For almost 400 years of the existence of this title, it was worn by completely different people - from adventurers and liberals to tyrants and conservatives.

Rurikovichi

Over the years, Russia (from Rurik to Putin) has changed its political system many times. At first, the rulers had a princely title. When, after a period of political fragmentation, a new Russian state was formed around Moscow, the owners of the Kremlin thought about accepting the royal title.

This was done under Ivan the Terrible (1547-1584). This one decided to marry the kingdom. And this decision was not accidental. So the Moscow monarch emphasized that he was the successor. It was they who bestowed Orthodoxy on Russia. In the 16th century, Byzantium no longer existed (it fell under the onslaught of the Ottomans), so Ivan the Terrible rightly believed that his act would have serious symbolic significance.

Such historical figures as had a great influence on the development of the whole country. In addition to the fact that Ivan the Terrible changed his title, he also captured the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates, starting Russian expansion to the East.

Ivan's son Fedor (1584-1598) was distinguished by his weak character and health. Nevertheless, under him the state continued to develop. The patriarchate was established. Rulers have always paid much attention to the issue of succession to the throne. This time he stood up especially sharply. Fedor had no children. When he died, the Rurik dynasty on the Moscow throne came to an end.

Time of Troubles

After Fyodor's death, Boris Godunov (1598-1605), his brother-in-law, came to power. He did not belong to the royal family, and many considered him a usurper. Under him, due to natural disasters, a colossal famine began. The tsars and presidents of Russia have always tried to keep calm in the provinces. Due to the tense situation, Godunov failed to do this. Several peasant uprisings took place in the country.

In addition, the adventurer Grishka Otrepiev called himself one of the sons of Ivan the Terrible and began a military campaign against Moscow. He really managed to capture the capital and become king. Boris Godunov did not live up to this moment - he died from health complications. His son Fyodor II was captured by the associates of False Dmitry and killed.

The impostor ruled for only a year, after which he was overthrown during the Moscow uprising, which was inspired by disgruntled Russian boyars who did not like that False Dmitry surrounded himself with Catholic Poles. decided to transfer the crown to Vasily Shuisky (1606-1610). During the Time of Troubles, the rulers of Russia often changed.

The princes, tsars and presidents of Russia had to carefully guard their power. Shuisky did not hold her back and was overthrown by the Polish interventionists.

First Romanovs

When in 1613 Moscow was liberated from foreign invaders, the question arose of who should be made sovereign. This text presents all the tsars of Russia in order (with portraits). Now it's time to tell about the ascension to the throne of the Romanov dynasty.

The first sovereign of this kind - Michael (1613-1645) - was just a young man when he was put to rule a vast country. His main goal was the struggle with Poland for the lands occupied by it during the Time of Troubles.

These were the biographies of the rulers and the dates of the reign until the middle of the 17th century. After Michael, his son Alexei (1645-1676) ruled. He annexed left-bank Ukraine and Kyiv to Russia. So, after several centuries of fragmentation and Lithuanian rule, the fraternal peoples finally began to live in one country.

Alexei had many sons. The eldest of them, Fedor III (1676-1682), died at a young age. After him came the simultaneous reign of two children - Ivan and Peter.

Peter the Great

Ivan Alekseevich was unable to govern the country. Therefore, in 1689, the sole reign of Peter the Great began. He completely rebuilt the country in a European manner. Russia - from Rurik to Putin (let's look at all the rulers in chronological order) - knows few examples of an era so full of changes.

A new army and navy appeared. To do this, Peter started a war against Sweden. The Northern War lasted 21 years. During it, the Swedish army was defeated, and the kingdom agreed to cede its southern Baltic lands. In this region, in 1703, St. Petersburg was founded - the new capital of Russia. Peter's success made him think about changing his title. In 1721 he became emperor. However, this change did not abolish the royal title - in everyday speech, monarchs continued to be called kings.

The era of palace coups

Peter's death was followed by a long period of unstable power. The monarchs succeeded each other with enviable regularity, which was facilitated. As a rule, the guards or certain courtiers were at the head of these changes. During this era, Catherine I (1725-1727), Peter II (1727-1730), Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740), Ivan VI (1740-1741), Elizabeth Petrovna (1741-1761) and Peter III (1761-1762) ruled ).

The last of them was of German origin. Under the predecessor of Peter III, Elizabeth, Russia waged a victorious war against Prussia. The new monarch renounced all conquests, returned Berlin to the king and concluded a peace treaty. With this act, he signed his own death warrant. The guards organized another palace coup, after which Peter's wife Catherine II was on the throne.

Catherine II and Paul I

Catherine II (1762-1796) had a deep state mind. On the throne, she began to pursue a policy of enlightened absolutism. The Empress organized the work of the famous statutory commission, the purpose of which was to prepare a comprehensive project of reforms in Russia. She also wrote the Order. This document contained many considerations about the transformations needed for the country. The reforms were curtailed when a peasant uprising led by Pugachev broke out in the Volga region in the 1770s.

All the tsars and presidents of Russia (in chronological order, we listed all the royal persons) took care that the country looked worthy on the foreign arena. She was no exception. She led several successful military campaigns against Turkey. As a result, Crimea and other important Black Sea regions were annexed to Russia. At the end of Catherine's reign, three partitions of Poland took place. So the Russian Empire received important acquisitions in the west.

After the death of the great empress, her son Paul I (1796-1801) came to power. This quarrelsome man was not liked by many in the St. Petersburg elite.

First half of the 19th century

In 1801 there was another and the last palace coup. A group of conspirators dealt with Pavel. His son Alexander I (1801-1825) was on the throne. His reign fell on the Patriotic War and the invasion of Napoleon. The rulers of the Russian state have not faced such a serious enemy intervention for two centuries. Despite the capture of Moscow, Bonaparte was defeated. Alexander became the most popular and famous monarch of the Old World. He was also called "the liberator of Europe".

Inside his country, Alexander in his youth tried to implement liberal reforms. Historical figures often change their policies as they age. So Alexander soon abandoned his ideas. He died in Taganrog in 1825 under mysterious circumstances.

At the beginning of the reign of his brother Nicholas I (1825-1855) there was an uprising of the Decembrists. Because of this, conservative orders triumphed in the country for thirty years.

Second half of the 19th century

Here are all the tsars of Russia in order, with portraits. Further, we will talk about the main reformer of the national statehood - Alexander II (1855-1881). He became the initiator of the manifesto on the liberation of the peasants. The destruction of serfdom allowed the development of the Russian market and capitalism. The country began to grow economically. The reforms also affected the judiciary, local self-government, administrative and conscription systems. The monarch tried to raise the country to its feet and learn the lessons that the lost started under Nicholas I presented him.

But Alexander's reforms were not enough for the radicals. Terrorists attempted several times on his life. In 1881 they were successful. Alexander II died from a bomb explosion. The news came as a shock to the whole world.

Because of what happened, the son of the deceased monarch, Alexander III (1881-1894), forever became a tough reactionary and conservative. But he is best known as a peacemaker. During his reign, Russia did not conduct a single war.

The last king

Alexander III died in 1894. Power passed into the hands of Nicholas II (1894-1917) - his son and the last Russian monarch. By that time, the old world order with the absolute power of kings and kings had already outlived itself. Russia - from Rurik to Putin - knew a lot of upheavals, but it was under Nicholas that there were more than ever many of them.

In 1904-1905. the country experienced a humiliating war with Japan. It was followed by the first revolution. Although the unrest was suppressed, the king had to make concessions to public opinion. He agreed to establish a constitutional monarchy and a parliament.

The tsars and presidents of Russia at all times faced a certain opposition within the state. Now people could elect deputies who expressed these sentiments.

In 1914 the First World War began. No one then suspected that it would end with the fall of several empires at once, including the Russian one. In 1917, the February Revolution broke out, and the last tsar had to abdicate. Nicholas II, together with his family, was shot by the Bolsheviks in the basement of the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg.

The Old Russian chronicle of the XII century "The Tale of Bygone Years" introduces us to a very interesting event that happened in 862. It was in this year that the Varangian Rurik was invited by the Slavic tribes to reign in Novgorod.

This event became fundamental in counting the beginning of the statehood of the Eastern Slavs and received the conditional name "The Calling of the Varangians." It is from Rurik that the countdown of the rulers of the Russian lands begins. Our history is very rich. It is filled with both heroic and tragic events, and all of them are inextricably linked with specific personalities that history has arranged in chronological order.

Novgorod princes (862-882)

Novgorod princes of the pre-Kiev period. The state of Rurik - this is how the emerging Old Russian state can be called conditionally. According to The Tale of Bygone Years, this time is associated with the calling of the Varangians and the transfer of the capital to the city of Kyiv.

Kyiv princes (882-1263)

We refer to the Kievan princes the rulers of the Old Russian state and the Kievan principality. From the end of the 9th to the beginning of the 13th century, the throne of Kyiv was considered the most prestigious, and it was occupied by the most authoritative princes (as a rule, from the Rurik dynasty), who were recognized by the other princes in the order of succession to the throne. At the end of the 12th century, this tradition began to weaken, the influential princes did not personally occupy the throne of Kyiv, but sent their proteges to it.

Ruler	Years of government	Note
Yaropolk Svyatoslavich
Svyatopolk Vladimirovich	1015-1016; 1018-1019
Izyaslav Yaroslavich
Vseslav Bryachislavich
Izyaslav Yaroslavich
Svyatoslav Yaroslavich
Vsevolod Yaroslavich
Izyaslav Yaroslavich
Vsevolod Yaroslavich
Svyatopolk Izyaslavich
Mstislav Vladimirovich the Great
Yaropolk Vladimirovich
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich
Vsevolod Olgovich
Igor Olgovich	August 1146
Izyaslav Mstislavich
Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgoruky
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich	August 1150
Izyaslav Mstislavich	August 1150
	August 1150 - early 1151
Izyaslav Mstislavich
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich		co-ruler
Rostislav Mstislavich	December 1154
Izyaslav Davydovich
Izyaslav Davydovich
Mstislav Izyaslavich
Rostislav Mstislavich
Izyaslav Davydovich
Rostislav Mstislavich
Vladimir Mstislavich	March - May 1167
Mstislav Izyaslavich
Gleb Yurievich
Mstislav Izyaslavich
Gleb Yurievich
Mikhalko Yurievich
Roman Rostislavich
Yaropolk Rostislavich		co-ruler
Rurik Rostislavich
Yaroslav Izyaslavich
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich	January 1174
Yaroslav Izyaslavich	January - 2nd half 1174
Roman Rostislavich
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich
Rurik Rostislavich	late August 1180 - summer 1181
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich
Rurik Rostislavich	summer 1194 - autumn 1201
Ingvar Yaroslavich
Rurik Rostislavich
Rostislav Rurikovich	winter 1204 - summer 1205
Rurik Rostislavich
Vsevolod Svyatoslavich Chermny	August - September 1206
Rurik Rostislavich	September 1206 - Spring 1207
Vsevolod Svyatoslavich Chermny	spring - October 1207
Rurik Rostislavich	October 1207 - 1210
Vsevolod Svyatoslavich Chermny	1210 - summer 1212
Ingvar Yaroslavich
Mstislav Romanovich
Vladimir Rurikovich
Izyaslav Mstislavich	June - late 1235
Vladimir Rurikovich	late 1235-1236
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich	1236 - 1st half of 1238
Vladimir Rurikovich
Mikhail Vsevolodovich
Rostislav Mstislavich
Daniel Romanovich
Mikhail Vsevolodovich
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich

Grand Dukes of Vladimir (1157-1425)

The Grand Dukes of Vladimir are the rulers of North-Eastern Russia. The period of their reign begins with the separation of the Rostov-Suzdal principality from Kyiv in 1132 and ends in 1389, after the entry of the Vladimir principality into the Moscow principality. In 1169, Andrei Bogolyubsky captured Kyiv and was proclaimed the Grand Duke, but did not go to Kyiv to reign. From that time on, Vladimir received the status of grand duke and turned into one of the most influential centers of the Russian lands. After the start of the Mongol invasion, the princes of Vladimir are recognized in the Horde as the oldest in Russia, and Vladimir becomes the nominal capital of the Russian lands.

Ruler	Years of government	Note
Mikhalko Yurievich
Yaropolk Rostislavich
Mikhalko Yurievich
Yuri Vsevolodovich
Konstantin Vsevolodovich
Yuri Vsevolodovich
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich	1246 - early 1248
Mikhail Yaroslavovich Khorobrit	early 1248 - winter 1248/1249
Andrey Yaroslavovich
Yaroslav Yaroslavovich Tverskoy
Vasily Yaroslavovich Kostroma
Dmitry Alexandrovich Pereyaslavsky	December 1283 - 1293
Andrey Alexandrovich Gorodetsky
Mikhail Yaroslavovich Tverskoy
Yuri Danilovich
Dmitry Mikhailovich Terrible Eyes (Tverskoy)
Alexander Mikhailovich Tverskoy
Alexander Vasilievich Suzdalsky
		co-ruler
Semyon Ivanovich Proud
Ivan II Ivanovich Red
Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy	early January - spring 1363
Dmitry Konstantinovich Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod
Vasily Dmitrievich

Moscow princes and grand dukes (1263-1547)

During the period of feudal fragmentation, Moscow princes were increasingly at the head of the troops. They managed to get out of conflicts with other countries and neighbors, seeking a positive solution to their own political issues. The Moscow princes changed history: they overthrew the Mongol yoke, returned the state to its former greatness.

Ruler	Years of government	Note
	nominally 1263, actually from 1272 (no later than 1282) - 1303
Yuri Danilovich
Semyon Ivanovich Proud
Ivan II Ivanovich Red
Vasily II Vasilyevich Dark
Yuri Dmitrievich	spring - summer 1433
Vasily II Vasilyevich Dark
Yuri Dmitrievich Zvenigorodsky
Vasily Yurievich Kosoy
Vasily II Vasilyevich Dark
Dmitry Yurievich Shemyaka
Vasily II Vasilyevich Dark
Dmitry Yurievich Shemyaka
Vasily II Vasilyevich Dark
		co-ruler Basil II
Ivan Ivanovich Young		co-ruler
Dmitry Ivanovich Vnuk		co-ruler
		co-ruler of Ivan III

Russian tsars

Rurikovichi

In 1547, the Sovereign of All Russia and the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan IV Vasilievich the Terrible was crowned Tsar and took the full title "Great Sovereign, by the grace of God the Tsar and Grand Duke of All Russia, Vladimir, Moscow, Novgorod, Pskov, Ryazan, Tver, Yugorsky, Perm, Vyatsky, Bulgarian and others"; later, with the expansion of the borders of the Russian state, the title was added "Tsar of Kazan, Tsar of Astrakhan, Tsar of Siberia", "and the ruler of all the Northern countries."

Godunovs

The Godunovs are an ancient Russian noble family, which, after the death of Fyodor I Ivanovich, became the Russian royal dynasty (1598-1605).

Time of Troubles

At the very beginning of the 17th century, the country was struck by a deep spiritual, economic, social, political and foreign policy crisis. It coincided with the dynastic crisis and the struggle of boyar factions for power. All this has brought the country to the brink of disaster. The impetus for the beginning of the Troubles was the suppression of the royal dynasty of Rurikovich after the death of Fedor I Ioannovich and the not very clear policy of the new royal dynasty of the Godunovs.

Romanovs

The Romanovs are a Russian boyar family. In 1613, a Zemsky Sobor was held in Moscow to elect a new tsar. The total number of electors exceeded 800 representing 58 cities. The election of Mikhail Romanov to the throne put an end to the Troubles and gave rise to the Romanov dynasty.

Ruler	Years of government	Note
Mikhail Fedorovich
Patriarch Filaret		Co-ruler of Mikhail Fedorovich from 1619 to 1633 with the title "Great Sovereign"
Fedor III Alekseevich
Ivan V Alekseevich		Ruled until 1696 with his brother
		Until 1696 he ruled jointly with his brother Ivan V

Russian emperors (1721-1917)

The title of Emperor of All Russia was adopted by Peter I on October 22 (November 2), 1721. This adoption took place at the request of the Senate after the victory in the Great Northern War. The title lasted until the February Revolution of 1917.

Ruler	Years of government	Note
Peter I the Great
Catherine I
Anna Ioannovna
Elizaveta Petrovna
Catherine II the Great
Alexander I
Nicholas I
Alexander II
Alexander III
Nicholas II

Provisional government (1917)

In February 1917, the February Revolution took place. As a result, on March 2, 1917, Emperor Nicholas II abdicated the Russian throne. Power was in the hands of the Provisional Government.

After the October Revolution of 1917, the Provisional Government was overthrown, the Bolsheviks came to power and began building a new state.

These people can be considered formal leaders only because the post of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Committee of the RCP (b) - VKP (b) - CPSU after the death of V. I. Lenin was actually the most important state position.

Kamenev Lev Borisovich		Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee
Sverdlov Yakov Mikhailovich		Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee
Vladimirsky Mikhail Fedorovich		And about. Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee
Kalinin Mikhail Ivanovich		Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, from 12/30/1922 - Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, from 01/17/1938 -
Shvernik Nikolai Mikhailovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
Voroshilov Kliment Efremovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich		Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
Mikoyan Anastas Ivanovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
Podgorny Nikolai Viktorovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich
Kuznetsov Vasily Vasilievich
Andropov Yury Vladimirovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council, at the same time General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU
Kuznetsov Vasily Vasilievich		And about. Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
Chernenko Konstantin Ustinovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council, at the same time General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU
Kuznetsov Vasily Vasilievich		And about. Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
Gromyko Andrey Andreevich		Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeevich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council, at the same time General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU

General Secretaries of the Central Committee of the RCP(b), VKP(b), CPSU (1922-1991)

Khrushchev Nikita Sergeevich		First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU
Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich		Until 04/08/1966 - First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, from 04/08/1966 - General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee
Andropov Yury Vladimirovich
Chernenko Konstantin Ustinovich
Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeevich

President of the USSR (1990-1991)

The post of President of the Soviet Union was introduced on March 15, 1990 by the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR with the introduction of appropriate amendments to the Constitution of the USSR.

Presidents of the Russian Federation (1991-2018)

The post of President of the RSFSR was established on April 24, 1991 on the basis of the results of the All-Russian referendum.

First Russian Emperor Peter the Great

“People of all generations in assessing the personality and activities of Peter agreed on one thing: he was considered a force. Peter was the most prominent and influential figure of his time, the leader of all the people. No one considered him an insignificant person who unconsciously used power or blindly walked along a random road. (S. F. Platonov "Personality and Activity").

Peter I was the first Russian emperor. He took this title in 1721 after the victory in the Great Northern War (1700-1721), which resulted in the expansion of Russia's territory in the Baltic region. According to the Peace of Nishtad (August 30, 1721), Russia received access to the Baltic Sea, annexed the territory of Ingria, part of Karelia, Estonia and Livonia. Thus, the country became a great European power, and by the decision of the Senate, Peter was proclaimed Emperor of the Russian Empire, while he was given the titles "Great" ("Peter the Great") and "Father of the Fatherland").

It is known that from the time of his activity to the present, there are diametrically opposed assessments of both the personality of Peter I and his role in the history of Russia. Let's try to understand them and form our own opinion about him, although the fact is obvious that Peter I is one of the most prominent statesmen who determined the direction of Russia's development for many years to come.

short biography

Young Peter

He was proclaimed tsar at the age of 10 (in 1682), began to rule independently from 1689. From a young age he showed interest in the sciences and a foreign way of life, among his youth friends there were many foreigners, especially Germans who lived in Moscow in German freedom. Peter was the first of the Russian tsars to make a long journey to the countries of Western Europe (1697-1698), where he not only got acquainted with the way of life and culture of these countries, but also learned a lot, delving into many crafts and sciences, as well as being engaged in self-education. After returning to Russia, he launched large-scale reforms of the Russian state and social order. He possessed tireless energy and curiosity, knew 14 crafts, but the main reason for the ambiguous attitude towards him was that he demanded the same from others - full commitment to the cause uncompromisingly. He firmly believed in the correctness and necessity of his actions, therefore, in order to achieve his goals, he did not reckon with anything.

You can read about the reforming activities of Peter I on our website:,.

In this article, we will pay more attention to the personality of Peter I and the assessment of his activities.

Personality of PeterI

Appearance and character

Peter was very tall (204 cm), but not a heroic build: he had a small foot (38 sizes), a slender build, small hands, and a swift gait.

Distinguished by the beauty and liveliness of his face, violated only by periodic strong convulsive twitches, especially in moments of excitement or emotional stress. It is believed that this was due to childhood shock during the Streltsy riots - the time of the seizure of power by his sister Sofya Alekseevna.

K.K. Steiben "Peter the Great in childhood, saved by his mother from the fury of archers"

People around were often frightened by these twitches of the face, which distorted his appearance. Here is how the Duke of Saint-Simon, who met with Peter during his stay in Paris, recalls this: “ He was very tall, well built, rather thin, with a roundish face, high forehead, fine eyebrows; his nose is rather short, but not too short, and is somewhat thick towards the end; the lips are rather large, the complexion reddish and swarthy, fine black eyes, large, lively, penetrating, beautifully shaped; a look majestic and friendly when he watches himself and restrains, otherwise severe and wild, with convulsions in the face, which are not often repeated, but distort both the eyes and the whole face, frightening all present. The convulsion usually lasted for an instant, and then his eyes became strange, as if bewildered, then everything immediately took on a normal look. His whole appearance showed intelligence, reflection and grandeur, and was not without charm.". But this was not the only thing that frightened the sometimes refined foreign aristocrats: Peter had a simple disposition and rude manners.

He was a lively, cheerful person, savvy and natural in all his manifestations: both joy and anger. But his anger was terrible and often combined with cruelty. In anger, he could hit and even beat his entourage. His evil jokes are known, especially often they were directed at noble and old boyars, who did not approve of his innovations and hampered the implementation of reforms, were supporters of native Russian moral and religious principles. In general, he treated opponents of reforms with particular cruelty and contempt. What is the value of the All-Joking, All-Drunken and Extravagant Cathedral he created, which was engaged in mockery of everything that was revered in society as primordially Russian. It was one of the inventions he founded for the purpose of entertainment, drinking amusements, a kind of jester's "order organization" that united the tsar's like-minded people.

Y. Pantsyrev "Peter and Menshikov"

The main feature of the "Sobor" was a parody of the rites of the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Some historians even believe that the “Sobor” was created with the aim of discrediting the church and, along with shaving beards, is included in the general series of destroying the stereotypes of old Russian everyday life; at the "Sobor" they drank a lot and cursed a lot. It existed for about 30 years - until the mid-1720s. Perhaps that is why some people still perceive Peter I as the Antichrist (the opposite and antipode of Christ).

In this anti-behaviour, Peter was similar to Ivan the Terrible. Peter also sometimes personally performed the duties of an executioner.

Family

For the first time, Peter entered into marriage at the age of 17 at the insistence of his mother in 1689. Evdokia Lopukhina became his wife. Their son, Tsarevich Alexei, was brought up mainly by his mother, he was alien to the reforming activities of Peter. The rest of the children of Peter and Evdokia died in infancy. Subsequently, Evdokia Lopukhina was involved in the Streltsy rebellion and was exiled to a monastery.

Alexei Petrovich, the official heir to the Russian throne, condemned his father's transformations and fled to Vienna under the patronage of a relative of his wife (Charlotte of Brunswick) Emperor Charles VI. There he hoped to find support for his idea of ​​overthrowing Peter I. In 1717 he was persuaded to return home, where he was immediately taken into custody. In 1718, the Supreme Court sentenced him to death, finding him guilty of high treason.

But Tsarevich Alexei did not wait for the execution of the sentence and died in the Peter and Paul Fortress. The true cause of his death has not yet been established.

The prince had two children: Peter Alekseevich, who became Emperor Peter II in 1727 (read about him on our website:), and daughter Natalia.

In 1703, Peter I met 19-year-old Katerina, nee Martha Samuilovna Skavronskaya, who was captured by Russian troops as spoils of war during the capture of the Swedish fortress of Marienburg. Peter took the former maid from the Baltic peasants from Alexander Menshikov and made her his mistress. They had 6 daughters (including Elizabeth, the future empress, and three sons who died in infancy). The official wedding of Peter I with Ekaterina Alekseevna took place in 1712, shortly after returning from the Prut campaign. In 1724, Peter crowned Catherine as empress and co-ruler. After the death of Peter in January 1725, Ekaterina Alekseevna, with the support of the serving nobility and guards regiments, became the first ruling Russian Empress Catherine I (read about her on our website:), but the reign was short-lived and died in 1727, leaving the throne to Tsarevich Peter Alekseevich.

According to some sources, Peter I had 14 officially registered children. Many of them died in infancy.

Death of PeterI

Peter I died on February 8, 2725 in the Winter Palace. The cause of his death was nephrolithiasis complicated by uremia, but a sharp exacerbation of the disease began after Peter, inspecting the Ladoga Canal in October, entered waist-deep water to save a boat with soldiers that had run aground. It turns out that he could not only execute and get angry, but also sacrifice his health and, as it turned out, his life for the sake of others. After that, his health deteriorated sharply and death occurred.

I. Nikitin "Peter on his deathbed"

Contemporaries and historians about the activities of Peter the Great

Here are just a few of the many characteristics of this person, which cannot be characterized unambiguously. They say a man should be judged by his deeds. Peter's deeds are enormous, but always with the realization of this, another problem arises: at what cost?

Let's listen to different opinions about Peter I.

Mikhail Lomonosov always spoke of Peter enthusiastically: “With whom shall I compare the Great Sovereign? I see in antiquity and in modern times Possessors, called great. Indeed, before others are great. However, they are small before Peter. ... To whom shall I liken our Hero? I have often wondered what the One who with an all-powerful wave governs the heavens, the earth and the sea: His spirit breathes, and the waters flow, and touches the mountains, and they rise. .

L. Bernstam. Monument to Peter I "Tsar Carpenter"

Swedish writer and playwright Johan August Strindberg characterized him like this: “The barbarian who civilized his Russia; he who built cities, but did not want to live in them; he who punished his wife with a whip and gave the woman wide freedom - his life was great, rich and useful in public terms, in private terms, such as it turned out.

Historian S.M. Solovyov highly appreciated the activities of Peter, and considered the polarity of assessments of such a broad personality as Peter to be inevitable: “The difference of views stemmed from the enormity of the work done by Peter, the duration of the influence of this work. The more significant a phenomenon is, the more divergent views and opinions it generates, and the more they talk about it, the more they feel its influence on themselves.

P. N. Milyukov believes that the reforms were carried out by Peter spontaneously, from time to time, under the pressure of specific circumstances, without any logic and plan, they were "reforms without a reformer." He also mentions that only "at the cost of ruining the country, Russia was elevated to the rank of a European power." According to Milyukov, during the reign of Peter the Great, the population of Russia within the boundaries of 1695 decreased due to incessant wars.

N. M. Karamzin agreed with the characterization of Peter as "Great", but criticized him for his excessive passion for the foreign, the desire to make Russia the Netherlands. According to the historian, a sharp change in the "old" way of life and national traditions undertaken by the emperor is far from always justified. As a result, Russian educated people "became citizens of the world, but ceased to be, in some cases, citizens of Russia." But "A great man proves his greatness by the very mistakes."

Some historians believe that Peter did not change the most important thing in the country: serfdom. Temporary improvements in the present doomed Russia to a crisis in the future.

Thinker and publicist Ivan Solonevich gives an extremely negative characterization of the activities of Peter I. In his opinion, the result of Peter's activities was the gap between the ruling elite and the people, the denationalization of the first. He accused Peter of cruelty, incompetence, tyranny and cowardice.

IN. Klyuchevsky understands Peter's reforms not as transformations carried out according to a premeditated plan, but as a response and reaction to the dictates of the times: “The reform itself came out of the urgent needs of the state and the people, instinctively
felt by a powerful person with a sensitive mind and a strong character. "The reform was his personal affair, an unprecedentedly violent affair, and yet, involuntary and necessary." The historian goes on to say that “the reform gradually turned into a stubborn internal struggle, stirred up all the stagnant mold of Russian
life, agitated all classes of society ... ".

Conclusion

Peter I, the first Russian emperor, influenced Russian history so significantly that interest in his activities is unlikely to ever fade, no matter how his reforms are evaluated.

There have been many rulers in the history of Russia, but not all of them can be called successful. Those who could, expanded the territory of the state, won wars, developed culture and production in the country, and strengthened international ties.

Yaroslav the Wise

Yaroslav the Wise, son of Saint Vladimir, was one of the first truly effective rulers in Russian history. He founded the city-fortress Yuryev in the Baltic, Yaroslavl in the Volga region, Yuryev Russian, Yaroslavl in the Carpathian region and Novgorod-Seversky.

During the years of his reign, Yaroslav stopped the Pecheneg raids on Russia, defeating them in 1038 near the walls of Kyiv, in honor of which the Hagia Sophia was founded. Artists from Constantinople were called in to paint the temple.

In an effort to strengthen international relations, Yaroslav used dynastic marriages, gave his daughter Princess Anna Yaroslavna in marriage to the French King Henry I.

Yaroslav the Wise actively built the first Russian monasteries, founded the first large school, allocated large funds for translations and correspondence of books, published the Church Charter and the Russian Truth. In 1051, having gathered the bishops, he himself appointed Hilarion as metropolitan, for the first time without the participation of the Patriarch of Constantinople. Hilarion became the first Russian metropolitan.

Ivan III

Ivan III can be confidently called one of the most successful rulers in the history of Russia. It was he who managed to gather around Moscow the scattered principalities of northeastern Russia. During his lifetime, the Yaroslavl and Rostov principalities, Vyatka, Great Perm, Tver, Novgorod and other lands became part of a single state.

Ivan III was the first of the Russian princes to take the title "Sovereign of All Russia", and introduced the term "Russia" into use. He also became the liberator of Russia from the yoke. Standing on the Ugra River, which happened in 1480, marked the final victory of Russia in the struggle for its independence.

Adopted in 1497, the Sudebnik of Ivan III laid the legal foundations for overcoming feudal fragmentation. The Sudebnik had a progressive character for its time: at the end of the 15th century, not every European country could boast of uniform legislation.

The unification of the country required a new state ideology and its foundations appeared: Ivan III approved the double-headed eagle as the symbol of the country, which was used in the state symbols of Byzantium and the Holy Roman Empire.

During the life of Ivan III, the main part of the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin, which we can observe today, was created. The Russian Tsar invited Italian architects for this. Under Ivan III, about 25 churches were built in Moscow alone.

Ivan the Terrible

Ivan the Terrible is an autocrat whose reign still has very different, often opposite, assessments, but at the same time his effectiveness as a ruler is difficult to dispute.

He successfully fought against the successors of the Golden Horde, annexed the Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms to Russia, significantly expanded the territory of the state to the east, subjugating the Great Nogai Horde and the Siberian Khan Edigei. However, the Livonian War ended with the loss of part of the land, without solving its main task - access to the Baltic Sea.
Under Grozny, diplomacy developed, Anglo-Russian contacts were established. Ivan IV was one of the most educated people of his time, possessed a phenomenal memory and erudition, wrote numerous letters himself, was the author of music and the text of the service of the feast of Our Lady of Vladimir, the canon to the Archangel Michael, developed book printing in Moscow, supported the chroniclers.

Peter I

Peter's coming to power radically changed the vector of Russia's development. The tsar “cut a window to Europe”, fought a lot and successfully, fought with the clergy, reformed the army, education and the tax system, created the first fleet in Russia, changed the tradition of chronology, and carried out a regional reform.

Peter personally met with Leibniz and Newton, was an honorary member of the Paris Academy of Sciences. By order of Peter I, books, instruments, weapons were purchased abroad, foreign craftsmen and scientists were invited to Russia.

During the reign of the emperor, Russia gained a foothold on the shores of the Sea of ​​​​Azov, received access to the Baltic Sea. After the Persian campaign, the western coast of the Caspian Sea with the cities of Derbent and Baku moved to Russia.

Under Peter I, outdated forms of diplomatic relations and etiquette were abolished, and permanent diplomatic missions and consulates abroad were established.

Numerous expeditions, including those to Central Asia, the Far East and Siberia, made it possible to begin a systematic study of the country's geography and develop cartography.

Catherine II

The main German on the Russian throne, Catherine II was one of the most effective Russian rulers. Under Catherine II, Russia finally gained a foothold on the Black Sea, the lands were annexed, which received the name Novorossia: the Northern Black Sea region, Crimea, and the Kuban region. Catherine took Eastern Georgia under Russian citizenship and returned the Western Russian lands torn away by the Poles.

Under Catherine II, the population of Russia increased significantly, hundreds of new cities were built, the treasury quadrupled, industry and agriculture developed rapidly - Russia began to export bread for the first time.

During the reign of the empress, paper money was introduced for the first time in Russia, a clear territorial division of the empire was carried out, a system of secondary education was created, an observatory, a physics office, an anatomical theater, a botanical garden, instrumental workshops, a printing house, a library, and an archive were founded. In 1783, the Russian Academy was founded, which became one of the leading scientific bases in Europe.

Alexander I

Alexander I - Emperor, under which Russia defeated the Napoleonic coalition. During the reign of Alexander I, the territory of the Russian Empire expanded significantly: Eastern and Western Georgia, Mingrelia, Imeretia, Guria, Finland, Bessarabia, most of Poland (which formed the Kingdom of Poland) passed into Russian citizenship.

With domestic policy, Alexander the First was not going smoothly (“Arakcheevshchina”, police measures against the opposition), but Alexander I carried out a number of reforms: merchants, petty bourgeois and state settlers were given the right to buy uninhabited lands, ministries and a cabinet of ministers were established, a decree was issued about free cultivators, who created the category of personally free peasants.

Alexander II

Alexander II went down in history as the "Liberator". Under him, serfdom was abolished. Alexander II reorganized the army, shortened the term of military service, and corporal punishment was abolished under him. Alexander II established the State Bank, carried out financial, monetary, police and university reforms.

During the reign of the emperor, the Polish uprising was suppressed, the Caucasian War ended. According to the Aigun and Beijing treaties with the Chinese Empire, Russia annexed the Amur and Ussuri regions in 1858-1860. In 1867-1873, the territory of Russia increased due to the conquest of the Turkestan Territory and the Ferghana Valley and the voluntary entry into the vassal rights of the Emirate of Bukhara and the Khiva Khanate.
What Alexander II still cannot be forgiven for is the sale of Alaska.

Alexander III

Russia spent almost its entire history in wars. There were no wars only during the reign of Alexander III.

He was called "the most Russian tsar", "Peacemaker". Sergei Witte spoke of him this way: "Emperor Alexander III, having received Russia at the confluence of the most unfavorable political conditions, deeply raised the international prestige of Russia without shedding a drop of Russian blood."
The merits of Alexander III in foreign policy were noted by France, which named the main bridge over the Seine in Paris in honor of Alexander III. Even the Emperor of Germany Wilhelm II said after the death of Alexander III: "This, indeed, was the autocratic Emperor."

In domestic politics, the activities of the emperor were also successful. A real technical revolution took place in Russia, the economy stabilized, industry developed by leaps and bounds. In 1891, Russia began building the Great Siberian Railway.

Joseph Stalin

The era of Stalin's rule was ambiguous, but it is difficult to deny that he "took over the country with a plow, and left it with a nuclear bomb." Do not forget that it was under Stalin that the USSR won the Great Patriotic War. Let's remember the numbers.
During the reign of Joseph Stalin, the population of the USSR increased from 136.8 million people in 1920 to 208.8 million in 1959. Under Stalin, the country's population became literate. According to the 1879 census, the population of the Russian Empire was 79% illiterate, by 1932 the literacy of the population had risen to 89.1%.

The total volume of industrial production per capita for 1913-1950 in the USSR increased 4 times. The growth in agricultural production by 1938 was + 45% compared to 1913 and + 100% compared to 1920.
By the end of Stalin's rule in 1953, the gold reserves had grown 6.5 times and reached 2,050 tons.

Nikita Khrushchev

Despite all the ambiguity of Khrushchev's domestic (giving back Crimea) and foreign (Cold War) policies, it was during his reign that the USSR became the world's first space power.
After the report of Nikita Khrushchev at the XX Congress of the CPSU, the country breathed more freely, a period of relative democracy began, in which citizens were not afraid to go to jail for telling a political anecdote.

During this period, there was an upsurge in Soviet culture, from which the ideological shackles were removed. The country discovered the genre of "street poetry", the poets Robert Rozhdestvensky, Andrei Voznesensky, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Bella Akhmadulina were known by the whole country.

During the years of Khrushchev's rule, International Youth Festivals were held, Soviet people gained access to the world of imports and foreign fashion. In general, breathing in the country has become easier.

Consider the life of the last tsar and first emperor of Russia, the reformer Peter I. He completely overthrew the old customs and brought Russia to a new level of development in various sectors. Thanks to his successful innovative ideas, competent approach in the leadership of the country, he was called the Great.

Personality of a great man

Outwardly, Peter I (06/09/1672 - 02/08/1725) was handsome, distinguished by his tall stature, regular physique, large penetrating black eyes, and beautiful eyebrows.

From an early age, he was fond of mastering various crafts such as carpentry, turning, blacksmithing and others. He had the ability to learn foreign languages. He was distinguished by a wayward character, in a rage he could beat his subordinates. Even he himself was the executioner during the execution of those responsible for the Streltsy uprising.

Fight for the throne

In 1682, after the death of the childless Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich, there was a struggle for the throne. In addition to Peter, his older half-brother Ivan wanted to take the throne of the tsar, but both of them were minor heirs. Therefore, until they came of age, the country was ruled by their elder sister, Princess Sophia.

Peter's mother was unhappy with this situation and, in order to change the situation, in her favor, makes Peter marry at the age of 17. According to the laws of that time, if he is married, then he is considered an adult. Married Peter was able to claim the throne. He overcame the uprising organized by Tsarevna Sophia and imprisoned her in a monastery. And the very sickly brother Ivan did not interfere with Peter's ascension to the throne.

title of emperor

The title of Emperor Peter I accepted in 1721 after the victory in the Northern War, which lasted more than 20 years. To reward the king for ending such a hard and exhausting war. The Senate decided to give Peter the title of "Emperor, Father of the Fatherland and the Great." The Holy Synod approved this decision and the senators in full force went to ask the king to accept this title.

Peter I agreed and on October 22, 1721, after the end of the service in the Trinity Cathedral, where the entire elite was present, he took the title. Of course, this alerted all of Europe, and the recognition of Peter as Emperor dragged on for 20 years. The title of emperor was recognized without delay by Holland, Prussia, Switzerland, and only later Turkey, England, France, Austria, Spain and Poland.

Great Reforms

Peter's reforms affected all spheres of obsolete Russia. He completely changed the principles of government, created a navy, transformed the army, subjugated the church to himself. He was engaged in education, opening schools and gymnasiums. Introduced compulsory education of nobles and clergy. Distributed positions depending on education, not origin. Created the first printing houses. Approved the Charter of the Academy of Sciences. Prohibited the forced marriage of girls. Canceled the petition.

He was very fond of St. Petersburg, founded by him, and led the stone and marble arrangement of the city. During these years, the first canals were dug to supply the new capital with water. Peter learned the basics of economic development: every nation, in order not to be poor, must produce everything that it needs. And in order for the people to get rich, you need to import a lot and buy less products from other countries.

By the end of the reign of Peter I, 233 factories, more than 90 manufactories were already operating in Russia, up to 4,000 people were employed at the shipyard. Metallurgy developed, 27 metallurgical plants were built. Peter, the first emperor of Russia, completely broke the old order of life. He brought Russia to a new level of development, making it an invincible, highly developed power in the world in all spheres of activity.