Military reforms occupy a special place among the Petrine reforms. It was precisely the tasks of creating a modern, combat-ready army and navy that occupied the young king even before he became a sovereign sovereign. Historians count only a few months of peacetime for more than 35 Years of Peter's reign. It is clear that it was the army and navy that were the main concern of Peter. But military reforms are not only important in and of themselves. They had a great, sometimes decisive influence on transformations in other areas. “The war indicated the order of the reform, told it the pace and the very methods,” wrote the outstanding Russian historian Vasily Osipovich Klyuchevsky.
Even in early childhood, Peter amazed the courtiers with his addiction to military amusements, which were constantly arranged in the village of Preobrazhensky near Moscow, where the little prince lived with his mother, Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. However, from the end 80 -s. XVII in. "game of soldiers" becomes serious. AT 1689 Peter finds in Izmailovo, which belonged to the boyar N.I. Romanov, an old English boat, who was destined to become the "grandfather of the Russian fleet." In the same year, Peter devotes all his time to the construction of small ships on Lake Pleshcheyevo, near the ancient city of Pereslavl-Zalessky; experienced Dutch masters help him in this. spring 1690 The young tsar equips a whole flotilla of small rowboats and boats, which sets sail on the Moskva River. At the same time, Peter creates from the "robyatki" - comrades of his children's fun - two "amusing regiments", which later became the famous Guards Semyonovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments. The real military maneuvers are about to begin. The fortress of Pressburg is being built on the Yauza, which in Peter's "amusements" played the role of a "capital city" (that is, the capital). With 1691 "amusing" battles are regularly arranged between archers led by I.I. Buturlin and Peter's "amusing regiments", which were usually commanded by the "Prince Caesar" F.Yu. Romodanovsky. The tsar himself, under the name of Peter Alekseevich, had a low rank of captain in one of the regiments. These battles were so fierce that sometimes they could not do without human casualties. So, in one of the "amusing" battles, Prince I.D. was mortally wounded. Dolgoruky.
"Funny regiments" became the core of the future regular (permanent) army and performed well during the Azov campaigns 1695 and 1696 gg.
The first baptism of fire of the Russian fleet, built in Voronezh after the unsuccessful first Azov campaign, also dates back to this time. Due to the lack of the necessary funds in the treasury, the financing of the construction of the fleet was entrusted to the "kumpans" (companies). This was the name of the associations of secular and spiritual landowners, as well as merchants who were supposed to build ships with their own money. With the start of the Northern War ( 1700 –1721 years) Peter's main focus is on the Baltic Sea, and since 1703 St. Petersburg was founded, the construction of ships was carried out almost exclusively in this city. As a result, by the end of Peter's reign, Russia, which had 48 linear and 788 galley (rowing) and other ships, became one of the strongest maritime powers in Europe.
The beginning of the Northern War led to the final creation of a regular army. Previously, the army consisted of two main parts: the noble militia and various semi-regular formations (archers, Cossacks, regiments of a foreign system, etc.). Peter changed the very principle of manning the army. Periodic convocations of the noble militia were replaced by recruitment kits, which were distributed to the entire population, who paid taxes and carried out state duties. The first such set was produced in 1699 d. However, the corresponding decree was signed only in 1705 g., and since that time, recruitment sets have become annual (one person was taken from 20 yards). Only unmarried people over the age of 15 before 20 years (however, during the Northern War, due to the constant shortage of soldiers and sailors, these age limits were constantly changing). Recruitment sets were a heavy burden, first of all, on the Russian village. The term of service was practically not determined, and a person sent to the army did not hope for a return to ordinary life. However, a huge army, which by the end of the reign of Peter I reached 200 thousand people (not counting about 100 thousand Cossacks), allowed Russia to win a brilliant victory in the exhausting Northern War
The main results of Peter's military reforms are as follows:
the creation of a strong regular army capable of fighting and defeating Russia's main opponents;
the emergence of a whole galaxy of talented commanders (Menshikov, Sheremetev, Apraksin, Bruce, etc.);
the creation of a powerful navy - almost out of nothing;
an unprecedented increase in military spending and, as a result, their coverage at the expense of the most severe squeezing of funds from the common people.
The first administrative reform was the creation of 1699 g. a special department of cities. A number of decrees introduced local self-government for the city merchants, as well as the population of Pomeranian (northern) cities. The power of governor was abolished. Elected burmisters they were supposed to be in charge of the court and the collection of state cash payments. The Moscow City Hall, elected by the capital's merchants, was placed at the head of the new local self-government bodies. It was in charge of the main receipts of state revenues from cities, as well as general supervision of the actions of self-government bodies. The former butler of the boyar Sheremetev A.A. headed the Town Hall in the position of "chief inspector of the town hall board". Kurbatov.
But the costs grew, and gradually the king began to lose confidence in the financial capabilities of the Town Hall. Peter comes to the conclusion that “it is difficult for a person to understand and rule everything with his eyes”, and then to the decision to transfer the center of gravity of management to the places. In addition to financial needs, this was also dictated by the needs of the army. According to Peter's plan, after the end of the Northern War, the new local authorities were supposed to deal with the cantonment of troops (that is, their accommodation and provision in peaceful conditions). The practical implementation of the reform began at the end 1707 In 1708, the creation of eight provinces: Moscow, Ingermanland (later - St. Petersburg), Kyiv, Smolensk, Arkhangelsk, Kazan, Azov and Siberian. At the head of the province was governor. Under his command were vice governor(deputy), landrichter, in charge of the court food masters to collect grain revenues, other state-appointed officials. The provincial reform actually abolished the transformation 1699 city: the cities were subordinated county commandants(so with 1710 voivods began to be called), and the Moscow City Hall turned from a nationwide into a provincial institution.
Household census 1710 led to yet another reshaping of the local management. A special payment unit was established in 5536 yards, providing one "share" of all funds needed to cover military expenses. Commandantships (old counties) were abolished, and instead of them, "shares" were introduced, headed by new officials - landrats. It was envisaged that, in accordance with the number of such "shares", each province would have to contain a certain number of regiments.
The main task of the provincial reform - providing the army at the expense of local institutions - was not fulfilled, because. The Northern War, despite the Poltava victory, dragged on until 1721 and it was not possible to place regiments “assigned” to them in the provinces. And the possibilities of governors to collect money from the population turned out to be not unlimited. Very soon, the growth of military spending led to a chronic lack of funds, and many governors, in an effort to demonstrate to the tsar their zeal for "state profits", indulged in all sorts of tricks. So, for example, the Kazan governor Apraksin came up with new "incomes" and presented the tsar with false statements on them.
All these transformations caused a complete breakdown of the central administration. As a result of the provincial reform, orders (except for military orders) ceased to exist. At the beginning of the XVIII century. in fact, there was not even a capital in Russia, because Moscow has already ceased to be it, but Petersburg has not yet become. The only central authority was the sovereign himself with his associates, who could be called either the “near office”, or the “council of ministers”, etc. And here in 1711 BC, setting off on a Turkish campaign, Peter issued a short decree, which read: “The Governing Senate was determined to be for our absences for governance.” Thus, with one stroke of the pen, an institution was founded that, in one form or another, existed in Russia for about two hundred years. Initially, Peter wanted to create only a temporary authority that would govern the country during his frequent trips around the country and military campaigns. At first time senate consisted of nine of the king's closest associates, and his tasks were rather vague. On the one hand, he was called upon to exercise supreme supervision over the court and take care of the increase in income, on the other hand, Peter demanded from his subjects that the senate be recognized as the highest state body, to which all persons and institutions were obliged to obey as the king himself.
Also in 1712 Peter had the idea to organize "boards" following the Swedish model, which were supposed to be in charge of individual branches of government. To study foreign experience, the king sent special expeditions abroad. Several years have passed, and 1718 a decree was signed on the establishment of nine colleges: Foreign Affairs, Chamber College (in charge of collecting revenues), Justice College, Revision College (financial control department). Military, Admiralty (Navy), Commerce Collegium (trade), Berg Collegium and Manufactory Collegium (mining and factory industry). State Collegiums (department of public spending). With the advent of the collegiums, many of the still surviving orders ceased to exist. Some of them became part of the new institutions. So, seven old orders were included in the Justice College. A feature of collegiums in comparison with orders was a clearer delineation of their areas of activity and, most importantly, an advisory, “collegial” order of doing business. “In the collegium, the proposed need is analyzed by many minds, and what one does not comprehend, the other will comprehend, and what this (this one) does not see, then this (that one) will see” - this is how Peter himself explained it. Soon, however, it became clear that here too, as the tsar self-critically admitted, "it was done without considering." Therefore, the number of colleges, and their composition, and the scope of each of them changed more than once under Peter. However, the basic principles of their work remained unchanged.
After the establishment of the collegiums, Peter I decided to reform local government in the Swedish manner. AT 1719 –1720 gg. another reform of the administrative-territorial structure began. Landrat "shares" that did not justify themselves were cancelled. The provinces were now divided into provinces, which, in turn, were divided into districts, which basically corresponded to the old counties. The rulers of the districts - zemstvo commissars - were appointed by the Chamber Collegium. The only thing that the Russian government decided not to borrow from the Swedish experience was peasant self-government. “There are no smart people in the counties of peasants,” the rulers of Russia explained.
City government has also undergone changes. The position of burmisters, established by the reform 1689 d. has been cancelled. The entire township population was now divided into three parts: the 1st guild (wealthy merchants, owners of handicraft workshops), the 2nd guild (small merchants, wealthy artisans) and the “mean people”, who made up the vast majority of the urban population. The circle of people taking participation in elections; new city governments magistrates, now consisted only of representatives of the 1st guild. The activities of the city magistrates were controlled and coordinated by the Chief Magistrate, subordinate to the Senate.
A special place among the state reforms of Peter I belongs to the adopted in 1722 d. Tables of ranks. Its meaning lies in what she brought into the system all state ranks, distributing them into three branches of service: civil, military land and naval. The Table of Ranks obliged all noblemen to serve and declared service the only way to obtain any state rank, and therefore the basis of any career. “For this reason, we do not allow anyone any rank until they show us and the fatherland any services and receive no character (i.e., official position) for this,” the decree emphasized. At the same time, some opportunities for moving up the career ladder also opened up for people from the “mean people”: anyone who received the first officer rank or the eighth rank of civil service (there were 14 in total) became a nobleman.
Many historians recognize the administrative reforms as the weakest point of the Petrine reforms. “All these transformations, which followed one after another in a continuous stream ... not only did not lead the population to material and moral prosperity, but were oppression, not much inferior to the war of Petrine time,” wrote the famous Russian historian V.Ya. Ulanov.
It stands among the most educated and talented builders of the armed forces, commanders and naval commanders of Russian and world history of the 18th century. His whole life's work was to strengthen the military power of Russia and increase its role in the international arena.
As noted by the prominent Russian historian Vasily Klyuchevsky, "military reform was Peter's primary transformative work, the longest and most difficult for both himself and the people. It is very important in our history; this is not just a question of national defense: reform had a profound effect both on the warehouse of society and on the further course of events.
The military reform of Peter I included a set of state measures to reorganize the system of manning the army and military administration, create a regular navy, improve weapons, develop and implement a new system of training and education of military personnel.
In the course of the reforms, the former military organization was abolished: the nobility and archery troops and regiments of the "new system" (military units formed in the 17th century in Russia on the model of Western European armies). These regiments went to form a regular army and made up its core.
Peter I introduced a new system of manning the regular army. In 1699, recruitment duty was introduced, legalized by decree of the emperor in 1705. Its essence was that the state forcibly annually recruited a certain number of recruits from the taxable estates, peasants and townspeople, into the army and navy. From 20 yards they took one person, a single person aged 15 to 20 years (however, during the Northern War, these terms were constantly changing due to a shortage of soldiers and sailors).
By the end of Peter's reign, the number of all regular troops, infantry and cavalry, ranged from 196 to 212 thousand people.
Along with the reorganization of the land army, Peter set about creating a navy. By 1700, the Azov fleet consisted of more than 50 ships. During the Northern War, the Baltic Fleet was created, which by the end of the reign of Peter I consisted of 35 large linear outer ships, 10 frigates and about 200 galley (rowing) ships with 28 thousand sailors.
The army and navy received the same type and harmonious organization, regiments, brigades and divisions appeared, in the navy - squadrons, divisions and detachments, a cavalry of a single dragoon type was created. The post of commander-in-chief (general-field marshal) was introduced to manage the active army, and in the navy - general-admiral.
The military administration was reformed. Instead of the Orders, Peter I established in 1718 a military collegium, which was in charge of the field army, "garrison troops" and all "military affairs". The final structure of the Military Collegium was determined by decree of 1719. Alexander Menshikov became the first president of the military collegium. The collegiate system differed from the command system primarily in that one body dealt with all issues of a military nature. In wartime, the Commander-in-Chief was at the head of the army. Under him, the Military Council (as an advisory body) and the field headquarters headed by the quartermaster general (assistant commander in chief) were created.
During the reform of the army, a unified system of military ranks was introduced, which finally took shape in the Table of Ranks of 1722. The career ladder included 14 classes from field marshal and admiral general to ensign. The service and ranks of the Table of Ranks were based not on generosity, but on personal abilities.
Paying much attention to the technical re-equipment of the army and navy, Peter I set up the development and production of new types of ships, new models of artillery pieces and ammunition. Under Peter I, the infantry began to arm themselves with flintlock guns, and a domestic-style bayonet was introduced.
The government of Peter I attached particular importance to the education of the national officer corps. Initially, all young nobles were obliged to serve as soldiers in the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky Guards regiments for 10 years, starting at the age of 15. With the receipt of the first officer rank, noble children were sent to army units, where they served for life. However, such a system of training officers could not fully satisfy the growing need for new personnel, and Peter I established a number of special military schools. In 1701, an artillery school for 300 people was opened in Moscow, and in 1712, a second artillery school was opened in St. Petersburg. For the training of engineering personnel, two engineering schools were created (in 1708 and 1719).
For the training of marine personnel, Peter I opened in Moscow in 1701 a school of mathematical and navigational sciences, and in 1715 in St. Petersburg - the Naval Academy.
Peter I forbade the promotion of officers to persons who had not received appropriate training in a military school. There were frequent cases when Peter I personally examined "undergrowths" (children of the nobility). Those who did not pass the exam were sent to serve in the fleet as privates without the right to be promoted to officers.
The reforms introduced a unified system of training and education of troops. On the basis of the experience of the Northern War, instruction manuals and charters were created: "Military Articles", "Institution for Battle", "Rules for a Field Battle", "Naval Charter", "Military Charter of 1716".
Taking care of the morale of the troops, Peter I awarded distinguished generals with the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called established by him in 1698, soldiers and officers - with medals and promotions (soldiers also with money). At the same time, Peter I introduced severe discipline in the army with corporal punishment and the death penalty for serious military crimes.
The military system created by the government of Peter I turned out to be so stable that it lasted until the end of the 18th century without significant changes. In the decades of the 18th century following Peter I, the Russian armed forces developed under the influence of Peter the Great's military reforms, and the principles and traditions of the regular army continued to improve. They found their continuation in the combat activities of Peter Rumyantsev and Alexander Suvorov. Rumyantsev's works "Rite of Service" and Suvorov's "Regimental Establishment" and "The Science of Victory" were an event in the life of the army and a great contribution to domestic military science.
The material was prepared by the editors of RIA Novosti on the basis of open sources
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Strengthening Russian statehood: the military reforms of Peter I
Throughout the entire period of the reign of Peter the Great, Russia participated in wars. At the same time, these military campaigns were directed at some of the most powerful opponents in the world - Turkey and Sweden. To carry out exhausting long offensive military operations, the state needed a powerful, combat-ready army. It is the direct need to form such an army that is the main reason for Peter's military reforms. It is worth noting that the entire process of transformation did not differ in a sharp course. Each of its stages took a lot of time, because each of them was determined by its own events on the battlefield.
In addition, modern historians remind that the tsar did not start the whole process of military transformations out of the blue. Rather, Peter the Great expanded and then continued the military innovations that were conceived by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, his father.
The main military reforms of Peter include:
Reformation of the archery troops
Streltsy regiments, which had previously been the basis of the Russian army, were disbanded by Peter in 1697. And a little later they were completely abolished, since the regiments were not ready to conduct combat operations on an ongoing basis. At the same time, the earlier streltsy riots completely undermined the ruler's confidence in them. In 1699, instead of the archery regiments, Peter formed three new regiments, staffed by recruits and disbanded foreign regiments.
The introduction of recruitment
In 1699, a new system for recruiting troops was introduced in the Russian state - recruitment duty. Initially, the king conducted such recruitment sets only when necessary, regulating it with special decrees that announced the required number of recruits required at that time.
The recruitment service was lifelong, and the peasant class and townspeople acted as the basis for recruitment. The introduced new army recruitment system made it possible to create a large standing army in the country, which had significant advantages over mercenary troops, the recruitment of which was practiced in that historical period in Europe.
Changing the training system in the Russian troops
In the same year (1699), the actual training of officers and soldiers began to be carried out according to a uniform charter. At the same time, the emphasis is on ongoing military training. A year later, the first military school opens for officers, and five years later, the Naval Academy, located in St. Petersburg.
Changes in the structure of the Russian army
By Petrovsky decree, the Russian army was officially divided into three main types of troops:
- cavalry;
- artillery;
- infantry.
In addition, the very structure of the new army was reduced by the king to uniformity, dividing into brigades, regiments, and divisions. The management of the renewed Russian army was carried out in four orders, and since 1718 the so-called Military Collegium began to act as the highest military body.
Four years later, the tsar issues the "Table of Ranks", which structured the entire existing system of military knowledge.
Petrovsky rearmament of the army
The Russian Tsar Peter the Great began arming the infantry with swords and flintlock guns with a single caliber. In addition, many new types of ammunition and guns were developed during his reign. Also, new types of ships of the Russian fleet were created.
In addition to all of the above, it is worth highlighting the following points of Peter's military transformations:
- According to the royal decree, it was forbidden to promote those who had not received an education in a military school. Quite a frequent case was Peter's personal receptions of exams for noble children. Those who did not cope with the tasks were sent to serve in the navy without further eligibility to become an officer in the future.
- Caring not only for the physical training of the troops, but also for their moral support, Peter the Great began to award distinguished generals with the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, which he established in 1698. Also, officers and soldiers were awarded promotions, but most often with money. At the same time, Peter's army had a severe discipline, in which there were not only corporal punishments, but also the death penalty.
The military reforms of Peter 1 and the system formed by the ruler turned out to be so successful and stable that it lasted without any significant changes until the eighteenth century! Modern historians argue that in the following decades after the end of Peter's reign, the Russian armed forces continued to develop under the influence of Peter's transformations.
So, A. Suvorov and P. Rumyantsev took up their improvement. The military works of the latter are considered the greatest contribution to domestic military science!
Table: military reforms of Peter I
| Direction of reform | Main stages |
| Staffing of the army and navy | The introduction of compulsory service for the nobles with their receipt of an officer's rank after graduating from a military school. Introduction of regular recruiting kits for peasants. |
| Army and navy management | Creation of a military collegium to replace the abolished command system of government. Creation of the General Staff of the Russian troops. |
| The structure of the army and navy | Transformation of the structure of the army and navy. The land army began to be divided into: infantry, cavalry and artillery. The Russian fleet began to be divided into: rowing and sailing. For the first time, units of the Marine Corps were created. |
| Armament | All weapons of the Russian army were standardized and brought to uniformity. |
| Marks of Excellence | The introduction of a single form for different types of troops. |
| military personnel | Creation of the first military schools and military educational institutions for the nobility. The School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences was opened in 1701. The artillery school was opened in 1701. The military medical school was opened in 1707. |
| Rearmament of the army | The Russian army is replenished with new types of weapons: rifles with a bayonet, mortars and grenades. |
| Fleet | For the first time in Russian history, a full-fledged navy is being created |
Military reforms of Peter I |
| The introduction of recruitment duty as the main principle of manning the regular army (existed in Russia from 1705 to 1874) |
| Creation of new military regulations |
| Rearmament of the army. New types of weapons are being created:
Shotguns with bayonets |
| Creation of unified military authorities |
| Changes in the organizational structure of the army (the army was officially divided into three types of troops: infantry, artillery and cavalry) |
| 1722 - created the Table of Ranks (system of ranks (ranks)) |
| Opening of military schools for the training of officers |
| Creation of a regular navy |
The results of the reforms of Peter 1 are one of the most difficult and controversial issues in Russian historical science. We can say that in historiography, the opposite of the first Russian emperor was established in his time. Some saw in him a reformer of Russia and believed that he had the merit of including the state in the system of European powers (this was the lie, in particular, representatives of the direction of the Westerners), others, on the contrary, emphasized that his reforms broke the traditional foundations of the life of Russian society and led to partial his loss of national identity (this point of view was held, in particular, by the authors of the philosophical trend of the Slavophiles).
Brief overview of the board
The results of the reforms of Peter 1 should be considered in the context of the peculiarities of his reign. These years turned out to be very difficult for the history of Russia, because it was a time of transition. The emperor waged war for the country's access to the Baltic Sea and at the same time carried out the transformation of the entire socio-political system in the state. However, the downside of his activities was that he carried out his transformations with the expectation that these were temporary measures to govern the country during the war. However, later it turned out that these temporary measures proved to be more durable than ever. But the ruler himself acted, as they say, in a hurry, so the results of the reforms of Peter 1 turned out to be very controversial in the sense that they were very often introduced hastily and by administrative methods, without taking into account the specifics of certain areas that were subject to changes.
Essence of transformations
All the measures of the new ruler were aimed at ensuring Russia's victory during the Northern War with Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea. Therefore, all measures were aimed at improving public administration and management. But the king was also interested in the country being included in the system of European states, as he understood that access to the sea would inevitably lead to a change in the geopolitical position of the state. Therefore, he sought to somehow equalize the degree of development of the country with Western Europe. And the results of the reforms of Peter 1 in this area can be called controversial, at least historians and researchers disagree in assessing their effectiveness. On the one hand, borrowings in management, administration and culture can be called an important step for the Europeanization of the state, but at the same time their haste and even some disorder led to the fact that only a very narrow layer of nobles learned Western European norms. The position of the bulk of the population has not changed.
The Significance of Political Change
The results of the reforms of Peter 1 should be briefly outlined as follows: Russia gained access to the Baltic Sea, became an empire, and its ruler became an emperor, it became part of the European states and began to play a leading role in the international arena. The main result, of course, is that the country received a fundamentally new status, so it is not surprising that the tsar went for such cardinal and deep transformations, realizing that the state should develop in its own way, but he adhered to European standards. First of all, of course, it was about creating a new bureaucratic system and relevant legislation.
In this direction, the results of the reforms of Peter 1 should be briefly noted as follows: in general, the emperor achieved his goal. He created a system of government that lasted without fundamental changes until the February Revolution. This suggests that the ruler's measures to transform the state machine were in place and were carried out at the right time. Of course, Russian reality made its own adjustments, which the emperor himself took into account and understood when he introduced his innovations in management and administration.
Results of economic transformations
The negative results of the reforms of Peter 1 also cannot be discounted. After all, the transformations were carried out due to the intensified exploitation of the population, and in this case we are talking about all sectors of society, starting with serfs and ending with military nobles. Undoubtedly, large military spending has led to serious economic and social problems. However, the ruler took a number of measures to promote the development of the country's economy. So, he encouraged the development of industry, contributed to the development of factories, the development of mineral deposits. He encouraged trade and urban life, realizing that the export and import of goods largely depended on this.
However, all these measures had a downside. The fact is that, while encouraging the development of trade, the emperor at the same time imposed high taxes on merchants. Manufactories and factories were based on serf labor: entire villages were assigned to them, the inhabitants of which were attached to production.
social change
The reforms of Peter 1, the results, the consequences of which actually changed the appearance of the country, also affected the second quarter of the 18th century. Most historians believe that under him the layers finally took shape, largely thanks to the famous "Table of Ranks", which fixed the gradation of officials and military personnel. In addition, under him, the final registration of serfdom in Russia took place. At the same time, many researchers are not inclined to consider these changes as fundamental, believing that they became a natural consequence of the previous stage of the country's development. Some note that the changes affected only the top of society, and the rest of the population did not undergo any changes.
culture
The reforms of Peter 1, the reasons, the results of which should be considered in the context of the general historical situation in the country in the second quarter of the 18th century, perhaps most noticeably affected the cultural image of the state. Perhaps this is due to the fact that these changes were the most visible. In addition, the introduction of Western European customs and norms into traditional Russian life was too different from the way of life that society had been used to for previous generations. The main goal of the emperor was the desire not so much to change the clothes, the rules of behavior of the nobility, but to make European cultural institutions effective for Russian life and reality.
But the main results of the reforms of Peter 1 in this direction left much to be desired, at least in the first decades of his transformative activity. The main results were already evident during the reign of his successors, especially under Catherine II. Under the emperor, the institutions and institutions he introduced were not as effective as he would have liked. He wanted the nobles to study and get a good education, since the country needed professional personnel for the development of industry and the economy in the first place. However, most of the nobles preferred to lead a habitual way of life, and only a few really accepted the king's reforms in this direction. And yet, the so-called nestlings of Petrov's nest played a big role in the ruler's transformational activities, and in many respects those who later determined the cultural and educational policy of the ruler's successors grew out of their generation.
military sphere
The results, the significance of the reforms of Peter 1 in the transformation of the army can hardly be overestimated. It was he who created that regular Russian army, which won so many brilliant victories in the 18th century. It was an army on the European model, which could successfully compete with the troops of other states. Instead of the old system, the emperor introduced a recruiting system for recruiting soldiers. This meant that a certain number of households had to supply a certain number of fighters to the army. This new system existed for quite a long time, until the second half of the 19th century, when, during the reign of Alexander II, it was replaced by a system of universal military service. The vitality of the tsar's military transformations testifies to the fact that these measures at this stage of historical development corresponded to the tasks and needs of the country.
The Importance of Building a Fleet
The results of the reforms of Peter 1, the pros and cons of which, perhaps, can be divided equally, were especially pronounced in the military sphere. In addition to creating an army, the emperor was credited with organizing a permanent regular navy, which brilliantly showed itself already during the years of the Northern War with Sweden, when it won a number of major victories at sea. Thanks to the transformative activity of the tsar in this direction, Russia became a world maritime power. Despite the fact that under the immediate successors of the king, the construction of ships was suspended, nevertheless, already in the second half of the 18th century, especially under Catherine II, the Russian fleet again brilliantly showed itself in a number of wars. The merit of the king is that he took care of creating a fleet with an eye on the future. He did not just build ships for momentary needs, but he intended to make Russia a maritime power, which he succeeded in doing.
Role of diplomacy
The positive results of the reforms of Peter 1 also lie in the fact that it was under him that Russia reached the level of international diplomacy, that is, it began to play one of the leading roles in the international arena. Thanks to his rule, the country became a participant in the largest and most important international events; not a single congress was held without its participation. Under the emperor, a circle of people was formed, which laid the foundation for a galaxy of Russian diplomats who successfully represented our country in the international arena. This was all the more necessary because at the time in question, as well as in subsequent decades, Russia participated in all the major wars in Europe, and almost all conflicts on the mainland in one way or another affected its interests. With this turn of events, a need was created for the presence of experienced and European-educated diplomats. And we can say with confidence that this one was created just during the reign of the emperor.
The issue of succession
The positive and negative results of the reforms of Peter 1 can, perhaps, be divided equally. The advantages have already been mentioned above, but here it is necessary to mention one significant disadvantage, which had an extremely deplorable effect on the subsequent country. The fact is that in connection with the infamous tsar issued a decree, according to which the ruler himself had to appoint his successor. However, the emperor himself, dying, did not have time to draw up a will, which subsequently led to the so-called ones that negatively affected not only the domestic political development of the country, but also its position in the international arena. The constant change of rulers, the ups and downs of parties, supporters of one or another candidate each time led to a change in the foreign and domestic political course of development. And only Paul I at the end of the 18th century canceled this decree on succession to the throne, so that from now on the eldest son of the reigning emperor became the heir to the Russian throne.
General conclusions
As a conclusion, it should be said that there were probably more positive results than negative ones. The fact that most of his reforms were preserved for the next two centuries, and the successors considered it necessary to follow his course of government, suggests that the reformatory activity of the emperor corresponded to the needs of the country. The results of the reforms of Peter 1, the table of which is presented below, prove that the tsar's measures to modernize the country were profound, despite the fact that they were dictated by military needs.
| Activities | Positive results | Negative results |
| Political and administrative sphere | Creation of a new state-administrative system, bureaucracy, corresponding to the needs of the country. | The underdevelopment of reforms. |
| Economic and military areas | Creation of a regular army and navy. | The dual nature of economic reforms: support for trade on the one hand, and tax increases on the other. |
| Social and cultural spheres | Creation of new educational institutions, borrowing of advanced technologies, finalization of the social structure of society. | The underdevelopment of reforms, the mechanical transfer of foreign samples to Russian reality. |
So, we can say that the transformative activity of the first Russian emperor as a whole corresponded to the needs of his time, as evidenced by the fact that his reforms were preserved in subsequent centuries.
As noted by the prominent Russian historian Vasily Klyuchevsky: “Military reform was Peter’s primary transformative work, the longest and most difficult both for himself and for the people. It is very important in our history; this is not just a question of national defense: reform had a profound effect both on the warehouse of society and on the further course of events.
The military reform of Peter I included a set of state measures, but the reorganization of the army recruitment system and military administration, the creation of a regular navy, the improvement of weapons, the development and implementation of a new system of training and education of military personnel.
In the course of Peter's military reforms, the former military organization was abolished: the noble and archery troops and regiments of the "new system" (military units formed in the 17th century in Russia on the model of Western European armies). These regiments went to form a regular army and made up its core.
Peter I introduced a new system of manning the regular army. In 1699, recruitment duty was introduced, legalized by the decree of Peter I in 1705. Its essence was that the state forcibly annually recruited a certain number of recruits from the taxable estates, peasants and townspeople, into the army and navy. From 20 yards they took one person, a single person aged 15 to 20 years (however, during the Northern War, these terms were constantly changing due to a shortage of soldiers and sailors).
By the end of Peter's reign, the number of all regular troops, infantry and cavalry, ranged from 196 to 212 thousand people.
Along with the reorganization of the land army, Peter set about creating a navy. By 1700, the Azov fleet consisted of more than 50 ships. During the Northern War, the Baltic Fleet was created, which by the end of the reign of Peter I consisted of 35 large linear outer ships, 10 frigates and about 200 galley (rowing) ships with 28 thousand sailors.
Under Peter I, the army and navy received the same type and harmonious organization, regiments, brigades and divisions were formed in the army, squadrons, divisions and detachments in the navy, a single dragoon-type cavalry was created. The post of commander-in-chief (general - field marshal) was introduced to manage the active army, in the navy - general - admiral.
The military administration was reformed. Instead of the Orders, Peter 1 established in 1718 a military collegium, which was in charge of the field army, "garrison troops" and all "military affairs". The final structure of the military board was determined by the decree of 1719. Alexander Menshikov became the first president of the military collegium. The collegiate system differed from the command system primarily in that one body dealt with all issues of a military nature. In wartime, the Commander-in-Chief was at the head of the army. Under him, a Military Council (as an advisory body) and a field headquarters headed by a quartermaster general (assistant commander in chief) were created.
During the reform of the army, a unified system of military ranks was introduced, which finally took shape in the Table of Ranks of 1722. The career ladder included 14 classes from field marshal and admiral general to ensign. The service and ranks of the Table of Ranks were based not on generosity, but on personal abilities. Paying much attention to the technical re-equipment of the army and navy, Peter I set up the development and production of new types of ships, new models of artillery pieces and ammunition. Under Peter I, the infantry began to arm themselves with flintlocks with guns, and a domestic-style bayonet was introduced.
The government of Peter I attached particular importance to the education of the national officer corps. Initially, all young nobles were obliged to serve as soldiers in the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky Guards regiments for 10 years, starting at the age of 15. With the receipt of the first officer rank, noble children were sent to army units, where they served for life. However, such a system of training officers could not fully satisfy the growing need for new personnel, and Peter I established a number of special military schools. In 1701, an artillery school for 300 people was opened in Moscow, and in 1712, a second artillery school was opened in St. Petersburg. For the training of engineering personnel, two engineering schools were created (in 1708 and 1719).
For the training of marine personnel, Peter I opened in Moscow in 1701 a school of mathematical and navigational sciences, and in 1715 in St. Petersburg - the Naval Academy. Peter I forbade the promotion of officers to persons who had not received appropriate training in a military school. There were frequent cases when Peter I personally examined "undergrowths" (children of the nobility). Those who did not pass the exam were sent to serve in the fleet as privates without the right to be promoted to officers.
The reforms introduced a unified system of training and education of troops. On the basis of the experience of the Northern War, instruction manuals and charters were created: "Military Articles", "Institution for Battle", "Rules for a Field Battle", "Naval Charter", "Military Charter of 1716".
Taking care of the morale of the troops, Peter I awarded distinguished generals with the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called established by him in 1698, soldiers and officers - with medals and promotions (soldiers also with money). At the same time, Peter I introduced severe discipline in the army with corporal punishment and the death penalty for serious military crimes.
The creation of a powerful Russian fleet was the beginning of the mastery of the entire sea. In 1710, with the participation of naval forces, Vyborg, Riga, about. Ezel, Revel. In 1713, with the capture of Helsingfors, the Swedes were finally driven out of the Gulf of Finland. By the summer campaign of 1714, the Baltic Fleet was so strong that it armed Peter with confidence in his ability to face off against the Swedes at sea. The fleet consisted of 15 battleships armed with 42-74 guns each, 5 frigates with 18-32 guns and 99 galleys. By decree of Peter 1 of November 16, 1705, regiments of marines were organized on ships for the first time.
On June 4, 1719, in the battle with the Swedes in the Ezel Strait, the Russian fleet under the command of the captain of the second rank N.A. Senyavin, the first victory was won without boarding, using only guns.
By the end of the first quarter of the 18th century, Russia had become one of the strongest maritime powers. On January 13, 1720, Peter the Great issued the first maritime charter. The publication of the Naval Charter in Russia, as it were, summed up a certain result of the country's maritime history: in the shortest possible time, a strong navy was created in the Baltic. Peter used all the best that was in Western shipbuilding. But he, first of all, took into account the peculiarities of the Russian theater of war and navigation off the coast of the Fatherland. Peter's fleet differed from the European fleets, first of all, in that at first it consisted mainly of rowing ships, different in size and armament. Peter proceeded from the fact that such ships are easy to build, relatively easy to manage, well used to support the land army. Only after the victory at Poltava in Russia did intensive construction of battleships begin. Only they could ensure Russia's dominance in the Baltic Sea.
