Peter 1 early years. The first years of the reign of Peter I

Peter I is an extraordinary, but rather bright personality who left a mark in the history of the Russian state. His time was marked by processes of reform and transformation in all spheres: economic, social, political, cultural and ecclesiastical. New state governing bodies were created: the Senate and collegiums, which made it possible to strengthen local power and make the process more centralized. As a result of these measures, the power of the king began to be absolute. Strengthened the authority of the country at the international level. Russia at the end of the reign of Peter I became an empire.

The position of the church in relation to the state also underwent a change. She lost her independence. Undoubted success was achieved in the field of education and enlightenment: the first printing houses were opened, and one of the most beautiful cities in our country, St. Petersburg, was founded.

The conduct of an active foreign policy led to the formation of a combat-ready army, a recruitment system and the creation of a navy. The result of the long-term war between Russia and Sweden was the possibility of the Russian fleet entering the Baltic Sea. Undoubtedly, the costs of all these measures laid a heavy burden on the ordinary population of the country: the poll tax was introduced, they were attracted in large numbers for construction work. The result was a sharp deterioration in the position of one of the most numerous sections of the state - the peasants.

1695 and 1696 - Azov campaigns

1697-1698 - "Great Embassy" to Western Europe.

1700 - 1721 Northern War.

1707 - 1708 - The uprising on the Don led by K.A. Bulavin.

1711 - establishment of the Senate.

1711 - Prut campaign

1708 - 1715 division of the state into provinces

1718 - 1721 - establishment by the college

1721 - the creation of the Synod.

1722 - 1723 Persian campaign.

The need for reform:

Reforms of Peter I

Socio-economic reforms of Peter I - imperial industrialization?

Peter I is often presented as a reformer who allowed Russia to move from feudal to capitalist relations. However, this can hardly be considered correct. The reforms he carried out were aimed primarily at the creation and maintenance of strong armed forces (army and navy). Of course, the reforms also strengthened Peter I's own power, allowing him to declare himself emperor in 1721. But the results of economic and social transformations are largely debatable - in fact, he carried out the "industrialization" of the 18th century.

In the economy, Peter's reforms led to the fact that serfs began to work at manufactories. In order to provide manufactories with workers, the peasants were forcibly torn off the land. The peasants who remained in the village did not at all feel any better - taxes on them almost doubled due to the change from household taxation to poll tax. The orientation of manufactories to fulfill the state military order led to the fact that Russian breeders were not interested in developing production and improving product quality. In addition, dependence on the state influenced their inertia in the political sphere and did not strive for representative government.

From a social point of view, Peter's reforms contributed to the strengthening of serfdom, and therefore worsened the situation of the majority of the Russian population. Most of all, the nobles benefited from his reforms - they were equalized in rights with the boyars, in fact, the boyars were abolished as an estate. In addition, those who were lucky enough to remain free at that time were given the opportunity to earn the nobility according to the Table of Ranks. However, the cultural transformations that supplemented the social reforms subsequently led to the actual separation of a separate noble subculture, little connected with the people and folk traditions.

Did the reforms of Peter the Great make it possible to build capitalism in Russia? Hardly. After all, production was focused on the state order, and social relations were feudal. Has Russia's socio-economic situation improved since these reforms? Hardly. Peter's rule was replaced by a series of palace coups, and during the time of Catherine II, with whom the heyday of the Russian Empire is associated, the Pugachev uprising took place. Was Peter I the only one who could make the transition to a more developed society? No. The Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy was founded before him, Western manners were adopted by the Russian boyars and nobility before him, ordering bureaucracy was done before him, manufactories (not state-owned!) were opened before him, etc.

Peter I made a bet on military force - and won.

Peter I Alekseevich is the last Tsar of All Russia and the first All-Russian Emperor, one of the most prominent rulers of the Russian Empire. He was a true patriot of his state and did everything possible for its prosperity.

From his youth, Peter I showed great interest in different things, and was the first of the Russian tsars who made a long journey through the countries of Europe.

Thanks to this, he was able to accumulate a wealth of experience and carry out many important reforms that determined the direction of development in the 18th century.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the features of Peter the Great, and pay attention to the features of his personality, as well as success in the political arena.

Biography of Peter 1

Peter 1 Alekseevich Romanov was born on May 30, 1672 in. His father, Alexei Mikhailovich, was the Tsar of the Russian Empire, and ruled it for 31 years.

Mother, Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina, was the daughter of a small estate nobleman. Interestingly, Peter was the 14th son of his father and the first of his mother.

Childhood and youth of Peter I

When the future emperor was 4 years old, his father Alexei Mikhailovich died, and Peter's older brother, Fedor 3 Alekseevich, was on the throne.

The new king took up the education of little Peter, ordering him to be taught various sciences. Since at that time there was a struggle against foreign influence, his teachers were Russian clerks who did not have deep knowledge.

As a result, the boy failed to receive a proper education, and until the end of his days he wrote with errors.

However, it is worth noting that Peter 1 managed to compensate for the shortcomings of basic education with rich practical exercises. Moreover, the biography of Peter I is notable precisely for his fantastic practice, and not for theory.

History of Peter 1

Six years later, Fedor 3 died, and his son Ivan was to ascend the Russian throne. However, the legitimate heir turned out to be a very sickly and weak child.

Taking advantage of this, the Naryshkin family, in fact, organized a coup. Enlisting the support of Patriarch Joachim, the Naryshkins made young Peter the Tsar the very next day.

However, the Miloslavskys, relatives of Tsarevich Ivan, declared the illegality of such a transfer of power and the infringement of their own rights.

As a result, in 1682, the famous Streltsy rebellion took place, as a result of which 2 tsars, Ivan and Peter, were on the throne at the same time.

From that moment on, many significant events took place in the biography of the young autocrat.

It is worth emphasizing here that from an early age the boy was fond of military affairs. By his order, fortifications were built, and real military equipment was involved in staged battles.

Peter 1 put on uniforms for his peers and marched along the city streets with them. Interestingly, he himself acted as a drummer, walking ahead of his regiment.

After the formation of his own artillery, the king created a small "fleet". Even then, he wanted to dominate the sea and lead his ships into battle.

Tsar Peter 1

As a teenager, Peter 1 could not yet fully manage the state, so his half-sister Sofya Alekseevna, and then his mother Natalya Naryshkina, served as regent under him.

In 1689, Tsar Ivan officially transferred all power to his brother, as a result of which Peter 1 became the only full-fledged head of state.

After the death of his mother, his relatives Naryshkins helped him manage the empire. However, soon the autocrat freed himself from their influence and began to independently rule the empire.

The reign of Peter 1

Since that time, Peter 1 stopped playing war games, and instead began to develop real plans for future military campaigns. He continued to wage war in the Crimea against, and also repeatedly organized the Azov campaigns.

As a result, he managed to take the fortress of Azov, which was one of the first military successes in his biography. Then Peter 1 took up the construction of the port of Taganrog, although the state, as such, still did not have a fleet.

From that time on, the emperor set out to create a strong fleet at all costs in order to have influence on the sea. To do this, he made sure that young nobles could learn ship craft in European countries.

It is worth noting that Peter I himself also learned to build ships, working as an ordinary carpenter. Thanks to this, he received great respect among ordinary people who watched him work for the good of Russia.

Even then, Peter the Great saw many shortcomings in the state system and was preparing for serious reforms that would forever inscribe his name in.

He studied the state structure of the largest European countries, trying to learn from them all the best.

During this period of biography, a conspiracy was drawn up against Peter 1, as a result of which a streltsy uprising was to occur. However, the king managed to suppress the rebellion in time and punish all the conspirators.

After a long confrontation with the Ottoman Empire, Peter the Great decided to sign a peace agreement with it. After that, he started a war with.

He managed to capture several fortresses at the mouth of the Neva River, on which the glorious city of Peter the Great will be built in the future -.

Wars of Peter the Great

After a series of successful military campaigns, Peter 1 managed to open an exit to, which would later be called a "window to Europe."

Meanwhile, the military power of the Russian Empire was constantly growing, and the fame of Peter the Great was carried throughout Europe. Soon, the Eastern Baltic was annexed to Russia.

In 1709, the famous took place, in which the Swedish and Russian armies fought. As a result, the Swedes were completely defeated, and the remnants of the troops were taken prisoner.

By the way, this battle was beautifully described in the famous poem "Poltava". Here is a snippet:

It was that troubled time
When Russia is young
Straining strength in the struggles,
Husband with the genius of Peter.

It is worth noting that Peter 1 himself participated in the battles, showing courage and courage in battle. By his example, he inspired the Russian army, which was ready to fight for the emperor to the last drop of blood.

Studying Peter's relationship with the soldiers, one cannot fail to recall the famous story about the negligent soldier. More about it.

An interesting fact is that at the height of the Battle of Poltava, an enemy bullet shot through Peter I's hat, passing a few centimeters from his head. This once again proved the fact that the autocrat was not afraid to risk his life for the sake of defeating the enemy.

However, numerous military campaigns not only took the lives of valiant warriors, but also depleted the military resources of the country. Things got to the point that the Russian Empire found itself in a situation where it was required to fight simultaneously on 3 fronts.

This forced Peter 1 to reconsider his views on foreign policy and make a number of important decisions.

He signed a peace agreement with the Turks, agreeing to give them back the fortress of Azov. Having made such a sacrifice, he was able to save many human lives and military equipment.

Some time later, Peter the Great began to organize campaigns to the east. Their result was the accession to Russia of such cities as Semipalatinsk and.

Interestingly, he even wanted to organize military expeditions to North America and India, but these plans never came true.

But Peter the Great was able to brilliantly conduct the Caspian campaign against Persia, having conquered Derbent, Astrabad and many fortresses.

After his death, most of the conquered territories were lost, since their maintenance was not beneficial for the state.

Reforms of Peter 1

Throughout his biography, Peter 1 implemented many reforms aimed at the benefit of the state. Interestingly, he became the first Russian ruler to call himself emperor.

The most important reforms in terms of significance concerned military affairs. In addition, it was during the reign of Peter 1 that the church began to obey the state, which had never happened before.

The reforms of Peter the Great contributed to the development and trade, as well as the departure from the outdated way of life.

For example, he taxed the wearing of a beard, wanting to impose European standards of appearance on the boyars. And although this caused a wave of discontent on the part of the Russian nobility, they nevertheless obeyed all his decrees.

Every year, medical, maritime, engineering and other schools were opened in the country, in which not only the children of officials, but also ordinary peasants could study. Peter 1 introduced a new Julian calendar, which is still used today.

While in Europe, the tsar saw many beautiful paintings that struck his imagination. As a result, upon arrival in his homeland, he began to provide financial support to artists in order to stimulate the development of Russian culture.

In fairness, it must be said that Peter 1 was often criticized for the violent method of implementing these reforms. In fact, he forcibly forced people to change their thinking, as well as to carry out the projects he had conceived.

One of the most striking examples of this is the construction of St. Petersburg, which was carried out in the most difficult conditions. Many people could not stand such loads and ran away.

Then the families of the fugitives were imprisoned and stayed there until the perpetrators returned back to the construction site.

Soon Peter 1 formed an organ of political investigation and court, which was transformed into the Secret Chancellery. Any person was forbidden to write in closed rooms.

If anyone knew about such a violation and did not report it to the king, he was subjected to the death penalty. Using such harsh methods, Peter tried to fight against anti-government conspiracies.

Personal life of Peter 1

In his youth, Peter 1 liked to be in the German Quarter, enjoying foreign society. It was there that he first saw the German Anna Mons, with whom he immediately fell in love.

The mother was against his relationship with the German, so she insisted that he marry Evdokia Lopukhina. An interesting fact is that Peter did not argue with his mother, and married Lopukhina.

Of course, in this forced marriage, their family life could not be called happy. They had two boys: Alexei and Alexander, the last of whom died in early childhood.

Alexei was to become the legitimate heir to the throne after Peter the Great. However, due to the fact that Evdokia tried to overthrow her husband from the throne and transfer power to her son, everything turned out completely differently.

Lopukhina was imprisoned in a monastery, and Alexei had to flee abroad. It is worth noting that Alexei himself never approved of his father's reforms, and even called him a despot.

In 1717, Alexei was found and arrested, and then sentenced to death for participating in a conspiracy. However, he died while still in prison, and under very mysterious circumstances.

Having dissolved the marriage with his wife, in 1703 Peter the Great became interested in the 19-year-old Katerina (nee Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya). A stormy romance began between them, which lasted for many years.

Over time, they got married, but even before marriage, she gave birth to daughters Anna (1708) and Elizabeth (1709) from the emperor. Elizabeth later became Empress (reigned 1741-1761)

Katerina was a very smart and insightful girl. She alone managed to calm the king with the help of kindness and patience when he had acute attacks of headache.

Officially, they got married only in 1712. After that, they had 9 more children, most of whom died at an early age.

Peter the Great truly loved Katerina. In her honor, the Order of St. Catherine was established and a city in the Urals was named. The Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo (built under her daughter Elizabeth Petrovna) also bears the name of Catherine I.

Soon, another woman, Maria Cantemir, appeared in the biography of Peter 1, who remained the favorite of the emperor until the end of his life.

It is worth noting that Peter the Great was very tall - 203 cm. At that time, he was considered a real giant, and was head and shoulders above everyone else.

However, the size of his feet did not match his height at all. The autocrat wore shoes of size 39 and was very narrow in the shoulders. As an additional support, he always carried a cane with him, on which he could lean.

Death of Peter

Despite the fact that outwardly Peter 1 seemed to be a very strong and healthy person, in fact he suffered from migraine attacks throughout his life.

In the last years of his life, he also began to be tormented by nephrolithiasis, to which he tried not to pay attention.

At the beginning of 1725, the pains became so severe that he could no longer get out of bed. His health deteriorated every day, and the suffering became unbearable.

Peter 1 Alekseevich Romanov died on January 28, 1725 in the Winter Palace. The official cause of his death was pneumonia.

However, an autopsy showed that death was due to inflammation of the bladder, which soon developed into gangrene.

Peter the Great was buried in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, and his wife Catherine 1 became the heir to the Russian throne.

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Peter the Great is a rather remarkable personality, both from the side of the person and from the side of the ruler. His numerous changes in the country, decrees and an attempt to organize life in a new way were not perceived positively by everyone. However, it cannot be denied that during his reign a new impetus was given to the development of the Russian Empire of that time.

The great Peter the Great introduced innovations that made it possible to reckon with the Russian Empire at the world level. These were not only external achievements, but also internal reforms.

An extraordinary personality in the history of Russia - Tsar Peter the Great

There were a lot of outstanding sovereigns and rulers in the Russian state. Each of them contributed to its development. One of these was Tsar Peter I. His reign was marked by various innovations in various fields, as well as reforms that brought Russia to a new level.

What can be said about the time when Tsar Peter the Great ruled? Briefly, it can be described as a series of changes in the way of life of the Russian people, as well as a new direction in the development of the state itself. Peter after his trip to Europe caught fire with the idea of ​​a full-fledged navy for his country.

In his royal years, Peter the Great changed a lot in the country. He is the first ruler who gave direction to change the culture of Russia towards Europe. So many of his followers continued his undertakings, and this led to the fact that they were not forgotten.

Peter's childhood

If we now talk about whether childhood influenced the future fate of the tsar, his behavior in politics, then we can answer that of course. Little Peter was always developed beyond his years, and his remoteness from the royal court allowed him to look at the world in a completely different way. Nobody hampered him in development, and also did not forbid him to feed his craving for learning everything new and interesting.

The future Tsar Peter the Great was born on June 9, 1672. His mother was Naryshkina Natalya Kirillovna, who was the second wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Until the age of four, he lived at court, loved and spoiled by his mother, who did not have a soul in him. In 1676, his father, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, died. Fedor Alekseevich, who was Peter's older half-brother, ascended the throne.

From that moment on, a new life began both in the state and in the royal family. By order of the new king (part-time half-brother), Peter began to learn to read and write. Science was given to him quite easily, he was a rather inquisitive child who was interested in a lot of things. The teacher of the future ruler was the clerk Nikita Zotov, who did not scold the restless student too much. Thanks to him, Peter read many wonderful books that Zotov brought him from the armory.

The result of all this was a further genuine interest in history, he even in the future had a dream of a book that would tell about the history of Russia. Peter was also fascinated by the art of war, was interested in geography. At an older age, he compiled a rather easy and simple alphabet to learn. However, if we talk about the systematic acquisition of knowledge, then the king did not have this.

Ascension to the throne

Peter the Great was enthroned when he was ten years old. This happened after the death of his half-brother Fyodor Alekseevich, in 1682. However, it should be noted that there were two contenders for the throne. This is Peter's older half-brother - John, who was rather painful from birth. Perhaps that is why the clergy decided that the younger, but stronger applicant should be the ruler. Due to the fact that Peter was still a minor, the king's mother, Natalya Kirillovna, ruled on his behalf.

However, this was not at all liked by the no less noble relatives of the second contender for the throne - Miloslavsky. All this discontent, and even the suspicion that Tsar John was killed by the Naryshkins, led to an uprising that happened on May 15. This event later became known as the "streltsy revolt". On this day, some boyars, who were Peter's mentors, were killed. What happened made an indelible impression on the young king.

After the Streltsy rebellion, two were married to the kingdom - John and Peter 1, the first had a dominant position. Their older sister Sophia, who was the real ruler, was appointed regent. Peter and his mother again left for Preobrazhenskoye. By the way, many of his relatives and friends were also either exiled or killed.

Life of Peter in Preobrazhensky

Peter's life after the May events of 1682 remained the same solitary. Only occasionally did he come to Moscow when there was a need for his presence at official receptions. The rest of the time he continued to live in the village of Preobrazhensky.

At this time, he became interested in the study of military affairs, which led to the formation of, for the time being, children's, amusing regiments. They recruited guys around his age who wanted to learn the art of war, since all these initial children's games grew into just that. Over time, a small military town is formed in Preobrazhensky, and children's amusing regiments grow into adults and become quite an impressive force to be reckoned with.

It was at this time that the future Tsar Peter the Great had the idea of ​​his own fleet. Once he discovered a broken boat in an old barn, and he got the idea of ​​fixing it. After a while, Peter found the person who fixed it. So, the boat was launched. However, the Yauza River was small for such a vessel, it was dragged to a pond near Izmailovo, which also seemed small for the future ruler.

In the end, Peter's new hobby continued on Lake Pleshchevo, near Pereyaslavl. It was here that the formation of the future fleet of the Russian Empire began. Peter himself not only commanded, but also studied various crafts (blacksmith, joiner, carpenter, studied printing).

Peter at one time did not receive a systematic education, but when the need arose to study arithmetic and geometry, he did it. This knowledge was needed in order to learn how to use the astrolabe.

During these years, when Peter received his knowledge in various fields, he had many associates. These are, for example, Prince Romodanovsky, Fedor Apraksin, Alexei Menshikov. Each of these people played a role in the character of the future reign of Peter the Great.

Peter's family life

Peter's personal life was quite complicated. He was seventeen years old when he got married. This happened at the insistence of the mother. Evdokia Lopukhina became the wife of Peter.

Between the spouses there was never mutual understanding. A year after his marriage, he became interested in Anna Mons, which led to a final quarrel. The first family history of Peter the Great ended with Evdokia Lopukhin being exiled to a monastery. This happened in 1698.

From his first marriage, the tsar had a son - Alexei (born in 1690). It has a rather tragic story. It is not known exactly for what reason, but Peter did not love his own son. Perhaps this happened because he did not at all resemble his father, and also did not at all welcome some of his reformist introductions. Be that as it may, but in 1718 Tsarevich Alexei dies. This episode itself is rather mysterious, as many spoke of torture, as a result of which the son of Peter died. By the way, hostility to Alexei extended to his son (grandson of Peter).

In 1703, Marta Skavronskaya entered the life of the tsar, who later became Catherine I. For a long time she was Peter's mistress, and in 1712 they got married. In 1724, Catherine was crowned empress. Peter the Great, whose biography of family life is truly fascinating, was very attached to his second wife. During their life together, Catherine bore him several children, but only two daughters survived - Elizabeth and Anna.

Peter treated his second wife very well, one might even say he loved her. However, this did not prevent him from sometimes having an affair on the side. Catherine herself did the same. In 1725, she was convicted of having an affair with Willem Mons, who was a chamberlain. It was a scandalous story, as a result of which the lover was executed.

The beginning of the real reign of Peter

For a long time, Peter was only second in line to the throne. Of course, these years were not in vain, he studied a lot, became a full-fledged personality. However, in 1689 a new streltsy uprising took place, which was prepared by his sister Sophia, who was ruling at that time. She did not take into account that Peter is far from being the younger brother he was before. Two personal royal regiments - Preobrazhensky and Streletsky, as well as all the patriarchs of Russia, rose to his defense. The rebellion was suppressed, and Sophia spent the rest of her days in the Novodevichy Convent.

After these events, Peter became more interested in the affairs of the state, but nevertheless shifted most of them onto the shoulders of his relatives. The real reign of Peter the Great began in 1695. In 1696, his brother John dies, and he remains the sole ruler of the country. From that time on, innovations began in the Russian Empire.

Wars of the king

There were several wars in which Peter the Great took part. The biography of the king shows how purposeful he was. This is proved by his first campaign against Azov in 1695. It ended in failure, but this did not stop the young king. After analyzing all the mistakes, Peter carried out a second assault in July 1696, which ended successfully.

After the Azov campaigns, the tsar decided that the country needed its own specialists, both in military affairs and in shipbuilding. He sent several nobles to study, and then he decided to travel around Europe himself. This lasted for a year and a half.

In 1700, Peter begins the Great Northern War, which lasted twenty-one years. The result of this war was the signed Treaty of Nystadt, which opened him access to the Baltic Sea. By the way, it was this event that led to the fact that Tsar Peter I received the title of emperor. The resulting lands formed the Russian Empire.

estate reform

Despite the conduct of the war, the emperor did not forget to pursue the domestic policy of the country. Numerous decrees of Peter the Great affected various spheres of life in Russia and not only.

One of the important reforms was a clear division and consolidation of rights and obligations between nobles, peasants and city dwellers.

Nobles. In this estate, innovations concerned primarily the compulsory literacy education for males. Those who failed to pass the exam were not allowed to receive an officer's rank, and they were also not allowed to marry. A table of ranks was introduced, which allowed even those who by birth did not have the right to receive the nobility.

In 1714, a decree was issued that allowed only one offspring from a noble family to inherit all property.

Peasants. For this class, poll taxes were introduced, instead of household taxes. Also, those serfs who went to serve as soldiers were freed from serfdom.

City. For urban residents, the transformation consisted in the fact that they were divided into “regular” (subdivided into guilds) and “irregular” (other people). Also in 1722, workshops for crafts appeared.

Military and judicial reforms

Peter the Great carried out reforms for the army as well. It was he who began recruiting into the army every year from young people who had reached the age of fifteen. They were sent to military training. This led to the fact that the army became stronger and more experienced. A powerful fleet was created, a judicial reform was carried out. Appellate and provincial courts appeared, which were subordinate to the governors.

Administrative reform

At the time when Peter the Great ruled, the reforms also affected the administration of the state. For example, the ruling king could appoint his successor during his lifetime, which was previously impossible. It could have been absolutely anyone.

Also in 1711, by order of the king, a new state body appeared - the Governing Senate. Anyone could also enter it, it was the king's privilege to appoint its members.

In 1718, instead of Moscow orders, 12 colleges appeared, each of which covered its own field of activity (for example, military, income and expenses, etc.).

At the same time, by decree of Tsar Peter, eight provinces were created (later there were eleven). The provinces were divided into provinces, the latter into counties.

Other reforms

The time of Peter the Great is also rich in other equally important reforms. For example, they affected the Church, which lost its independence and became dependent on the state. Later, the Holy Synod was established, the members of which were appointed by the sovereign.

Great reforms took place in the culture of the Russian people. The king, after returning from a trip to Europe, ordered to cut off the beards and shave the faces of men (this did not apply only to priests). Peter also introduced the wearing of European clothes for the boyars. In addition, balls, other music, as well as tobacco for men, which the king brought from his trip, appeared for the upper class.

An important point was the change in the calendar calculation, as well as the transfer of the beginning of the new year from the first of September to the first of January. This happened in December 1699.

Culture in the country was in a special position. The sovereign founded many schools that gave knowledge about foreign languages, mathematics and other technical sciences. A lot of foreign literature was translated into Russian.

The results of the reign of Peter

Peter the Great, whose reign was full of many changes, led Russia to a new direction in its development. A fairly strong fleet appeared in the country, as well as a regular army. The economy has stabilized.

The reign of Peter the Great also had a positive impact on the social sphere. Medicine began to develop, the number of pharmacies and hospitals increased. Science and culture have reached a new level.

In addition, the state of the economy and finances in the country has improved. Russia has reached a new international level, and has also signed several important agreements.

End of reign and Peter's successor

The king's death is shrouded in mystery and speculation. It is known that he died on January 28, 1725. However, what led him to this?

Many talk about an illness from which he did not fully recover, but went on business to the Ladoga Canal. The king was returning home by sea when he saw a ship in distress. It was late cold and rainy autumn. Peter helped drowning people, but he got very wet and as a result caught a bad cold. He never recovered from all this.

All this time, while Tsar Peter was ill, prayers were held in many churches for the health of the Tsar. Everyone understood that this was indeed a great ruler who had done a lot for the country and could have done so much more.

There was another rumor that the tsar was poisoned, and it could be A. Menshikov close to Peter. Whatever it was, but after his death, Peter the Great did not leave a will. The throne is inherited by Peter's wife Catherine I. There is also a legend about this. They say that before his death, the king wanted to write his will, but he managed to write only a couple of words and died.

The personality of the king in modern cinema

The biography and history of Peter the Great is so entertaining that a dozen films have been made about him, as well as several television series. In addition, there are paintings about individual members of his family (for example, about the deceased son Alexei).

Each of the films reveals the personality of the king in its own way. For example, the television series “Testament” plays on the dying years of the king. Of course, there is truth mixed with fiction. An important point will be that Peter the Great never wrote a will, which will be told about in colors in the film.

Of course, this is one of many pictures. Some were filmed based on works of art (for example, the novel by A. N. Tolstoy “Peter I”). Thus, as we see, the odious personality of Emperor Peter I excites the minds of people today. This great politician and reformer pushed Russia to develop, to learn new things, and also to enter the international arena.

Peter I - the youngest son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich from his second marriage with Natalya Naryshkina - was born on May 30, 1672. As a child, Peter was educated at home, knew German from a young age, then studied Dutch, English and French. With the help of palace masters (carpentry, turning, weapons, blacksmithing, etc.). The future emperor was physically strong, agile, inquisitive and capable, had a good memory.

In April 1682, Peter was enthroned after the death of a childless man, bypassing his older half-brother Ivan. However, the sister of Peter and Ivan - and the relatives of Alexei Mikhailovich's first wife - the Miloslavskys used the streltsy uprising in Moscow for a palace coup. In May 1682, the supporters and relatives of the Naryshkins were killed or exiled, Ivan was declared the "senior" tsar, and Peter the "junior" tsar under the ruler Sophia.

Under Sophia, Peter lived in the village of Preobrazhensky near Moscow. Here, from his peers, Peter formed "amusing regiments" - the future imperial guard. In those same years, the prince met the son of the court groom Alexander Menshikov, who later became the "right hand" of the emperor.

In the second half of the 1680s, clashes began between Peter and Sofya Alekseevna, who were striving for autocracy. In August 1689, having received news that Sophia was preparing a palace coup, Peter hastily left Preobrazhensky for the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, where troops loyal to him and his supporters arrived. Armed detachments of nobles, gathered by the messengers of Peter I, surrounded Moscow, Sophia was removed from power and imprisoned in the Novodevichy Convent, her close associates were exiled or executed.

After the death of Ivan Alekseevich (1696), Peter I became an autocratic tsar.

Possessing a strong will, purposefulness and great capacity for work, Peter I throughout his life replenished his knowledge and skills in various fields, paying special attention to military and naval affairs. In 1689-1693, under the guidance of the Dutch master Timmerman and the Russian master Kartsev, Peter I learned to build ships on Lake Pereslavl. In 1697-1698, during his first trip abroad, he completed a full course in artillery sciences in Koenigsberg, worked as a carpenter at the shipyards of Amsterdam (Holland) for six months, studying ship architecture and drawing plans, and completed a theoretical course in shipbuilding in England.

By order of Peter I, books, instruments, weapons were purchased abroad, foreign craftsmen and scientists were invited. Peter I met with Leibniz, Newton and other scientists, in 1717 he was elected an honorary member of the Paris Academy of Sciences.

During the reign of Peter I carried out major reforms aimed at overcoming the backwardness of Russia from the advanced countries of the West. Transformations touched all spheres of public life. Peter I expanded the landlords' property rights over the property and personality of serfs, replaced the household taxation of peasants with poll tax, issued a decree on the possession of peasants, who were allowed to acquire the owners of manufactories, practiced the mass registration of state and yasak peasants to state and private factories, the mobilization of peasants and townspeople into the army and for the construction of cities, fortresses, canals, etc. The decree on single inheritance (1714) equalized estates and estates, giving their owners the right to transfer real estate to one of the sons, and thereby secured noble ownership of land. The Table of Ranks (1722) established the order of rank in the military and civil service not according to nobility, but according to personal abilities and merit.

Peter I contributed to the rise of the country's productive forces, encouraged the development of domestic manufactories, means of communication, domestic and foreign trade.

The reforms of the state apparatus under Peter I were an important step towards the transformation of the Russian autocracy of the 17th century into the bureaucratic-noble monarchy of the 18th century with its bureaucracy and service classes. The place of the Boyar Duma was taken by the Senate (1711), boards were established instead of orders (1718), the control apparatus was represented first by "fiscals" (1711), and then by prosecutors headed by the prosecutor general. Instead of the patriarchate, the Spiritual College, or Synod, was established, which was under the control of the government. Administrative reform was of great importance. In 1708-1709, instead of counties, voivodships and governorships, 8 (then 10) provinces headed by governors were established. In 1719, the provinces were divided into 47 provinces.

As a military leader, Peter I is among the most educated and talented builders of the armed forces, commanders and naval commanders of Russian and world history of the eighteenth century. His whole life's work was to strengthen the military power of Russia and increase its role in the international arena. He had to continue the war with Turkey, which began in 1686, to wage a long-term struggle for Russia's access to the sea in the North and South. As a result of the Azov campaigns (1695-1696), Azov was occupied by Russian troops, and Russia fortified on the shores of the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov. In the long Northern War (1700-1721), Russia under the leadership of Peter I achieved a complete victory, gained access to the Baltic Sea, which gave it the opportunity to establish direct ties with Western countries. After the Persian campaign (1722-1723), the western coast of the Caspian Sea with the cities of Derbent and Baku went to Russia.

Under Peter I, for the first time in the history of Russia, permanent diplomatic missions and consulates abroad were established, outdated forms of diplomatic relations and etiquette were abolished.

Major reforms were also carried out by Peter I in the field of culture and education. A secular school appeared, the monopoly of the clergy on education was eliminated. Peter I founded the Pushkar School (1699), the School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences (1701), the Medical and Surgical School; the first Russian public theater was opened. In St. Petersburg, the Naval Academy (1715), engineering and artillery schools (1719), schools of translators at collegiums were established, the first Russian museum, the Kunstkamera (1719) with a public library, was opened. In 1700, a new calendar was introduced with the beginning of the year on January 1 (instead of September 1) and the reckoning from the "Christmas", and not from the "Creation of the World".

By order of Peter I, various expeditions were carried out, including to Central Asia, the Far East, Siberia, and a systematic study of the country's geography and mapping was laid.

Peter I was married twice: to Evdokia Feodorovna Lopukhina and to Marta Skavronskaya (later Empress Catherine I); had a son from his first marriage Alexei and from the second - daughters Anna and Elizabeth (besides them, 8 children of Peter I died in early childhood).

Peter I died in 1725 and was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

The study of the topic "The Personality of Peter 1" is important for understanding the essence of the reforms he is carrying out in Russia. Indeed, in our country, it was often the character, personal qualities and education of the sovereign that determined the main line of socio-political development. The reign of this king covers a rather long period of time: in 1689 (when he finally removed his sister Sophia from public affairs) and until his death in 1725.

General characteristics of the era

Consideration of the question of when Peter 1 was born should begin with an analysis of the general historical situation in Russia at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th centuries. It was a time when the prerequisites for serious and profound political, economic, social and cultural changes were ripe in the country. Already during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, there was a clear trend towards the penetration of Western European achievements into the country. Under this ruler, a number of measures were taken to transform some aspects of public life.

Therefore, the personality of Peter 1 was formed in an environment where the idea of ​​the need for serious reforms was already clearly outlined in society. In this regard, it is necessary to understand that the transformative activity of the first emperor of Russia did not arise from scratch, it became a natural and necessary consequence of all the previous development of the country.

Childhood

Peter 1, a brief biography, whose reign and reforms are the subject of this review, was born on May 30 (June 9), 1672. The exact birthplace of the future emperor is unknown. According to the generally accepted point of view, this place was the Kremlin, but the villages of Kolomenskoye or Izmailovo are also indicated. He was the fourteenth child in the family of Tsar Alexei, but the first from his second wife, Natalya Kirillovna. on the maternal side came from the Naryshkin family. She was the daughter of small estate nobles, which, perhaps, subsequently predetermined their struggle with the large and influential boyar group of the Miloslavskys at court, who were relatives of the tsar by his first wife.

The childhood of Peter 1 passed among nannies who did not give him a serious education. That is why until the end of his life he did not learn how to read and write properly and wrote with errors. However, he was a very inquisitive boy who was interested in everything, he had an inquisitive mind, which determined his interest in practical sciences. The end of the 17th century, when Peter 1 was born, was the time when European education began to spread in the highest circles of society, but the early years of the future emperor passed away from the new trends of the era.

Teenage years

The life of the prince proceeded in the village of Preobrazhenskoye, where he, in fact, was left to his own devices. No one was seriously involved in the upbringing of the boy, so his studies in these years were superficial. Nevertheless, the childhood of Peter 1 was very eventful and fruitful in terms of the formation of his worldview and interest in scientific and practical studies. He became seriously interested in the organization of troops, for which he arranged for himself the so-called amusing regiments, which consisted of local courtyard boys, as well as the sons of small estate nobles, whose possessions were located nearby. Together with these small detachments, he took improvised bastions, arranged battles and gatherings, and made attacks. In relation to the same time, we can say that the fleet of Peter 1 arose. At first it was just a small boat, but it is nevertheless considered to be the father of the Russian flotilla.

First serious steps

It has already been said above that the time when Peter 1 was born is considered to be a transitional one in the history of Russia. It was during this period that the country was in a position where all the necessary prerequisites for its entry into the international arena arose. The first steps were taken in this direction during the foreign travel of the future emperor through the countries of Western Europe. Then he was able to see with his own eyes the achievements of these states in various areas of life.

Peter 1, whose brief biography includes this important stage in his life, appreciated Western European achievements, primarily in technology and weapons. However, he drew attention to the culture, education of these countries, their political institutions. After his return to Russia, he made an attempt to modernize the administrative apparatus, the army, and legislation, which was supposed to prepare the country for entering the international arena.

The initial stage of government: the beginning of reforms

The era when Peter 1 was born was a preparatory time for major changes in our country. That is why the transformations of the first emperor turned out to be so out of place and outlived their creator for centuries. At the very beginning of his reign, the new sovereign abolished which was the legislative body of power under the former kings. Instead, he created the Senate on the Western European model. It was supposed to hold meetings of senators to draw up laws. It is significant that initially it was a temporary measure, which, however, turned out to be very effective: this institution lasted until the February Revolution of 1917.

Further transformations

It has already been said above that Peter 1 on the maternal side comes from a not very noble noble family. However, his mother was brought up in a European spirit, which, of course, could not but affect the personality of the boy, although the queen herself, when raising her son, adhered to traditional views and measures. Nevertheless, the tsar was inclined to transform almost all spheres of life in Russian society, which was literally an urgent need in connection with the conquest of access to the Baltic Sea by Russia and the country's entry into the international arena.

And so the emperor changed the administrative apparatus: he created collegiums instead of orders, a Synod to manage church affairs. In addition, he formed a regular army, and the fleet of Peter 1 became one of the strongest among other maritime powers.

Features of transformative activity

The main goal of the emperor's reign was the desire to reform those areas that he needed to solve the most important tasks in the conduct of hostilities on several fronts at once. He himself apparently assumed that these changes would be temporary. Most modern historians agree that the ruler did not have any premeditated program of activities to reform the country. Many experts believe that he acted on the basis of specific needs.

The Importance of the Emperor's Reforms for His Successors

However, the phenomenon of his reforms lies precisely in the fact that these seemingly temporary measures outlived their creator for a long time and existed almost unchanged for two centuries. Moreover, his successors, for example, Catherine II, were largely guided by his achievements. This suggests that the reforms of the ruler came to the right place and at the right time. The life of Peter 1 was, in fact, devoted to changing and improving the most diverse areas in society. He was interested in everything new, however, borrowing the achievements of the West, he first of all thought about what benefit this would bring to Russia. That is why his reforming activity served as an example for reforms during the reign of other emperors for a long time.

Relationships with others

When describing the character of the tsar, one should never forget to which boyar family Peter 1 belonged. On the maternal side, he came from a not very well-born nobility, which, most likely, determined his interest not in nobility, but in the merits of a person before the fatherland and his ability serve. The emperor valued not the rank and rank, but the specific talents of his subordinates. This speaks of the democratic approach of Pyotr Alekseevich to people, despite his harsh and even tough character.

mature years

In the last years of his life, the emperor sought to consolidate the successes achieved. But here he had serious problems with the heir. subsequently had a very bad effect on political administration and led to serious difficulties in the country. The fact is that the son of Peter, Tsarevich Alexei, went against his father, not wanting to continue his reforms. In addition, the king had serious problems in the family. Nevertheless, he took care to consolidate the successes achieved: he took the title of emperor, and Russia became an empire. This step raised the international prestige of our country. In addition, Peter Alekseevich achieved recognition of Russia's access to the Baltic Sea, which was of fundamental importance for the development of trade and the fleet. Subsequently, his successors continued the policy in this direction. Under Catherine II, for example, Russia gained access to the Black Sea. The emperor died as a result of a complication after a cold and did not have time to draw up a will before his death, which led to the appearance of numerous contenders for the throne and repeated palace coups.