The era of palace coups was over. Characteristics of the era of palace coups

The overstrain of the country's forces during the years of Peter's reforms, the destruction of traditions, and violent methods of reform caused an ambiguous attitude of various circles of Russian society towards Peter's legacy and created conditions for political instability.

From 1725, after the death of Peter, until Catherine 2 came to power in 1762, six monarchs and many political forces behind them replaced the throne. This change did not always take place peacefully and legally. Therefore, V. O. Klyuchevsky called this period “the era of palace coups.”

The main reason that formed the basis of the palace coups was the contradictions between various noble groups in relation to Peter's legacy. The split occurred along the lines of acceptance and non-acceptance of reforms. Both the new nobility, which emerged during the reign of Peter, and the aristocracy tried to soften the course of reforms. But each of them defended their narrow-class interests and privileges, which created nutritious soil for internal political struggle. Palace coups were generated by an intense struggle between various factions for power. As a rule, it came down to the nomination and support of one or another candidate for the throne. Active role in political life The country at this time began to play the guard, which Peter raised as a privileged support of the autocracy. she now took upon herself the right to control the conformity of the personality and policies of the monarch with the legacy that the emperor left. The alienation of the masses from politics and their passivity served as fertile ground for palace intrigues and coups. To a large extent, palace coups were provoked by the unresolved problem of succession to the throne in connection with the adoption of the Decree of 1722, which broke the traditional mechanism of transfer of power.

Catherine's reign 1.1725 - 1727.

When Peter died, he left no heir. The opinion of the elite about his successor was divided: “chicks of Peter’s nest” A. D. Menshikov, P. A. Tolstoy, P. I. Yaguzhinsky, spoke for his second wife Catherine, and representatives of the noble nobility, D. M. Golitsyn, V. V. Dolgoruky , - for the grandson of Pyotr Alekseevich. The outcome of the dispute was decided by the guards who supported the empress.

The accession of Catherine led to a sharp increase in the role of Menshikov, who became the de facto ruler of the country. Attempts to somewhat curb his lust for power with the help of what was created under the empress

The Supreme Privy Council (SPC), to which the first collegiums and the Senate were subordinate, did not lead to anything.

The temporary worker decided to strengthen his position through the marriage of his daughter with Peter’s young grandson. P. Tolstoy, who opposed this plan, ended up in prison.

In May 1727, Catherine died, appointing Peter's grandson, Pyotr Alekseevich, as her successor.

Reign of Peter II.1727 - 1730.

Peter was declared emperor under the regency of the Military-Technical Cooperation. Menshikov's influence at court increased, he even received the rank of generalissimo. But, having alienated old allies and failed to gain new ones, he soon lost influence on the young emperor (with the help of the Dolgorukys and member of the military technical cooperation A.I. Osterman) and in September 1727 he was arrested and exiled with his family to Berezov, where he soon died. The overthrow of Menshikov was essentially a coup d'etat, since the composition of the military-technical cooperation changed (in which aristocratic families began to predominate), and Osterman began to play a key role; the regency of the military-technical cooperation was put to an end, Peter II declared himself the rightful ruler; a course was outlined aimed at revising Peter's reforms.

Soon the court left St. Petersburg and moved to Moscow, which attracted the emperor’s attention due to the presence of richer hunting grounds. The sister of the Tsar's favorite, Ekaterina Dolgorukaya, was engaged to the Emperor, but during preparations for the wedding, he died of smallpox. The question of succession to the throne arose again, since there was no will again.

The reign of Anna Ioannovna. 1730-1740

In the conditions of the political crisis, the Military-Technical Cooperation, which by that time consisted of 8 people (5 seats belonged to the Dolgorukys and Golitsyns), invited the niece of Peter I, Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna (a widow who did not have strong ties in Russia), to the throne. After a meeting in Mitau with V.L. Dolgoruky, Anna Ioannovna, agreeing to accept the throne, signed condition that limited her power:

Undertook to rule together with the military-technical cooperation, which was actually turning into supreme body governance of the country;

Without the approval of the Military Technical Cooperation, it did not have the right to pass laws, impose taxes, manage the treasury, declare war and make peace, grant and take away estates, ranks above the rank of colonel;

The Guard was subordinate to the military-technical cooperation;

Anna undertook not to marry and not to appoint an heir;

If any of these conditions were not met, she would lose her crown.

However, upon arriving in Moscow, Anna Ioannovna very quickly understood the difficult internal political situation (various noble groups proposed projects for the political reorganization of Russia) and, having found the support of part of the nobility and the guard, she broke the rules and restored the autocracy in full.

Politics A.I.:

Liquidated the military-technical cooperation, creating in its place a Cabinet of Ministers headed by Osterman;

Since 1735, the Empress’s signature was equal to the signatures of three cabinet ministers,

She repressed the Dolgorukys and Golitsyns;

Satisfied some of the demands of the nobility:

a) limited the service life to 25 years,

b) canceled that part of the Decree on Single Inheritance, which limited the right of nobles to dispose of estates when transferred by inheritance;

c) made it easier to obtain an officer rank by allowing infants to enroll in military service

d) created a cadet corps of nobles, upon completion of which officer ranks were awarded.

By the decree of 1836, all working people, including civilian employees, were declared “eternally assigned,” i.e., they became dependent on the owners of the factories.

Not trusting the Russian nobility and not having the desire or ability to delve into state affairs herself, A.I. surrounded herself with people from the Baltic states. The key role was played by her favorite E. Biron. Some historians call the period of A.I.’s reign “Bironovshchina,” believing that it main feature was the dominance of the Germans, who neglected the interests of the state, demonstrated contempt for everything Russian and pursued a policy of arbitrariness in relation to the Russian nobility.

In 1740, A.I. died, appointing the son of Anna Leopoldovna’s niece, the baby Ivan Antonovich (Ivan YI), as heir. Biron was appointed regent under him. The head of the military college, Field Marshal Minich, carried out another coup d'etat, pushing aside Biron, but, in turn, was pushed out of power by Osterman.

The reign of Elizabeth Petrovna. 1741-1761.

On November 25, 1741, Peter's daughter, relying on the support of the guard, carried out another coup d'etat and seized power. The peculiarities of this coup were that E.P. had broad support ordinary people cities and lower guards, and also the fact that this coup had a patriotic overtones, because was directed against the dominance of foreigners, and foreign diplomats (the Frenchman Chetardie and the Swedish ambassador Nolken) tried to take part in its preparation.

Politics E.P.:

She restored the institutions created by Peter and their status: by abolishing the Cabinet of Ministers, she returned the importance of the highest government agency Senate, restored Berg - and Manufactory - collegiums.

She brought closer Russian and Ukrainian nobles, who were distinguished by their great interest in the affairs of the country. Thus, with the active assistance of I.I. Shuvalov, Moscow University was opened in 1755;

Internal customs were destroyed, import duties were increased (protectionism)

On the initiative of I. Shuvalov, the transition began from the poll tax (a direct tax that was paid only by peasants and townspeople) to indirect taxes (which were also paid by all non-taxable classes).

Income from the sale of salt and wine tripled;

The death penalty was abolished

Social policy was aimed at transforming the nobility into a privileged class and strengthening serfdom, which resulted in landowners gaining the right to sell their peasants as conscripts (1747) and exile them to Siberia (1760).

Russia entered the war against Prussia on the side of the coalition of Austria, France, Sweden and Saxony.

The Seven Years' War began in 1756, ended in 1763 and brought the army of Frederick II to the brink of disaster, and only the death of H.P. on December 25, 1761 saved Prussia from complete defeat. Her heir Peter III, who idolized Frederick, left the coalition and concluded a peace treaty, returning to Prussia all the lands lost in the war.

During the 20 years of H.P.’s reign, the country managed to rest and accumulate strength for a new breakthrough, which occurred in the era of Catherine II.

Reign of Peter III. 1761 - 1762

E.P.'s nephew, Peter III (the son of Anna's elder sister and the Duke of Holstein) was born in Holstein and from childhood was brought up in hostility to everything Russian and respect for everything German. By 1742, he turned out to be an orphan and E.P. invited him to Russia, immediately appointing him as her heir. In 1745 he was married to the Anhalt-Zerbian princess Sophia Frederick Augustus (Ekaterina Alekseevna).

Peter alienated the nobility and the guards with his pro-German sympathies, unbalanced behavior, signing peace with Frederick, introducing Prussian uniforms, and his plans to send the guards to fight for the interests of the Prussian king in Denmark.

In 1762, he signed a manifesto granting liberty and freedom to the Russian nobility, which

Then he abolished the Secret Investigation Office;

Stopped the persecution of schismatics,

Decided to secularize church and monastic lands,

Prepared a decree on the equalization of all religions.

All these measures met the objective needs of Russia's development and reflected the interests of the nobility.

But his personal behavior, indifference and even dislike for Russia, mistakes in foreign policy and an insulting attitude towards his wife, who managed to gain respect from the nobility and the guard, created the preconditions for his overthrow. In preparing the coup, Catherine was guided not only by political pride, the thirst for power and the instinct of self-preservation, but also by the desire to serve Russia.

Russian foreign policy in the mid-18th century.

Objectives: maintaining access to the Baltic Sea; influence on Poland and the solution of the Black Sea problem.

1733-1734. As a result of Russia's participation in the "War for the Polish Heritage", it was possible to place the Russian protege Augustus 3 on the Polish throne.

1735-1739. As a result of the war with Turkey, Russia returned Azov.

1741-1743. The war with Sweden, which sought to take revenge for the defeat in the Northern War and return the Baltic Sea coast. Russian troops captured almost all of Finland and forced Sweden to abandon revenge.

1756-1762. Seven Years' War.

Russia found itself drawn into a war between two European coalitions - Russian-Franco-Austrian and Anglo-Prussian. The main reason is the strengthening of Prussia in Europe. In August 1757, the Russian army under the command of Field Marshal S. F. Apraksin, only thanks to the corps of P. A. Rumyantsev, defeated the Prussian army near the village of Gross-Jägersdorf. Without continuing the offensive, the army retreated to Memel. Elizabeth removed Apraksin. The new commander-in-chief V.V. Fermor occupied Koenigsberg in the winter of 1758. In the summer, in the battle of Zorndorf, the Russian army lost 22.6 thousand (out of 42 thousand), and the Prussian army lost 11 thousand (out of 32 thousand). The battle ended almost in a draw. In 1759, the Russian army was replenished with new cannons - “unicorns” (light, mobile, rapid-fire), General P. A. Saltykov became the new commander. On August 1, 1759, Russian-Austrian troops defeated the Prussian army near the village of Kunersdorf. P

In 1760, the detachments of Totleben and Chernyshov captured Berlin. Prussia's position was hopeless. Russia announced its intention to annex East Prussia. Peter 3, who ascended the throne after the death of Elizabeth, broke with his allies and made peace with Frederick, returning all the captured territories.

Results of the era of "palace coups"

Palace coups did not entail changes in the political, much less social system society and boiled down to the struggle for power of various noble groups pursuing their own, most often selfish, goals. At the same time, the policies of each of the six monarchs had their own characteristics, sometimes important for the country. In general, the socio-economic stabilization and foreign policy successes achieved during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna created the conditions for more accelerated development.

The main reason that formed the basis of the palace coups was the contradictions between various noble groups in relation to Peter's legacy. The split occurred along the lines of acceptance and non-acceptance of reforms. Both the new nobility, which emerged during the reign of Peter, and the aristocracy tried to soften the course of reforms. But each of them defended its narrow-class interests and privileges, which created fertile ground for internal political struggle. Palace coups were generated by an intense struggle between various factions for power. As a rule, it came down to the nomination and support of one or another candidate for the throne. At this time, the guard, which Peter raised as a privileged support of the autocracy, began to play an active role in the political life of the country. she now took upon herself the right to control the conformity of the personality and policies of the monarch with the legacy that the emperor left. The alienation of the masses from politics and their passivity served as fertile ground for palace intrigues and coups. To a large extent, palace coups were provoked by the unresolved problem of succession to the throne in connection with the adoption of the Decree of 1722, which broke the traditional mechanism of transfer of power.

Catherine's reign 1.1725 - 1727.

When Peter died, he left no heir. The opinion of the elite about his successor was divided: “chicks of Peter’s nest” A. D. Menshikov, P. A. Tolstoy, P. I. Yaguzhinsky, spoke for his second wife Ekaterina, and representatives of the noble nobility, D. M. Golitsyn, V. V. Dolgoruky , - for the grandson of Pyotr Alekseevich. The outcome of the dispute was decided by the guards who supported the empress.

The Supreme Privy Council (SPC), to which the first collegiums and the Senate were subordinate, did not lead to anything.

The temporary worker decided to strengthen his position through the marriage of his daughter with Peter’s young grandson. P. Tolstoy, who opposed this plan, ended up in prison.

In May 1727, Catherine died, appointing Peter's grandson, Pyotr Alekseevich, as her successor.

Reign of Peter II.1727 - 1730.

The reign of Anna Ioannovna. 1730-1740

She pledged to rule together with the military-technical cooperation, which was actually turning into the highest governing body of the country;

- without the approval of the Military Technical Cooperation, it did not have the right to legislate, impose taxes, manage the treasury, declare war and make peace, grant and take away estates, ranks above the rank of colonel;

- the guard was subordinate to the military-technical cooperation;

- Anna undertook not to marry and not to appoint an heir;

- if any of these conditions were not met, she was deprived of the crown.

Politics A.I.:

— liquidated the military-technical cooperation, creating in its place a Cabinet of Ministers headed by Osterman;

- since 1735, the empress’s signature was equal to the signatures of three cabinet ministers,

— repressed the Dolgorukys and Golitsyns;

— satisfied some of the demands of the nobility:

a) limited the service life to 25 years,

b) canceled that part of the Decree on Single Inheritance, which limited the right of nobles to dispose of estates when transferred by inheritance;

c) made it easier to obtain an officer rank by allowing infants to enroll in military service

d) created a cadet corps of nobles, upon completion of which officer ranks were awarded.

— by the decree of 1836, all working people, including civilian employees, were declared “eternally given away,” i.e., they became dependent on the owners of the factories.

Not trusting the Russian nobility and not having the desire or ability to delve into state affairs herself, A.I. surrounded herself with people from the Baltic states. The key role was played by her favorite E. Biron. Some historians call the period of A.I.'s reign "Bironovshchina", believing that its main feature was the dominance of the Germans, who neglected the interests of the state, demonstrated contempt for everything Russian and pursued a policy of arbitrariness towards the Russian nobility.

The reign of Elizabeth Petrovna. 1741-1761.

On November 25, 1741, Peter's daughter, relying on the support of the guard, carried out another coup d'etat and seized power. The peculiarities of this coup were that E.P. had broad support from ordinary people of the cities and lower guards, and also that this coup had a patriotic overtones, because was directed against the dominance of foreigners, and foreign diplomats (the Frenchman Chetardie and the Swedish ambassador Nolken) tried to take part in its preparation.

Politics E.P.:

- restored the institutions created by Peter and their status: having abolished the Cabinet of Ministers, returned the significance of the highest state body to the Senate, restored the Berg - and Manufactory - Collegium.

- brought closer Russian and Ukrainian nobles, who were distinguished by their great interest in the affairs of the country. Thus, with the active assistance of I. I. Shuvalov, Moscow University was opened in 1755;

— internal customs were destroyed, import duties were increased (protectionism)

- on the initiative of I. Shuvalov, the transition began from the poll tax (a direct tax that was paid only by peasants and townspeople) to indirect taxes (which were also paid by all non-taxable classes).

— Income from the sale of salt and wine tripled;

- the death penalty was abolished

— social politics was aimed at transforming the nobility into a privileged class and strengthening serfdom, which was expressed in the landowners gaining the right to sell their peasants as recruits (1747) and exile them to Siberia (1760).

Russia entered the war against Prussia on the side of the coalition of Austria, France, Sweden and Saxony.

The Seven Years' War began in 1756, ended in 1763 and brought the army of Frederick II to the brink of disaster, and only the death of H.P. on December 25, 1761 saved Prussia from complete defeat. Her heir, Peter III, who idolized Frederick, left the coalition and concluded a peace treaty, returning to Prussia all the lands lost in the war.

During the 20 years of H.P.’s reign, the country managed to rest and accumulate strength for a new breakthrough, which occurred in the era of Catherine II.

Reign of Peter III. 1761 - 1762

In 1762, he signed a manifesto granting liberty and freedom to the Russian nobility, which

Then he abolished the Secret Investigation Office;

- stopped persecuting schismatics,

- decided to secularize church and monastic lands,

- prepared a decree on the equalization of all religions.

All these measures met the objective needs of Russia's development and reflected the interests of the nobility.

But his personal behavior, indifference and even dislike for Russia, mistakes in foreign policy and insulting attitude towards his wife, who managed to gain respect from the nobility and the guard, created the preconditions for his overthrow. In preparing the coup, Catherine was guided not only by political pride, the thirst for power and the instinct of self-preservation, but also by the desire to serve Russia.

Russian foreign policy in the mid-18th century.

Objectives: maintaining access to the Baltic Sea; influence on Poland and the solution of the Black Sea problem.

1733-1734. As a result of Russia's participation in the "War for the Polish Heritage", it was possible to place the Russian protege Augustus 3 on the Polish throne.

1735-1739. As a result of the war with Turkey, Russia returned Azov.

1756-1762. Seven Years' War.

Results of the era of "palace coups"

Palace coups did not entail changes in the political, much less social, system of society and boiled down to a struggle for power among various noble groups pursuing their own, most often selfish, goals. At the same time, the policies of each of the six monarchs had their own characteristics, sometimes important for the country. In general, the socio-economic stabilization and foreign policy successes achieved during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna created the conditions for more accelerated development.

The era of palace coups in Russia.

In 1725, Russian Emperor Peter I died without leaving a legal heir and without transferring the throne to the chosen one. Over the next 37 years, there was a struggle for power between his relatives - contenders for the Russian throne. This period in history is usually called " era of palace coups».

A feature of the period of “palace coups” is that the transfer of supreme power in the state was not carried out by inheriting the crown, but was carried out by guards or courtiers using forceful methods.

Such confusion arose due to the lack of clearly defined rules of succession to the throne in a monarchical country, which caused the supporters of one or another contender to fight among themselves.

The era of palace coups 1725-1762.

After Peter the Great, the following sat on the Russian throne:

Catherine I - the emperor's wife,
Peter II - grandson of the emperor,
Anna Ioannovna - the emperor's niece,
Ioann Antonovich is the great-nephew of the previous one,
Elizaveta Petrovna - daughter of Peter I,
Peter III is the nephew of the previous one,
Catherine II is the wife of the previous one.

In general, the era of revolutions lasted from 1725 to 1762.

Catherine I (1725–1727).

One part of the nobility, led by A. Menshikov, wanted to see the emperor’s second wife, Catherine, on the throne. The other part is the grandson of Emperor Peter Alekseevich. The dispute was won by those who were supported by the guard - the first. Under Catherine, A. Menshikov played a major role in the state.

In 1727, the Empress died, appointing the young Peter Alekseevich as successor to the throne.

Peter II (1727–1730).

Young Peter became emperor under the regency of the Supreme Privy Council. Gradually Menshikov lost his influence and was exiled. Soon the regency was abolished - Peter II declared himself ruler, the court returned to Moscow.

Shortly before his wedding to Catherine Dolgoruky, the emperor died of smallpox. There was no will.

Anna Ioannovna (1730–1740).

The Supreme Council invited the niece of Peter I, Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna, to rule in Russia. The challenger agreed to conditions limiting her power. But in Moscow, Anna quickly got used to it, enlisted the support of part of the nobility and violated the previously signed agreement, returning autocracy. However, it was not she who ruled, but the favorites, the most famous of whom was E. Biron.

In 1740, Anna died, having designated her great-nephew baby Ivan Antonovich (Ivan VI) as heir under regent Biron.

The coup was carried out by Field Marshal Minich, the fate of the child is still unclear.

Elizaveta Petrovna (1741–1761).

The guards again helped Peter I’s own daughter seize power. On the night of November 25, 1741, Elizaveta Petrovna, who was also supported by commoners, was literally brought to the throne. The coup had a bright patriotic overtones. His main goal was to remove foreigners from power in the country. Elizaveta Petrovna's policy was aimed at continuing her father's affairs.

Peter III (1761–1762).

Peter III is the orphaned nephew of Elizabeth Petrovna, the son of Anna Petrovna and the Duke of Holstein. In 1742 he was invited to Russia and became heir to the throne.

During Elizabeth's lifetime, Peter married his cousin, Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerb, the future Catherine II.

Peter's policy after the death of his aunt was aimed at an alliance with Prussia. The behavior of the emperor and his love for the Germans alienated the Russian nobility.

It was the emperor’s wife who ended the 37-year leapfrog on the Russian throne. She was again supported by the army - the Izmailovsky and Semenovsky Guards regiments. Catherine was brought to the throne as Elizabeth had once been.

Catherine proclaimed herself empress in June 1762, and both the Senate and the Synod swore allegiance to her. Peter III signed the abdication of the throne.

General characteristics of the era of palace coups

The era of palace coups - a time period (37 years) in political life Russia XVIII century, when the seizure of political power was carried out by a series of palace coups. The reason for this was the lack of clear rules for succession to the throne, accompanied by the struggle of court factions and carried out, as a rule, with the assistance of guard regiments. The desire of the nobles and boyars to regain the power, freedom and privileges lost under Peter I. The overstrain of the country's forces during the years of Peter's reforms, the destruction of traditions, and violent methods of reform caused an ambiguous attitude of various circles of Russian society towards Peter's legacy and created conditions for political instability.
From 1725 after the death of Peter I and until Catherine II came to power in 1762, six monarchs and many political forces behind them replaced the throne. This change did not always take place peacefully and legally, which is why this period of V.O. Klyuchevsky, not entirely accurately, but figuratively and aptly called it “the era of palace coups.”

The struggle for power after the death of Peter I

Dying, Peter did not leave an heir, having only managed to write with a weakening hand: “Give everything...”. Opinion at the top about his successor was divided. “Chicks of Peter’s nest” (A.D. Menshikov, P.A. Tolstoy, I.I. Buturlin, P.I. Yaguzhinsky, etc.) spoke for his second wife Ekaterina, and representatives of the noble nobility (D.M.

Golitsyn, V.V. Dolgoruky and others) defended the candidacy of their grandson, Pyotr Alekseevich. The outcome of the dispute was decided by the guards who supported the empress.
The accession of Catherine 1 (1725-1727) led to a sharp strengthening of the position of Menshikov, who became the de facto ruler of the country. Attempts to somewhat curb his lust for power and greed with the help of the Supreme Privy Council (SPC) created under the empress, to which the first three collegiums, as well as the Senate, were subordinate, led nowhere. Moreover, the temporary worker decided to strengthen his position through the marriage of his daughter with Peter’s young grandson. P. Tolstoy, who opposed this plan, ended up in prison.
In May 1727, Catherine 1 died and, according to her will, 12-year-old Peter II (1727-1730) became emperor under the regency of the VTS. Menshikov's influence at court increased, and he even received the coveted rank of generalissimo. But, having alienated old allies and not gaining new ones among the noble nobility, he soon lost influence on the young emperor and in September 1727 he was arrested and exiled with his entire family to Berezovo, where he soon died.
A significant role in discrediting Menshikov’s personality in the eyes of the young emperor was played by Dolgoruky, as well as a member of the Military Technical Cooperation, the Tsar’s educator, nominated to this position by Menshikov himself - A.I. Osterman is a deft diplomat who knew how, depending on the balance of power and the political situation, to change his views, allies and patrons.
The overthrow of Menshikov was, in essence, an actual palace coup, because the composition of the military-technical cooperation changed, in which aristocratic families began to predominate (Dolgoruky and Golitsyn), and A.I. began to play a key role. Osterman; the regency of the military-technical cooperation was put to an end, Peter II declared himself a full-fledged ruler, surrounded by new favorites; a course was outlined aimed at revising the reforms of Peter I.
Soon the court left St. Petersburg and moved to Moscow, which attracted the emperor due to the presence of richer hunting grounds. The sister of the Tsar's favorite, Ekaterina Dolgorukaya, was engaged to Peter II, but during preparations for the wedding he died of smallpox. And again the question of the heir to the throne arose, because With the death of Peter II, the Romanov male line was cut short, and he did not have time to appoint a successor.

Prerequisites for palace coups

The main reason that formed the basis of the palace coups was the contradictions between various noble groups in relation to Peter's legacy. It would be a simplification to consider that the split occurred along the lines of acceptance and non-acceptance of reforms. Both the so-called “new nobility”, which emerged during the years of Peter thanks to their official zeal, and the aristocratic party tried to soften the course of reforms, hoping in one form or another to give a respite to society, and, first of all, to themselves. But each of these groups defended their narrow-class interests and privileges, which created fertile ground for internal political struggle.
Palace coups were generated by an intense struggle between various factions for power. As a rule, it most often came down to the nomination and support of one or another candidate for the throne.
At this time, the guard began to play an active role in the political life of the country, which Peter raised as a privileged “support” of the autocracy, which, moreover, took upon itself the right to control the conformity of the personality and policies of the monarch with the legacy that its “beloved emperor” left.
The alienation of the masses from politics and their passivity served as fertile ground for palace intrigues and coups.
To a large extent, palace coups were provoked by the unresolved problem of succession to the throne in connection with the adoption of the Decree of 1722, which broke the traditional mechanism of transfer of power.

Prerequisites for the palace coup

Causes of palace coups

1) Contradictions between various noble factions in relation to Peter’s legacy.

2) An intense struggle between various groups for power, which most often boiled down to the nomination and support of one or another candidate for the throne.

3) The active position of the guard, which Peter raised as a privileged support of the autocracy, which, moreover, took upon itself the right to control the compliance of the personality and policies of the monarch with the legacy that its beloved emperor left.

4) Passivity of the masses, absolutely far from the political life of the capital.

5) Exacerbation of the problem of succession to the throne in connection with the adoption of the Decree of 1722, which broke the traditional mechanism of transfer of power.

1) Moving away from the national political tradition, according to which the throne is only for the direct heirs of the king, Peter himself prepared a crisis of power.

2) After the death of Peter, a large number of direct and indirect heirs laid claim to the Russian throne;

3) The existing corporate interests of the nobility and family nobility were revealed in their entirety.

When analyzing the era of palace coups, it is important to pay attention to the following points.

Firstly, the initiators of the coups were various palace groups who sought to elevate their protégé to the throne.

Secondly, the most important consequence of the coups was the strengthening of economic and political positions nobility.

Third, driving force coups were guards.

Indeed, it was the guard during the period under review that decided the question of who should be on the throne.

Supreme Privy Council

THE SUPREME PRIVATE COUNCIL is the highest body of state power in Russian Empire(1726-1730); created by decree of Catherine I Alekseevna on February 8, 1726, formally as an advisory body under the empress, in fact it decided all the most important state affairs. During the accession of Empress Anna Ivanovna, the Supreme Privy Council tried to limit the autocracy in its favor, but was dissolved.

After the death of Emperor Peter I the Great (1725), his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna ascended the throne. She was not able to independently govern the state and created the Supreme Privy Council from among the most prominent associates of the late emperor, which was supposed to advise the empress what to do in this or that case. Gradually, the sphere of competence of the Supreme Privy Council included the resolution of all the most important domestic and foreign policy issues. The collegiums were subordinate to him, and the role of the Senate was reduced, which was reflected, in particular, in the renaming from the “Governing Senate” to the “High Senate”.

Initially, the Supreme Privy Council consisted of A.D. Menshikova, P.A. Tolstoy, A.I. Osterman, F.M. Apraksina, G.I. Golovkina, D.M. Golitsyn and Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp (son-in-law of the Empress, husband of Tsarevna Anna Petrovna). A struggle for influence ensued between them, in which A.D. won. Menshikov. Ekaterina Alekseevna agreed to the marriage of the heir to Tsarevich Peter with Menshikov’s daughter. In April 1727 A.D. Menshikov achieved the disgrace of P.A. Tolstoy, Duke Karl Friedrich was sent home. However, after the accession of Peter II Alekseevich to the throne (May 1727), A.D. fell into disgrace. Menshikov and the Supreme Privy Council included A.G. and V.L. Dolgorukovs, and in 1730 after the death of F.M. Apraksina - M.M. Golitsyn and V.V. Dolgorukov.

The internal policy of the Supreme Privy Council was aimed mainly at solving problems associated with the socio-economic crisis that the country was experiencing after the long Northern War and the reforms of Peter I, primarily in financial sector. Members of the council (“supreme leaders”) critically assessed the results of Peter’s reforms and were aware of the need to adjust them in accordance with real opportunities countries. The financial issue was at the center of the activities of the Supreme Privy Council, which the leaders tried to solve in two directions: by streamlining the system of accounting and control over state income and expenses and by saving money. The leaders discussed issues of improving the systems of taxation and public administration created by Peter, reducing the army and navy and other measures aimed at replenishing state budget. The collection of poll taxes and recruits was transferred from the army to the civil authorities, military units were withdrawn from rural areas to cities, and some noble officers were sent on long vacations without payment of salary. The capital of the state was again moved to Moscow.

In order to save money, the leaders liquidated a number of local institutions (court courts, offices of zemstvo commissars, Waldmaster offices) and reduced the number of local employees. Some of the minor officials who did not have class rank, was deprived of salary, and they were asked to “feed from business.” Along with this, the positions of governor were restored. The leaders tried to revive domestic and foreign trade, allowed previously prohibited trade through the Arkhangelsk port, lifted restrictions on trade in a number of goods, abolished many restrictive duties, created favorable conditions for foreign merchants, revised the protective customs tariff of 1724. In 1726, an alliance treaty was concluded with Austria, which determined Russia’s behavior in the international arena for several decades.

In January 1730, after the death of Peter II, the rulers invited the Dowager Duchess of Courland Anna Ivanovna to the Russian throne. At the same time, on the initiative of D.M.

Golitsyn, it was decided to carry out a reform of the political system of Russia through the actual elimination of the autocracy and the introduction of a limited monarchy of the Swedish model. For this purpose, the leaders invited the future empress to sign special conditions- “conditions”, according to which she was deprived of the opportunity to independently make political decisions: make peace and declare war, appoint to government posts, change the taxation system. Real power passed to the Supreme Privy Council, the composition of which was to be expanded to include representatives of the highest officials, generals and aristocracy. The nobility generally supported the idea of limiting the absolute power of the autocrat. However, negotiations between the supreme leaders and Anna Ivanovna were conducted in secret, which aroused suspicion among the mass of nobles of a conspiracy to usurp power in the hands of the aristocratic families represented in the Supreme Privy Council (Golitsyn, Dolgoruky). The lack of unity among the supporters of the supreme leaders allowed Anna Ivanovna, who arrived in Moscow, relying on the guard and some of the court officials, to carry out a coup: on February 25, 1730, the empress broke the “conditions”, and on March 4, the Supreme Privy Council was abolished. Later, most members of the Supreme Privy Council (with the exception of Osterman and Golovkin, who did not support the Golitsyns and Dolgorukovs) were subjected to repression.

Causes of palace coups

It is believed that Peter I prepared the era of palace coups in Russia by issuing a decree on succession to the throne in 1722. This decree allowed any relative of the emperor, regardless of gender and age, to lay claim to the royal throne. Since families in the 18th century. were large, then, as a rule, there were many candidates for the imperial crown: wives and children, cousins and sisters, grandchildren and nephews... The absence of a single legal heir led to increased palace intrigues and a struggle for power.

Features of palace coups

Role of the Guard

In the struggle for power, the one who was supported by the guard, called upon to protect the capital and the imperial palace, won. It was the guard regiments that became the main force behind palace coups. Therefore, every contender for the throne, trying to enlist the support of the guards, promised them money, estates and new privileges.

In 1714, Peter I issued a decree prohibiting the promotion to officers of nobles who did not serve as privates in the guard.

Therefore, by 1725, in the guards regiments, not only the officers, but also the majority of the privates were from the nobility. Thanks to its social homogeneity, the guard was able to become the main force in palace coups.

The guards units during this period were the most privileged in the Russian army. The guards did not participate in hostilities and performed exclusively ceremonial and palace service in the capital. The salary of private guards was much higher than that of army and navy officers.

Favoritism

Often, as a result of a palace coup, persons unprepared to govern the state ended up on the throne. Therefore, the consequence of the coups was favoritism, that is, the rise of one or several favorites of the monarch, who concentrated enormous power and wealth in their hands.

Social system of Russia

It should be noted important feature palace coups: they did not lead to significant changes in the social system of Russia. Emperors and favorites changed, as did the emphasis in domestic and foreign policy, but the following always remained unchanged: a) the absolute power of the monarch; b) serfdom; c) political lack of rights of the people; d) a course to expand the privileges of the nobility at the expense of other classes. The stability of power was ensured by a growing and strengthening bureaucracy.

History of palace coups

On this page there is material on the following topics:

Video of palace coups after the death of Peter 1: sequence and reasons
The role of the guard in palace coups
The era of palace coups table the method of coming to power
The fourth palace coup in Russia
Explain why the palace coup of internal politics was ruled by the monarchy

Questions for this article:

Why was Peter I forced to issue a decree on succession to the throne?
What important events occurred in 1740, 1741, 1741 - 1743, 1756-1763, 1761, 1762?
What is a palace coup?
What are the causes and features of palace coups in Russia?
What role did the guard play in palace coups?
What is favoritism?
Make a table “The era of palace coups.”
How did the positions of the Russian nobility strengthen in 1725-1761?

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Palace coups: causes and main events

The death of Emperor Peter I in 1725 led to a long crisis of power. According to the figurative expression of V. O. Klyuchevsky, this period of our history was called “palace revolutions.” For 37 years from the death of Peter I to the accession of Catherine II (1725-1762), the throne was occupied by six reigning persons who received the throne as a result of complex palace intrigues or coups.

Reasons for palace coups:

1. moving away from the national political tradition, according to which the throne passed only to the direct heirs of the tsar, Peter himself prepared a “crisis of power” (by failing to implement the Decree of 1722 on the succession to the throne, without appointing an heir for himself);

2. after the death of Peter, a large number of direct and indirect heirs laid claim to the Russian throne;

3. the existing corporate interests of the nobility and high-born nobility manifested themselves in their entirety.

Palace coups, that they were not state coups, that is, they did not pursue the goal of radical changes in political power and government structure

When analyzing the era of palace coups, it is important to pay attention to the following points.

1. The initiators of the coups were various palace groups who sought to elevate their protégé to the throne.

2. The most important consequence of the palace coups was the strengthening of the economic and political positions of the nobility.

3.The driving force behind the coups was the Guard.

Catherine's reign I (1725-1727). The guard took Catherine's side.

In 1726, under Catherine I, the Supreme Privy Council was established, which, according to historian S. F. Platonov, replaced Peter the Great's Senate. The Supreme Privy Council included A.D. Menshikov, F. M. Apraksin, G. I. Golovkin, D. M. Golitsyn, A. I. Osterman and P. A. Tolstoy. The Council was not an oligarchic body limiting autocracy. It remained a bureaucratic, albeit very influential, institution in the system of absolutism, placed under the control of the empress.

During this period of time the following happened:

Reduction of bureaucratic structures;

Revision of customs tariff;

Changing the deployment of the army and its contents;

Elimination of the self-government system;

Restoring the importance of the county as the main territorial-administrative unit;

Changing the taxation system, reducing the capitation tax.

In general, the activities of Catherine I and her “supreme leaders” were characterized by a rejection of the broad reform program of Peter I and a reduction in the role of the Senate. Trade and industry, which lost financial and administrative support from the state in the post-Petrine era, were placed in unfavorable conditions. The beginning of an audit of the results of Peter's reforms.

Peter II (1727-1730). Shortly before her death in 1727, Catherine I signed a will that determined the sequence of succession to the throne. The closest heir was determined to be Peter II.

The throne was taken by 12-year-old Peter II under the regency of the Supreme Privy Council.

The Supreme Privy Council under Peter II underwent significant changes. In it, all affairs were carried out by four princes Dolgoruky and two Golitsyns, as well as A.I. Osterman. The Dolgorukies came to the fore. Peter II died on the day of his wedding (with Ivan Dolgoruky's sister Catherine). The Romanov dynasty was cut short in the male line. The question of the emperor had to be decided by the Supreme Privy Council.

Short stay in power young Peter II did not make significant changes to the state and social life Russian society. The relocation of the royal court from St. Petersburg to Moscow at the end of 1727, the abolition of the Chief Magistrate in 1728.

Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740). After long consultations, the leaders chose the senior line of the dynasty, associated with the brother of Peter I - Ivan V.

Golitsyn and V.L. Dolgoruky developed the so-called conditions - the conditions under which Anna Ioannovna could accept the Russian crown from the hands of the rulers:

No new laws should be issued;

Do not start a war with anyone and do not make peace with anyone;

Do not burden loyal subjects with any taxes;

Do not dispose of treasury revenues;

Noble ranks above the rank of colonel are not welcome;

The nobility's life, property and honor cannot be taken away;

Do not favor estates and villages.

Just two weeks after arriving in Moscow, Anna broke down in front of the leaders and declared “her perception of autocracy.” The Supreme Privy Council in 1731 was replaced by a Cabinet of three ministers headed by A. I. Osterman. Four years later, Anna Ioannovna equated the signatures of three cabinet ministers with one of her own.

Main directions of domestic policy:

Abolition of the Supreme Privy Council and the return of the Senate to its former significance;

The return of Peter's system of placing regiments in the provinces and the responsibility of landowners for payments to their peasants;

Continuation of the punitive policy towards the Old Believers;

Creation of a new body - the Cabinet of Ministers (1731);

Resumption of the activities of the Secret Chancellery;

The establishment of a cadet corps (1732), after which noble children received officer ranks;

Abolition of indefinite service for nobles (1736). In addition, one of the sons of a noble family was released from service to manage the estate.

During the reign of Anna Ioannovna, the autocracy was strengthened, the responsibilities of the nobles were reduced and their rights over the peasants were expanded.

Ivan VI Antonovich. After the death of Anna Ioannovna in 1740, according to her will, the Russian throne was inherited by her great-grandson, Ivan Antonovich. Anna's favorite E.I. Biron was appointed regent until he came of age, but less than a month later he was arrested by the guards on the orders of Field Marshal B.K. Minich. His mother Anna Leopoldovna was proclaimed regent for the royal child.

Elizaveta Petrovna (1741-1761). The next coup d'état was carried out with the direct participation of the guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment.

The period of Elizabeth's reign was marked by the flourishing of favoritism. On the one hand, it was an indicator of the dependence of the nobility on royal generosity, and on the other hand, it was a unique, albeit rather timid, attempt to adapt the state to the demands of the nobility.

During the reign of Elizabeth, certain transformations were carried out:

1. there was a significant expansion of noble benefits, the socio-economic and legal position of the Russian nobility was strengthened;

2. an attempt was made to restore some of the orders and government institutions created by Peter I. For this purpose, the Cabinet of Ministers was abolished, the functions of the Senate were significantly expanded, the Berg and Manufactory Collegiums, the chief and city magistrates were restored;

3. many foreigners were eliminated from the spheres of public administration and the education system;

4. a new supreme body was created - the Conference at the Highest Court (1756) to resolve important state issues, which largely duplicated the functions of the Senate;

5. the empress tried to develop new legislation;

6. there was a tightening of religious policy.

In general, Elizabeth’s reign did not become the “second edition” of Peter’s policies. Elizabeth's policy was distinguished by caution, and in some aspects, unusual gentleness. By refusing to sanction death sentences, she was actually the first in Europe to abolish the death penalty.

Peter III (December 25, 1761 - June 28, 1762). After the death of Elizabeth Petrovna in 1761, 33-year-old Peter III became Emperor of Russia.

Peter III announced to Frederick II the intention of Russia to make peace with Prussia separately, without allies France and Austria (1762). Russia returned to Prussia all the lands occupied during the Seven Years' War, refused indemnity to compensate for the losses incurred and entered into an alliance with the former enemy. In addition, Peter began to prepare for a completely unnecessary war with Denmark for Russia. In society this was perceived as a betrayal of Russian national interests.

During the six-month reign of Peter III, 192 decrees were adopted.

The secularization of church lands in favor of the state was announced, which strengthened the state treasury (the decree was finally implemented by Catherine II in 1764);

He stopped the persecution of Old Believers and wanted to equalize the rights of all religions.

Liquidation of the Secret Chancellery and the return from exile of people convicted under Elizaveta Petrovna;

Trade monopolies, which hampered the development of entrepreneurship, were abolished;

Freedom was proclaimed foreign trade and etc.

Politically wise and economically expedient, these internal changes did not add to the emperor's popularity. His denial of everything Russian as “archaic,” the break with traditions, and the reshaping of many orders according to the Western model offended the national feelings of the Russian people. The fall of Emperor Peter III was a foregone conclusion, and it occurred as a result of a palace coup on June 28, 1762. Peter was forced to abdicate the throne, and a few days later he was killed.

Socio-economic development. Distinctive feature Russia's social development was a significant expansion of the privileges of the nobility, the acquisition of which was facilitated by the relative instability of state power.

The death of Peter the Great marked the end of one era - the period of revival, transformations and reforms, and the beginning of another, which went down in history under the name "the era of palace coups", which is studied in History of Russia in the 7th grade. What happened during this period of time - 1725-1762 - is what we are talking about today.

Factors

Before speaking briefly about the era of palace coups in Russia, it is necessary to understand what the term “palace coup” means. This stable combination is understood as a forceful change of power in the state, which is carried out through a conspiracy by a group of courtiers and relies on the help of a privileged military force - the guard. As a result, the current monarch is overthrown and a new heir from the ruling dynasty, a protégé of a group of conspirators, is installed on the throne. With the change of sovereign, the composition of the ruling elite also changes. During the period of coups d'etat in Russia - 37 years, six sovereigns were replaced on the Russian throne. The reasons for this were the following events:

After Peter I, there were no direct heirs in the male line: son Alexei Petrovich died in prison, convicted of treason, and the youngest son Peter Petrovich died at an early age;
Adopted by Peter I in 1722, the “Charter on the Succession to the Throne”: according to this document, the decision on the heir to the throne is made by the ruling monarch himself. Thus, they gathered around possible contenders for the throne. various groups supporters - noble groups that were in confrontation;
Peter the Great did not have time to draw up a will and indicate the name of the heir.

Thus, according to the definition of the Russian historian V.O. Klyuchevsky, the beginning of the era of palace coups in Russia is considered to be the date of death of Peter I - February 8 (January 28), 1725, and the end - 1762 - the year Catherine the Great came to power.

Rice. 1. Death of Peter the Great

Distinctive features

The palace coups of 1725-1762 had several characteristic common features:

Favoritism : a group of favorites was formed around a possible contender for succession to the throne, whose goal was to be closer to power and have influence on the balance of power. In fact, the nobles close to the sovereign concentrated all power in their hands and completely controlled the sovereign (Menshikov, Biron, princes Dolgoruky);
Reliance on the Guards Regiment : Guards regiments appeared under Peter I. In the Northern War, they became the main striking force of the Russian army, and then were used as the personal guard of the sovereign. In other words, their privileged position and proximity to the king played a decisive role in their “fate”: their support was used as the main striking force in palace coups;
Frequent change of monarchs ;
Appeal to the legacy of Peter the Great : each new heir laying claim to the throne demonstrated his intention to strictly follow the course of Peter I in foreign and domestic policy. However, what was promised often ran counter to current affairs and deviations from his program were observed.

Rice. 2. Portrait of Anna Ioannovna

Chronological table

In the next chronological table All six Russian rulers are represented, whose reign is historically associated with the era of palace coups. The first line answers the question of which ruler opened the gap in question in the political life of Russia in the 18th century - Catherine I. This is followed by other monarchs in chronological order. In addition, it is indicated with the help of what forces and court groups each of them came to power.

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*Ruler*	*Reign dates*	*Coup participants*	*Coup prop*	*Main events*
Catherine I (wife of the late Peter the Great)		Supreme Privy Council, power in which belonged to A.D. Menshikov	Guards regiments	Bypassing the main contenders: the grandson of Peter I - Peter Alekseevich and the crown princesses Anna and Elizabeth.
Peter II (grandson of Peter I from the eldest son of Alexei Petrovich)		Supreme Privy Council, Princes Dolgoruky and Andrei Osterman	Guards regiments	Catherine I She named the name of Peter II as a successor with the condition of his further marriage to Menshikov’s daughter. But Menshikov was deprived of all privileges and exiled to Berezov.
Anna Ioannovna (daughter of Peter I's elder brother Ivan)		Andrei Osterman, Biron and associates of the German nobles	Guards regiments	Bypassing the main contenders - the daughters of Peter the Great - Anna and Elizabeth.
Ivan Antonovich under the regency of Biron (son of Anna Leopoldovna - grandniece of Peter I)		Duke of Courland Biron, who was arrested a few weeks later. Anna Leopoldovna and her husband Anton Ulrich of Brunswick became regent for the young emperor.	German nobility	Bypassing Tsarevna Elizabeth
Elizaveta Petrovna (daughter of Peter I)		Doctor to the Crown Princess Lestok	Preobrazhensky Guards	As a result of the coup, Anna Leopoldovna and her husband were arrested and imprisoned in a monastery.
Peter III (grandson of Peter I, son of Anna Petrovna and Karl Friedrich of Holstein)				Became sovereign after the death of Elizabeth Petrovna according to her will
Catherine II (wife of Peter III)		Guardsmen brothers Orlov, P.N. Panin, Princess E. Dashkova, Kirill Razumovsky	Guards regiments: Semenovsky, Preobrazhensky and Horse Guards	As a result of the coup, Pyotr Fedorovich abdicated the throne, was arrested and soon died of a violent death

Some historians believe that the era of palace coups does not end with the arrival of Catherine II. They name other dates - 1725-1801, related to the administration of the state of Alexander I.

Rice. 3. Catherine the Great

The era of palace coups led to the fact that noble privileges expanded significantly.

What have we learned?

According to the new decree of Peter I on changes in the order of succession to the throne, the person entitled to inherit the royal throne in Russia was indicated as the current monarch. This document did not contribute to the establishment of order and stability in the state, but on the contrary, it led to an era of palace coups that lasted 37 years. The activities of six monarchs date back to this period.

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The era of palace coups began in Russia with the death of Peter I. In a short period of time, a large number of rulers visited the Russian throne.

The main historical reason for the era of palace coups in Russia is the decree of Peter I “On Succession to the Throne”. He changed the order of transfer of power, and now the Emperor could appoint his successor himself.

But Peter I did not have time to bequeath the throne to anyone. On January 28, 1725, Pyotr Alekseevich passed away. From that moment on, in Russia, the “Era of Palace Revolutions” began.

The Russian throne became the subject of confrontation between various political clans. The guard began to play a significant role in the struggle between representatives of noble noble families.

The transition of power from one autocrat to another, during the Age of Palace Coups, was carried out with great ease. The fact is that these coups did not change the political system in the state, they only changed the ruler.

With the change of ruler, there was also a regrouping of forces at court. Some families of nobles, from the ruling ones, went over to the “opposition” and waited for the right moment for the next coup. Others moved from the “opposition” to the class of the ruling elite, and tried by all means to maintain their influence.

After the death of Peter I, Catherine I became the Russian Empress, and she reigned from 1725 to 1727. In fact, all power during this period was in the hands of Alexander Danilovich Menshikov. The situation did not change in the first few months of the reign of Peter II. Later, Menshikov was exiled, and the Supreme Privy Council, represented by the Dolgoruky and Golitsyn clan, began to play a key role at court.

Peter II reigned from 1727 to 1730.

The next ruler of Russia during the Age of Palace Revolutions was Anna Ioannovna. She reigned for exactly ten years, from 1730 to 1740. These years were marked by the dominance of foreigners, adventurers and very dubious personalities in the Russian Empire. Embezzlement and bureaucracy flourished.

From 1740 to 1741, power over Russian society was in the hands of Ivan Antonovich and his mother Anna Leopoldovna, who was proclaimed regent of the child emperor.

Dissatisfaction with the dominance of the Germans grew among Russian society, and under this note, the daughter of Peter I, Elizaveta Petrovna, ascended the throne during the coup. The reign of Elizaveta Petrovna became a sip fresh air, a triumph of Russian national identity, after the humiliating policies of Anna Ioannovna.

The Empress's nephew, Peter III Fedorovich, became the heir of Elizabeth Petrovna. He ruled from 1761 to 1762. He entered Russian history as an emperor - a tyrant who stole victory from Russia in the Seven Years' War.

In the summer of 1762, the Russian throne was occupied by Catherine II, the wife of Peter III. The guard again played a major role in this palace coup.

Catherine II was succeeded by Paul I. Pavel Petrovich was the son of Catherine and Peter III. Paul I issued a new decree on succession to the throne, according to which power passed from father to eldest son. The era of palace coups in Russia ended with the death of Paul I, who was killed by conspirators.

His son Alexander I became the new Emperor of Russia.

The era of palace coups is considered to be the time from 1725 to 1862 - approximately 37 years. In 1725, Peter I died without transferring the throne to anyone, after which a struggle for power began, which was marked by a number of palace coups.

The author of the term “palace coups” is a historian IN. Klyuchevsky. He outlined another time period for this phenomenon in Russian history: 1725-1801, since in 1801 the last palace coup in the Russian Empire took place, ending with the death of Paul I and the accession of Alexander I Pavlovich.

To understand the reason for the series of palace coups in the 18th century, one should return to the era of Peter I, or more precisely, to 1722, when he issued the Decree on Succession to the Throne. The decree abolished the custom of transferring the royal throne to direct descendants in the male line and provided for the appointment of an heir to the throne at the will of the monarch. Peter I issued a Decree on Succession to the Throne due to the fact that his son, Tsarevich Alexei, was not a supporter of the reforms he was carrying out and grouped the opposition around himself. After the death of Alexei in 1718, Peter I did not intend to transfer power to his grandson Peter Alekseevich, fearing for the future of the reforms he was carrying out, but he himself did not have time to appoint a successor.

Thus, Peter I himself provoked a crisis of power, because did not appoint an heir to the throne. And after his death, many direct and indirect heirs laid claim to the Russian throne.

Each of the groups defended its class interests and privileges, which means it nominated and supported its own candidate for the throne. One should not discount the active position of the guard, which was raised by Peter I as a privileged part of society, or the absolute passivity of the people who did not delve into political life.

Immediately after the death of Peter I, two groups of conspirators emerged, seeking to see their protege on the throne: the most influential people of Peter’s era - Andrei Osterman and Alexander Menshikov - had the goal of elevating the wife of Emperor Peter I, Ekaterina Alekseevna, to the throne. The second group, inspired by the Duke of Holstein (Anna Petrovna’s husband), wanted to see the grandson of Peter I, Pyotr Alekseevich, on the throne.

Ultimately, thanks to the decisive actions of Osterman-Menshikov, Catherine was elevated to the throne.

N. Ge "Peter I interrogates Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich in Peterhof"

After his death, his widow was proclaimed empress Catherine I, which relied on one of the court groups.

Catherine I occupied the Russian throne for just over two years; she left a will: she appointed Grand Duke Peter Alekseevich as her successor and outlined in detail the order of succession to the throne, and all copies of the Decree on Succession to the Throne under Peter II Alekseevich were confiscated.

But Peter II died, also without leaving a will or an heir, and then the Supreme Privy Council (created in February 1726 with members: Field Marshal General His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov, Admiral General Count Fyodor Matveevich Apraksin, State Chancellor Count Gavriil Ivanovich Golovkin, Count Peter Andreevich Tolstoy, Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Golitsyn, Baron Andrei Ivanovich Osterman, and then Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein - as we see, almost all the “chicks of Petrov’s nest”) were elected empress Anna Ioannovna.

Before her death she designated a successor Ioann Antonovich, also detailing the further line of succession.

Overthrown Joan Elizaveta Petrovna relied on the will of Catherine I to justify her rights to the throne.

A few years later, her nephew Pyotr Fedorovich ( Peter III), after his accession to the throne his son became heir PaulI Petrovich.

But soon after this, as a result of a coup, power passed to the wife of Peter III Catherine II, which referred to “the will of all subjects,” while Paul remained the heir, although Catherine, according to some data, considered the option of depriving him of the right to inherit.

Having ascended the throne, in 1797, Paul I, on the day of his coronation, published the Manifesto on the succession to the throne, compiled by him and his wife Maria Fedorovna during Catherine’s lifetime. According to this manifesto, which repealed Peter’s decree, “the heir was determined by the law itself” - Paul’s intention was to exclude in the future the situation of removal of legitimate heirs from the throne and the exclusion of arbitrariness.

But the new principles of succession to the throne are still for a long time were not accepted not only by the nobility, but even by members of the imperial family: after the murder of Paul in 1801, his widow Maria Feodorovna, who together with him drew up the Manifesto on the Succession to the Throne, cried out: “I want to reign!” Alexander I’s manifesto on accession to the throne also contained Peter’s wording: “and his imperial majesty to the heir, who will be appointed", despite the fact that according to the law, Alexander’s heir was his brother Konstantin Pavlovich, who secretly renounced this right, which also contradicted the Manifesto of Paul I.

The Russian succession to the throne stabilized only after the accession to the throne of Nicholas I. Here is such a long preamble. And now, in order. So, CatherineI, PeterII, Anna Ioannovna, Ioann Antonovich, Elizaveta Petrovna, PeterIII, CatherineII, PavelI…

CatherineI

Catherine I. Portrait of an unknown artist

Ekaterina Alekseevna

V.M. Tormosov "Peter I and Catherine"

Her origins are not very clear, there are many assumptions, but one thing is known: in Catholic baptism her name was Martha (Skavronskaya), she was not born into a noble family and belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. She was raised by the Protestant theologian and learned linguist Gluck in the city of Marienburg (now Aluksne in Latvia). She did not receive an education, and in the pastor’s family she played the role of a girl in the kitchen and laundry.

In August 1702 (Northern War), Russian troops under the command of Field Marshal B.P. Sheremetev besieged the Marinburg fortress. A game of chance: Marta Skavronskaya was among the prisoners! She was 18 years old, the soldier who captured her sold the girl to a non-commissioned officer... And he “gifted” her to B.P. Sheremetev, for whom she was a concubine and laundress. Then it went to A. Menshikov, and then to Peter I. Peter saw it at Menshikov’s - and was captivated by it: not only by its magnificent and graceful forms, but also by its liveliness and witty answers to his questions. So Martha became the mistress of Peter I. This caused discontent among the soldiers and the people, but meanwhile they had children: by 1706 there were three of them: Peter, Paul and daughter Anna.

She lived in the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow, adopted Orthodox faith and the name Ekaterina Alekseevna Vasilevskaya (the patronymic was given according to godfather, Tsarevich Alexei).

To everyone’s surprise, Catherine had a huge influence on Peter, he became necessary for him both in difficult and joyful moments of his life - before her, Peter I had never had a good life. personal life. Gradually, Catherine became an indispensable person for the Tsar: she knew how to extinguish his outbursts of anger and share the difficulties of camp life. When Peter began to have severe headaches and convulsions, only she could calm him down and relieve the attack. In moments of anger, no one could approach him except Catherine; her voice alone had a calming effect on him. Since 1709 they were no longer separated. In 1711, she even saved Peter and the army in the Prut campaign, when she gave her jewelry to the Turkish vizier and persuaded him to sign a truce. Upon returning from this campaign, a wedding was celebrated and two daughters were already legitimized by that time: Anna (future wife of the Duke of Holstein) and Elizabeth (future Empress Elizaveta Petrovna). In 1714, the tsar approved the Order of St. Catherine and awarded it to his wife on her name day in honor of the Prut campaign.

Over the 20 years of their marriage, Catherine gave birth to 11 children, most of whom died in infancy, but meanwhile she was constantly with him on campaigns and on all journeys, experienced hardships, lived in tents, even participated in military reviews and encouraged the soldiers. But at the same time, she did not interfere in state affairs and did not show interest in power, never started intrigues and even sometimes stood up for those whom the king, prone to outbursts of anger, wanted to punish.

Catherine I

J.-M. Nattier "Portrait of Catherine I"

On December 23, 1721, she was recognized as empress by the Senate and Synod. Peter himself placed a crown on her head, which was more magnificent than the king’s crown. This event took place in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. It is believed that Peter was going to make Catherine his successor, but she took on a lover, Willie Mons, and when Peter found out about this, he ordered Mons executed, and his relationship with Catherine began to deteriorate. The betrayal of the woman he loved so greatly undermined his health. In addition, now he could not entrust her with the throne, fearing for the future of the great work he was doing. Soon Peter fell ill and finally took to his bed. Catherine was always at the bedside of her dying husband. Peter died on January 28, 1725, without naming a successor.

The throne could be claimed by the young grandson Peter Alekseevich (son of the executed Tsarevich Alexei), daughter Elizabeth and Peter’s nieces. Catherine had no basis for the throne.

On the day of Peter's death, senators, members of the Synod and generals (officials belonging to the first four classes of the table of ranks) gathered to decide the issue of succession to the throne. Princes Golitsyn, Repnin, Dolgorukov recognized the grandson of Peter I as the direct male heir. Apraksin, Menshikov and Tolstoy insisted on the proclamation reigning empress Ekaterina Alekseevna.

But unexpectedly, in the morning, guards officers entered the hall where the meeting was taking place and issued an ultimatum demanding Catherine’s accession to the throne. On the square in front of the palace, two guards regiments lined up under arms, expressing their support for the empress with the beating of drums. This stopped the argument. Catherine was recognized as empress.

The heir to the throne was declared the grandson of Peter I by his first marriage, the son of Tsarevich Alexei, Grand Duke Peter Alekseevich.

Thus, a foreign woman of simple origin was elevated to the throne under the name of Catherine I, who became the king’s wife on very dubious legal grounds.

The historian S. Solovyov wrote that “the famous Livonian captive was one of those people who seem capable of ruling until they accept the rule. Under Peter, she shone not with her own light, but borrowed from the great man whose companion she was.”

The era of A.D. Menshikova

Catherine did not know how to govern the state and did not want to. She spent all her time in lavish feasts and celebrations. Power actually passed to A.D. Menshikov. According to his instructions, V. Bering's expedition was sent to resolve the question of whether Asia is connected to America by a strait; the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences was opened, the creation of which was prepared by the actions of Peter I; The Order of St. Alexander Nevsky “For Labor and the Fatherland” was established - all this happened in 1725.

In 1726, the Supreme Privy Council was established, which consisted of 6 people headed by A.D. Menshikov. In fact, he led the country, because Catherine, during the three months of her reign, only learned to sign papers without looking. She was far from government affairs. Here is an excerpt from the memoirs of Ya. Lefort: “There is no way to determine the behavior of this court. Day turns into night, everything stands still, nothing gets done... There are intrigues, searches, disintegration everywhere... Holidays, drinking bouts, walks took up all her time. On special days she appeared in all her splendor and beauty, in a golden carriage. It was so breathtakingly beautiful. Power, glory, delight of loyal subjects - what else could she dream of? But... sometimes the empress, having enjoyed the glory, went down to the kitchen and, as recorded in the court journal, “cooked it themselves in the kitchen.”

But Catherine did not have to rule for long. The balls, feasts, celebrations and revelries that followed continuously undermined her health. She died on May 6, 1727, 2 years and three months after her accession to the throne, at the age of 43.

Conclusion

She intended to transfer the reign to her daughter Elizaveta Petrovna, but before her death she signed a will transferring the throne to the grandson of Peter I - Peter II Alekseevich, which Menshikov insisted on. He had his own plan: to marry his daughter Maria to him. Peter II by that time was only 11.5 years old. The daughters of Peter I, Anna and Elizabeth, were declared regents for the young emperor before his 16th birthday.

Catherine I was buried next to Peter I and his daughter Natalya Petrovna in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Catherine did not actually rule Russia, but she was loved by the common people because she knew how to sympathize and help the unfortunate.

The state of affairs in the state after her reign was deplorable: embezzlement, abuse, and arbitrariness flourished. IN Last year Throughout her life, she spent more than six million rubles on her whims, while there was no money in the state treasury. What reforms?

PeterII Alekseevich

Emperor of All Russia, son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich and Princess Charlotte Sophia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, grandson of Peter I and Evdokia Lopukhina. Born on October 12, 1715. He lost his mother at the age of 10 days, and his father fled to Vienna with his teacher N. Vyazemsky’s serf, Efrosinya Feodorovna. Peter I returned his rebellious son, forced him to renounce his right to the throne and sentenced him to death. There is a version that Alexey Petrovich was strangled in Peter and Paul Fortress without waiting for it to be completed.

Peter I did not care about his grandson, since he assumed in him, like his son, an opponent of reforms, an adherent of the old Moscow way of life. Little Peter was taught not just “something and somehow,” but just anyone, so he received virtually no education by the time he ascended the throne.

I. Wedekind "Portrait of Peter II"

But Menshikov had his own plans: he convinced Catherine I to name Peter as heir in her will, and after her death he ascended the throne. Menshikov betrothed him to his daughter Maria (Peter was only 12 years old), moved him into his house and actually began to govern the state himself, regardless of the opinion of the Supreme Privy Council. Baron A. Osterman, as well as Academician Goldbach and Archbishop F. Prokopovich, were appointed to train the young emperor. Osterman was a clever diplomat and a talented teacher, he captivated Peter with his witty lessons, but at the same time turned him against Menshikov (a struggle for power in another version! Osterman “bet” on Dolgoruky: a foreigner in Russia, albeit crowned with the glory of a skilled diplomat, can carry out its policy only in close alliance with the Russians). It all ended with Peter II removing Menshikov from power, taking advantage of his illness, depriving him of his ranks and fortune, and exiling him and his family first to the Ryazan province, and then to Berezov, Tobolsk province.

V. Surikov "Menshikov in Berezovo"

He died in Berezovo. His daughter Maria also died there at the age of 18. After some time, Peter II declared himself an opponent of Petrine reforms and liquidated all the institutions he created.

So, the powerful Menshikov fell, but the struggle for power continued - now, as a result of intrigues, the Dolgoruky princes gain primacy, who draw Peter into a wild life, carousing, and, having learned about his passion for hunting, take him away from the capital for many weeks.

On February 24, 1728, the coronation of Peter II takes place, but he remains far from state affairs. The Dolgorukys betrothed him to Princess Ekaterina Dolgoruky, the wedding was scheduled for January 19, 1730, but he caught a cold, contracted smallpox and died on the morning of the proposed wedding, he was only 15 years old. This is how the Romanov family in the male line was extinguished.

What can be said about the personality of Peter II? Let's listen to the historian N. Kostomarov: “Peter II did not reach the age when a person’s personality is determined. Although his contemporaries praised his abilities, natural intelligence and kind heart, these were only hopes for good things in the future. His behavior did not give the right to expect him to become a good ruler of the state over time. He not only did not like teaching and work, but hated both; nothing fascinated him in the state sphere; he was completely absorbed in fun, being constantly under someone’s influence.”

During his reign, power was mainly vested in the Supreme Privy Council.

Board results: decrees on streamlining the collection of poll taxes from the population (1727); restoration of the hetman's power in Little Russia; The Bill of Exchange Charter was promulgated; ratified trade agreement with China.

Anna Ioannovna

L. Caravaque "Portrait of Anna Ioannovna"

After the premature death of Peter II, the issue of succession to the throne again becomes on the agenda. There was an attempt to enthronement the bride of Peter II, Catherine Dolgorukaya, but it was unsuccessful. Then the Golitsyns, rivals of the Dolgorukys, nominated their contender - the niece of Peter I, Anna of Courland. But Anna came to power by signing the conditions. What are these “conditions” (conditions) of Anna Ioannovna?

This is an act that was drawn up by members of the Supreme Privy Council and which Anna Ioannovna had to fulfill: not to enter into marriage, not to appoint an heir, not to have the right to declare war and make peace, to introduce new taxes, to reward and punish subordinate senior officials. The main author of the conditions was Dmitry Golitsyn, but the document, drawn up immediately after the death of Peter II, was read only on February 2, 1730, so the bulk of the nobility could only guess about its contents and be content with rumors and assumptions. When the standards were made public, a split emerged among the nobility. Anna signed the conditions proposed to her on January 25, but when she arrived in Moscow, she accepted a deputation of opposition nobles who were concerned about the strengthening of the power of the Supreme Privy Council, and with the help of officers of the guard regiments, on February 28, 1730, she swore in the nobility as Russian autocrat, and also publicly refused from the conditions. On March 4, she abolishes the Supreme Privy Council, and on April 28, she is solemnly crowned and appoints her favorite E. Biron as Chief Chamberlain. The era of Bironovism begins.

A few words about the personality of Anna Ioannovna.

She was born on January 28, 1693, the fourth daughter of Tsar Ivan V (brother and co-ruler of Peter I) and Tsarina Praskovya Fedorovna Saltykova, granddaughter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. She was brought up in an extremely unfavorable environment: her father was a weak-minded man, and she did not get along with her mother from the very beginning. early childhood. Anna was arrogant and not of high intelligence. Her teachers could not even teach the girl to write correctly, but she achieved “bodily well-being.” Peter I, guided by political interests, gave his niece in marriage to the Duke of Courland Friedrich Wilhelm, nephew of the Prussian king. Their marriage took place on October 31, 1710 in St. Petersburg, in the palace of Prince Menshikov, and after that the couple spent a long time at feasts in the capital of Russia. But, barely leaving St. Petersburg for his possessions at the beginning of 1711, Friedrich Wilhelm died on the way to Mitava - as they suspected, due to immoderate excesses. So, without having time to be a wife, Anna becomes a widow and moves to her mother in the village of Izmailovo near Moscow, and then to St. Petersburg. But in 1716, by order of Peter I, she left for permanent residence in Courland.

And now she is the All-Russian Empress. Her reign, according to the historian V. Klyuchevsky, “is one of the darkest pages of our empire, and the most dark spot on it is the empress herself. Tall and corpulent, with a face more masculine than feminine, callous by nature and even more hardened by early widowhood amid diplomatic intrigues and court adventures in Courland, she brought to Moscow an angry and poorly educated mind with a fierce thirst for belated pleasures and entertainment.” Her courtyard was drowned in luxury and bad taste and was filled with crowds of jesters, firecrackers, buffoons, storytellers... Lazhechnikov talks about her “fun” in the book “Ice House”. She loved horse riding and hunting; in Peterhof, in her room, she always had loaded guns ready to shoot from the window at flying birds, and in the Winter Palace they specially built an arena for her, where they drove wild animals that she shot.

She was completely unprepared to rule the state, and moreover, she did not have the slightest desire to rule it. But she surrounded herself with foreigners who were completely dependent on her, who, according to V. Klyuchevsky, “fell into Russia like cheese from a holey bag, stuck around the courtyard, sat around the throne, and climbed into all the profitable positions in management.”

Portrait of E. Biron. Unknown artist

All affairs under Anna Ioannovna were managed by her favorite E. Biron. The cabinet of ministers created by Osterman was subordinate to him. The army was commanded by Minich and Lassi, and the court was commanded by the bribe-taker and passionate gambler Count Levenvold. In April 1731, a secret search office (torture chamber) began its work, supporting the authorities with denunciations and torture.

Board results: the position of the nobility was significantly eased - they were assigned the exclusive right to own peasants; military service lasted 25 years, and by a manifesto of 1736, one of the sons, at the request of his father, was allowed to stay at home to run the household and train him with a view to suitability for civil service.

In 1731 the law on single inheritance was repealed.

In 1732, the first cadet corps was opened to educate nobles.

The subjugation of Poland continued: the Russian army under the command of Minich took Danzig, losing more than 8 thousand of our soldiers.

In 1736-1740 there was a war with Turkey. The reason for it was constant raids Crimean Tatars. As a result of the campaigns of Lassi, who took Azov in 1739, and Minikh, who captured Perekop and Ochakov in 1736, and won a victory at Stauci in 1739, after which Moldova accepted Russian citizenship, the Peace of Belgrade was concluded. As a result of all these military operations, Russia lost about 100 thousand people, but still did not have the right to maintain a navy in the Black Sea, and could only use Turkish ships for trade.

To maintain the royal court in luxury, it was necessary to introduce milking raids and extortion expeditions. Many representatives of ancient noble families were executed or sent into exile: the Dolgorukovs, Golitsyns, Yusupovs and others. Chancellor A.P. Volynsky, together with like-minded people, in 1739 compiled a “Project on the improvement of state affairs,” which contained demands for the protection of the Russian nobility from the dominance of foreigners. According to Volynsky, government in the Russian Empire should be monarchical with the broad participation of the nobility as the first class in the state. The next government authority after the monarch should be the Senate (as it was under Peter the Great); then comes the lower government, made up of representatives of the lower and middle nobility. Estates: spiritual, urban and peasant - received, according to Volynsky’s project, significant privileges and rights. Literacy was required from everyone, and from the clergy and nobility a broader education, the breeding grounds of which were to be academies and universities. Many reforms were also proposed to improve justice, finance, trade, etc. For this they paid with execution. Moreover, Volynsky was sentenced to a very cruel execution: impaled alive, having first cut out his tongue; quarter his associates and then cut off their heads; confiscate the estate and send Volynsky’s two daughters and son into eternal exile. But then the sentence was commuted: three were beheaded, and the rest were exiled.

Shortly before her death, Anna Ioannovna learned that her niece Anna Leopoldovna had a son, and declared the two-month-old baby Ivan Antonovich heir to the throne, and before he came of age, she appointed E. Biron as regent, who received “the power and authority to manage all state affairs as internal, and foreign ones."

IvanVI Antonovich: Biron’s regency – Minich’s coup

Ivan VI Antonovich and Anna Leopoldovna

Biron's regency lasted about three weeks. Having received the right to regency, Biron continues to fight with Minich, and in addition, spoils relations with both Anna Leopoldovna and her husband Anton Ulrich. On the night of November 7–8, 1740, another palace coup took place, organized by Minich. Biron was arrested and sent into exile in the Tobolsk province, and the regency passed to Anna Leopoldovna. She recognized herself as a ruler, but did not take actual participation in state affairs. According to contemporaries, “... she was not stupid, but she had an aversion to any serious activity.” Anna Leopoldovna constantly quarreled and did not speak for weeks with her husband, who, in her opinion, “had a kind heart, but no intelligence.” And disagreements between spouses naturally created conditions for court intrigues in the struggle for power. Taking advantage of Anna Leopoldovna's carelessness and the dissatisfaction of Russian society with the continued German dominance, Elizaveta Petrovna comes into play. With the help of the guardsmen of the Preobrazhensky Regiment loyal to her, she arrested Anna Leopoldovna along with her family and decided to send them abroad. But the chamberlain A. Turchaninov made an attempt to carry out a counter-coup in favor of Ivan VI, and then Elizaveta Petrovna changed her decision: she took Anna Leopoldovna’s entire family under arrest and sent him to Ranenburg (near Ryazan). In 1744, they were taken to Kholmogory, and on the orders of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, Ivan VI was isolated from his family and 12 years later secretly transported to Shlisselburg, where he was kept in solitary confinement under the name of a “famous prisoner.”

In 1762, Peter III secretly examined former emperor. He disguised himself as an officer and entered the casemates where the prince was kept. He saw “a rather tolerable dwelling and sparsely equipped with the poorest furniture. The prince's clothes were also very poor. He was completely clueless and spoke incoherently. Either he claimed that he was Emperor John, or he insisted that the emperor was no longer in the world, and his spirit had passed into him...”

Under Catherine II, his guards were instructed to persuade the prince to become a monk, but in case of danger, “kill the prisoner, and not hand over the living one into the hands of anyone.” Lieutenant V. Mirovich, who learned the secret of the secret prisoner, tried to free Ivan Antonovich and proclaim him emperor. But the guards followed the instructions. The body of Ivan VI was exhibited for a week in the Shlisselburg fortress “for the news and worship of the people,” and then buried in Tikhvin in the Bogoroditsky Monastery.

Anna Leopoldovna died in 1747 from patrimonial fever, and Catherine II allowed Anton Ulrich to leave for his homeland, since he did not pose a danger to her, not being a member of the Romanov dynasty. But he refused the offer and stayed with the children in Kholmogory. But their fate is sad: Catherine II, after consolidating the dynasty with the birth of two grandchildren, allowed Anna Leopoldovna’s children to move in with her aunt, the Dowager Queen of Denmark and Norway. But, as N. Eidelman writes, “ironically, they lived at home - in prison, and then abroad - in freedom. But they yearned for that prison in their homeland, not knowing any language other than Russian.”

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna

S. van Loo "Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna"

Read about it on our website:

PeterIII Fedorovich

A.K. Pfanzelt "Portrait of Peter III"

Read about it on our website:

CatherineII Alekseevna the Great

A. Antropov "Catherine II the Great"

Empress of All Russia. Before the adoption of Orthodoxy - Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta. She was born in Stettin, where her father, Christian August, Duke of Anhalt-Zerbst-Bernburg, at that time served with the rank of major general in the Prussian army. Her mother, Johanna Elisabeth, for some reason did not like the girl, so Sofia (Fike, as her family called her) lived in Hamburg with her grandmother from early childhood. She received a mediocre upbringing because... The family was constantly in need; its teachers were random people. The girl did not stand out for any talents, except for a penchant for command and boyish games. Fike was secretive and calculating from childhood. By a happy coincidence, during a trip to Russia in 1744, at the invitation of Elizaveta Petrovna, she became the bride of the future Russian Tsar Peter III Fedorovich.

Catherine already in 1756 was planning her future seizure of power. During difficult and long illness Elizaveta Petrovna Grand Duchess made it clear to her “English comrade” H. Williams that she had to wait only for the death of the empress. But Elizaveta Petrovna died only in 1761, and her legal heir, Peter III, the husband of Catherine II, ascended the throne.

Teachers of the Russian language and the Law of God were assigned to the princess; she showed enviable persistence in learning in order to prove her love for a foreign country and adapt to a new life. But the first years of her life in Russia were very difficult, and she also experienced neglect from her husband and courtiers. But the desire to become a Russian empress outweighed the bitterness of the trials. She adapted to the tastes of the Russian court, only one thing was missing - an heir. And this is exactly what was expected of her. After two unsuccessful pregnancies, she finally gave birth to a son, the future Emperor Paul I. But by order of Elizabeth Petrovna, he was immediately separated from his mother, showing him for the first time only 40 days later. Elizaveta Petrovna raised her grandson herself, and Ekaterina began to educate herself: she read a lot, and not only novels - her interests included historians and philosophers: Tacitus, Montesquieu, Voltaire, etc. Thanks to her hard work and perseverance, she was able to achieve respect for herself, with her not only famous Russian politicians, but also foreign ambassadors began to count. In 1761, her husband, Peter III, ascended the throne, but he was unpopular in society, and then Catherine, with the help of the guards of the Izmailovsky, Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments, overthrew her husband from the throne in 1762. She also stopped attempts to appoint her regent for her son Paul , which N. Panin and E. Dashkova sought, and got rid of Ivan VI. Read more about the reign of Catherine II on our website:

Having become known as an enlightened queen, Catherine II was unable to achieve love and understanding from her own son. In 1794, despite the opposition of the courtiers, she decided to remove Paul from the throne in favor of her beloved grandson Alexander. But sudden death in 1796 prevented her from achieving what she wanted.

All-Russian Emperor PavelI Petrovich

S. Shchukin "Portrait of Emperor Paul I"

Read about it on our website.

The era of palace coups was over. Characteristics of the era of palace coups

The era of palace coups in Russia.

The era of palace coups 1725-1762.

Catherine I (1725–1727).

Peter II (1727–1730).

Anna Ioannovna (1730–1740).

Elizaveta Petrovna (1741–1761).

Peter III (1761–1762).

Causes of palace coups

Features of palace coups

Role of the Guard

Favoritism

Social system of Russia

History of palace coups

Video of palace coups after the death of Peter 1: sequence and reasons

The role of the guard in palace coups

The era of palace coups table the method of coming to power

The fourth palace coup in Russia

Explain why the palace coup of internal politics was ruled by the monarchy

Why was Peter I forced to issue a decree on succession to the throne?

What important events occurred in 1740, 1741, 1741 - 1743, 1756-1763, 1761, 1762?

What is a palace coup?

What are the causes and features of palace coups in Russia?

What role did the guard play in palace coups?

What is favoritism?

Make a table “The era of palace coups.”

How did the positions of the Russian nobility strengthen in 1725-1761?

Palace coups: causes and main events

Factors

Distinctive features

Chronological table

What have we learned?

Test on the topic

Evaluation of the report

CatherineI

Ekaterina Alekseevna

Catherine I

The era of A.D. Menshikova

Conclusion

PeterII Alekseevich

Anna Ioannovna

IvanVI Antonovich: Biron’s regency – Minich’s coup

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna

PeterIII Fedorovich

CatherineII Alekseevna the Great

All-Russian Emperor PavelI Petrovich