There lived a ruler. Freedman Ruler
At the end of the 3rd century, the Roman Empire was gradually sliding into emptiness. Emperors succeeded each other, as if in a kaleidoscope: soldiers could make any rogue sovereign, but these usurpers lost power with extraordinary ease, often only a few months separated such a ruler from triumph to death. The provinces were going bankrupt; no one even thought of fighting against external threats.
The empire had a colossal reserve of strength, but decades of unrest undermined it. The collapse of the Roman Empire could well have occurred not at the end of the 5th century, but at the beginning of the 4th century. However, there was a man who gave the state another century and a half of life. His appearance can hardly be called predetermined, and he himself was far from being such a radiant character as apologetically minded authors portray. His origins were the most humble. And yet, it was this man who turned out to be the one Rome needed. One of the last, if not the last, great Roman emperor is Diocletian.
The future ruler of the greatest state of his era was born in a province by the sea. Dalmatia (present-day Croatia and Montenegro) was a completely ordinary region of the Roman Empire. Around 245, in these parts, somewhere near Salona (present-day Split), a boy was born who was named Diocles. It cannot be said that Salona was a remote place: it was the center of the province. However, it is unlikely that anyone would be able to recognize the boy’s future fate.
His father was a freedman, that is, the future emperor came not even from peasants, but from slaves. However, there is a difference between slave and slave, and Diocles’ father turned out to be at least a smart and energetic enough person to somehow gain his freedom (most likely, he managed to earn money to buy himself out of slavery). His position remained insignificant, working as a scribe, a common position for an educated freedman.
Almost no information has been preserved about the early years of Diocles. He joined the army as a very young man and gradually moved up the ranks. It would be extremely interesting to know the details of his ascent to the heights of the Roman military hierarchy, but alas, history remains silent on this score. Let us only note that a person who did not have high origin, money, or connections could get into the public eye only through a combination of professional qualities and certain abilities for intrigue.
Be that as it may, under the emperor Probus, until 282, he was already the governor of Moesia, a large region in the central part of the empire. In addition, he achieved a decent position in the palace troops. All this time, there was an unstoppable stabbing going on in the highest echelons of Roman power. Probus was replaced by Kar, who led the conspiracy against the former emperor. Carus tried to create his own dynasty, and when he died of illness during a campaign against the Persians (a rarity among emperors at that time), he was easily succeeded by his sons Numerian (who remained emperor of the eastern part of the Roman Empire) and Carinus (emperor of the west). However, it would be naive to believe that the wave of coups can be stopped just like that.
The army was still returning from the campaign. Carinus went west to Rome, while Numerian slowly led his men across Syria. The new emperor was a sophisticated person, but not a leader or an intriguer at all. However, such people do not live long at the top of power. During this transition, a certain detective story took place. Numerian allegedly fell ill and moved in a closed stretcher, and some time later, the soldiers and commanders became concerned about the question of where the sovereign had gone, and discovered that Numerian had been dead, and not for the first day.
It was his father-in-law who spoke most about the emperor's illness - Apr. It was he who was called to account, and it was he who fell victim to Diocles at the gathering gathered for this occasion: he pierced the unfortunate conspirator with a sword. Apra's participation in the conspiracy is beyond doubt. However, it is difficult to agree, for example, with Gibbon, whose narrative at this point loses its specificity and begins to concentrate on the straightforwardness of Diocles. Let's start with the fact that Diocles led the emperor's bodyguards.
He did not correspond to the image of an honest but stupid servant; meanwhile, Numerian’s mysterious illness did not alert him in any way. Finally, no real investigation was carried out: Diocles simply declared Apra a murderer, and without even trying to conduct an interrogation, he killed him with his own hand. Immediately the military officials elected Diocles as the new emperor. Let us note that a number of authors reported on his imperial ambitions long before this murky story. The death of Numerian thus becomes vague, but at the same time completely understandable. The further merits of Diocles, who had already changed his name and assumed imperial power, turned out to be so great that it seems that the radiance emanating from him blinds any author who wants to delve into the circumstances of the death of his predecessor.
Be that as it may, in the west, in Rome itself, Carinus, the son of Cara and brother of Numerian, remained. He, however, died just in time at the hands of an anonymous killer (he was never found), and no one else disputed the new ruler’s claims to the throne. The winner somewhat ennobled his former name and went down in history as Diocletian. Thus began his era in 285.
The vast majority of the Roman elite most likely considered Diocletian to be just another “soldier” emperor who would be poisoned or slaughtered in a few months. Nothing of the kind, however, happened.
Diocletian's first steps were marked by moderation. The vast majority of those close to the previous emperors were not harmed in any way. This behavior immediately added points to the new emperor in the eyes of his subjects: previously, for mercy, they were ready to praise the usurper who would at least cut off heads without great zeal. Having sharply improved his reputation, Diocletian began reforms.
The main problem of the Roman Empire at that moment was its poor controllability. As problems accumulated in different parts of the country, the authorities in Rome were increasingly unable to respond to what was happening in the remote provinces. Even with the excellent Roman roads, Britain or Syria were too far from the center to adequately understand the situation on the ground and react quickly to what was happening. Diocletian began by dividing the empire into four parts (in Greek this order was called tetrarchy).
It was not a question of giving up control of these fragments of a single empire, but rather of delegating authority. Diocletian himself, interestingly enough, did not take control of Rome. He located his own capital in Nicomedia, a city in Asia Minor, and personally ruled the rich east of the empire - Anatolia, Egypt and the Middle East. Spain, Italy and Rome and Africa were ruled by his close associate, Maximian. Maximian, a tough, even cruel, indomitable fighter, was an excellent commander for the army and, moreover, thanks to his bad character, he was perfectly suited for the role of a “power” ruler, for whom hatred was familiar and to whom hesitation was unknown.
Finally, Gaul and Britain and the vast region from Crete to Pannonia (approximately in the area of present-day Austria) were separated into separate regions. For better communication between the rulers, Diocletian (who remained the undisputed leader) married them all to each other's relatives. In addition, Diocletian and Maximian adopted companions in case of dynastic problems after their death. To better govern the country, the new sovereign created a harmonious system of administrative division.
Each quarter of the tetrarchy was divided into dioceses, and these in turn into provinces. The division was carried out based on a number of considerations - economics, security, controllability. On the one hand, Diocletian strengthened control over each specific official. The emperor remained far away, but the ruler of the diocese or one of the tetrarchs was close. On the other hand, the number of provinces themselves had doubled, so that now the ruler on the spot had less ability to start an uprising: he simply had too few funds and troops to do this.
A separate reform befell the armed forces. A pale shadow remained of the former victorious legions. In order to preserve the combat effectiveness of the troops, but not to collapse the economy of the country, Diocletian reduced the troops to two categories: border detachments defended the borders of the empire, while in the depths of the country there were more mobile detachments that were personally subordinate to the rulers and were able to quickly go to where the danger threatened.
The size of the army has increased significantly. The armed forces have become the heaviest weight on the legs of the country's economy. Therefore, Diocletian's next step was tax reform. Here Diocletian resorted to a rather complex, but as it turned out in the end, effective load distribution. The amount of taxes depended on the size of the land plot, livestock, labor, and crops cultivated on this plot. As a result, the overall tax collection increased, but paradoxically, social tension did not increase, but rather decreased: the new tax system turned out to be, first of all, fairer than the old one.
It should be noted that Diocletian did not have the opportunity to fall on his laurels and rest on them. From the very beginning, he had to constantly fight along all borders and suppress rebellions. Peace was quickly concluded with the Persians, but at that moment it was necessary to pacify the impostor who had rebelled in the west of the empire. Then the barbarians tried to break through the north of Gaul. After each suppressed uprising, not only punishments followed, but also local administrative reforms to prevent this in the future.
To protect against external enemies, Diocletian built a grandiose line of fortifications from the mouth of the Danube to the lower reaches of the Rhine, improving and rebuilding old fortresses and adding new ones. The prisoners were resettled within the Roman Empire, trying to disperse the barbarians between empty provinces for one reason or another. The usurpers who tried to proclaim themselves emperors did not go away, but now they had much less strength, and most importantly, time before government troops arrived from the depths of the country.
Another innovation was the idea of absolute monarchy, dominance. It was Diocletian who finally formalized the method of government, when the ruler was not restrained by any forces, even formally. This innovation is difficult to evaluate positively. Nevertheless, extreme skill and restraint of the ruler are required so that such rule does not turn into complete tyranny. However, it cannot be said that Diocletian enslaved the Romans. Rather, he formalized an already established practice.
Diocletian was noted for his very active persecution of objectionable religions. A tough traditionalist, he tried with equal zeal to eliminate Manichaeism and Christianity. Here Diocletian was far from showing the flexibility characteristic of him in economic and political matters. Christians were taken into custody, churches were destroyed, many priests of the young religion met their death. This circumstance, by the way, came back to haunt the emperor: subsequently, early Christian authors spared no ink, accusing him of all sorts of sins.
In 305, Diocletian surprised his subjects for the last time. Twenty years of work had undermined his health, and the aging emperor made an unexpected move. On May 1, 305, Diocletian announced his abdication in his beloved Nicomedia. In his place, he left one of his tetrarchs - Galerius. Soon after the emperor, the faithful Maximian also abdicated power.
The former ruler of the greatest empire left for his small homeland, on the Adriatic coast. During the time spent at the head of state, he managed to build a luxurious estate and planned to spend the rest of his life there. Modern Split with its monuments grew up around this complex. He could leave with a clear conscience: never before in living memory have the borders of Rome and the empire itself been so peaceful. He spent the coming years in peace and quiet, gardening.
There is a legend according to which Maximian convinced him to return to big Roman politics. The old emperor replied that if the old comrade had seen what kind of cabbage he managed to grow, he would not bother with such nonsense. Diocletian died at the age of almost 70, respected by everyone.
Diocletian is one of the most interesting characters in late Roman history. Having no systematic education, he was inspired by his energy and tenacious natural mind. Coming from one of the most despised classes, he managed to reach the heights of power. The path was not strewn with roses, and at the dawn of his reign, Diocles did not do the most plausible things, and even then he did not resemble a character in Christmas stories. However, he was a surprisingly sensible ruler who managed not only to stay at the pinnacle of power, but also to give his own state an extra century and a half.
In one fairy-tale country there was a palace on the shore of a beautiful sea. There lived a ruler who had three sons. The father loved his sons, and they reciprocated. The children grew up kind, obedient and hardworking. One thing upset the ruler - his sons were often sick for a long time. In one fairy-tale country there was a palace on the shore of a beautiful sea. There lived a ruler who had three sons. The father loved his sons, and they reciprocated. The children grew up kind, obedient and hardworking. One thing upset the ruler - his sons were often sick for a long time. The ruler invited the wisest people of the country to the palace and asked: “Why do people get sick? What needs to be done for people to live happily ever after?” The wise men deliberated for a long time, and the oldest of them said: “Human health largely depends on lifestyle, behavior and the ability to help oneself and others in difficult situations.” The ruler of the sage listened and ordered to open a health school for all the children of his country. The ruler invited the wisest people of the country to the palace and asked: “Why do people get sick? What needs to be done for people to live happily ever after?” The wise men deliberated for a long time, and the oldest of them said: “Human health largely depends on lifestyle, behavior and the ability to help oneself and others in difficult situations.” The ruler of the sage listened and ordered to open a health school for all the children of his country.
According to the beautiful rose, people get sick because they do not know how to enjoy the beauty of the world around them and each other’s successes, and joy is a special wisdom and illnesses are afraid of it. According to the beautiful rose, people get sick because they do not know how to enjoy the beauty of the world around them and each other’s successes, and joy is a special wisdom and illnesses are afraid of it.
Cold juice with ice cream You’re not supposed to drink together. Of course, it looks like a delicacy, But your throat will hurt afterwards. A scratch on your finger Believe me, it’s not a trifle You can’t forget it with your finger! Petya watches TV all day long, but he’s too lazy to go for walks and study. But in the evening he can’t sleep: His head hurts; he can’t turn his head. Kolya’s older brother explains to Petya: It’s brother TV’s fault. The southern sun gives us a tan. Only a fire will happen on your body if you stay under the sun all day. After sunbathing for half an hour, immediately into the shade! On a hot day on South Beach, Popsicles are always on sale. But everyone knows and is clear: Eating a lot of it is dangerous! Both sore throat and bronchitis are present in every serving!
What to do if your brother or sister gets sick. For chills: For chills: Wrap up; Give a warm drink (tea with raspberries, cherries); Put a heating pad on. At high temperatures: At high temperatures: Ventilate the room more often; Give fluids frequently; Place a cold compress on your head; Do a rubdown (1 tbsp. vodka, 1 tbsp. water, 1 tbsp. vinegar).
Test “Your health” I often have headaches. I get headaches often. I often have a runny nose. I often have a runny nose. I have bad teeth. I have bad teeth. Sometimes my ear hurts. Sometimes my ear hurts. I often have a sore throat. I often have a sore throat. Every year I get the flu. Every year I get the flu. Sometimes I feel sick. Sometimes I feel sick. Some foods and medications cause me allergies. Some foods and medications cause me allergies. All sorts of diseases easily stick to me. All sorts of diseases easily stick to me.
What you need to do to be healthy. Smile, say kind words to each other. Smile, say kind words to each other. Eat healthy food. Eat healthy food. Brush your teeth. Brush your teeth. To wash hands. To wash hands. Do physical exercises, etc. Do physical exercises, etc.
Riddles Who treats you when you are sick? Who treats you when you are sick? What is the name of a doctor who treats adults at home? What is the name of a doctor who treats adults at home? Children? Children? Teeth? Teeth? Eyes? Eyes? Ears, throat, nose? Ears, throat, nose? What medical institutions do you know? What medical institutions do you know? Which doctor treats sore throat? Which doctor treats sore throat? Which medical institution should you call a doctor from? Which medical institution should you call a doctor from?
The history of Russia has preserved the names of dozens of rulers - grand dukes, tsars, emperors - who ruled the destinies of millions of subjects, as well as their favorites and temporary workers who competed in wealth and power with crowned heads. Meanwhile, in Russian history there are a number of sovereigns who, on the contrary, did not rule the country at all, despite the anointing and coronation: some due to the short duration of their reign, some due to “special circumstances.”
"RG" recalls those formal heads of state who did not actually lead the country.
Simeon Bekbulatovich. "Decorative" sovereign under the Terrible Tsar
The elevation of the Tatar prince Simeon Bekbulatovich to the throne of the Moscow kings in 1575 is one of the extravagances of Ivan the Terrible during the oprichnina. Historians still cannot logically explain why Ivan Vasilyevich, who had absolute control over the entire kingdom, suddenly abdicated the throne in favor of the insignificant Kasimov Khan, and he himself retired from the court and lived with ostentatious modesty and humility.
It is simply impossible to dwell in detail on the character of Simeon, who bore the name Sain-bulat before baptism, due to the lack of any abilities, be it administrative or military. Before his reign, he did not have to rule independently even a small principality, and in several minor battles near Novgorod he, as a commander, was demonstratively beaten by the Germans and Swedes. Historians see only talent behind him - noble origin (Genghisid, great-grandson of the Golden Horde Khan Akhmat, famous for the fact that under him Ivan III the Great, grandfather of Ivan IV the Terrible, stopped paying tribute to the Horde), and an easy-going character.
Apparently, it was for his complaisance that Simeon was put in charge. In fact, behind the pompous title of “Sovereign Grand Duke Semion Bekbulatovich of All Russia” there was no real power. The “decorative” tsar only put stamps on decrees, and all decisions were still made by the “retired” Ivan the Terrible.
“Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich was arbitrary and installed Simeon Bekbulatovich as tsar in Moscow, and he himself called himself Ivan of Moscow, and left the city, lived on Petrovka; he gave all his royal rank to Simeon, and he rode simply, like a boyar, in shafts, and when he came to to Tsar Simeon, sits down from the Tsar’s place far away, together with the boyars,” noted in the chronicles.
The “performance” with Tsar Simeon lasted for 11 months and in the summer of 1576 the Terrible Tsar returned to power again, giving the uncomplaining locum tenens the principality of Tver as compensation.
The “decorative” tsar only put stamps on decrees, and all decisions were still made by the “retired” Ivan the Terrible.
It is noteworthy that Simeon, who obediently ascended the throne, also calmly endured the loss of his formal power. Own the kingdom of Moscow? Fine. To reign in Tver? Also good. It is worth noting that after losing the throne, Simeon Bekbulatovich lived for almost 40 more years, outliving not only Ivan the Terrible himself and his son Fyodor, but also six other rulers of the country - Irina, Boris and Fyodor Godunov, two False Dmitrievs and Vasily Shuisky.
Irina Fedorovna. Queen for 36 days
The Tsar's wife, the Tsar's daughter-in-law, the Tsar's sister, the Tsar's aunt and the Tsarina herself - this is all about Irina Godunova, one of the most little-known rulers in the entire history of Russia. Only historians know about her, because Irina was in power for just over a month - from January 16 to February 21, 1598.
Irina became ruler after the death of her beloved husband Fyodor I Ivanovich, son of Ivan IV the Terrible. It is worth noting that she was forced into power, due to the lack of male heirs of the deceased king. The only child in the marriage of Fyodor and Irina was a daughter who died in infancy, and the younger branches of the Rurikovichs did not remain in either Fyodor’s generation or his father’s generation.
During all 36 days of Irina’s formal reign, preparations were underway for the transfer of power to brother Boris, who facilitated the marriage of his sister to the prince and essentially ruled for the sickly Fedor, who was not noted for his administrative talents.
The queen was initially determined to take monastic vows, and neither the persuasion of the boyars nor the requests of the Moscow people could change her decision. On February 21, 1598, she blessed her brother Boris for the kingdom and went to a monastery, where she died five years later, without seeing the tragedy of the short Godunov dynasty.
Fedor Godunov. Tsarevich-cartographer
The young son of Boris Godunov reigned a little longer than his aunt Irina - from April to June 1605 - and, unlike his father, did not receive the attention of playwrights and composers. Fedor’s short reign was interrupted tragically and, according to researchers, if not for his violent death, the history of the Russian state could have developed in a completely different direction.
It is known that from a young age, the son of Boris Godunov was preparing to rule the state and, according to eyewitnesses, he was better prepared for this than most of the heirs to the Russian throne before and after him. The young prince was distinguished by a sharp mind, was interested in science and public administration, participated in meetings of the boyar duma, and already as a teenager had his own seal, that is, he could independently make important decisions for the country.
The son of Boris Godunov was better prepared to rule the state than most of the heirs to the Russian throne before and after him.
But Fyodor Borisovich had to ascend the throne during the most dramatic period of Russian history, during the Time of Troubles. The impostor False Dmitry I approached the capital at the head of the Polish army, the tsarist troops, one after another, went over to the side of the rebel, and a conspiracy was brewing among the boyars.
On June 1, 1605, 16-year-old Fedor was captured by defecting boyars and strangled along with his mother. Officially, their death was explained as suicide. Of course, during these 1.5 months the young king did not have time to actually rule the country.
He went down in history as the first Russian cartographer: studying geography was his favorite leisure time. The map of Fyodor Godunov has long been considered one of the most accurate and detailed maps of Russia.
The unfortunate fate of the young king became one of the reasons for the subsequent unpopularity of this name among the heirs to the throne. Only once, almost a century after Fyodor Godunov, Fyodor Alekseevich Romanov ascended the throne.
Vladislav IV Vasa. Foreign Tsar
Pole Vladislav Vaza is a unique example in the history of Russia when a ruler to whom the government swore allegiance never visited not only the capital, but even the entire territory of the country. The choice for the Polish prince Vladislav fell during the Time of Troubles, when each new figure on the throne became the cause of new unrest in the country.
After a series of rapidly changing rulers - False Dmitry I, False Dmitry II, Vasily Shuisky, the Seven Boyars, the young son of Marina Mnishek - the prince from the neighboring Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth seemed to many to be a compromise figure who suited all court parties. On February 4, 1610, the boyars in Moscow took the oath of office to him in absentia, and for almost a quarter of a century, until 1634, he was titled Tsar of Moscow, although he did not actually rule the country.
In 1634, he received from the Romanovs a colossal compensation of 10 thousand rubles for refusing to be named Tsar of Moscow.
There were several reasons for this failure of the otherwise successful Polish king, according to historians. Firstly, the Catholic Vladislav did not fulfill his promise before the oath to convert to Orthodoxy, giving the patriotic party a reason to break the contract. Secondly, the king took a lot of time and energy to manage the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and participate in European military conflicts. And thirdly, Moscow soon elected a new tsar - young Mikhail Romanov.
For 24 years, Vladislav repeatedly made attempts to turn the formal title of the Moscow Tsar into real power in the Russian kingdom, but he never achieved his goal. In 1634, he received colossal compensation from the Romanovs for refusing to be named Tsar of Moscow - 10 thousand rubles and made no further claims to the throne.
Ivan VI Antonovich. Crowned Prisoner
The great-grandson of Ivan V, his namesake Ivan Antonovich, was crowned in infancy, but he did not actually have the chance to rule the state. In 1742, when the monarch was only two years old, a palace coup took place in St. Petersburg, not the first and not the last in the 18th century. The daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth, came to power at the bayonets of the guards, and the young Tsar Ivan and his mother Anna Leopoldovna were arrested.
The crowned captive spent the rest of his life in captivity, practically not seeing people, with the exception of perhaps a couple of servants. In freedom, the overthrown Ivan VI posed a serious danger, first to Elizabeth, who had seized power, and then to Catherine II, so he faced life in captivity in the Shlisselburg fortress until old age.
Everything would probably have happened this way if not for the adventurous attempt of Lieutenant Mirovich to free the royal prisoner in 1764. To prevent the release of the dangerous prisoner, the guards stabbed the 23-year-old king to death. The unhappy life and violent death of the young man made the name Ivan unpopular in the future in the royal family.
By the way
Formally, “monarchs without real power” can also be considered Konstantin Pavlovich, to whom, after the death of Alexander I in 1825, the regiments in St. Petersburg swore allegiance, as well as Nicholas II’s brother, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, who was listed as the ruler of the country in 1917. But it is worth noting that in both cases the power of these rulers was not universally recognized and both abandoned claims to Monomakh’s cap literally in a matter of days.
British Queen Elizabeth II In February 2017, she celebrated a truly stunning date: the 65th anniversary of the start of her reign. 91-year-old Elizabeth has broken all imaginable and unimaginable records of the British monarchy. Not a single one of her predecessors or predecessors ruled at such a respectable age. No one before Elizabeth managed to remain on the throne for such a long time.
At the same time, the queen has not managed (at least so far) to set a world record for the longest reign. History knows more fantastic cases. Thus, the pharaoh of the VI dynasty, Piopi II, allegedly was on the throne for 94 years. However, there is no complete certainty about this.
But what is certain is that Louis XIV de Bourbon, the king of France, also known as the "Sun King", was on the throne for 72 years, which is a record in the entire history of the European monarchy.
King Rama IX of Thailand, who died in October 2016, fell slightly short of the results of his French counterpart: his reign ended at 71 years.
Naturally, the inquisitive Russian mind cannot do without the question: “How are ours doing?” Unfortunately or fortunately, Russian rulers cannot reach either Piop II, the “Sun King”, or Elizabeth II.
Ivan the Terrible - 50 years and 105 days
One of the most famous rulers of Russia, Ivan IV Vasilyevich, not only took Kazan, Astrakhan and Revel, not only surpassed all the tsars, general secretaries and presidents in the number of wives, but also surpassed everyone in the duration of his reign. He is the only one who has crossed the 50 year mark.
True, this result is not recognized by everyone. Nominally, Ivan IV became ruler at the age of 3, but he was crowned king only in 1547. Moreover, in 1575-1576. the tsar, who was experimenting with the state system, unexpectedly declared Simeon Bekbulatovich “Grand Duke of All Rus'”. For a number of historians, this is a reason to subtract the indicated time from the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
And yet, the majority recognizes Ivan Vasilyevich as the absolute record holder of Russia.
IvanIII- 43 years, 6 months and 29 days
Ivan III Vasilyevich, aka Ivan the Great, put an end to the Horde game. In 1480, Khan Akhmat did not dare to engage in battle with the army of the Grand Duke of Moscow, which went down in history as the “Standing on the Ugra”.
Ivan III made a huge contribution to the creation of the Russian state. Under him, the process of gathering Russian lands around Moscow went much faster. The foundations of a new state ideology and legislative framework were laid (Code of Ivan III). And the marriage to Sophia Paleologus, the niece of the last emperor of Byzantium, became the reason for the informal proclamation of Russia as the legal successor of the empire.
Peter the Great - 42 years, 9 months and 1 day
Peter I began his reign at the age of 10 under the co-ruler Ivan Alekseevich, who was his brother, and the regency of their sister Sofia Alekseevna. All this, however, does not prevent the first years of his reign from being included in the total length of service of Peter the Great.
He really accomplished a lot: he led the country to the Baltic, created a fleet, founded a new capital and, in general, turned a regional power into a European empire. Few people managed to spend their time on the throne with such benefit.
Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko - 37 years, 1 month and 4 days
Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, the baptist of Rus', is the record holder among the rulers of the Old Russian state. Having become the Prince of Kyiv at the age of 18, Vladimir ruled for almost four decades, carrying out the country's transition from paganism to Christianity.
By the way, Vladimir Svyatoslavich, who began life as a pagan, can compete with Ivan the Terrible in the number of women and definitely surpasses him in the number of children. The latter circumstance became the reason for the brutal fratricidal struggle of Vladimir’s sons for the princely throne.
Catherine the Great - 34 years, 4 months and 8 days
The purebred German Sophia Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst, having taken the throne of the Russian Empire as a result of a coup in 1762, gave her new homeland as much as most of her Russian predecessors could not.
The “Golden Age” of Ekaterina Alekseevna brought Russia an increase in territories in the west and south, including the annexation of Crimea, a large-scale reform of public administration, and final consolidation of the status of a great European power.
The paradox is that Catherine as a statesman arouses less interest among the public than as a passionate woman. But here all the questions are not for the empress, but for the public.
Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov - 32 years, 4 months and 20 days
The first of the kings of the Romanov dynasty, whose election by the Zemsky Sobor ended the period of the Great Troubles, - not the most famous Russian monarch.
But during his reign there was a settlement of relations with Poland and Sweden, the annexation of lands along the Yaik, the Baikal region, Yakutia to Russia, access to the Pacific Ocean, the establishment of strong centralized power and much more. And even the German Settlement - a settlement of foreign specialists who arrived in the sovereign's service - was founded under Mikhail Fedorovich.
Joseph Stalin - 30 years, 11 months and 2 days
Joseph Stalin is the undisputed record holder among the leaders of the post-monarchical period. Here, however, it is worth mentioning that there are several opinions regarding the point from which Stalin’s rule can be counted: in some cases, the period will be somewhat shorter.
Stalin is also inferior in terms of reign to several monarchs not listed here, but significantly exceeds them in terms of influence on the history of the country.
