Which of the Russian monarchs. Who ruled in Russia after Catherine II

History of the Russian Monarchy

The creation of the summer residence of the Russian emperors, Tsarskoe Selo, largely depended on personal tastes, and sometimes simply on the whims of its changing august owners. Since 1834, Tsarskoe Selo has become a “sovereign” estate belonging to the reigning monarch. From that time on, it could not be bequeathed, was not subject to division or any form of alienation, but was transferred to the new king upon his accession to the throne. Here, in a cozy corner, near the capital of St. Petersburg, the imperial family was not only an august family, whose life was elevated to the rank of state politics, but also numerous friendly family, with all the interests and joys inherent in the human race.

EMPEROR PETER I

Peter I Alekseevich (1672-1725) - Tsar since 1682, Emperor since 1721. Son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (1629-1676) from his second marriage to Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina (1651-1694). Statesman, commander, diplomat, founder of the city of St. Petersburg. Peter I was married twice: with his first marriage - to Evdokia Fedorovna Lopukhina (1669-1731), from whom he had son - prince Alexei (1690-1718), executed in 1718; two sons who died in infancy; second marriage - to Ekaterina Alekseevna Skavronskaya (1683-1727; later Empress Catherine I), from whom he had 9 children, most of whom, with the exception of Anna (1708-1728) and Elizabeth (1709-1761; later Empress Elizaveta Petrovna), died minors. During the Northern War (1700-1721), Peter I annexed to Russia the lands along the Neva River, Karelia and the Baltic States, previously conquered by Sweden, including the territory with the manor - Saris hoff, Saaris Moisio, on which a ceremonial summer residence was later created Russian emperors - Tsarskoe Selo. In 1710, Peter I gave the manor to his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna, and the manor was named “Sarskaya” or “Sarskoye Selo”.

EMPRESS CATHERINE I

Catherine I Alekseevna (1684-1727) - Empress since 1725. She ascended the throne after the death of her husband, Emperor Peter I (1672-1725). She was declared queen in 1711, empress in 1721, and crowned in 1724. She was united in church marriage with Emperor Peter I in 1712. The daughter of the Lithuanian peasant Samuil Skavronsky bore the name Marta before accepting Orthodoxy. The first royal owner of Sarskoye Selo, the future Tsarskoye Selo, after whom the Great Tsarskoye Selo Palace was later named Catherine's Palace. Under her rule, the first stone structures were erected here in 1717-1723, which formed the basis of the Catherine Palace, and part of the regular park was laid out.

EMPEROR PETER II

Peter II Alekseevich (1715 - 1730) - Emperor since 1727. Son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich (1690-1718) and Princess Charlotte-Christina-Sophia of Brunswick - Wolfenbüttel (died 1715); grandson of Peter I (1672-1725) and Evdokia Lopukhina (1669-1731). He ascended the throne after the death of Empress Catherine I in 1727, according to her will. After the death of Catherine I, the Sarskoe village was inherited by her daughter Tsarevna Elizaveta (1709-1761; future Empress Elizaveta Petrovna). At this time, the wings of the Great (Catherine) Palace were erected here and received further development park and improvement of reservoirs.

EMPRESS ANNA IOANOVNA

Anna Ioanovna (1693-1740) - Empress since 1730. Daughter of Tsar Ivan V Alekseevich (1666-1696) and Tsarina Praskovya Feodorovna, née Saltykova (1664-1723). She ascended the throne after the death of her cousin, Emperor Peter II (1715-1730), and was crowned in 1730. During this period, Sarskoe Selo (future Tsarskoe Selo) belonged to Princess Elizabeth (1709-1761; later Empress Elizaveta Petrovna) and was used as a country residence and hunting castle.

EMPEROR IVAN VI

John VI Antonovich (1740-1764) - Emperor from 1740 to 1741. Son of the niece of Empress Anna Ioanovna (1693-1740), Princess Anna Leopoldovna of Mecklenburg and Prince Anton-Ulrich of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He was elevated to the throne after the death of his great-aunt, Empress Anna Ioanovna, according to her will. On November 9, 1740, his mother Anna Leopoldovna carried out a palace coup and declared herself the ruler of Russia. In 1741, as a result palace coup The ruler Anna Leopoldovna and the young Emperor John Antonovich were overthrown from the throne by Crown Princess Elizabeth (1709-1761), daughter of Peter I (1672-1725). During this time, no significant changes occurred in Sarskoye Selo (the future Tsarskoye Selo).

EMPRESS ELIZAVETA PETROVNA

Elizaveta Petrovna (1709-1761) - empress since 1741, ascended the throne, overthrowing Emperor John VI Antonovich (1740-1764). Daughter of Emperor Peter I (1672-1725) and Empress Catherine I (1684-1727). She owned Sarskoye Selo (the future Tsarskoye Selo) since 1727, which was bequeathed to her by Catherine I. After her accession to the throne, Elizabeth Petrovna ordered a significant reconstruction and expansion of the Grand Palace (later the Catherine Palace), the creation of a New Garden and expansion of the old park, and the construction of Hermitage park pavilions , Grotto and others in Sarskoye Selo (later Tsarskoye Selo).

EMPEROR PETER III

Peter III Fedorovich (1728-1762) - Emperor from 1761 to 1762. Son of Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp and Tsarevna Anna Petrovna (1708-1728), grandson of Emperor Peter I (1672-1725). Before accepting Orthodoxy, he bore the name Karl-Peter-Ulrich. The ancestor of the Holstein-Gottorp line of the House of Romanov on the Russian throne, which ruled until 1917. He was married to Princess Sophia-Frederike-August of Anhalt-Zerbst (1729-1796), who after accepting Orthodoxy received the name Ekaterina Alekseevna (later Empress Catherine II). From his marriage to Ekaterina Alekseevna he had two children: a son, Paul (1754-1801; future Emperor Paul I) and a daughter, who died in infancy. He was overthrown from the throne in 1762 as a result of a palace coup by his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna and killed. For a short reign Peter III There were no significant changes in the appearance of Tsarskoe Selo.

EMPRESS CATHERINE II

Catherine II Alekseevna (1729-1796) - Empress since 1762. She ascended the throne after overthrowing her husband, Emperor Peter. III Fedorovich(1728-1762). German Princess Sophia Friederike Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst. After accepting Orthodoxy, she received the name Ekaterina Alekseevna. In 1745, she married the heir to the Russian throne, Peter Fedorovich, later Emperor Peter III. From this marriage she had two children: son Pavel (1754-1801; future emperor Paul I) and a daughter who died in infancy. The reign of Catherine II significantly influenced the appearance of Tsarskoye Selo; it was under her that the former Sarskoye village began to be called that way. Tsarskoe Selo was the favorite summer residence of Catherine II. On her orders, the Great Palace was reconstructed (at the end of the reign of Catherine II it began to be called the Catherine Palace), new interiors were designed in it, the landscape part of the Catherine Park was created, park structures were erected: the Cameron Gallery, the Cold Bath, the Agate Rooms and others, and the Alexander Palace was built. palace

EMPEROR PAUL I

Pavel I Petrovich (1754-1801) - Emperor since 1796. Son of Emperor Peter III (1728-1762) and Empress Catherine II (1729-1796). He was married twice: with his first marriage (1773) to the German princess Wilhelmine-Louise of Hesse-Darmstadt (1755-1776), after accepting Orthodoxy, named Natalya Alekseevna, who died of childbirth in 1776; second marriage (1776) - to the German princess Sophia-Dorothea-Augustus-Louise of Württemberg (1759-1828; in Orthodoxy Maria Feodorovna), from whom he had 10 children - 4 sons, including the future emperors Alexander I (1777-1825 ) and Nicholas I (1796-1855), and 6 daughters. He was killed during a palace coup in 1801. Paul I did not like Tsarskoe Selo and preferred Gatchina and Pavlovsk to him. At this time, in Tsarskoe Selo, interiors in the Alexander Palace were being decorated for Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich (later Emperor Alexander I), the eldest son of Emperor Paul I.

EMPEROR ALEXANDER I

Alexander I Pavlovich (1777-1825) - Emperor since 1801. The eldest son of Emperor Paul I (1754-1801) and his second wife Empress Maria Feodorovna (1759-1828). He ascended the throne after the assassination of his father, Emperor Paul I, as a result of a palace conspiracy. He was married to the German princess Louise-Maria-August of Baden-Baden (1779-1826), who adopted the name Elizaveta Alekseevna upon conversion to Orthodoxy, from whose marriage he had two daughters who died in infancy. During his reign, Tsarskoye Selo again acquired the importance of the main suburban imperial residence. New interiors were decorated in the Catherine Palace, and various structures were built in the Catherine and Alexander Parks.

EMPEROR NICHOLAS I

Nicholas I Pavlovich (1796-1855) - Emperor since 1825. Third son of Emperor Paul I (1754-1801) and Empress Maria Feodorovna (1759-1828). He ascended the throne after the death of his elder brother Emperor Alexander I (1777-1825) and in connection with the abdication of the throne by the second eldest son of Emperor Paul I, Grand Duke Constantine (1779-1831). He was married (1817) to the Prussian princess Frederica-Louise-Charlotte-Wilhelmina (1798-1860), who adopted the name Alexandra Feodorovna upon conversion to Orthodoxy. They had 7 children, including the future Emperor Alexander II (1818-1881). During this period, in Tsarskoe Selo, new interiors were being designed in the Catherine and Alexander Palaces, and the number of park buildings in the Catherine and Alexander Parks was expanding.

EMPEROR ALEXANDER II

Alexander II Nikolaevich (1818-1881) - Emperor since 1855. The eldest son of Emperor Nicholas I (1796-1855) and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (1798-1860). Statesman, reformer, diplomat. He was married to the German princess Maximilian Wilhelmina Augusta Sophia Maria of Hesse-Darmstadt (1824-1880), who after accepting Orthodoxy received the name Maria Alexandrovna. There were 8 children from this marriage, including the future Emperor Alexander III (1845-1894). After the death of his wife Maria Alexandrovna, in 1880 he entered into a morganatic marriage with Princess Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova (1849-1922), who after her marriage to the emperor received the title of His Serene Highness Princess Yuryevskaya. From E.M. Dolgorukova, Alexander II had three children who inherited their mother’s surname and title. In 1881, Emperor Alexander II died from a bomb thrown at him by revolutionary terrorist I. I. Grinevitsky. During his reign, there were no significant changes in the appearance of the Tsarskoye Selo imperial residence. New interiors were created in the Catherine Palace and part of the Catherine Park was redeveloped.

EMPEROR ALEXANDER III

Alexander III Alexandrovich (1845-1894) - Emperor since 1881. Second son of Emperor Alexander II (1818-1881) and Empress Maria Alexandrovna (1824-1880). He ascended the throne after the assassination of his father, Emperor Alexander II, by a revolutionary terrorist in 1881. He was married (1866) to the Danish princess Maria Sophia Frederike Dagmar (1847-1928), who adopted the name Maria Feodorovna upon converting to Orthodoxy. From this marriage 6 children were born, including the future Emperor Nicholas II (1868-1918). At this time, there were no significant changes in the architectural appearance of Tsarskoye Selo; changes affected only the decoration of some interiors of the Catherine Palace.

EMPEROR NICHOLAS II

Nicholas II Alexandrovich (1868-1918) - the last Russian emperor - reigned from 1894 to 1917. Emperor's eldest son Alexandra III(1845-1894) and Empress Maria Feodorovna (1847-1928). He was married (1894) to the German princess Alice Victoria Helena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt (1872-1918), who after accepting Orthodoxy received the name Alexandra Feodorovna. From this marriage there were 5 children: daughters - Olga (1895-1918), Tatyana (1897-1918), Maria (1899-1918) and Anastasia (1901-1918); son - Tsarevich, heir to the throne Alexey (1904-1918). As a result of the revolution that took place in Russia on March 2, 1917, Emperor Nicholas II abdicated the throne. After the abdication, Nicholas II and his family were arrested and detained in the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, from where on August 14, 1917, Nikolai Romanov and his family were sent to Tobolsk. On July 17, 1918, former Emperor Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra Feodorovna and five children were shot by order of the revolutionary government. During the reign of Nicholas II in Tsarskoe Selo, new interiors were being designed in the Alexander Palace, the construction of the Fedorovsky town in Tsarskoe Selo - an architectural ensemble designed in the forms of ancient Russian architecture.

The wife of Peter III, who became empress after dethroning her husband. Being a German princess who converted to Orthodoxy, having no relationship with the Romanov dynasty, nor any rights to the Russian throne, she nevertheless held the reins of power in her hands for more than 30 years. And this time in Russia is usually called the “golden age”.

Catherine pursued her policy in three main directions:

Expanding the territory of the state, strengthening its authority in the world;

Liberalization of methods of governing the country;

Administrative reforms involving the involvement of nobles in the management of local authorities.

During her reign, the country was divided into 50 provinces. The principle of division was a certain number of inhabitants.

The reign of this empress was the era of the heyday of the noble class. The provinces were completely under the rule of their nobles. At the same time, the nobleman was exempt from taxes and corporal punishment. Only a court of equals could deprive him of his title, property or life.

In the foreign policy arena, the main directions of Russia were:

Strengthening its influence in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Catherine carefully ensured that only Russian proteges sat on the Polish throne;

Relations with Turkey. In this direction, the struggle was for Russia's access to the Black Sea. As a result, two long military campaigns were carried out, ending in the victory of the Russian troops;

The fight against revolutionary France. Despite the fact that Catherine was a fan of the French enlighteners, she gradually became disillusioned with their ideas and methods, and perceived the revolution in this country rather hostilely. To fight France, it was decided to join forces with Prussia, England and Austria. However, death prevented Catherine from fulfilling her plans.

Such illustrious names as G. Potemkin, A. Suvorov, F. Ushakov, P. Rumyantsev are closely associated with the name of Catherine the Great and the conquests of her period.

The ruler paid great attention to the development of education, main goal which I saw not just an increase in the level of education, but the education of a new generation of people, true citizens of their state.

It was she who became the founder of women's school education in Russia, establishing institutions for the “education of noble maidens.”

However, with all her desire for liberalism, Catherine zealously persecuted dissent and cruelly punished those who disagreed with her government policy. Thus, A. Radishchev was sentenced to death and then “pardoned” by exile to Siberia for his famous “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow”, public activist, writer and publisher N. Novikov was persecuted, some foreign publications were banned, etc. .

In Catherine's era, culture and science actively developed. A thorough study of Russia, its history, geography, ethnography, etc. was carried out. Thanks to the high imperial support, the Academy of Sciences gave the world such people as I. Kulibin, I. Polzunov. The names of D. Fonvizin, G. Derzhavin and others became known in the literature. The empress herself made a valuable contribution to literature by writing memoirs.

Art also developed during this period: painting, sculpture, architecture.

Along with achievements in many areas of life, the reign of Catherine the Great was marked by one of the most famous and major uprisings in Russia - the Pugachev uprising. The reason for this uprising under the leadership of the Cossack E. Pugachev was the further enslavement of the peasants. By posing as Peter III, who miraculously managed to escape death, Emelyan Pugachev managed to unite workers, peasants, representatives of national minorities, and Cossacks. The uprising grew into a real bloody war. Pugachev's army, growing as it advanced, won victories one after another, taking advantage of the fact that most Russian troops was absent from the country (went Russian-Turkish war). The months-long struggle ended with the betrayal of Pugachev by his own comrades. After he was handed over to government troops, Catherine ordered his public execution on Bolotnaya Square.

After the death of the leader, the uprising was suppressed, and all those responsible were severely punished.

In addition, civil unrest periodically broke out in many parts of the country, but they were not of such proportions.

Thus, the “golden age” was significantly overshadowed, especially in relation to the ordinary population of Russia.

Almost half of Catherine's reign was occupied by wars and riots. Bribery and theft flourished.

However, with all this, during her reign the population of Russia almost doubled, the territory of the state expanded significantly, the army strengthened and the fleet increased (instead of 21 half-rotten battleships, by the end of her reign there were 67 well-equipped ships and 40 frigates). The number of factories and factories increased to 2 thousand (instead of 500), and state income increased 4 times.

The history of Russia is rich different eras, each of which left its mark on the life of the country. One of the most intense and controversial reigns was the reign of Peter I the Great, which ended on January 25, 1725 due to the sudden death of the emperor.

Russia without a Tsar? Who ruled after Peter 1

Three years before his death, the autocrat managed to issue a decree that changed the previously existing order of succession to the throne: now the heir became not the eldest son, but the one of the sons whom the father considered worthy to take such an honorable place. This decision was due to the fact that the king’s son, the potential heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei, was accused of preparing a conspiracy against his own father and, as a result, was sentenced to death. In 1718, the prince died within the walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

However, before his death, Peter I did not have time to appoint a new tsar, leaving the country, for the development of which he had made so much effort, without a ruler.

As a result, the next few years were marked by numerous goals aimed at seizing power. Since no official heir had been appointed, those wishing to sit on the throne tried to prove that they had earned this right.

The very first coup, carried out by the guards of the wife of Peter I - by birth Martha Skavronskaya, popularly known as Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova (Catherine I) - brought the first woman in Russian history to power.

The enthronement of the future All-Russian Empress was supervised by an associate of the late Tsar, Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov, who became the de facto ruler of the state.

Russia after Peter 1 is a special milestone in world history. The strict orderliness and discipline that had partly characterized the emperor's reign now lost their former force.

who is she?

Marta Skavronskaya (the empress's real name) came from a family of Baltic peasants. She was born on April 5, 1684. Having lost both parents at an early age, the girl was raised in the family of a Protestant pastor.

During the Northern War (between Sweden and Russia), in 1702, Marta, along with other residents, was captured by Russian troops, and then into the service of Prince Menshikov. There are two versions of how this happened.

One version says that Marta became the mistress of Count Sheremetyev, the commander of the Russian army. Prince Alexander Danilovich, the favorite of Peter the Great, saw her and, using his authority, took the girl to his house.

According to another version, Marta became the managing servant of Colonel Baur, where Menshikov set his sights on her and took her into his house. And already here Peter I himself noticed her.

Rapprochement with Peter I

For 9 years Martha was the king's mistress. In 1704, she gave birth to his first son, Peter, and then his second son, Pavel. However, both boys died.

The education of the future empress was carried out by the sister of Peter I, Natalya Alekseevna, who taught Martha to read and write. And in 1705, a girl was baptized into Orthodoxy under the name of Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova. In 1708 and 1709, Catherine’s daughters were born from Peter Alekseevich - Anna and Elizabeth (who later took the throne under the name

Finally, in 1712, the wedding with Peter I took place in the Church of John of Dalmitsky - Catherine became a full member royal family. The year 1724 was marked by the solemn coronation of Martha Skavronskaya in the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. She received the crown from the hands of the emperor himself.

Who ruled Rus' and when?

After the death of Peter 1, Russia fully learned what a country is worth without an imperious ruler. Since Prince Menshikov won the favor of the tsar, and later helped Catherine I become the head of state, to the question of who ruled after Peter 1, the correct answer would be Prince Alexander Danilovich, who actively participated in the life of the country and accepted the most important decisions. However, the reign of the empress, despite such strong support, did not last long - until May 1727.

During Catherine I’s tenure on the throne, an important role in the politics of Russia at that time was played by the one created even before the empress’s ascension to the throne. Its members included such noble and prominent Russian Empire people of that time, like Prince Alexander Menshikov (who headed this body), Dmitry Golitsyn, Fyodor Apraksin, Pyotr Tolstoy.

At the beginning of the reign of Catherine I, taxes were reduced and many people sentenced to exile and imprisonment were pardoned. Such changes were caused by the fear of riots due to price increases, which invariably should lead to discontent among ordinary people.

In addition, the reforms carried out by Peter were canceled or modified:

less prominent role in political life the country began to play the Senate;

governors replaced local authorities;

For the improvement of the troops, a special Commission was organized, consisting of flagships and generals.

Innovations of Catherine I. Domestic and foreign policy

For the one who ruled after Peter 1 ( we're talking about about his wife), it was extremely difficult to surpass the reformer tsar in the versatility of politics. Among the innovations, it is worth noting the creation of the Academy of Sciences and the organization of an expedition led by the famous navigator Vitus Bering to Kamchatka.

In foreign policy in general, Catherine I adhered to her husband’s views: she supported the claims of the Holstein Duke Karl Friedrich (who was her son-in-law) to Schleswig. This led to strained relations with England and Denmark. The result of the confrontation was the accession of Russia to the Union of Vienna (which included Spain, Prussia and Austria) in 1726.

Russia after Peter 1 acquired significant influence in Courland. It was so great that Prince Menshikov planned to become the head of this duchy, but local residents showed discontent about this.

Thanks to the foreign policy of Catherine I and Alexander Danilovich (who ruled Russia after the death of Peter 1 in fact), the empire was able to take possession of the Shirvan region (having achieved concessions in this matter from Persia and Turkey). Also, thanks to Prince Raguzinsky, the friendly relations with China.

End of the Empress's reign

The power of Catherine I came to an end in May 1727, when the empress died at the age of 44 from lung disease. She was buried in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Before her death, Catherine wanted to make her daughter Elizabeth empress, but once again she listened to Menshikov and appointed her grandson, Peter II Alekseevich, heir and Tsar of Russia, who was 11 years old at the time of his ascension to the throne.

The regent was none other than Prince Alexander Danilovich (this fact is in Once again proves who ruled after Peter 1 in Russia). Menshikov soon married the newly-crowned tsar to his daughter Maria, thus further strengthening his influence on court and state life.

However, the power of Prince Alexander Danilovich did not last long: after the death of the emperor, he was accused of state conspiracy and died in exile.

Russia after Peter the Great is a completely different state, where the first place was not reforms and transformations, but the struggle for the throne and attempts to prove the superiority of some classes over others.

Peter I Alekseevich, nicknamed the Great, Reigned April 27, 1682 - January 28, 1725

(May 30, 1672 - January 28, 1725) - the last king of All Rus' (since 1682) and the first All-Russian Emperor (since 1721).

As a representative of the Romanov dynasty, Peter was proclaimed tsar at the age of 10 and began to rule independently in 1689. Peter's formal co-ruler was his brother Ivan (until his death in 1696).

From a young age, showing interest in science and foreign lifestyles, Peter was the first of the Russian tsars to make a long trip to the countries Western Europe. Upon returning from it, in 1698, Peter launched large-scale reforms of the Russian state and social structure. One of Peter’s main achievements was the solution to the task posed in the 16th century: the expansion of Russian territories in the Baltic region after the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Northern War, which allowed him to accept the title of Russian Emperor in 1721.

(Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya, married to Kruse; after converting to Orthodoxy, Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova; April 5, 1684 - May 6, 1727)

Russian empress from 1721 as the wife of the reigning emperor, from 1725 as the reigning empress; second wife of Peter I, mother of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.

(October 12 (23), 1715, St. Petersburg - January 19 (30), 1730, Moscow) - Russian emperor who succeeded Catherine I on the throne.

Grandson of Peter I, son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich and German princess Sophia-Charlotte of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the last representative of the Romanov family in the direct male line.

(January 28 (February 7) 1693 - October 17 (28), 1740) - Russian empress from the Romanov dynasty.

(12 (23) August 1740, St. Petersburg - 5 (16) July 1764, Shlisselburg) - Russian emperor from the Brunswick branch of the Romanov dynasty. Reigned from October 1740 to November 1741. Great-grandson of Ivan V.

Formally, he reigned for the first year of his life under the regency of first Biron, and then his own mother Anna Leopoldovna. The infant emperor was overthrown by Elizaveta Petrovna, spent almost his entire life in solitary confinement, and already during the reign of Catherine II he was killed by guards at the age of 23 while trying to free him.

(born Karl Peter Ulrich, German Karl Peter Ulrich, fully German Karl Peter Ulrich von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf); (10 (21) February 1728, Kiel - 6 (17) July 1762, Ropsha) - Russian emperor in 1762 , the first representative of the Holstein-Gottorp (Oldenburg) branch of the Romanovs on the Russian throne. Since 1745 - sovereign Duke of Holstein-Gottorp.

(born Sophie Auguste Friederike von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg, in Orthodoxy Ekaterina Alekseevna; April 21, 1729, Stettin, Prussia - November 6, 1796, Winter Palace, St. Petersburg) - Empress of All Russia from 1762 to 1796.

The daughter of the Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, Catherine came to power in a palace coup that overthrew her unpopular husband Peter III from the throne.

Catherine's era was marked by the maximum enslavement of the peasants and the comprehensive expansion of the privileges of the nobility.

Under Catherine the Great, the borders of the Russian Empire were significantly expanded to the west (divisions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) and to the south (annexation of Novorossiya, Crimea, and partly the Caucasus).

System government controlled under Catherine the Second, for the first time since the time of Peter I, it was reformed.

(December 12 (23), 1777, St. Petersburg - November 19 (December 1), 1825, Taganrog) - Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia (from March 12 (24), 1801), Protector of the Order of Malta (from 1801), Grand Duke of Finland (since 1809), Tsar of Poland (since 1815), eldest son of Emperor Paul I and Maria Feodorovna. In official pre-revolutionary historiography he was called the Blessed One.

At the beginning of his reign, he carried out moderate liberal reforms developed By secret committee and M. M. Speransky. In foreign policy he maneuvered between Great Britain and France. In 1805-1807 he participated in anti-French coalitions. In 1807-1812 he temporarily became close to France. He led successful wars with Turkey (1806-1812), Persia (1804-1813) and Sweden (1808-1809). Under Alexander I, the territories of Eastern Georgia (1801), Finland (1809), Bessarabia (1812), and the former Duchy of Warsaw (1815) were annexed to Russia. After Patriotic War 1812 led the anti-French coalition of European powers in 1813-1814. He was one of the leaders of the Congress of Vienna of 1814-1815 and the organizers of the Holy Alliance.

(April 17, 1818, Moscow - March 1, 1881, St. Petersburg) - Emperor of All Russia, Tsar of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland (1855-1881) from the Romanov dynasty. The eldest son of first the grand ducal, and since 1825, the imperial couple Nikolai Pavlovich and Alexandra Feodorovna.

(February 26, 1845, Anichkov Palace, St. Petersburg - October 20, 1894, Livadia Palace, Crimea) - Emperor of All Russia, Tsar of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland from March 1, 1881. Son of Emperor Alexander II and grandson of Nicholas I; father of the latter Russian monarch Nicholas II.

During the reign of Alexander III Russia has not waged a single war. For maintaining peace, the monarch received the official nickname Tsar-Peacemaker.

(May 6, 1868, Tsarskoe Selo - July 17, 1918, Yekaterinburg) - Emperor of All Russia, Tsar of Poland and Grand Duke Finnish (October 20, 1894 – March 2, 1917). From the Imperial House of Romanov. Colonel (1892); in addition, from the British monarchs he had the ranks of admiral of the fleet (May 28 (June 10), 1908) and field marshal of the British army (December 18 (31), 1915).

The reign of Nicholas II was marked economic development Russia and at the same time the growth of socio-political contradictions in it, the revolutionary movement, which resulted in the revolution of 1905-1907 and the February Revolution of 1917; in foreign policy - expansion into Far East, the war with Japan, as well as Russia’s participation in the military blocs of European powers and the First World War.

Nicholas II abdicated the throne during February Revolution 1917 and was under house arrest with his family in the Tsarskoe Selo Palace. In the summer of 1917, by decision of the Provisional Government, he and his family were sent into exile in Tobolsk, and in the spring of 1918, the Bolsheviks moved him to Yekaterinburg, where in July 1918 he was shot along with his family and associates.

EMPERORS

Emperor (from Latin imperator - ruler) is the title of the monarch, head of state (empire).

There were emperors in Russia from 1721 to 1917. The title All-Russian Emperor (Emperor All-Russian) was adopted for the first time after the victory in the Northern War by Peter I the Great on October 22, 1721 at the request of the Senate “as usual from the Roman Senate for the noble deeds of emperors, such titles were publicly presented to them as a gift and on statutes for memory in eternal birth is signed.” The last Emperor Nicholas II was overthrown during the February Revolution of 1917.

The Emperor had supreme autocratic power(since 1906 - the legislative branch together with State Duma and the State Council), he was officially titled “His Imperial Majesty” (in abbreviated form - “Sovereign” or “E.I.V.”).

Article 1 of the Basic Laws of the Russian Empire indicated that “The All-Russian Emperor is an autocratic and unlimited Monarch. God himself commands to obey his supreme authority not only out of fear, but also out of conscience.” The terms “autocratic” and “unlimited”, coinciding in their meaning, indicate that all functions state power on legal formation, expedient activities within the law (administrative-executive) and the administration of justice are carried out undividedly and without the obligatory participation of other institutions by the head of state, who delegates the implementation of some of them to certain bodies acting on his behalf and with his authority (Article 81).

Russia under the emperors was constitutional state with a monarchical-unlimited form of government.

Full title of the emperor at the beginning of the 20th century. was like this (Article 37 of the Basic Laws of the Russian Empire):
By God's hastening mercy, We, ΝΝ, Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod; Tsar of Kazan, Tsar of Astrakhan, Tsar of Poland, Tsar of Siberia, Tsar of Tauride Chersonis, Tsar of Georgia; Sovereign of Pskov and Grand Duke of Smolensk, Lithuania, Volyn, Podolsk and Finland; Prince of Estland, Livonia, Courland and Semigal, Samogit, Bialystok, Korel, Tver, Yugorsk, Perm, Vyatka, Bulgarian and others; Sovereign and Grand Duke of Novagorod of the Nizovsky lands, Chernigov, Ryazan, Polotsk, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Belozersky, Udora, Obdorsky, Kondiysky, Vitebsk, Mstislavsky and all northern countries Sovereign; and Sovereign of Iversk, Kartalinsky and Kasardinsky lands and regions of Armenia; Cherkasy and Mountain Princes and other Hereditary Sovereign and Possessor; Sovereign of Turkestan; Heir of Norway, Duke of Schleswig-Holstin, Stormarn, Ditmarsen and Oldenburg, and so on, and so on, and so on.

In some cases determined by law, an abbreviated form of title was used: “By God's hastening grace, We, ΝΝ, Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod; Tsar of Kazan, Tsar of Astrakhan, Tsar of Poland, Tsar of Siberia, Tsar of Tauride Chersonis, Tsar of Georgia, Grand Duke of Finland and so on, and so on, and so on.”

After Peter the Great accepted the title of Emperor, October 22 (November 2), 1721 and the recognition of his title by other countries, Russian state became known as the Russian Empire (Russian Empire).

On February 5 (16), 1722, Peter the Great issued a Decree on Succession to the Throne, in which he abolished the ancient custom of transferring the throne to direct descendants in the male line, but allowed, at the will of the monarch, the appointment of any worthy person as heir.

On April 5 (16), 1797, Paul I established new order inheritance. From that time on, the order of succession to the Russian throne was based on the principle of primogeniture, i.e. with the accession to the throne by descendants of their ascendants in the event of death or abdication of the latter by the time of the opening of the succession. In the absence of direct heirs, the throne should pass to the lateral ones. Within each line (straight or side), males are preferred over females, and male sidelines are called before females. Accession to the throne for someone called should be limited to confession Orthodox faith. The reigning emperor (and heir) comes of age at the age of sixteen; until this age (as well as in other cases of incapacity), his power is exercised by the ruler, who can be (if there is no person specially appointed by the previously reigning emperor), the surviving father or mother of the emperor , and in their absence - the closest adult heir.

All the emperors who ruled Russia belonged to the same imperial family - the House of Romanov, the first representative of which became monarch in 1613. Since 1761, the descendants of the daughter of Peter I Anna and the Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Karl-Friedrich, who descended from the family in the male line, reigned Holstein-Gottorp (a branch of the Oldenburg dynasty), and in the genealogy these representatives of the House of Romanov, starting with Peter III, are called Romanov-Holstein-Gottorp.

By right of birth and the scope of his powers, the emperor was the supreme leader of a great world power, the first official in the state. All laws were issued on behalf of the emperor and he was appointed to positions.

All government ministers, governors and other senior officials. It was the emperor who determined the most important areas of government activity, including issues of war and peace, and had almost no control over public finances.

The organic nature of the Russian autocracy is inextricably linked with the historical conditions of development and the fate of the Russian Empire, and the peculiarities of the Russian national mentality. Supreme power had support in the minds and souls of the Russian people. The monarchical idea was popular and accepted by society.

In terms of their objective role, all the emperors of Russia were major political figures, whose activities reflected both public interests and contradictions, as well as their personal qualities.

Intelligence and education, political preferences, moral principles, life principles and the peculiarities of the psychological make-up of the monarch’s character largely determined the direction and nature of the internal and foreign policy states of Russia and, ultimately, were of great importance for the fate of the entire country.

In 1917, with the abdication of Nicholas II for himself and his son Tsarevich Alexei, the imperial title and the empire itself were abolished.