Tsar Peter the First was not Russian. Peter the Great and his paradise

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Brief history of the reign of Peter I

Childhood of Peter I

The future great Emperor Peter the Great was born on May thirtieth, 1672 in the family of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and was the youngest child in the family. Peter's mother was Natalya Naryshkina, who played a huge role in shaping her son's political views.

In 1676, after the death of Tsar Alexei, power passed to Fedor, Peter’s half-brother. At the same time, Fedr himself insisted on Peter’s enhanced education, reproaching Naryshkina for being illiterate. A year later, Peter began to study hard. The future ruler of Russia had an educated clerk, Nikita Zotov, as a teacher, who was distinguished by his patience and kindness. He managed to get into the good graces of the restless prince, who did nothing but get into fights with noble and streltsy children, and also spent all his free time climbing through attics.

From childhood, Peter was interested in geography, military affairs and history. The tsar carried his love for books throughout his life, reading when he was already a ruler and wanting to create his own book on the history of the Russian state. Also, he himself was involved in compiling an alphabet that would be easier for ordinary people to remember.

Ascension to the throne of Peter I

In 1682, Tsar Fedor dies without having made a will, and after his death two candidates lay claim to the Russian throne - the sickly Ivan and the daredevil Peter the Great. Having secured the support of the clergy, the entourage of ten-year-old Peter elevates him to the throne. However, the relatives of Ivan Miloslavsky, pursuing the goal of placing Sophia or Ivan on the throne, are preparing a Streltsy revolt.

On May fifteenth, an uprising begins in Moscow. Ivan's relatives spread a rumor about the murder of the prince. Outraged by this, the archers move to the Kremlin, where they are met by Natalya Naryshkina along with Peter and Ivan. Even after being convinced of the lies of the Miloslavskys, the archers killed and robbed in the city for several more days, demanding the weak-minded Ivan as king. Afterwards, a truce was reached as a result of which both brothers were appointed rulers, but until they came of age, their sister Sophia was to rule the country.

Formation of the personality of Peter I

Having witnessed the cruelty and recklessness of the archers during the riot, Peter began to hate them, wanting to take revenge for his mother’s tears and the death of innocent people. During the reign of the regent, Peter and Natalya Naryshkina lived most of the time in Semenovskoye, Kolomenskoye and Preobrazhenskoye villages. He left them only to participate in ceremonial receptions in Moscow.

Peter's liveliness of mind, as well as natural curiosity and strength of character led him to become interested in military affairs. He even gathers “amusing regiments” in the villages, recruiting teenagers from both noble and peasant families. Over time, such fun turned into real military exercises, and the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments became quite an impressive military force, which, according to the records of contemporaries, was superior to the Streltsy. During the same period, Peter planned to create a Russian fleet.

He became acquainted with the basics of shipbuilding on the Yauza and Lake Pleshcheyeva. At the same time, foreigners who lived in the German settlement played a huge role in the strategic thinking of the prince. Many of them became Peter's faithful companions in the future.

At the age of seventeen, Peter the Great marries Evdokia Lopukhina, but a year later he becomes indifferent to his wife. At the same time, he is often seen with the daughter of a German merchant, Anna Mons.

Marriage and coming of age give Peter the Great the right to take the previously promised throne. However, Sophia does not like this at all and in the summer of 1689 she tries to provoke an uprising of the archers. The Tsarevich takes refuge with his mother in the Trinity - Sergeyev Lavra, where the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments arrive to help him. In addition, on the side of Peter’s entourage is Patriarch Joachim. Soon the rebellion was completely suppressed, and its participants were subjected to repression and execution. The regent Sophia herself is enlisted by Peter in the Novodevichy Convent, where she remains until the end of her days.

Brief description of the policies and reforms of Peter I

Soon Tsarevich Ivan dies and Peter becomes the sole ruler of Russia. However, he was in no hurry to study state affairs, entrusting them to his mother’s circle. After her death, the entire burden of power falls on Peter.

By that time, the king was completely obsessed with access to an ice-free sea. After the unsuccessful first Azov campaign, the ruler begins building a fleet, thanks to which he takes the Azov fortress. After this, Peter participates in the Northern War, victory in which gave the emperor access to the Baltic.

The domestic policy of Peter the Great is full of innovative ideas and transformations. During his reign, he carried out the following reforms:

• Social;
• Church;
• Medical;
• Educational;
• Administrative;
• Industrial;
• Financial, etc.

Peter the Great died in 1725 from pneumonia. After him, his wife Catherine the First began to rule Russia.

Results of Peter's activities 1. Brief description.

Video lecture: a brief history of the reign of Peter I

Peter I Alekseevich is the last Tsar of All Rus' and the first All-Russian Emperor, one of the most outstanding rulers of the Russian Empire. He was a true patriot of his state and did everything possible for its prosperity.

From his youth, Peter I showed great interest in various things, and was the first of the Russian tsars to make a long journey through European countries.

Thanks to this, he was able to accumulate a wealth of experience and carry out many important reforms that determined the direction of development in the 18th century.

In this article we will take a closer look at the characteristics of Peter the Great, and pay attention to his personality traits, as well as his successes in the political arena.

Biography of Peter 1

Peter 1 Alekseevich Romanov was born on May 30, 1672 in. His father, Alexei Mikhailovich, was the Tsar of the Russian Empire, and ruled it for 31 years.

Mother, Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina, was the daughter of a small nobleman. Interestingly, Peter was the 14th son of his father and the first of his mother.

Childhood and youth of Peter I

When the future emperor was 4 years old, his father Alexei Mikhailovich died, and Peter’s older brother, Fyodor 3 Alekseevich, took the throne.

The new tsar began raising little Peter, ordering him to be taught various sciences. Since at that time there was a struggle against foreign influence, his teachers were Russian clerks who did not have deep knowledge.

As a result, the boy was unable to receive a proper education, and until the end of his days he wrote with errors.

However, it is worth noting that Peter 1 managed to compensate for the shortcomings of basic education with rich practical training. Moreover, the biography of Peter I is notable precisely for his fantastic practice, and not for his theory.

History of Peter 1

Six years later, Fedor 3 died, and his son Ivan was to ascend to the Russian throne. However, the legal heir turned out to be a very sick and weak child.

Taking advantage of this, the Naryshkin family, in fact, organized a coup d'etat. Having secured the support of Patriarch Joachim, the Naryshkins made young Peter king the very next day.

However, the Miloslavskys, relatives of Tsarevich Ivan, declared the illegality of such a transfer of power and the infringement of their own rights.

As a result, the famous Streletsky revolt took place in 1682, as a result of which two kings were on the throne at the same time - Ivan and Peter.

From that moment on, many significant events occurred in the biography of the young autocrat.

It is worth emphasizing here that from an early age the boy was interested in military affairs. On his orders, fortifications were built, and real military equipment was used in staged battles.

Peter 1 put uniforms on his peers and marched with them along the city streets. Interestingly, he himself acted as a drummer, walking in front of his regiment.

After the formation of his own artillery, the king created a small “fleet”. Even then he wanted to dominate the sea and lead his ships into battle.

Tsar Peter 1

As a teenager, Peter 1 was not yet able to fully govern the state, so his half-sister Sofya Alekseevna, and then his mother Natalya Naryshkina, became his regent.

In 1689, Tsar Ivan officially transferred all power to his brother, as a result of which Peter 1 became the only full-fledged head of state.

After the death of his mother, his relatives, the Naryshkins, helped him manage the empire. However, the autocrat soon freed himself from their influence and began to independently rule the empire.

Reign of Peter 1

From that time on, Peter 1 stopped playing war games, and instead began to develop real plans for future military campaigns. He continued to wage war in Crimea against the Ottoman Empire, and also repeatedly organized the Azov campaigns.

As a result of this, he managed to take the Azov fortress, which became one of the first military successes in his biography. Then Peter 1 began building the port of Taganrog, although there was still no fleet as such in the state.

From that time on, the emperor set out to create a strong fleet at all costs in order to have influence on the sea. To do this, he made sure that young nobles could study ship craft in European countries.

It is worth noting that Peter I himself also learned to build ships, working as an ordinary carpenter. Thanks to this, he gained great respect among ordinary people who watched him work for the good of Russia.

Even then, Peter the Great saw many shortcomings in the state system and was preparing for serious reforms that would forever inscribe his name in.

He studied the government structure of the largest European countries, trying to adopt the best from them.

During this period of biography, a conspiracy was drawn up against Peter 1, as a result of which a Streltsy uprising was supposed to occur. However, the king managed to suppress the rebellion in time and punish all the conspirators.

After a long confrontation with the Ottoman Empire, Peter the Great decided to sign a peace agreement with it. After this he started a war with Sweden.

He managed to capture several fortresses at the mouth of the Neva River, on which the glorious city of Peter the Great would be built in the future.

Wars of Peter the Great

After a series of successful military campaigns, Peter 1 managed to open access to the Baltic Sea, which would later be called the “window to Europe.”

Meanwhile, the military power of the Russian Empire was constantly increasing, and the glory of Peter the Great spread throughout Europe. Soon the Eastern Baltic states were annexed to Russia.

In 1709, the famous battle took place, in which the Swedish and Russian armies fought. As a result, the Swedes were completely defeated, and the remnants of the troops were taken prisoner.

By the way, this battle was superbly described in the famous poem “Poltava”. Here's a snippet:

There was that troubled time
When Russia is young,
Straining strength in struggles,
She dated the genius of Peter.

It is worth noting that Peter 1 himself took part in battles, showing courage and bravery in battle. By his example, he inspired the Russian army, which was ready to fight for the emperor to the last drop of blood.

Studying Peter's relationship with the soldiers, one cannot help but recall the famous story about a careless soldier. Read more about this.

An interesting fact is that at the height of the Battle of Poltava, an enemy bullet shot through Peter I’s hat, passing just a few centimeters from his head. This once again proved the fact that the autocrat was not afraid to risk his life to defeat the enemy.

However, numerous military campaigns not only took the lives of valiant warriors, but also depleted the country's military resources. Things got to the point that the Russian Empire found itself in a situation where it was necessary to fight on 3 fronts simultaneously.

This forced Peter 1 to reconsider his views on foreign policy and make a number of important decisions.

He signed a peace agreement with the Turks, agreeing to give them back the fortress of Azov. By making such a sacrifice, he was able to save many human lives and military equipment.

After some time, Peter the Great began organizing campaigns to the east. Their result was the annexation of such cities as Omsk, Semipalatinsk and Kamchatka to Russia.

Interestingly, he even wanted to organize military expeditions to North America and India, but these plans were never destined to come true.

But Peter the Great was able to brilliantly carry out the Caspian campaign against Persia, conquering Baku, Derbent, Astrabad and many fortresses.

After his death, most of the conquered territories were lost, since their maintenance was not profitable for the state.

Reforms of Peter 1

Throughout his biography, Peter 1 implemented many reforms aimed at the benefit of the state. Interestingly, he became the first Russian ruler who began to call himself emperor.

The most important reforms concerned military affairs. In addition, it was during the reign of Peter 1 that the church began to submit to the state, which had never happened before.

The reforms of Peter the Great contributed to the development of industry and trade, as well as a departure from an outdated way of life.

For example, he imposed a tax on wearing a beard, wanting to impose European standards of appearance on the boyars. And although this caused a wave of discontent on the part of the Russian nobility, they still obeyed all his decrees.

Every year, medical, maritime, engineering and other schools were opened in the country, in which not only the children of officials, but also ordinary peasants could study. Peter 1 introduced the new Julian calendar, which is still used today.

While in Europe, the king saw many beautiful paintings that captured his imagination. As a result, upon arriving home, he began to provide financial support to artists in order to stimulate the development of Russian culture.

To be fair, it must be said that Peter 1 was often criticized for the violent method of implementing these reforms. Essentially, he forced people to change their thinking and also to carry out the projects he had in mind.

One of the most striking examples of this is the construction of St. Petersburg, which was carried out under difficult conditions. Many people could not withstand such stress and ran away.

Then the families of the fugitives were put in prison and remained there until the culprits returned back to the construction site.

Soon Peter 1 formed a body of political investigation and court, which was transformed into the Secret Chancellery. Any person was prohibited from writing in closed rooms.

If anyone knew about such a violation and did not report it to the king, he was subject to the death penalty. Using such harsh methods, Peter tried to fight anti-government conspiracies.

Personal life of Peter 1

In his youth, Peter 1 loved to be in the German settlement, enjoying foreign society. It was there that he first saw the German Anna Mons, with whom he immediately fell in love.

His mother was against his relationship with a German woman, so she insisted that he marry Evdokia Lopukhina. An interesting fact is that Peter did not contradict his mother and took Lopukhina as his wife.

Of course, in this forced marriage, their family life could not be called happy. They had two boys: Alexey and Alexander, the latter of whom died in early childhood.

Alexei was to become the legal heir to the throne after Peter 1. However, due to the fact that Evdokia tried to overthrow her husband from the throne and transfer power to her son, everything turned out completely differently.

Lopukhina was imprisoned in a monastery, and Alexei had to flee abroad. It is worth noting that Alexei himself never approved of his father’s reforms, and even called him a despot.

In 1717, Alexei was found and arrested, and then sentenced to death for participating in a conspiracy. However, he died in prison, and under very mysterious circumstances.

Having divorced his wife, in 1703 Peter the Great became interested in 19-year-old Katerina (nee Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya). A whirlwind romance began between them, which lasted for many years.

Over time, they got married, but even before her marriage she gave birth to daughters Anna (1708) and Elizabeth (1709) from the emperor. Elizabeth later became empress (reigned 1741-1761)

Katerina was a very smart and insightful girl. She alone managed, with the help of affection and patience, to calm the king when he had acute attacks of headache.

They officially got married only in 1712. After that, they had 9 more children, most of whom died at an early age.

Peter the Great truly loved Katerina. The Order of St. Catherine was established in her honor and the city of Yekaterinburg in the Urals was named. The Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo (built under her daughter Elizaveta Petrovna) also bears the name of Catherine I.

Soon, another woman, Maria Cantemir, appeared in the biography of Peter 1, who remained the emperor’s favorite until the end of his life.

It is worth noting that Peter the Great was very tall - 203 cm. At that time, he was considered a real giant, and was head and shoulders taller than everyone else.

However, the size of his feet did not correspond to his height at all. The autocrat wore size 39 shoes and had very narrow shoulders. As an additional support, he always carried a cane with him on which he could lean.

Death of Peter

Despite the fact that outwardly Peter 1 seemed to be a very strong and healthy person, in fact he suffered from migraine attacks throughout his life.

In the last years of his life, he also began to suffer from kidney stones, which he tried to ignore.

At the beginning of 1725, the pain became so severe that he could no longer get out of bed. His health condition worsened every day, and his suffering became unbearable.

Peter 1 Alekseevich Romanov died on January 28, 1725 in the Winter Palace. The official cause of his death was pneumonia.

However, an autopsy showed that death was due to inflammation of the bladder, which soon developed into gangrene.

Peter the Great was buried in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, and his wife Catherine 1 became the heir to the Russian throne.

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Peter the Great inherited a cumbersome and clumsy country. The symbols of his reforms were a club and pincers. With the help of the first, he prompted careless officials and punished bribe-takers, and with the latter, he tore out hardened dogmas from the heads of his subordinates, sometimes along with his teeth. His ideal is a state machine that works like a clock, without material needs and physical disabilities. He admired the scientific and technological achievements of Europe, but did not accept liberal values ​​at all. With superhuman efforts, he laid the foundations of the power of the new Russia.

Rebellious Age

The debate about the origin of Peter the Great still continues. His actions were too unusual against the backdrop of Muscovy at that time. During his time, there were rumors about a substitution in Holland. Now there are opinions that Peter was not the son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. But even if he is not his father's offspring, what does that mean for the country he built?

The future Emperor Peter I was born on June 9, 1672 in the royal chambers in Moscow. His mother was from a seedy noble family of the Naryshkins. Male children from the first wife of the Miloslavsky family either died in infancy or, like Tsar Fedor and Ivan Alekseevich, had poor health.

Petrusha's childhood was marred by violence. The struggle for power between the Naryshkins and the Miloslavskys ended with the Streltsy rebellion, which brought Princess Sophia to power. Tsars Peter and Ivan rule nominally. Sophia is not afraid of the weak-minded Ivan, but Peter grew up as a strong and strong boy, and staged amusing battles with amusing troops. Subsequently, the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments would become the key to brilliant victories.

Young Peter poses a serious threat to Princess Sophia, but for the time being he is not interested in state affairs. He spends his free time in the German Settlement and sees with his own eyes the benefits of the Western lifestyle. On the Yauza River he builds amusing ships, and trains his fellows in the European style and supplies them with artillery. In the year of Peter's coming of age, Sophia again tries to provoke another Streltsy riot in order to kill the young king in the commotion. Peter flees to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, where he concentrates his strength. The Streltsy masses recognize its legitimacy and leave Sophia. The latter is imprisoned in the Novodevichy monastery.

Moscow period of rule

After the overthrow of Sophia, little changed in Peter's life. The Naryshkin clique rules on his behalf, and Peter continues to take amusing fortresses and master crafts. He teaches arithmetic, geometry and military science. He is surrounded by foreigners, many of whom will become his comrades in transforming the state. His mother tries to return him to the fold of tradition and marries Evdokia Lopukhina, from an old boyar family. But Peter also likes European women, so, having hastily fulfilled his marital duty, he disappears in the German Settlement. Anna Mons, the charming daughter of a German wine merchant, is waiting for him there.

When, after the death of his mother, Peter began to rule independently, he was already an adherent of the European style of life. More precisely, he admired the Dutch and Germans, remaining almost indifferent to Catholic countries. However, the new king is in no hurry to introduce new orders. He needed the aura of a successful commander, and in 1695 he was going on a campaign against Turkey. The Azov fortress can only be taken the next year, when a newly created flotilla blocks it from the sea.

Grand Embassy

The Tsar understands: Russia is suffocating without access to the seas. Building a fleet requires a lot of money. Heavy taxes are imposed on all classes. Leaving the country in the care of the boyar Fyodor Romodanovsky, for whom he invented the title of Prince Caesar, Peter goes on a pilgrimage across Europe. The formal reason for the visit was the search for allies to fight Turkey. He entrusted this mission to Admiral General F. Lefort and General F. Golovin. Peter himself hid under the name of the sergeant of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, Peter Mikhailov.

In Holland, he takes part in the construction of the ship "Peter and Paul", trying himself in all crafts. He is only interested in the technical achievements of the West. In matters of government, he was an oriental despot, he himself participated in executions and torture and mercilessly suppressed any manifestations of popular unrest. Tsar Peter also visited the cradle of European democracy, England, where he visited parliament, a foundry, an arsenal, Oxford University, the Greenwich Observatory and the Mint, the caretaker of which at that time was Sir Isaac Newton. Peter purchases equipment and specialists in shipbuilding.

Meanwhile, a Streltsy revolt breaks out in the country, which is brutally suppressed until the Tsar returns. The investigation points to the mastermind of the rebellion - Princess Sophia. Peter's rage and contempt for the old order only intensifies. He does not want to wait any longer and issues a decree banning beards for the nobility and introducing German dress. In 1700, the Julian calendar was introduced, replacing the Byzantine one, according to which the year 7208 in Russia was from the creation of the world. It is interesting to read his instructions and decrees now. They have a lot of humor and peasant ingenuity. So in one of them we read that “a subordinate in front of his superiors should look dashing and stupid, so as not to embarrass his superiors with his understanding.”

North War

Peter the Great continued the work of Ivan the Terrible, who waged the Livonian War for access to the Baltic Sea. His military reforms begin with the introduction of conscription, according to which soldiers had to serve for 25 years. Serf Russia sends the most violent and passionate peasants into the army. This is the secret of the brilliant victories of Russia in the eighteenth century. But noble children are also required to serve, and they are given a Table of Ranks.

In preparation for war with Sweden, Peter put together the Northern Union, which included Denmark, Saxony and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The campaign got off to a bad start. Denmark is forced to withdraw from the war, and the Russians are defeated at Narva. However, military reforms continued, and already in the autumn of 1702, the Russians began to kick the Swedes out of the Baltic cities: Noteburg, Nieschanz, Dorpat and Narva. Swedish King Charles XII invades Ukraine to unite with Hetman Ivan Mazepa. Here Russian weapons crowned themselves with victories in the Battle of Lesnaya (October 9, 1708) and in the Battle of Poltava (July 8, 1709).

The defeated Charles XII flees to Istanbul and incites the Sultan to go to war with Russia. In the summer of 1711, Peter went on the Prut campaign against Turkey, which ended with the encirclement of Russian troops. The Tsar manages to pay off with jewelry, which was taken off by Peter's new wife Marta Skavronskaya, a pupil of the Lutheran pastor Ernst Gluck. According to the new peace treaty, Russia gave the Azov fortress to Turkey and lost access to the Sea of ​​Azov.

But failures in the east can no longer hinder the successes of the Russian army in the Baltic states. After the mysterious death of Charles XII, the Swedes no longer resist. According to the Treaty of Nystad (September 10, 1721), Russia gains access to the Baltic Sea, as well as the territory of Ingria, part of Karelia, Estland and Livonia. At the request of the Senate, Tsar Peter accepted the title of the Great, Father of the Fatherland and Emperor of All Russia.

Pincers and club

Peter the Great's reforms were aimed not only at modernizing society and the state. The colossal expenses for the army and for the construction of the new capital, St. Petersburg, forced the tsar to introduce new taxes, ruining the already impoverished peasantry. An Asian gentleman moved into the family of civilized peoples, hastily dressed in European clothes, armed with European technologies, but did not want to hear anything, in order to give his slaves at least some human rights. Therefore, it is not surprising that even a hundred years after Peter’s death one could read in the capital’s newspapers: “Puppies of a purebred bitch and a 17-year-old girl, trained in women’s crafts, are for sale.”

The administrative-command system created by Peter the Great elevated him to the rank of absolute monarch. By bringing people from the lower classes closer to him, he had no intention of breaking the social hierarchy. The enlightened elite no longer saw their brothers in the peasants, as was the case in Muscovite Rus'. The European way of life, to which the nobility was accustomed, required financial support, so the oppression and enslavement of the serfs only intensified. The once homogeneous society is divided into white and black bones, which 200 years later will lead to a bloody outcome of the revolution and civil war in Russia.

Death and aftermath

Having repealed the law on succession to the throne, Peter himself fell into its snare. Government concerns and excessive libations undermined his health. To his credit, it must be said that he did not spare either himself or others. While inspecting the Ladoga Canal, the Tsar rushes into the water to save stranded soldiers. Kidney stone disease, complicated by uremia, worsens. There is neither time nor energy, but the emperor hesitates with his will. It seems that he simply does not know who to pass the throne to. On February 8, 1725, Peter the Great died in terrible agony, without saying who he would like to see on the Russian throne.

The death of Peter ushered in the era of Guards coups, when empresses and sovereigns were placed on the throne by a handful of nobles who had secured the support of elite regiments. The last Guards coup was attempted by the Decembrists on Senate Square in 1825.

The meaning of Peter's reforms is contradictory, but this is normal for all Russian reformers. The country with the coldest climate and the most risky agriculture will always strive to minimize development costs, devoting all its efforts to basic survival. And when the lag becomes critical, society pushes forward another “transformer” who will have to take the rap for the mistakes and excesses of accelerated development. It’s a paradox, but reforms in Russia have always been in the name of preserving one’s own identity, to strengthen the state machine, through updating it with the latest technical achievements. For the sake of the survival of Russian civilization, which embraces Europe and Asia, remaining unlike either one or the other.

Portrait of Peter I, Paul Delaroche

• Years of life: June 9 (May 30, old style) 1672 – February 8 (January 28, old style) 1725
• Years of reign: May 7 (April 27), 1682 – February 8 (January 28), 1725
• Father and mother: and Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina.
• Spouses: Evdokia Fedorovna Lopukhina, Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova.
• Children: Alexey, Alexander, Pavel, Ekaterina, Anna, Elizaveta, Natalya, Margarita, Peter, Pavel, Natalya.

Peter I (June 9 (May 30), 1672 – February 8 (January 28, 1725) - the first All-Russian Emperor who “cut a window to Europe.” Peter's father is Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov, and his mother is Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina.

The youth of Peter I

In 1676, Alexey Mikhailovich died, and in 1682, Fyodor Alekseevich died. Peter was appointed Tsar, but the Miloslavskys were against this turn of events. As a result, on May 15, the Miloslavskys organized a Streltsy riot. Before Peter's eyes, his relatives were killed, so he hated the archers. As a result, John (Peter's elder brother) was appointed first king, Peter - second. But due to their young age, Sophia (the older sister) was appointed regent.

Peter's education was poor; he wrote with errors all his life. But he was very interested in military affairs, history, and geography. In addition, Peter preferred to learn everything by doing. Peter was distinguished by a sharp mind, strong will, curiosity, stubbornness and enormous capacity for work.

During his reign, Peter lived with his mother in Preobrazhenskoye, occasionally coming to Moscow for official ceremonies. There he organized war games with the so-called “amusing troops.” They recruited children from noble and peasant families. Over time, this fun grew into a real teaching, and the Preobrazhensky Army became a powerful military force.

Peter often visited the German settlement. There he met France Lefort and Patrick Gordon, who became his close friends. Fyodor Apraksin, Prince Romodanovsky, and Alexey Menshikov also became Peter’s comrades-in-arms.

In January 1689, Peter, at the insistence of his mother, married Evdokia Lopukhina, but a year later he lost interest in his wife and began to spend more and more time with the German Anna Mons.

In the summer of 1689, Sophia tried, by organizing a Streltsy riot, to seize power and kill Peter. But Peter found out about this and took refuge in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, where his allies later arrived. As a result, Sofya Alekseevna was removed from power and exiled to the Novodevichy Convent.

Yes, in 1694, Natalya Naryshkina ruled on behalf of her son. Then Peter became closer and closer to power, because... I was not very interested in government.

In 1696, Peter I, after the death of John, became the only king.

Reign of Peter I

In 1697, the king went abroad to study shipbuilding. He introduced himself by a different name and worked at the shipyard along with ordinary workers. Also abroad, Peter studied the culture of other countries and their internal structure.

The wife of Peter I turned out to be a participant in the Streltsy revolt. For this, the king exiled her to a monastery.

In 1712, Peter married Ekaterina Alekseevna. In 1724, the Tsar crowned her as co-ruler.

In 1725, Peter I died of pneumonia in terrible agony. He was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Peter's wife Catherine I became the queen.

Peter I: domestic policy

Peter I is known as a reformer. The Tsar tried to overcome Russia's lag behind Western countries.

In 1699, Peter introduced chronology according to the Julian calendar (from the Nativity of Christ, instead of the creation of the world). Now the beginning of the year is considered to be January 1 (instead of September 1). He also ordered all boyars to shave their beards, wear foreign dresses and drink coffee in the morning.

In 1700, the Russian army was defeated near Narva. This failure led the king to the idea that he needed to reorganize the army. Peter sent young people of noble family to study abroad so that he would have qualified personnel. Already in 1701, the king opened the Navigation School.

In 1703, construction of St. Petersburg began. In 1712 it became the capital of Russia.

In 1705, a regular army and navy were created. Recruitment was introduced, nobles became officers after studying at a military school, or privates. The Military Regulations (1716), the Naval Regulations (1720), and the Maritime Regulations (1722) were developed. Peter I established. In accordance with it, ranks were given to military and civil servants for their personal merit, and not for noble origin. Under Peter, the construction of metallurgical and weapons factories began.

Peter was also involved in the development of the fleet. The first ship was launched in 1708. And already in 1728, the fleet on the Baltic Sea became the most powerful.

Funds were needed for the development of the army and navy; for this purpose, a tax policy was implemented. Peter I introduced a poll tax, which led to the peasants becoming even more dependent on the landowners. The tax was imposed on men of all ages and all classes. This led to the fact that peasants began to run away more often and organize military uprisings.

In 1708, Russia was divided first into 8 provinces, and then into 10, headed by a governor.

In 1711, instead of the Boyar Duma, the Senate became the new body of power, which was in charge of administration during the tsar’s departure. Collegiums were also formed, subordinate to the Senate, which made decisions by voting.

In October 1721, Peter I was appointed emperor. In the same year he abolished church authority. The patriarchate was abolished, and the Synod began to govern the church.

Peter I carried out many transformations in culture. During his reign, secular literature appeared; engineering and medical-surgical schools were opened; primers, textbooks and maps were published. In 1724, the Academy of Sciences was opened with a university and a gymnasium attached to it. The Kunstkamera, the first Russian museum, was also opened. The first Russian newspaper Vedomosti appeared. Active study of Central Asia, Siberia and the Far East also began.

Peter I: foreign policy

Peter I understood that Russia needed access to the Black and Baltic Seas - this determined its entire foreign policy.

At the end of the 17th century, two campaigns were made against the Turkish fortress of Azov. Russia and Turkey concluded a deal, as a result of which Russia gained access to the Sea of ​​Azov.

Finland was conquered in 1712–1714.

Peter I tried to buy the shores of the Gulf of Finland from Sweden, but was refused. As a result, the Northern War began, which lasted more than 20 years (1700 - 1721). After the death of Charles XII, Russia and Sweden made peace, as a result of which Russia gained access to the Baltic Sea.

Illness and death of Peter 1

Peter 1 (born May 30 (June 9), 1672 - death January 28 (February 8), 1725) - the first Russian emperor, from. He died in the Winter Palace, he was 52 years old. There were many legends about the death of Peter 1.

On the eve of death

1725, January 27 - the imperial palace in St. Petersburg was surrounded by reinforced security. The first Russian Emperor Peter 1 was dying in terrible agony. During the last 10 days, convulsions gave way to deep fainting and delirium, and in those minutes when the sovereign regained consciousness, he screamed terribly from unbearable pain.

Over the past week, in moments of short-term relief, the emperor took communion three times. According to his order, all arrested debtors were released from prison and their debts were covered from the royal sums. All churches, including those of other faiths, held prayer services for him. Relief did not come...

Possible causes of death of Peter 1

The emperor's stormy life made itself felt. By the age of 50, he had a bunch of ailments. Uremia bothered him more than other diseases. In the last year of his life, the sovereign, on the advice of doctors, went to mineral waters for treatment, however, even during treatment, from time to time he was engaged in heavy physical labor. So, in June 1724, at the Ugoda factories of the Mellers, he forged several strips of iron with his own hands, in August he was at the launching of a frigate, and then set off on a long and tiring journey along the route: Shlisselburg - Olonetsk - Novgorod - Staraya Russa - Ladoga Canal.

Catherine's betrayal

There is a version that the sovereign was poisoned by people from his inner circle. This is how they could react to the loss of royal favor. A few months before Peter's death, the Tsar's relationship with his wife Catherine completely fell apart.

Returning home from a trip, the tsar, according to one common version, received evidence of adultery between his wife Catherine and 30-year-old Willie Mons, the brother of the emperor's former favorite. Mons was accused of bribery and theft and, according to the court verdict, his head was cut off. As soon as Catherine hinted at a pardon, the sovereign in anger broke a mirror of fine workmanship, in an expensive frame. “This is the most beautiful decoration of my palace. I want it and I will destroy it!” The wife realized that her husband’s angry words contained a hint of her own fate, but she asked restrainedly: “Does this make your palace any better?” The Emperor nevertheless subjected Catherine to a difficult test - he took her to look at the severed head of Mons...

Catherine understood well that the best she could now count on was a dull old age in a monastery. Unless... Unless the husband dies suddenly without writing a will. Then she, as the empress crowned in 1724, can take the throne by law.

Kaznokrad Menshikov

The well-known embezzler, His Serene Highness, was under investigation for more than 10 years. The control commission was able to discover that he had stolen more than a million state rubles, so that, as the Prussian envoy Axel von Mardefeld noted in his notes: “The prince... out of fear and in anticipation of the outcome of the matter, became completely haggard and even fell ill.” And then, as if on purpose, in November 1724, new financial frauds of the prince surfaced - food supplies to the army at inflated prices. They themselves were relatively modest (compared to previous years), but Menshikov transferred this profit to a bank in Amsterdam. “Yeah, I’ve decided to run away abroad!” - the sovereign decided.

The fate of the son of the court groom Alexander Danilovich Menshikov...

A special investigation was launched, which was entrusted to one of the tsar’s most trusted representatives - Fiscal General Alexei Myakinin. Moreover, it was completely inopportune that it became known about the papers of Mons, with whom His Serene Highness was in correspondence, seeking Catherine’s intercession. In his letters, Menshikov assured the German “of eternal friendship and devotion,” which infuriated Peter. As a result, Peter excommunicated Menshikov from himself: he forbade him to appear in the palace, and deprived him of the presidency of the Military Collegium. In fact, he found himself under house arrest in his palace.

People who were mean to him, accused of even much less significant fraud, have already been severely punished. “Most likely,” according to Doctor of Historical Sciences Nikolai Pavlenko, “Menshikov could share the fate of all embezzlers, especially since his main intercessor Catherine, due to her adultery, lost influence on the sovereign.” So Prince Menshikov became an involuntary ally of Ekaterina Alekseevna - the early death of the emperor was salvation for him too.

Kidney disease. Cold

1721 - in Astrakhan, during a campaign in Persia, the king first experienced attacks of urinary retention. 1723, winter - these attacks intensified. The court doctors had a very difficult job with the royal patient, since he could not follow the strict diet prescribed to him for a long time. The pain became more and more frequent.

1724, summer and autumn - the emperor felt very bad and, willy-nilly, did not part with medications, but there was not much help from them. In the summer of 1724, the disease took on an inflammatory character. The sovereign was treated by Lavrenty Blumentrost and the surgeon Paulson. 1724, September - the king began to recover and gave hope for recovery.

1724, November - while participating in the rescue of soldiers and sailors drowning in the Gulf of Finland from a boat that ran aground near Lakhta, he caught a bad cold.

1725, January 6 - being in severe frost at the Baptism ceremony, he caught an even worse cold and on January 16 became hopeless. January 16 brought deterioration, “severe chills” appeared, and the emperor took to bed. As the historian E.F. put it. Shmurlo, “death knocked on the royal doors.”

Acute urinary retention occurred. The attacks followed one after another. The king experienced terrible torment. But some doctors did not lose hope of salvation and made attempts to instill hope in those around them. Thus, a doctor from Italy, Azzariti, who practiced in St. Petersburg, assured the courtiers that the disease was completely curable and the tsar would soon be able to take up state affairs again. Indeed, the night from January 20 to 21 was calm, the fever went away, and “the cleansing became more correct.”

At first, Anna was Lefort’s mistress, until she exchanged her favorite for Peter 1...

By January 22, the fever had subsided, but the patient suffered from general bodily weakness and a sharp headache. On January 23, an “operation” (maybe a puncture or high section of the bladder) was performed, as a result of which about 2 pounds of purulent urine were removed. The pain during the attacks these days was so strong that the king’s screams were heard not only in the palace, but throughout the entire area, then the pain became so strong that the patient only moaned dully, biting the pillow. The “attacks” mentioned by contemporaries may have been episodes of acute urinary dysfunction due to stricture (narrowing) of the urethra.

On January 25, during catheterization of the bladder, about a liter of purulent, foul-smelling urine was removed. Exhausted by the painful procedure, the patient fell asleep for a short time, but soon he “fainted.” The next day, a new attack of fever began, accompanied by convulsions, during which the sovereign lost consciousness. On January 26, having cheered up, the Tsar asked for food, but while eating he suddenly had a convulsive attack, he lost consciousness for more than two hours, after which Peter 1 lost the ability to speak and control his right limbs.

Syphilis

One of the versions of the death of Peter 1 is described by Kazimir Waliszewski. The historian in the book “Peter the Great” states: “On September 8, 1724, the diagnosis of the disease was finally revealed: it was sand in the urine, complicated by the return of a poorly treated venereal disease.”

The Soviet historian M. Pokrovsky seized on this version and ruled out kidney disease, leaving only syphilis. “Peter died, as is known, from the consequences of syphilis, which he apparently received in Holland and was poorly treated by the doctors of that time,” he wrote.

Later, Doctor Azzariti, whom Peter summoned, confirmed that the sovereign actually had a long-standing venereal disease, which was not completely cured.

After the death of Peter 1, Campredon reported that “the source of the disease was old and poorly cured syphilis.”

It should be noted that only one diplomat of all those accredited at the Russian court reported this diagnosis to the tsar. It’s unlikely that others would have missed such juicy information.

Death

His body remained unburied for 40 days. And all this time, Catherine, proclaimed empress, cried twice a day over her husband’s body.

Doctors' opinion. Our days

Commented by Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor L.L. Khundanov.

- Of course, it’s quite difficult to make a diagnosis after several centuries...

And yet, taking into account the testimony of contemporaries and written sources, we can try to reconstruct the history of Peter the Great’s illness. Perhaps the fact that the sovereign suffered from urethral stricture should be considered proven. It is known that the king, who loved to boast of his knowledge of medicine, found it possible to apply it to himself. The silver catheters with which he independently drilled the urethra have been preserved...

Hypothermia and alcohol could certainly cause an exacerbation of the chronic process. I don’t want to evaluate the actions of the doctors who treated the Tsar, but it seems that not all possible means were used, even at that time. In case of multi-day urinary retention, catheterization was performed only once. Maybe we should have thought about cystotomy - an operation widely practiced by surgeons of the 18th century. Although it is quite possible that the emperor could have opposed this operation, and the doctors were unable or were afraid to convince him.

In our days, resolving the issue of the possible poisoning of Peter 1, without having any test results or examinations, is a very frivolous matter. Although some of the symptoms during the course of the disease do not quite fit into the clinical picture of ascending pyelonephritis and urosepsis. Also A.S. Pushkin in his “History of Peter” writes about convulsions, paralysis of his left arm, and loss of speech. “Burning in the stomach” can also be considered a sign of poisoning with some kind of poison. Such symptoms, if desired, can be classified as arsenic poisoning. But we should immediately make a reservation that at the beginning of the 18th century, arsenic and mercury preparations were widely used in the treatment of many ailments, and a patient with kidney damage could easily experience an overdose, causing a clinical picture similar to poisoning.