Palace coups in petre 1 briefly. Palace coups

Palace coup- it's a capture political power in Russia XVIII century, the reason for which was the lack of clear rules for the succession to the throne, accompanied by a struggle between court factions and carried out, as a rule, with the assistance of guards regiments.

There is no single scientific definition of a palace coup, and there are no clear time limits for this phenomenon. So, V. O. Klyuchevsky (the author of the term) dates the era palace coups from 1725 to 1762. However, today there is another point of view - 1725-1801. (The fact is that V. O. Klyuchevsky could not public lecture, read in the mid-80s of the XIX century, to mention the coup on March 11, 1801 - this was strictly forbidden).

There is an opinion that the Decembrist uprising of 1825 was also, in its own way, a palace coup, but most scientists consider this judgment controversial and unfounded.

Soviet historical science denied the existence of this "special" period in history; and in the scientific literature, the concept of "the era of palace coups" has always been enclosed in quotation marks. This showed an attitude both to the term and to the phenomenon itself.

Causes of palace coups in Russia

The culprit of instability supreme power in the 18th century, it was Peter I who ended up in Russia, who in 1722 issued the “Decree on Succession to the Throne”.

This normative legal act caused palace coups in Russia.

Thus, the circle of possible contenders for the throne expanded.

After the death of Peter I, Russia entered a long period of palace coups. The emergence of this peculiar tradition in Russia was due, on the one hand, to the enormous overstrain of the country's forces during the twenty-five-year period of wars and reforms and the need to adjust the government's course in this regard, and on the other hand, to the conditions of the military-police state created by Peter I.

With maximum nationalization public life, the absence even in the bud of legal political activity coups became the only way to resolve the contradictions between the main components of the system of absolutism - the autocratic power, the ruling elite and the ruling class. By the end of the reign of Peter I, the tension in this triangle reached a critical point, which was caused by the extremely unfavorable for the nobility correlation between the system of benefits and the force of pressure "from above", as well as a sharp increase in autocratic power, which led to its some separation from its own social support. These factors were compounded by the lack of unity within the ruling camp.

Already on the eve of the death of Peter I, on January 25-26, 1725, a split arose among the highest ranks of the empire. One group (President of the College of Justice F.M. Apraksin, President of the College of Commerce D.M. Golitsyn, President of the Military College A.I. Repnin, Senator V.L. Dolgorukiy, President of the State-Office College I.A. Musin - Pushkin and Chancellor G. I. Golovkin) advocated the enthronement of the grandson of Peter I - Tsarevich Peter Alekseevich and the establishment of a regency system - the reign of Peter I's wife Ekaterina Alekseevna together with the Senate.

Another group (His Serene Highness Prince A. D. Menshikov, Prosecutor General of the Senate P. I. Yaguzhinsky, General I. I. Buturlin, diplomat and head of the Secret Chancellery P. A. Tolstoy, Vice President of the Synod Feofan Prokopovich, etc.) defended Catherine's candidacy as an autocratic empress. The dispute went far, but assertiveness, skillful maneuvering and, most importantly, reliance on the Guards (Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky) regiments at a critical moment ensured the enthronement of Ekaterina Alekseevna after the death of Peter the Great on January 28, 1725.

Coup in favor of Ekaterina Alekseevna

After the death of the emperor, Andrei Ivanovich Osterman, a diplomat and associate of Peter I, entered into an alliance with the most influential person of the Peter the Great era, A. D. Menshikov, with the aim of enthroning Empress Catherine. Although, there were other contenders, in particular, the son of Tsarevich Alexei - Peter (the future Peter II).

The Duke of Holstein - the husband of the senior princess Anna Petrovna - also tried to influence the outcome of events, although under the marriage contract of 1724 this couple was deprived of the right to inherit the Russian throne. In contrast to the Menshikov-Osterman alliance, there was another group in Russia that rallied around the Duke of Holstein, Anna Petrovna's husband.

However, even the introduction to the Supreme Privy Council did not help the duke to influence events in any way (he did not speak Russian and generally had a very poor idea of \u200b\u200blife in Russia).

As a result of the coup staged by Menshikov with the support of the Guard, it was Catherine I who came to power.

Catherine's inability to govern was compensated by the creation in February 1726 of the highest government institution - the Supreme Privy Council, staffed new nobility, the closest associates of Peter. Menshikov quickly subjugated the Supreme Privy Council and, using the boundless confidence of the sick Catherine, became the de facto ruler of the country.

Political reshuffles in the era of Peter II

After the death of Catherine I in 1727, the question of power arose again. This time it was the son of Alexei, Peter II, who was declared emperor (according to the will of Catherine I). By the way, it should be noted that in July 1727 (that is, a month and a half after the death of Catherine), the “Charter on the succession to the throne” was withdrawn by the Decree of the Supreme Privy Council.

Anna Petrovna and the "Holstein" group led by her made an unsuccessful attempt at a conspiracy against Menshikov-Osterman, and, ultimately, against the accession of the minor Peter. (By the way, not only the Holstein Germans took part in this conspiracy, but also Count P. A. Tolstoy and General Buturlin). The planned coup failed. AI Osterman, having become an educator and mentor of the young king, tried to do his job in the most conscientious manner. However, despite all his efforts, Osterman did not manage to exert the proper influence on the autocrat boy.

Of course, personal, informal communication with the sovereign gave Osterman truly limitless opportunities - this is how they gradually prepared overthrow of Menshikov. The latter did not want to be content with his already enormous power, which, in the end, turned the entire political and court beau monde against him. It should be noted that AI Osterman again does not play the most important role in the overthrow of the "semi-power ruler": Osterman only assists the Dolgoruky clan. The fact is that it was this family, thanks to the friendship of Ivan Dolgoruky with the infant tsar, that quickly gained strength at court and in politics. Menshikov, who openly pushed around Peter, on the contrary, was losing his former power.

Osterman "bet" on Dolgoruky: a foreigner in Russia (albeit crowned with the glory of a skilled diplomat) can manage his policy only in close alliance with the Russian oligarchs.

However, in 1730 Peter II dies.

Anna Ioannovna and her "conditions"

After the death of Peter II, the question of succession to the throne arose again. Dolgoruky's attempt to enthrone the former tsar's bride, Catherine Dolgoruky, was unsuccessful.

The Golitsyn family, traditionally competing with the Dolgoruky family, nominated Anna Kurlyandskaya, the niece of Peter I, as the heir.

Anna Ioannovna received the crown at the cost of signing the Conditions, limiting her power in favor of the Supreme Privy Council. In Russia, instead of an absolute monarchy, a limited monarchy was established.

However, the majority of aristocrats (and representatives of other segments of the population) did not like this idea of \u200b\u200bthe "supreme leaders". They considered the Conditions an attempt to establish a regime in Russia in which all power would belong to two families - Golitsyn and Dolgoruky. After Anna Ioannovna publicly tore up the Conditions, the Dolgoruky clan was subjected to repression.

The reign of Anna Ioannovna was a time of fierce struggle around the throne. Her all-powerful favorite Biron, Field Marshal B. Kh. Minich, the same Osterman and a new face in court politics, Artemy Petrovich Volynsky, took part in the struggle.

As a result, Volynsky was executed on charges of treason and an attempted palace coup against Anna.

Already in 1730, Anna Ioannovna took care of the issue of an heir. Since she did not have her own children, she placed all her hopes on her niece, Elizabeth Christina of Mecklenburg. Having received the name of Anna Leopoldovna at baptism, she was declared the successor. Rather, the future child of Anna Leopoldovna was declared the heir.

By decree of December 17, 1731, the autocrat restored Peter's "Heritage Charter" of 1722 into force. And then the population of Russia took an oath of allegiance to the unborn son of the royal niece.

In 1732, Prince Anton Ulrich of Braunschweig Bevern Blackenburg of Lüneburg arrived in Russia, the offspring of one of the most ancient royal families in Europe - the Welfs. He came to Russia under the guise of entering the Russian service, but his main mission was to become the husband of Anna Leopoldovna. In 1739, his engagement and marriage to Anna Leopoldovna took place, and in 1740 the long-awaited heir was born.

Thus, the threat from possible applicants - Elizabeth Petrovna and Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein (the future Peter III) was eliminated.

Anna Ioannovna dies in 1740. In Russia, despite the fact that an heir has been proclaimed - John VI (some authors call him John III), another palace coup is brewing ... Biron is proclaimed regent.

Biron's regency - Minich's coup

The short period of the regency of Ernst-Johann Biron in historical works is covered and evaluated quite unambiguously.

The regency of Biron, which became possible with the active support of the same Munnich, Osterman, Cherkassky, lasted no more than three weeks. This speaks solely of the inability of E. I. Biron to independently manage the state, of his inability (or rather, unwillingness) to consolidate with those who could be useful to him.

Even having received the right to regency, Biron continues to fight Minich. This time is also characterized by the confrontation between the regent and Anna Leopoldovna. In addition, Biron finally restores against himself and the wife of the princess - Anton Ulrich.

Dissatisfaction with the regent was ripening in the country. On November 8, 1740, another palace coup took place, only Field Marshal B. Kh. Minich was the “soul” of the conspiracy.

The extremely ambitious Minich counted on one of the first places in the state, but he did not receive any new posts or the expected title of generalissimo from the regent.

Adjutant G. Kh. Manstein describes in detail the arrest of Biron and his family in his Notes on Russia. In other words, the Germans made a coup against the Germans. In addition to the Germans, of course, Russian supporters of the regent also suffered.

For example, A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin - later a well-known politician of the Elizabethan reign.

"Patriotic" coup by Elizabeth Petrovna

On November 25, 1741, another (and not the last in the 18th century) palace coup took place, and it was initiated by Elizabeth Petrovna, the youngest daughter of Peter I.

A lot has been written about this coup, and almost all historical (and even more so - fiction) literature interprets this event as "triumph of the Russian spirit", as the end of foreign domination, as the only possible and even completely legal act.

V. O. Klyuchevsky calls Elizabeth as follows: "The most legitimate of all the successors and successors of Peter I."

The name of Tsarina Elizabeth was called at each change of rulers since 1725, but each time the crown went to someone else.

Elizabeth has always been very calm about advice and calls to act for the sake of accession to the throne. It must be said that in 1741, "Petrov's daughter" succumbed to the persuasion of her entourage only under the influence of fear of an unknown future.

AT public opinion Elizabeth, by the will of political circumstances, earned a reputation as the head of a certain "Russian" party, opposing the dominance of foreigners at the courts of Anna Ioannovna and Anna Leopoldovna.

In this respect, Elizabeth of 1741 was the exact opposite of Elizabeth of 1725.

After the death of Peter, it was his daughters who, along with Catherine, were considered the main patrons of foreigners. Elizabeth in alliance with Anna Petrovna were symbols of Holstein influence on the Russian court. (Moreover, at that moment, Elizabeth was considered the bride of the Lübeck prince-bishop Karl-August, who later died of a transient illness. According to some sources, it was smallpox).

The patriotic feelings of Elizabeth's supporters were caused not so much by the rejection of foreigners as by their own interests.

The ease with which Minich eliminated Biron also influenced the determination of Elizabeth's supporters. In addition, the guardsmen felt themselves to be a special force, so to speak, a "hegemon". Munnich himself at one time told them so: "Whoever you want to be a sovereign, he can be".

In addition, there are inexorable facts that indicate that Elizabeth collaborated with French and Swedish agents of influence - Chétardie and Nolken.

The night of the coup was included not only in the history books, but also in the legends. The phrase with which the princess led the guards to storm is known: "You know whose daughter I am!" This was quite enough - the authority of Peter was too great in all sectors of society.

The victory of Elizabeth brought to power a new generation of courtiers and prominent politicians - the Shuvalov family, M. I. Vorontsov, the Razumovsky brothers, and exalted A. P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin.

Of course, after the overthrow of Minich, Osterman, Levenwolde, as well as the Braunschweig family, German influence at the Russian court practically disappeared.

However, having established herself on the throne, Elizabeth declared her heir to the Holstein-Gottorp prince Karl-Peter-Ulrich, the son of Anna Petrovna, whose wife Sophia-August-Frederick of Anhalt-Zerbst (Fike) some time later became. The young princess has learned well the lessons that the Russian history of coups has taught her - she will successfully bring them to life.

186 days of Peter III

The coup of June 28, 1762 (July 9, according to a new style) in Russian and Soviet historical literature has always been interpreted unequivocally - smart, decisive, patriotic Catherine overthrows her insignificant spouse (in her opinion, a marginal and a traitor to Russian interests).

Vasily Klyuchevsky spoke of this event in the following way: “To the indignant national feeling was mixed in her (Catherine) a self-satisfied consciousness that she creates and gives her own government to the Fatherland, albeit illegal, but which better than legal understand and respect his interests.

Catherine already in 1756 was planning her future seizure of power. During the severe and prolonged illness of Elizaveta Petrovna, Grand Duchess she made it clear to her "English comrade" H. Williams that she had to wait only for the death of the empress. (England at that moment was very profitable change of political course in Russia).

However, Elizabeth died only in 1761 and her rightful heir Peter III ascended the throne.

During his short reign, Peter brought to life a number of measures that were supposed to strengthen his position and make his figure popular among the people. So, he abolished the Secret Investigative Office and gave the nobles the opportunity to choose between service and a carefree life on his estate. ( "Manifesto on granting freedom and liberties to the Russian nobility").

It is believed, however, that the cause of the coup was precisely the extreme unpopularity of Peter III among the people. He was blamed for: disrespect for Russian shrines and the conclusion of a "shameful peace" with Prussia.

Peter led Russia out of the war, which was exhausting human and economic resources country, and in which Russia fulfilled its allied duty to Austria (It should be noted that the thesis about the absence of "Russian interest" in Seven Years' War is controversial: during the hostilities, East Prussia was not only conquered, but also officially annexed to Russia).

However, Peter made an unforgivable mistake by declaring his intention to move to recapture Schleswig from Denmark. The guards were especially worried, which, in fact, supported Catherine in the upcoming coup.

In addition, Peter was in no hurry to be crowned, and in fact, he did not have time to comply with all the formalities that he was obliged to comply with as emperor. Frederick II in his letters persistently advised Peter to put on the crown as soon as possible, but the emperor did not heed the advice of his idol. Thus, in the eyes of the Russian people, he was like a "fake tsar."

As for Catherine, then, as the same Frederick II said: “She was a foreigner, on the eve of a divorce” and the coup was her only chance (Peter emphasized more than once that he was going to divorce his wife and marry Elizaveta Vorontsova).

Peter III: modern sculptural portrait.

The signal for the beginning of the coup was the arrest of an officer - the Transfiguration Passek. Alexei Orlov (brother of the favorite) brought Ekaterina to St. Petersburg early in the morning, where she turned to the soldiers of the Izmailovsky regiment, and then to the Semyonovites. This was followed by a prayer service in the Kazan Cathedral and the oath of the Senate and the Synod.

On the evening of June 28, a “campaign to Peterhof” was made, where Peter III was supposed to come to celebrate his name day and the name day of the heir Pavel. The emperor's indecisiveness and some kind of childish obedience did their job - no advice and actions of those close to him could bring Peter out of his states of fear and stupor.

He rather quickly abandoned the struggle for power and, in fact, for his life. The deposed autocrat was taken to Ropsha, where, according to most historians, he was killed by his jailers.

Frederick II commented on this event: "He allowed himself to be overthrown like a child sent to sleep."

The overthrow of Paul I

Paul I was strangled in his own bedroom on the night of March 11, 1801 in the Mikhailovsky Castle. The conspiracy was attended by Agramakov, N.P. Panin, Vice-Chancellor, L.L. Benningsen, commander of the Izyuminsky Light Horse Regiment P.A. Zubov (Ekaterina’s favorite), Palen, Governor-General of St. Petersburg, commanders of the guards regiments: Semenovsky - N. I. Depreradovich, Kavalergardsky - F.P. Uvarov, Preobrazhensky - P.A. Talyzin, and according to some sources - the adjutant wing of the emperor, Count Pyotr Vasilyevich Golenishchev-Kutuzov, who immediately after the coup was appointed commander of the Cavalier Guard regiment.

Initially, the overthrow of Paul and the accession of the English regent were planned. Perhaps the denunciation to the tsar was written by V.P. Meshchersky, in the past the head of the St. Petersburg regiment, quartered in Smolensk, perhaps by the Prosecutor General P.Kh. Obolyaninov. In any case, the plot was uncovered, Lindener and Arakcheev were called in, but this only accelerated the execution of the plot. According to one version, Pavel was killed by Nikolai Zubov (Suvorov's son-in-law, Platon Zubov's elder brother), who hit him with a golden snuffbox (there was a joke at court later: "The Emperor died with an apoplectic blow to the temple with a snuffbox"). According to another version, Paul was strangled with a scarf or crushed by a group of conspirators who, leaning on the emperor and each other, did not know exactly what was happening. Mistaking one of the killers for the son of Konstantin, he shouted: “Your Highness, are you here? Have mercy! Air, Air!.. What have I done wrong to you?” Those were his last words.

The funeral service and burial took place on March 23, Great Saturday; committed by all members of the Holy Synod, headed by Metropolitan of St. Petersburg Ambrose (Podobedov).

Almost the entire 18th century in history is considered the period of palace coups, which began due to the absence of an heir appointed by Peter I. The most important role in the change of power was played by the guards, as well as numerous noble groups.

Palace revolutions cover the period from 1725 to 1762 of the 18th century. For almost forty years the country was in a state of political instability. During this time, six monarchs reigned on the Russian throne: Catherine I, Peter II, Anna Ioannovna, Ivan Antonovich with the actual regency of Anna Leopoldovna, Elizaveta Petrovna and Peter Fedorovich. Most of them came to power through the use of armed force. The main reason for this situation is the lack of legislative framework, which officially determines the monarch's successor. In 1722, Peter I adopted a law on the heir, where he abolished the previously adopted forms of popular election or hereditary succession.

The main document, which expressed the personal will of the sovereign in choosing a successor, was to be a will. However, Peter himself never compiled it and did not express his will, which entailed far-reaching political consequences. The law of Peter I on the succession to the throne lasted until 1797. It was replaced by a new one, developed by Paul I, who legally established the succession of the throne through the male line.

The salient features of this period are:

favoritism, permissiveness of temporary workers,
the increased influence of the guardsmen, who became the backbone and support of the ruling regime,
expansion of the privileges of the nobility,
deterioration of the position of the peasantry.

Background and reasons

Background of the palace coup	Causes of palace coups
1) Contradictions between various noble groups in relation to the Petrine heritage. 2) The sharp struggle of various groups for power, which most often boiled down to the nomination and support of one or another candidate for the throne. 3) The active position of the guard, which Peter brought up as a privileged support of autocracy, which, moreover, took upon itself the right to control the conformity of the personality and policy of the monarch to the legacy that her beloved emperor left. 4) The passivity of the masses, absolutely far from the political life of the capital. 5) Aggravation of the problem of succession to the throne in connection with the adoption of the Decree of 1722, which broke traditional mechanism transfer of power.	1) Moving away from the national political tradition, according to which the throne is only for the direct heirs of the king, Peter himself prepared a crisis of power. 2) The Russian throne after the death of Peter was claimed by a large number of direct and indirect heirs; 3) The existing corporate interests of the nobility and tribal nobility manifested themselves in their entirety. When analyzing the era of palace coups, it is important to pay attention to the following points. Firstly, the initiators of the coups were various palace groups that sought to elevate their protege to the throne. Secondly, the most important consequence of the coups was the strengthening of the economic and political positions of the nobility. Thirdly, the guards were the driving force behind the coups. Indeed, it was the Guard during the period under review that decided the question of who should be on the throne.

Background of the palace coup

Causes of palace coups

1) Contradictions between various noble groups in relation to the Petrine heritage.

2) The sharp struggle of various groups for power, which most often boiled down to the nomination and support of one or another candidate for the throne.

3) The active position of the guard, which Peter brought up as a privileged support of autocracy, which, moreover, took upon itself the right to control the conformity of the personality and policy of the monarch to the legacy that her beloved emperor left.

4) The passivity of the masses, absolutely far from the political life of the capital.

5) Aggravation of the problem of succession to the throne in connection with the adoption of the Decree of 1722, which broke traditional mechanism transfer of power.

1) Moving away from the national political tradition, according to which the throne is only for the direct heirs of the king, Peter himself prepared a crisis of power.

2) The Russian throne after the death of Peter was claimed by a large number of direct and indirect heirs;

3) The existing corporate interests of the nobility and tribal nobility manifested themselves in their entirety.

When analyzing the era of palace coups, it is important to pay attention to the following points.

Firstly, the initiators of the coups were various palace groups that sought to elevate their protege to the throne.

Secondly, the most important consequence of the coups was the strengthening of the economic and political positions of the nobility.

Thirdly, the guards were the driving force behind the coups.

Indeed, it was the Guard during the period under review that decided the question of who should be on the throne.

The supreme legislative bodies under the imperial persons in the era of palace coups:

Name	Period of activity	Emperors
Supreme Privy Council		Catherine I, Peter II
Cabinet of Ministers		Anna Ioannovna
Conference at the Imperial Court		Elizaveta Petrovna
Imperial Council

Palace coup- this is the seizure of political power in Russia in the 18th century, the reason for which was the lack of clear rules for the succession to the throne, accompanied by the struggle of court factions and carried out, as a rule, with the assistance of guards regiments.

The era of palace coups from 1725 to 1762.

Causes of palace coups in Russia

The culprit of the instability of the supreme power in Russia in the 18th century turned out to be Peter I, who in 1722 issued the “Decree on Succession to the Throne”.

This normative legal act became the reason for palace coups in Russia.

Thus, the circle of possible contenders for the throne expanded.

After the death of Peter I, Russia entered a long period of palace coups.

Already on the eve of the death of Peter I, on January 25-26, 1725, a split arose among the highest ranks of the empire. One group (Apraksin, Golitsyn, Repnin, Dolgoruky, Musin-Pushkin and Golovkin) advocated the enthronement of the grandson of Peter I - Tsarevich Peter Alekseevich and the establishment of a regency system - the reign of Peter I's wife Ekaterina Alekseevna together with the Senate.

Another group (Prince A. D. Menshikov, Yaguzhinsky, Buturlin, P. A. Tolstoy) defended the candidacy of Catherine as an autocratic empress. The dispute went far, but assertiveness, reliance at a critical moment on the guards regiments ensured the enthronement after the death of Peter the Great on January 28, 1725, Ekaterina Alekseevna.

Coup in favor of Ekaterina Alekseevna

As a result of the coup staged by Menshikov with the support of the Guard, it was Catherine I who came to power.

Catherine's inability to govern was compensated by the creation in February 1726 of the highest government institution - the Supreme Privy Council, staffed by new nobility, Peter's closest associates. Menshikov quickly subjugated the Supreme Privy Council and, using the boundless confidence of the sick Catherine, became the de facto ruler of the country.

Political reshuffles in the era of Peter II

After the death of Catherine I in 1727, the question of power arose again. The son of Alexei, Peter II, was declared emperor (according to the will of Catherine I). In July 1727 (that is, a month and a half after the death of Catherine), the “Charter on the succession to the throne” was withdrawn by the Decree of the Supreme Privy Council.

Of course, personal, informal communication with the sovereign gave Osterman truly limitless opportunities - this is how the overthrow of Menshikov was gradually prepared. However, in 1730 Peter II dies.

The era of palace coups is the period from 1725 to 1762, when several rulers changed in Russia after the death of Peter I as a result of state conspiracies and the actions of the guard, headed either by the aristocracy or by Peter's closest associates. Ekaterina I, Peter II, Anna Ioannovna, Anna Leopoldovna with her son Ivan Antonovich VI, Elizabeth Petrovna, and, finally, Peter III came to power in succession. They ruled with varying degrees of awareness, involvement in the state process and unequally in time. In this lesson, you will learn about all these events in more detail.

In the case of a palace coup, there are no qualitative changes in the political, socio-economic, or cultural structure of the state.

Causes of palace coups

Expansion of powers of the state apparatus
Greater financial, political and cultural independence for nobles
Creation of the Guard
Decree of Peter I on the succession to the throne
Absence of a legitimate heir to Peter I

Died in 1725 Russian emperor PeterIGreat. Before the imperial entourage, the question arose of who would ascend the throne. It turned out that Peter's inner circle was divided into two parts. One part is the aristocracy: Golitsyn, Dolgoruky, etc.; the other part are those people who came to power thanks to their skills and knowledge from the very bottom: HELL. Menshikov (Fig. 2), P.A. Tolstoy (Fig. 3), A.I. Osterman (Fig. 4) and other nobles and people from abroad. The aristocracy supported the grandson of PeterI, the son of the murdered Tsarevich Alexei - Peter. The natives of the "Petrov's nest" wanted to see the wife of Peter the Great - Catherine - on the Russian throne.

Rice. 2. A.D. Menshikov - the main favorite of Catherine I ()

Rice. 3. P.A. Tolstoy - favorite of Catherine I ()

Rice. 4. A.I. Osterman - favorite of Catherine I ()

When the Governing Senate was discussing who to put on the throne of the Russian Empire, Menshikov asked the guards for her opinion, and she replied that she wanted to see Catherine the ruler of RussiaI(Fig. 5). Thus, the guard decided the fate of the throne, and from 1725 to 1727. Russian Empire Ekaterina's rulesI. On the one hand, Catherine was a wonderful person, a wise wife. But, on the other hand, during her reign, she did not show herself as an empress in any way. important event was that she, together with Peter I, opened the Academy of Sciences; she herself created the Supreme Privy Council. The actual ruler of the country under Catherine I was her favorite A.D. Menshikov, who headed the Supreme Privy Council.

Rice. 5. Catherine I - Russian empress ()

In 1727 CatherineI died. The opinions of the highest aristocracy, guards, "chicks of Peter's nest" agreed that the next ruler was to be Peter II(Fig. 6), who became the emperor of the Russian Empire at the age of less than 12 years. HELL. Menshikov decided that it was he who could control the teenager. At first, Peter II was under the actual influence of Menshikov. He planned to marry Peter to his daughter M.A. Menshikova and thus intermarry with the royal power.

Rice. 6. Peter II - Russian emperor ()

But at the peak of his fame, Alexander Danilovich fell ill, and power passed from his hands to the old tribal aristocracy. The Golitsyns and Dolgorukis quickly persuaded Peter II not to study, but to lead a wild life. After Menshikov recovered and tried to influence Peter, he was sent into exile in Siberia, in the city of Berezov. PeterIIuntil 1730 remained under the control of the aristocratic nobility. They tried to marry him for the second time to E.A. Dolgoruky. But some time before the wedding, Peter II fell ill and died very quickly.

After Peter's deathIIThe Supreme Privy Council met for a meeting to decide to whom to give power. There were no direct heirs to the throne, but Peter the Great had two daughters - Elizabeth and Anna, but they were not considered as heirs. Then the Supreme Privy Council remembered that the brother of Peter I, Ivan, had three daughters, one of whom, Anna Ioannovna, lived in Courland and was a widow.

The Supreme Privy Council decided to elect Anna Ioannovna (Fig. 7) the Empress of Russia, having previously drawn up “conditions” for her that limited her power. First she signed these conditions in order to get out of Courland and get a place as empress in Russia. But when the empress arrived in Russia, she saw that the guards and broad circles of the nobility were opposed to the country being ruled by the "supreme leaders", she, with all the highest entourage, tore the conditions, thereby showing that she was refusing the restrictions imposed on her by the Supreme Privy Council. Thus, she ruled, like previous emperors, autocratically.

Rice. 7. Anna Ioannovna - Russian Empress ()

Anna Ioannovna ruled the Russian Empire from 1730 to 1740. She dealt with the Supreme Privy Council and abolished it. Golitsyn and Dolgoruky were repressed. Characteristic for the time of Anna's reign was the so-called "Bironism" - the dominance of the Germans in public administration (after the favorite of the Empress E.I. Biron (Fig. 8), who was her co-ruler). They occupied all the main government posts: B.K. Minich (Fig. 9) was at the head of the army, A.I. Osterman was at the head of the Cabinet of Ministers. The Empress was very fond of having fun with her German favorites. For all these entertainments, large taxes were collected from the Russian population.

Rice. 8. E.I. Biron - the main favorite of Anna Ioannovna ()

Rice. 9. B.K. Munnich - favorite of Anna Ioannovna ()

During the reign of Anna Ioannovna in Russia, such transformations were made as:

The introduction of fashion for balls
Completion of the construction of Peterhof
Introduction of the European lifestyle

A.P. Volynsky tried to somehow limit the dominance of the Germans in Russia, but he could not. For him, it ended in death.

Anna Ioannovna left the Russian throne to her niece Anna Leopoldovna(Fig. 10). But Anna Leopoldovna at the end of Anna Ioannovna's life did not please her, so power passed to Anna Leopoldovna's son, the recently born Ivan Antonovich VI (Fig. 11). Ivan VI became regent E.I. Biron.

Rice. 10. Anna Leopoldovna - mother of Ivan VI ()

Rice. 11. Ivan VI - young Russian emperor ()

Further, events developed rapidly - in one year there were three palace coups. Almost immediately after the death of Anna Ioannovna, the once omnipotent Biron was overthrown by Osterman's coup, which briefly seized the supreme state power in Russia. But soon Osterman was overthrown from the throne by Minich, who brought Anna Leopoldovna to power, who did not care about government controlled. She, like Anna Ioannovna, relied on the Germans in governing the country. Meanwhile, a new conspiracy has grown up behind her.

As a result, Anna Leopoldovna and Ivan VI ruled Russia only from 1740 to 1741.

Elizaveta Petrovna ( rice. 12), the daughter of Peter the Great, was involved in a conspiracy, and with the participation of foreigners, against Anna Leopoldovna and Ivan VI. Relying on the guardsmen, having their powerful support, Elizaveta Petrovna easily carried out coup d'état and overthrew Anna Leopoldovna and IvanaVI.

Elizabeth I reigned from 1741 to 1761 She loved balls and entertainment. Her favorite favorites were A.G. Razumovsky (Fig. 13) and I.I. Shuvalov (Fig. 14). Under Elizabeth there were wars, victories, attempts at some reforms, and at the same time in last years In her life, the empress, who was often ill, could not meet with diplomats, ministers and other government officials for months. Elizaveta Petrovna got rid of the "Bironism" and expelled all the Germans from the top of the government, opened the way there again for the Russian nobility, which made her a heroine in their eyes.

In 1761 Elizaveta Petrovna died, and her nephew, the son of Anna, the second daughter of Peter the Great, Peter III (Fig. 15) ascended the Russian throne, since the empress had no legitimate husband and children. This emperor ruled the country for less than six months. Contradictory, but most often negative reviews have been preserved about Peter III. In Russia, he was considered not a patriot, since he relied on the Germans, a stupid person. After all, in early childhood Peter was brought up as a pretender to the throne of Sweden, not the Russian Empire.

Rice. 15. Peter III - Russian emperor ()

In June 1762, Peter III was overthrown by his own wife, the future Empress Catherine II. Started with her new era Russian history.

Bibliography

Alkhazashvili D.M. The struggle for the legacy of Peter the Great. - M.: Gardariki, 2002.
Anisimov E.V. Russia in the middle of the eighteenth century. (Struggle for the legacy of Peter I). - M., 1986.
Zagladin N.V., Simonia N.A. The history of Russia and the world from ancient times to late XIX century. Textbook for grade 10. - M .: TID " Russian word- RS", 2008.
Danilov A.A., Kosulina L.G., Brandt M.Yu. Russia and the world. Antiquity. Middle Ages. New time. Grade 10. - M.: Education, 2007.
Pavlenko N.I. Chicks of Petrov's nest. - M., 1994.
Pavlenko N.I. Passion at the throne. - M., 1996.

Allstatepravo.ru ().
Encyclopaedia-russia.ru ().
Grandars.ru ().

Homework

List the causes of palace coups.
Describe the course of palace coups and its political aspect.
What were the results of palace coups for Russia?

The overexertion of the country's forces during the years of Peter the Great's reforms, the destruction of traditions, and the violent methods of reform caused an ambiguous attitude of various circles of Russian society towards the Peter's heritage and created the conditions for political instability.

From 1725, after the death of Peter I and until Catherine II came to power in 1762, six monarchs and many political forces behind them were replaced on the throne. This change did not always take place in a peaceful and legal way, which is why this period of V.O. Klyuchevsky is not entirely accurate, but figuratively and aptly named era of palace revolutions.

2. prerequisites for palace coups.

2.1. Contradictions between various noble factions in relation to the Peter's heritage. It would be a simplification to consider that the split occurred along the lines of acceptance and rejection of reforms. Both the so-called new nobility, which had come to the fore in the years of Peter the Great thanks to their service zeal, and the aristocratic party tried to soften the course of reforms, hoping in one form or another to give a respite to society, and first of all, to themselves. But each of these groups defended its narrow class interests and privileges, which created a fertile ground for internal political struggle.

2.2. An intense struggle between various factions for power, which most often boiled down to the nomination and support of one or another candidate for the throne.

2.3. Active position of the guard, which Peter brought up as a privileged support of autocracy, which, moreover, took upon itself the right to control the conformity of the personality and policy of the monarch to the legacy that her beloved emperor left.

2.4. The passivity of the masses, absolutely far from the political life of the capital.

Exacerbation of the problem of succession to the throne in connection with the adoption of the Decree of 1722, which broke the traditional mechanism for the transfer of power.
spiritual atmosphere , emerging as a result of the emancipation of the noble consciousness from traditional norms of behavior and morality, pushed for active, often unprincipled political activity, instilled hope in good luck and an all-powerful chance that opens the way to power and wealth.

3. The struggle for power after the death of Peter I

3.1. Catherine I. Dying, Peter did not leave an heir, having only managed to write with a weakening hand, according to one of the versions,: Give everything .... The opinion of the leaders about his successor was divided. Chicks of Petrov's nest (A.D. Menshikov, P.A. Tolstoy, I.I. Buturlin, P.I. Yaguzhinsky etc.) advocated for his second wife Catherine, and representatives of the noble nobility (D.M. Golitsyn, V.V. Dolgoruky and others) defended the candidacy of their grandson - Peter Alekseevich. The outcome of the dispute was decided by the guards, who supported the empress.

accession Catherine I(1725-1727) led to a sharp strengthening of the position of Menshikov, who became the de facto ruler of the country. Attempts to somewhat curb his lust for power and greed with the help of the Supreme Privy Council (VTS) created under the Empress, to which the first three colleges, as well as the Senate, were subordinate, did not lead to anything. Furthermore, temporary worker decided to strengthen his position through the marriage of his daughter with the young grandson of Peter. P. Tolstoy, who opposed this plan, ended up in prison.

3.2. Peter II. In May 1727, Catherine died and, according to her will, 12-year-old Peter II (1727-1730) became emperor under the regency of the VTS. Menshikov's influence at court increased and he even received the coveted rank of generalissimo. But, pushing away old allies and not acquiring new ones among the noble nobility, he soon lost influence on the young emperor and in September 1727 was arrested and exiled with his whole family to Berezovo, where he soon died.

A significant role in discrediting the personality of Menshikov in the eyes of the young emperor was played by the Dolgoruky, as well as a member of the military-technical cooperation, the tutor of the tsar, nominated to this position by Menshikov himself - A.I. Osterman- a clever diplomat who, depending on the alignment of forces and the political situation, was able to change his views, allies and patrons.

The overthrow of Menshikov was, in essence, an actual palace coup, since:

- the composition of the military-technical cooperation changed, in which aristocratic families began to prevail (Dolgoruky and Golitsyn), and the key role began to play A.I. Osterman;

- the regency of military-technical cooperation was put an end to, Peter I1 declared himself a full-fledged ruler, who was surrounded by new favorites;

A course has been outlined aimed at correcting the reforms of Peter I.

Soon the court left St. Petersburg and moved to Moscow, which attracted the emperor by the presence of richer hunting grounds. The sister of the tsar's favorite, Ekaterina Dolgorukaya, was betrothed to Peter 11, but while preparing for the wedding, he died of smallpox. And again the question of the heir to the throne arose, because. with the death of Peter I1, the male line of the Romanovs came to an end, and he did not have time to appoint a successor.

4. The trick of the leaders

4.1. Reasons for inviting the Duchess of Courland. In the conditions of a political crisis and timelessness, the military-technical cooperation, which by that time consisted of 8 people (5 seats belonged to the Dolgoruky and Golitsyn), decided to invite the niece of Peter I, the Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna, to the throne because:

Back in 1710, she was married off by Peter to the Duke of Courland, widowed early, lived in cramped material conditions, largely at the expense of the Russian government;

She had no supporters and no connections in Russia;

As a result, this made it possible, beckoning with an invitation to the brilliant St. Petersburg throne, to impose their own conditions and get her consent to limit the power of the monarch.

4.2. Conditions. D.M. Golitsyn came up with the initiative to draw up really limited autocracy conditions, according to which:

- Anna undertook to rule together with the military-technical cooperation, which actually turned into the supreme governing body of the country;

Without the approval of the MTC, she could not legislate, impose taxes, dispose of the treasury, declare war or make peace;

The empress did not have the right to grant estates and ranks above the rank of colonel, to deprive estates without trial;

The Guard was subordinate to the military-technical cooperation;

Anna undertook not to marry and not to appoint an heir, but in case of non-fulfillment of any of these conditions, she was deprived of the Russian crown.

There is no consensus among scientists in assessing the nature and significance of the idea of the leaders. Some see in the conditions a desire to establish, instead of autocracy, an oligarchic form of government that met the interests of a narrow layer of the noble nobility and led Russia back to the era of boyar self-will. Others believe that it was the first constitutional draft to limit the arbitrary power of the despotic state created by Peter, from which all sections of the population, including the aristocracy, suffered, leading to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.

4.3. New renovation projects. Anna Ioannovna, after meeting in Mitava with V.L. Dolgoruky, sent by the military-technical cooperation for negotiations, accepted these conditions without any hesitation. However, despite the desire of members of the military-technical cooperation to hide their plans, their contents became known to the guards and the bulk nobility .

From this environment, new projects for the political reorganization of Russia began to emerge (the most mature one belonged to the V.N. Tatishchev ), which gave the nobility the right to elect representatives of the highest authorities and expanded the composition of the military-technical cooperation. Specific requirements were also put forward aimed at facilitating the conditions of service of the nobles. D.M. Golitsyn, realizing the danger of isolating the military-technical cooperation, met these wishes and developed a new project, which envisaged limiting autocracy by a system of elected bodies. The highest of them remained the military-technical cooperation of 12 members. Previously, all issues were discussed in the Senate of 30 people, the Noble Chamber of 200 ordinary nobles and the chamber of townspeople, two representatives from each city. In addition, the nobility was exempted from compulsory service.

4.4. The failure of the idea of \u200b\u200bthe leaders and its causes. The supporters of the inviolability of the principle of autocracy, led by Osterman and F. Prokopovich, who attracted the guards, managed to take advantage of the disagreements between the adherents of the constitutional restriction of the monarchy. As a result, having found support, Anna Ioannovna broke the conditions and restored the autocracy in full.

The reasons for the failure were the following factors.

4.4.1. shortsightedness and the selfishness of the majority of members of the military-technical cooperation, who sought to limit the monarchy not for the sake of the interests of the whole country, or even the nobility, but for the sake of preserving and expanding their own privileges.

4.4.2. Inconsistency of actions, political inexperience and mutual suspicion of individual noble groups who acted as supporters of the constitutional order, but were afraid of strengthening military-technical cooperation by their actions.

4.4.3 . The unpreparedness of the bulk of the nobility to radical political change, its low political culture.

4.4.4. Guard position, which, after some hesitation, eventually supported the idea of an unlimited monarchy.

4.4.5 . The foresight and unscrupulousness of Osterman and Prokopovich- leaders of the party of supporters of the preservation of autocracy.

5. Board of Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740)

5.1. noble policy. From the very beginning of her reign, Anna Ioannovna tried to erase even the memory of her condition from the consciousness of her subjects. She liquidated the military-technical cooperation, creating instead the Cabinet of Ministers headed by Osterman. Since 1735, the signature of the 3rd cabinet of ministers, according to her decree, was equated with the signature of the empress. Dolgoruky and Golitsyn were repressed.

Gradually, Anna went to meet the most pressing requirements of the Russian nobility:

Their service life was limited to 25 years;

That part of the Decree on Single Inheritance, which limited the right of the nobles to dispose of the estate when it was inherited, was canceled;

Obtaining an officer's rank was facilitated, for this purpose a cadet noble corps was created, at the end of which an officer's rank was awarded;

It was allowed to enroll noblemen for service from infancy, which gave them the opportunity, upon reaching adulthood, to receive an officer's rank by length of service.

5.2. Personality of Anna Ioannovna. An accurate description of the personality of the new empress was given by V.O. Klyuchevsky: Tall and corpulent, with a face more masculine than feminine, callous by nature and even more hardened by early widowhood ... among court adventures in Courland, where she was pushed around like a Russian-Prussian-Polish toy, she, already 37 years old, brought to Moscow an evil and poorly educated mind with a fierce thirst for belated pleasures and gross entertainment.

Amusements of Anna Ioannovna cost the treasury very dearly, and although she, unlike Peter, could not stand alcohol, the maintenance of her court cost 5-6 times more. Most of all, she loved to watch jesters, among whom were representatives of the most noble families - Prince M.A. Golitsyn, Count A.P. Apraksin, Prince N.F. Volkonsky. It is possible that in this way Anna continued to take revenge on the aristocracy for her humiliation with conditions, especially since the military-technical cooperation at one time did not allow entry into Russia to her Courland favorite - E. Biron.

5.3. Court intrigues. Not trusting the Russian nobility and not having the desire, and even the ability to delve into state affairs herself, Anna Ioannovna surrounded herself with people from the Baltic states. The key role at court passed into the hands of her favorite E. Biron.

Some historians call the period of the reign of Anna Ioannovna Bironovshchina, believing that his main feature was the dominance of the Germans, who neglected the interests of the country, demonstrated contempt for everything Russian and pursued a policy of arbitrariness in relation to the Russian nobility.

However, the government course was determined by Biron's enemy, A. Osterman, and arbitrariness was rather repaired by representatives of the domestic nobility, headed by the head of the Secret Chancellery, A.I. Ushakov. Yes, and the damage to the treasury of the Russian nobles inflicted no less than foreigners.

Favorite, hoping to weaken the vice-chancellor's influence Osterman, managed to introduce his protege into the Cabinet of Ministers - A. Volynsky. But new minister began to pursue an independent political course, developed a draft on the amendment of internal state affairs, in which he advocated the further expansion of the privileges of the nobility and raised the issue of the dominance of foreigners. By this he aroused the discontent of Biron, who, having teamed up with Osterman, managed to get Volynsky accused of insulting her imperial majesty and, as a result, bring him to the chopping block in 1740.

5.4. New coup. Soon Anna Ioannovna died, appointing her niece's son as his successor. Anna Leopoldovna, Duchess of Brunswick, baby John Antonovich under Biron's regency.

In the context of general dissatisfaction of the nobility and especially the guard, which the regent tried to disband, the head of the Military Collegium, Field Marshal Minich made another coup d'état, as a result of which Anna Leopoldovna, who was completely uninterested in state affairs, became regent. But Minich himself, famous for the words: The Russian state has the advantage over others that it is controlled by God himself, otherwise it is impossible to explain how it exists, soon did not calculate his own strength and was retired, missing Osterman in first place.

6. The reign of Elizabeth Petrovna (1741-1761)

6.1. Seizure of power. On November 25, 1741, the daughter of Peter the Great, relying on the support of the guards, carried out another coup d'état and seized power. Features of this coup:

6.1.1. Elizaveta Petrovna had a wide support of ordinary people cities and lower guards(only 17.5% of the 308 guardsmen were nobles), who saw in her the daughter of Peter, all the hardships of whose reign had already been forgotten, and her personality and deeds began to be idealized.

6.1.2. The coup of 1741, unlike the others, had patriotic coloring, because was directed against the dominance of foreigners.

6.1.3 . The intervention of foreign diplomacy, who tried to get political and even territorial dividends with her assistance to Elizabeth. But all the hopes of the French ambassador Chétardie and the Swedish ambassador Nolken, in the end, were in vain. The implementation of the coup was accelerated by the fact that the ruler Anna Leopoldovna became aware of Elizabeth's meetings with foreign ambassadors, and the threat of forcible tonsure as a nun loomed over the lover of balls and entertainment.

6.2. Domestic politics . Having seized power, Elizaveta Petrovna proclaimed a return to her father's politics, but it was hardly possible for her to rise to such a level. She managed to repeat the era of the reign of the great emperor rather in form than in spirit.

6.2.1. Transformations. Elizabeth began by restoring the institutions created by Peter I and their status. By abolishing Cabinet of Ministers, returned to the Senate the importance of the highest state body, restored the Berg - and Manufacture College.

Under Elizabeth, the German favorites were replaced by Russian and Ukrainian nobles, who were more interested in the affairs of the country. So with the active assistance of her young favorite I.I. Shuvalova was opened in 1755 Moscow University. At the initiative of his cousin, from the late 1740s. de facto head of government P.I. Shuvalova, in 1753 a decree was issued on the destruction of internal customs and petty fees, which gave impetus to the development of trade and the formation of an internal all-Russian market. By decree of Elizabeth Petrovna in 1744, the death penalty was actually abolished in Russia.

6.2.2. At the same time, its social policy was aimed at the transformation of the nobility from the service to the privileged class and fortification. She instilled luxury in every possible way, which led to a sharp increase in the expenses of the nobles for themselves and the maintenance of their court.

6.2.3. Strengthening fortresses. These expenses fell on the shoulders of the peasants, who in the era of Elizabeth finally turned into baptized property, which, without the slightest remorse, could be sold, exchanged for a thoroughbred dog, etc. Russian society, as a result of which many Russian nobles, who spoke French, not only ceased to understand their peasants, but also to see people in them. The strengthening of serfdom was expressed in the landlords obtaining the right to sell their peasants as recruits (1747), and also to exile them without trial to Siberia (1760).

6.3. Foreign policy Elizabeth Petrovna, like the internal one, took into account national interests to a greater extent. In 1756, Russia, on the side of a coalition of Austria, France, Sweden and Saxony, entered the war with Prussia, supported by England. Russian participation in Seven Years' War 1756-1763 put the army Frederick II to the brink of disaster.

In August 1757, in the battle of Gross-Egersdorf, the Russian army of S.F. Apraksina as a result of the successful actions of the detachment of the general P.A. Rumyantseva won the first victory. In August 1758, General V.V. Fermor at Zorndorf, having suffered significant losses, managed to achieve a draw with the army of Frederick, and in August 1759, with Kunersdorf troops under the leadership of the new commander - P.S. Saltykov defeated her.

In the autumn of 1760, Russian-Austrian troops captured Berlin, and only the death of Elizaveta Petrovna on December 25, 1761 saved Prussia from complete catastrophe. Her heir, Peter 111, who idolized Frederick 11, left the coalition and, having concluded a peace treaty with him, returned to Prussia everything lost in the war.

6.4. Board results. Despite the fact that Elizaveta Petrovna, unlike her father, used her unlimited power not in the interests of the state, but to satisfy her own needs and whims (after her death, 15 thousand dresses remained), she voluntarily or unwittingly prepared the country and society for the next era transformations. During the 20 years of her reign, the country managed to rest and accumulate strength for a new breakthrough, which came in the era of Catherine II.

7. The reign of Peter I11

7.1. Emperor's personality. Elizaveta Petrovna's nephew, Peter 111 (the son of Anna's elder sister and the Duke of Holstein) was born in Holstein and from childhood was brought up in hostility to everything Russian and reverence for German. By 1742 he was an orphan. The childless Elizabeth invited him to Russia and soon appointed him her heir. In 1745 he was married to an unfamiliar and unloved A Princess Sophia Frederick Augusta of Nhalt-Zerbst(in Orthodoxy named Ekaterina Alekseevna).

The heir had not outlived his childhood, continuing to play tin soldiers, while Catherine was actively engaged in self-education and longed for love and power.

7.2. Contradictions of the political course. After the death of Elizabeth, Peter turned against himself the nobility and the guards with his pro-German sympathies, unbalanced behavior, the signing of peace with Frederick 11, whom he idolized, the introduction of Prussian uniforms and plans to send the guards to fight for the interests of Holstein in Denmark. These measures showed that he did not know, and most importantly, did not want to know the country he headed.

At the same time, on February 18, 1762, he signed a manifesto on the granting of liberty and freedom to all Russian nobility, freeing the nobles from compulsory service, abolishing corporal punishment for them and turning the support of autocracy into a truly privileged estate. Then the terrifying Secret Investigative Office was abolished. He stopped the persecution of the Old Believers and decided on the secularization (alienation in favor of the state) of church and monastery lands, prepared a decree on the equalization of all religions. All these measures met the objective needs of Russia's development and reflected the interests of the nobility.

7.3. Reasons for the coup. But his personal behavior, indifference and even dislike for Russia, mistakes in foreign policy and an insulting attitude towards his wife, who managed to gain respect from the nobility and the guards, created the preconditions for his overthrow. Preparing the coup, Catherine was guided not only by political pride, a thirst for power and the instinct of self-preservation, but also by the desire to serve her new homeland.

8. Results

Palace coups did not entail changes in the political, and even more so social system society and were reduced to the struggle for power of various noble groups pursuing their own, most often selfish interests. At the same time, the specific policy of each of the six monarchs had its own characteristics, sometimes important for the country. In general, socio-economic stabilization and foreign policy successes achieved during the reign of Elizabeth created the conditions for more accelerated development and new breakthroughs in foreign policy that would occur under Catherine 11.