Having issued a decree on succession to the throne in 1722, according to which the monarch had to appoint his own successor, Peter died safely in 1725 without naming his cherished name.
After his death, the widow Catherine takes the throne with the support of Peter's associates (mainly Menshikov and Tolstoy), who promptly secured the support of the guard, the Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments. During the two years of her reign, Menshikov had all power, and the Supreme Privy Council was created. Just before his death, a “testament” was signed (by the daughter instead of the mother), which dealt with the succession to the throne. The first to succeed was the Grand Duke-grandson (Peter II), the princesses Anna and Elizabeth and Grand Duchess Natalya (sister of Peter II). However, judging by the further development of events, this will meant nothing.
The accession of the grandson of Peter the Great was prepared by a new intrigue with the participation of the guard. The all-powerful Menshikov was going to marry the prince to his daughter Marya; an engagement was made. However, over time, he lost influence on the young emperor, whose favorites were Alexei and Ivan Dolgoruky. This was followed by the fall of Menshikov and the conclusion of a new engagement - with Ivan’s sister Ekaterina. However, Peter falls dangerously ill and dies almost on his wedding day.
This was the daughter of Ivan V, the widow of the Duke of Courland, who lived in Courland with Russian money and was summoned by the Supreme Privy Council in Russia in 1730. When ascending the throne, she signed conditions limiting autocratic power. Under pressure from the nobles, she later tore them apart, succumbing to persuasion to rule on her own. However, for the next 10 years it was not she who actually ruled, but her long-term favorite Biron, whom she brought from Courland.
She appointed her two-month-old nephew as her successor; Biron was to be the regent. After Anna's death, the temporary worker was arrested.
His mother, Anna Leopoldovna, wife of the Duke of Brunswick, proclaimed herself ruler, mmm, regent. She had fun for about a year, because Elizabeth (daughter of Peter the Great) was terribly tired of waiting for her turn, and with the help of the Preobrazhensky Regiment she decided to stage another coup, which was easily accomplished, since she was not without popularity.
All this was very theatrical: having prayed to God and vowed not to execute anyone, Elizabeth puts on the uniform of the P. regiment, takes a cross and leads the company of grenadiers who brought her to Winter Palace. There they woke up and fairly frightened the couple of autocrats, who were arrested along with the baby. Now Elizabeth could breathe easy.
era palace coups- adopted in historical literature name of the period in political history Russia, when, as a result of the struggle of court factions with the support of the guard, a violent change of the ruler or his immediate circle occurred repeatedly. The term was introduced by V.O. Klyuchevsky and was assigned to the period 1725-1762.
Over the course of 37 years, six emperors replaced the Russian throne. Palace coups accompanied the accession to the throne of Catherine I (1725), Anna Ioannovna (1730), Elizaveta Petrovna (1741), and Catherine II (1762). In addition, the removal of the actual leaders of the government A.D. Menshikov (1727) and E.I. Biron (1740), while maintaining the power of the ruling sovereign, are also considered palace coups. A number of researchers also include the assassination of Paul I in 1801, the Streltsy uprising of 1689, and even the Decembrist uprising in 1825.
Palace coups were a product of the Russian political system of this period - when the autocratic form of government with the unlimited power of the emperor was combined with the weak legal status of the highest government agencies and a fragile class structure. Both the Senate and the successive councils under the monarch (the Supreme Privy Council in 1726-1730, the Cabinet of Ministers in 1731-1741, the Conference at the Highest Court in 1756-1762) did not have a legislatively established range of powers, were directly dependent on the monarch and could not prevent palace coups. Accordingly, the political struggle was a struggle for influence on the emperor and often took the form of court conspiracies and palace coups.
A major role was played by the “Decree on Succession to the Throne” of Peter I of February 5, 1722, which abolished the old order of succession to the throne and made it dependent on the personal will of the testator; this decree made it possible for several contenders to the throne to emerge. In addition, the Romanov family in the male line ended with the death of Peter II (1730); from that time on, the rights to the throne of all possible contenders were undisputed.
The main weapon in the struggle of political groups was the court guard (primarily Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments). The Guards regiments during this period were a close-knit, privileged and well-paid part of the army; they were personally subordinate to the monarch, their commanders were themselves senior dignitaries. Enabling Russian Empire into the system of international relations of that time led to the appearance at the Russian court of permanent representations of European powers, which also intervened in the political struggle and directly participated in a number of palace coups.
After the death of Peter I, a split arose in the highest echelons of power around the future contender for the throne: the grandson of Peter I, Peter, and the widow of the tsar, Ekaterina Alekseevna. In 1725, through the efforts of the new Peter the Great nobility, A.D. Menshikova, P.I. Yaguzhinsky, P.A. Tolstoy and others, with the support of the guard (its commanders, A.I. Ushakov, I.I. Buturlin, acted on behalf of the guard), Catherine I was erected.
Catherine I, who died in 1727, appointed eleven-year-old Peter Alekseevich as her successor in her will; the closest associate of Peter I, A.D., became the de facto ruler of the state. Menshikov. However, already in September 1727, as a result of the court intrigues of the Dolgorukys and A.I. Osterman, he was removed from power and sent into exile with his family.
By the time of the death of Peter II (1730), the main power functions were concentrated in the hands of the Supreme Privy Council, which included representatives of the old aristocracy (of its eight members, five represented the Dolgoruky and Golitsyn families). On Russian throne it was decided to invite Anna Ioannovna, daughter of Ivan V, on the terms of limiting autocratic power in favor of the Supreme Privy Council (“Condition”). It was not only about the elevation of a specific sovereign to the throne, but also about an attempt to change existing form state government. However, a wide circle of the nobility became aware of the plans of the “supreme leaders”, their dissatisfaction with these plans was revealed, and, relying on the guard (this time, senior officers of the guard regiments participated in political discussions), Anna Ioannovna publicly tore up the “Conditions”, maintaining the autocratic form of government ( 1730).
In 1740, the forceful tactics of a coup were tested: under the command of B.Kh. Minikh's guards arrested E.I., appointed regent under Ivan VI Antonovich, the great-grandson of Ivan V. Biron and his immediate circle. Subsequently, it was precisely this type of palace coup, in which the guards participated as a striking force, that became the main method of political struggle. In 1741, Elizaveta Petrovna, relying on her entourage and the guards regiments of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, overthrew the government of Ivan VI Antonovich, unpopular among the Russian nobility, and arrested him and his family.
In 1762, due to the widespread dissatisfaction of the nobles with the foreign policy steps of Peter III (primarily the St. Petersburg Peace of 1762, which was perceived as a unilateral refusal of acquisitions made as a result Seven Years' War) a conspiracy matured in the guard (the Orlov brothers, N.I. Panin and others), and on June 28, 1762, as a result of a coup, his wife Catherine II ascended the throne.
The end of the era of palace coups is associated with the consolidation of the Russian nobility, the development of its class institutions, the final formation of the political elite of the Russian Empire and the constitution of the system of supreme state bodies.
He died on January 28, 1725, without appointing a successor to the throne. A long struggle between various noble factions for power began.
In 1725 A.D. Menshikov, a representative of the new family nobility, elevated the widow of Peter the 1st, Catherine the 1st, to the throne. To strengthen her power, in 1726 the empress established the Supreme Privy Council. It included associates of Peter the Great: A.D. Menshikov, Count P.A. Tolstoy, F.M. Apraksin, M.M. Golitsyn. From 1726 to 1730, the council, limiting the power of the Senate, actually decided all state affairs.
Supported by the guards, she, with the help of France and Sweden, arrested and imprisoned the infant emperor, exiled I. Minich, A.I. to Siberia. Osterman and other foreigners who claimed power. During her reign, there was a return to the Petrine order and its strengthening.
Elizabeth pursued a policy of strengthening the rights and privileges of the nobility. Landowners were given the right to sell peasants as recruits. Customs duties were abolished.
The aggressive policy of Prussia forced Russia to enter into an alliance with Austria, France and Sweden. A 100,000-strong Russian army began to be sent to Austrian territory against Prussia.
In the summer of 1757, Russian troops entered Prussia and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Prussians near the village of Groß-Jägersdorf. In 1758, Koenigsberg was taken. In the same year, the main battle took place with the main forces of King Frederick 2nd near Zorndorf. The Russian army under the command of General P.S. Saltykova, with the support of allied Austrian troops, practically destroyed the Prussian army as a result of a bloody battle. The capture of Berlin in 1760 brought Prussia to the brink of disaster. She was saved from this by the death of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, which occurred on December 25, 1761.
After the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, her nephew Peter 3rd (1761-1762) ascended the throne, who stopped the war and returned all previously conquered lands to the Prussian king Frederick 2nd. He made peace with Prussia and entered into a military alliance with Frederick II. Peter the 3rd did not understand the beliefs and customs of the Russian Orthodox Church and neglected them. Prussian policies caused dissatisfaction with his rule and led to the growing popularity of his wife, Sophia Frederica Augusta of Zerbst. Unlike her husband, she, being German, converted to Orthodoxy, observed fasts, and attended services. According to Orthodox traditions, she became.
On June 29, 1762, with the help of the guards of the Izmailovsky and Semenovsky regiments, Catherine seized power. Peter the 3rd signed an act of abdication, after which he died at the hands of security officers.
In 1725, Russian Emperor Peter I died without leaving a legal heir and without transferring the throne to the chosen one. Over the next 37 years, there was a struggle for power between his relatives - contenders for the Russian throne. This period in history is usually called " era of palace coups».
A feature of the period of “palace coups” is that the transfer of supreme power in the state was not carried out by inheriting the crown, but was carried out by guards or courtiers using forceful methods.
Such confusion arose due to the lack of clearly defined rules of succession to the throne in a monarchical country, which caused the supporters of one or another contender to fight among themselves.
The era of palace coups 1725-1762.
After Peter the Great, the following sat on the Russian throne:
- Catherine I - the emperor's wife,
- Peter II - grandson of the emperor,
- Anna Ioannovna - the emperor's niece,
- Ioann Antonovich is the great-nephew of the previous one,
- Elizaveta Petrovna – daughter of Peter I,
- Peter III is the nephew of the previous one,
- Catherine II is the wife of the previous one.
In general, the era of revolutions lasted from 1725 to 1762.
Catherine I (1725–1727).
One part of the nobility, led by A. Menshikov, wanted to see the emperor’s second wife, Catherine, on the throne. The other part is the grandson of Emperor Peter Alekseevich. The dispute was won by those who were supported by the guard - the first. Under Catherine, A. Menshikov played a major role in the state.
In 1727, the Empress died, appointing the young Peter Alekseevich as successor to the throne.
Peter II (1727–1730).
Young Peter became emperor under the regency of the Supreme Privy Council. Gradually Menshikov lost his influence and was exiled. Soon the regency was abolished - Peter II declared himself ruler, the court returned to Moscow.
Shortly before his wedding to Catherine Dolgoruky, the emperor died of smallpox. There was no will.
Anna Ioannovna (1730–1740).
The Supreme Council invited the niece of Peter I, Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna, to rule in Russia. The challenger agreed to conditions limiting her power. But in Moscow, Anna quickly got used to it, enlisted the support of part of the nobility and violated the previously signed agreement, returning autocracy. However, it was not she who ruled, but the favorites, the most famous of whom was E. Biron.
In 1740, Anna died, designating her great-nephew baby Ivan Antonovich (Ivan VI) as heir under regent Biron.
The coup was carried out by Field Marshal Minich, the fate of the child is still unclear.
Elizaveta Petrovna (1741–1761).
The guards again helped Peter I’s own daughter seize power. On the night of November 25, 1741, Elizaveta Petrovna, who was also supported by commoners, was literally brought to the throne. The coup had a bright patriotic overtones. His main goal was to remove foreigners from power in the country. Elizaveta Petrovna's policy was aimed at continuing her father's affairs.
Peter III (1761–1762).
Peter III is the orphaned nephew of Elizabeth Petrovna, the son of Anna Petrovna and the Duke of Holstein. In 1742 he was invited to Russia and became heir to the throne.
During Elizabeth's lifetime, Peter married his cousin, Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerb, the future Catherine II.
Peter's policy after the death of his aunt was aimed at an alliance with Prussia. The behavior of the emperor and his love for the Germans alienated the Russian nobility.
It was the emperor’s wife who ended the 37-year leapfrog on the Russian throne. She was again supported by the army - the Izmailovsky and Semenovsky Guards regiments. Catherine was brought to the throne like Elizabeth once was.
Catherine proclaimed herself empress in June 1762, and both the Senate and the Synod swore allegiance to her. Peter III signed the abdication of the throne.
Palace coups- a period in the history of the Russian Empire of the 18th century, when supreme state power was achieved through palace coups carried out with the help of the guard or courtiers. In the presence of absolutism, this method of changing power remained one of the few ways of influence of society (the noble elite) on the supreme power in the state.
The origins of palace coups should be sought in the policies of Peter I. Published "Decree on succession to the throne" (1722), he maximized the number of potential candidates for the throne. The current monarch had the right to leave anyone as heir. If he did not do this, the question of inheriting the throne remained open.
In the political situation that developed in Russia in the 18th century, coups performed a regulatory function in the relationship between the key systems of absolutism - the autocracy, the ruling elite and the ruling nobility.
Brief chronology of events
After the death of Peter I, his wife reigned Catherine I(1725-1727). Created under her Supreme Privy Council (1726), who helped her in governing the country.
Her heir Peter II(1727-1730), grandson of Peter I, moved the capital of Russia from St. Petersburg to Moscow.
The Supreme Privy Council, having forced the signing of “conditions” - conditions limiting the power of the monarch (1730), invited Anna Ioannovna(1730-1740), Duchess of Courland, daughter of Ivan V, to the Russian throne. The future empress first accepted them and then rejected them. The time of her reign is known as "Bironovism" (name of her favorite). Under her, the Supreme Privy Council was liquidated, the decree on single inheritance was canceled (1730), the Cabinet of Ministers was created (1731), the Gentry Corps was created (1731), and the term of noble service was limited to 25 years (1736).
In 1740 he inherits the throne five month nephew of Anna Ioannovna Ivan VI(1740-1741) (regents: Biron, Anna Leopoldovna). The Supreme Privy Council has been restored. Biron reduced the amount of the poll tax, introduced restrictions on luxury in court life, and issued a manifesto on strict observance of the laws.
In 1741, Peter's daughter - Elizabeth I(1741-1761) carries out another coup d'état. Liquidates the Supreme Privy Council, abolishes the Cabinet of Ministers (1741), restores the rights of the Senate, abolishes internal customs duties (1753), creates the State Loan Bank (1754), a decree is passed allowing landowners to send peasants to settle in Siberia (1760).
From 1761-1762 ruled by nephew of Elizabeth I, Peter III. He issues a decree on the secularization of church lands - this is the process of turning Church property into state property (1761), liquidates Secret Chancery, publishes the Manifesto on the Freedom of the Nobility (1762).
Main dates:
1725-1762 - era of palace coups
1725-1727 — CATHERINE I (second wife of Peter I), years of reign.
1727-1730 — PETER II (son of Tsarevich Alexei, grandson of Peter I), years of reign.
1730-1740 - ANNA IOANNOVNA (niece of Peter I, daughter of his brother-co-ruler Ivan V)
1740-1741 - IVAN VI (second cousin, great-grandson of Peter I). Regency of Biron, then Anna Leopoldovna.
1741-1761 — ELIZAVETA PETROVNA (daughter of Peter I), years of reign
1761-1762 — PETER III(grandson of Peter I and Charles XII, nephew of Elizaveta Petrovna).
Table "Palace coups"
