The era of palace coups 1725-1762 briefly. The era of palace coups: briefly about the causes and consequences. Brief essence of government
Stopped all reforms that penetrated into social life. Officials at the very top seemed unprepared for the death of the monarch. One of the most interesting periods in Russian history begins - Palace coups.
The era of palace coups in short is a period of changing emperors on the Russian throne with the active participation of the guard and court groups.
WITH the death forced many people close to the state to look for a place in the sun. Everyone began to fight for power. It soon became clear that society was divided in two. On the one hand, those who were frightened by the environment, who were disgusted by it. And on the other hand, those people who grew up on his transformations are the so-called “Chicks of Petrov’s Nest.”
The hottest debates flared up around the future monarch. It is absolutely clear that he was alone in the male line - the son of Alexei Petrovich. And according to women, the wife had the most rights - .
The era of palace coups during the reign of Catherine I
It seems that everything is clear - choose any candidate from the two, but... Misunderstandings also arose due to the decree on succession to the throne. This document completely abolished all orders of succession to the throne that had existed before. Only the monarch himself could appoint an heir.
Activities of a close friend and like-minded person A.D. Menshikova has borne fruit. He was able to attract a large number of people to the side of the candidacy. In addition, he was supported by the guard, which even then played a huge role. That is, it was the guard who decided in favor of the palace coup. This will happen not only this time. The first revolution of the era was accomplished.
In short, during the reign of the new empress, Menshikov was in charge. Catherine was just having fun and enjoying the company. Her face faded, she was constantly at balls, having fun, apparently never got over the loss of her beloved husband. This continued until 1727. She had been ill for three months. And the court stakeholders again cared only about their future position in the state.
The era of palace coups - the reign of Peter II briefly
After her death, a second palace coup took place - he ascended the throne, he was only eleven. Naturally, there is no question of sound government management in such a situation when the monarch is very young. And his nanny-regents are only interested in how to fill their pockets.
Menshikov has already thought of everything. His plan was to marry the emperor to his daughter Maria, even though she was older than him. But I miscalculated. I didn’t notice how close the Dolgorukys were to the sovereign.Over time, they began to have great influence over. Menshikov fell out of favor and was exiled to Ryazan.
All the favorites from the Dolgorukys received tasty places at court. And new feasts, revelries and outrages began. Ivan Dolgoruky, being older, very early accustomed him to truly masculine amusements, which led to the fact that by the age of 13 the teenager turned out to be very immoral.
Arose new idea- marry Ivan’s sister Ekaterina Dolgorukaya. Thus, the Dolgorukys wanted to be closer to the imperial family. And also in the event of a new coup, they will still retain power. The betrothal of the young emperor took place. But there was no planned wedding. Everything coincided extremely tragically - after a cold he fell ill with smallpox and died two weeks later. This was the result of this brief stage of the era of palace coups...
Palace noble coup
A new page of this adventure act has begun - the next in line in the period of palace coups was. The daughter of the already somewhat forgotten brother Ivan V. She lived very quietly and poorly in Courland, by 1730 she had already lost her husband and was trying to survive.
In 1730, St. Petersburg was hot. The fuss and fuss began again, officials tried to stay in the state game again. They liked the candidacy - stupid by nature, without education. At the age of 17, she left Russia due to diplomatic plans. She was married to the Duke of Courland. And a couple of years had not passed since her husband died; she had been living in Courland since she was 19 years old.
Her candidacy for the Russian throne was ideal. But she was not just invited to the throne, the leaders insured themselves - “conditions” were drawn up - a special document limiting the political rights of the monarch. But it was also not as simple as it seemed.
After the coup, she arrived in Moscow. As soon as a grain of doubt appeared in this document among the guards, they immediately tore them apart. Anna needed to strengthen her position on the throne. Therefore, she canceled a number of decrees that were not pleasing to the nobility. The Dolgorukys, like the Menshikovs in their time, were not welcome at court; all their wealth was taken away from them and they were driven away.
The reign has begun. Palace life is remembered only for large-scale parties and balls. There are holidays and masquerades all the time. Moreover, their duration was not regulated; sometimes this bacchanalia lasted ten days or more. This led to an increase in the cost of maintaining the yard several times. The most famous event was the wedding of the mad jester Golitsyn in the Ice House. But there were other events during her reign. The term “Bironovism” often comes up here.
Ernst Biron was her favorite; she brought him from Courland. He was always the center of attention, and the empress was absorbed in him. This man even outdid Menshikov and Dolgoruky in plunder and lawlessness. A lot of foreigners appeared at court; moreover, they did not respect the Russian nobility and engaged in outright arbitrariness. This caused discontent among the Russian aristocracy.
By 1740, the Empress fell ill. But the question of the heir had already been resolved. He became the son of the niece of Empress Anna Leopoldovna - Ivan VI Antonovich. When Ivan died, he was only six months old. Biron became regent under the young emperor. But he was only for three weeks, then, as a result of the coup, Ivan’s mother, Anna Leopoldovna, received the regency.
Palace Guards coup briefly
But Anna Leopoldovna was not with Valsti for long. appeared on the horizon. From a young age she was friends with the guards. In November, the guard called for a new palace coup, and she decided to do so. In short, this palace coup included an assault on the Winter Palace. But this was not required. Everyone went over to Elizabeth's side voluntarily.
As for Ivan, until the age of sixteen he grew up far outside the city under supervision. And then he was transferred to the Shlisselburg fortress. He grew up there in terrible conditions, this affected the psyche of the young man.
Once on the throne, she immediately began a flurry of activity, some organs were abolished, and new ones were created. She, like her predecessor, loved holidays, flattery, and dressing beautifully. She wore all her dresses only once; the second time, none of the clothes were worn.
At the beginning of her reign, she tried to actively delve into palace affairs and state affairs. In November 1742, she appointed her nephew as heir. But over time, the empress became less and less interested in what was happening in the country. But she looked after Peter’s heir very much.
Palace coups were associated mainly with three points. Firstly, the decree on the succession to the throne 1722 gave the monarch the right to appoint an heir, and with each new reign the question of a successor to the throne arose. Secondly, the coups were facilitated by the immaturity of Russian society, which was a consequence of Peter’s reforms. Thirdly, after the death of Peter, not a single palace coup took place without the intervention of the guard. It was the military and political force closest to the authorities, clearly aware of its interests in this or that coup. This is explained by the composition of the guards regiments - they consisted mainly of nobles, so the guard reflected the interests of a significant part of its class. With the strengthening of the political role of the nobility, their privileges also grew (palace coups played a significant role in this).
Peter died (January 1725) without leaving a will. Under pressure from the guards and A.D. Menshikov The Senate made Peter's wife, Ekaterina Alekseevna, empress. During her short reign, Menshikov acquired enormous power, becoming the de facto ruler of the state. This caused strong discontent among the ruling elite group and the old boyars, who remained in power under Peter. As a result of a compromise in February 1726, the Supreme Privy Council, which included representatives of the old and new nobility. It became the highest authority government controlled, depriving the Senate of its former importance.
After the death of Catherine I, according to her will, the 11-year-old grandson of Peter I, Peter Alekseevich (son of Tsarevich Alexei), was proclaimed emperor. Until he came of age, the regency of the Supreme Privy Council was established. Under the new emperor, Menshikov initially retained his position, then the Dolgorukov princes became the favorites of Peter II. Menshikov fell into disgrace and was sent into exile, where he soon died.
In January 1730 Just before his marriage to Princess E. Dolgorukova, Peter II suddenly fell ill and died. Members of the Supreme Privy Council (“sovereigns”) intended to offer the throne to Anna Ioannovna, the niece of Peter I. They believed that the Dowager Duchess of Courland, who had long lived in Mitau and was loosely connected with court circles and the guard, would not interfere with them, as D.M. put it. Golitsyn, “increase your willpower.” Anna was offered condition(conditions) of eight points, the main one of which ordered her to resolve all important matters only with the “supreme leaders”. Rumors about this idea spread throughout Moscow and caused discontent among the nobility, who were afraid of getting several rulers at once instead of one autocrat. Using the support of the guard, Anna tore up the previously signed conditions and thereby, in essence, stopped all talk about limiting the autocracy.
With the accession of Anna Ioannovna, the process of transforming the nobility from a serving class into a privileged class began. The service life was reduced to 25 years. The role of the Secret Chancellery (political police), investigation and denunciations increased.
While still the Duchess of Courland, Anna surrounded herself with German favorites, among whom the first and most influential was the son of the dukes’ court groom, E. Biron. According to his name, the reign of Anna Ioannovna (1730–1740) got the name Bironovism
Anna's sister, Catherine, was married to the Duke of Mecklenburg, and their daughter, Anna Leopoldovna, married Prince Anton of Brunswick. Shortly before her death, Anna Ioannovna appointed their two-month-old son Ivan Antonovich as her heir, and Biron as regent. But after a short time after the accession of Ivan VI, Biron was deprived of power and sent into exile. The regency post was taken by the emperor's mother Anna Leopoldovna, giving herself the title of ruler, but real power remained in the hands of B.K. Minikha, and then A.I. Osterman.
A conspiracy has matured in favor of the daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth, who was removed from the court during the times of previous rulers. On the night of November 25-26 1741 With the help of the guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, Elizabeth carried out a palace coup. Ivan VI and his parents were arrested and sent into exile. The slogan of the new reign was a return to the traditions of Peter I.
The empress herself paid little attention to state affairs; her reign was called the time of " cheerful Elizabeth" She loved balls, masquerades, pleasure trips and other entertainment.
In class politics, there was an increase in noble privileges and the strengthening of serfdom. The government transferred a significant part of its power over the peasants to the nobles.
The country's economic growth continued. To develop entrepreneurship, the Noble Loan Bank was opened, and the Merchant Bank was established.
In foreign policy Under Elizabeth, Russia gradually freed itself from French influence and renewed its defensive alliance with Austria, directed against the increasing aggression of Prussia, whose king at that time was Frederick II. The alliance between Prussia and England became a diplomatic preparation Seven Years' War between European powers. Russia, after some hesitation, sided with Austria, France and Saxony. IN 1756 she declared war on Prussia.
In December 1761, Elizabeth died. The accession of Peter III dramatically changed the political situation and saved Frederick from final defeat. IN 1762 the new emperor signed an agreement under which all lands occupied by Russian troops during the war were returned to Prussia.
The reign of Elizaveta Petrovna was a relatively calm time. The sinister Secret Chancellery ceased to exist, and the practice of “the word and deed of the sovereign” was eliminated. Elizabeth's twenty-year reign was marked by a unique phenomenon in Russian history - upon ascending the throne, she vowed to abolish the death penalty and fulfilled her promise.
The most important and interesting stage in the history of Russia was the period from 1725 to 1762. During this time, six monarchs were replaced, each of whom was backed by certain political forces. very aptly called it this - the era of palace coups. The table presented in the article will help you better understand the course of events. The change of power, as a rule, took place through intrigue, betrayal, and murder.
It all started with the unexpected death of Peter I. He left behind the “Charter of Succession to the Throne” (1722), according to which a large number of people could lay claim to power.
The end of this troubled era is considered to be the coming to power of Catherine II. Many historians consider her reign to be the era of enlightened absolutism.
Prerequisites for palace coups
The main reason for all previous events was the contradictions between many noble groups regarding the succession to the throne. They were unanimous only that a temporary stop should be made in carrying out reforms. Each of them saw such a respite in their own way. Also, all groups of nobles were equally zealous for power. Therefore, the era of palace coups, the table of which is given below, was limited only by a change in the top.
The decision of Peter I regarding succession to the throne has already been mentioned. He broke the traditional mechanism by which power was transferred from the monarch to the senior representative in the male line.
Peter I did not want to see his son on the throne after him because he was an opponent of reforms. Therefore, he decided that the monarch would be able to independently name the contender. However, he died, leaving on paper the phrase “Give everything...”.
The masses were alienated from politics, the nobles could not share the throne - the state was overwhelmed by the struggle for power. Thus began the era of palace coups. The diagram and table will allow you to better trace the blood ties of all contenders for the throne.
Coup of 1725 (Ekaterina Alekseevna)
At this time, two opposing groups formed. The first consisted of A. Osterman and A. Menshikov. They sought to transfer power to Peter's widow Alekseevna.
The second group, which included the Duke of Holstein, wanted to enthrone Peter II (son of Alexei and grandson of Peter I).
A. Menshikov had a clear advantage, who managed to gain the support of the guard and place Catherine I on the throne. However, she did not have the ability to govern the state, so in 1726 the Great Privy Council was created. It became the highest government body.
The actual ruler was A. Menshikov. He subjugated the Council and enjoyed the unlimited confidence of the Empress. He was also one of the leading figures when the rulers of the era of palace coups changed (the table explains everything).
Accession of Peter II in 1727
The reign lasted just over two years. After her death, the question of succession to the throne again hung over the state.
This time the “Holstein group” was led by Anna Petrovna. She initiated a conspiracy against A. Menshikov and A. Osterman, which ended unsuccessfully. The young Peter was recognized as sovereign. A. Osterman became his mentor and educator. However, he failed to exert the necessary influence on the monarch, although it was still enough to prepare and carry out the overthrow of A. Menshikov in 1727.
The reign of Anna Ioannovna since 1730
He remained on the throne for three years and died suddenly. Once again, the main question becomes: “Who will take the throne?” Thus continued the era of palace coups. A table of what is happening is presented below.
The Dolgorukys appear on the scene of events and attempt to enthronement of Catherine Dolgoruky. She was the bride of Peter II.
The attempt failed, and the Golitsyns nominated their contender. She became Anna Ioannovna. She was crowned only after signing the Conditions with the Supreme Privy Council, which had not yet lost its influence.
Conditions limited the power of the monarch. Soon the empress tears up the documents she signed and returns autocracy. She decides the issue of succession to the throne in advance. Unable to have children of her own, she declared her niece's child to be the future heir. He will be known as Peter III.
However, by 1740, a son, John, was born to Elizaveta Petrovna and a representative of the Welf family, who became monarch at two months immediately after the death of Anna Ioannovna. Biron is recognized as his regent.
1740 and Minich's coup
The regent's reign lasted two weeks. The coup was organized by Field Marshal Minich. He was supported by the guard, who arrested Biron and appointed the baby's mother as regent.
The woman was not capable of governing the state, and Minich took everything into his own hands. He was subsequently replaced by A. Osterman. He also sent the field marshal into retirement. The era of palace coups (the table is presented below) united these rulers.
Accession of Elizabeth Petrovna from 1741
On November 25, 1741, another coup took place. It passed quickly and bloodlessly, power was in the hands of Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Peter I. She raised the guard behind her with a short speech and proclaimed herself empress. Count Vorontsov helped her in this.
The young ex-emperor and his mother were imprisoned in the fortress. Minich, Osterman, Levenvolde were sentenced to death, but it was replaced by exile to Siberia.
Rules for over 20 years.
The rise to power of Peter III
Elizaveta Petrovna saw her father's relative as her successor. That's why she brought her nephew from Holstein. They gave him a name Peter III, he converted to Orthodoxy. The Empress was not delighted with the character of the future heir. In an effort to rectify the situation, she assigned teachers to him, but this did not help.
To continue the family line, Elizaveta Petrovna married him to the German princess Sophia, who would become Catherine the Great. They had two children - son Pavel and daughter Anna.
Before her death, Elizabeth will be advised to appoint Paul as her heir. However, she never decided to do this. After her death, the throne passed to her nephew. His policies were very unpopular both among the people and among the nobles. Moreover, after the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, he was in no hurry to be crowned. This became the reason for a coup on the part of his wife Catherine, over whom a threat had long hung (the emperor often stated this). It officially ended the era of the palace coup (the table contains additional information about the empress’s childhood nickname).
June 28, 1762. Reign of Catherine II
Having become the wife of Pyotr Fedorovich, Catherine began to study the Russian language and traditions. She quickly absorbed new information. This helped her distract herself after two unsuccessful pregnancies and the fact that her long-awaited son, Pavel, was taken away from her immediately after birth. She saw him only 40 days later. Elizabeth was involved in his upbringing. She dreamed of becoming an empress. She had such an opportunity because Pyotr Fedorovich did not go through the coronation. Elizabeth took advantage of the support of the guards and overthrew her husband. Most likely, he was killed, although the official version was called death from colic.
Her reign lasted 34 years. She refused to become regent for her son and gave him the throne only after her death. Her reign dates back to the era of enlightened absolutism. The table “Palace Coups” presented everything more briefly.
General information
With Catherine's rise to power, the era of the palace coup ends. The table does not consider the emperors who reigned after her, although Paul also left the throne as a result of a conspiracy.
In order to better understand everything that is happening, you should consider the events and people who are associated with them through general information on the topic “The Age of Palace Coups” (briefly).
Table "Palace coups" |
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Ruler | Reign period | Support |
Catherine I, nee Marta Skavronskaya, wife of Peter I | 1725-1727, death associated with consumption or an attack of rheumatism | Guards regiments, A. Menshikov, P. Tolstoy, Supreme Privy Council |
Peter II Alekseevich, grandson of Peter the Great, died of smallpox | Guards regiments, Dolgoruky family, Supreme Privy Council |
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Anna Ioannovna, niece of Peter the Great, died of her own death | Guards regiments, Secret Chancellery, Biron, A. Osterman, Minikh |
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(great-nephew of Peter the Great), his mother and regent Anna Leopoldovna | German nobility |
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Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great, died of old age | Guards regiments |
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Peter III Fedorovich, grandson of Peter the Great, died under unclear circumstances | Had no support |
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Ekaterina Alekseevna, wife of Pyotr Fedorovich, nee Sophia Augusta, or simply Fouquet, died of old age | Guards regiments and Russian nobles |
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The table of palace coups clearly describes the main events of that time.
Results of the era of palace coups
Palace coups amounted only to a struggle for power. They did not bring with them changes in the political and social sphere. The nobles divided the right to power among themselves, resulting in six rulers in 37 years.
Social and economic stabilization was associated with Elizabeth I and Catherine II. They were also able to achieve certain successes in the state’s foreign policy.
After the death of Peter I in 1725, the reigning house split into two lines - imperial and royal.
According to the figurative expression of V.O. Klyuchevsky, the period from the death of Peter I to the accession of Catherine II was called the “era of palace coups”: during this time, six monarchs occupied the Russian throne, receiving it as a result of complex palace intrigues or coups with the direct participation of the guard (a privileged part of the army created by Peter I) .
1. In 1722, Peter I abolished the order of succession to the throne by will or conciliar appointment, replacing it with personal appointment. But he did not have time to appoint a successor. After his death, representatives of the family nobility (Golitsyn, Dolgoruky), who recognized Prince Peter as the heir, clashed with the bureaucratic authorities, who relied on Catherine I and won this fight with the help of the guards regiments. From that time on, the noble guard regiments became the main weapon of struggle between rival factions. All persons who came to the throne through a palace coup could not do without the support of the guard.
Under these conditions, there could be no question of continuing major reforms. A. D. Menshikov became the de facto ruler of the country. To help the empress govern the country, the Supreme Privy Council was created - the highest state body, the composition of which reflected the compromise between the competing political forces. It included A. D. Menshikov, F. M. Apraksin, G. I. Golovkin, P. A. Tolstoy, A. I. Osterman, D. M. Golitsyn and the Holstein Duke Karl Friedrich - the husband of Peter’s eldest daughter. The majority turned out to be from the inner circle of Peter I.
2. After the death of Catherine I in 1727, according to her will, the grandson of Peter I, Peter II, was proclaimed emperor, and the functions of regent were transferred to the Supreme Privy Council, in fact to A.D. Menshikov.
Menshikov's policies aroused dissatisfaction even on the part of his recent allies. In September 1727, he was arrested and exiled to distant Berezov, where he soon died. Having achieved predominant influence in the Supreme Privy Council, the aristocratic group seeks to revise the transformations and, if possible, restore the order that existed in Russia before they were carried out.
3. In January 1730, the young emperor caught a cold during another hunt and died suddenly. During the discussion of possible candidates for the throne, the choice fell on the Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna, the daughter of Peter I's brother Ivan Alekseevich. Conditions were drawn up in deep secrecy, i.e. conditions for Anna Ioannovna's accession to the throne. Prince Golitsyn suggested: “We should make it easier for ourselves... to add more will. We should send points to Her Majesty.”
Conditions limited autocracy, but not in the interests of the entire nobility, but in favor of its aristocratic elite of eight people, who sat in the Supreme Privy Council. According to the conditions, the right to conclude peace, establish new taxes, promote ranks, command the army, choose a successor to the sovereign, and much more passed into the hands of the Supreme Privy Council. As S.M. notes Solovyov: “All the guarantees for eight, but against eight for the rest - where are the guarantees?”
These plans did not find support among either the nobles or the guards. Taking advantage of this, Anna Ioannovna proclaimed herself an autocratic empress, abolished the Supreme Privy Council, and sent its most active members to Siberia.
During the reign of Anna Ioannovna, the influence of foreigners reached unprecedented proportions. The tone at court was set by the empress's favorite, the Duke of Courland Biron, who enjoyed her boundless trust. He took a dominant position at court. During the years of Bironovism, foreigners were promoted to lucrative positions, which caused protest from the Russian nobility.
The symbol of Anna Ioannovna’s reign became the Secret Chancellery (successor to the Preobrazhensky Order), which monitored the trustworthiness of Russian subjects and was literally inundated with political denunciations. No one could consider themselves safe from “words and deeds” (an exclamation that usually began the procedure of denunciation and investigation)
The absolutist state met the demands of the nobles to expand their rights and privileges. Thus, under Anna Ioannovna, the distribution of land to the nobles was resumed.
4.5. Shortly before her death, the Empress appointed herself a successor - Ivan VI - the grandson of Catherine Ivanovna (daughter of Ivan V), and Biron, not his mother, was appointed regent of the child. In the conditions of general dissatisfaction with Biron, Field Marshal Minich, without much difficulty, managed to carry out another palace coup, which in November 1740 deprived Biron of the rights of regent. Ivan's mother was proclaimed regent.
The coup could not satisfy the interests of wide circles of the Russian nobility, since the Germans still retained the leading position in the state. Taking advantage of the weakness of the government and her popularity, Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter I, dressed in a man's dress, appeared at the barracks of the Preobrazhensky Regiment with the words: “Guys, you know whose daughter I am, follow me. Do you swear to die for me?” - asked the future empress and, having received an affirmative answer, led them to the Winter Palace. So, during the next coup, carried out on November 25, 1741 in favor of the daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth, representatives of the Brunswick family who were on the Russian throne were arrested. The participants in the coup received generous rewards; those who did not have the title of nobility were elevated to the nobility.
6. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna reigned for twenty years from 1741 to 1761. The most legitimate of all the successors of Peter I, raised to the throne with the help of the guards, she, as V.O. wrote. Klyuchevsky, “inherited the energy of her father, built palaces in twenty-four hours and traveled from Moscow to St. Petersburg in two days, peaceful and carefree, she took Berlin and defeated the first strategist of the time, Frederick the Great... her courtyard turned into a theater foyer - everyone was talking about French comedy, Italian opera, but the doors did not close, there was a draft in the windows, water flowed down the walls - such “golden poverty”.
The core of her policy was the expansion and strengthening of the rights and privileges of the nobility. The landowners now had the right to exile rebellious peasants to Siberia and dispose of not only the land, but also the person and property of the serfs. Under Elizaveta Petrovna, the rights of the Senate, Chief Magistrate, and collegiums were restored. In 1755, Moscow University was opened - the first in Russia.
Social policy remained the same: expansion of the rights and privileges of the nobility, which was achieved by limiting the rights and regulating the life of peasants.
An indicator of Russia's increased influence on international life was its active participation in the pan-European conflict of the second half of the 18th century. - in the Seven Years' War of 1756 - 1763.
Russia entered the war in 1757. In the first battle near the village of Gross-Jägersdorf on August 19, 1757, Russian troops inflicted a serious defeat on the Prussian troops. At the beginning of 1758, Russian troops captured Konigsberg. The population of East Prussia swore allegiance to the Empress of Russia, Elizabeth.
The culmination of the military campaign of 1760 was the capture of Berlin on September 28 by the Russian army under the command of Chernyshov. Frederick II was on the verge of death, but he was saved by a sharp turn in Russian foreign policy caused by the accession to the throne of Peter III, who immediately broke the military alliance with Austria, stopped military operations against Prussia and even offered Frederick military assistance.
Peter III was on the Russian throne for a short time from 1761 to 1762. Elizabeth Petrovna’s nephew turned out to be unable to lead the state. Particular censure of Russian society was caused by his admiration for Frederick II, the presence in many of his actions, as contemporaries expressed, of “shakyness and caprice.” The breakdown of the state mechanism was obvious to everyone, which led to a new palace coup. His wife Catherine II, relying on the support of the Izmailovsky and Semenovsky Guards regiments, proclaimed herself empress in June 1762. The Senate and Synod swore allegiance to her. Peter III's attempt to enter into negotiations did not lead to anything, and he was forced to personally sign the act of “spontaneous” oath abdication sent by Catherine.
But the six-month reign of Peter 3 amazes with the abundance of adopted state acts. During this time, 192 decrees were issued. The most important of them was the Manifesto on the granting of freedom and liberty to the Russian nobility of February 18, 1762. The manifesto exempted nobles from compulsory state and military service.
Thus ended the era of “palace coups.”
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, having designated 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 as Elizabeth had once been.
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.
