Additional information about Peter 1. The reign of Peter I. “Amusing” troops of Peter
Russian Tsar Peter the Great since 1682, ruling since 1689 and being the Russian Emperor since 1721, was the son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. During his successful reign, the king carried out many reforms public administration.
This ruler used the rich experience of Western European countries in the development of culture, trade and industry, and also pursued the so-called policy of mercantilism (that is, the creation of canals, marinas, shipyards, various factories, etc.). Peter the First also led the Russian army in such military campaigns:
· Azov campaigns 1695 – 1696;
· Northern War (1700 – 1721);
· Prut campaign of 1711;
· Persian military campaign (1722 – 23 years), etc.
In addition, the tsar commanded soldiers in 1702 during the capture of Noteburg, as well as in the battles near Poltava, etc.
In 1697, the king, together with his subjects, went abroad and lived in Austria, Venice, England, Saxony, Holland, becoming familiar with the achievements of these states in the technical field, as well as in the field of architecture and shipbuilding. However, the news that reached him about the Streltsy revolt in Russia forces him to return to his homeland, where this disobedience was suppressed by him with particular cruelty.
During the reign of Peter the Great, a number of successful reforms were undertaken in state system management. For example, the Senate is formed, the division of the state into provinces is introduced, the church is subordinate to the state, etc. In 1703, the new Russian capital, St. Petersburg, was built. It was this city that was supposed to subsequently become a kind of “paradise”, a model city.
In 1721, Russia received the status of an Empire and Peter began an active foreign policy, developing trade and industry between Europe and his country.
One of the important decisions of Peter the Great is the creation of a military navy and the regular army. Also during this period the state territory was significantly expanded.
Russian culture during the reign of Peter was able to be replenished with a huge number of different European elements. At this time, the Academy of Sciences is opening, as well as many secular educational institutions.
It was thanks to the efforts of Peter that the promotion of nobles depended primarily on the level of their education.
Suffering from various illnesses, Peter the Great died in his city of St. Petersburg in 1725.
· The last Tsar of Moscow and the first Emperor of Russia, the reformer Peter I is a figure of gigantic proportions in history. Experts can debate as much as they want about the pros and cons of his reign, but one thing is certain: there are no analogues to Peter I. However, the great man also had his own human weaknesses and complexes, the result of which was experienced by the whole country.
Peter's appearance
On May 30, 1672, at night in Moscow, in the royal palace, a prince was born, who was named Peter. Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich was very happy about his son! The baby appeared strong and healthy. (his father died at age 4)
Even as a child, Peter amazed people with the beauty and liveliness of his face and figure. Due to his height - 2m.7mm, he stood out in the crowd by a whole head. Those around were frightened by very strong convulsive twitching of the face, especially in moments of anger and emotional excitement. Contemporaries attributed these convulsive movements to childhood shock during the Streltsy riots or an attempt to poison Princess Sophia.
Childhood and youth
IN royal family Peter was the fourteenth child. Peter was not prepared to be the heir to the throne, and for this reason he did not receive any special education. After the death of the childless Tsar Feodor in 1682, his two brothers remained heirs: Ivan from Maria Miloslavskaya - sick, half-blind, weak-minded and Peter from Natalya Naryshkina - healthy, gifted. Two sides emerged fighting for the royal throne. Ivan was older, but he required constant care. Such care was found in the person of his sister Sophia . Everyone wanted to win this dispute.
First, the patriarch proclaimed and blessed Peter for the kingdom, for whom, due to his infancy, his mother Natalya Naryshkina was supposed to rule. But the Sagittarius, incited by Sophia and her supporters, rebelled against the Naryshkins. The Miloslavskys began to spread the rumor that the Naryshkins had strangled Ivan and called on the archers to go to the Kremlin. The archers were shown Ivan and Peter, alive and well, but still many Naryshkins were killed that day. Peter remembered that riot for the rest of his life. Then, in front of the ten-year-old prince’s eyes, the archers tore to pieces his mother’s godfather Artamon Matveev, and later killed his uncle Afanasy Naryshkin. Well, the archers also raised about 45 people close to him to the peaks.( It was with this event that many associated his convulsive movements, which were mentioned a little earlier)
After this incident, Peter did not know mercy when it came to punishing the archers who left the royal obedience.
In general, after this rebellion, Sophia came to the fore and no one could stop her. She hurried to satisfy all the requests of the archers and in fact already ruled the state. Then the archers proposed to proclaim Ivan and Peter kings together, with Ivan first and Peter second.
The state was still ruled by two sovereigns, but Ivan himself transferred full power to Peter, only formally taking his place on the throne.
Under ruler Sophia, Peter lived in the village of Preobrazhenskoye. Here, from his peers, Peter formed “amusing regiments” - the future imperial guard. In those same years, the prince met the son of the court groom, Alexander Menshikov, who would later become the “right hand” of the emperor.
Peter's other passion - shipbuilding - led to Russia having its own fleet. The well-known decree “there should be sea vessels” was signed in the village of Preobrazhenskoye.
In 1689, Natalya Kirillovna forced her son to marry the boyar daughter Evdokia Lopukhina. A year later their son Alexey was born. After her son’s marriage, Tsarina Natalya said at every opportunity that Sophia was illegally taking the place of ruler. Relations between Naryshkina's palace and Sophia's court in the Kremlin became openly hostile. Seeing how Ivan wasted away and Peter was gaining strength, in 1689 Sophia decided to become the autocrat of all Rus'. Again she tried to find support in the archers, to force them to swear allegiance to herself. However, this time not all the archers believed Sophia.
But Peter brutally dealt with those who were on her behalf, and imprisoned his sister in the Novodevichy Convent, where she spent about 15 years and died in 1704.
In 1695, after the death of his mother (Natalya Kirillovna was 41 years old), Peter actually became an autocrat, although his brother Ivan V retained the formal functions of the “first tsar.” Ivan V died in 1696 - Peter became an autocrat not only in fact, but also legally.
BOARD
The Tsar never ceased to amaze his subjects: he spends all his time with foreigners, is not afraid of menial work (Peter mastered 14 crafts), dreams of Russia as a maritime power, and sends young people to study shipbuilding in Europe. And then he completely threw everyone into a state of shock: he assembled the Grand Embassy of 35 volunteers and, among them, under the name of police officer Pyotr Mikhailov, went to travel around Europe. Never before had Russian tsars left Russia, especially incognito.
In Europe, Pyotr Mikhailov completed a full course in artillery science, worked as a carpenter in the shipyards of Amsterdam for six months, studying naval architecture and plan drawing, and completed a theoretical course in shipbuilding in England. The Russian Tsar did not waste time - he was looking for allies in the war against Turkey (it was necessary to hold the recently captured Azov fortress and establish a foothold on the shores of the Sea of Azov), however, in vain.
In the spring of 1698, Peter had to hastily leave Europe; the archers rebelled again in Russia. He arrived home quietly; the boyars found out about this only the next day. The reprisal against the rioters was brutal. Returning from abroad, Peter himself chopped off the heads of the archers. A total of 1,000 people were executed, and many more were maimed by torture. After the extermination of the Streltsy, Peter began to create a new regular army.
The 18th century began for Russia with the introduction of a new calendar. New Year from now on it was celebrated on January 1, and not on September 1, the calendar began with the Nativity of Christ, and not with the creation of the world. The people did not like this; they considered it an attack on traditions and habits. Peter did not pay attention to the murmurs. He zealously began to eradicate the “heaviest barbarism.” The Tsar, fascinated by Europe, devoted his whole life to doing “like theirs.” He rejected Russian reality, which gave him a childish fear of betrayal and rebellion.
GREAT POWER (census)
Throughout his reign, the same concern beset Peter: where to get money to maintain an army, build a fleet, and wage endless wars? Numerous taxes did not produce the desired effect. Then Peter ordered a census of the population, so that later he could switch to a poll tax, replacing the old household tax. Cunning landowners managed to unite several families into one yard, so funds ended up in the treasury in a reduced form.
I didn’t want to give the throne to my son
In the heat of his hectic activity, Peter did not even notice how his heir, Tsarevich Alexei, had grown. Household affairs not only did not occupy him, but rather depressed the Tsar-Reformer. Peter did not love his son from Evdokia Lopukhina, who was brought up in the old Moscow traditions. It was difficult for him to imagine a lazy and passive son on the Russian throne, with whose accession all his efforts would go to waste.
And Peter discarded the age-old custom of transferring the throne to his eldest son. Tsarevich Alexei was offered a choice: either he supported his father in his endeavors, or he took monastic vows. The heir chose the third option - he fled abroad. After long negotiations, the prince was persuaded to return, promising him complete forgiveness. But as soon as Alexey was back in Russia, they forced him to renounce and put him in the hands of torture masters. Under torture, a confession of treasonous plans was extracted from the prince. Alexey was sentenced to death penalty. According to the official version, he died the night before his execution. And according to one version, he was strangled by the entourage of Peter I in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
After Alexei’s death, Peter locked himself in his office and did not receive anyone for three days and refused to eat. The autocrat constantly wondered: who should leave the throne to? Peter's tragedy was that all his sons from his second wife Catherine died.
Yes, he was cruel and not only towards his own son. Peter did not spare anyone when it came to the interests of the country. The autocrat pardoned criminal offenses in the rarest of cases, but never for state ones.
DEATH OF PETER
The emperor, noticing a barge loaded with herring that had run aground, went into the icy winter water, rescued the barge, but caught a cold himself. He already suffered from kidney failure, and the disease progressed from hypothermia. Peter died painfully. In his small, low bedroom, he screamed loudly in pain for several days, and when he became weak, he only moaned dully. On January 27 (February 7) all those sentenced to death or hard labor (excluding murderers) were forgiven. On the same day, Peter demanded paper and began to write, but the pen fell out of his hands, and only two words could be made out from what was written: “Give everything...” The Tsar then ordered his daughter Anna Petrovna to be called so that she could write under his dictation, but when she arrived, Peter had already fallen into oblivion.
When it became obvious that the emperor was dying, the question arose as to who would take Peter's place. The Senate, the Synod and the generals - all institutions that did not have the formal right to control the fate of the throne, even before Peter's death, gathered on the night of January 27-28, 1725 to resolve the issue of Peter the Great's successor. Guards officers entered the meeting room, two guards regiments entered the square, and to the drumbeat of troops withdrawn by the party of Ekaterina Alekseevna and Menshikov, the Senate made a unanimous decision by 4 a.m. on January 28. By decision of the Senate, the throne was inherited by Peter's wife, Ekaterina Alekseevna, who became the first Russian empress on January 28 (February 8), 1725 under the name Catherine I.
At the beginning of six o'clock in the morning on January 28 (February 8), 1725, Peter the Great died. He was buried in the Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.
PETER'S TRICKS
Used the experience of Western European countries in the development of industry, trade, and culture. He pursued a policy of mercantilism (the creation of manufactories, metallurgical, mining and other factories, shipyards, piers, canals). He led the army in the Azov campaigns of 1695-1696, the Northern War of 1700-1721, the Prut campaign of 1711, the Persian campaign of 1722-1723, etc.
Led the construction of the fleet and the creation of a regular army. Contributed to strengthening the economic and political situation nobility. On the initiative of Peter I, many educational institutions, the Academy of Sciences were opened, the civil alphabet was adopted, etc. The reforms of Peter I were carried out by cruel means, through extreme strain of material and human forces, oppression of the masses (poll tax, etc.), which entailed uprisings (Streletskoe 1698, Astrakhan 1705-06, Bulavinskoe 1707-09, etc.), mercilessly suppressed by the government. (minus in his reign)
Being the creator of a powerful absolutist state, Peter I achieved recognition of Russia by Western countries. Europe's prestige as a great power.
Upon the return of Peter I from Nystadt to St. Petersburg, the Tsar was proclaimed “Father of the Fatherland, Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia.” From that day on, Russia became an empire, and Russian tsars became emperors.
In July 1722, the emperor set off on the Persian campaign, his last war. This campaign did not bring any results: Europe forced Peter I to stop military operations.
In the same year, the “Table of Ranks of all military, civil and court service ranks” was published. From now on, family nobility could be obtained “for blameless service to the emperor and the state.”
REFORMS under Peter
Peter I carried out reforms of public administration (the Senate, collegiums, “Table of Ranks”, higher bodies were created state control and political investigation; the church is subordinate to the state; The country was divided into provinces, a new capital was built - St. Petersburg, the core of which was the Peter and Paul Fortress).
One of the main questions that causes fierce debate among historians is whether Peter’s reforms, which divided the history of Russia in two, were thought out or carried out spontaneously. Some experts argue (although this is an extreme point of view) that Peter mindlessly copied Western European institutions and customs, following the advice of foreigners, in particular Franz Lefort, Patrick Gordon and those statesmen he met during his travels.
In the first half of his reign, Peter often acted at random, since before him there was no experience in modernizing such a huge state in such a short time.
Later, after going through a stage of trial and error, Peter acted differently, carefully preparing reforms. The Northern War with Sweden, which lasted 21 years, had a huge impact on the reform program.
The struggle for access to the sea entailed the formation of a regular army, the construction of a fleet, which in turn required the creation of industry, the restructuring of public administration, the tax system, legislation and much more. The former class groups (Moscow nobles, policemen, boyar children) disappeared. Instead of boyars, okolnichy and stolniks, barons, counts and noble princes appeared.
The new ladder of official ranks received its final design in 1722 with the publication of the Table of Ranks. Service was divided into military, naval, court and civil. 14 ranks were determined, which employees had to pass from step to step. New order opened access to the noble class to persons of non-noble origin.
Peter liquidated the old government institutions, which were too slow and unadapted to change. Orders were replaced by collegiums.
Regional reform divided the country into 8 provinces headed by governors and governors general.
The place of the Boyar Duma was taken by the Senate, which was in charge of administrative affairs. The Auditor General looked after the Senate. Later, Peter ordered guard headquarters officers to take turns on duty in the Senate, and whichever senator scolded was arrested by the duty officer and taken to the fortress.
ADVANTAGES OF PETER THE GREAT'S REIGN
· The time of Peter I is a time of active penetration of elements of secular Europeanized culture into Russian life. Secular educational institutions began to appear. Among the students of secondary schools were the children of peasants and artisans, artisans and soldiers, and sailors.
· Already in the 17th century, several schools were opened in Moscow where they taught professions.
· The first printed Peter’s newspaper “Vedomosti” (at first Peter I called it chimes)
· Changes have also occurred in fashion. Peter ordered people to wear European dress and shave their beards. It took a long time to get used to this innovation, especially women
· Russia has its own fleet.
· Changed the date of the New Year (people didn’t like it)
DISADVANTAGES of the board
·. The reforms of Peter I were carried out by cruel means, through extreme strain of material and human forces, oppression of the masses (poll tax, etc.), which entailed uprisings (Streletskoe 1698, Astrakhan 1705-06, Bulavinskoe 1707-09, etc. .), mercilessly suppressed by the government.
RESULT: So, almost 300 years ago, controversy began around the personality of Peter and his activities, which continues today. Let us recall the assessment of the activities of Peter I given by N.M. Karamzin: “We have become citizens of the world, but in some cases we have ceased to be citizens of Russia – it’s Peter’s fault.”
Some admire Peter: “Peter is a great statesman, the creator of a powerful empire, a man thanks to whom Russia followed the path of world civilization” V. Tatishchev. And for others: “Peter is the destroyer of Russian national foundations, and his reforms were a “brilliant mistake”
The last Tsar of All Rus' and the first Emperor of Russia - Peter the Great- a truly great figure. It is not for nothing that this king was called “The Great” by Peter. He sought not only to expand the borders of the Russian state, but also to make life in it similar to what he saw in Europe. He learned a lot himself and taught others.
Brief biography of Peter the Great
Peter the Great belonged to the Romanov family, he was born June 9, 1672. His father is the king Alexey Mikhailovich. His mother is the second wife of Alexei Mikhailovich, Natalia Naryshkina. Peter I was the first child from the tsar’s second marriage and the fourteenth.
IN 1976 Peter Alekseevich’s father died and his eldest son ascended the throne - Fedor Alekseevich. He was sickly and reigned for about 6 years.
The death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and the accession of his eldest son Fyodor (from Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna, née Miloslavskaya) pushed Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna and her relatives, the Naryshkins, into the background.
Streletsky riot
After the death of Feodor III, the question arose: who should rule next? Peter's elder brother Ivan was a sickly child (he was also called weak-minded) and it was decided to place Peter on the throne.
However, the relatives of the first wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich did not like this - Miloslavsky. Having secured the support of 20 thousand archers who were dissatisfied at that time, the Miloslavskys staged a riot in 1682.
The consequence of this Streltsy revolt was the proclamation of Peter's sister, Sophia, as regent until Ivan and Peter grew up. Subsequently, Peter and Ivan were considered dual rulers of the Russian state until Ivan's death in 1686.
Queen Natalya was forced to go to the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow with Peter.
"Amusing" troops of Peter
In the villages Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky Peter was engaged in far from childish games - he formed from his peers "funny" troops and learned to fight. Foreign officers helped him master military literacy.
Subsequently, these two battalions were formed Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments- the basis of Peter's guard.
Beginning of independent rule
In 1689 On the advice of his mother, Peter got married. The daughter of a Moscow boyar was chosen as his bride Evdokia Lopukhina. After his marriage, 17-year-old Peter was considered an adult and could lay claim to independent rule.
Suppression of the riot
Princess Sophia immediately realized the danger she was in danger of. Not wanting to lose power, she persuaded the archers oppose Peter. Young Peter managed to gather an army loyal to him, and together with him he moved to Moscow.
The uprising was brutally suppressed, the instigators were executed, they were hanged, whipped, and burned with a hot iron. Sophia was sent to Novodevichy Convent.
Capture of Azov
Since 1696, after the death of Tsar Ivan V, Peter became sole ruler of Russia. A year earlier, he turned his gaze to the map. Advisers, among them the beloved Swiss Lefort, suggested that Russia needs access to the sea, it needs to build a fleet, it needs to move south.
The Azov campaigns began. Peter himself took part in battles and gained combat experience. On the second attempt they captured Azov, in a convenient bay of the Azov Sea, Peter founded the city Taganrog.
Trip to Europe
Peter went “incognito”, he was called volunteer Peter Mikhailov,
sometimes captain of the Preobrazhensky regiment.
In England Peter the Great studied maritime affairs, in Germany- artillery, in Holland worked as a simple carpenter. But he had to return to Moscow prematurely - information about a new mutiny of the archers reached him. After the brutal massacre of the archers and executions, Peter began preparing for war with Sweden.
Peter's war with Sweden
On Russia's allies - Poland and Denmark- the young Swedish king began to attack CharlesXII, determined to conquer all of northern Europe. Peter I decided to enter the war against Sweden.
Battle of Narva
First battle of Narva in 1700 was unsuccessful for the Russian troops. Having a multiple advantage over the Swedish army, the Russians were unable to take the Narva fortress and had to retreat.
Decisive action
Having attacked Poland, Charles XII was stuck in the war for a long time. Taking advantage of the ensuing respite, Peter announced a recruitment drive. He issued a decree according to which money and bells from churches began to be collected for the war against Sweden melted down for cannons, strengthened old fortresses, erected new ones.
St. Petersburg – the new capital of Russia
Peter the Great personally participated in a combat sortie with two regiments of soldiers against Swedish ships blocking access to the Baltic Sea. The attack was a success, the ships were captured, and access to the sea became free.
On the banks of the Neva, Peter ordered the construction of a fortress in honor of Saints Peter and Paul, which was later named Petropavlovskaya. It was around this fortress that the city was formed Saint Petersburg- the new capital of Russia.
Battle of Poltava
The news of Peter's successful foray on the Neva forced the Swedish king to move his troops to Russia. He chose the south, where he waited for help from Turk and where is Ukrainian Hetman Mazepa promised to give him Cossacks.
The Battle of Poltava, where the Swedes and Russians gathered their troops, didn't last long.
Charles XII left the Cossacks brought by Mazepa in the convoy; they were not sufficiently trained and equipped. The Turks never came. Numerical superiority in troops was on the side of the Russians. And no matter how hard the Swedes tried to break through the ranks of the Russian troops, no matter how they reorganized their regiments, they failed to turn the tide of the battle in their favor.
A cannonball hit Karl's stretcher, he lost consciousness, and panic began among the Swedes. After the victorious battle, Peter arranged a feast at which treated captured Swedish generals and thanked them for their science.
Internal reforms of Peter the Great
Peter the Great, in addition to wars with other states, was actively involved in reforms within the country. He demanded that the courtiers take off their caftans and put on European dress, that they shave their beards, and go to the balls arranged for them.
Important reforms of Peter
Instead of the Boyar Duma, he established Senate, who was involved in solving important government issues, introduced a special Table of ranks, which determined the classes of military and civilian officials.
Started operating in St. Petersburg Maritime Academy, opened in Moscow math school. Under him, it began to be published in the country first Russian newspaper. For Peter there were no titles or awards. If he saw a capable person, albeit of low origin, he would send him to study abroad.
Opponents of reforms
To many Peter's innovations didn't like it- starting from the highest ranks, ending with serfs. The Church called him a heretic, schismatics called him the Antichrist, and sent all kinds of blasphemy against him.
The peasants found themselves completely dependent on the landowners and the state. Increased tax burden 1.5-2 times, for many it turned out to be unbearable. Major uprisings occurred in Astrakhan, on the Don, in Ukraine, and the Volga region.
The breaking of the old way of life caused a negative reaction among the nobles. Peter's son, his heir Alexey, became an opponent of reforms and went against his father. He was accused of conspiracy and in 1718 sentenced to death.
Last year of reign
IN recent years reign of Peter was very sick, he had kidney problems. In the summer of 1724, his illness intensified; in September he felt better, but after a while the attacks intensified.
On January 28, 1725, he had such a bad time that he ordered a camp church to be erected in the room next to his bedroom, and on February 2 he confessed. Strength began to leave the patient, he no longer screamed, as before, from severe pain, but only moaned.
On February 7, all those sentenced to death or hard labor (excluding murderers and those convicted of repeated robbery) were amnestied. That same day, at the end of the second hour, Peter demanded paper and began to write, but the pen fell out of his hands, and only two words could be made out from what was written: "Give it all...".
At the beginning of six o'clock in the morning February 8, 1725 Peter the Great “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 Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.
Peter I was born on May 30, 1672, the 14th child of Alexei Mikhailovich, but the first-born of his wife, Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. Peter was baptized in the Chudov Monastery.
He ordered the measures to be removed from the newborn and an icon of the same size to be painted. Simon Ushakov painted an icon for the future emperor. On one side of the icon the face of the Apostle Peter was depicted, on the other the Trinity.
Natalya Naryshkina loved her firstborn very much and cherished him very much. The baby was entertained with rattles and harps, and he was drawn to toy soldiers and skates.
When Peter turned three years old, the Tsar Father gave him a children's sabre. At the end of 1676, Alexei Mikhailovich died. Peter's half-brother Fyodor ascends the throne. Fyodor was concerned that Peter was not being taught to read and write, and asked Naryshkina to devote more time to this component of training. A year later, Peter began to actively study.
He was assigned a clerk, Nikita Moiseevich Zotov, as his teacher. Zotov was a kind and patient man, he quickly fell into the good graces of Peter I, who did not like to sit still. He loved to climb in attics and fight with archers and noble children. Zotov brought good books to his student from the armory.
From early childhood, Peter I began to be interested in history, military art, geography, loved books and, already being Emperor of the Russian Empire, dreamed of compiling a book on the history of his fatherland; He himself composed the alphabet, which was easy on the tongue and easy to remember.
Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich died in 1682. He did not leave a will. After his death, only two brothers Peter I and Ivan could claim the throne. The paternal brothers had different mothers, representatives of different noble families. Having secured the support of the clergy, the Naryshkins elevated Peter I to the throne, and Natalya Kirillovna was made ruler. The relatives of Ivan and Princess Sophia, the Miloslavskys, were not going to put up with this state of affairs.
The Miloslavskys organize a Streltsy riot in Moscow. On May 15, a Streltsy uprising took place in Moscow. The Miloslavskys started a rumor that Tsarevich Ivan had been killed. Dissatisfied with this, the archers moved to the Kremlin. In the Kremlin, Natalya Kirillovna came out to them with Peter I and Ivan. Despite this, the archers rampaged in Moscow for several days, robbed and killed, they demanded that the feeble-minded Ivan be crowned king. And she became the regent of two young kings.
Ten-year-old Peter I witnessed the horrors of the Streltsy riot. He began to hate the Streltsy, who aroused in him rage, a desire to avenge the death of loved ones and the tears of his mother. During the reign of Sophia, Peter I and his mother lived almost all the time in Preobrazhenskoye, Kolomenskoye and Semenovskoye villages, only occasionally traveling to Moscow to participate in official receptions.
Natural curiosity, quickness of mind, and strength of character led Peter to a passion for military affairs. He arranges “war fun”. “War fun” is semi-childish games in palace villages. Forms amusing regiments, which recruit teenagers from noble and peasant families. “Military fun” eventually grew into real military exercises. Amusing regiments soon became adults. The Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments became impressive military force, superior to the Streltsy army in military affairs. In those same young years, Peter I came up with the idea of a fleet.
He gets acquainted with shipbuilding on the Yauza River, and then on Lake Pleshcheyeva. Foreigners living in the German Settlement played a large role in Peter’s military fun. The Swiss and Scotsman Patrick Gordon will have a special position in the military system of the Russian state under Peter I. Many like-minded people gather around young Peter, who will become his close associates in life.
He becomes close to Prince Romodanovsky, who fought with the archers; Fedor Apraksin - future admiral general; Alexei Menshikov, future field marshal of the Russian army. At the age of 17, Peter I married Evdokia Lopukhina. A year later, he cooled down to her and began to spend more time with Anna Mons, the daughter of a German merchant.
Coming of age and marriage gave Peter I full right to the royal throne. In August 1689, Sophia provoked a Streltsy uprising directed against Peter I. He took refuge in the Trinity - Sergeyev Lavra. Soon the Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments approached the monastery. Patriarch of All Rus' Joachim also took his side. The mutiny of the Streltsy was suppressed, its leaders were subjected to repression. Sophia was imprisoned in the Novodevichy Convent, where she died in 1704. Prince Vasily Vasilyevich Golitsyn was sent into exile.
Peter I began to independently govern the state, and with the death of Ivan, in 1696, he became the sole ruler. At first, the sovereign took little part in state affairs; he was passionate about military affairs. The burden of governing the country fell on the shoulders of the mother's relatives - the Naryshkins. In 1695, the independent reign of Peter I began.
He was obsessed with the idea of access to the sea, and now the 30,000-strong Russian army, under the command of Sheremetyev, goes on a campaign against the Ottoman Empire. Peter I is an epoch-making personality, under him Russia became an Empire, and the Tsar became an Emperor. He pursued an active foreign and domestic policy. The priority of foreign policy was to gain access to the Black Sea. To achieve these goals, Russia participated in the Northern War.
In domestic policy, Peter I made many changes. He went down in Russian history as a reformer tsar. His reforms were timely, although they killed Russian identity. We managed to carry out transformations in trade and industry. Many praise the personality of Peter I, calling him the most successful ruler of Russia. But history has many faces; in the life of each historical character you can find both good and bad sides. Peter I died in 1725, in terrible agony after a long illness. He was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. After him, his wife, Catherine I, sat on the throne.
Peter the Great is a rather remarkable personality, both from the side of a person and from the side of a ruler. His numerous changes in the country, decrees and attempts 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 for development was given Russian Empire of that time.
The Great Peter the Great introduced innovations that made it possible to reckon with the Russian Empire at the global level. These were not only external achievements, but also internal reforms.
An extraordinary personality in the history of Russia - Tsar Peter the Great
IN Russian state there were a lot of outstanding sovereigns and rulers. Each of them contributed to its development. One of these was Tsar Peter I. His reign was marked by various innovations in various areas, as well as reforms that brought Russia to a new level.
What can you say about the time when Tsar Peter the Great reigned? Briefly, it can be characterized as a series of changes in the way of life of Russian people, as well as a new direction in the development of the state itself. After his trip to Europe, Peter became obsessed with the idea of a full-fledged navy for his country.
During his royal years, Peter the Great changed a lot in the country. He is the first ruler who gave direction for changing 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 his childhood years influenced the future fate of the tsar, his behavior in politics, then we can answer that absolutely. Little Peter was always precocious, and his distance from the royal court allowed him to look at the world in a completely different way. No one hampered him in his development, and no one forbade him to feed his craving for learning everything new and interesting.
The future Tsar Peter the Great was born in 1672, on June 9. His mother was Naryshkina Natalya Kirillovna, who was the second wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Until he was four years old, he lived at court, loved and pampered by his mother, who doted on him. In 1676, his father, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, died. Fyodor Alekseevich, who was Peter's older 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 king (who was also his half-brother), Peter began to learn to read and write. Science came quite easily to him; he was a rather inquisitive child who was interested in a lot of things. The teacher of the future ruler was clerk Nikita Zotov, 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, and even in the future he had a dream of a book that would tell about the history of Russia. Peter was also passionate about the art of war and was interested in geography. At an older age, he compiled a fairly easy and simple to learn alphabet. However, if we talk about the systematic acquisition of knowledge, the king did not have this.
Ascension 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 older half-brother, John, who was quite sickly from birth. Perhaps this is why the clergy decided that the ruler should be a younger, but stronger candidate. Due to the fact that Peter was still a minor, the Tsar’s mother, Natalya Kirillovna, ruled on his behalf.
However, this did not please the equally noble relatives of the second contender for the throne - the Miloslavskys. 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 boyars who were Peter's mentors were killed. What happened made an indelible impression on the young king.
After the Streltsy rebellion, two were crowned kings - John and Peter 1, the former having a dominant position. Their elder sister Sophia, who was the real ruler, was appointed regent. Peter and his mother again left for Preobrazhenskoye. By the way, numerous of his relatives and associates were also either exiled or killed.
Life of Peter in Preobrazhenskoe
Peter's life after the events of May 1682 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 studying military affairs, which led to the formation of still children's amusing regiments. They recruited guys around his age who wanted to learn the art of war, since all these initial children's games grew into just that. Over time, a small military town is formed in Preobrazhenskoye, and the children's amusing regiments grow into adults and become quite an 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 discovered a broken boat in an old barn, and he got the idea of fixing it. After some time, Peter found the man who repaired it. So, the boat was launched. However, the Yauza River was too small for such a vessel; it was dragged to a pond near Izmailovo, which also seemed too small 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, and studied printing).
Peter did not receive a systematic education at one time, but when the need arose to study arithmetic and geometry, he did so. This knowledge was needed in order to learn how to use an astrolabe.
Over the course of these years, as Peter gained his knowledge in various fields, he gained many associates. These are, for example, Prince Romodanovsky, Fyodor Apraksin, Alexey Menshikov. Each of these people played a role in the nature of the future reign of Peter the Great.
Peter's family life
Peter's personal life was quite difficult. He was seventeen years old when he got married. This happened at the insistence of the mother. Evdokia Lopukhina became Petru's wife.
There was never any understanding between the spouses. A year after his marriage, he became interested in Anna Mons, which led to a final disagreement. First family history 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). Quite connected with him tragic story. It is not known exactly for what reason, but Peter did not love his own son. Perhaps this happened because he was not at all like his father, and also did not at all welcome some of his reformist introductions. Be that as it may, in 1718 Tsarevich Alexei dies. This episode itself is quite mysterious, since many talked about torture, as a result of which Peter’s son died. By the way, hostility towards Alexei also spread to his son (grandson Peter).
In 1703, Martha Skavronskaya, who later became Catherine I, entered the Tsar’s life. For a long time she was Peter's mistress, and in 1712 they got married. In 1724, Catherine was crowned empress. Peter the Great, biography family life who is truly fascinating, was very attached to his second wife. During their life together Catherine bore him several children, but only two daughters survived - Elizaveta and Anna.
Peter treated his second wife very well, one might even say he loved her. However, this did not stop him from sometimes having affairs on the side. Catherine herself did the same. In 1725 she was convicted of love affair with Willem Mons, who was 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 and became a full-fledged person. However, in 1689 there was a new Streltsy uprising, which was prepared by his sister Sophia, who was ruling at that time. She did not take into account that Peter is no longer the younger brother he used to be. Two personal royal regiments - Preobrazhensky and Streletsky, as well as all the patriarchs of Rus' - came to his defense. The rebellion 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 still transferred most of them onto the shoulders of his relatives. The real reign of Peter the Great began in 1695. In 1696, his brother John died, and he remained the sole ruler of the country. From this time on, 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 proven 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 successfully.
After the Azov campaigns, the tsar decided that the country needed its own specialists, both in military affairs and in shipbuilding. He sent several nobles for training, and then decided to travel around Europe himself. This 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 gave him access to the Baltic Sea. By the way, it was this event that led to Tsar Peter I receiving the title of emperor. The resulting lands formed the Russian Empire.
Estate reform
Despite the war, the emperor did not forget to pursue the country's internal policy. Numerous decrees of Peter the Great affected various spheres of life in Russia and beyond.
One of the important reforms was the clear division and consolidation of rights and responsibilities between nobles, peasants and city residents.
Nobles. In this class, innovations concerned primarily compulsory literacy training for males. Those who could not pass the exam were not allowed to receive officer 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 scion from a noble family to inherit all property.
Peasants. For this class, poll taxes were introduced instead of household taxes. Also, those slaves who went to serve as soldiers were freed from serfdom.
City. For urban residents, the transformation consisted in the fact that they were divided into “regular” (divided into guilds) and “irregular” (other people). Also in 1722, craft workshops 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 had reached the age of fifteen. They were sent for military training. This resulted in the army becoming stronger and more experienced. A powerful fleet was created and judicial reform was carried out. Appellate and provincial courts appeared, which were subordinate to the governors.
Administrative reform
At the time when Peter the Great ruled, reforms also affected government administration. For example, the ruling king could appoint his successor during his lifetime, which was previously impossible. It could be absolutely anyone.
Also in 1711, by order of the tsar, a new government agency- Governing Senate. Anyone could also enter it; it was the king’s privilege to appoint its members.
In 1718, instead of the Moscow orders, 12 boards appeared, each of which covered its own area of activity (for example, military, income and expenses, etc.).
At the same time, by decree of Emperor Peter, eight provinces were created (later there were eleven). 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 affected the Church, which lost its independence and became dependent on the state. Subsequently, the Holy Synod was established, whose members were appointed by the sovereign.
Great reforms took place in the culture of the Russian people. The king, after returning from a trip to Europe, ordered the beards to be cut off and the faces of men to be smoothly shaved (this did not apply only to priests). Peter also introduced the wearing of European clothing for the boyars. In addition, balls and other music appeared for the upper class, as well as tobacco for men, which the king brought from his travels.
An important point was the change in calendar calculation, as well as the postponement of the start of the new year from the first of September to the first of January. This happened in December 1699.
Culture in the country had a special position. The sovereign founded many schools that provided knowledge about 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 reign was replete with many changes, led Russia to a new direction in its development. The country now has a fairly strong fleet, 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 finances in the country has improved. Russia has reached a new international level and has also concluded several important agreements.
End of reign and successor of Peter
The death of the king is shrouded in mystery and speculation. It is known that he died on January 28, 1725. However, what led him to this?
Many people talk about an illness from which he did not fully recover, but went to the Ladoga Canal on business. The king was returning home by sea when he saw a ship in distress. It was late, cold and rainy autumn. Peter helped drowning people, but got very wet and as a result caught a severe cold. He never recovered from all this.
All this time, while Tsar Peter was ill, prayers were held in many churches for the health of the Tsar. Everyone understood that this was truly a great ruler who had done a lot for the country and could have done so much more.
There was another rumor that the tsar was poisoned, and it could have been A. Menshikov, close to Peter. Be that as it may, after his death Peter the Great did not leave a will. The throne is inherited by Peter's wife Catherine I. There is also a legend about this. They say that before his death the king wanted to write his will, but 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 interesting that a dozen films have been made about him, as well as several television series. In addition, there are paintings about individual representatives of his family (for example, about his deceased son Alexei).
Each of the films reveals the personality of the king in its own way. For example, the television series “Testament” plays out the dying years of the king. Of course, there is a mixture of truth and fiction here. An important point will be that Peter the Great never wrote a will, which will be explained in vivid detail in the film.
Of course, this is one of many paintings. Some were based on works of art (for example, A. N. Tolstoy’s novel “Peter I”). Thus, as we see, the odious personality of Emperor Peter I worries 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.
