Nicholas II, was from the Romanov family, whose ancestor was Mikhail Romanov, the grandfather of Peter the Great. “Why is it considered?” - many will surely ask. Yes, because after themselves, neither Peter I nor John V, the last tsars of all Russia, left direct descendants in the male line, and power later passed either to their daughters, or already to their children. In addition, the state was ruled for quite a long time by empresses (Anna, Elizabeth and Catherine), who were distinguished by very free morals and were known as too loving. Therefore, the question arises about the purity of the royal blood of the last Russian emperor. In principle, we know the exact answer to the question of who ruled after Elizabeth Petrovna. Of course, Peter III (son of the daughter of Peter the Great, Anna Petrovna, and Duke Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp). But about the origin of his son, Paul the First, many legends were composed.
Origins of the Romanov dynasty
The first representative of this royal family is Patriarch Filaret, aka Fyodor Nikitich (born from the boyars), the son of Nikita Romanovich. Then Mikhail Fedorovich was proclaimed tsar. And then - his son Alexei Mikhailovich, who had three sons: the eldest - Fedor, the middle - Ivan, the youngest - Peter. After the death of their father, power passed into the hands of As is known from history, Peter Alekseevich and his brother John, after the death of their older brother, became co-rulers of the Russian throne. Because John was very weak in health and practically did not interfere in the government of the country. Nevertheless, he had five daughters, of whom only Anna became the empress in the future.
Children of Peter the Great
This king had a dozen children by two wives (most of them died in infancy). His eldest son Alexei never ascended the Russian throne, since during his father's lifetime he was accused of treason and sentenced to death, but did not live to see the execution of the sentence. And here is the youngest and beloved daughter of Peter, Elizaveta Petrovna Romanova, who, although not immediately inherited the throne of her father, losing it first to her nephew Peter the Second (son of Tsarevich Alexei), and then to her cousin, Anna Ioannovna and her great-nephew Ivan the Sixth (great-grandson John the Fifth), as a result of a palace coup, she was finally able to take the throne and proclaimed herself Empress of Russia. According to official sources, she was childless, although there were many legends about her descendants among the people. Before telling you who ruled after Elizabeth Petrovna, we will acquaint you with the biography of the empress, as well as with the era of her reign. We can say that it was a rather curious, but at the same time an important period in the history of the Russian state. This indicates that she inherited some traits of nature from her great father, including a love of reform.
Childhood of Elizabeth
The future empress was born in 1907 in Kolomenskoye. Her parents were not legally married, so Elizabeth is sometimes called the illegitimate daughter of Peter. Nevertheless, a year after her birth, the tsar married her mother and crowned her Catherine the First, and his two daughters were given the title of princess. Elizabeth and her sister Anna spent their childhood in the Winter Palace. They grew up in luxury, surrounded by a whole staff of servants. Girls received excellent upbringing and education. They studied languages: French, German, Italian. They were taught etiquette - the ability to behave correctly in high society. This subject included dance and music lessons. The young princesses were very well-read, since there was an extensive library at hand. All this knowledge was used during the reign. This period was distinguished by numerous grandiose festivities and masquerade balls. On them, the young empress shone with her skills and seduced her fans.
Youth
Elizaveta Petrovna Romanova was unusually pretty and stately. Her suitors were constantly following her. They say that they wanted to marry her to the French king Louis XV. There were even rumors among the people about the upcoming wedding of the princess with her nephew Peter Alekseevich, heir to the Russian throne, but he still chose Princess Dolgoruky as his wife. Elizabeth was fond of hunting, horses, boat riding, and also constantly took care of her beauty. And she didn’t even notice how, after the early death of Peter the Second, the throne passed to her cousin Anna, and she ended up in semi-disgrace for a whole 10 years (1730-1740). However, only a year after the death of her cousin, as a result of a palace coup, she ascended the throne of her great father, and the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna began in Russia.
History of accession to the throne
At the end of her reign, Anna Ioannovna practically retired. And the actual ruler of the Russian state was Biron. After the death of the empress, no one remembered the daughter of Peter the Great, and the crown passed to Anna's young grand-nephew Ivan the Sixth, and his mother, Anna Leopoldovna, became regent. Nevertheless, power continued to remain in the hands of the hated German. Many Russian nobles, of course, were dissatisfied with this order of things, pinned their hopes on the princess and decided to bring the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna closer, arranging for her in those days Dr. Lestok and the music teacher Schwartz, as well as the entire grenadier company of the Preobrazhensky regiment. Bursting into the Winter Palace, she proclaimed herself the new empress, and the young Ivan and his mother were arrested. This is how Petrovna came to power (1741-1761) and, like her cousin Anna, ruled for exactly 10 years. Many parallels can be drawn between the reigns of both Romanov empresses, but the most obvious is favoritism. Both one and the other were greedy for love pleasures and, as a rule, awarded their beloved with titles and government posts. As a result, their favorites ruled the state, unceremoniously throwing their hands into the treasury.
Elizaveta Petrovna - Empress. Briefly about the years of her reign
That memorable decade, during which Elizabeth ruled Russia, became significant and fruitful for the country. From the very first days she announced that she was going to continue the course taken by her great father. So it was. Subsequently, historians regarded her steps as the first attempts at enlightened absolutism. It was during this period that Merchant, Noble (Loan) and Copper (State) banks were founded in Russia. Military educational institutions were reorganized, the network of elementary schools was expanded, gymnasiums were opened in large cities of Russia. In short, with the coming to power of Elizabeth, the Age of Enlightenment began.
Merit to the Fatherland
In the middle of her reign, one of the most significant events in the country took place - the founding of Moscow University. Its founder was one of her favorites - I. Shuvalov. Two years later, the Academy of Arts was opened. At that time, young scientists, the most prominent of whom was M. Lomonosov, were provided with state support, etc. In a word, if it were not for dependence on favorites, the historical portrait of Elizabeth Petrovna would have been one of the most striking among Russian rulers. All of the above refers to the spiritual side, but in material terms, the years of the reign of this empress were marked by the creation of architectural masterpieces, newly erected or rebuilt. The grandiose construction contributed to the development of highly skilled craftsmen in the country. These were the years of the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna. Buildings from this period are still referred to as examples of the Elizabethan Baroque. During the years of her reign, there were also many military victories, up to the conquest of Berlin. There could have been many more events, only the death of Elizaveta Petrovna became the beginning of a new era in the history of Russia.
Peter the Third
As you can see, the era of the reign of the daughter of Peter the Great was full of many valiant victories. Many European royal houses were preoccupied with the ever-increasing power of the Russian Empire, so the death of Elizabeth Petrovna was perceived by everyone, especially representatives of the House of Brandenburg, as a miracle that fell from heaven. After all, she was considered childless, and therefore did not leave behind heirs. Peter III - the one who ruled after Elizabeth Petrovna, was her nephew, the son of her older sister Anna and Duke Karl-Peter Ulrich of Holstein. In a word, after it the branch of the Romanovs was actually interrupted. Of course, the blood of his glorious grandfather flowed in the future heir, but he belonged to the Holstein family and was a descendant in the direct male line of Frederick I, King of Denmark. But there were many rumors about the origin of the subsequent heir to the Russian throne, Paul the First.
Children of Elizabeth Petrovna in the center of palace rumors
Probably, those who are not familiar with the atmosphere prevailing at the Russian court in the middle of the 18th century will be surprised: what kind of offspring are we talking about when the empress was childless and unmarried. However, everything is not so clear. Most of the courtiers believed that the Empress, long before she ascended the throne, was in a church marriage with the Ukrainian shepherd Alexei Rozum, to whom she later presented the title of Prince Razumovsky. And the continuation of this story was the children of Elizabeth Petrovna. Although these were only guesses, and no evidence existed. But after her death, impostors appeared in society every now and then, who declared themselves her heirs.
son of elizabeth
By the way, rumors also revolved around the name of Tsarevich Paul the First. Gossip was spread in the yard that he was the son of Elizabeth Petrovna. This rumor was facilitated by talk that there was never a marital relationship between Peter the Third and his wife Catherine. Of course, the child could have been conceived from one of the lovers of the future empress, but the special attitude of the reigning empress to her “great-nephew” fueled such conjectures. Unfortunately, during the time of Elizabeth Petrovna, it was not possible to conduct a genetic test, so this remained a mystery to everyone.
Princess Tarakanova
From history, many people know that after the death of Elizabeth, a certain girl appeared in St. Petersburg, who called herself her daughter, and that she was subsequently imprisoned by Catherine II in the Peter and Paul Fortress. The Tretyakov Gallery has a painting by the famous artist Konstantin Flavitsky, which is called “Princess Tarakanova”. But why did the girl bear this surname? And if she were the daughter of the Empress, would Elizaveta Petrovna Romanova allow this? Her children were allegedly conceived either by Alexei Razumovsky (her morganatic husband) or by one of the Shuvalov brothers. So why Tarakanova? According to some rumors, the nephews of Alexei Razumovsky studied in some Swiss town, for whose education funds were allocated from the state treasury. They bore the surname Daragan. However, due to the fact that they had Russian roots, they began to be called Tarakanovs in Switzerland. And in the years, Princess Elizabeth Vladimirovskaya appeared at the court and announced that she was the daughter of Elizabeth Petrovna and Alexei Razumovsky. At the same time, she did not call herself Tarakanova. This name was first used in his book by the French diplomat Jean Henri Castera.
Reality or legend?
In principle, the information that Elizabeth had may well be true. After all, under the condition of favoritism and free morals at the Russian court, bastards (bastards) were not exceptional, but quite common. After the birth of the babies, it was customary to give them away for a small fee for the maintenance of servants, preferably somewhere in the outback. Sometimes the foster family did not even know whose child was growing next to their own, whose blue blood flows in his veins. However, in the case of the children of the Empress, they apparently did not want to give them into unknown hands and issued them to their own paternal aunt. By the way, in the legends about royal offspring, it is not about one daughter and one son, but about several children at once. In addition to the story of Princess Elizabeth Tarakanova, during the reign of Catherine there were also rumors that another daughter of the previous empress named Dosithea forcibly took tonsure and was imprisoned in the Novospassky Convent.
Pavel the First
If you study the genealogical tree of the rulers of the Romanov family, you can see who ruled after Elizabeth Petrovna. We repeat, it was her nephew, the son of Anna's older sister, Peter the Third. By the way, among his many titles is the title of "grandson of Peter the Great." It is also known from history that he briefly occupied the Russian throne. His wife, the German princess Sophia-Augusta, who became Catherine at baptism, soon overthrew him and began to single-handedly rule Russia, of course, relying on the help of her many admirers. After her death, the crown and throne passed to her son, Paul the First. However, his real origin is still unknown, and consequently, the origin of the subsequent Russian emperors.
The Act of Succession was passed by the Parliament of England in 1701 and provides that the throne passes first to male heirs.
Queen Elizabeth II only came to the throne because her father, King George VI, had no sons; if she had a brother, even a younger one, then the crown would have passed to him. In addition to the priority of male heirs, the Act of Succession provides that a Catholic or a person who is married to a Catholic cannot become King or Queen of England.
At the same time, the law does not formally prohibit members of the royal family from marrying adherents of other religions or atheists.
There has been talk of changing the order of succession in the UK since the early 1980s. However, this idea did not find support from the British government.
In 2011, in order to bring the law into line with modern social norms of gender equality and freedom of religion, the question of the reform of the succession to the throne was brought up for discussion. For the final approval of the new law, it was necessary to obtain the consent of all 16 member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, where the British monarch is formally the head of state.
On 28 October 2011, at a Commonwealth summit, the organizations' heads of state and government approved New Rules to abolish the British monarchy's tradition of male succession to the throne. Now the first child born to the royal couple, regardless of gender, will be considered the heir. Also annulled was the principle that a future British monarch could not marry a Catholic.
In April 2013, in the UK, the Succession to the Throne Act giving effect to the reforms was passed into law. But it will not take effect unless all 16 Commonwealth countries agree to the same changes by writ of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg as Lord President of the Privy Council.
In the future, changes in the rules of succession to the British throne will mean that the first child of William and his wife Catherine, regardless of gender, may become third in line to the British throne after Prince Charles of Wales and Duke William of Cambridge. In this case, the youngest son of Prince Charles, Prince Harry, will only take fourth place.
On June 7, 2013, Professors Genevieve Motard and Patrick Taillon, experts in constitutional law at the University of Laval in the Canadian province of Quebec, filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Quebec. They allege that the Canadian government acted unconstitutionally by not obtaining the approval of each of the country's ten provinces before agreeing to changes to the succession law. Their case, which is expected to take six months to five years, threatens to derail efforts by Commonwealth leaders to quickly change the law.
Due to a lawsuit, the first child of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge Catherine may not inherit the throne if a girl is born.
Currently (data as of July 20, 2013), under the current Act of Succession of 1701, after Queen Elizabeth II succession to the throne occurs in the following order:
1. Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales), born in 1948, eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, heir to the throne (future King Charles III);
2. William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge (William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge), born in 1982, son of the Prince of Wales (future King William V);
3. Prince Henry (Harry) Charles Albert David (Prince Henry (Harry) Charles Albert David), born in 1984, son of the Prince of Wales;
4. Andrew Albert Christian Edward (Prince Andrew), Duke of York (Andrew Albert Christian Edward, Duke of York), born in 1960, son of Queen Elizabeth II;
5. Princess Beatrice of York (Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York), born in 1988, daughter of the Duke of York;
6. Princess Eugenie of York (Eugenie Victoria Helena of York), born in 1990, daughter of the Duke of York;
7. Edward Anthony Richard Louis (Prince Edward), Earl of Wessex (Edward Antony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex), born in 1964, son of Queen Elizabeth II;
8. James Windsor, Viscount Severn (James Windsor, Viscount Severn), born in 2007, son of the Earl of Wessex;
9. Lady Louise Windsor (Lady Louise Windsor), born in 2003, daughter of the Earl of Wessex;
10. Princess Royal Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise, born in 1950, daughter of Queen Elizabeth II;
11. Peter Phillips (Peter Mark Andrew Phillips), born in 1977, the son of a British princess;
12. Savannah Phillips (Savannah Phillips), born in 2010, daughter of Peter Phillips;
13. Isla Phillips (Isla Phillips), born in 2012, the daughter of Peter Phillips;
14. Zara Phillips (Zara Anne Elizabeth, Mrs. Michael Tindall), born in 1981, daughter of a British princess.
This year, on April 21, Queen Elizabeth II of England celebrated her 92nd birthday, having received a welcome gift the day before. The leaders of the member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations agreed that Prince Charles should be the next head of the organization.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, better known to the general public as Elizabeth II, is considered the record holder for the longest reign in Great Britain. But time moves inexorably forward, and what will happen when the throne is vacated.
For 65 years, Elizabeth II has occupied the British throne. Millions of Britons managed to be born, live and go to another world, not seeing anyone else at the head of the country. There are now 19 successors in line to the British throne. The first candidate for the royal title is the Queen's eldest son, Prince Charles. Second in line is Charles' eldest son and his children: Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and the newly born Prince of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Next in line is Charles' youngest son, Prince Harry, who recently married actress Meghan Markle.
Nineteenth in line to the throne was the Queen's great-granddaughter, who was born on June 17, 2018.
After the death of the queen in the country, everything will stop in the literal sense of the word. Classes will be canceled in schools, offices will go into mourning, the stock exchange and banks will also stop their work for at least 12 days, television will stop broadcasting entertainment programs.
According to ancient tradition, royal power is never interrupted. After the death of one monarch, his place immediately ascends to his successor. That is why the royal flag is never lowered on days of mourning.
With 100% probability, Crown Prince Charles will become the new monarch of Great Britain.
The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of 53 independent countries, consisting practically of the former colonies, protectorates and dominions of Britain.
In its current form, the Commonwealth appeared in 1949, uniting Britain, India, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, led by George VI, father of Elizabeth II. Elizabeth formally took over the Commonwealth in 1953. Today, it is home to 2.4 billion people, and it occupies 1/4 of the land mass of the globe. The organization is an important trading partner of England.
The head of the association does not become by inheritance. By tradition, this post is held by the British monarch, who is formally appointed to the post by the leaders of the participating countries. The main duties of the head of the organization include the unification of participants, the establishment of trade relations between them and other types of cooperation. To this end, the head constantly travels to the countries of the association, holding personal meetings with their leaders.
The next head of the Commonwealth will be Prince Charles, what this decision means for Britain
It is no secret that at the two-day summit of the organization, which took place on April 19, 2018, the Queen personally asked the leaders of the countries to appoint Prince Charles as the head of the organization. The heads of state of the participating states listened to her words, and on April 20 announced that the Prince of Wales would succeed Elizabeth II as head of the organization.
The appointment of Charles as the successor of Elizabeth II as head of the Commonwealth of Nations means that he will definitely be king after Elizabeth II. Despite the fact that he is already the first in line for the throne, public opinion is playing against him. Only 22% of Britons agree to see him as the next king.
The popularity of the queen herself in the country is very high. According to a poll, 86% of Britons expressed the opinion that the Queen has succeeded in her reign perfectly. The same opinion is shared by 61% of those who are against the monarchy in general and 56% of the UK residents consider it one of the greatest monarchs in the history of the country.
Apparently, Elizabeth decided to take advantage of the love of her subjects for the benefit of her own son. By openly asking the Commonwealth to elect Charles as future head, Elizabeth paves the way for the favorable acceptance of the Prince of Wales by the British as the new king. According to some British media, this may be a preliminary step towards the transfer of the British throne to Charles during the life of the Queen herself.
Queen of Great Britain ElizabethII little by little begins to "hand over things". So, on April 19, she proposed the candidacy of her son, Prince Charles, as its successor as head of the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Commonwealth of Nations is an intergovernmental association of 53 countries, which includes former British colonies and a number of other states.
April's Commonwealth summit in London is likely to be the last for the Queen, writes The Guardian. Queen turned 92, she no longer travels abroad, so the British crown is most likely at the next summit in two years in Rwanda will represent prince Charles.
The Queen's recent decisions (and her anticipated retirement) have brought to the fore perhaps main question at least in the near future.
So. Whowill become the next British monarch after the departure of ElizabethII? Order, chances, discussions. In general, we'll talk about everything interesting.
But first, let's clarify about the "rules of the game".
How is the line for the British throne formed?
Elizabeth II Photos from open sources
Rules of succession to the British throne determined in the Act of Union 1800. This act, in turn, reinforces the rules written down in the Act of Dispensation 1701 and Bill of Rights 1689.
Initially the order of succession was determined by primogeniture with advantage male over female and religion.
Seventh in line
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew Photo from public sources
Second son Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. In February he turned 58 years old.
Interesting
- In 2012 Prince Andrew conquered the tallest building in Europe at that time. He went down the rope from the London skyscraper Shard, from the 87th to the 20th floor. The action was carried out for charitable purposes.
Eighth in line
Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Beatrice Photo from open sources
Eldest daughter Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York. In August she turn 30 years old.
Interesting
- At 19, princess of the month worked as a saleswoman at Selfridges department store in London. She didn't get paid for her work. it became her work experience, which is supposed to be purchased by all members of the royal family.
Ninth in line
Princess Eugenie of York
Princess Eugenie Public photo
Youngest daughter Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York. In March she turned 28 years old.
Interesting
- Princess Eugenie was first royal child who was baptized in public.
Tenth in line
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward Photo from open sources
third son Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and her husband Prince Philip. In March he turned 54 years old.
Interesting
- Refused military career(unlike Princes William and Harry) and for several years worked in companies that deal with theatrical productions.
In 1993 founded a company Ardent Productions, which specialized in the production of television films, however, left the post of managing director in 2002.
Who else?
Edward is followed by his children James and Louise, Elizabeth II's daughter Anne, Princess Anne's only son Peter Phillips, his two daughters Savannah and Isla, Princess Anne's daughter Zara Phillips and Zara Phillips' daughter Mia Grace Tindell.
And that's just nearest queue. Total in order of British succession more than 50 people, although more "distant" applicants do not have positions of the Crown and are not titled Royal Highnesses.
Yes, and seriously consider them as contenders for the crown is not necessary. At least to date.
During the reign of the British royal house, which will celebrate its millennium in 2066, seven dynasties have changed. Now the Windsor family is in power, which is headed by "Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other possessions and territories, head of the commonwealth, defender of the faith." The first to take the title of king of England was Offa (757-796), the ruler of Mercia, who united the scattered kingdoms under his rule. Edgar the Ætheling (October-December 1066) was the last king of the Anglo-Saxon dynasty.
After him, power passed to William I the Conqueror, who laid the foundation for the rule of the Norman dynasty. From 1066 to 1154, four Norman kings succeeded on the English throne, the last being Stephen of Blois. And on September 22, 1139, his warlike cousin Matilda, the granddaughter of William I, who was at that time married to Gottfried Plantagenet and claimed the throne, landed on the English coast with a detachment of knights. Taking Stephen prisoner, she was crowned Bishop of Bristol. However, as a result of the civil war that broke out with new force, she soon had to release her cousin. Only in 1153 was a treatise signed, according to which Matilda's son, Henry, recognized Stephen as king, and Stephen recognized Henry, in turn, as heir.
A year later, Stephen died, and a new dynasty, the Plantagenets, was established on the throne, within which royal branches (Lancasters and Yorks) can be distinguished. She ruled until 1485. Alas, the Plantagenets did not earn fame for themselves in the difficult field of the head of state. The period of their reign is endless conflicts within the country and beyond its borders, including the long War of the Scarlet and White Roses of 1455-1485 between the Lancaster and York branches. The last, 14th of the Plantagenet line, Richard III, who ruled from 1483-1485, was betrayed by one of his closest associates, the Duke of Buckingham, who plotted to overthrow him in order to bring the young Henry Tudor of Lancaster to power. At the Battle of Bosworth in August 1485, Richard III was killed, ending the Plantagenet male line. The crown, taken from the dead Richard III, was put on Henry Tudor right on the battlefield, who went down in history under the name of Henry VII.
In the crest of this new dynasty, the Scarlet and White Rose finally united, forming the Tudor rose. Their reign was a real renaissance for England. During the reign of the Tudors, England became one of the leading European colonial powers. The Tudor era ended in the 17th century. In 1601, a former favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England, the Earl of Essex, organized a conspiracy against her in order to enthrone the Scottish King James VI of the Stuart dynasty. The coup failed, Essex was put on trial and beheaded the same year. All this shocked Elizabeth I so much that she, when asked by the chancellor about who the throne would pass to after her, in confusion named the name of James, King of Scotland.
So the Stuart dynasty ascended the English throne, which ruled from 1603 to 1714, until the death of Queen Anne. Her reign was overshadowed by the execution of King Charles I in 1649, and Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell became the de facto ruler, and after his death in 1658, power passed into the hands of his son Richard. The Stuart dynasty was restored only in 1661. In 1707, England and Scotland united to form a state that became known as Great Britain. In 1701, the Succession to the Throne Act was passed in England, according to which only Protestants could be on the English throne. According to him, George of Hanover became the heir to the throne. And from 1714 to 1901, only six kings from this dynasty ruled Great Britain. By the end of the Hanoverian period, the British Empire covered 1/3 of the land.
The last of the Hanoverians was Queen Victoria, who ruled the empire for 64 years. In 1840, the name of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty was added to the English royal family - Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, son of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The only representative of this dynasty was King Edward VII, who ruled for 9 years at the beginning of the 20th century, and his heir, King George V, during the First World War changed this German-sounding name to Windsor.
