What Peter 1 wrote. Main dates of the life and activities of Peter the Great

The future emperor was born on May 30 (June 9), 1672 in Moscow.
Peter's father, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, received the nickname Quietest from his subjects during his lifetime for his meek disposition. He already had 13 children from his first marriage to Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya, most of whom died in infancy.
For his mother, Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina, Peter was the first-born and most beloved child, “the light of Petrushenka” throughout her life.
1676 - Peter lost his father. After the death of Alexei Mikhailovich, the fierce struggle for power waged by the Naryshkin and Miloslavsky families intensified. Four-year-old Peter has not yet laid claim to the throne occupied by his older brother, Fyodor Alekseevich. The latter supervised the education of Peter, and later appointed clerk Nikita Zotov as his teacher.
1682 - Fyodor Alekseevich dies. Peter is crowned king together with his brother Ivan, so the two noble families hoped to come to a compromise and share the sweetness among themselves. But Peter is still small - he is only ten years old, and Ivan is simply sick and weak. So, in fact, power in the country passed to their common sister, Princess Sophia.
After Sophia actually usurped power, her mother took Peter near Moscow, to the village of Preobrazhenskoye. There he spent the rest of his childhood. The future emperor studied mathematics, military and naval affairs at Preobrazhenskoe, and often visited the German settlement. For military fun, Peter was recruited from two “amusing” regiments from the boyar children, Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky. Gradually, a circle of trusted persons formed around Peter, among whom was Menshikov, loyal to the Tsar until the end of his life.
1689 - Peter I marries. The boyar's daughter, the girl Evdokia Fedorovna Lopukhina, became the tsar's chosen one. In many ways, the marriage was concluded to please the mother, who wanted to show political competitors that Tsar Peter was already old enough to take power into his own hands.
The same year there is a Streltsy revolt, provoked by Princess Sophia. Peter manages to remove his sister from the throne. The princess is sent to the Novodevichy Convent.
1689 - 1694 - the country is ruled on behalf of Peter by his mother, Natalya Naryshkina.
1696 - Tsar Ivan dies. Peter becomes the sole ruler of Russia. Supporters and relatives of his mother help him in ruling. The autocrat spends most of his time in Preobrazhenskoe, organizing “amusing” fights, or in the German Settlement, gradually becoming saturated with European ideas.
1695 – 1696 – Peter I undertakes the Azov campaigns. Their goal was to provide Russia with access to the sea and secure the southern borders, where the Turks ruled. The first campaign was unsuccessful, and Peter realized that the only way to win for Russia was to bring the fleet to Azov. The fleet was urgently built in Voronezh, and the autocrat took personal part in the construction. In 1696 Azov was taken.
1697 - The Tsar understands that in technical terms and naval affairs Russia is still far from Europe. On the initiative of Peter, the first Grand Embassy headed by Franz Lefort, F.A. is sent to Holland. Golovin and P.B. Voznitsyn. The embassy consists mainly of young boyars. Peter travels to Holland incognito, under the name of the sailor Peter Mikhailov.
In Holland, Petr Mikhailov not only studied shipbuilding for four months, but also worked on a ship in Saardam. Then the Embassy goes to England, where Peter studied naval affairs in Dapford. At the same time, the Embassy participants conducted secret negotiations on the creation of an anti-Turkish coalition, but with little success - European states were afraid to get involved with Russia.
1698 - having learned about the Streletsky riot in Moscow, Peter returns. The uprising was suppressed with unprecedented cruelty.
Upon returning from the Embassy, Peter begins his famous reforms. First of all, a decree was issued requiring the boyars to shave their beards and dress in a European manner. For his unprecedented demands, many begin to consider Peter the Antichrist. Transformations in all spheres of life, from the political structure to the church, occur throughout the life of the king.
Then, having returned from the Embassy, Peter separated from his first wife Evdokia Lopukhina (sent to a monastery) and married the captive Latvian Marta Skavronskaya, who received the name Ekaterina at baptism. From his first marriage, the Tsar has a son, Alexei.
1700 - Peter realizes that the only exit to Europe for Russia is through the Baltic Sea. But the Baltic is ruled by the Swedes, led by the king and talented commander Charles XII. The king refuses to sell the Baltic lands to Russia. Realizing the inevitability of war, Peter uses a trick - he unites against Sweden with Denmark, Norway and Saxony.
1700 - 1721 - The Northern War was waged throughout almost the entire life of Peter, then dying out, then resuming again. The main land battle of that war was the Battle of Poltava (1709), which was won by the Russians. Charles XII is invited to celebrate the victory, and Peter raises the first glass to him, as to his main enemy. The first naval victory was the victory at the Battle of Gangut in 1714. The Russians retook Finland.
1703 - Peter decides to build a city on the banks of the Neva River and the Gulf of Finland for strategic purposes.
1710 - Turkey declares war on Russia, in which Russia, already waging battles in the north, loses.
1712 - Peter moves the capital to the Neva, to St. Petersburg. It is impossible to say that the city was built, but the foundations of the infrastructure were laid, and this seemed enough to the king.
1713 – The Treaty of Adrianople is signed, according to which Russia renounces Azov in favor of Turkey.
1714 - Peter sends a research expedition to Central Asia.
1715 - an expedition to the Caspian Sea is sent.
1717 - another expedition, this time to Khiva.
1718 - in the Peter and Paul Fortress, under circumstances that have not yet been clarified, Peter’s son from his first marriage, Alexei, dies. There is a version that the order to kill the heir was issued personally by the autocrat, suspecting him of treason.
September 10, 1721 – The Treaty of Nystad was signed, marking the end of the Northern War. In November of the same year, Peter I was proclaimed Emperor of All Russia.
1723 - in exchange for military support, the Persian khans give Russia the eastern and southern territories of the Caspian Sea.
1724 - Peter I declares his wife Catherine empress. Most likely, this was done for one purpose - Peter wanted to bequeath the throne to her. Peter had no male heirs after Alexei's death. Catherine bore him several children, but only two daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, survived.
Autumn 1724 - a shipwreck occurs in the Gulf of Finland. The emperor, who witnessed the incident, rushes into the icy water to save the drowning people. The matter ended with a severe cold - Peter’s body, undermined by inhuman stress, could not withstand the autumn swim.
On January 28 (February 8), 1725, Emperor Peter I dies in St. Petersburg. He was buried in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

The history of Russia is diverse and interesting. Peter 1 was able to have a huge influence on her. In his reform activities, he relied on the experience of Western countries, but acted based on the needs of Russia, while not having a specific system and program for reform. The first Russian emperor was able to lead the country out of the “troubled” times into the progressive European world, forced him to respect the power and reckon with it. Of course, he was a key figure in the formation of the state.

Politics and government

Let's take a brief look at the policies and reign of Peter 1. He was able to create all the necessary conditions for wide acquaintance with Western civilization, and the process of abandoning the old foundations was quite painful for Rus'. An important feature of the reforms was that they affected all social strata; this made the history of the reign of Peter 1 very different from the activities of his predecessors.

But in general, Peter’s policy was aimed at strengthening the country and introducing it to culture. True, he often acted from a position of strength, nevertheless, he was able to create a powerful country, headed by an emperor with absolute unlimited power.

Before Peter 1, Russia was far behind other countries economically and technically, but conquests and transformations in all spheres of life led to the strengthening, expansion of the borders of the empire and its development.

The policy of Peter 1 was to overcome the crisis of traditionalism through many reforms, as a result of which modernized Russia became one of the main participants in international political games. She actively lobbied for her interests. Her authority grew significantly, and Peter himself began to be considered an example of a great reformer.

He laid the foundations of Russian culture and created an effective management system that lasted for many years.

Many experts, studying Russian history, believe that carrying out reforms by forceful imposition was unacceptable, although the opinion is not denied that otherwise the country simply could not be raised, and the emperor must be tough. Despite the reconstruction, the country did not get rid of the serfdom system. On the contrary, the economy rested on it, the stable army consisted of peasants. This was the main contradiction in Peter’s reforms, and this is how the preconditions for a crisis in the future appeared.

Biography

Peter 1 (1672-1725) was the youngest son in the marriage of Romanov A.M. and Naryshkina N.K. Learning the alphabet began on March 12, 1677, when he was not yet five years old. Peter 1, whose biography was full of bright events since childhood, later became a great emperor.

The prince studied very willingly, loved different stories and reading books. When the queen found out about this, she ordered history books from the palace library to be given to him.

In 1676, Peter 1, whose biography at that time was marked by the death of his father, was left to be raised by his older brother. He was appointed heir, but due to poor health, ten-year-old Peter was proclaimed sovereign. The Miloslavskys did not want to come to terms with this, and therefore the Streletsky rebellion was provoked, after which both Peter and Ivan were on the throne.

Peter and his mother lived in Izmailovo, the ancestral estate of the Romanovs, or in the village of Preobrazhenskoye. The prince never received a church or secular education; he existed on his own. Energetic, very active, he often played out battles with his peers.

In the German settlement he met his first love and made many friends. The beginning of the reign of Peter 1 was marked by a revolt, which was organized by Sophia, trying to get rid of her brother. She did not want to give power into his hands. In 1689, the prince had to take refuge in the regiments and most of the court, and his sister Sophia was removed from the board and forcibly imprisoned in a monastery.

Peter 1 established himself on the throne. From that moment on, his biography became even more eventful both in his personal life and in state activities. He took part in campaigns against Turkey, traveled as a volunteer to Europe, where he took a course in artillery science, studied shipbuilding in England, and made many reforms in Russia. He was married twice and had 14 officially recognized children.

Personal life of Peter I

She became the tsar's first wife, with whom they married in 1689. The bride was chosen by the great sovereign’s mother, and he did not feel tenderness for her, but only hostility. In 1698, she was forcibly tonsured a nun. Personal life is a separate page of the book, in which the story of Peter 1 could be described. On his way he met Martha, a Livonian beauty who was captured by the Russians, and the sovereign, seeing her in Menshikov’s house, no longer wanted to part with her. After their wedding, she became Empress Catherine I.

Peter loved her very much, she bore him many children, but after learning about her betrayal, he decided not to bequeath the throne to his wife. The king had a difficult relationship with his son from his first marriage. The emperor died without leaving a will.

Hobbies of Peter I

Even as a child, the future great Tsar Peter 1 assembled “amusing” regiments from his peers and launched battles. In later life, it was these well-trained regiments that became the main guard. Peter was very inquisitive by nature, and therefore he was interested in many crafts and sciences. The fleet is another of his passions; he was seriously involved in shipbuilding. He mastered fencing, horse riding, pyrotechnics, and many other sciences.

Beginning of reign

The beginning of the reign of Peter 1 was a dual kingdom, as he shared power with his brother Ivan. After the deposition of his sister Sophia, Peter did not rule the state for the first time. Already at the age of 22, the young king turned his attention to the throne, and all his hobbies began to take on real shape for the country. His first Azov campaign was undertaken in 1695, and the second in the spring of 1696. Then the sovereign begins to build a fleet.

Appearance of Peter I

From infancy, Peter was a rather large baby. Even as a child, he was handsome in both face and figure, and among his peers he was taller than everyone else. In moments of excitement and anger, the king’s face twitched nervously, and this frightened those around him. Duke Saint-Simon gave his exact description: “Tsar Peter 1 is tall, well-built, a little thin. Round face and beautifully shaped eyebrows. The nose is a little short, but not conspicuous, large lips, dark skin. The king has beautifully shaped black eyes, lively and very penetrating. The look is very welcoming and majestic.”

era

The era of Peter 1 is of great interest, since this is the beginning of the growth and comprehensive development of Russia, its transformation into a great power. Thanks to the transformations of the monarch and his activities, over several decades, a system of administration and education was built, a regular army and navy were formed. Industrial enterprises grew, crafts and trades developed, and domestic and foreign trade improved. There was a constant provision of jobs for the country's population.

Culture in Russia under Peter I

Russia changed greatly when Peter ascended the throne. The reforms he carried out were of great importance for the country. Russia became stronger and constantly expanded its borders. It became a European state that other countries had to reckon with. Not only military affairs and trade developed, but there were also cultural achievements. The New Year began to count from January 1, a ban on beards appeared, the first Russian newspaper and foreign books in translation were published. Career growth without education has become impossible.

Having ascended the throne, the great emperor made many changes, and the history of the reign of Peter 1 is diverse and majestic. One of the most important decrees stated that the custom of transferring the throne to descendants only through the male line was abolished, and any heir could be appointed at the will of the king. The decree was very unusual, and it had to be justified and the consent of the subjects sought, forcing it to be sworn. But death did not give him the opportunity to bring it to life.

Etiquette in the time of Peter

Significant changes occurred during the time of Peter 1 in etiquette. The courtiers wore European clothes; a beard could only be preserved by paying a large fine. It has become fashionable to wear Western-style wigs. Women who had not previously been present at palace receptions now became obligatory guests at them, their education improved, since it was believed that a girl should be able to dance, know foreign languages and play musical instruments.

Character of Peter I

The monarch's character was controversial. Peter is hot-tempered and at the same time cold-blooded, wasteful and stingy, tough and merciful, very demanding and often condescending, rude and at the same time gentle. This is how those who knew him describe him. But at the same time, the great emperor was an integral person, his life was completely devoted to serving the state, and it was to him that he devoted his life.

Peter 1 was very thrifty when he spent money on personal needs, but he did not skimp on the construction of his palaces and his beloved wife. The emperor believed that the easiest way to reduce vices was to reduce his needs, and he should set an example for his subjects. Here two of his incarnations are clearly visible: one - the great and powerful emperor, whose palace in Peterhof is not inferior to Versailles, the other - a thrifty owner, setting an example of economical life for his subjects. Stinginess and prudence were also evident to European residents.

Reforms

The beginning of the reign of Peter 1 was marked by many reforms, mainly related to military affairs, which were often carried out by force and did not always lead to the result he needed. But after 1715 they became more systematic. We touched upon reforms from the first years, which turned out to be ineffective in governing the country. If we consider the reign of Peter 1 briefly, we can highlight several important points. He organized the Near Office. Many collegiums were introduced, each responsible for its own area (taxes, foreign policy, trade, courts, etc.). has undergone radical changes. The position of fiscal officer was introduced to supervise employees. The reforms affected all aspects of life: military, church, financial, trade, autocratic. Thanks to a radical restructuring of all spheres of life, Russia began to be considered a great power, which is what Peter 1 sought.

Peter I: important years

If we consider important dates in the life and activities of the monarch, then Peter 1, whose years were marked by various events, was most active in some time periods:

The beginning of the reign of Peter 1 was from the very beginning built on the struggle for the state. It was not for nothing that they called him the Great. Dates of the reign of Peter 1: 1682-1725. Being strong-willed, decisive, talented, sparing neither effort nor time to achieve the goal, the king was strict with everyone, but first of all with himself. Often ruthless, but it was thanks to his energy, determination, assertiveness and some cruelty that Russia changed dramatically, becoming a Great Power. The era of Peter 1 changed the face of the state for many centuries. And the city he founded became the capital of the empire for 300 years. And now St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Russia and proudly bears its name in honor of the great founder.

Peter the Great is a rather remarkable personality, both from the side of a person and from the side of a ruler. His numerous changes in the country, decrees and attempts to organize life in a new way were not perceived positively by everyone. However, it cannot be denied that during his reign a new impetus was given for the development of the Russian Empire of that time.

The Great Peter the Great introduced innovations that made it possible to reckon with the Russian Empire on a global level. These were not only external achievements, but also internal reforms.

An extraordinary personality in the history of Russia - Tsar Peter the Great

There were a lot of outstanding sovereigns and rulers in the Russian state. Each of them contributed to its development. One of these was Tsar Peter I. His reign was marked by various innovations in various fields, as well as reforms that brought Russia to a new level.

What can you say about the time when Tsar Peter the Great reigned? Briefly, it can be characterized as a series of changes in the way of life of Russian people, as well as a new direction in the development of the state itself. After his trip to Europe, Peter became obsessed with the idea of a full-fledged navy for his country.

During his royal years, Peter the Great changed a lot in the country. He is the first ruler who gave direction for changing the culture of Russia towards Europe. Many of his followers continued his endeavors, and this led to the fact that they were not forgotten.

Peter's childhood

If we now talk about whether his childhood years influenced the future fate of the tsar, his behavior in politics, then we can answer that absolutely. Little Peter was always precocious, and his distance from the royal court allowed him to look at the world in a completely different way. No one hampered him in his development, and no one forbade him to feed his craving for learning everything new and interesting.

The future Tsar Peter the Great was born in 1672, on June 9. His mother was Naryshkina Natalya Kirillovna, who was the second wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Until he was four years old, he lived at court, loved and pampered by his mother, who doted on him. In 1676, his father, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, died. Fyodor Alekseevich, who was Peter's older half-brother, ascended the throne.

From that moment on, a new life began both in the state and in the royal family. By order of the new king (who was also his half-brother), Peter began to learn to read and write. Science came quite easily to him; he was a rather inquisitive child who was interested in a lot of things. The teacher of the future ruler was clerk Nikita Zotov, who did not scold the restless student too much. Thanks to him, Peter read many wonderful books that Zotov brought him from the armory.

The result of all this was a further genuine interest in history, and even in the future he had a dream of a book that would tell about the history of Russia. Peter was also passionate about the art of war and was interested in geography. At an older age, he compiled a fairly easy and simple to learn alphabet. However, if we talk about the systematic acquisition of knowledge, the king did not have this.

Ascension to the throne

Peter the Great was enthroned when he was ten years old. This happened after the death of his half-brother Fyodor Alekseevich, in 1682. However, it should be noted that there were two contenders for the throne. This is Peter's older half-brother, John, who was quite sickly from birth. Perhaps this is why the clergy decided that the ruler should be a younger, but stronger candidate. Due to the fact that Peter was still a minor, the Tsar’s mother, Natalya Kirillovna, ruled on his behalf.

However, this did not please the equally noble relatives of the second contender for the throne - the Miloslavskys. All this discontent, and even the suspicion that Tsar John was killed by the Naryshkins, led to an uprising that happened on May 15. This event later became known as the “streltsy riot.” On this day, some boyars who were Peter's mentors were killed. What happened made an indelible impression on the young king.

After the Streltsy rebellion, two were crowned kings - John and Peter 1, the former having a dominant position. Their elder sister Sophia, who was the real ruler, was appointed regent. Peter and his mother again left for Preobrazhenskoye. By the way, numerous of his relatives and associates were also either exiled or killed.

Life of Peter in Preobrazhenskoye

Peter's life after the May 1682 events remained just as secluded. Only occasionally did he come to Moscow, when there was a need for his presence at official receptions. The rest of the time he continued to live in the village of Preobrazhenskoye.

At this time, he became interested in studying military affairs, which led to the formation of still children's amusing regiments. They recruited guys around his age who wanted to learn the art of war, since all these initial children's games grew into just that. Over time, a small military town is formed in Preobrazhenskoye, and the children's amusing regiments grow into adults and become quite an impressive force to be reckoned with.

It was at this time that the future Tsar Peter the Great had the idea of his own fleet. One day he discovered a broken boat in an old barn, and he got the idea of fixing it. After some time, Peter found the man who repaired it. So, the boat was launched. However, the Yauza River was too small for such a vessel; it was dragged to a pond near Izmailovo, which also seemed too small for the future ruler.

Ultimately, Peter’s new hobby continued on Lake Pleshchevo, near Pereyaslavl. It was here that the formation of the future fleet of the Russian Empire began. Peter himself not only commanded, but also studied various crafts (blacksmith, joiner, carpenter, and studied printing).

Peter did not receive a systematic education at one time, but when the need arose to study arithmetic and geometry, he did so. This knowledge was needed in order to learn how to use an astrolabe.

Over the course of these years, as Peter gained his knowledge in various fields, he gained many associates. These are, for example, Prince Romodanovsky, Fyodor Apraksin, Alexey Menshikov. Each of these people played a role in the nature of the future reign of Peter the Great.

Peter's family life

Peter's personal life was quite difficult. He was seventeen years old when he got married. This happened at the insistence of the mother. Evdokia Lopukhina became Petru's wife.

There was never any understanding between the spouses. A year after his marriage, he became interested in Anna Mons, which led to a final disagreement. The first family history of Peter the Great ended with Evdokia Lopukhina being exiled to a monastery. This happened in 1698.

From his first marriage, the tsar had a son, Alexei (born in 1690). There is a rather tragic story associated with him. It is not known exactly for what reason, but Peter did not love his own son. Perhaps this happened because he was not at all like his father, and also did not at all welcome some of his reformist introductions. Be that as it may, in 1718 Tsarevich Alexei dies. This episode itself is quite mysterious, since many talked about torture, as a result of which Peter’s son died. By the way, hostility towards Alexei also spread to his son (grandson Peter).

In 1703, Martha Skavronskaya, who later became Catherine I, entered the tsar’s life. For a long time she was Peter’s mistress, and in 1712 they got married. In 1724, Catherine was crowned empress. Peter the Great, whose biography of family life is truly fascinating, was very attached to his second wife. During their life together, Catherine bore him several children, but only two daughters survived - Elizaveta and Anna.

Peter treated his second wife very well, one might even say he loved her. However, this did not stop him from occasionally having affairs on the side. Catherine herself did the same. In 1725, she was caught having an affair with Willem Mons, who was a chamberlain. It was a scandalous story, as a result of which the lover was executed.

The beginning of the real reign of Peter

For a long time, Peter was only second in line to the throne. Of course, these years were not in vain; he studied a lot and became a full-fledged person. However, in 1689 there was a new Streltsy uprising, which was prepared by his sister Sophia, who was ruling at that time. She did not take into account that Peter is no longer the younger brother he used to be. Two personal royal regiments - Preobrazhensky and Streletsky, as well as all the patriarchs of Rus' - came to his defense. The rebellion was suppressed, and Sophia spent the rest of her days in the Novodevichy Convent.

After these events, Peter became more interested in the affairs of the state, but still transferred most of them onto the shoulders of his relatives. The real reign of Peter the Great began in 1695. In 1696, his brother John died, and he remained the sole ruler of the country. From this time on, innovations began in the Russian Empire.

King's Wars

There were several wars in which Peter the Great took part. The biography of the king shows how purposeful he was. This is proven by his first campaign against Azov in 1695. It ended in failure, but this did not stop the young king. Having analyzed all the mistakes, Peter carried out a second assault in July 1696, which ended successfully.

After the Azov campaigns, the tsar decided that the country needed its own specialists, both in military affairs and in shipbuilding. He sent several nobles for training, and then decided to travel around Europe himself. This lasted a year and a half.

In 1700, Peter begins the Great Northern War, which lasted twenty-one years. The result of this war was the signed Treaty of Nystadt, which gave him access to the Baltic Sea. By the way, it was this event that led to Tsar Peter I receiving the title of emperor. The resulting lands formed the Russian Empire.

Estate reform

Despite the war, the emperor did not forget to pursue the country's internal policy. Numerous decrees of Peter the Great affected various spheres of life in Russia and beyond.

One of the important reforms was the clear division and consolidation of rights and responsibilities between nobles, peasants and city residents.

Nobles. In this class, innovations concerned primarily compulsory literacy training for males. Those who could not pass the exam were not allowed to receive officer rank, and they were also not allowed to marry. A table of ranks was introduced, which allowed even those who by birth did not have the right to receive nobility.

In 1714, a decree was issued that allowed only one scion from a noble family to inherit all property.

Peasants. For this class, poll taxes were introduced instead of household taxes. Also, those slaves who went to serve as soldiers were freed from serfdom.

City. For urban residents, the transformation consisted in the fact that they were divided into “regular” (divided into guilds) and “irregular” (other people). Also in 1722, craft workshops appeared.

Military and judicial reforms

Peter the Great also carried out reforms for the army. It was he who began recruiting into the army every year from young people who had reached the age of fifteen. They were sent for military training. This resulted in the army becoming stronger and more experienced. A powerful fleet was created and judicial reform was carried out. Appellate and provincial courts appeared, which were subordinate to the governors.

Administrative reform

At the time when Peter the Great ruled, reforms also affected government administration. For example, the ruling king could appoint his successor during his lifetime, which was previously impossible. It could be absolutely anyone.

Also in 1711, by order of the tsar, a new state body appeared - the Governing Senate. Anyone could also enter it; it was the king’s privilege to appoint its members.

In 1718, instead of the Moscow orders, 12 boards appeared, each of which covered its own area of activity (for example, military, income and expenses, etc.).

At the same time, by decree of Emperor Peter, eight provinces were created (later there were eleven). The provinces were divided into provinces, the latter into counties.

Other reforms

The time of Peter the Great was rich in other equally important reforms. For example, they affected the Church, which lost its independence and became dependent on the state. Subsequently, the Holy Synod was established, whose members were appointed by the sovereign.

Great reforms took place in the culture of the Russian people. The king, after returning from a trip to Europe, ordered the beards to be cut off and the faces of men to be smoothly shaved (this did not apply only to priests). Peter also introduced the wearing of European clothing for the boyars. In addition, balls and other music appeared for the upper class, as well as tobacco for men, which the king brought from his travels.

An important point was the change in calendar calculation, as well as the postponement of the start of the new year from the first of September to the first of January. This happened in December 1699.

Culture in the country had a special position. The sovereign founded many schools that provided knowledge of foreign languages, mathematics and other technical sciences. A lot of foreign literature has been translated into Russian.

Results of Peter's reign

Peter the Great, whose reign was replete with many changes, led Russia to a new direction in its development. The country now has a fairly strong fleet, as well as a regular army. The economy has stabilized.

The reign of Peter the Great also had a positive impact on the social sphere. Medicine began to develop, the number of pharmacies and hospitals increased. Science and culture have reached a new level.

In addition, the state of the economy and finances in the country has improved. Russia has reached a new international level and has also concluded several important agreements.

End of reign and successor of Peter

The death of the king is shrouded in mystery and speculation. It is known that he died on January 28, 1725. However, what led him to this?

Many people talk about an illness from which he did not fully recover, but went to the Ladoga Canal on business. The king was returning home by sea when he saw a ship in distress. It was late, cold and rainy autumn. Peter helped drowning people, but got very wet and as a result caught a severe cold. He never recovered from all this.

All this time, while Tsar Peter was ill, prayers were held in many churches for the health of the Tsar. Everyone understood that this was truly a great ruler who had done a lot for the country and could have done so much more.

There was another rumor that the tsar was poisoned, and it could have been A. Menshikov, close to Peter. Be that as it may, after his death Peter the Great did not leave a will. The throne is inherited by Peter's wife Catherine I. There is also a legend about this. They say that before his death the king wanted to write his will, but managed to write only a couple of words and died.

The personality of the king in modern cinema

The biography and history of Peter the Great is so entertaining that a dozen films have been made about him, as well as several television series. In addition, there are paintings about individual representatives of his family (for example, about his deceased son Alexei).

Each of the films reveals the personality of the king in its own way. For example, the television series “Testament” plays out the dying years of the king. Of course, there is a mixture of truth and fiction here. An important point will be that Peter the Great never wrote a will, which will be explained in vivid detail in the film.

Of course, this is one of many paintings. Some were based on works of art (for example, A. N. Tolstoy’s novel “Peter I”). Thus, as we see, the odious personality of Emperor Peter I worries the minds of people today. This great politician and reformer pushed Russia to develop, to study new things, and also to enter the international arena.

The last Tsar of All Rus' and the first Emperor of Russia - Peter the First- a truly great figure. It is not for nothing that this king was called “The Great” by Peter. He sought not only to expand the borders of the Russian state, but also to make life in it similar to what he saw in Europe. He learned a lot himself and taught others.

Brief biography of Peter the Great

Peter the Great belonged to the Romanov family, he was born June 9, 1672. His father is the king Alexey Mikhailovich. His mother is the second wife of Alexei Mikhailovich, Natalia Naryshkina. Peter I was the first child from the tsar’s second marriage and the fourteenth.

IN 1976 Peter Alekseevich’s father died and his eldest son ascended the throne - Fedor Alekseevich. He was sickly and reigned for about 6 years.

The death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and the accession of his eldest son Fyodor (from Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna, née Miloslavskaya) pushed Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna and her relatives, the Naryshkins, into the background.

Streletsky riot

After the death of Feodor III, the question arose: who should rule next? Peter's elder brother Ivan was a sickly child (he was also called weak-minded) and it was decided to place Peter on the throne.

However, the relatives of the first wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich did not like this - Miloslavsky. Having secured the support of 20 thousand archers who were dissatisfied at that time, the Miloslavskys staged a riot in 1682.

The consequence of this Streltsy revolt was the proclamation of Peter's sister, Sophia, as regent until Ivan and Peter grew up. Subsequently, Peter and Ivan were considered dual rulers of the Russian state until Ivan's death in 1686.

Queen Natalya was forced to go to the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow with Peter.

"Amusing" troops of Peter

In the villages Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky Peter was engaged in far from childish games - he formed from his peers "funny" troops and learned to fight. Foreign officers helped him master military literacy.

Subsequently, these two battalions were formed Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments- the basis of Peter's guard.

Beginning of independent rule

In 1689 On the advice of his mother, Peter got married. The daughter of a Moscow boyar was chosen as his bride Evdokia Lopukhina. After his marriage, 17-year-old Peter was considered an adult and could lay claim to independent rule.

Suppression of the riot

Princess Sophia immediately realized the danger she was in danger of. Not wanting to lose power, she persuaded the archers oppose Peter. Young Peter managed to gather an army loyal to him, and together with him he moved to Moscow.

The uprising was brutally suppressed, the instigators were executed, they were hanged, whipped, and burned with a hot iron. Sophia was sent to Novodevichy Convent.

Capture of Azov

Since 1696, after the death of Tsar Ivan V, Peter became sole ruler of Russia. A year earlier, he turned his gaze to the map. Advisers, among them the beloved Swiss Lefort, suggested that Russia needs access to the sea, it needs to build a fleet, it needs to move south.

The Azov campaigns began. Peter himself took part in battles and gained combat experience. On the second attempt they captured Azov, in a convenient bay of the Azov Sea, Peter founded the city Taganrog.

Trip to Europe

Peter went “incognito”, he was called volunteer Peter Mikhailov,
sometimes captain of the Preobrazhensky regiment.

In England Peter the Great studied maritime affairs, in Germany- artillery, in Holland worked as a simple carpenter. But he had to return to Moscow prematurely - information about a new mutiny of the Streltsy reached him. After the brutal massacre of the archers and executions, Peter began preparing for war with Sweden.

Peter's war with Sweden

On Russia's allies - Poland and Denmark- the young Swedish king began to attack CharlesXII, determined to conquer all of northern Europe. Peter I decided to enter the war against Sweden.

Battle of Narva

First battle of Narva in 1700 was unsuccessful for the Russian troops. Having a multiple advantage over the Swedish army, the Russians were unable to take the Narva fortress and had to retreat.

Decisive action

Having attacked Poland, Charles XII was stuck in the war for a long time. Taking advantage of the ensuing respite, Peter announced a recruitment drive. He issued a decree according to which money and bells from churches began to be collected for the war against Sweden melted down for cannons, strengthened old fortresses, erected new ones.

St. Petersburg – the new capital of Russia

Peter the First personally participated in a combat sortie with two regiments of soldiers against Swedish ships blocking the exit to the Baltic Sea. The attack was a success, the ships were captured, and access to the sea became free.

On the banks of the Neva, Peter ordered the construction of a fortress in honor of Saints Peter and Paul, which was later named Petropavlovskaya. It was around this fortress that the city was formed Saint Petersburg- the new capital of Russia.

Battle of Poltava

The news of Peter's successful foray on the Neva forced the Swedish king to move his troops to Russia. He chose the south, where he waited for help from Turk and where is Ukrainian Hetman Mazepa promised to give him Cossacks.

The Battle of Poltava, where the Swedes and Russians gathered their troops, didn't last long.

Charles XII left the Cossacks brought by Mazepa in the convoy; they were not sufficiently trained and equipped. The Turks never came. Numerical superiority in troops was on the side of the Russians. And no matter how hard the Swedes tried to break through the ranks of the Russian troops, no matter how they reorganized their regiments, they failed to turn the tide of the battle in their favor.

A cannonball hit Karl's stretcher, he lost consciousness, and panic began among the Swedes. After the victorious battle, Peter arranged a feast at which treated captured Swedish generals and thanked them for their science.

Internal reforms of Peter the Great

Peter the Great, in addition to wars with other states, was actively involved in reforms within the country. He demanded that the courtiers take off their caftans and put on European dress, that they shave their beards, and go to the balls arranged for them.

Important reforms of Peter

Instead of the Boyar Duma, he established Senate, who dealt with important government issues, introduced a special Table of ranks, which determined the classes of military and civilian officials.

Started operating in St. Petersburg Marine Academy, opened in Moscow math school. Under him, it began to be published in the country first Russian newspaper. For Peter there were no titles or awards. If he saw a capable person, albeit of low origin, he would send him to study abroad.

Opponents of reforms

To many Peter's innovations didn't like it- starting from the highest ranks, ending with serfs. The Church called him a heretic, schismatics called him the Antichrist, and sent all kinds of blasphemy against him.

The peasants found themselves completely dependent on the landowners and the state. Increased tax burden 1.5-2 times, for many it turned out to be unbearable. Major uprisings occurred in Astrakhan, on the Don, in Ukraine, and the Volga region.

The breakdown of the old way of life caused a negative reaction among the nobles. Peter's son, his heir Alexei, became an opponent of reforms and went against his father. He was accused of conspiracy and in 1718 sentenced to death.

Last year of reign

In the last years of Peter's reign I was very sick, he had kidney problems. In the summer of 1724, his illness intensified; in September he felt better, but after a while the attacks intensified.

On January 28, 1725, he had such a bad time that he ordered a camp church to be erected in the room next to his bedroom, and on February 2 he confessed. Strength began to leave the patient, he no longer screamed, as before, from severe pain, but only moaned.

On February 7, all those sentenced to death or hard labor (excluding murderers and those convicted of repeated robbery) were amnestied. That same day, at the end of the second hour, Peter demanded paper and began to write, but the pen fell out of his hands, and only two words could be made out from what was written: "Give it all...".

At the beginning of six o'clock in the morning February 8, 1725 Peter the Great “The Great” died in terrible agony in his Winter Palace near the Winter Canal, according to the official version, from pneumonia. He was buried in Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.

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

Rebellious Age

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

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

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

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

Moscow period of rule

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

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

Grand Embassy

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

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

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

North War

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

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

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

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

Pincers and club

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

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

Death and aftermath

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

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

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