs can wait for better times. Stefan Yavorsky was appointed to temporarily fulfill the duties of the Patriarch of Moscow.
The most significant changes in the life of the church began after the end of the war with Sweden in 1721. The reform of the church boiled down to the following basic steps:
- The institution of the patriarchate was completely liquidated, henceforth such a position in the church should not have been
- The church was losing its independence. From now on, all her affairs were managed by the Spiritual College, created specifically for these purposes.
The Spiritual College lasted less than a year. It was replaced by a new body of state power - the Most Holy Governing Synod. It consisted of clergymen who were personally appointed by the Emperor of Russia. In fact, from that time on, the church was finally subordinated to the state, and the emperor himself was actually engaged in its administration through the Synod. To exercise control over the activities of the synod, the post of chief prosecutor was introduced. This was an official whom the emperor himself also appointed.
Peter saw the role of the church in the life of the state in the fact that she was supposed to teach the peasants to respect and honor the tsar (emperor). As a result, laws were even developed that obliged priests to conduct special conversations with peasants, convincing them to obey their ruler in everything.
The significance of Peter's transformations
The reforms of Peter 1 actually completely changed the order of life in Russia. Some of the reforms really brought a positive effect, some also created negative preconditions. For example, the reform of local government led to a sharp increase in the number of officials, as a result of which corruption and embezzlement in the country literally went off scale.
In general, the reforms of Peter 1 had the following meaning:
- The power of the state was strengthened.
- The upper classes of society were actually equated in opportunities and rights. Thus, the boundaries between the estates were erased.
- Complete subordination of the church to state power.
The results of the reforms cannot be unambiguously distinguished, since they had many negative aspects, but you can learn about this from our special material.
1. The relationship between Sophia and Peter has always been tense. Sophia understood that in the coming years she would have to give power to the brothers, and she herself would have to go to a monastery. At the beginning of 1689 Tsarina Natalya married Peter to Evdokia Lopukhina. At that time, a married person became an adult and did not need guardianship.
2. The head of the Streletsky order, Fyodor Shaklovity, persuaded the streltsy to kill Peter. This became known in Preobrazhensky, where the guard was strengthened. On the night of August 7-8, a rumor was spread in the Kremlin that the "amusing" troops were marching on Moscow. Two supporters of Peter, deciding that an attack on Preobrazhenskoye was being prepared, reported this to Peter. Raised from his bed, he fled to the nearest forest, and in the morning galloped to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. On the same day, his mother, wife, "amusing" troops and a regiment of archers under the command of Colonel Sukharev arrived there. Realizing that the situation could quickly change not in her favor, Sophia made several attempts to reconcile with her stepbrother, but they all ended in failure.
3. Peter sent a letter to Moscow in which he demanded that the archers, as a sign of their obedience, send regiment commanders and 10 men from each regiment to him. Patriarch Joachim, sent by Sophia to settle the conflict, remained in the monastery. Boyars came to Peter one after another, rifle regiments came. Realizing defeat, Sophia herself went to the monastery, but received an order from her brother to return to Moscow. Soon she had to hand over Shaklovity, who was executed. Vasily Golitsyn was sent into exile, Sophia was imprisoned in the Novodevichy Convent. Tsar Ivan remained aloof from events. He died in 1696. The independent reign of Peter I began.
23. Reforms of Peter.
Reasons for reform:
> merchants needed access to the seas for the development of trade.> The Northern War demanded a large amount of weapons, ammunition, uniforms for the army, and forests, sails, ropes for the navy, therefore weapons, linen, cloth, rope factories, large shipyards were built;
> having lost supplies of the world's best Swedish iron, Russia began to build metallurgical, blast-furnace and copper smelters at an accelerated pace;
> to combat foreign trade capital, it was necessary to encourage exports, restrict imports, introduce high customs tariffs, and provide state patronage to Russian industry and Russian merchants (protectionism);
> and finally, the Russian nobility was interested in occupying not only a political, but also an economic dominant position in the country.
2. In the development of industry under Peter I, there was a real leap forward: Reforms.
> by 1725 there were 220 manufactories in Russia (in 1690 there were 21 manufactories)
> pig iron smelting increased 5 times, which made it possible to start exporting iron abroad;
> Ural became the main center of metallurgy (11 factories) Copper mining and processing were also developed here;
> a large arms factory was built in Tula;> in St. Petersburg at the Admiralty shipyard, 50 large and 200 small ships. The construction of ships was still carried out at the shipyards of Voronezh, Arkhangelsk, Karelia;
> Moscow became the center of the textile industry. A huge Khamovny yard appeared, where sailing cloth was woven. The Moscow Cloth Yard was also notable for the size of production, producing 90 thousand yards of cloth per year. Rope, harness, leather, hat, hosiery, sugar manufactories were also built. Moscow is gradually losing its significance as the only center of light industry. Large manufactories began to appear in Ukraine, Kazan, Kaluga, etc.
> Kazan produced leather, which became an export commodity.
> the government pursues a policy of patronage of domestic producers and protects domestic trade from foreign competition. Moscow remained the center of the all-Russian market, where goods from all over Russia and from abroad flocked. Fairs played an important role in the development of trade.
> The fairs were of national importance: Tikhvin, Irbitskaya, Svenskaya, Makarievskaya and others. Under Peter I, a new state apparatus was created. The reform of the authorities was largely dictated by the war, since the old state machine could not cope with the increasingly complex tasks and new functions. In 1711. Peter I established the Governing Senate, which replaced the Boyar Duma.
> In 1718. the cumbersome system of orders was replaced by the collegia, which were subordinate to the Senate. A special place was occupied by the school, formed in 1721. The Spiritual College, or Synod, which ruled the affairs of the church
> In 1707-1711 the local government system was changed. Russia was divided into 8 gubernias headed by governors. They had tremendous power: they were in charge of tax collection, justice, recruiting. The provinces were divided, in turn, into 50 provinces headed by the voivode, and the provinces were divided into counties (districts). City magistrates collected taxes from the population and tried the townspeople. The urban population was divided into "regular" (haves) and "irregular" (have-nots).
> The adoption by Peter I in 1721 of the title of emperor was an expression and confirmation of the absolutism that had taken root in Russia.
> In 1722, the "Table of Ranks" was developed, which determined the order of service.
24. Foreign policy of Peter in the first half of the 18th century. Russia is an empire
Russia's foreign policy in the first quarter of the 18th century was distinguished by great activity and was accompanied by continuous wars. They were aimed at solving the main task - to ensure Russia's access to the sea, to make it a maritime power. The solution to this problem made it possible to expand external relations, strengthen the country's security, develop its economy, trade, and strengthen its international position. Back in 1698. Peter negotiated a war against Sweden with Saxony, Poland and Denmark. Now it was necessary to secure the southern borders and make peace with Turkey. Negotiations began in Constantinople, and on August 8, 1700. in Moscow, the news was received about the conclusion of peace with Turkey for 30 years. And on August 9, 1700. Peter declared war on Sweden, the Great Northern War began (1700-1721).
The main reasons for the Northern War were as follows:
> Peter's desire to turn Russia into a maritime power;
> gaining control over the Baltic Sea, which ensured not only trade interests, but also the security of the north-western borders of the state;
> the nobility wanted to get new lands;
> merchants for the development of trade needed access to the seas.
Failures did not suppress Peter, he actively took up the creation of a regular army. In the battle of Narva, only 23 thousand people survived, so a new recruitment was announced. The restoration of losses in artillery occurred due to the casting of cannons and cast iron at the Ural factories, as well as from bell copper. By Peter's decree, despite the discontent of the church, some of the bells were removed from the churches and melted into cannons. To protect the Neva from the Swedes, on May 16, 1703, on Hare Island on the Neva River, Peter founded a new city, named after his saint - St. Petersburg. In 1704, Sheremetev's troops captured Dorpat, Narva, and the Ivangorod fortress. This was the end of the initial stage of the Northern War. In the summer of 1708, Charles invaded Russia and decided to march on Moscow. The Russian army, avoiding the general battle, rolled back to the east. In September 1708 Karl changed his original plan, decided not to go to Moscow, but to turn south, to the Ukraine. On September 28, 1708, a flying detachment led by Peter near the village of Lesnoy attacked the Swedes. The fierce battle lasted all day. And only the coming night saved the Swedes from complete destruction. Peter decided to give a general battle a little north of the city of Poltava, which was besieged by the Swedes in April 1709. It took place on June 27, 1709. At a dinner arranged by Peter for the generals and senior officers who took part in the battle, and to which captured Swedish generals and ministers were invited, the tsar made a famous toast to the health of Swedish teachers in the field of military affairs. After Poltava, the course of the war radically changed, and Russia's international prestige was strengthened and increased. The Northern Alliance was restored - Denmark and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth again opposed the Swedes. Russian troops captured Riga, Revel, Vyborg, Pernov (Pärnu), Kexholm (Old Russian Karela). The entire Baltic region became part of Russia, which is now recognized as a great power in Europe. All questions of European politics were now resolved with the participation of Russia.
However, after the Battle of Poltava, the war continued for another 12 years. Peter offered Sweden peace on his own terms, but Charles XII refused. Under his pressure, the Turkish sultan at the end of 1710 declared war on Russia, which began to fight on two fronts. Russian troops entered Moldova, crossed the Dniester and approached the Prut River. On July 9, 1711, a general battle took place, a 180,000-strong army of Turks and Tatars surrounded the 38,000-strong Russian army. The battle lasted three hours, all enemy attacks were repulsed. But the position of the Russian troops was very difficult. Peter called a council of war, at which one question was decided: how to avoid captivity and get out of the encirclement. Vice-Chancellor P.P.Shafirov was sent to the Turks, who managed to sign a peace treaty. Under the agreement, the Azov had to be returned to the Turks, the Kamenny Zaton had to be demolished in Taganrog, not to interfere in the affairs of Poland and to ensure the safe passage of Charles XII to Sweden. Thus, the Prut campaign ended in failure, but Russia retained an army and conquest in the Baltic. Now Peter could concentrate his forces on the fight against the Swedes. V
In 1712 Russian troops entered Swedish Pomerania, and in 1713 they landed in Finland. In the Battle of Tammerfors, Peter defeated the Swedes and captured almost all of Finland. Russia won its first great naval victory at Cape Gangut. In the summer of 1720. The Russian fleet under the command of General Golitsyn achieved another major victory at Grengam Island. The landing was carried out in the Stockholm area. This forced Sweden to go for the signing of the peace.
Peter the First is a rather remarkable personality, both from the side of man and from the side of the ruler. His numerous changes in the country, decrees and an attempt to organize life in a new way were not perceived positively by everyone. However, it cannot be denied that during his reign a new impetus was given to the development of the Russian Empire at that time.
The great Peter the Great introduced innovations that made it possible to reckon with the Russian Empire at the world level. These were not only external achievements, but also internal reforms.
An extraordinary personality in the history of Russia - Tsar Peter the First
There were a lot of outstanding sovereigns and rulers in the Russian state. Each of them contributed to its development. One of these was Tsar Peter I. His reign was marked by various innovations in various fields, as well as reforms that brought Russia to a new level.
What can be said about the time when Tsar Peter the First ruled? Briefly, it can be characterized as a series of changes in the way of life of the Russian people, as well as a new direction in the development of the state itself. Peter, after his trip to Europe, was fired up with the idea of a full-fledged naval fleet for his country.
During his royal years, Peter the Great changed a lot in the country. He is the first ruler who gave direction to change the culture of Russia towards Europe. Many of his followers continued his endeavors, and this led to the fact that they were not forgotten.
Peter's childhood
If we now talk about whether childhood influenced the future fate of the tsar, his behavior in politics, then we can answer that it is unconditional. Little Peter was always developed beyond his years, and his remoteness from the royal court allowed him to look at the world in a completely different way. No one hindered him in development, and also did not forbid him to feed his craving for learning everything new and interesting.
The future Tsar Peter the First was born in 1672, on June 9. His mother was Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina, who was the second wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Until the age of four, he lived at court, beloved and pampered by his mother, who doted on him. In 1676, his father, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, died. Fyodor Alekseevich, who was Peter's elder half-brother, ascended the throne.
From that moment on, a new life began both in the state and in the royal family. By order of the new tsar (part-time half-brother), Peter began to learn to read and write. Science was given to him quite easily, he was a rather inquisitive child who was interested in a lot. The clerk Nikita Zotov became the teacher of the future ruler, who did not scold the restless student too much. Thanks to him, Peter read many wonderful books that Zotov brought him from the armory.
The result of all this was a further genuine interest in history, even in the future he had a dream about a book that would tell about the history of Russia. Peter was also fascinated by the art of war, was interested in geography. In an older age, he compiled a fairly easy and easy-to-learn alphabet. However, if we talk about the systematic acquisition of knowledge, then the king did not have this.
Ascent to the throne
Peter the Great was enthroned when he was ten years old. This happened after the death of his half-brother Fyodor Alekseevich, in 1682. However, it should be noted that there were two contenders for the throne. This is Peter's elder half-brother - John, who was rather sickly from the very birth. Perhaps this is why the clergy decided that a younger, but stronger challenger should be the ruler. Due to the fact that Peter was still a minor, the Tsar's mother, Natalya Kirillovna, ruled on his behalf.
However, this did not at all like the no less noble relatives of the second contender for the throne - Miloslavsky. All this discontent, and even the suspicion that Tsar John was killed by the Naryshkins, led to an uprising that happened on May 15. This event later became known as the "Streltsy Riot". On this day, some of the boyars, who were Peter's mentors, were killed. What happened made an indelible impression on the young king.
After the streltsy revolt, two were married to the kingdom - John and Peter 1, the first had a dominant position. Their older sister Sophia was appointed regent, who was the real ruler. Peter and his mother again left for Preobrazhenskoye. By the way, numerous of his relatives and confidants were also either exiled or killed.
Peter's life at Preobrazhensky
After the events of May 1682, Peter's life remained just as secluded. Only occasionally did he come to Moscow when there was a need for his presence at official receptions. The rest of the time he continued to live in the village of Preobrazhenskoye.
At this time, he became interested in the study of military affairs, which led to the formation of still children's amusing regiments. They recruited guys about his age who wanted to learn the art of war, since all these initial childhood games developed into this. Over time, a small military city is formed in Preobrazhenskoye, and children's amusing regiments grow into adults and become a rather impressive force to be reckoned with.
It was at this time that the future Tsar Peter the Great had the idea of his own fleet. One day he found a broken bot in an old barn, and he had an idea about fixing it. After a while, Peter also found a man who repaired him. So, the bot was launched. However, the Yauza River was small for such a vessel, it was dragged to a pond near Izmailovo, which also seemed not enough for the future ruler.
Ultimately, Peter's new hobby continued on Lake Pleshchevo, near Pereyaslavl. It was here that the formation of the future fleet of the Russian Empire began. Peter himself not only commanded, but also studied various crafts (blacksmith, joiner, carpenter, studied printing).
Peter at one time did not receive a systematic education, but when the need arose to study arithmetic and geometry, he did it. It took this knowledge in order to learn how to use the astrolabe.
During these years, when Peter received his knowledge in various fields, he had many associates. These are, for example, Prince Romodanovsky, Fyodor Apraksin, Alexei Menshikov. Each of these people played a role in the character of the future reign of Peter the Great.
Peter's family life
Peter's personal life was rather complicated. He was seventeen years old when he got married. This happened at the insistence of the mother. Evdokia Lopukhina became Peter's wife.
There was never an understanding between the spouses. A year after his marriage, he was carried away by Anna Mons, which led to the final disagreement. The first family history of Peter the Great ended with Evdokia Lopukhina being exiled to a monastery. This happened in 1698.
From his first marriage, the tsar had a son - Alexei (born in 1690). A rather tragic story is connected with him. It is not known exactly for what reason, but Peter did not love his own son. Perhaps this happened because he did not at all resemble his father, and also did not at all welcome some of his reformist introductions. Whatever it was, but in 1718 Tsarevich Alexei dies. This episode itself is rather mysterious, since many talked about the torture, as a result of which the son of Peter died. By the way, dislike for Alexei extended to his son (grandson Peter).
In 1703 Martha Skavronskaya entered the life of the tsar, who later became Catherine I. For a long time she was Peter's mistress, and in 1712 they got married. In 1724, Catherine was crowned empress. Peter the First, whose biography of family life is truly fascinating, was very attached to his second wife. During their life together, Catherine gave birth to several children, but only two daughters survived - Elizabeth and Anna.
Peter treated his second wife very well, one might even say he loved her. However, this did not prevent him from occasionally arranging intrigues on the side. Catherine herself did the same. In 1725, she was caught in love with Willem Mons, who was a chamberlain. It was a scandalous story, as a result of which the lover was executed.
The beginning of the real reign of Peter
For a long time, Peter was only second in line to the throne. Of course, these years were not in vain, he studied a lot, became a full-fledged person. However, in 1689, a new streltsy uprising took place, which was prepared by his sister Sophia, who was ruling at that time. She did not take into account that Peter is far from the younger brother he was before. Two personal tsarist regiments - Preobrazhensky and Streletsky, as well as all the patriarchs of Russia rose to his defense. The mutiny was suppressed, and Sophia spent the rest of her days in the Novodevichy Convent.
After these events, Peter became more interested in the affairs of the state, but nevertheless shifted most of them onto the shoulders of his relatives. The real reign of Peter the Great began in 1695. In 1696, his brother John dies, and he remains the sole ruler of the country. From this time, innovations began in the Russian Empire.
King's Wars
There were several wars in which Peter the Great took part. The biography of the king shows how purposeful he was. This is proved by his first campaign against Azov in 1695. It ended in failure, but this did not stop the young king. Having analyzed all the mistakes, Peter carried out a second assault in July 1696, which ended well.
After the Azov campaigns, the king decided that the country needed its own specialists, both in military affairs and in shipbuilding. He sent several nobles to study, and then decided to travel around Europe himself. It lasted a year and a half.
In 1700, Peter begins the Great Northern War, which lasted twenty-one years. The result of this war was the signed Treaty of Nystadt, which opened up access to the Baltic Sea. By the way, it was this event that led to the fact that Tsar Peter I received the title of emperor. The resulting lands formed the Russian Empire.
Estates reform
Despite the conduct of the war, the emperor did not forget to pursue the internal policy of the country. Numerous decrees of Peter the Great touched upon various spheres of life in Russia and not only.
One of the important reforms was a clear division and consolidation of rights and responsibilities between nobles, peasants and city dwellers.
Nobles. In this class, the innovations concerned primarily the compulsory literacy training for the male. Those who could not pass the exam were not allowed to receive an officer's rank, and they were also not allowed to marry. A table of ranks was introduced, which allowed even those who, by birth, did not have the right to receive nobility.
In 1714, a decree was issued that allowed only one offspring from a noble family to inherit all the property.
Peasants. For this estate, poll taxes were introduced instead of household taxes. Also, those slaves who went to serve as soldiers were freed from serfdom.
Town. For urban dwellers, the transformation consisted in the fact that they were divided into "regular" (subdivided into guilds) and "irregular" (other people). Also in 1722, craft shops appeared.
Military and judicial reforms
Peter the Great also carried out reforms for the army. It was he who began recruiting into the army every year from young people who have reached the age of fifteen. They were sent to military training. This led to the fact that the army became stronger and more experienced. A powerful fleet was created, judicial reform was carried out. Appellate and provincial courts appeared, which were subordinate to the governors.
Administrative reform
During the time when Peter the Great ruled, the reforms also affected the administration of the state. For example, the ruling king could appoint his successor during his lifetime, which was previously impossible. It could have been absolutely anyone.
Also in 1711, by order of the tsar, a new state body appeared - the Governing Senate. Anyone could also enter it; it was the king's privilege to appoint its members.
In 1718, instead of Moscow orders, 12 colleges appeared, each of which covered its own field of activity (for example, military, income and expenses, etc.).
At the same time, by order of Tsar Peter, eight provinces were created (later there were eleven of them). The provinces were divided into provinces, the latter into counties.
Other reforms
The time of Peter the Great was rich in other equally important reforms. For example, they touched upon the Church, which lost its independence and became dependent on the state. Later, the Holy Synod was established, the members of which were appointed by the sovereign.
There have been major reforms in the culture of the Russian people. After returning from a trip to Europe, the tsar ordered men to cut their beards and shave their faces smoothly (this did not apply only to priests). Peter also introduced the wearing of European clothing for boyars. In addition, balls, other music, and tobacco for men, which the king brought from a trip, appeared for the upper class.
An important point was the change in the calendar calculation, as well as the postponement of the beginning of the new year from September 1 to January 1. This happened in December 1699.
Culture in the country had a special position. The sovereign founded many schools that taught knowledge of foreign languages, mathematics and other technical sciences. A lot of foreign literature has been translated into Russian.
Results of Peter's reign
Peter the Great, whose century of reign was replete with many changes, led Russia to a new direction in its development. A fairly strong fleet appeared in the country, as well as a regular army. The economy has stabilized.
The reign of Peter the Great also had a positive impact on the social sphere. Medicine began to develop, the number of pharmacies and hospitals increased. Science and culture have reached a new level.
In addition, the state of the economy and finance in the country has improved. Russia has reached a new international level, and has also signed several important agreements.
End of reign and successor of Peter
The death of the king is shrouded in secrets and assumptions. It is known that he died on January 28, 1725. However, what led him to this?
Many talk about an illness from which he did not fully recover, but on business he went to the Ladoga Canal. The king was returning home by sea when he saw a ship in distress. It was a late cold and rainy autumn. Peter helped the drowning people, but he got very wet and as a result caught a bad cold. He never recovered from all this.
All this time, while Tsar Peter was sick, prayers were held in many churches for the Tsar's health. Everyone understood that this is a really great ruler who did a lot for the country and could do so much more.
There was another rumor that the tsar had been poisoned, and it could have been A. Menshikov, close to Peter. Whatever it was, but after his death, Peter the Great did not leave a will. The throne is succeeded by the wife of Peter, Catherine I. There is also a legend on this score. They say that before his death the king wanted to write his will, but he managed to write only a couple of words and died.
The personality of the king in modern cinema
The biography and history of Peter the Great is so entertaining that a dozen films have been filmed about him, as well as several television series. In addition, there are paintings about individual representatives of his family (for example, about the deceased son Alexei).
Each of the films reveals the personality of the king in its own way. For example, the television series "Testament" plays on the dying years of the king. Of course, it combines truth with fiction. An important point will be that Peter the Great did not write his will, which will be described in paints in the film.
Of course, this is one of many pictures. Some were filmed based on works of art (for example, the novel by A. N. Tolstoy "Peter I"). Thus, as we can see, the odious personality of Emperor Peter I excites the minds of people today. This great politician and reformer pushed Russia to develop, to study new things, and also to enter the international arena.
