Peter I the Great - biography, information, personal life

10/22/1721 (4.11). - Peter I took the title of Emperor of All Russia after the victory over the Swedes in the Northern War of 1700-1721.

The inferiority complex of Peter and his associates before the West made him consider the opinion of Europe in this matter extremely important. As the researcher of this topic O.G. Ageeva (although one can not agree with all of her justifying remarks):

This is also indicated by the texts of the sources. So, already in the first sentences of the Synod, and then in the Report of November 1, in decrees on the imperial title and in negotiations with foreign diplomats, the thought was constantly heard that “may Russia not appear in the gap to the whole world” (“and there is no gap for the Caesar’s title afraid"), and then went on to confirm the right of the Russian side to the imperial title of reference to the letters of Maximilian I and other "many potentants", including the kings of the French, Spanish and Venetian Republics. When justifying the presentation of the titles “Great” and “Father of the Fatherland”, it was also indicated that the title “Great” “is already applied by many in printed letters”, and the name “Father of the Fatherland” is given “according to the butt of ancient Greek and Roman singlites, which their monarchs offered."

The form of naming chosen by the Senate and the Synod also speaks volumes. His ceremonial, as already noted, consisted, firstly, in the public reading in the church of the text of the appeal to the Tsar on behalf of "all the ranks" of the state, while the senators and members of the Synod "appeared" before the monarch. Secondly, in a short response speech of the Tsar. And although Peter did not mention the title in any of its paragraphs - he spoke about the concluded peace, about “non-weakening” in military affairs and work “for the benefit and profit of the common”, nevertheless, the speech symbolized consent to accept the “offering” of subjects. Thirdly, collective triple exclamations “Vivat, viva, viva Peter the Great, Father of the Fatherland, Emperor of All Russia!”

All these three elements are very remotely, but still reminiscent of the tradition of investiture (induction) of the Roman and Byzantine emperors. Election of Roman emperors until the middle of the 5th century. carried out by the Senate, military leaders and representatives of the people. The emperor, in addition to other ritual actions (raising on a shield, laying a neck circlet on the head, etc.), gave a thanksgiving speech. A threefold proclamation was also obligatory, the content of which changed over time. The authors of the ceremony in 1721 were elected adopted at the turn of the XVII-XVIII centuries. western version of the proclamation: "Vivat, emperor ..!"

Thus, when composing the ceremony in the St. Petersburg Trinity Cathedral, reminiscences of the early secular Roman coronation and the modern Western text of the proclamation were used. At the same time ... what was happening was justified by references to the practice of "ancient Greek and Roman synclites." In the early centuries of the Roman Empire, investiture was purely secular...

Orientation to the European tradition led to the fact that at the coronation of Catherine I, for the first time, new imperial insignia were adopted for the wedding to the Russian throne: an imperial crown, different from Russian ones, an imperial mantle (a golden damask with eagles, lined with ermines), complementing the European dress of the queen; as well as the imperial scepter with a double-headed eagle (“which has been used since ancient times during the coronation and anointing of the emperors of All Russia”) and a globe (power) “of the same style as Glaber mentions in his stories about ancient imperial globes. The matter of the globe is ancient Roman ... ". The imperial regalia seemed extremely important to contemporaries: their special description completed the printed report on the coronation of Catherine I.

Of course, in the report, the subjects of the Russian monarch were not informed about the abolition of the royal insignia of “Byzantine” origin, which had no Western analogue: St. a cross, a crown - Monomakh's caps and barm (tiaras), which were a mantle with images ... The abolition of the Byzantine-Russian signs of power meant the depreciation of the idea of ​​​​the Byzantine heritage and indirectly belittled the royal dignity of previous centuries ...

So the adoption of the imperial title by Peter I, on the one hand, reflected the strengthening of the power of Russia and its influence in European affairs, on the other hand, testified to the spiritual decline in the concept of the Empire as holding the Third Rome in Russia itself. In such an acceptance of the imperial title, one can see clear evidence that with Peter "Great Russia blocked Holy Rus'." In his view, Russia has ceased to be the only true Christian Kingdom that holds back the evil of the world. "True" in Peter's view were European states with advanced science and sophisticated secular art, courtly etiquette, powerful navies, colonial possessions, factory industries and global trade. In this "true" center of the world, Peter began to drive the Russian people with a whip, aggravating and creating a new split - cultural and social. So Russian patriots have nothing to rejoice at this day, much less celebrate it as a holiday.

Discussion: 7 comments

A little earlier, after 1666/7, half of Russia was burned for standing in the faith as it was originally transferred to Russia, for standing up against the defacement of liturgical books and changing the creed.
The other half was forcibly forced to be the new "Orthodox" who, as the Infallible Pope-Caesar-Patriarch said, should live like this.
And... you didn't notice that, did you? It seems like a trifle.
Satanic Peter came, arranging "the most jesting councils", the blasphemy of which is far away for modern Satanists ... At the same time, the "most holy" synod only touched Peter ..
And only then some of the heretics, I’m not afraid of this word, began to notice that - oh ... yes, we slightly ceased to be “holding back the evil of the world”, our holiness was “slightly obscured”, because the title of Caesar was changed!
Stunning spiritual and historical blindness!

Gracious sovereign with a true Orthodox Latin name rasergiy. Before accusing the Patriarch that "after 1666/7, half of Russia was burned for standing in the faith," you would first bother to find out at least three things: 1. What was the attitude of Patriarch Nikon to the old rite ("should not be declared heretical old, it will gradually die itself, for the disagreements are insignificant") and where, after 1666/7, the deposed Patriarch was located. ()2. Who, when and why started civil executions (what was the behavior of Avaakum and others -). 3. How many schismatics were executed (tens, maximum, with undocumented cases - hundreds http://jesuschrist.ru/forum/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=&Number=359191) and how many thousands burned themselves en masse, committing a mortal sin suicide. And even this was not "half of Russia" - so why throw empty words?

Your new response does not correspond to the topic of the article. If you want to argue about the Old Believers - we have a topic for this on the forum. You were unable to register on the forum because You have not read the registration rules. Read it, register with a Russian name (preferably full and real, in order to answer in Orthodoxy for your denunciations) and prove your point of view there.

Dear Administrator,
I read the rules, registered with my full name and surname, in accordance with the rules, I received a letter: "Your account is not active yet, it must be activated by the conference administrator. As soon as this happens, an email will be sent to you."
It's been a month since it happened.

And then delete the first 2 reviews (mine and MVN), as not relevant to the topic of the article.

Empire of Peter the Great (1700-1725) Team of Authors

Peter - the first emperor

Peter - the first emperor

PETER I THE GREAT(05/30/1672–28/01/1725) - tsar since 1682, the first Russian emperor since 1721

Peter I was the youngest son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich from his second marriage to N.K. Naryshkina.

At the end of April 1682, after the death of Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich, ten-year-old Peter was declared king. After the Streltsy uprising in May 1682, during which several relatives of the young tsar died, two tsars ascended the throne at the same time - Peter and his older brother Ivan, the son of Alexei Mikhailovich from his first marriage to M. Miloslavskaya. But the state in 1682-1689. in fact, their elder sister, Princess Sofya Alekseevna, ruled. The Miloslavskys were bosses in the Kremlin and young Peter and his mother survived from there to the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow. The young king devoted all his time to "military fun." In Preobrazhensky and in the neighboring village of Semenovsky, he created two "amusing" regiments. Later, the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments became the first guard units in Russia.

Peter made friends with many foreigners who lived in the German Quarter, not far from Preobrazhensky. Communicating with the Germans, the British, the French, the Swedes, the Danes, Peter was more and more asserted in the opinion that Russia was significantly behind Western Europe. He saw that in his homeland sciences and education were not so developed, there was no strong army, there was no navy. The Russian state, huge in its territory, had almost no influence on the life of Europe.

In January 1689, the wedding of Peter and Evdokia Lopukhina took place, in 1690 a son, Alexei Petrovich, was born in this marriage. In the summer of 1689, the archers began to prepare a new uprising against Peter I. The young tsar fled in fear to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, but it turned out that most of the troops went over to his side. The instigators of the uprising were executed, and Princess Sophia was removed from power. Peter and Ivan became independent rulers. The sickly Ivan almost did not take part in state activities, and in 1696, after his death, Peter I became the sovereign tsar.

Peter received his first baptism of fire in the war with Turkey in 1695-1696. during the Azov campaigns. Then Azov was taken - the stronghold of Turkey on the Black Sea. In a more convenient and deeper bay, Peter laid the new harbor of Taganrog.

In 1697–1698 with the Great Embassy, ​​under the name of Peter Mikhailov, the tsar first visited Europe. He studied shipbuilding in Holland, met with the sovereigns of various European powers, hired many specialists for service in Russia.

In the summer of 1698, when Peter was in England, a new streltsy uprising broke out. Peter urgently returned from abroad and brutally cracked down on the archers. He and his associates personally chopped off the heads of the archers.

Over time, from a hot-tempered young man, Peter turned into an adult man. He was over two meters tall. Constant physical labor further developed his natural strength, and he became a real strong man. Peter was an educated person. He had a deep knowledge of history, geography, shipbuilding, fortification, and artillery. He was very fond of making things with his own hands. No wonder he was called the "king carpenter." Already in his youth, he knew up to fourteen crafts, and over the years he acquired a lot of technical knowledge.

Peter loved fun, jokes, feasts and feasts, sometimes lasting for several days. In moments of reflection, he preferred a quiet study and a pipe to tobacco. Even in adulthood, Peter remained very mobile, impulsive and restless. His companions could barely keep up with him, skipping. But the turbulent events of his life, the upheavals of his childhood and youth, affected Peter's health. At the age of twenty, his head began to shake, and during the excitement, convulsions passed through his face. He often had nervous attacks and bouts of unjustified anger. In a good mood, Peter presented his favorites with the richest gifts. But his mood in a few seconds could change dramatically. And then he became uncontrollable, could not only scream, but also use his fists or a club. Since the 1990s Peter began to carry out reforms in all areas of Russian life. He used the experience of Western European countries in the development of industry, trade and culture. Peter emphasized that his main concern was "the benefit of the Fatherland." His words, spoken to the soldiers on the eve of the Poltava battle, became famous: “The hour has come that will decide the fate of the Fatherland. And so you should not think that you are fighting for Peter, but for the state handed over to Peter, for your family, for the Fatherland, for the Orthodox faith and the church ... And know about Peter that life is not dear to him, if only Russia would live in bliss and glory for your welfare."

Peter sought to create a new, powerful Russian Empire, which would become one of the strongest, richest and most enlightened states in Europe. In the 1st quarter 18th century Peter changed the system of state administration: instead of the Boyar Duma, the Senate was created, in 1708-1715. provincial reform was carried out, in 1718–1721. orders are replaced by colleges. A regular army and navy were created, recruitment and compulsory military service for the nobles were introduced. By the end of Peter's reign, about a hundred plants and factories were operating, and Russia began to export manufactured goods: iron, copper and linen. Peter took care of the development of culture and education: many educational institutions were opened, the civil alphabet was adopted, the Academy of Sciences was founded (1725), theaters appeared, new printing houses were equipped, in which more and more new books were printed. In 1703 the first Russian newspaper Vedomosti was published. Foreign specialists were invited from Europe: engineers, craftsmen, doctors, officers. Peter sent Russian youths abroad to study sciences and crafts. In 1722, the Table of Ranks was adopted - a legislative act that brought all state ranks into the system. The service became the only way to obtain a state rank.

Since 1700, a new chronology from the Nativity of Christ and the celebration of the New Year on January 1, adopted in Western Europe, were introduced in Russia. On May 16, 1703, on one of the islands at the mouth of the Neva River, Peter I founded the fortress of St. Petersburg. In 1712 St. Petersburg officially became the new capital of Russia.

Stone houses were built in it, and the streets for the first time in Russia began to be paved with stones.

Peter began to pursue a policy of limiting church power, church possessions were transferred to the state. Since 1701, property issues were withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the church. In 1721, the power of the patriarch was replaced by the power of the Synod, a collegiate body that headed the church administration. The synod reported directly to the sovereign.

After the conclusion of peace with Turkey in 1700 in the field of foreign policy, Peter I considered the struggle with Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea to be the main task. In the summer of 1700, Russia entered the war, called the Northern. During the years of the Great Northern War (1700–1721), Peter proved himself to be a talented commander and an excellent strategist. He beat the Swedish army several times - the best in Europe at that time.

The king repeatedly showed personal courage. On May 7, 1703, near the Nyenschanz fortress, Russian soldiers under his command in thirty boats captured two Swedish ships. For this feat, Peter was awarded the highest order in the Russian state - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. On June 27, 1709, during the Battle of Poltava, the tsar personally led one of the battalions of the Novgorod regiment and did not allow the Swedish troops to break through. The Northern War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Nystadt between Sweden and Russia. All the Baltic lands she conquered (Estland, Livonia, Courland, Ingermanland) and the opportunity to have a fleet in the Baltic Sea remained behind Russia. The victory in the Northern War turned Russia into a powerful state with borders from the Baltic Sea to the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Now all European states had to reckon with it.

In 1710–1713 Russia participated in the war with Turkey. In 1711, Peter I led the Prut campaign, which ended in failure. Russia ceded the city of Azov to Turkey, and also promised to tear down the fortresses of Taganrog, Bogoroditsk and Kamenny Zaton. As a result of the Persian campaign of 1722-1723. Russia acquired land on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea.

On October 22, 1721, the Senate presented Peter I with the title of Emperor of All Russia, the title of "Great" and "Father of the Fatherland." Since then, all Russian sovereigns began to be called emperors, and Russia turned into the Russian Empire.

Peter's reforms had not only positive consequences. In the 1st quarter 18th century a powerful bureaucratic system of government was formed, subordinate only to the will of the king. For many years, the dominance of foreigners was established in the Russian state apparatus, whom the tsar often trusted more than Russian subjects.

Peter's reforms and long-term wars exhausted the country's economy and laid a heavy burden on the working population of Russia. The peasants were forced to work more and more on the corvee, and the workers of the manufactories were forever attached to the factories. Thousands of ordinary peasants and working people died of starvation, disease, under the whip of overseers in shipyards, in the construction of new fortresses and cities.

In 1718–1724 a tax reform was carried out, which increased the tax burden by 1.5–2 times. In addition, this reform led to even greater enslavement of the peasants. During the reign of Peter there were several major popular uprisings: in Astrakhan (1705–1706), on the Don, Sloboda Ukraine, the Volga region (1707–1708), in Bashkiria (1705–1711). The church policy of Peter I is also ambiguous. The complete subordination of the church to the state, the weakening of the role of the Orthodox clergy led to the destruction of traditional spiritual values. Petrovsky acts caused a negative reaction in the upper strata of Russian society. Peter abruptly broke the habitual life of the Russian people, especially the nobles. They hardly got used to the assemblies, refused to shave their beards and go to the theaters. The tsar's son and heir, Alexei Petrovich, did not accept Peter's reforms. Accused of plotting against the tsar, in 1718 he was deprived of the throne and sentenced to death.

The tsar's first wife, Evdokia Lopukhina, was sent to a monastery. Since 1703, a simple peasant woman, Marta Skavronskaya, who received the name of Catherine in Orthodox baptism, became the tsar's wife. But the official wedding took place only in 1712. Several children were born in this marriage, but the sons died in infancy, two daughters survived - Anna (the mother of the future Emperor Peter III) and Elizabeth, the future Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. In 1724, in the Assumption Cathedral, Peter I placed the imperial crown on the head of his wife.

In 1722, Peter 1, who by that time had no male heirs*, adopted a decree on the succession to the throne: the heir was appointed at the will of the “ruling sovereign”, and the sovereign, having appointed the heir, could change his mind if he found that the heir did not justify hopes. This decree laid the foundation for the palace revolutions of the 18th century. and became the reason for the preparation of forged wills of sovereigns. In 1797, Paul I canceled the decree.

In the last months of his life, Peter was very ill and spent most of his time in bed. Before his death, the emperor did not have time to draw up a will and transfer power to his successor. He was buried in the Petrovsky Cathedral. S. P.

ALEXEY PETROVICH(02.18.1690–26.06. 1718) - Tsarevich, son of Peter I and his first wife Evdokia Lopukhina.

Alexei spent his childhood in his mother's house. Evdokia and her relatives did not approve of the transformations of Peter I, and this had a great influence on the heir. Relations between father and son worsened after Evdokia Lopukhina was forcibly tonsured a nun (1698). Neither Alexei's trip to Dresden, where he studied mathematics and military affairs, nor his wedding to Princess Sophia Charlotte of Wolfenbüttel, arranged by Peter I in 1711, could change the relationship between father and son.

Peter demanded from his son that he began to engage in state activities or retired to a monastery. Alexei agreed to abdicate in favor of his son Peter Alekseevich, but he did not go to the monastery.

Gradually, people began to unite around the prince, dissatisfied with the transformations of Peter I. In 1716, Alexei and his beloved, serf Euphrosyne, left for Vienna under the patronage of his brother-in-law, the Austrian emperor Charles VI. For some time he hid in his possessions, then left for Italy. But Peter's agents, P.A. Tolstoy and A.I. Rumyantsev, persuaded Alexei to return home. A month after his arrival, in February 1718 in Moscow, Tsarevich Alexei signed an oath renunciation of the throne. Soon he was arrested on charges of plotting against the tsar and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg. On June 24, 1718, the court sentenced the prince to death, but on June 26, 1718, Alexei died suddenly under unclear circumstances. Buried in the Peter and Paul Fortress. I.V.

EMPEROR (lat. imperator - "ruler") - in ancient Rome, the title of senior officials who were granted empires - imperium - "full power", "powers" in the military or civil sphere. Since the time of Augustus (emperor since 27 BC), the emperor began to be called a monarch with sole power. In Rus', those who had supreme power called themselves tsars (as the emperors of Byzantium) or cesars (as the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire). The Russian word "tsar" comes from the Latin caesar - caesar, which denoted the title of the Roman emperors.

The royal title in Russia was first taken by Ivan IV the Terrible in 1547. The title of emperor was taken by Peter I on November 11, 1721 after the end of the Northern War. The Russian emperor was the autocratic sovereign of the Russian Empire, who concentrated all power in his hands. According to the ideas of the Russian people, the source of the emperor's power is God's will, and the emperor himself is God's anointed one. Therefore, the most important part of the coronation of emperors in the 18-19 centuries. there was a rite of "anointing to the kingdom", which was performed in

Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. In the course of this rite, the emperor assumed obligations before God to take care of the state and people entrusted to him by the Lord.

Imperial power lasted in Russia until March 2, 1917 (the day Nicholas II abdicated), while the Russian Empire formally existed until September 1, 1917, when a republic was proclaimed in Russia. E.P.

RUSSIAN EMPIRE- the official name of the Russian state in 1721–1917. The Russian Empire was formed on the basis of the Russian centralized state. The very name "Russian Empire" was established on October 22, 1721, during the celebrations on the occasion of the conclusion of the Peace of Nystadt, when Chancellor G.I. Golovkin turned to Peter I with a request to accept the title of emperor and the title of "Father of the Fatherland, Peter the Great, Emperor of All Russia." This put the Russian tsar in a position of equal status with the then only emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, which caused many protests from the European powers. Prussia, the Netherlands and Sweden were the first to recognize the new title of Russian tsars, then Turkey (1739), England and the German Empire (1742). In 1745, the Russian Empire was recognized by France and Spain, and in 1764 by Poland.

The monarchy in the Russian Empire was hereditary. The entire population was considered subjects of the emperor. The Russian Empire had a coat of arms, an anthem and a flag. According to the laws of the Russian Empire, the supreme autocratic power in the state belonged to the emperor, whose power and person were "sacred and inviolable." Being at the head of the state, the emperor exercised sole executive and legislative power (through the State Council and, from the beginning of the 20th century, the State Duma), issued laws, directed international relations, declared wars, and concluded treaties with other powers. Through the Senate, he led the state apparatus, the Council of Ministers and ministries, through the Synod he controlled the Orthodox Church. The emperor also led the Russian army and navy. V.S.

CORONATION- the ceremony of taking power, consecrated by the Church, performed upon accession to the throne (crowning the kingdom).

Coronations were performed in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin in the presence of senior officials, as well as representatives of various estates and territories. The order of the coronation evolved gradually. It was developed under Peter I, taking into account European traditions, and finally took shape by 1856.

The coronation began at 8 o'clock in the morning with the ringing of bells (blessings) in the Assumption Cathedral and a prayer service. At the cannon signal, those invited to the ceremony passed into the palace. At the beginning of ten in the morning, the sovereign and his wife followed to the Assumption Cathedral, where he himself or the highest bishop laid on him a mantle and a crown to the singing of the church choir, cannon volleys and bell ringing. Then followed the liturgy, chrismation and communion. The rite of chrismation - the extraordinary gift of the Holy Spirit - gave the person of the emperor the significance of God's anointed.

Leaving the Assumption Cathedral, the Empress venerated the relics of the saints and the graves of the kings in the Archangel Cathedral and the Ascension Convent. The day of the coronation was equated to the birthdays and name days of the emperor.

The coronation was accompanied by the publication of special manifestos, the issuance of commemorative medals, the distribution of ranks and awards to the nobles, the granting of various benefits to the people, the write-off of arrears and fines, the easing of punishments, pardons (Alexander II pardoned the Decembrists), etc.

The first coronation took place in Russia in 1724, when Peter I crowned his wife Catherine I. For this, the imperial crown was made for the first time. At the same time, the composition of the regalia participating in the coronation changed. Under Anna Ivanovna, they included the chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, and under Elizabeth - the state banner, the state seal and the state sword.

The coronation of Byzantine emperors served as a model for the coronation of Paul I. He put on a dalmatic - the ancient clothes of the Byzantine emperors. He was the first to be crowned together with his wife. The emperor laid on her a mantle and a crown, and also handed over a scepter. Pavel was dressed in the uniform of the Preobrazhensky Regiment with a special valve for chrismation, which later became another tradition. Beginning with Alexander II, a new state seal and state banner were made for each coronation. ABOUT. N.

Peace with Sweden and Peter the Emperor This consolation did not please Peter's heart for long: on April 25, 1719, the prince died in the fourth year of his life. This unexpected blow greatly struck the sovereign, who had lost his last hope of passing on the fate of his people to his own heir!