The main results of the reign of Elizabeth 1. The reign of Elizabeth Petrovna

The results of the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna: what would my father say?

Once in 1770, when another victory of Russian arms was glorified in the Peter and Paul Cathedral, this time on the occasion of the defeat of the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Chesme, the orator-priest, in a burst of eloquence, struck the tomb of Peter the Great with his staff, urging the reformer to rise up to see his handiwork descendants, Count Kirill Razumovsky, known for his wit, joked: “What is he calling him? If Peter gets up, we will all get it! "

At this time, Catherine II was already on the throne, but this significant joke should be rightly attributed to the Elizabethan era, especially since Razumovsky himself made a career in those years. Probably, if a miracle happened, then the daughter from her father for twenty years of her reign would indeed receive many reproaches. But of course there would be kind words.

It is often remembered that Elizabeth left behind 15 thousand dresses, chests of silk stockings, unpaid bills and the unfinished Winter Palace in her wardrobe. And descendants in memory of that era invented humorous lines: "The jolly queen was Elizabeth, she sings and has fun, there is no order!"

But there was also something else. Elizabeth restored the Senate and gave it powers that he did not even have under her father. The Senate did a lot to restore order in the ministries-collegiums and adopted a number of important decisions for the country. The only one government agency, left out of sight of the Senate, was the powerful Secret Chancellery. Its activities have become even more classified than in the time of Anna Ioannovna. In order to obtain even a minor document from the Secret Chancellery, the empress's written permission was required. The authorities allowed only one relaxation. At the very beginning of her reign, Elizabeth graciously ordered not to send any more to the Secret Chancellery those guilty of the erroneous spelling of the imperial title. Even such a powerful and terrible institution could not overcome the illiteracy of the Russian bureaucracy.

Elizabeth abolished the effect of internal customs that existed in a number of Russian provinces, which contributed to the unification of the country into a single whole. Under Elizabeth, commercial and noble banks were established, which stimulated the development Russian economy... Etc.

Elizabeth started a lot, but did not complete it, like the Winter Palace. In this she turned out to be like her father. It's just that everyone had their own hobbies. Peter started shipyards and metallurgical plants, but Elizabeth's love for fancy-dress balls gave Russia something. A native of Brussels, Teresa, opened the first cotton lace factory in Moscow, national manufacturers began to make velvet and taffeta, factories for the production of silk and paper fabrics, tapestries and hats appeared, and at the same time they began to produce paints in Russia. Even the famous Lomonosov at that time was engaged not only in science, but also in business: in 1752 he received the privilege of founding a factory of colored glasses and beads and bugles so dear to Elizabeth. Lomonosov founded a whole factory, and received a solid loan from the state for this, and 200 serf souls for use.

Elizabeth would have earned undeniable praise from her father for the progress she has made in the field of education. All the same Lomonosov, together with Count Shuvalov, founded the first Moscow University in Russia in 1755. The imperial decree emphasized: "Peter the Great led Russia, immersed in the depths of ignorance, to the knowledge of true prosperity, and his daughter, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, wishes to follow the same path."

It was a really great thing for the country, considering the brilliant galaxy of Russian statesmen and public figures, world-famous scientists who came out of the university. The very first faculties of law, medicine and philosophy appeared at the university. At training center immediately established a gymnasium, and parents were required to warn in advance what career they chose for their children. Education was built depending on this. The main European languages ​​were taught as a compulsory subject. Preference was then given to German and French.

The influx of specialists from abroad continued, but it was placed under strict control. Not a single foreign doctor and not a single teacher could engage in private practice without passing an appropriate exam and obtaining permission.

The first international recognition came in 1746 Russian science... Voltaire himself expressed a desire to become a member Russian Academy sciences and literally begged himself to write the history of Peter the Great.

The Elizabethan era included a lot of controversy. The Empress abolished the death penalty, but did not abolish the terrible torture. She was famous for her kindness, but at the same time she mercilessly rotted her not even real, but rather potential political opponents in prison - the fate of the Braunschweig family is evidence of this.

In Elizabethan times, Russian foreign policy was too often based not on a well-thought-out state course, but was only a reflection of court intrigues. Several hostile groups fought among themselves for influence on the empress. Her personal physician Lestok and the French envoy de Chétardie persuaded Elizabeth to an alliance with France and Prussia, while Chancellor Alexei Bestuzhev stood for traditional ties with Austria and England. At the same time, the actions of all participants in the political game were largely determined not by fundamental views, but simply by bribes.

Everybody took bribes, even the head of the Foreign Ministry Bestuzhev. The pension he received from the British was much higher than his official salary. The most outstanding bribe-taker of that era can be unmistakably called Lestock. He knew how to collect tribute from everyone: he was paid a lot of money by the French, and the British, and the Swedes, and the Germans. On top of that, at the request of Prussia, the German emperor Charles VII bestowed the count on the doctor Lestok.

He continually begged Paris for money to bribe Russian officials and the Marquis de la Chétardie. However, most of this money seems to have settled in his own pocket. De la Chtardie preferred to act on personal charm rather than money, desperately seeking the favor of Elizabeth herself. The messenger played all-in. There is evidence that he won a victory as a man, but failed as an ambassador. The Empress was suggestible, but only to a certain extent. Elizabeth liked the charming Frenchman, but she was smart enough not to confuse alcove affairs with foreign affairs.

All this mouse fuss of foreign agents near the imperial throne in the time of Peter, given his character, was impossible, if only because it was pointless. Menshikov, of course, would gladly take a bribe from anyone, but the political course was determined only by Peter, and no one else. For Elizabeth, unlike her father, there was a constant and sometimes rather dirty struggle. To overthrow his opponents, Bestuzhev even resorted to perluting their correspondence. This know-how, with the light hand of the Prussian king, began just then to enter into practice, surprisingly quickly fitting into the usual aristocratic tools of European diplomacy. Opening one of de Chétardie's dispatches to Paris, Bestuzhev found there reasoning that was highly discrediting both the author and Lestock. It was precious material for the Chancellor, which he did not fail to use.

Through Bestuzhev, the following text fell into the hands of the Empress: “We are dealing here with a woman,” wrote de la Chtardie, “on whom you cannot rely on anything. While still a princess, she did not want to think about anything, or to know anything, and having become a sovereign, she only grabbed onto something that, under her power, could give her pleasure. Every day she is busy with various pranks: now she sits in front of the mirror, then she changes her clothes several times a day, she throws off one dress, puts on another, and spends time on such childish trifles. For hours on end she is able to chat about a snuff of tobacco or a fly, and if someone talks to her about something important, she immediately runs away, does not tolerate the slightest effort over herself and wants to act unbridled in everything; she diligently avoids communication with educated and well-bred people; her best pleasure is to be in the country or in the bath, with her servants. Lestok, taking advantage of the long-term influence on her, tried many times to awaken in her the consciousness of his duty, but it was all in vain: what flies into one ear, flies away into the other. Her carelessness is so great that if today she seems to be on the right path, then tomorrow she will go crazy with him again, and with those who yesterday were considered dangerous enemies she treats in a friendly way, as with her old advisers. "

This was already more than enough for the empress to change her attitude towards de la Chtardie and Lestok. But the note contained not only a murderous characterization of Elizabeth herself, under which Bestuzhev himself could have signed in his heart, for sure, but also other interesting information. In the dispatch, de la Chtardie talked about Lestok's loyalty to him, and that this loyalty should be “fueled” by increasing his one-year pension. Further, de la Chtardie asked for money to pay bribes to several other useful persons, and in conclusion he offered Paris to bribe some Orthodox hierarchs, and in particular the empress's personal confessor.

It is not surprising that after such a successful interception of the dispatch, Bestuzhev got rid of both Lestok and de la Chtardie. The first was sent into exile, the second home to Paris. Together with Bestuzhev, the Austrian and English envoys rejoiced.

The main lever of influence of the Russians on Europe in those days was still powerful army, she won many victories in the Elizabethan era. During the small Russian-Swedish war of 1741-1743, Russia not only defeated the old enemy again, but also annexed another piece of Finnish land to its possessions. During this period, the Russian soldier actively intervened more than once in big European politics: in 1743, thanks to the Russian army, the issue of succession to the throne in Sweden was resolved, and in 1748 the appearance of the Russian corps on the banks of the Rhine helped end the war for the Austrian succession and sign the Peace of Aachen. Active participation Russians took it in the so-called Seven Years' War (1756-1763)

At the same time, as in previous times, most victories brought Russia nothing but glory, the success of Russian weapons only strengthened the fear of Russians in Europe. Russian troops defeated the invincible Frederick, took Berlin, but Petersburg could not derive any material, territorial or political benefits from this. Before the fall of Berlin, Friedrich wrote in panic to his minister Finkenstein: “All is lost. I will not survive the death of my fatherland! "

The indecision of the Russian commanders saved Frederick's life, fatherland, and power. Frederick, rightly paying tribute to the courage of the Russian soldier, about which he spoke more than once, also noted the mediocrity of their commanders. "They behave like drunks," he once remarked. And this is the difference between the Elizabethan era and the era of Peter the Great. His generals and he himself loved to drink, but they fought soberly and knew how to benefit from victories.

At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the inconsistency of the steps of the then Russian commanders was to a large extent explained by the presence of the Prussian "fifth column" in St. Petersburg. Elizabeth herself, who did not like Frederick, demanded decisive action, but during this period she was already seriously ill and could die at any moment. And after her the famous Prussophile Peter III was to ascend the throne. Given the situation, the Russian military leaders did not want to risk their career. Hence their "drunken gait", one step forward, two steps back.

Elizabeth came to power in the wake of the struggle against the Germans, and left her successor to the emperor, who hated everything Russian and idolized everything German. True, the same Elizabeth managed to choose a German woman as his wife who sincerely wanted and was able to become Russian. Catherine the Great is also Elizabeth's legacy.

Peter Romanov

On November 25, 1741, the “daughter” of Peter the Great, relying on the support of the guards, made another coup d'état and seized power. The peculiarities of this coup consisted in the fact that Elizaveta Petrovna had wide support from ordinary people of the city and the lower classes of the guard (only 17.5% of the 308 participants-guards were nobles), who saw in her the daughter of Peter, all the burdens of whose reign had already been forgotten, and the personality and deeds began to be idealized. The coup of 1741, unlike others, had a patriotic tinge, tk. was directed against the dominance of foreigners.

Foreign diplomacy tried to take part in the preparation of the coup, trying to get political and even territorial dividends with its assistance to Elizabeth. But all the hopes of the French ambassador de la Chtardie and the Swedish ambassador Nolken, in the end, were in vain. The coup was accelerated by the fact that the ruler Anna Leopoldovna became aware of Elizabeth's meetings with foreign ambassadors, and the lover of balls and entertainment was under the threat of forcible tonsure as a nun.

Having seized power, Elizaveta Petrovna proclaimed a return to her father's politics, but she was hardly able to rise to such a level. She managed to repeat the era of the great emperor's reign more in form than in spirit. Elizabeth began with the restoration of the institutions created by Peter 1 and their status. Having abolished the Cabinet of Ministers, the Senate returned the value of the highest state body, restored Berg - and the Manufacturing Collegium.

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

At the same time, her social policy was aimed at the transformation of the nobility from a servant to a privileged estate and the strengthening of serfdom. She in every possible way implanted luxury, which led to a sharp increase in the costs of the nobles for themselves and the maintenance of their court.

These expenses fell on the shoulders of the peasants, who in the era of Elizabeth finally turned into “baptized property”, which could be sold without the slightest remorse of conscience, exchanged for a purebred dog, etc. cultural division Russian society, as a result of which the Russian nobles who spoke French no longer understood their peasants. The strengthening of serfdom was expressed in the landowners receiving the right to sell their peasants as recruits (1747), as well as to exile them without trial to Siberia (1760).

In her domestic and foreign policy, Elizaveta Petrovna took into account national interests to a greater extent. In 1756, Russia, on the side of the coalition from Austria, France, Sweden and Saxony, entered the war with Prussia, supported by England. Russia's participation in “ Seven Years War ”1756-1763 put the army of Frederick II on the brink of disaster.

In August 1757, at the Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf, the Russian army of S.F. Apraksin as a result of the successful actions of the detachment of General P.A. Rumyantseva achieved her first victory. In August 1758, General Fermor at Zorndorf, having suffered significant losses, managed to achieve a "draw" with the army of Frederick, and in August 1759 at Kunersdorf the troops of P.S. Saltykov was defeated.

In the fall of 1760, Russian-Austrian troops captured Berlin, and only the death of Elizabeth Petrovna on December 25, 1761 saved Prussia from complete disaster. Her successor Peter III, who idolized Frederick II, left the coalition and concluded a peace treaty with him, returning everything lost in the war to Prussia.

Despite the fact that Elizaveta Petrovna, unlike her father, used unlimited power not so much in the interests of the state, as for the sake of satisfying her own needs and whims (after her death there were 15 thousand dresses left), she willingly or unwillingly prepared the country and society for the next era of transformation. For 20 years of her reign, the country managed to “rest” and accumulate strength for a new leap, which fell on the era of Catherine II.

Before accession to the throne

Accession to the throne

Reign

Social unrest

Foreign policy

Seven Years' War (1756-1763)

Personal life

Succession to the throne

Interesting Facts

Literature

Interesting Facts

(December 18 (29), 1709, Kolomenskoye - December 25, 1761 (January 5, 1762), St. Petersburg) - Russian empress from November 25 (December 6) 1741 from the Romanov dynasty, daughter of Peter I and his mistress Catherine Alekseevna (future Empress Catherine I).

Childhood, education and upbringing

Elizabeth was born in the village of Kolomenskoye on December 18, 1709. This day was solemn: Peter I entered Moscow, wishing to celebrate his victory over Charles XII in the old capital; Swedish prisoners were taken after him. The sovereign intended to immediately celebrate the Poltava victory, but upon entering the capital, he was informed of the birth of his daughter. “Let's postpone the celebration of the victory and hasten to congratulate my daughter on her ascent into the world,” he said. Peter found Catherine and the newborn baby healthy and made a feast to celebrate.

At only eight years old, Princess Elizabeth already attracted attention with her beauty. In 1717, both daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, greeted Peter, returning from abroad, dressed in Spanish attire. Then French ambassador noticed that the youngest daughter of the sovereign seemed unusually beautiful in this outfit. In the next year, 1718, assemblies were introduced, and both princesses appeared there in dresses different colors embroidered in gold and silver, wearing headdresses glittering with diamonds. Everyone admired Elizabeth's skill in dancing. In addition to ease of movement, she was distinguished by resourcefulness and ingenuity, constantly inventing new figures. The French envoy Levi noticed at the same time that Elizabeth could be called a perfect beauty if her hair were not reddish.

The upbringing of the princess could not be particularly successful, especially since her mother was completely illiterate. But she was taught in French, and Catherine constantly insisted that there are important reasons why she knew French better than other subjects. This reason, as you know, was the strong desire of her parents to marry Elizabeth to some of the persons of French royal blood. However, to all persistent proposals to intermarry with the French Bourbons, they responded with a polite but decisive refusal.

In all other respects, Elizabeth's education was a little burdensome, she never received a decent systematic education. Her time was filled with horse riding, hunting, rowing and caring for her beauty.

Before accession to the throne

After the marriage of her parents, she bore the title of crown princess. The will of Catherine I in 1727 provided for the rights of Elizabeth and her descendants to the throne after Peter II and Anna Petrovna. In the last year of the reign of Catherine I and at the beginning of the reign of Peter II, there was a lot of talk at the court about the possibility of marriage between her aunt and nephew, who were connected at that time by friendly relations. After the death of Peter II, betrothed to Ekaterina Dolgorukova, from smallpox in January 1730, Elizabeth, despite the will of Catherine I, was not actually considered one of the contenders for the throne, which was transferred to her cousin Anna Ioannovna. During her reign (1730-1740), the crown princess Elizabeth was in disgrace; dissatisfied with Anna Ioannovna and Biron pinned great hopes on the daughter of Peter the Great.

Accession to the throne

Taking advantage of the decline in the authority and influence of the authorities during the regency of Anna Leopoldovna, on the night of November 25 (December 6), 1741, 32-year-old Elizabeth, accompanied by Count MI Vorontsov, physician Lestock and her music teacher Schwartz, with the words “Guys! You know whose daughter I am, follow me! As you served my father, so serve me with your loyalty! " raised the grenadier company of the Preobrazhensky regiment behind her. Not meeting resistance, with the help of 308 loyal guards, she proclaimed herself the new queen, ordering to imprison the young Ivan VI in the fortress and arrest the entire Braunschweig surname (Anna Ioannovna's relatives, including the regent of Ivan VI - Anna Leopoldovna) and her followers. The favorites of the former empress Munnich, Levenwold and Osterman were sentenced to death, replaced by exile to Siberia, in order to show Europe the tolerance of the new autocrat.

Reign

Elizabeth almost did not deal with state affairs, entrusting them to her favorites - the Razumovsky brothers, Shuvalov, Vorontsov, A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin.

The main principles of domestic and foreign policy, Elizabeth proclaimed a return to Peter's reforms. The role of the Senate, Berg and Manufacturing Collegiums, Chief Magistrate was restored. The Cabinet of Ministers has been abolished. The Senate received the right to initiate legislation. During the Seven Years' War, a permanent meeting arose above the Senate - the Conference at the highest court. The conference was attended by the heads of the military and diplomatic departments, as well as persons specially invited by the empress. The activities of the Secret Chancellery became imperceptible. The importance of the Synod and the clergy increased (the confessor of the Empress Fyodor Dubyansky acquired a special influence at court), and schismatics were severely persecuted. The Synod took care of the material support of the clergy, monasteries, and the dissemination of spiritual education among the people. During the reign of Elizabeth, work was completed on a new Slavic translation of the Bible, begun under Peter I in 1712. The Elizabethan Bible, published in 1751, is still used with minor changes in the divine services of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In 1741, the empress adopted a decree allowing Buddhist lamas to preach their teachings on the territory of the Russian Empire. All lamas who wished to come to Russia were sworn in allegiance to the empire. The decree also exempted them from paying taxes. At the same time, on December 2, 1742, a decree was adopted on the expulsion of all citizens of the Jewish faith with permission to remain only for those who want to convert to Orthodoxy.

In 1744-1747, the 2nd census of the taxable population was carried out.

In the late 1740s - the first half of the 1750s, on the initiative of Pyotr Shuvalov, a number of serious transformations were carried out. In 1754, the Senate adopted a resolution developed by Shuvalov on the abolition of internal customs duties and petty fees. This led to a significant revival of trade ties between the regions. The first Russian banks were founded - Noble (Loan), Merchant and Medny (State).

A tax reform was carried out, which made it possible to improve the financial situation of the country: fees for concluding foreign trade transactions were increased to 13 kopecks from 1 ruble (instead of the previously charged 5 kopecks). The tax on salt and wine was increased.

In 1754, a new commission was created to draw up the Code, which finished its work by the end of Elizabeth's reign, but the process of transformation was interrupted by the Seven Years' War (1756-1762).

In social policy, the line of expanding the rights of the nobility continued. In 1746, the nobles were granted the right to own land and peasants. In 1760 the landowners received the right to exile peasants to Siberia with their credit instead of recruits. The peasants were forbidden to conduct monetary transactions without the permission of the landlord.

In 1755, the factory peasants were assigned as permanent (possessional) workers at the Ural factories.

The death penalty was abolished (1756), the mass practice of sophisticated torture was stopped.

Under Elizabeth, military educational institutions were reorganized. In 1744, a decree was issued to expand the network primary schools... The first gymnasiums were opened: in Moscow (1755) and Kazan (1758). In 1755, on the initiative of I.I. Shuvalov, Moscow University was founded, and in 1760 - the Academy of Arts. August 30, 1756 - a decree was signed on the beginning of the creation of the structure of the Imperial Theaters of Russia. Outstanding cultural monuments have been created (Tsarskoye Selo Catherine Palace, etc.). Support was provided to MV Lomonosov and other representatives of Russian science and culture. In the last period of her reign, Elizabeth was less concerned with issues. government controlled, having entrusted it to P.I. and I.I. Shuvalov, M.I. and R.I. Vorontsov and others.

Generally, domestic politics Elizaveta Petrovna was distinguished by stability and focus on the growth of authority and power state power... For a number of signs, we can say that the course of Elizabeth Petrovna was the first step towards the policy of enlightened absolutism, which was then carried out under Catherine II.

Empress Elizabeth was the last ruler of Russia, who was Romanova "by blood".

Social unrest

At the turn of 50-60. XVIII century there were more than 60 revolts of monastic peasants.

In the 30-40s. uprisings occurred twice in Bashkiria.

In 1754-1764. disturbances were observed at 54 factories in the Urals (200 thousand registered peasants).

Foreign policy

Russian-Swedish war (1741-1743)

In 1740 prussian king Frederick II decided to take advantage of the death of the Austrian Emperor Charles VI to capture Silesia. The War of the Austrian Succession began. Hostile to Austria, Prussia and France tried to persuade Russia to take part in the conflict on their side, but they were also satisfied with non-interference in the war. Therefore, French diplomacy tried to set Sweden and Russia apart in order to divert the latter's attention from European affairs. Sweden has declared war on Russia.

Russian troops under the command of General Lassi defeated the Swedes in Finland and occupied its territory. Abo peace treaty (Abo peace) of 1743 ended the war. The treatise was signed on August 7, 1743 in the city of Abo (now Turku, Finland) from Russia by A. I. Rumyantsev and I. Lyuberas, from Sweden by G. Tsederkreis and E. M. Nolken. During the negotiations, Russia agreed to limit its territorial claims on condition that the Holstein Prince Adolf Fredrik, the cousin uncle of the Russian heir, was elected heir to the Swedish throne. Peter III Fedorovich. On June 23, 1743, Adolf was elected heir to the Swedish throne, which paved the way for a final agreement.

Article 21 of the peace treaty established eternal peace between countries and obliged them not to enter into hostile alliances. The Nishtad peace of 1721 was confirmed. The Kymenegorsk province with the cities of Friedrichsgam and Vilmanstrand, part of the Savolak province with the city of Neishlot, withdrew to Russia. The border runs along the river. Kyummene.

The beginning of the accession of Kazakhstan to Russia

Back in 1731, Anna Ioannovna signed a letter of acceptance of the Younger Kazakh Zhuz into Russia. Khan zhuza Abulkhair and foremen swore allegiance to Russia.

In 1740-1743. the Middle Zhuz voluntarily became part of Russia; were built Orenburg (1743) and a fortress on the river. Yaik.

Seven Years' War (1756-1763)

In 1756-1763, the Anglo-French war for the colonies. The war involved two coalitions: Prussia, England and Portugal against France, Spain, Austria, Sweden and Saxony with the participation of Russia.

In 1756, Frederick II attacked Saxony without declaring war. In the summer of the same year, he forced her to surrender. On September 1, 1756, Russia declared war on Prussia. In 1757, Frederick defeated the Austrian and french troops and sent the main forces against Russia. In the summer of 1757, the Russian army under the command of Apraksin entered East Prussia. On August 19, the Russian army was surrounded at the village. Gross-Jegersdorf and only with the support of the reserve brigade of P.A.Rumyantseva broke out of the encirclement. The enemy lost 8 thousand people. and retreated. Apraksin did not organize the pursuit, and he himself retreated to Courland. Elizabeth dismissed him and put him under investigation. The new commander was appointed the Englishman V.V. Fermor.

At the beginning of 1758, Russian troops captured Konigsberg, then all of East Prussia, whose population even swore allegiance to the Empress. East Prussia received the status of a province of Russia. In August 1758, a battle took place near the village of Zondorf, in which the Russians won the victory. Some German rulers often raised a toast to the Germans who won at Zondorf, but these statements were erroneous, since the army that occupied the battlefield after the battle was considered the winner. The battlefield was occupied by the Russian army (this battle is described in detail by Valentin Pikul in his novel "With a pen and a sword"). At the beginning of the battle, Fermor, together with the Austrian ambassador to the Russian army, fled from the battlefield. The victory was won by the army without the commander-in-chief. Fermor was then removed. During the battle, Frederick II said famous phrases:

The army was led by P.S. Saltykov. On August 1, 1759, the 58,000-strong Russian army near the village of Kunersdorf fought a general battle against 48,000 of the Prussian army. The army of Frederick II was destroyed: only 3 thousand soldiers remained. Seydlitz's cavalry was also destroyed. Saltykov for his defiant attitude towards the Austrian troops and the delay in the advance was removed and A.B. Buturlin was appointed.

The capture of Berlin took place on September 28, 1760; it was briefly captured by the corps of General Z. G. Chernyshev, which captured military warehouses. However, when Frederick approached, the corps retreated.

In December 1761, Elizabeth died of throat bleeding due to a chronic disease unidentified by the medicine of those times.

Peter III ascended the throne. The new emperor returned all the conquered lands to Frederick and even offered military assistance. Only a new palace coup and the accession to the throne of Catherine II prevented Russia's military actions against its former allies - Austria and Sweden.

Personal life

According to the testimony of some contemporaries, Elizabeth was in a secret marriage with Alexei Razumovsky. She most likely did not have children, which is why she took under the personal care of the orphaned in 1743 two sons and the daughter of the chamber-cadet Grigory Butakov: Peter, Alexei and Praskovya. However, after the death of Elizaveta Petrovna, many impostors appeared who called themselves her children from her marriage to Razumovsky. Among them, the most famous figure was the so-called Princess Tarakanova.

The reign of Elizabeth is a period of luxury and excesses. At the court, masquerade balls were regularly held, and in the first ten years, so-called "metamorphoses", when ladies dressed up in men's suits, and men in ladies' ones. Elizaveta Petrovna herself set the tone and was the trendsetter. The Empress's wardrobe consisted of up to 15 thousand dresses.

Succession to the throne

The official heir to the throne on November 7 (18), 1742, Elizabeth appointed her nephew (son of Anna's sister) - Duke of Holstein Karl-Peter Ulrich (Peter Fedorovich). His official title included the words "Grandson of Peter the Great."

In the winter of 1747, the empress issued a decree, referred to in history as a "hair establishment", commanding all the ladies of the court to have their hair cut, and gave everyone "black tousled wigs" so that they would wear them until they grew their own. City ladies were allowed by decree to leave their hair, but wear the same black wigs on top. The reason for the appearance of the order was that the empress could not remove the powder from her hair and decided to dye it black. However, this did not help and she had to cut her hair completely and wear a black wig.

Memory

Literature

• Klyuchevsky, Vasily Osipovich Russian history course (Lectures I-XXXII, rtf)

• V. Pikul "Word and Deed"
• Elizaveta Petrovna's coronation album
• Soboleva I.A. German princesses - Russian destinies. - SPb .: Peter, 2008 .-- 413 p.

To the cinema

• "Young Catherine" (" Young catherine"), (1991). As Elizabeth - Vanessa Redgrave.
• "Vivat, Midshipmen!" (1991), "Midshipmen - III" (1992). Natalia Gundareva as Elizabeth.
• "Secrets palace coups"(1-5th films, (2000-2003)). In the role of Elizabeth - Ekaterina Nikitina.
• Feather and sword (2008). Olga Samoshina plays the role of Elizabeth.

• In the winter of 1747, the empress issued a decree, referred to in history as a "hair establishment", commanding all the ladies of the court to have their hair cut bald, and gave everyone "black tousled wigs" so that they would wear them until they grew out of their own. City ladies were allowed by decree to leave their hair, but wear the same black wigs on top. The reason for the appearance of the order was that the empress could not remove the powder from her hair and decided to dye it black. However, this did not help and she had to cut her hair completely and wear a black wig.

• Elizaveta Petrovna had a snub nose, and this nose (under pain of punishment) was painted by artists only from the front, from its best side. And in profile, portraits of Elizabeth almost do not exist, except for the occasional medallion on the bone by Rastrelli.

• On December 22, 2009, the exhibition "Vivat, Elisabeth" was opened in the Catherine Palace, organized by State Museum- reserve "Tsarskoe Selo" together with the State Museum of Ceramics and "Kuskovo Estate of the 18th century" and timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. One of the most interesting exhibits of the exhibition is a paper sculpture depicting the ceremonial dress of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. The sculpture was made specifically for the exhibition by order of the museum by the world famous Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave.

Elizaveta Petrovna is a Russian empress who became the last female representative of the Romanov royal dynasty. She went down in the history of Russia as a cheerful ruler, as she had a pronounced passion for chic balls and various high-society entertainments. The years of her reign were not marked by special pronounced achievements, but she skillfully led her court and maneuvered among political groupings, which allowed her to firmly hold on to the throne for two decades. However, Elizabeth I played important role in the development of the culture and economy of the country, and also managed to lead the Russian army to several confident victories in serious wars.

Elizaveta Petrovna was born on December 29, 1709 in the village of Kolomeskoye near Moscow. She became the illegitimate daughter of Tsar Peter I and Martha Skavronskaya (Catherine I), therefore she received the title of princess only two years after birth, when her parents entered into an official church marriage. In 1721, after Peter I ascended to the imperial throne, Elizabeth and her sister Anna received the titles of crown princes, which made them the legal heirs to the royal throne.

Young Elizabeth was the most beloved daughter of Emperor Peter, but she rarely saw her father. Princess Natalya Alekseevna (her paternal aunt) and the family of Alexander Menshikov, who was an associate of Peter Alekseevich, were mainly involved in her upbringing. But they did not particularly burden the future empress with studies - she was thoroughly engaged only in studying French and the development of beautiful handwriting. She also gained superficial knowledge of others. foreign languages, geography and history, but they did not interest the crown princess, so she devoted all her time to taking care of her beauty and choosing outfits.

Elizaveta Petrovna was reputed to be the first beauty at court, she was fluent in dancing, was distinguished by her outstanding resourcefulness and ingenuity. Such qualities made her the "main center" of diplomatic projects - Peter the Great made plans to marry his daughter to Louis XV and the Duke of Orleans, but the French Bourbons responded with a polite refusal. After that, the portraits of the crown princess were sent to the secondary German princes, but Karl-August Holstein, who showed interest in Elizabeth, died upon arrival in St. Petersburg, never reaching the altar.

After the death of Peter the Great and Ekaterina Alekseevna, the troubles regarding the marriage of Elizabeth completely ceased. Then the princess completely surrendered herself to entertainment, hobbies and amusements at court, but when her cousin Anna Ioannovna ascended the throne, she was deprived of her brilliant position and was exiled to the Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda. But society saw in Elizabeth Petrovna the true heiress of Peter the Great, so she began to show powerful ambitions, and she began to prepare for the fulfillment of her "right" to reign, which was illegitimate by law, since she was the premarital child of Peter I.

Ascent to the throne

Elizabeth Petrovna received the title of Empress as a result of the most "bloodless" coup d'etat of 1741. It happened without a preliminary conspiracy, since the empress did not particularly strive for power and did not show herself as a strong political figure. At the time of the coup itself, she did not have any program, but was embraced by the idea of ​​her own accession, which was supported by ordinary citizens and guards, who expressed dissatisfaction with the dominance of foreigners at court, the disgrace of the Russian nobility, the tightening of serfdom and tax legislation.

On the night of November 24-25, 1741, Elizaveta Petrovna, with the support of her confidant and secret adviser Johann Lestock, arrived at the Preobrazhensky barracks and raised a grenadier company. The soldiers unquestioningly agreed to help her overthrow the current government and, in the composition of 308 people, went to the Winter Palace, where the princess proclaimed herself empress, usurping the current government: the infant emperor John Antonovich and all his relatives from the Braunschweig clan were arrested and imprisoned in the Solovetsky Monastery.

Given the circumstances of Elizabeth I's accession to the throne, the first manifesto she signed was a document according to which she is the only legal heir to the throne after the death of Peter II. After that, she proclaimed her political course aimed at returning the legacy of Peter the Great. In the same period, she hastened to reward all her associates who helped her ascend the throne: the company of the Preobrazhensky regiment's grenadiers was renamed into a life company, and all soldiers who did not have noble roots were elevated to noblemen and promoted in ranks. Also, they were all awarded with lands that were confiscated from foreign landowners.

The coronation of Elizabeth Petrovna took place in April 1742. She passed with special pomp and chic. It was then that the 32-year-old empress revealed all her love for spectacular shows and masquerades. During the period of solemn events, a mass amnesty was announced, and people in the streets sang welcoming odes to the new ruler, who managed to expel the German rulers and who, in their eyes, became the winner of "foreign elements".

Governing body

Putting on the crown and making sure of the support and approval of society for the changes that had taken place, Elizabeth I immediately signed her second manifesto after her coronation. In it, the Empress in a rather rude form presented evidence of the illegality of the rights to the throne of Ivan VI and brought charges against the German temporary workers and their Russian friends. As a result, the favorites of the former empress Levenwold, Minich, Osterman, Golovkin and Mengden were sentenced to death, but after that the ruler decided to mitigate their punishment and exiled to Siberia, which she decided to prove to Europe her own tolerance.

From the first days on the throne, Elizabeth I began to praise "Peter's deeds" - she restored the Senate, the Chief Magistrate, the Provincial Collegium, the Manufactory and the Berg Collegium. At the head of these departments, she put those members of the public who were in disgrace with the previous government or were ordinary guards officers before the coup. Thus, Pyotr Shuvalov, Mikhail Vorontsov, Alexei Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Alexei Cherkassky, Nikita Trubetskoy, with whom at first Elizaveta Petrovna hand in hand conducted state affairs, became at the helm of the new government of the country.

Elizaveta Petrovna carried out a serious humanization of public life, softened a number of her father's decrees providing for harsh punishment for bribery and embezzlement, for the first time in 100 years she abolished the death penalty. In addition, the empress paid special attention to cultural development - it was her coming to power that historians associate with the beginning of the Enlightenment, since a reorganization was carried out in Russia educational institutions, the network of primary schools was expanded, the first gymnasiums were opened, Moscow University and the Academy of Arts were founded.

Having taken the first steps in ruling the country, the empress devoted herself entirely to court life, intrigue and amusement. The management of the empire passed into the hands of her favorites Alexei Razumovsky and Pyotr Shuvalov. There is a version that Razumovsky was the secret spouse of Elizaveta Petrovna, but at the same time he was a very modest person who tried to stay away from big politics. Therefore, Shuvalov almost independently ruled the country in the 1750s.

Nevertheless, the achievements of Elizabeth I and the results of her reign cannot be called zero for the country. Thanks to her reforms, carried out at the initiative of the favorites, the internal customs was abolished in the Russian Empire, which accelerated the development of foreign trade and entrepreneurship. She also strengthened the privileges of the nobles, whose children were enrolled in state regiments from birth, and by the time they served in the army, they were already officers. At the same time, the empress gave the landowners the right to decide the "fate" of the peasants - they were allowed to sell people at retail, to exile them to Siberia. This caused more than 60 peasant uprisings throughout the country, which the Empress suppressed very cruelly.

During her reign, Elizaveta Petrovna created new banks in the country, actively developed manufacturing production, which slowly but surely increased economic growth in Russia. She also conducted a powerful foreign policy- on the account of the empress two victories in large-scale wars (Russian-Swedish and Seven Years), which restored the country's undermined authority in Europe.

Personal life

The personal life of Elizaveta Petrovna did not work out from her very youth. After the failed attempts of Peter the Great to "successfully" marry off her daughter, the princess refused an official marriage, preferring him a riotous life and amusement. There is a historical version that the empress was still in a secret church marriage with her favorite Alexei Razumovsky, but no documents confirming this union have been preserved.

In the 1750s, the ruler made herself a new favorite. It was Mikhail Lomonosov's friend Ivan Shuvalov, who was a very well-read and educated person. It is possible that it was under his influence that Elizaveta Petrovna was engaged in the cultural development of the country. After the death of the ruler, he fell into disgrace to the new government, so during the years of his reign he was forced to hide abroad.

After the death of the Empress, there were a lot of rumors at court about Elizabeth's secret children. The society believed that the empress had an illegitimate son from Razumovsky and a daughter from Shuvalov. This "revived" a lot of impostors who considered themselves royal children, the most famous of whom was Princess Tarakanova, who calls herself Elizabeth of Vladimir.

Death

The death of Elizabeth Petrovna occurred on January 5, 1762. At the 53rd year of her life, the empress died of throat bleeding. Historians note that since 1757, the health of the ruler began to deteriorate before our eyes: she was diagnosed with epilepsy, shortness of breath, frequent nosebleeds, and swelling of the lower extremities. In this regard, she had to almost completely reduce her active court life, pushing lavish balls and receptions to the background.

In early 1761, Elizabeth I suffered severe bronchopneumonia, which confined her to the bed. Last year During her life, the Empress was very sick, she constantly had bouts of colds. Before her death, Elizaveta Petrovna developed a persistent cough, which led to severe bleeding from her throat. Unable to cope with the disease, the empress died in her chambers.

On February 5, 1762, the body of Empress Elizabeth was buried with all the honors in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

Elizabeth I's successor was her nephew Karl-Peter Ulrich Holstein, who, after his proclamation as emperor, was renamed Peter III Fedorovich. Historians call this transition of power the most painless of all reigns in the 18th century.