The history of Russia is rich in various eras, each of which has left its mark on the life of the country. One of the most intense and provoking numerous disputes was the reign of Peter the Great, which ended on January 25, 1725 in connection with the sudden death of the emperor.
Russia without a king? Who ruled after Peter 1
Three years before his death, the autocrat managed to issue a decree that changed the pre-existing order of inheritance of the throne: now the heir was not the eldest son, but one of the sons whom the father considers worthy to take such an honorable place. This decision was due to the fact that the son of the king, the potential heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei, was accused of plotting against his own father and, as a result, was sentenced to death. In 1718, the prince died within the walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress.
However, before his death, Peter I did not have time to appoint a new king, leaving the country, for the development of which he put so much effort, without a ruler.
As a result, the next few years were marked by numerous palace coups, the purpose of which was to seize power. Since no official heir was appointed, those who wanted to sit on the throne tried to prove that they deserved this right.
The first coup carried out by the guardsmen of the wife of Peter I - after the birth of Martha Skavronskaya, popularly known as Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova (Catherine I) - brought to power the first woman in Russian history.
He directed the enthronement of the future empress by the all-Russian associate of the deceased tsar, Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov, who became the de facto ruler of the state.
Russia after Peter 1 is a special milestone in world history. The strict orderliness and discipline that partly characterized the reign of the emperor, now lost their former strength.
Catherine I: who is she?
Marta Skavronska (the real name of the empress) was from a family of Baltic peasants. She was born on April 5, 1684. Having lost both parents early, the girl was brought up in the family of a Protestant pastor.
During the Northern War (between Sweden and Russia), in 1702, Marta, along with other residents of the Marienburg fortress, was captured by the Russian troops, and then in the service of Prince Menshikov. There are two versions of how this happened.
One version says that Marta became the mistress of Count Sheremetev - the commander of the Russian army. She was seen by Prince Alexander Danilovich - the favorite of Peter the Great - and, using his authority, took the girl to his house.
According to another version, Marta became the managing servant of Colonel Baur, where Menshikov laid his eyes on her and took him to his house. And here, Peter I. himself noticed her.
Rapprochement with Peter I
For 9 years, Marta was the king's mistress. In 1704, she bore him his first child - the son of Peter, and then the second son - Paul. However, both boys died.
The education of the future empress was handled by the sister of Peter I - Natalya Alekseevna, who taught Martha to read and write. And in 1705, a girl was baptized into Orthodoxy under the name of Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova. In 1708 and 1709, the birth of the daughter of Catherine from Peter Alekseevich - Anna and Elizabeth (later occupying the throne under the name of Elizabeth Petrovna).
Finally, in 1712, the wedding of Peter I took place in the church of John Dalmitsky - Catherine became a full member of the royal family. The year 1724 was marked by the solemn coronation of Martha Skavronskaya in the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. She received the crown from the hands of the emperor himself.
Who and when ruled in Russia
After the death of Peter the Great, Russia fully recognized what a country is worth without a powerful ruler. Since Prince Menshikov won the king’s favor, and later helped Catherine I to become the head of state, the question about who ruled after Peter the Great will be answered by Prince Alexander Danilovich, who actively participated in the life of the country and made the most important decisions. However, the reign of the empress, despite such strong support, did not last long - until May 1727.
While on the throne of Catherine I, the Supreme Privy Council, created even before the accession to the throne of the empress, played an important role in the politics of Russia at that time. It included such noble and prominent people in the Russian Empire at that time as Prince Alexander Menshikov (who headed this body), Dmitry Golitsyn, Fedor Apraksin, Peter Tolstoy.
At the beginning of the reign of Catherine I, taxes were reduced and many condemned to exile and imprisonment were pardoned. Such changes were caused were fear of riots due to price increases, which would invariably lead to discontent among the townsfolk.
In addition, the reforms carried out by Peter were canceled or modified:
the Senate began to play a less noticeable role in the political life of the country;
governors replaced local authorities;
For the improvement of the troops, a special Commission was organized, consisting of flagships and generals.
Innovations of Catherine I. Domestic and Foreign Policy
For those who ruled after Peter 1 (we are talking about his wife), it was extremely difficult to surpass the reformer king in the multifaceted nature of politics. Of the innovations, it is worth noting the creation of the Academy of Sciences and the organization of an expedition led by the famous navigator Vitus Bering to Kamchatka.
In foreign policy as a whole, Catherine I adhered to the views of her husband: she supported the claims of the Holstein duke Karl Friedrich (who was her son-in-law) against Schleswig. This led to an aggravation of relations with England and Denmark. The result of the confrontation was Russia's accession to the Vienna Union (which included Spain, Prussia and Austria) in 1726.
After Peter 1, Russia gained significant influence in Courland. It was so great that Prince Menshikov planned to become the head of this duchy, however, local residents revealed discontent about this.
Thanks to the foreign policy of Catherine I and Alexander Danilovich (who ruled Russia after the death of Peter 1 in fact), the empire was able to take over the Shirvan region (having made concessions in this matter from Persia and Turkey). Also, thanks to Prince Raguzinsky, friendly relations were established with China.
The end of the reign of the empress
The power of Catherine I came to an end in May 1727, when the empress died at the 44th year of her life from lung disease. They buried her in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
Before her death, Catherine wanted to make her daughter Empress Elizabeth, however, she again obeyed Menshikov and appointed her grandson, Peter II Alekseevich, heir and tsar of Russia, who was 11 years old when he ascended the throne.
Prince Alexander Danilovich became the regent (this fact once again proves who ruled after Peter 1 in Russia). Menshikov soon married the newly-made tsar with his daughter Maria, thus further strengthening his influence on court and state life.
However, the power of Prince Alexander Danilovich did not last long: after the death of Emperor Peter II, he was accused of a state conspiracy and died in exile.
After Peter the Great, Russia is already a completely different state, where reform and transformation did not come first, but the struggle for the throne and attempts to prove the superiority of some classes over others.