The personality of Peter 1 is associated with many important historical events for our state.

It is not surprising that almost every fact from the life and work of Peter 1 becomes the object of heated debate among historians: which of the known facts about this extraordinary person is reliable, and which is fiction? Important facts of the biography of Peter 1 have come down to us, they reveal all of his positive and negative sides, both the king and the common man. Important facts are the facts of the activities of Peter I, who left a serious mark on the history of the Russian Empire. Interesting facts about Peter 1 made up more than one volume of scientific research and filled the pages of numerous popular publications.

1.The great Russian Tsar, and later Emperor, Peter I ascended the throne on August 18, 1682 and since then his long period of reign begins. Peter I successfully ruled the country for over 43 years.

2. Peter 1 became the king of Russia in 1682. And since 1721 - Great Peter - the first Russian Emperor.

3. There is hardly a more controversial and mysterious figure among the Russian emperors than Peter the Great. This ruler has established himself as a talented, energetic and at the same time ruthless statesman.

4. Having ascended the Russian throne, Peter 1 managed to bring this backward and patriarchal country to the ranks of European leaders. His role in the history of our Motherland is invaluable, and life is full of amazing events.

5. Emperor Peter the Great, who earned this title due to the outstanding role he played in the history of Russia, was born on May 30 (June 9), 1672. The parents of the future emperor were Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, who ruled in those years, and his second wife Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina.

6. Nature deprived all of his father's previous children with health, while Peter grew up strong and never knew disease. This even gave rise to evil tongues to question the paternity of Alexei Mikhailovich.

7.When the boy was 4 years old, his father died, and the empty throne was taken by his elder brother, the son of Alexei Mikhailovich from his first marriage with Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya ─ Fedor Alekseevich, who went down in national history as the sovereign of All Russia, Fedor III.

Fedor Alekseevich

8. As a result of his accession, Peter's mother largely lost her influence at court and was forced, together with her son, leaving the capital, to go to the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow.

Peter 1 as a child

9.In Preobrazhenskoye, the childhood and youth of Peter 1 passed, who, unlike the heirs of the European thrones, from an early age surrounded by the most outstanding teachers of his time, received his education, communicating with semi-literate uncles. However, the knowledge gap inevitable in such cases was compensated by the abundance of his innate talents.

10. During this period, the sovereign could not live without noisy games, to which he devoted most of his day. He could get so carried away that he refused to interrupt food and drink.

Peter 1 becomes king at 10 years old - 1682

11. It was in childhood that the king became friends with someone who throughout his life would be his devoted companion and confidant. We are talking about Alexander Menshikov, who participated in all the childish amusements of the future emperor. Interestingly, the ruler was not at all embarrassed by the lack of a good education from a statesman.

12. As for his personal life. At the age of 17, Peter, having taken the habit of visiting the German settlement, started an affair with Anna Mons, his mother, in order to break off the hated relationship, forcibly married her son to the daughter of the devious Evdokia Lopukhina.

13. This marriage, into which the young entered into under duress, turned out to be extremely unhappy, especially for Evdokia, whom Peter eventually ordered to be tonsured as a nun. Perhaps it was his pangs of conscience that made him later issue a decree prohibiting the marriage of girls without their consent.

14. As you know, the king was married twice. His first wife was a girl of noble birth, while the second was a peasant daughter. Catherine I - the second wife of Peter was lowly native in origin.

15. Empress Catherine was actually called Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya. The mother and father of the empress were simple Livonian peasants, and she herself managed to work as a laundress. Martha was a blonde from birth, she dyed her hair a dark color all her life. Such a low origin of a wife did not matter to the ruler. Catherine I is the first woman whom the Emperor fell in love with. The tsar often discussed important state affairs with her and listened to her advice.

16. The first to rivet skates to shoes was Peter the Great. The fact is that earlier skates were simply tied to shoes with ropes and belts. And the idea of ​​the now familiar skates for us, attached to the soles of boots, Peter I brought from Holland during his trip to Western countries.

17. In order for the soldiers of his army to distinguish between the right and left sides, the king ordered them to tie hay on their left leg, and straw on their right. Feldwebel, when engaged in drill training, gave commands: "hay - straw, hay - straw", then the company was printing a step. Meanwhile, among many European peoples, three centuries ago, only educated people distinguished between the concepts of "right" and "left". The peasants did not know how.

18. From Holland, Peter I brought many interesting things to Russia. Among them are tulips. The bulbs of these plants appeared in Russia in 1702. The reformer was so fascinated by the plants growing in the palace gardens that he established a "garden office" specifically to extract overseas flowers.

19. In the time of Peter, counterfeiters worked in government mints as punishment. Counterfeiters were calculated by the presence of "up to one ruble of five altyn silver money of one coinage". In those days, even state mints could not issue uniform money. And those who had them are one hundred percent counterfeiters. Peter decided to use this ability of criminals to produce high-quality uniform coins for the benefit of the state. As a punishment, the unfortunate criminal was sent to one of the mints to mint coins there. So, in 1712 alone, thirteen such "craftsmen" were sent to the mints.

20. Peter I is a very interesting and controversial historical figure. Incidentally, the emphasis that was made during the following centuries was precisely on the physical characteristics of the sovereign. It was largely due to the legend of its substitution, allegedly during a trip abroad to the countries of Western Europe (1697 ─ 1698). In those years, rumors persisted, fueled by secret oppositionists about his replacement during the trip of the young Peter with the Great Embassy. So, contemporaries wrote that a young man of twenty-six years old, above average height, densely built, physically healthy, with a mole on his left cheek and wavy hair, perfectly educated, loving everything Russian, an Orthodox Christian, who knew the Bible by heart, and so on, was leaving with the embassy. ... But two years later, a completely different person returned - he practically does not speak Russian, hates everything Russian, until the end of his life he never learned to write in Russian, forgetting everything that he knew before leaving for the Great Embassy and surprisingly acquired new skills and abilities ... And, finally, he has dramatically changed in appearance. His height increased so much that he had to re-sew his entire wardrobe, and the mole on his left cheek disappeared without a trace. In general, when he returned to Moscow, he looked like a 40-year-old man, although by that time he was barely 28 years old. All this supposedly happened during the two years of Peter's absence from Russia.

21. If historical documents do not lie, the emperor had a height that many modern basketball players can envy - more than 2 meters.

22. With such a high growth, it is all the more surprising that he had a "modest" shoe size: 38th.

23. It is strange that the legendary ruler of the Russian Empire could not boast of a strong physique. As historians have found out, Peter 1 wore clothes of size 48. Descriptions of the autocrat's appearance, left by his contemporaries, indicate that he was narrow-shouldered and had a disproportionately small head.

24. Tsar Peter 1 was one of the fierce opponents of alcoholism. In 1714, Vladyka began to fight the drunkenness of his subjects with his inherent humor. He came up with the idea of ​​"rewarding" incorrigible alcoholics with medals. Perhaps world history has not known a heavier medal than the one invented by the joker emperor. Cast iron was used to create it, even without a chain, such a product weighed about 7 kg or even a little more. The award was presented at the police station where alcoholics were taken. She was hoisted around her neck using chains. Moreover, they were securely fixed, excluding self-removal. The awarded drunkard had to pass in this form throughout the week.

25. Doubt in the reliability of the fact that Peter 1 was tall, makes a number of quite obvious facts. Having visited the museums of the country, in the expositions of which personal belongings, clothes (size 48!) And shoes of the sovereign are presented, it is not difficult to make sure that they could not be used if Peter 1 was really of such significant growth. They would be simply small. The same idea is suggested by several of his surviving beds, on which, with a height exceeding 2 m, he would have had to sleep while sitting. By the way, genuine samples of the tsar's shoes make it possible to determine the size of Peter 1's feet with absolute accuracy. So, it has been established that today he would buy shoes for himself ... size 39! Another argument that indirectly refutes the generally accepted idea of ​​the tsar's growth is a stuffed animal of his beloved horse Lisette, presented in the St. Petersburg Zoological Museum. The horse was rather squat, and a tall rider would be uncomfortable on it. And finally, the last thing: could Peter 1 genetically achieve such growth, if all of his ancestors, about whom there is sufficiently complete information, did not differ in special physical parameters?

26. What could give rise to the legend of the king's unique growth? It has been scientifically proven that in the process of evolution over the past 300 years, the growth of people increased by an average of 10-15 cm.This suggests that the sovereign was indeed much taller than those around him and was considered an unusually tall man, but not by the present, but by those long gone in the past, when the height of 155 cm was considered quite normal.Today, the foot size of Peter 1, established from shoe samples, leads to the conclusion that his height hardly exceeded 170-180 cm.

27. Having issued in October 1696 his famous decree "There will be ships for sea", he very quickly became convinced that, in addition to enthusiasm and financial investments, knowledge in the field of shipbuilding and navigation is required for the success of the business started. For this reason, as part of the Russian embassy (but incognito), he went to Holland, then one of the leading maritime powers of the world. There, in the small port city of Saardam, Peter 1 underwent a course in carpentry and shipbuilding, reasoning quite reasonably that before demanding from others, one must learn the secrets of the craft oneself.

28. So, in August 1697, at the shipyard owned by the Dutch shipbuilder Linstra Rogge, a new worker, Peter Mikhailov, appeared, with facial features and valiant posture unusually similar to the Russian tsar. However, no one had any suspicions, especially since the Dutch could hardly imagine a monarch in a working apron and holding an ax.

29. This foreign voyage of the sovereign significantly enriched the palette of Russian life, since he tried to transfer much of what he happened to see there to Russia. For example, Holland was exactly the country from which Peter the Great brought potatoes. In addition, tobacco, coffee, tulip bulbs, as well as a huge set of surgical instruments came to Russia from this small state, washed by the North Sea. By the way, the idea of ​​forcing his subjects to shave their beards was also born to the sovereign during his visit to Holland.

30. It should be noted the king's predilection for a number of occupations that are not typical of other august persons. For example, his passion for turning is well known. Until now, visitors to the St. Petersburg Museum "House of Peter I" can see the machine on which the sovereign personally turned various wooden crafts.

31. An important step towards familiarizing Russia with the standards adopted in Europe was the introduction of the Julian calendar under Peter 1. The previous chronology, originating from the creation of the world, became very inconvenient in the realities of life in the coming 18th century. In this regard, on December 15, 1699, the tsar issued a decree, according to which the years began to be kept in accordance with the calendar generally accepted abroad, introduced into use by the Roman emperor Julius Caesar. Thus, on January 1, Russia, together with the entire civilized world, entered not in 7208 from the Creation of the world, but in 1700 from the birth of Christ.

32 At the same time, the Decree of Peter 1 was issued on the celebration of the New Year on the first day of January, and not in September, as it was before. One of the innovations was the custom of decorating houses with New Year trees.

33. Many interesting facts about Peter 1 are associated with his hobbies, among which there were some very unusual ones. Peter I was fond of medicine. He dabbled in surgery and actively studied the anatomy of the human body. But most of all, the king was carried away by dentistry. He liked to pull out bad teeth. It is known that with the help of instruments brought from Holland, he often removed sick teeth to his courtiers. At the same time, sometimes the king was carried away. Then, their healthy teeth could also get under the distribution.

34. The emperor was fluent in fourteen crafts. However, not all the crafts that Peter tried to master during his long life obeyed him. At one time the emperor tried to learn how to weave bast shoes, but nothing came of it. Since then, he respectfully treated the "wise men" who managed to master a science that seemed so difficult to him.

35. Behavior, appearance, habits of subjects - there is hardly a sphere of human life that Peter 1 did not touch with his decrees.

36 The boyars were most indignant at his order concerning beards. The ruler, who wanted to establish European order in Russia, categorically ordered to shave off the facial hair. The protesters were forced to submit over time, as otherwise they would face a huge tax.

37. Issued the most famous king and many other humorous decrees. For example, one of his orders was to ban the appointment of people with red hair to government posts.

38. He managed to become famous as a fighter with national costumes. Interesting facts from the life of the sovereign confirm that among his decrees there is an order to wear European clothes. It was he who forced the fair sex to put on low-necked dresses instead of sundresses, and men - in camisoles and cropped trousers.

39. Many wonderful things would never have appeared in Russia if not for Peter 1. Interesting facts are connected with potatoes. The inhabitants of our country were not familiar with this vegetable until the king brought it from Holland. The first attempts to introduce potatoes as an everyday food were unsuccessful. The peasants tried to eat it raw, not knowing how to bake or boil it, and as a result, they refused this tasty and nutritious vegetable. Also, during the time of Peter I, rice was first introduced to the territory of Russia.

40. Tulips are beautiful flowers, the cultivation of which in the state also began at the request of Peter the Great. The autocrat brought the bulbs of these plants to the country from Holland, where he spent a lot of time. The emperor even organized a "garden office", the main goal of which was the introduction of overseas flowers.

41. The first Kunstkamera museum was founded by Peter, which contains his personal collections brought from different parts of the world. All collections of the tsar were transported to the Summer Palace in 1714. This is how the Kunstkamera Museum was created. Everyone who visited the Kunstkamera received alcohol free of charge.

42. Catherine I had many intrigues and often cheated on the tsar. The lover of the tsar's wife, William Mons, was sentenced to death on November 13, 1724 - he was executed by beheading on November 16 in St. Petersburg, and his head was immersed in alcohol and placed in the tsarina's bedroom.

43. The king issued a decree: all thieves who stole more than the value of the rope from the state treasury were to be hanged on this rope.

44. Peter 1 at a reception in Germany did not know how to use napkins and ate everything with his hands, which struck the princesses with his clumsiness.

45. Peter managed to make an excellent military career and as a result became an admiral of the Russian, Dutch, English and Danish fleets.

46. ​​Naval and military affairs were the favorite areas of the king. Peter founded a regular fleet and army in Russia. He constantly studied and gained new knowledge in these areas. The Maritime Academy in Russia was founded by the tsar in 1714.

47. The king introduced a tax on the baths, which were privately owned. At the same time, the development of public baths was encouraged.

48. In 1702, Peter I managed to take powerful Swedish fortresses. In 1705, thanks to the efforts of the tsar, Russia gained access to the Baltic Sea. In 1709, the legendary Battle of Poltava took place, which brought great glory to Peter 1.

49. Strengthening the military power of the Russian state was the work of the emperor's entire life. During the reign of Peter I, compulsory military service was introduced. To create an army, taxes were collected from local residents. The regular army began operating in Russia in 1699.

50. The Emperor achieved great success in navigation and shipbuilding. He was also an excellent gardener, bricklayer, knew how to make watches and paint. Even Peter I often surprised everyone with his virtuoso piano playing.

51. The tsar issued a letter, which forbade wives to take drunk men from pubs. In addition, the king was against the women on the ship, and they were taken only as a last resort.

52. During the reign of Peter the Great, several successful reforms were carried out in education, medicine, industrial and financial spheres. The first gymnasium and many schools for children were opened during the reign of Peter I.

53. Peter was the first to make a long journey to Western European countries. Peter 1 allowed Russia to pursue a full-fledged foreign economic policy in the future thanks to his progressive reforms.

54. One of the activities of Peter I was the creation of a powerful fleet in the Sea of ​​Azov, which he succeeded as a result. The outlet to the Baltic Sea was specially built for the development of trade. The emperor managed to conquer the coast of the Caspian Sea and annex Kamchatka.

55. The construction of St. Petersburg was started in 1703 by order of the tsar. Only in St. Petersburg was it allowed to build stone houses from 1703. The Emperor made a lot of efforts to turn St. Petersburg into the cultural capital of Russia.

56. The king was asked to choose the title "Emperor of the East", which he refused.

57. Today the exact cause of the death of the king is not known. According to some reports, Peter suffered from a bladder disease. According to others, he fell ill with severe pneumonia. The tsar continued to rule the state until the last day, despite a severe illness. Peter 1 died in 1725. He is buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

58. The tsar did not have time to write a will, and at the same time left a serious mark on the history of the Russian Empire. Catherine 1 took over the rule of the Russian Empire after the death of Peter. After the death of the king, the era of palace coups began.

59. In many leading countries, monuments to Peter 1 were erected. The Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg is one of the famous monuments to Peter 1.

60. After the death of the king, cities began to be named in his honor.

photo from the Internet

Two weeks later, a rifle revolt provoked by the Miloslavskys began, which led to the physical elimination of many Naryshkins and their supporters. As a result, Ivan was proclaimed the first tsar, and Peter, as the youngest in age, the second. On June 25, Patriarch Joachim crowned two kings at once. But in reality, all the power was with Princess Sophia, who officially assumed control of the country due to the young age of the royal brothers.

For seven years, Sophia reigned supreme in the country. In July 1689, the first public conflict between the ruler and her younger brother took place, when Peter tried to prevent his sister from participating in the procession with men, declaring that her place was among women. Then he did not manage to insist on his own, but he clearly demonstrated that he was ready to take all power into his own hands.

Sophia was not going to voluntarily surrender power, but the conspiracy to physically eliminate Peter failed. On the night of August 7-8, 1689, the young tsar managed to escape from the Preobrazhensky Monastery to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, where "amusing" regiments with cannons arrived. For several weeks, a formal dual power reigned in the country. Peter was the legitimate king, and he was supported by a significant number of the highest ranks of the state and the overwhelming majority of the army, which ultimately decided the outcome of the case in his favor. Soon, Sophia's supporters were taken into custody, and she herself ended up in the Novodevichy Convent under strict supervision.

Tsar Ivan did not take part in the struggle for power. The existing situation, when he reigned, but did not rule, suited him perfectly. Peter, who always treated his brother with great attention, did not dispute his primacy, but was ready to take on the main state concerns. As soon as victory leaned to his side, Peter sent a letter from the Trinity-Sergius Monastery to his brother, as the first person in the state: “And now, sir brother, the time will insist for our two persons God entrusted to us to rule the kingdom ourselves, you have already come to the extent of your age, and the third shameful person, our sister, with our two masculine persons in titles and in the reprisal of affairs, we do not deign; for that, your will, my brother's sovereign, would bow, because she taught to enter into business and write yourself into a title without our permission; besides, she also wanted to get married with a royal crown, for our ultimate offense. It is shameful, sir, at our perfect age, for that shameful person to own the state by us! To you, my sovereign brother, I declare and ask: let me, sir, by my paternal will, for the best benefit of ours and for the peace of the people, without referring to you, my sovereign, to inflict on the orders of truthful judges, but to change the indecent ones, so that our state can calm down and please soon. And how, sir, brother, we will happen together, and then we will put everything on measure; and I am ready to honor you, my sovereign brother, like a father. "

Since that time, Peter, formally remaining the second person in the state, ruled almost independently, having received the approval of his brother. In January 1696, Tsar Ivan died, and all the fullness of power finally passed to Peter I. The young Tsar had to solve many complex problems in order not only to glorify Russia, but also to make it one of the largest European powers.

Peter I literally raised the country on its hind legs, expanded and strengthened its borders, created a regular army and navy, carried out a comprehensive reform of public administration, educated and trained the new state elite, which would later be rightfully called the "chicks of Petrov's nest", won the hardest Northern War, which lasted more than 20 years. In fact, through the efforts of Peter I, Russia by the 20s of the 18th century turned into a powerful empire, although it officially continued to be called a kingdom.

Peter I took the title of Emperor in 1721. According to historical sources, this did not happen on his initiative. The signing of the Nystadt Peace Treaty on August 30, 1721 ended the Northern War with Sweden. The long-awaited peace has finally come to the country. Peter rejoiced at this as a child, out of habit, rearing the whole of Petersburg on its hind legs and forcing him to rejoice with him. A series of festivities began, many criminals were forgiven, arrears accumulated since the beginning of the war were cleared from debtors, and awards were generously distributed.

In the midst of the general amusement, the Senate logically decided that the tsar should be somehow rewarded. The decision was made quickly and unanimously - to present the monarch with the title of "Emperor, Father of the Fatherland and Great". The Holy Synod, as expected, supported the senators' decision. The Senate set out to ask Peter to accept the title. The monarch agreed.

Preparations for an important event took a couple of days. On October 22, 1721, after the end of the service in the Trinity Cathedral, which was attended by the royal family and the high society of the capital, Chancellor Count Golovkin addressed the monarch with a speech. Noting the role of Peter I in the victory over the Swedes, the count, on behalf of all his subjects, asked the tsar "to accept the title of Father of the Fatherland, Peter the Great, Emperor of All Russia." After these words, all those present shouted "vivat" three times, then the bells of churches rang throughout the capital, volleys of cannons and rifle salutes of regiments built in front of the cathedral were heard.

Peter answered in a short word: “I wish our people to know directly what the Lord did to us by the past war and the conclusion of peace. We must thank God with all our might; however, hoping for peace, not to weaken in military affairs, so that it does not become so with us as with the Greek monarchy. We must work for the benefit and profit of the common, which God puts before our eyes, both inward and outward, which will make the people easier. " At the end of the ceremony, Metropolitan Stephen of Ryazan held a thanksgiving service.

From the cathedral, everyone went to the Senate, where tables were laid for a thousand people. The reception and dances continued until three o'clock in the morning, interrupted by a festive fireworks display glorifying the victory in the Northern War with allegorical symbols. Soon, two medals were stamped in honor of the Nystadt peace, one with a Latin text, the other with a Russian. Peter was already titled emperor on them. Here is the inscription that was embossed on one side of the medal with the Russian text: “V.I. B. Shch. To Tsar Peter I, in the name and deeds of great deeds, to the Great Russian Emperor and Father, who pacified the North after twenty years of triumphs, this home medal is most assiduously brought from gold. "

Peter I did not become crowned emperor, believing that this was no longer necessary, since in his hands there was already unlimited power, in which no one doubted. But three years later, he solemnly crowned his wife as an empress, and put the crown on her himself. By this, Peter wanted to raise the status of both his wife and the daughters born to her before marriage, through whom he wanted to intermarry with the European monarchs.

Europe was wary of the imperial title of Peter I. It was immediately recognized by Holland and Prussia, two years later by Sweden. It took more than 20 years for the rest of the major European countries to be recognized. Austria and England did it in 1742, Spain and France in 1745. According to tradition, Poland “resisted” for a long time, recognizing the Russian monarch as emperor, or rather, empress, since at that time the country was ruled by Catherine II, only in 1764.

The history of Russia is diverse and interesting. Peter 1 was able to have a huge impact on her. In his reform activities, he relied on the experience of Western countries, but acted on the basis of the needs of Russia, while not having a definite system and program for transformations at all. The first Russian emperor was able to lead the country out of the "troubled" time into the progressive European world, forced to respect the state and reckon with it. Of course, he was a key figure in the formation of the state.

Politics and governance

Consider the politics and reign of Peter 1 briefly. He was able to create all the necessary conditions for a wide acquaintance with Western civilization, and the process of abandoning the old foundations was quite painful for Russia. An important feature of the reforms was that they affected all social strata; in this, the history of the reign of Peter 1 was very different from the activities of his predecessors.

But in general, Peter's policy was aimed at strengthening the country, introducing it to culture. True, he often acted from a position of strength, nevertheless, he was able to create a powerful country, with an emperor at its head who had absolute unlimited power.

Before Peter 1, Russia was far behind economically and technically from other countries, but conquests and transformations in all spheres of life led to the strengthening, expansion of the borders of the empire and its development.

The policy of Peter I was to overcome the crisis of traditionalism through a variety of reforms, as a result of which modernized Russia became one of the main participants in international political games. She actively lobbied for her interests. Her authority grew significantly, and Peter himself began to be considered an example of a great reformer.

He laid the foundations of Russian culture and created an effective management system that lasted for many years.

Many experts, studying Russian history, believe that the implementation of reforms by forceful implantation was unacceptable, although the opinion is not denied that otherwise the country simply could not be raised, and the emperor must be tough. Despite the reconstruction carried out, the country did not get rid of the serfdom system. On the contrary, it supported the economy, a stable army consisted of peasants. This was the main contradiction in the ongoing Peter's reforms, so the prerequisites for a crisis in the future appeared.

Biography

Peter 1 (1672-1725) was the youngest son in the marriage of A.M. Romanov and N.K. Naryshkina. Learning the alphabet began on 12.03.1677, when he was not yet five years old. Peter 1, whose biography from childhood was full of bright events, later became a great emperor.

The prince studied very willingly, loved different stories and reading books. When the queen found out about this, she ordered to give him books on history from the library of the palace.

In 1676, Peter 1, whose biography at that time was marked by the death of his father, remained in the upbringing of his older brother. He was appointed heir, but because of poor health, ten-year-old Peter was proclaimed sovereign. The Miloslavskys did not want to come to terms with this, and therefore the Streletsky revolt was provoked, after which both Peter and Ivan were on the throne.

Peter lived with his mother in Izmailovo, the ancestral estate of the Romanovs, or in the village of Preobrazhenskoye. The tsarevich never received church and secular education, he existed on his own. Energetic, very mobile, he often played out battles with his peers.

In the German settlement, he met his first love and made many friends. The beginning of the reign of Peter 1 was marked by a riot, which was organized by Sophia, seeking to get rid of her brother. She did not want to place power in his hands. In 1689, the tsarevich had to take refuge in regiments and most of the court joined him, and sister Sophia was removed from the board and imprisoned forcibly in a monastery.

Peter 1 was established on the throne. His biography from that moment on becomes even more eventful both in his personal life and in state activities. He participated in campaigns to Turkey, traveled as a volunteer to Europe, where he took a course in artillery sciences, studied shipbuilding in England, and made many reforms in Russia. He was married twice and had 14 officially recognized children.

Personal life of Peter I

She became the first wife of the king, with whom they married in 1689. The mother chose the bride for the great sovereign, and he did not feel tenderness for her, but only hostility. In 1698 she was forcibly tonsured into a nun. Personal life is a separate page of the book, which could describe the story of Peter 1. On his way, Marta met - a Livonian beauty who was captured by the Russians, and the sovereign, seeing her in Menshikov's house, no longer wanted to part with her. After their wedding, she became Empress Catherine I.

Peter loved her very much, she bore him many children, but upon learning of her betrayal, he decided not to bequeath the throne to his wife. The king had a difficult relationship with his son from his first marriage. The emperor died before he could leave a will.

Hobbies of Peter I

Even as a child, the future great Tsar Peter 1 collected "amusing" regiments from his peers and started battles. In later life, it was these perfectly trained regiments that became the main guard. Peter was very curious by nature, and therefore he was interested in many crafts and sciences. The fleet is another of his passion, he was seriously involved in shipbuilding. He mastered fencing, horse riding, pyrotechnics, and many other sciences.

The beginning of the reign

The beginning of the reign of Peter 1 was a double kingdoms, as he shared power with his brother Ivan. After the deposition of his sister Sophia, Peter at first did not rule the state. Already at the age of 22, the young tsar turned his gaze on the throne, and all his hobbies began to take real shape for the country. His first Azov campaign was undertaken in 1695, in the spring of 1696 - the second. Then the sovereign begins to build a fleet.

External appearance of Peter I

From infancy, Peter was a fairly large baby. Even as a child, he was handsome in face and figure, and among his peers he was taller than everyone else. In moments of excitement and anger, the tsar's face twitched nervously, and this frightened those around him. The Duke of Saint-Simon gave him an accurate description: “Tsar Peter 1 is tall, well built, a little thin. Round face and beautifully shaped eyebrows. The nose is a little short, but not striking, large lips, dark skin. The king has beautifully shaped black eyes, lively and very perceptive. The look is very welcoming and majestic. "

Epoch

The epoch of Peter the Great is of great interest, since this is the beginning of the growth and all-round development of Russia, its transformation into a great power. Thanks to the transformations of the monarch and his activities, a system of administration and education was built over several decades, and a regular army and navy were formed. Industrial enterprises have grown, handicrafts and trades have developed, internal and foreign trade has improved. There was a constant provision of jobs for the population of the country.

Culture in Russia under Peter I

Russia changed a lot when Peter ascended the throne. The reforms carried out by him were of great importance for the country. Russia has become stronger, constantly expanding its borders. It turned into a European state that other countries had to reckon with. Not only military affairs and trade were developed, but there were also cultural achievements. The New Year began to be calculated from January 1, a ban on beards appeared, the first Russian newspaper and foreign books in translation came out. Career growth without education became impossible.

Having ascended the throne, the great emperor made many changes, and the history of the reign of Peter 1 is diverse and majestic. One of the most important decrees was that the custom of transferring the throne to descendants only through the male line was abolished, and any heir could be appointed at the will of the king. The decree was very unusual, and it had to be substantiated and obtained the consent of the subjects, forcing him to give under oath. But death did not give him the opportunity to implement it.

Etiquette in the time of Peter

There were significant changes in the time of Peter 1 and etiquette. The courtiers wore European clothes, the beard could only be preserved by paying a large fine. It became fashionable to wear wigs in the Western style. Women, who had not previously been present at palace receptions, now became obligatory guests at them, their education improved, since it was believed that a girl should be able to dance, know foreign languages ​​and play musical instruments.

The character of Peter I

The character of the monarch was contradictory. Peter is quick-tempered and at the same time cold-blooded, wasteful and stingy, tough and merciful, very demanding and often condescending, rude and gentle at the same time. This is how those who knew him describe him. But at the same time, the great emperor was of a whole nature, his life was completely devoted to serving the state, it was to him that he devoted his life.

Peter 1 was very thrifty when he spent money on personal needs, but he did not skimp on the construction of his palaces and his beloved wife. The Emperor believed that the easiest way to lessen vices was to lessen his needs, and he should set an example for his subjects. Here two of his hypostases are clearly visible: one - the great and powerful emperor, whose palace in Peterhof is not inferior to Versailles, the other - a thrifty owner, setting an example of an economical life for his subjects. Avarice and prudence were striking and European residents.

Reforms

The beginning of the reign of Peter 1 was marked by many reforms, mainly related to military affairs, were often carried out forcibly, did not always lead to the desired result. But after 1715 they became more systematic. They touched upon the reform from the first years, which turned out to be ineffective in governing the country. If we consider the reign of Peter 1 briefly, then we can highlight several important points. He organized the Near Chancellery. Many collegia were introduced, each responsible for its own direction (taxes, foreign policy, trade, courts, etc.). has undergone radical changes. A fiscal position was introduced to supervise employees. The reforms affected all aspects of life: military, church, financial, trade, autocratic. Thanks to the radical restructuring of all spheres of life, Russia began to be considered a great power, which was what Peter 1 sought.

Peter I: important years

If we consider important dates in the life and work of the monarch, then Peter 1, whose years were marked by various events, at some time intervals was the most active:

The beginning of the reign of Peter 1 was from the very beginning built on the struggle for the state. It was not for nothing that they called him the Great. Dates of the reign of Peter 1: 1682-1725. Being strong-willed, decisive, talented, sparing neither strength nor time to achieve the goal, the tsar was strict with everyone, but first of all with himself. Often ruthless, but thanks to his energy, determination, assertiveness and some cruelty, Russia has changed dramatically, becoming a Great Power. The era of Peter 1 changed the face of the state for many centuries. And the city he founded became the capital of the empire for 300 years. And now St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Russia and proudly bears its name in honor of the great founder.

The personality of Peter the Great stands apart in the history of Russia, since neither among his contemporaries, nor among the successors and descendants was there a person who could make such profound changes in the state, so penetrate into the historical memory of the Russian people, while becoming semi-legendary, but the brightest her page. As a result of Peter's activities, Russia became an empire and took its place among the leading European powers.

Peter Alekseevich was born on June 9, 1672. His father was the Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, and his mother, Natalya Naryshkina, was the Tsar's second wife. At the age of 4, Peter lost his father, who died at the age of 47. Nikita Zotov was involved in the upbringing of the prince, who by the standards of the then Russia was very educated. Peter was the youngest in the large family of Alexei Mikhailovich (13 children). In 1682, after the death of Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich, the struggle between two boyar clans intensified at the court - the Miloslavskys (relatives of Aleksey Mikhailovich's first wife) and the Naryshkins. The first believed that the sick Tsarevich Ivan should take the throne. The Naryshkins, like the patriarch, stood for the candidacy of the healthy and rather mobile 10-year-old Peter. As a result of the streltsy unrest, the zero option was chosen: both tsarevichs became tsars, and their older sister, Sophia, was appointed regent.

At first, Peter was little interested in state affairs: he often visited the German Sloboda, where he met his future associates Lefort and General Gordon. Peter spent most of his time in the villages of Semyonovsky and Preobrazhensky near Moscow, where he created amusing regiments for amusement, which later became the first guards regiments - Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky.

In 1689, a break occurs between Peter and Sophia. Peter demands that his sister be removed to the Novodevichy Convent, because by this time Peter and Ivan had already reached adulthood and had to rule on their own. From 1689 to 1696, Peter I and Ivan V were co-rulers until the latter died.

Peter understood that Russia's position did not allow it to fully implement its foreign policy plans, as well as to develop steadily internally. It was necessary to get access to the ice-free Black Sea in order to give additional incentive to domestic trade and industry. That is why Peter continues the work started by Sophia and intensifies the struggle with Turkey within the framework of the Holy League, but instead of the traditional campaign to the Crimea, the young tsar throws all his energy to the south, near Azov, which was not taken in 1695, but after it was built in the winter of 1695 -1696 flotilla in Voronezh Azov was taken. The further participation of Russia in the Holy League, however, began to lose its meaning - Europe was preparing for the war for the Spanish inheritance, so the fight against Turkey ceased to be a priority for the Austrian Habsburgs, and without the support of the allies, Russia could not resist the Ottomans.

In 1697-1698, Peter traveled incognito throughout Europe as part of the Grand Embassy under the name of the bombardier Peter Mikhailov. Then he makes personal acquaintances with the monarchs of the leading European countries. Abroad, Peter received extensive knowledge in navigation, artillery, shipbuilding. After meeting with Augustus II, the Saxon elector and the Polish king, Peter decides to move the center of foreign policy activity from the south to the north and reach the shores of the Baltic Sea, which were to be conquered from Sweden, the most powerful state in the then Baltic.

In an effort to make the state more effective, Peter I carried out reforms of public administration (the Senate, collegia, bodies of supreme state control and political investigation were created, the church was subordinated to the state, the Spiritual Regulations were introduced, the country was divided into provinces, a new capital, St. Petersburg, was built).

Understanding the backwardness of Russia in industrial development from the leading European powers, Peter used their experience in various fields - in manufacturing, in trade, in culture. The sovereign paid great attention and even forcibly forced the nobles and merchants to develop the knowledge and enterprises necessary for the country. This includes: the creation of manufactories, metallurgical, mining and other plants, shipyards, marinas, canals. Peter perfectly understood how important the military successes of the country were, so he personally led the army in the Azov campaigns of 1695-1696, took part in the development of strategic and tactical operations during the Northern War of 1700-1721, the Prut campaign of 1711, and the Persian campaign of 1722-23.

7 Comments

Valuev Anton Vadimovich

On February 8, the Day of Russian Science is celebrated, the founder of which was Peter I the Great, an outstanding statesman and public figure, Tsar - reformer, creator of the Russian Empire. It was through his works that the Academy of Sciences was established in St. Petersburg, in which outstanding representatives of domestic and foreign science worked for the good of Russia from generation to generation. Let me congratulate my colleagues on their professional holiday and wish them interesting work, constantly improving knowledge and experience, while always remaining true to my convictions, striving to multiply the age-old traditions of Russian science.

Valuev Anton Vadimovich/ Candidate of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences

By decree of Peter the Great, the Senate, the highest body of state executive power, was established in St. Petersburg. The Senate lasted from 1711 to 1917. One of the most important and influential institutions in the system of secular government of the Russian Empire.

Valuev Anton Vadimovich/ Candidate of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences

The turning point in the history of European modernization of the socio-political system of Russia is considered the Great Embassy of the young Tsar Peter Alekseevich. During the Embassy, ​​the future emperor saw Western Europe with his own eyes and appreciated its great potential. After returning to their homeland, the renewal processes accelerated many times over. Diplomatic and trade - economic relations, industrial production, sciences, culture and military affairs developed rapidly. In a sense, this was the real "window to Europe" that Tsar Peter opened for Russia.

Valuev Anton Vadimovich/ Candidate of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences

The talent of a statesman is visible in his attitude to the development of the human factor, personality, and social potential of the country. And here Peter I did a lot to strengthen both public relations and internal stability, and, as a result, the position of the Russian Empire on the world stage. The personnel policy of the Peter the Great era was based on two principles: the talent of each person - regardless of his social origin - and his desire to be useful to the Fatherland. In 1714, by a decree of Peter, the production of nobles into the officer rank was prohibited, if they had not previously served as ordinary soldiers. Six years later, in a new decree, Peter secured the right of every senior officer to obtain a noble patent and inherit the title of noble. In practice, this meant that thanks to his talents and the courage and heroism shown in real conditions, a person honestly earned the right to move to a different, higher class. This was an important step in the renewal of the estate hierarchy of the Russian Empire.

Valuev Anton Vadimovich/ Candidate of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences

May 18 is a doubly important date in the military history of our Fatherland. In 1703, at the mouth of the Neva, thirty Russian boats under the command of Peter I, during a daring raid, captured two Swedish military frigates, Astrild and Gedan. This event is considered the beginning of the heroic history of the Baltic Fleet. A year later, to strengthen the military positions in the Baltic, Kronshlot, the fort of Kronstadt, was laid by the decree of Peter I. Three centuries have passed since then, and the Baltic Fleet and Kronstadt have always defended and defend the interests of Russia. Solemn events on this day are held in St. Petersburg and Kronstadt, the cities of Russia's naval glory. The founder of the Russian Empire, the Baltic Fleet, Kronstadt - vivat !!!

Smart Ivan Mikhailovich

Nice, informative article. Although it is worth noting that in the course of the pro-Western official history, "improved" in the distortion of the Truth since the time of the first Romanov-Westernizers, Peter Romanov looks like a benefactor of the Fatherland, the "father of the peoples" of Russia-Eurasia.
But the Russian people still retain information that "the Germans replaced the tsar" - either in their early childhood, or already in their youth (AA Gordeev). And most likely, the truth is that the Jesuits-Catholics recruited Peter the 1st, tirelessly carrying out their work on the implementation of "Drang nach Osten" - "Onslaught to the East" (BP Kutuzov).
For "... it must be said that under Peter the Great, the colonialists were no longer ashamed of" spending the human resources "of the country they had captured -" in the era of Peter the Great "the population decline
Muscovite Rus was, according to estimates of various historians and researchers, from about 20 to 40% of the total population.
However, the population of Muscovite Rus was also declining as a result of the flight of the people from the despotism of the colonialists. And the people fled from them mainly to Tartary (see below).
Actually, I must say, the "Europeanization" of Rus-Muscovy, Peter Romanov began with his family. First of all, he imprisoned his wife from a primordially Russian family, Evdokia Lopukhina, in a monastery - in a prison, that is. She dared to object to the bullying of her husband and his Western European entourage over the Fatherland - so, apparently, she seriously interfered with the "introduction of Western culture and progress."
But the girl Mons from the German settlement helped Peter in every possible way in that implementation. For her, Peter changed his Russian wife - a beautiful and clever girl. And his son Alexei, since he also stubbornly refused to "Europeanize" with age, was put to death. But before that, Peter, using all the skills he had learned from the Jesuit teachers, for a long time and persistently "searched" in relation to Alexei. That is, under torture he interrogated his son - why is he opposed to this "Europeanization", and who are his accomplices in this "dark" and villainous, in the opinion of the "king-enlightener", business (7) ... "

(From the book "TATAR HERITAGE" (Moscow, Algorithm, 2012). Author G.R. Enikeev).

Also, about all this and much more hidden from us from the true history of the Fatherland, read the book “The Great Horde: Friends, Enemies and Heirs. (Moscow-Tatar coalition: XIV – XVII centuries) ”.– (Moscow, Algorithm, 2011). The author is the same.

Valuev Anton Vadimovich/ Candidate of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences

Russia owes many transformations to Peter the Great. So, it was according to his decree of December 15, 1699 that the Julian chronology and the Julian calendar were approved in Russia. Since then, the New Year in our country began to be celebrated not from September 1, but from January 1. During the reign of Peter the Great, many of the most important cultural attributes of this folk celebration were laid down - decorated fir trees, fireworks, New Year's carnivals and many other winter entertainments. On the eve of the New Year holidays, according to tradition, it is customary to sum up the results of the past year and hopefully make plans for the future. I would like to wish all colleagues and project participants pleasant New Year's troubles, more joy, family warmth, comfort and happiness. May new creative plans, successful and interesting ideas await us in the New Year 2016, may they come true!

“Encyclopedia of Death. The Chronicles of Charon "

Part 2: Dictionary of Chosen Deaths

The ability to live well and die well are one and the same science.

Epicurus

PETER 1

(1672-1725) - Russian emperor

The stormy life of a reformer gave Peter I a bouquet of diseases by the age of 50. More than any other ailments he was plagued by uremia. In the last year of his life, the tsar went to the mineral waters for treatment, but during the treatment he sometimes did hard physical work. So, in June 1724 at the Ugodsky factories of Mellerov, he personally forged several strips of iron, in August he was present at the descent of the frigate, and then went on a long and tedious journey along the route: Shlisselburg - Olonetsk - Novgorod - Staraya Russa - Ladoga Canal.

Returning home, Peter, according to the widespread version, received evidence of adultery between his wife Ekaterina and 30-year-old Willie Mons, the brother of Peter's former favorite Anna Mons. Mons was accused of bribery and embezzlement and was beheaded by a court verdict. When Catherine hinted at a pardon, Peter broke a delicate mirror in an expensive frame in anger. "This is the most beautiful decoration of my palace. I want - and I will destroy it!" Catherine realized that her husband's angry words contained a hint of her own fate, but she asked with restraint: "Does this make your palace better?" Peter nevertheless subjected his spouse to a difficult test - he took her to look at Mons' severed head ...

The disease worsened, and Peter spent most of the last three months of his life in bed. On days of relief, he got up and left the room. At the end of October, he took part in putting out a fire on Vasilievsky Island, and on November 5, he dropped in at the wedding of a German baker, where he spent several hours watching dances and foreign wedding ceremonies. In the same November, the tsar participates in the betrothal of his daughter Anna and the Duke of Holstein. The festivities on this occasion lasted two weeks, sometimes Peter also attended. In December, he also attended two celebrations: on the 18th the birthday of the youngest daughter Elizabeth was celebrated, and two days later he participated in the election of a new "prince-pope" to replace the deceased Buturlin.

Overcoming the pain, the tsar cheered up, drew up and edited decrees and instructions. In connection with the Mons affair, on November 13, he issued a decree forbidding any kind of request or promises to be made to the palace attendants. The decree threatened ministers who accepted petitions with the death penalty. Three weeks before his death, Peter was busy drawing up instructions for the head of the Kamchatka expedition, Vitus Bering.

Nartov, who watched the tsar at this activity, says that he (the tsar) was in a hurry to compose an instruction for such an important undertaking and, as if foreseeing his imminent death, was very pleased that he had completed the work. After that, he summoned Admiral Apraksin and told him: "Poor health made me stay at home. I remembered the other day what I had been thinking about for a long time and that other things prevented me from undertaking, that is, about the road through the Arctic Sea to China and India."

In mid-January 1725, attacks of uremia became more frequent, and then became simply terrible. Dysfunction of the kidneys led to the accumulation of nitrogenous toxins in the blood, to blockage of the urinary tract. According to contemporaries, for several days Peter shouted so loudly that he could hear far away. Then the pain became so strong that the king only moaned dully, biting the pillow. Peter died on January 28, 1725 in terrible agony.

His body remained unburied for forty days. And all this time, Catherine, proclaimed empress, cried twice a day over her husband's body.