Palace coups of the 18th century briefly table. Characteristics of the era of palace coups. Brief chronology of events

google_protectAndRun("render_ads. js::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad); Lesson type: learning new material.

Goals:

Educational:

palace coups

Developmental:

Educational:

Basic concepts: Palace coups, Supreme Privy Council, favorite, condition.

Equipment: map: “Russia in the XVII - 1760s”, portraits of rulers of the era of palace coups, Surikov’s painting “Menshikov in Berezovo”, presentation

During the classes

I. Organizational moment.

II. Learning new material.

The beginning of the 18th century is associated with the activities of Peter I. We examined in detail his reforms in the field of economics, government, army and navy. And today we’ll talk about the events that happened in Russia after the death of Peter the Great.

The topic of our lesson is “Palace coups”

As the lesson progresses, we will become familiar with brief description rulers of a given era, find out the reasons for palace coups, fill out the tables “Palace coups of the 18th century”.

(tables are given to each student, during the lesson, getting acquainted with a new topic, students fill out the tables independently, check is carried out at the end of the lesson)

Directly related to the topic of our lesson are two events that occurred in last years reign of Peter I. Let's remember these events.

-What do you know about “The Case of Tsarevich Alexei”?

The “case of Tsarevich Alexei” prompted Peter to change the order of succession to the throne. In 1722 he signed a decree.

-What is the content of the decree of 1722 on the order of succession to the throne?

(wanting to transfer the throne to his youngest son, bypassing his eldest, Peter signed a decree on succession to the throne, according to which the emperor could appoint his own successor. However, the younger son did not live long, the eldest died in prison and Peter had no direct male heirs, with the exception of his grandson , son of Tsarevich Alexei.

But whether Peter and his successors managed to take advantage of this decree, this will be discussed in the lesson.

The rights to the throne belonged to the grandson of the deceased emperor Peter (son of Tsarevich Alexei), wife Catherine and daughters Anna and Elizabeth. There was also relatives through his older brother Ivan, with whom Peter began to reign in 1682.

But the main contenders turned out to be Ekaterina Alekseevna, the widow of Peter I (Menshikov stood behind her), and his grandson, Pyotr Alekseevich (representatives of the old boyar families he headed wanted to see him on the throne), who was then 9 years old. Menshikov was able to make better use of the current situation, and with the help of some other close associates of Peter, after the death of the emperor, with the support of the guards regiments, he elevated Ekaterina Alekseevna to the throne.

Guys. Remember what the guard is? Who was included in it?

(state people, servicemen, from different classes, not only nobles, who felt close to the court and knew their responsibility for the fate of Russia

Please note that the real armed force in the capital were the guards regiments. The enthronement and deposition of monarchs depended on them.

Therefore, applicants for the royal crown tried in every possible way to enlist the support of the guard, providing it with special favors - ranks, lands with serfs, etc.

This election opens the era of palace coups in Russia.

Palace coups - a change of power carried out by a narrow circle of courtiers and guard regiments.

Over the 37 years from 1725 to 1762, five times with the help of weapons and the guard there was a change of rulers on the throne. The beginning of this era was marked by the death of Peter I and the subsequent struggle for power among various factions. And this era will end with the accession of Empress Catherine II for a long 34 years.

So, the first ruler of the era of palace coups - Catherine I.

Catherine 1 was born in 1684 in the family of a Lithuanian philistine Samuil Skavronsky and before accepting Orthodoxy she was called Martha Skavronskaya. She was not taught to read and write. During Northern War Marta, while in a Swedish convoy, was captured by the Russians and was taken into service, who gave her up to Menshikov. Peter 1, seeing her with his favorite, was a courtier who enjoyed the special favor of the monarch.

He took her in, and in 1703 she actually became the tsar’s wife. After baptism she received the name Ekaterina Alekseevna. Contemporaries noted that Catherine had a sound, active mind and had a strong moral influence on Peter, even accompanying him on campaigns. In her honor, Peter established the Order of St. Catherine. Catherine 1 and Peter 1 had 11 children, but only two daughters survived: Anna and Elizabeth. However, they had no rights to the throne, since they were born before the official marriage of their parents and were considered illegitimate.

Catherine was not distinguished by aristocratic elegance, but she was stately and pretty. She knew how to be courteous and kind to others. After the death of Peter 1, she was elevated to the throne with the support of the guard. The emperor's favorite, in fact, the de facto ruler of Russia. Catherine 1 was practically not involved in state affairs and, even after becoming empress, did not want to learn to read and write. Under the empress, the Supreme Privy Council was created with broad powers, limiting the autocratic royal power.

Menshikov, seeing that the health of Catherine I was deteriorating and she would not live long, the prince decided to become related to royal family, hoping to marry his 16-year-old daughter Maria to Peter II. Shortly before her death, Catherine 1 instructed the VTS to play the role of collective regent for 12-year-old Peter, the son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich. Menshikov was not against it, since he planned to marry Peter 2 to his daughter.

But luck changed him this time. Menshikov fell seriously ill. He was unable to do business for more than a month.

At this time, Prince Ivan Alekseevich Dolgoruky acquired influence over Peter II. The Tsar ceased to obey Menshikov. September 8, 1727 the prince was arrested, and then, deprived of ranks and awards, he and his family were exiled to the remote city of Berezov.

Having got rid of a dangerous rival, the Dolgorukys hastened to strengthen their position at court. In 1727 The reign of Peter II begins. And Ivan Dolgoruky’s sister, Catherine, was declared the bride of Peter II. But in January 1730, Having caught a bad cold after another hunt, Peter II fell ill with smallpox and died on the day of his supposed marriage to Catherine Dolgoruky. The Romanov dynasty ended with him in the male line.

Golitsyn said: “You should make it easier on yourself.” The point was to limit the power of the monarch in favor of the Supreme Privy Council by inviting Anna Ioannovna to reign. Anna was offered “condition-conditions”, by accepting which she could become an empress.

Text of the conditions signed by Anna Ioannovna.

high council

This document was drawn up in the spirit of a constitutional monarchy.

Define – What is a constitutional monarchy?

So, in Russia an attempt was made to limit the absolute power of the Russian monarch.

Anna signed the conditions and went to Moscow. Meanwhile, the “conditions” became known at court. The church and such an influential force as the guard and the nobility opposed them.

arrived in Moscow, she received a petition from the nobility and the guard, in which they asked her “to accept the autocracy that your praiseworthy ancestors had.” Anna, having learned about the mood of the nobility, publicly feigned indignation that the document had not been discussed among the nobility, tore the papers and threw them on the floor. The guards units supported her. The Supreme Privy Council was abolished. And the question of power was resolved. The ten-year reign of Anna Ioannovna began. The Dolgorukys were arrested and sent into exile in Berezov, where Menshikov, whom they had exiled, had died shortly before.

1730 Anna Ioannovna's reign begins until 1740.

There are different reviews, sometimes contradictory, about the appearance and character of Empress Anna Ioannovna. For some, she “had a terrible look, had a disgusting face, she was so big when among the gentlemen she walks head taller than everyone else, and extremely fat.” And here is the opinion of the Spanish diplomat Duke de Liria: “Empress Anna is fat, dark, and her face is more masculine than feminine. Generous to the point of extravagance, she loves pomp excessively, which is why her courtyard surpasses all other European ones in splendor.”

Together with Anna, many Baltic Germans arrived from Courland and took important positions in government bodies. management. The most influential was Anna's favorite -.

A contemporary wrote about Biron: “Biron’s character was not the best: arrogant, ambitious to the extreme, rude and even impudent, selfish, irreconcilable in enmity and a cruel punisher.”

gave the following characterization of the period called the Bironovschina: “The Germans poured into Russia like rubbish from a leaky bag, stuck around the courtyard, inhabited the throne, and climbed into all the profitable positions in management.”

(student’s story about Bironovism)

In the autumn of 1940 Anna Ioannovna got sick. Her only relative was her niece (sister’s daughter) Anna Leopoldovna, who was close to the court. Anna Leopoldovna had a son, who was immediately declared heir to the throne. In October 1940, Anna Ioannovna died, appointing Biron as regent under the young Emperor Ivan Antonovich.

Biron failed to retain power. He was hated by the Russians and the Germans, and despised by the guards. The emperor's parents feared that the regent would take their son away from them and send them to Germany. November 9, 1740 Biron was arrested by guardsmen led by Field Marshal Minich.

Anna Leopoldovna became regent under Ivan Antonovich. Her reign was not marked by any important decisions. The ruler was not interested in anything. A mood in favor of a change of power began to form in the guard again. The most popular candidate for the imperial throne was the daughter of Peter I and Catherine I - Elizabeth.

Valentin Pikul in the novel “Word and Deed” describes the historical night for Russia from November 24 to 25, 1741...

“The sleigh stopped near the barracks of the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment, where a company of grenadiers loyal to Elizabeth was stationed. Entering the barracks, she said to the soldiers:

Guys, you know who I am. I don’t want bad things for you, but I wish you good things. We swear on this cross that we will die for Russia together.

Lead us, written beauty! We will kill everyone!

And then I won't go. There was already enough blood...

300 grenadiers followed the woman out into the bitter cold.

French academic Albert Vandal, describing this night:

A thick layer of hardened snow covered the ground, muffling all noise. The grenadiers hurriedly followed Elizabeth's sleigh, silently and full of determination: the soldiers swore a mutual oath not to utter a single word during the journey and to bayonet the first faint-hearted one.

And here is what historians write about Elizabeth:

Lively and cheerful, but not taking her eyes off herself, at the same time large and slender, with a beautiful round and ever-blooming face, she loved to make an impression, and, knowing that a man’s suit especially suited her, she established masquerades at court without masks , when men are required to arrive in full women's attire, in wide skirts, and ladies in men's court dress. Elizaveta Petrovna left behind 15 thousand dresses.

Peaceful and carefree, she was forced to fight for almost half of her reign, defeated the first strategist of that time, Frederick the Great, and took Berlin. According to Karamzin, under Elizabeth Russia came to its senses. It was under her that the death penalty was abolished in Russia.

Blitz survey:

Teacher:

Do you believe that Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1751? (No, 1741)

Do you believe that the era of Elizabeth’s reign is called the time of “cheerful Elizabeth”? (Yes - performances, balls, masquerades).

Is it true that Elizaveta Petrovna was practically the first in Europe to abolish the death penalty? (Yes)

Elizabeth declared her nephew Peter Fedorovich - the son of Anna Petrovna, the grandson of Peter I - as her heir.

On December 25, 1761, Peter III became Emperor of Russia. He managed to reign for only 186 days. Reviews about it were completely opposite. Under Peter III, a paradoxical situation arose: the emperor, on the one hand, made concessions to the nobility, on the other, committed actions that aroused the anger and indignation of patriotic forces. Peter III insulted the guard by making peace with Prussia. On June 28, 1762, Peter III was overthrown from the throne by his wife Catherine 2 and arrested, and a week later he was killed. For 34 years, his wife Catherine II ascended the throne - an intelligent, ambitious woman took the reins of a great power.

The era of palace coups is over.

Checking the table “Palace coups of the 18th century”

Ruler	Years of reign	Who did he rely on?
Catherine I, wife of Peter I	died of consumption	Menshikov and other associates of Peter I, the guard, the Supreme Privy Council - the highest state. establishment in Russia in 17 G.
Peter II, grandson of Peter I	1 died from smallpox	Group of princes Dolgoruky and Golitsyn, guard, Supreme Privy Council
Anna Ioanovna, niece of Peter I, daughter of his older brother Ivan	1bironovschina	Support of the guard, the German nobility led by Biron. Supreme Privy Council dissolved
Ivan IV Antonovich, great-nephew of Peter	Less than a month, deposed by the guard	Regent (ruler) with full power - Biron
Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Peter I		Guard and Russian nobility
Peter III, grandson of Peter I	Deposed by the Guard	No support
Catherine II, wife of Peter II		Guard and Russian nobility

What were the reasons for the palace coups?

lack of legal order of succession to the throne; strengthening the role of the guard.

The final part is the primary consolidation of the material.

1. Text with errors.

After the death of Peter II, the question of power arose. The choice of the rulers fell on the Duchess of Courland Elizabeth. The leaders decided to strengthen the autocratic power and, together with the invitation to the throne, sent its conditions (conditions). The conditions were published in all newspapers. Elizabeth did not sign them. Arriving in Moscow, she found out that almost all nobles maintain good condition. After that she signed them.

2.Test. What kind of ruler are we talking about?

1. “The Tsar is a tall man with a beautiful face, well-built, with great quickness of mind, quick and definite in his answers, the only pity is that he lacks complete secular sophistication. He showed us his hands and let us feel how rough they were from work” - this is what he looked like in the eyes of foreigners:

Alexey Mikhailovich, Peter I, Peter II, Peter III.

2. “Only by signing the terms of reference,” she could become the Russian Empress:

Catherine I, Anna Ioannovna, Anna Leopoldovna, Elizaveta Petrovna.

3. Courland nobleman, distinguished by arrogance and rudeness, who played at the court of Empress Anna Ioannovna main role. His name has become a household name; it is sometimes used to refer to the entire period.

K. Friedrich, .

4. With the call for soldiers in the barracks of the Preobrazhensky Regiment to serve her as her father, and the arrest of the Brunswick family, a 20-year reign began:

Anna Leopoldovna, Elizaveta Petrovna, Catherine II, Anna Ioannovna.

Reflection.

How did I learn the material?

I gained solid knowledge, mastered all the material - 9-10 points.

Got it new material partially - 7-8 points.

I understood little, I still need to work - 4-6 points.

d/z– underline the names of monarchs who gained power as a result of palace coups, that is, with the help of the guard.

The era of palace coups

The era of palace coups is considered to be the time from 1725 to 1862 - approximately 37 years. In 1725, Peter I died without transferring the throne to anyone, after which a struggle for power began, which was marked by a number of palace coups.

The author of the term “palace coups” is a historian IN. Klyuchevsky. He outlined another time period for this phenomenon in Russian history: 1725-1801, since in 1801 the last palace coup in the Russian Empire took place, ending with the death of Paul I and the accession of Alexander I Pavlovich.

To understand the reason for the series of palace coups in the 18th century, one should return to the era of Peter I, or more precisely, to 1722, when he issued the Decree on Succession to the Throne. The decree abolished the custom of transferring the royal throne to direct descendants in the male line and provided for the appointment of an heir to the throne at the will of the monarch. Peter I issued a Decree on Succession to the Throne due to the fact that his son, Tsarevich Alexei, was not a supporter of the reforms he was carrying out and grouped the opposition around himself. After the death of Alexei in 1718, Peter I did not intend to transfer power to his grandson Peter Alekseevich, fearing for the future of the reforms he was carrying out, but he himself did not have time to appoint a successor.

N. Ge "Peter I interrogates Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich in Peterhof"

After his death, his widow was proclaimed empress Catherine I, which relied on one of the court groups.

Catherine I occupied the Russian throne for just over two years; she left a will: she appointed Grand Duke Peter Alekseevich as her successor and outlined in detail the order of succession to the throne, and all copies of the Decree on Succession to the Throne under Peter II Alekseevich were confiscated.

But Peter II died, also without leaving a will or an heir, and then the Supreme Privy Council (created in February 1726 with members: Field Marshal General His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov, Admiral General Count Fyodor Matveevich Apraksin, State Chancellor Count Gavriil Ivanovich Golovkin, Count Peter Andreevich Tolstoy, Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Golitsyn, Baron Andrei Ivanovich Osterman, and then Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein - as we see, almost all the “chicks of Petrov’s nest”) were elected empress Anna Ioannovna.

Before her death she designated a successor Ioann Antonovich, also detailing the further line of succession.

Overthrown Joan Elizaveta Petrovna relied on the will of Catherine I to justify her rights to the throne.

A few years later, her nephew Pyotr Fedorovich ( Peter III), after his accession to the throne his son became heir PaulI Petrovich.

But soon after this, as a result of a coup, power passed to the wife of Peter III Catherine II, which referred to “the will of all subjects,” while Paul remained the heir, although Catherine, according to some data, considered the option of depriving him of the right to inherit.

Having ascended the throne, in 1797, Paul I, on the day of his coronation, published the Manifesto on the succession to the throne, compiled by him and his wife Maria Fedorovna during Catherine’s lifetime. According to this manifesto, which repealed Peter’s decree, “the heir was determined by the law itself” - Paul’s intention was to eliminate in the future the situation of removing legitimate heirs from the throne and eliminating arbitrariness.

But the new principles of succession to the throne were not accepted for a long time not only by the nobility, but even by members imperial family: after the murder of Paul in 1801, his widow Maria Feodorovna, who together with him drew up the Manifesto on the Succession to the Throne, cried out: “I want to reign!” Alexander I’s manifesto on accession to the throne also contained Peter’s wording: “and his imperial majesty to the heir, who will be appointed", despite the fact that according to the law, Alexander’s heir was his brother Konstantin Pavlovich, who secretly renounced this right, which also contradicted the Manifesto of Paul I.

The Russian succession to the throne stabilized only after the accession to the throne of Nicholas I. Here is such a long preamble. And now, in order. So, CatherineI, PeterII, Anna Ioannovna, Ioann Antonovich, Elizaveta Petrovna, PeterIII, CatherineII, PavelI…

CatherineI

Catherine I. Portrait of an unknown artist

PeterII Alekseevich

Emperor of All Russia, son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich and Princess Charlotte Sophia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, grandson of Peter I and Evdokia Lopukhina. Born on October 12, 1715. He lost his mother at the age of 10 days, and his father fled to Vienna with his teacher N. Vyazemsky’s serf, Efrosinya Feodorovna. Peter I returned his rebellious son, forced him to renounce his right to the throne and sentenced him to death. There is a version that Alexey Petrovich was strangled in the Peter and Paul Fortress without waiting for its execution.

Peter I did not care about his grandson, since he assumed in him, like his son, an opponent of reforms, an adherent of the old Moscow way of life. Little Peter was taught not just “something and somehow,” but just anyone, so he received virtually no education by the time he ascended the throne.

I. Wedekind "Portrait of Peter II"

But Menshikov had his own plans: he convinced Catherine I to name Peter as heir in her will, and after her death he ascended the throne. Menshikov betrothed him to his daughter Maria (Peter was only 12 years old), moved him into his house and actually began to govern the state himself, regardless of the opinion of the Supreme Privy Council. Baron A. Osterman, as well as Academician Goldbach and Archbishop F. Prokopovich, were appointed to train the young emperor. Osterman was a clever diplomat and a talented teacher, he captivated Peter with his witty lessons, but at the same time turned him against Menshikov (a struggle for power in another version! Osterman “bet” on Dolgoruky: a foreigner in Russia, albeit crowned with the glory of a skilled diplomat, can carry out its policy only in close alliance with the Russians). It all ended with Peter II removing Menshikov from power, taking advantage of his illness, depriving him of his ranks and fortune, and exiling him and his family first to the Ryazan province, and then to Berezov, Tobolsk province.

So, the powerful Menshikov fell, but the struggle for power continued - now, as a result of intrigues, the Dolgoruky princes gain primacy, who draw Peter into a wild life, carousing, and, having learned about his passion for hunting, take him away from the capital for many weeks.

On February 24, 1728, the coronation of Peter II takes place, but he remains far from state affairs. The Dolgorukys betrothed him to Princess Ekaterina Dolgoruky, the wedding was scheduled for January 19, 1730, but he caught a cold, contracted smallpox and died on the morning of the proposed wedding, he was only 15 years old. This is how the Romanov family in the male line was extinguished.

What can be said about the personality of Peter II? Let's listen to the historian N. Kostomarov: “Peter II did not reach the age when a person’s personality is determined. Although his contemporaries praised his abilities, natural intelligence and kind heart, these were only hopes for good things in the future. His behavior did not give the right to expect him to become a good ruler of the state over time. He not only did not like teaching and work, but hated both; nothing fascinated him in the state sphere; he was completely absorbed in fun, being constantly under someone’s influence.”

During his reign, power was mainly vested in the Supreme Privy Council.

Board results: decrees on streamlining the collection of poll taxes from the population (1727); restoration of the hetman's power in Little Russia; The Bill of Exchange Charter was promulgated; A trade agreement with China has been ratified.

Anna Ioannovna

L. Caravaque "Portrait of Anna Ioannovna"

After the premature death of Peter II, the issue of succession to the throne again becomes on the agenda. There was an attempt to enthronement the bride of Peter II, Catherine Dolgorukaya, but it was unsuccessful. Then the Golitsyns, rivals of the Dolgorukys, nominated their contender - the niece of Peter I, Anna of Courland. But Anna came to power by signing the conditions. What are these “conditions” (conditions) of Anna Ioannovna?

This is an act that was drawn up by members of the Supreme Privy Council and which Anna Ioannovna had to fulfill: not to enter into marriage, not to appoint an heir, not to have the right to declare war and make peace, to introduce new taxes, to reward and punish subordinate senior officials. The main author of the conditions was Dmitry Golitsyn, but the document, drawn up immediately after the death of Peter II, was read only on February 2, 1730, so the bulk of the nobility could only guess about its contents and be content with rumors and assumptions. When the standards were made public, a split emerged among the nobility. Anna signed the conditions proposed to her on January 25, but when she arrived in Moscow, she accepted a deputation of opposition nobles who were concerned about the strengthening of the power of the Supreme Privy Council, and with the help of officers of the guard regiments, on February 28, 1730, she swore in the nobility as Russian autocrat, and also publicly refused from the conditions. On March 4, she abolishes the Supreme Privy Council, and on April 28, she is solemnly crowned and appoints her favorite E. Biron as Chief Chamberlain. The era of Bironovism begins.

A few words about the personality of Anna Ioannovna.

She was born on January 28, 1693, the fourth daughter of Tsar Ivan V (brother and co-ruler of Peter I) and Tsarina Praskovya Fedorovna Saltykova, granddaughter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. She was brought up in an extremely unfavorable environment: her father was a weak-minded man, and she did not get along with her mother from early childhood. Anna was arrogant and not of high intelligence. Her teachers could not even teach the girl to write correctly, but she achieved “bodily well-being.” Peter I, guided by political interests, married his niece to the Duke of Courland, Friedrich Wilhelm, nephew of the Prussian king. Their marriage took place on October 31, 1710 in St. Petersburg, in the palace of Prince Menshikov, and after that the couple spent a long time at feasts in the capital of Russia. But, barely leaving St. Petersburg for his possessions at the beginning of 1711, Friedrich Wilhelm died on the way to Mitava - as they suspected, due to immoderate excesses. So, without having time to be a wife, Anna becomes a widow and moves to her mother in the village of Izmailovo near Moscow, and then to St. Petersburg. But in 1716, by order of Peter I, she left for permanent residence in Courland.

And now she is the All-Russian Empress. Her reign, according to the historian V. Klyuchevsky, “is one of the darkest pages of our empire, and the darkest spot on it is the empress herself. Tall and corpulent, with a face more masculine than feminine, callous by nature and even more hardened by early widowhood amid diplomatic intrigues and court adventures in Courland, she brought to Moscow an angry and poorly educated mind with a fierce thirst for belated pleasures and entertainment.” Her courtyard was drowned in luxury and bad taste and was filled with crowds of jesters, firecrackers, buffoons, storytellers... Lazhechnikov talks about her “fun” in the book “Ice House”. She loved horse riding and hunting; in Peterhof, in her room, she always had loaded guns ready to shoot from the window at flying birds, and in the Winter Palace they specially built an arena for her, where they drove wild animals that she shot.

She was completely unprepared to rule the state, and moreover, she did not have the slightest desire to rule it. But she surrounded herself with foreigners who were completely dependent on her, who, according to V. Klyuchevsky, “fell into Russia like cheese from a holey bag, stuck around the courtyard, sat around the throne, and climbed into all the profitable positions in management.”

Portrait of E. Biron. Unknown artist

All affairs under Anna Ioannovna were managed by her favorite E. Biron. The cabinet of ministers created by Osterman was subordinate to him. The army was commanded by Minich and Lassi, and the court was commanded by the bribe-taker and passionate gambler Count Levenvold. In April 1731, a secret search office (torture chamber) began its work, supporting the authorities with denunciations and torture.

Board results: the position of the nobility was significantly eased - they were assigned the exclusive right to own peasants; Military service lasted 25 years, and by a manifesto of 1736, one of the sons, at the request of his father, was allowed to stay at home to run the household and train him with a view to suitability for civil service.

In 1731 the law on single inheritance was repealed.

In 1732, the first cadet corps was opened to educate nobles.

The subjugation of Poland continued: the Russian army under the command of Minich took Danzig, losing more than 8 thousand of our soldiers.

In 1736-1740 there was a war with Turkey. The reason for it was the constant raids of the Crimean Tatars. As a result of the campaigns of Lassi, who took Azov in 1739, and Minikh, who captured Perekop and Ochakov in 1736, and won a victory at Stauci in 1739, after which Moldova accepted Russian citizenship, the Peace of Belgrade was concluded. As a result of all these military operations, Russia lost about 100 thousand people, but still did not have the right to maintain a navy in the Black Sea, and could only use Turkish ships for trade.

To maintain the royal court in luxury, it was necessary to introduce milking raids and extortion expeditions. Many representatives of ancient noble families were executed or sent into exile: the Dolgorukovs, Golitsyns, Yusupovs and others. Chancellor A.P. Volynsky, together with like-minded people, in 1739 compiled a “Project on the improvement of state affairs,” which contained demands for the protection of the Russian nobility from the dominance of foreigners. According to Volynsky, the board in Russian Empire should be monarchical with the wide participation of the nobility as the leading class in the state. The next government authority after the monarch should be the Senate (as it was under Peter the Great); then comes the lower government, made up of representatives of the lower and middle nobility. Estates: spiritual, urban and peasant - received, according to Volynsky’s project, significant privileges and rights. Literacy was required from everyone, and from the clergy and nobility a broader education, the breeding grounds of which were to be academies and universities. Many reforms were also proposed to improve justice, finance, trade, etc. For this they paid with execution. Moreover, Volynsky was sentenced to a very cruel execution: impaled alive, having first cut out his tongue; quarter his associates and then cut off their heads; confiscate the estate and send Volynsky’s two daughters and son into eternal exile. But then the sentence was commuted: three were beheaded, and the rest were exiled.

Shortly before her death, Anna Ioannovna learned that her niece Anna Leopoldovna had a son, and declared the two-month-old baby Ivan Antonovich heir to the throne, and before he came of age, she appointed E. Biron as regent, who received “the power and authority to manage all state affairs as internal, and foreign ones."

IvanVI Antonovich: Biron’s regency – Minich’s coup

Ivan VI Antonovich and Anna Leopoldovna

Biron's regency lasted about three weeks. Having received the right to regency, Biron continues to fight with Minich, and in addition, spoils relations with both Anna Leopoldovna and her husband Anton Ulrich. On the night of November 7–8, 1740, another palace coup took place, organized by Minich. Biron was arrested and sent into exile in the Tobolsk province, and the regency passed to Anna Leopoldovna. She recognized herself as a ruler, but did not take actual participation in state affairs. According to contemporaries, “... she was not stupid, but she had an aversion to any serious activity.” Anna Leopoldovna constantly quarreled and did not speak for weeks with her husband, who, in her opinion, “had a kind heart, but no intelligence.” And disagreements between spouses naturally created conditions for court intrigues in the struggle for power. Taking advantage of Anna Leopoldovna's carelessness and the dissatisfaction of Russian society with the continued German dominance, Elizaveta Petrovna comes into play. With the help of the guardsmen of the Preobrazhensky Regiment loyal to her, she arrested Anna Leopoldovna along with her family and decided to send them abroad. But the chamberlain A. Turchaninov made an attempt to carry out a counter-coup in favor of Ivan VI, and then Elizaveta Petrovna changed her decision: she took Anna Leopoldovna’s entire family under arrest and sent him to Ranenburg (near Ryazan). In 1744, they were taken to Kholmogory, and on the orders of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, Ivan VI was isolated from his family and 12 years later secretly transported to Shlisselburg, where he was kept in solitary confinement under the name of a “famous prisoner.”

In 1762, Peter III secretly examined the former emperor. He disguised himself as an officer and entered the casemates where the prince was kept. He saw “a rather tolerable dwelling and sparsely equipped with the poorest furniture. The prince's clothes were also very poor. He was completely clueless and spoke incoherently. Either he claimed that he was Emperor John, or he insisted that the emperor was no longer in the world, and his spirit had passed into him...”

Under Catherine II, his guards were instructed to persuade the prince to become a monk, but in case of danger, “kill the prisoner, and not hand over the living one into the hands of anyone.” Lieutenant V. Mirovich, who learned the secret of the secret prisoner, tried to free Ivan Antonovich and proclaim him emperor. But the guards followed the instructions. The body of Ivan VI was exhibited for a week in the Shlisselburg fortress “for the news and worship of the people,” and then buried in Tikhvin in the Bogoroditsky Monastery.

Anna Leopoldovna died in 1747 from patrimonial fever, and Catherine II allowed Anton Ulrich to leave for his homeland, since he did not pose a danger to her, not being a member of the Romanov dynasty. But he refused the offer and stayed with the children in Kholmogory. But their fate is sad: Catherine II, after consolidating the dynasty with the birth of two grandchildren, allowed Anna Leopoldovna’s children to move in with her aunt, the Dowager Queen of Denmark and Norway. But, as N. Eidelman writes, “ironically, they lived at home - in prison, and then abroad - in freedom. But they yearned for that prison in their homeland, not knowing any language other than Russian.”

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna

S. van Loo "Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna"

PeterIII Fedorovich

A.K. Pfanzelt "Portrait of Peter III"

Read about it on our website: .

CatherineII Alekseevna the Great

A. Antropov "Catherine II the Great"

Empress of All Russia. Before the adoption of Orthodoxy - Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta. She was born in Stettin, where her father, Christian August, Duke of Anhalt-Zerbst-Bernburg, served as a major general at that time. Prussian army. Her mother, Johanna Elisabeth, for some reason did not like the girl, so Sofia (Fike, as her family called her) lived in Hamburg with her grandmother from early childhood. She received a mediocre upbringing because... The family was constantly in need; its teachers were random people. The girl did not stand out for any talents, except for a penchant for command and boyish games. Fike was secretive and calculating from childhood. By a happy coincidence, during a trip to Russia in 1744, at the invitation of Elizaveta Petrovna, she became the bride of the future Russian Tsar Peter III Fedorovich.

Catherine already in 1756 was planning her future seizure of power. During the serious and prolonged illness of Elizabeth Petrovna, the Grand Duchess made it clear to her “English comrade” H. Williams that he had to wait only for the death of the Empress. But Elizaveta Petrovna died only in 1761, and her legal heir, Peter III, the husband of Catherine II, ascended the throne.

Teachers of the Russian language and the Law of God were assigned to the princess; she showed enviable persistence in learning in order to prove her love for a foreign country and adapt to a new life. But the first years of her life in Russia were very difficult, and she also experienced neglect from her husband and courtiers. But the desire to become a Russian empress outweighed the bitterness of the trials. She adapted to the tastes of the Russian court, only one thing was missing - an heir. And this is exactly what was expected of her. After two unsuccessful pregnancies, she finally gave birth to a son, the future Emperor Paul I. But by order of Elizabeth Petrovna, he was immediately separated from his mother, showing him for the first time only 40 days later. Elizaveta Petrovna raised her grandson herself, and Ekaterina began to educate herself: she read a lot, and not only novels - her interests included historians and philosophers: Tacitus, Montesquieu, Voltaire, etc. Thanks to her hard work and perseverance, she was able to achieve respect for herself, with her not only famous Russian politicians, but also foreign ambassadors began to count. In 1761, her husband, Peter III, ascended the throne, but he was unpopular in society, and then Catherine, with the help of the guards of the Izmailovsky, Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments, overthrew her husband from the throne in 1762. She also stopped attempts to appoint her regent for her son Paul , which N. Panin and E. Dashkova sought, and got rid of Ivan VI. Read more about the reign of Catherine II on our website:

Having become known as an enlightened queen, Catherine II was unable to achieve love and understanding from her own son. In 1794, despite the opposition of the courtiers, she decided to remove Paul from the throne in favor of her beloved grandson Alexander. But sudden death in 1796 prevented her from achieving what she wanted.

All-Russian Emperor PavelI Petrovich

S. Shchukin "Portrait of Emperor Paul I"

The most important and interesting stage in the history of Russia was the period from 1725 to 1762. During this time, six monarchs were replaced, each of whom was backed by certain political forces. very aptly called it this - the era of palace coups. The table presented in the article will help you better understand the course of events. The change of power, as a rule, took place through intrigue, betrayal, and murder.

It all started with the unexpected death of Peter I. He left behind the “Charter of Succession to the Throne” (1722), according to which he could claim power a large number of Human.

The end of this troubled era is considered to be the coming to power of Catherine II. Many historians consider her reign to be the era of enlightened absolutism.

Prerequisites for palace coups

The main reason for all previous events was the contradictions between many noble groups regarding the succession to the throne. They were unanimous only that a temporary stop should be made in carrying out reforms. Each of them saw such a respite in their own way. Also, all groups of nobles were equally zealous for power. Therefore, the era of palace coups, the table of which is given below, was limited only by a change in the top.

The decision of Peter I regarding succession to the throne has already been mentioned. He broke the traditional mechanism by which power was transferred from the monarch to the senior representative in the male line.

Peter I did not want to see his son on the throne after him because he was an opponent of reforms. Therefore, he decided that the monarch would be able to independently name the contender. However, he died, leaving on paper the phrase “Give everything...”.

The masses were alienated from politics, the nobles could not share the throne - the state was overwhelmed by the struggle for power. Thus began the era of palace coups. The diagram and table will allow you to better trace the blood ties of all contenders for the throne.

Coup of 1725 (Ekaterina Alekseevna)

At this time, two opposing groups formed. The first consisted of A. Osterman and A. Menshikov. They sought to transfer power to Peter's widow Alekseevna.

The second group, which included the Duke of Holstein, wanted to enthrone Peter II (son of Alexei and grandson of Peter I).

A. Menshikov had a clear advantage, who managed to gain the support of the guard and place Catherine I on the throne. However, she did not have the ability to govern the state, so in 1726 the Great Privy Council was created. It became the highest government body.

The actual ruler was A. Menshikov. He subjugated the Council and enjoyed the unlimited confidence of the Empress. He was also one of the leading figures when the rulers of the era of palace coups changed (the table explains everything).

Accession of Peter II in 1727

The reign lasted just over two years. After her death, the question of succession to the throne again hung over the state.

This time the “Holstein group” was led by Anna Petrovna. She initiated a conspiracy against A. Menshikov and A. Osterman, which ended unsuccessfully. The young Peter was recognized as sovereign. A. Osterman became his mentor and educator. However, he failed to exert the necessary influence on the monarch, although it was still enough to prepare and carry out the overthrow of A. Menshikov in 1727.

The reign of Anna Ioannovna since 1730

He remained on the throne for three years and died suddenly. Once again, the main question becomes: “Who will take the throne?” Thus continued the era of palace coups. A table of what is happening is presented below.

The Dolgorukys appear on the scene of events and attempt to enthronement of Catherine Dolgoruky. She was the bride of Peter II.

The attempt failed, and the Golitsyns nominated their contender. She became Anna Ioannovna. She was crowned only after signing the Conditions with the Supreme Privy Council, which had not yet lost its influence.

Conditions limited the power of the monarch. Soon the empress tears up the documents she signed and returns autocracy. She decides the issue of succession to the throne in advance. Unable to have children of her own, she declared her niece's child to be the future heir. He will be known as Peter III.

However, by 1740, a son, John, was born to Elizaveta Petrovna and a representative of the Welf family, who became monarch at two months immediately after the death of Anna Ioannovna. Biron is recognized as his regent.

1740 and Minich's coup

The regent's reign lasted two weeks. The coup was organized by Field Marshal Minich. He was supported by the guard, who arrested Biron and appointed the baby's mother as regent.

The woman was not capable of governing the state, and Minich took everything into his own hands. He was subsequently replaced by A. Osterman. He also sent the field marshal into retirement. The era of palace coups (the table is presented below) united these rulers.

Accession of Elizabeth Petrovna from 1741

On November 25, 1741, another coup took place. It passed quickly and bloodlessly, power was in the hands of Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Peter I. She raised the guard behind her with a short speech and proclaimed herself empress. Count Vorontsov helped her in this.

The young ex-emperor and his mother were imprisoned in the fortress. Minich, Osterman, Levenvolde were sentenced to death, but it was replaced by exile to Siberia.

Rules for over 20 years.

The rise to power of Peter III

Elizaveta Petrovna saw her father's relative as her successor. That's why she brought her nephew from Holstein. He was given the name Peter III, he converted to Orthodoxy. The Empress was not delighted with the character of the future heir. In an effort to rectify the situation, she assigned teachers to him, but this did not help.

To continue the family line, Elizaveta Petrovna married him to the German princess Sophia, who would become Catherine the Great. They had two children - son Pavel and daughter Anna.

Before her death, Elizabeth will be advised to appoint Paul as her heir. However, she never decided to do this. After her death, the throne passed to her nephew. His policies were very unpopular both among the people and among the nobles. Moreover, after the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, he was in no hurry to be crowned. This became the reason for a coup on the part of his wife Catherine, over whom a threat had long hung (the emperor often stated this). It officially ended the era of the palace coup (the table contains additional information about the empress’s childhood nickname).

June 28, 1762. Reign of Catherine II

Having become the wife of Pyotr Fedorovich, Catherine began to study the Russian language and traditions. She quickly absorbed new information. This helped her distract herself after two unsuccessful pregnancies and the fact that her long-awaited son, Pavel, was taken away from her immediately after birth. She saw him only 40 days later. Elizabeth was involved in his upbringing. She dreamed of becoming an empress. She had such an opportunity because Pyotr Fedorovich did not go through the coronation. Elizabeth took advantage of the support of the guards and overthrew her husband. Most likely, he was killed, although the official version was called death from colic.

Her reign lasted 34 years. She refused to become regent for her son and gave him the throne only after her death. Her reign dates back to the era of enlightened absolutism. The table “Palace Coups” presented everything more briefly.

General information

With Catherine's rise to power, the era of the palace coup ends. The table does not consider the emperors who reigned after her, although Paul also left the throne as a result of a conspiracy.

In order to better understand everything that is happening, you should consider the events and people who are associated with them through general information on the topic “The Age of Palace Coups” (briefly).

Table "Palace coups"
Ruler	Reign period	Support
Catherine I, nee Marta Skavronskaya, wife of Peter I	1725-1727, death associated with consumption or an attack of rheumatism	Guards regiments, A. Menshikov, P. Tolstoy, Supreme Privy Council
Peter II Alekseevich, grandson of Peter the Great, died of smallpox		Guards regiments, Dolgoruky family, Supreme Privy Council
Anna Ioannovna, niece of Peter the Great, died of her own death		Guards regiments, Secret Chancellery, Biron, A. Osterman, Minich
(great-nephew of Peter the Great), his mother and regent Anna Leopoldovna		German nobility
Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great, died of old age		Guards regiments
Peter III Fedorovich, grandson of Peter the Great, died under unclear circumstances		Had no support
Ekaterina Alekseevna, wife of Pyotr Fedorovich, nee Sophia Augusta, or simply Fouquet, died of old age		Guards regiments and Russian nobles

The table of palace coups clearly describes the main events of that time.

Results of the era of palace coups

Palace coups amounted only to a struggle for power. They did not bring with them changes in the political and social sphere. The nobles divided the right to power among themselves, resulting in six rulers in 37 years.

Social and economic stabilization was associated with Elizabeth I and Catherine II. They were also able to achieve certain successes in the state’s foreign policy.

In 1725, Russian Emperor Peter I died without leaving a legal heir and without transferring the throne to the chosen one. Over the next 37 years, there was a struggle for power between his relatives - contenders for the Russian throne. This period in history is usually called " era of palace coups».

A feature of the period of “palace coups” is that the transfer of supreme power in the state was not carried out by inheriting the crown, but was carried out by guards or courtiers using forceful methods.

Such confusion arose due to the lack of clearly defined rules of succession to the throne in a monarchical country, which caused the supporters of one or another contender to fight among themselves.

The era of palace coups 1725-1762.

After Peter the Great, the following sat on the Russian throne:

Catherine I - the emperor's wife,
Peter II - grandson of the emperor,
Anna Ioannovna - the emperor's niece,
Ioann Antonovich is the great-nephew of the previous one,
Elizaveta Petrovna - daughter of Peter I,
Peter III is the nephew of the previous one,
Catherine II is the wife of the previous one.

In general, the era of revolutions lasted from 1725 to 1762.

Catherine I (1725–1727).

One part of the nobility, led by A. Menshikov, wanted to see the emperor’s second wife, Catherine, on the throne. The other part is the grandson of Emperor Peter Alekseevich. The dispute was won by those who were supported by the guard - the first. Under Catherine, A. Menshikov played a major role in the state.

In 1727, the Empress died, appointing the young Peter Alekseevich as successor to the throne.

Peter II (1727–1730).

Young Peter became emperor under the regency of the Supreme Privy Council. Gradually Menshikov lost his influence and was exiled. Soon the regency was abolished - Peter II declared himself ruler, the court returned to Moscow.

Shortly before his wedding to Catherine Dolgoruky, the emperor died of smallpox. There was no will.

Anna Ioannovna (1730–1740).

The Supreme Council invited the niece of Peter I, Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna, to rule in Russia. The challenger agreed to conditions limiting her power. But in Moscow, Anna quickly got used to it, enlisted the support of part of the nobility and violated the previously signed agreement, returning autocracy. However, it was not she who ruled, but the favorites, the most famous of whom was E. Biron.

In 1740, Anna died, having designated her great-nephew baby Ivan Antonovich (Ivan VI) as heir under regent Biron.

The coup was carried out by Field Marshal Minich, the fate of the child is still unclear.

Elizaveta Petrovna (1741–1761).

The guards again helped Peter I’s own daughter seize power. On the night of November 25, 1741, Elizaveta Petrovna, who was also supported by commoners, was literally brought to the throne. The coup had a bright patriotic overtones. His main goal was to remove foreigners from power in the country. Elizaveta Petrovna's policy was aimed at continuing her father's affairs.

Peter III (1761–1762).

Peter III is the orphaned nephew of Elizabeth Petrovna, the son of Anna Petrovna and the Duke of Holstein. In 1742 he was invited to Russia and became heir to the throne.

During Elizabeth's lifetime, Peter married his cousin, Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerb, the future Catherine II.

Peter's policy after the death of his aunt was aimed at an alliance with Prussia. The behavior of the emperor and his love for the Germans alienated the Russian nobility.

It was the emperor’s wife who ended the 37-year leapfrog on the Russian throne. She was again supported by the army - the Izmailovsky and Semenovsky Guards regiments. Catherine was brought to the throne as Elizabeth had once been.

Catherine proclaimed herself empress in June 1762, and both the Senate and the Synod swore allegiance to her. Peter III signed the abdication of the throne.

History lesson in 7th grade "Palace coups"

Goals:

educational: identify the causes of palace coups, give a brief description of the emperors of the 18th century; show that the main driving force behind palace coups is the guard.

developing: continue to develop the skills to summarize individual events and formulate conclusions, work with textbook illustrations and historical documents; Continue to develop students’ ability to evaluate the actions of historical figures.

educational: to develop interest in Russian history.

Basic concepts: Palace coups, Supreme Privy Council, favorite, condition, “Bironovism”.

Equipment: Family tree of the Romanovs, portraits of the rulers of the era of palace coups, copied text of the “Conditions” signed by Anna Ioannovna.

During the classes

I. Organizational moment. Psychological attitude to work.

II. Learning new material.

Teacher's opening speech.

The beginning of the 18th century is associated with the activities of Peter I. We examined in detail his reforms in the field of economics, organs government controlled, army and navy. And today we’ll talk about the events that happened in Russia after the death of Peter the Great. The topic of our lesson is “Palace coups”. As the lesson progresses, we will get acquainted with a brief description of the rulers of a given era, find out the reasons for palace coups, and fill out the table “Palace coups of the 18th century.”

Terms of government Ruler Assistants, support of the ruler

(Draw a table in a notebook during the lesson, getting acquainted with a new topic, students fill out the table independently, check is carried out at the end of the lesson)

Conversation with the class.

Directly related to the topic of our lesson are two events that occurred in the last years of the reign of Peter I. Let's remember these events.

- What do you know about “The Case of Tsarevich Alexei”? (The case of Tsarevich Alexei prompted Peter to change the order of succession to the throne. In 1722, he signed a decree)

- What is the content of the decree of 1722 on the order of succession to the throne?

Continuation of the lecture. Analysis of the current situation.

Peter the Great died on January 28, 1725. He died hard, with excruciating pain. His subjects did not dare to bother him with the question of an heir. Tradition claims that before his death Peter wrote: “Give everything...”. No further words could be made out. The decree on the right of the emperor to appoint his successor was not used. But the dynastic situation turned out to be complicated... (we turn to the Romanov family tree) The rights to the throne belonged to the grandson of the deceased emperor Peter (son of Tsarevich Alexei), wife Catherine and daughters Anna and Elizabeth. There was also relatives through his older brother Ivan, with whom Peter began to reign in 1682.

But the main contenders turned out to be Ekaterina Alekseevna, the widow of Peter I (Menshikov stood behind her), and his grandson, Pyotr Alekseevich (representatives of the old boyar families, headed by D.M. Golitsyn, wanted to see him on the throne), who was then 9 years old. Menshikov was able to make better use of the current situation, and with the help of some other close associates of Peter, after the death of the emperor, with the support of the guards regiments, he elevated Ekaterina Alekseevna to the throne. Since she did not show state abilities, Menshikov became the de facto ruler of the country.

This election opens the era of palace coups in Russia.

Palace coups are a change of power carried out by a narrow circle of courtiers and guards regiments (we write down the definition in a notebook).

Over the 37 years from 1725 to 1762, rulers on the throne were changed five times by force of arms. The beginning of this era was marked by the death of Peter I and the subsequent struggle for power among various factions. And this era will end with the accession of Empress Catherine II for a long 34 years.

Continuation of the teacher's story. So, the first ruler of the era of palace coups was Catherine I. The empress was to be succeeded by Peter Alekseevich. Why did Catherine agree to choose the son of Tsarevich Alexei over her daughters? Catherine was influenced by Menshikov. Seeing that Catherine I's health was deteriorating and she would not live long, the prince decided to intermarry with the royal family, hoping to marry his 16-year-old daughter Maria to Peter II.

In 1727, the reign of Peter II begins.

But luck changed him this time. Menshikov fell seriously ill. He was unable to do business for more than a month. At this time, Prince Ivan Alekseevich Dolgoruky acquired influence over Peter II. The Tsar ceased to obey Menshikov. On September 8, 1727, the prince was arrested, and then, deprived of ranks and awards, he and his family were exiled to the remote city of Berezov. (note that this city is located in our region)

Having got rid of a dangerous rival, the Dolgorukys hastened to strengthen their position at court. Ivan Dolgoruky's sister, Catherine, was declared the bride of Peter II. But in January 1730, shortly before his wedding with Princess Dolgoruka, Peter II fell ill with smallpox and died. The Romanov dynasty ended with him in the male line.

The question of succession to the throne had to be decided by members of the Supreme Privy Council. The attention of the “higher-ups” was drawn to the daughters of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich - Catherine and Anna. The choice was made in favor of Anna, the widow of the poor Duke of Courland, who lived in Mitau as a provincial landowner, periodically begging for money from the Russian government. At the same time, D.M. Golitsyn said: “We should make it easier for ourselves.” The point was to limit the power of the monarch in favor of the Supreme Privy Council by inviting Anna Ioannovna to reign. Anna was offered “conditions”, by accepting which she could become empress. (we write down the definition of the concept “Condition” in a notebook).

Let's get acquainted with these conditions (distributed to each desk).

Text of the conditions signed by Anna Ioannovna

Without the discretion and consent of the High Council, no decisions should be made in state affairs, therefore:

not to declare war and not to make peace;

do not impose any duties or taxes;

no one should be condemned to death for crimes of lèse-majesté in the Secret Chancery alone, and no nobleman’s estate should be confiscated without clear evidence of the above-mentioned crime committed by him;

unquestioningly be content with the annual income determined for the maintenance of her person and the court staff;

do not give state estates to anyone;

do not marry and do not designate an heir to the throne.

So, in Russia an attempt was made to limit the absolute power of the Russian monarch. Anna signed the conditions and went to Moscow. Meanwhile, the “conditions” became known at court. The church and such an influential force as the guard and the nobility opposed them. When Anna Ioannovna arrived in Moscow, she received a petition from the nobility and the guard, in which they asked her to “accept the autocracy that your praiseworthy ancestors had.” Anna broke the condition. The Supreme Privy Council was abolished. The ten-year reign of Anna Ioannovna began. The Dolgorukys were arrested and sent into exile in Berezov, where Menshikov, whom they had exiled, had died shortly before.

In 1730, the reign of Anna Ioannovna began. There are different reviews, sometimes contradictory, about the appearance and character of Empress Anna Ioannovna. For some, she “had a terrible look, had a disgusting face, she was so big when among the gentlemen she walks head taller than everyone else, and extremely fat.” And here is the opinion of the Spanish diplomat Duke de Liria: “Empress Anna is fat, dark, and her face is more masculine than feminine. Generous to the point of extravagance, she loves pomp excessively, which is why her courtyard surpasses all other European ones in splendor.” Together with Anna, many Baltic Germans arrived from Courland and took important positions in government bodies. The most influential was Anna's favorite - E.I. Biron. A contemporary wrote about Biron: “Biron’s character was not the best: arrogant, ambitious to the extreme, rude and even impudent, selfish, irreconcilable in enmity and a cruel punisher.”

V.O. Klyuchevsky gave a characterization of the period called “Bironovshchina”: “The Germans poured into Russia like rubbish from a leaky bag, stuck around the courtyard, inhabited the throne, and climbed into all the profitable positions in management.”

In the fall of 1940, Anna Ioannovna fell ill. Her only relative was her niece (sister’s daughter) Anna Leopoldovna, who was close to the court. Anna Leopoldovna had a son, who was immediately declared heir to the throne. In October 1940, Anna Ioannovna died, appointing Biron as regent under the young Emperor Ivan Antonovich. But Biron failed to retain power. He was hated by the Russians and Germans, and despised by the guards. The Emperor's parents feared that the regent would take their son away from them and send them to Germany. On November 9, 1740, Biron was arrested by guards led by Field Marshal Minich. Anna Leopoldovna became regent under Ivan Antonovich. Her reign was not marked by any important decisions. The ruler was not interested in anything. A mood in favor of a change of power began to form in the guard again. The most popular candidate for the imperial throne was the daughter of Peter I and Catherine I - Elizabeth. On the night of November 25, 1945, Elizabeth appeared at the barracks of the Preobrazhensky Regiment and called on the soldiers to serve her the same way they served her father. 300 grenadiers followed the woman out into the bitter cold.

French academician Albert Vandal describes this night as follows: A thick layer of hardened snow covered the ground, muffling all noise. The grenadiers hurriedly followed Elizabeth's sleigh, silently and full of determination: the soldiers swore a mutual oath not to utter a single word during the journey and to bayonet the first faint-hearted one. And here is how historians write about Elizabeth: - Lively and cheerful, but not taking her eyes off herself, at the same time large and slender, with a beautiful round and ever-blooming face, she loved to make an impression, and, knowing that men were especially attracted to her suit, she established masquerades at court without masks, when men were required to come in full women's attire, in wide skirts, and ladies in men's court dress. Peaceful and carefree, she was forced to fight for almost half of her reign, defeated the first strategist of that time, Frederick the Great, and took Berlin. ...the map of Europe lay in front of her at her disposal, but she looked at it so rarely that until the end of her life she was confident in the possibility of traveling to England by land - and she founded the first real university in Russia - Moscow.

Elizabeth declared as her heir her nephew Peter Fedorovich - the son of Anna Petrovna, the grandson of Peter I. (turn to the family tree) On December 25, 1761, Peter III became Emperor of Russia. He managed to reign for only 186 days. Reviews about it were completely opposite. - Let's turn to the material in our textbook. On page 153 you can get acquainted in more detail with the personality of Emperor Peter III.

- What will you remember about this ruler of Russia? On June 28, 1762, Peter III was overthrown and arrested, and a week later he was killed. His wife Catherine II ascended the throne for 34 years.

The era of palace coups is over.

Checking the table “Palace coups of the 18th century”

- What were the reasons for the palace coups?

lack of legal order of succession to the throne;

strengthening the role of the guard.

III. Final part. Reflection.

How did I learn the material?

I gained solid knowledge, mastered all the material - 9-10 points.

Partially mastered the new material - 7-8 points.

I understood little, I still need to work - 4-6 points.

1. Text with errors.

2. Test. What kind of ruler are we talking about?

1. “The king is a tall man with a beautiful face, well-built, with great quickness of mind, quick and definite in his answers, the only pity is that he lacks complete secular sophistication. He showed us his hands and let us feel how rough they were from work” - this is what he looked like in the eyes of foreigners:

Alexey Mikhailovich,

Peter I,

Peter II,

Peter III.

2. “Only by signing the terms of reference,” she could become the Russian Empress:

Catherine I,

Anna Ioannovna,

Anna Leopoldovna,

Elizaveta Petrovna.

3. A Courland nobleman, distinguished by arrogance and rudeness, who played the main role at the court of Empress Anna Ioannovna. His name has become a household name; it is sometimes used to refer to the entire period of 1730-1740.

K. Friedrich,

A.I. Osterman,

E.I.Biron,

A.P.Volynsky.

4. Her 20-year reign began with the call for soldiers in the barracks of the Preobrazhensky Regiment to serve her, as her father did:

Anna Leopoldovna,

Elizaveta Petrovna,

Catherine II,

Anna Ioannovna.

Homework: § 20-21, notes in notebooks

IV. Self-analysis of the lesson.

The educational material for grade 7 on the history of the Fatherland consists of five sections or chapters. The lesson on the topic “Palace coups” opens the fourth chapter - “Russia in 1725-1762.” This is a very controversial period of Russian history, full of events, names and dates. This lesson is inextricably linked with the theme of the previous chapter, which examines the Petrine era, and is directly based on the genealogy of the Romanov family and documents on the order of succession to the throne. During the lesson, students must understand the reasons for palace coups and understand the sequence of successive emperors on the Russian throne, which poses a certain difficulty for seventh-graders. I would like to draw students’ attention to the appearance, character, individual characteristics, and actions of Russian autocrats of this period. It is in this regard that the visual aids used in the lesson were chosen.

The actual learning opportunities of this class are quite unique. A good half of the class are very active, curious, and learn educational material easily, storing in memory the smallest details of what the teacher said, they willingly read additional literature on the subject, and prepare reports. The other half of the class, on the contrary, is passive, has difficulty getting involved in the work in class, and does not have a good grasp of the textbook material even to a good degree. Therefore, when planning the lesson, I chose these teaching methods: verbal (lecture with elements of dialogue), visual (using portraits, genealogical charts) and practical (filling out a table, working with a document). All this together allowed me, to a certain extent, to maintain the attention of students and their interest in the material presented; in addition, reflecting the factual material in tabular form and recording the main concepts of the topic in a notebook will allow careless students to repeat the material at home in a concise form.

The chosen structure of the lesson is rational for solving the assigned tasks, because allows you to effectively use the creative potential of strong students, develop their ability to generalize events and formulate conclusions, weak students get the opportunity to evaluate actions historical figures, learn to express their own opinion on the problem posed. Aimed at reflection at the end of the lesson, seventh graders take a responsible approach to mastering the material, are less distracted, thus achieving high performance of all students throughout the lesson. Strong students are interested in factual material and the opportunity for dialogue, weak students are interested in clarity and fear for the results of the final test.

The object of solid assimilation is highlighted in the notebook, this ensures students' orientation in the volume of information received, and eliminates overload of students when doing homework.

One of the unforeseen situations that could happen during the lesson could be a lack of time caused by students' greater interest in certain historical figures, or longer time on a document or textbook item that is required for weaker students. In this case, the table can be checked at the next lesson, and the screening test (reflection) can be transferred to the next lesson.

If students have workbooks for the teaching materials of A.A. Danilova and L.G. Kosulina, the lesson could have been planned differently. For example, it was possible to assemble micro-groups of students at different levels and allow them to independently complete tasks at the appropriate level in a group, and then announce the result. In the second lesson on the topic, summarize what has been learned and conduct reflection.

During the lesson there were slight deviations from the plan: more than planned time had to be devoted to the family tree, the students showed great interest in the current situation in Russia in the first quarter of the 18th century, talked a lot about personalities and their actions, about the unfair, in the opinion of children, order of succession to the throne . Therefore, the table check was moved to the next lesson.

V. Results of reflection:

There were 20 people in the class, 17 students were present at the lesson and wrote the work.

Received solid knowledge, mastered all the material – 9-10 points – 8 people. (47%)

Partially mastered new material – 7-8 points – 5 students (29%)

They understood little, they still need to work - 4-6 points - 4 people. (23%)

Overall, I feel satisfied with the lesson; the goals of the lesson have been largely achieved. I consider it necessary for myself to improve the forms and methods of teaching a lesson, to differentiate tasks and the material being studied, which I have not been able to do well so far.

Period of palace coups

The main reason The frequency and ease of coups was the strengthening of the guard, noble in composition, in state affairs.

Catherine I - 1725-1727

Domestic policy

Foreign policy

- The Supreme Privy Council was created

- Landowners received the right to sell the products of their farms themselves

Peter II 1727-1730

Domestic policy

Foreign policy

1727 replacement of city management, instead of magistrates a governor was installed

Anna Ioannovna 1730-1740

Domestic policy

Foreign policy

1730 – the Cabinet of Ministers was created

1731 – The Office of Secret Investigations was created

- The period of compulsory service of nobles was reduced to 25 years

- repeal of the decree on unity of inheritance

- The gentry corps was opened for the children of nobles, after which they became officers

- registration of noble children into regiments from infancy

1735 – the duties of the wealthy Cossacks were limited to military service, ordinary Cossacks were equated with peasants

1736 – permanent assignment of hired workers to manufactories

1733-1735 – War of the Polish Succession

1735-1739 – Russo-Turkish War (Treaty of Belgrade)

1741-1743 – Russian-Swedish war

1742 – The Swedish army capitulated at Helsinsdorf (Treaty of Abos)

1731 Russia included the lands of the Kazakh Junior Zhuz

1740-1743 – Middle zhuz

Ivan YI Antonovich 1740-1741

Domestic policy

Foreign policy

Elizaveta Petrovna 1741-1761

Domestic policy

Foreign policy

IN - The 2nd census of the taxable population was carried out

1746 - confirmation of the privilege of nobles to own lands inhabited by serfs

The nobility was exempt from punishment with rods and whips

1760 - landowners could exile peasants to settle in Siberia without trial, sell peasants as recruits, expand their plots at the expense of peasants

1754 - abolition of internal customs duties

1755 – Conference at the Imperial Court

1744 - decree on network expansion primary schools

The first gymnasiums were opened: 1755 - Moscow,

1758 - Kazan

1755 – foundedMoscow HYPERLINK "http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8 %D0%B9_%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0 %BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B9_%D1%83%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%82 %D0%B5%D1%82" university in 1757 - .

1744Porcelain HYPERLINK "http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%98%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80 %D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D1%84%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1 %8B%D0%B9_%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B4" manufactories near St. Petersburg

1744 – Smolny Monastery founded

1741 – 1743 Russian-Swedish War (Peace of Abos)

1756-1762 - Seven Years' War

1757 – Russian troops led by Apraksin entered East Prussia

19 August 1757 – Battle of

Gross – Jägersdorf

- Apraksin is replaced by Fermor

- August 1757 – Fermor flees the battlefield in East Prussia

- Fermor is replaced by Saltykov

1759 – Battle of Kunersdorf

1760 – Russian troops entered Berlin (Saltykov is replaced by Buturlin)

1761 – Colsberg fortress taken

Peter III 1761 – 1762

Domestic policy

Foreign policy

« Manifesto on the freedom of the nobility» according to which nobles were exempted from compulsory service to the state

- ended the Seven Years' War, returned all conquered territories to Frederick II

Catherine II 1762-1796

Domestic policy

Foreign policy

The policy of enlightened absolutism:

- unlimited power of the monarch who develops an ideal system of laws

- secularization of church land ownership

- education of the people, dissemination scientific knowledge in society

1765 - establishment of the noble Free Economic Society

1765 – it is allowed to exile peasants to hard labor (punishment for complaining against the landowner)

1767-1768 – work of the Legislative Commission

1771 – prohibition of public sale of serfs for debts of landowners

1773-1775 – peasant war led by E. Pugachev

1775 – introduction of the right to open businesses without government permission

- streamlining peasant duties

1775 – provincial reform

1775 – Zaporizhzhya Sich was liquidated

1785 – Letter of grant to the nobility

1785 – Letter of commendation to cities

1768-1774 - Russo-Turkish War

( Kuchuk - Kainajir Treaty)

1783 – inclusion of Crimea into Russia

1783 – Treaty of Georgievsk on Russian protectorate over Eastern Georgia was signed

1787-1791 – Russo-Turkish War

( Treaty of Jassy)

1772 – first section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Russia ceded - eastern Belarus and part of Lithuania

1793 - second section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Russia withdrew - all of Belarus with Minsk and Right Bank Ukraine

1795 – third section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Russia withdrew - the main part of Lithuania, Western Belarus, Western Volyn, Courland

1788-1790 – Russian-Swedish war

1790 – first anti-French coalition

1795 – second anti-French coalition

1798 – third anti-French coalition

Pavel I Petrovich 1796 - 1801

Domestic policy

Foreign policy

- The strictest censorship was introduced, the import of foreign books was prohibited

1796 – decree« About succession to the throne»

1797 – decree« About the three-day corvee»

- weakening of the persecution of Old Believers

« Demoted letter to the nobility »

- the need for all noble children registered from childhood to report to the regiments

- introduction of taxes for nobles to support the administration

- restriction of freedom of noble assemblies

- punishment of noblemen - non-commissioned officers with canes - resumed

- prohibition of ill-treatment of soldiers by officers

- participation in the anti-Napoleonic coalition

1798 – F.F. Ushakov captured a fortress on the island of Corfu, took the Ionian Islands,

Liberated Naples and entered Rome

1799 – A.V. Suvorov completed the Italian and Swiss campaigns (crossing the Alps through the St. Gotthard Pass)

1800 – going over to Napoleon's side

1801 – sending Russian troops to capture British India

11 March 1801, the last palace coup, the assassination of Paul I

Life and customs of the population of Russia in the first half of the 19th century.

8th grade, history

Lesson type: introduction to new material

The purpose of the lesson: to introduce students to the living conditions of the main classes of the Russian Empire.

Planned results:

Personal: nurturing a sense of self- and mutual respect; development of cooperation skills when working in a group.

Metasubject: speech development; formation of comparison skills; development of independence among students;

Subject: development of skills to work with a textbook; compare the characteristics of representatives of various classes of Russia in the first half of the 19th century.

Preliminary preparation: advanced task for students: read a paragraph about the life of different classes of Russia; teachers: preparing handouts.

Lesson content outline.

Guys, what century are we living in? What surrounds a person in the 21st century, what are his living conditions?

Are you interested in finding out what conditions people lived in 2 centuries ago?

Then I propose to work actively in class today. Because the topic of our lesson is: Life and customs of the population of Russia in the first half of the 19th century.

So what goals will we set for ourselves?

Creating a problematic situation.

Educational and cognitive activity

Responsibilities are distributed among the group: who is responsible for what task, material selection.

Each group represents one of the classes (nobility, peasantry) and receives a package with tasks:

Describe the home, tell us about its interior decoration...

Tell us about the clothing of the classes...

Create a menu for the class...

How did representatives of the class spend their leisure time (free time)…

Introductory information and instructions.

Distribution of roles in the group.

Monitoring and evaluation of performance results

Presentation of group work results.

Student answers.

Do the groups have questions for each other?

(Since everything is clear to everyone, then I’ll ask you a question.) Guys, does a time machine exist? And if it existed, where would you go? But I can tell you that it exists, it is our fantasy, our imagination. I suggest you write an essay “One day of my life in Russia in the 19th century.” But do not forget that you will be representatives of one of the classes. In addition, in the lesson you studied the life of people, but did not study the custom, and you will also do this at home. It would be absolutely wonderful if you turn to additional sources.

Each group reports the results of their work within 3-5 minutes.

Now let's sum up our work, and for this we will return to the goals that we have set for ourselves.