It turns out that the nationality of Peter the Great is not such an unambiguous question as it might seem at first glance. There are many sources and versions of the fact that the great emperor was not really Russian. In this article we will talk about the most popular assumptions, as well as interesting facts about his biography.
Tolstoy and Stalin
It is known that Count Alexei Tolstoy was concerned about the nationality of Peter 1 when he was working on his novel about the emperor. While analyzing the documents, he found out that the greatest of the Russian monarchs in reality was not related to Russian nationality. And the fact that the name of Peter 1 - Romanov was doubtful.
This discovery excited him so much that he decided to consult with Stalin, with whom he personally knew how to deal with this data. He brought to Generalissimo the corresponding document. This was a certain letter from which it followed that the nationality of Peter the Great was not Russian at all, as everyone believed, but Georgians.
Interestingly, Stalin was not at all surprised at this turn of events. However, he asked Tolstoy to conceal this fact so as not to make the information public. He argued this decision with a very arrogant statement, noting that the people should be left with at least one “Russian” that they would be proud of.
The stinging document Stalin advised Tolstoy to destroy. This decision may seem strange to some, because Stalin himself was a Georgian, he should have been flattered that the most famous Russian emperor was his compatriot. But if you think about it, then in fact, everything is logical. The Generalissimo did the right thing from the point of view of the leader of the peoples, for he himself, as is known, considered Russian.
However, Tolstoy could not completely conceal his discovery. He told a narrow circle of his acquaintances about him, and then the legend dispersed according to the snowball principle among the intelligentsia.
Mysterious document
What kind of document was this that allowed to doubt the nationality of Peter 1? It was supposedly a letter. Most likely, the message of Daria Archilovna Bagration-Mukhranska, who was the daughter of the Imereti king Archil II, to her cousin, daughter of the Mingrelian prince Dadiani.
The letter referred to a certain prophecy that Daria had heard from the Georgian queen. Here is his text:
My mother told me about a certain Matveyev, who had a prophetic dream, in which Saint George the Victorious appeared to him and told him: You are chosen to inform the Tsar that “Tsar KING” should be born in Muscovy, who will make her a great empire. He is supposed to be born from the newcomer Orthodox Tsar of Iveron from that tribe of David that is the Theotokos. And the daughter of Cyril Naryshkin, pure of heart. Having disobeyed this command, to be a great pestilence. The will of God is the will.
This prophecy clearly hinted that this event must happen, but there were certain problems.
Rod of the Romanovs
It is well known that the last name of Peter 1 is Romanov. Why, then, the assumption that he was a Georgian. Let's try to figure it out.
At that time, Russia was a kingdom in which Alexei Mikhailovich ruled. He frankly could not cope with his duties. The country was mired in palace intrigues, many state issues were actually decided by the adventurer and swindler, Prince Miloslavsky.
When Alexei Mikhailovich was a puny and weak man, he surrounded himself mainly with church people. He listened to their opinion the most. One of his close associates was Artamon Sergeyevich Matveev, who had influence at the court, and if necessary could put pressure on the tsar to solve a particular issue. Many modern historians believe that Matveev was a kind of prototype of Rasputin at court.
Matveev had a plan. It was necessary to help the tsar to get rid of kinship with the Miloslavskys, whose influence was too strengthened, which did not benefit the state. Instead, he planned to enthrone "his" heir.
In 1669, during the birth, the wife of Alexei Mikhailovich, Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya, dies. After this, it was Matveyev, who was friendly and close with the tsar, who introduced him at home to the Crimean Tatar princess Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. She was the daughter of the Crimean Tatar Murza Ismail Narysh, who at that time lived in Moscow.
Next, the issue of heirs was to be resolved. After all, Alexei Mikhailovich already had children from his first wife, but they did not suit Matveyev by origin and health, like his father, they were frail and weak. Therefore, according to some researchers, it was decided to find a replacement for him in the person of the Georgian prince.
Emperor father
There are two main theories about who was the father of Peter 1, if Matveev’s plan was really successful, and Alexei Mikhailovich was not related to conception. Among the alleged candidates are two Georgian princes belonging to the Bagration family.
The first is the king of Imereti Archil II, one of the founders of the Georgian diaspora in Moscow, a poet. The second is Heraclius I, king of Kartli and Kakheti.
Analyzing the documents of that time, I have to admit that Irakli has the greatest chance of being the father of Peter 1, since he was in Moscow at the time when the conception of the future Russian emperor took place. Archil arrived in the capital later - in 1681.
Heraclius in Russia was known by the name of Nikolai Davydovich, which he used for convenience. He was among the close associates of Aleksei Mikhailovich, and at his wedding with the Tatar princess he was appointed one thousand, that is, the main manager of all wedding celebrations.
It is worth noting that the duties of the thousand, among other things, included an honorable mission to become the godfather of the married couple. In 1672, on the christening of the future Russian ruler, Heraclius fulfilled his duty by calling the baby Peter. Two years later, he left Russia, going to reign in Kakheti.
Version about Archila
For the sake of justice, it is worth considering the version according to which the origin of Peter 1 can be connected with the Imereti king Archil II, who was staying at the Russian court after he escaped from the pressure of Persia. There is an assumption that he was literally forced to go to the princess’s bedroom, convincing him that this was God's business, and that he should take part in a good deed, that is, the conception of a future heir to the throne.
It is possible that it was Matveyev’s dream, which had a great influence on Archil, that made the Georgian go to the chambers of the young princess. Indirectly, the relationship between Peter and Archil is evidenced by the fact that the official heir to the Georgian monarch, whose name was Prince Alexander, became the first general of Georgian origin in Russian history. He served with Peter in amusing regiments, perished, being captured by the Swedes. And the other children of Archil received from Peter all sorts of preferences, land on the territory of the Russian Empire.
Moreover, it was at this time that the mass migration of the Georgian elite to Moscow began. In favor of the second version is also the fact that Peter looked like Archil. Both were huge for the time of growth, with almost identical characters and facial features. This may also indicate that his father was Heraclius. After all, Georgian princes are relatives among themselves.
Be that as it may, the big question arises as to what kind Peter 1 belonged to. If this version is correct, then he was Bagration, not Romanov, as everyone has always believed.
Open secret
The most amazing thing is that at court, most likely, many knew about the true father of the Russian emperor. For example, Princess Sophia, when she was fighting for the throne, wrote to Golitsyn that the Basurman should not have the power in the country.
Natalya Naryshkina, the mother of Peter I, is said to later repent of her deed, was afraid of what she had done under pressure from Matveev. Therefore, she allegedly repeatedly stated that Peter could not be king.
And Peter himself somehow let slip. When he was married to the Georgian princess, he publicly declared that he would not marry his namesake.
In order to believe that Peter’s origin is not so smooth, you should at least remember what he looked like. After all, not a single Russian Tsar was tall before.
According to historical documents, its growth under two meters was truly gigantic for that time. And by today's standards, he would have looked very impressive. At the same time, Peter wore size 48 clothes and shoes 38 sizes, which is very surprising, but this was precisely the peculiarity of the princes from the Bagration clan.
It is believed that even by nature the emperor was a real Caucasian, and not a representative of the Romanov family. At the same time, he inherited the cruelty of the Moscow tsars who ruled before him. This feature could get him on the maternal side, since her whole race was more Tatar than Slavic. Perhaps it was this character trait that enabled him to turn Russia into an empire and a European state.
Giving a characterization of the personality of Peter 1, we can say that he was not Russian, but was a Russian. Despite his confusing origin, Peter still belonged to royal blood, but perhaps not to the Romanov family.
Perhaps it was not the Hordian origin that made him a reformer, an adherent of Western values and ideals. By this, by the way, he was like Matveyev, who allegedly arranged this multi-way. Artamon Sergeyevich's fate was tragic. After the death of Alexei Mikhailovich, he fell into disgrace and was expelled from the capital. However, he soon returned, took the side of Peter to elevate him to the throne. Just a few days after his arrival from exile in Moscow, the Strelets riot took place. Matveev was one of the first to try to pacify the rebels and force them to return to the barracks. They treated him cruelly. Artamon Sergeyevich was killed right in front of the young Peter.
Jewish roots
There is another conspiracy theological version of the origin of the future first Russian emperor. According to her, Peter was a Jew by mother.
Allegedly, the Naryshkin family came from the Karaite warrior Naryshko, who in 1392 entered the personal guard of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas after he defeated the Crimean Tatars. Later Naryshko moved to Moscow, converted to Orthodoxy, giving rise to his family.
Already in modern Russia, Raisa Slobodchikova writes about this, who claims that she also comes from the Naryshkin family. In her book, The Romanovs, Naryshkins, and Their Descendants, she claims that there was part of Jewish blood in the family of the future Russian emperor. Moreover, it is reliably known that the religion of Peter 1 is Orthodoxy.
To be more precise, the Naryshkins came from the Karaites, who just lived in the Crimea, Galicia and Lithuania. This is a small Turkic nation, which has its own religion, recognizing only the Holy Scriptures. At the same time, the Karaites deny the Talmud and observe more stringent religious rituals than the Jews.
Perhaps this kinship also explains the special attitude to the Karaites by the Romanovs. In Russia, they were considered equal citizens of the empire. All the sovereigns who were in Crimea attended the prayers in their houses of worship. For example, Alexander I and Nicholas II.
Short biography of the emperor
The date and place of birth of Peter 1 - May 30, 1672, Moscow. As a child, his guardian was half-brother Fedor. It is also known that the future emperor received a poor education, and wrote with errors until the end of his life.
After the death of the official father, Fedor became the king - the son of Alexei Mikhailovich from Maria Miloslavskaya. After that, the Naryshkins were forced to leave for Moscow suburbs. The reign of Fedor was short-lived - six years later he died. The next heir was supposed to be Ivan, but he was weak and painful. Therefore, at the court, the party of Peter's supporters began to gain strength. With the support of Patriarch Joachim, the Naryshkins won this battle. Urgently called out of exile, Artamon Matveyev was appointed the "great guardian" of the young king.
The Miloslavskys, believing that their interests were violated, provoked the archers to a riot. As a result of the pogrom, several famous boyars, two brothers of Natalya Naryshkina, were killed. Sagittarius demanded that Ivan be recognized as the first king, and Peter - the second. The boyars agreed, fearing further pogroms. So in Russia, the two kingdoms began. Moreover, their elder sister Sophia took over the actual management of the state, since both monarchs were still small.
Telling a brief biography and interesting facts about Peter 1, it is worth noting that his childhood passed away from the palace. In the villages of Preobrazhenskoye and Vorobyevo, he became interested in military affairs, creating his own "funny" troops. In 1689, at the insistence of his mother, he married Evdokia Lopukhina. From this marriage, two sons were born to him.
Having strengthened, Peter overthrew Sophia, and his elder brother Ivan met Peter in the Assumption Cathedral and in fact gave him power. Remaining formally one of the kings, since 1689 he no longer took any part in public affairs. Until his death in 1696.
Moreover, the official years of the reign of Peter 1 - 1682 - 1725.
Reforms and Conquest Wars
Having become king, he immediately set to work. The priority was the continuation of the war with the Crimea and the Ottoman Empire. For the sake of this, the Azov campaigns were launched in 1695 and 1696.
Then the sovereign sent the Great Embassy to Europe to find allies in the struggle against the Ottoman Empire. The well-known story about the life of Peter the Great says that under the guise of a regiment officer of the Preobrazhensky regiment, the sovereign himself participated in the trip. In addition to negotiations, he studied shipbuilding, formalized the acquisition of military and other equipment for various purposes. The Great Embassy did not reach its goal. Due to the war for the Spanish inheritance, it was not possible to form a coalition against the Ottoman Empire in Europe. But there were favorable conditions for the struggle of Russia for the Baltic Sea. So there was a reorientation of foreign policy from the south to the north.
The last years of the 17th century became the turning point for Russia. From the Great Embassy, Peter had to urgently return to Russia. Sophia staged a Streletsky riot. True, the rebellion was able to crush before the return of the king. As a result of the investigation, about 800 archers were executed; Sophia was tonsured a nun.
Returning from Europe, Peter began to actively discuss the reforms that were necessary for the country. He began to change the old Slavic way of life, striving to make him look as European as possible in everything. It was then that the boyars began to cut their beards, decrees appeared about wearing German dresses.
Peter carried out large-scale military reforms. In building a new empire, the successful Northern War against Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea was of great importance. The expansion of Russia to the East continued.
The reforms initiated by the king led to significant economic success. Western industrial technologies were introduced into production, almost all branches of the national economy were reorganized. The years of the reign of Peter 1 were a real breakthrough in the development of the country.
The sovereign applied the economic theory of mercantilism prevailing in Europe at that time. This teaching was based on the fact that each nation should produce everything that it needs in order not to become impoverished. And in order to get rich, one should export as much as possible one's own products for sale abroad, and purchase as little as possible.
It was under Peter that geological exploration began to develop, thanks to which metal ore deposits were found in the Urals. We started the construction of factories.
One of the main affairs of the king was the foundation of St. Petersburg. This is perhaps the best and most widely known memory of Peter 1, which could only be. The construction of the city was carried out from 1704 to 1717. Already in 1712 he was proclaimed the new capital of the Russian state. The royal court and all official institutions were transferred here from Moscow.
For Peter 1, St. Petersburg was a strategically important project. Researchers believe that by moving the capital to a city on the Neva, the ruler carried out the political and spatial embodiment of the idea of cultural-state "eccentricity". Indeed, at that time the city was formally located on the territory of Sweden. It was precisely this that was the idea when the center of the cultural and religious-political model was taken out of the state. By this action, the Russian Tsar made a turn towards Europe. The foundation of St. Petersburg became one of the main events of the era of Peter 1. Since then, the new capital was perceived as a western city, as opposed to eastern Moscow.
It is known that in the last years of his life the emperor’s health was shaken. Presumably, he suffered from urolithiasis, which was complicated by uremia. In October 1724, contrary to medical advice, he went to inspect the Ladoga Canal. In the Lakhta region, he had to stand waist-deep in the water, saving a bot with soldiers, which ran aground.
This incident finally undermined his health. But he continued to engage in public affairs, despite the increasing pain. In January, he became so ill that the emperor ordered the establishment of a camp church next door to his bedroom. On January 22, he confessed.
On January 28, Peter died in terrible agony.
Performance Assessment
It is difficult to underestimate the role of Peter 1 in Russian history. For his merits, he was nicknamed the Great, which fully reflects how much he has done for the prosperity of his state. This is a key figure in the history of the development of Russia.
It was Peter who created the empire. His reign became a time of full-scale reforms for Russia. Significantly expanded the territory of the state. Especially in the Baltic region after the victory in the Northern War over the Swedes. It was this success that enabled him to accept the title of emperor, and to declare the state itself an empire.
The economy was raised, a network of glass and metallurgical plants was founded, import of foreign goods was reduced to a minimum. In the shortest possible time he managed to realize this strategically important, but difficult task.
One of the first Russian rulers, Peter began to adopt their best ideas and undertakings from the Western powers. However, it is worth recognizing that all successes and reforms were achieved only through violence against the population, all dissent was eradicated. Because of this, it still causes controversy among historians.
Giving a characterization of the personality of Peter 1, it is worth noting that he had a cheerful and sharp temper, which was combined with sudden and spontaneous impulses. It could be affection and unbridled cruelty.
From his youth, Peter was a supporter of drunken orgies with his comrades. Being angry, he could beat a close man. Often, he chose old boyars and other persons from the nobility as victims of his evil jokes. At the same time, he was not shy about his decisiveness and cruelty. After the Streletsky riot, he personally served as the executioner.
Moreover, in official Russian historiography it is customary to consider him one of the most prominent statesmen who determined the development of Russia and its fate.