Reign: 1730-1740

From the biography

• Anna Ioannovna was the niece of Peter 1, the daughter of his half-brother Ivan 5.
• She was invited to the throne from Mitava, where she had lived before, having by that time become the widow of the Duke of Courland, having lived in Courland for 19 years.
• Dumb, lazy, poorly educated, she had a cruel and capricious character
• She was invited to the throne by the “higher-ups” on the initiative of D. Golitsyn and V. Dolgorukov, trying to limit her power.
• Signed " Conditions", the purpose of which is to limit the power of the emperor in favor of the Supreme Secret Council. Conditions of the “Conditions”: the empress could not pass laws, declare war, make peace, introduce new taxes, promote to ranks higher than colonel, grant estates, get married, or appoint an heir to the throne. However, with the support of the guard and the nobility (A. Osterman, P. Yaguzhinsky, etc.), Anna Ioannovna tore up the “Conditions”, again the power of the emperor became unlimited.
• The reign of Anna Ioannovna was called the “Bironovschina”, after the name of her favorite, Biron. The essence Bironovism: the dominance of foreigners in the highest authorities - Germans: A. Osterman - head of government, F. Minich - field marshal of the army, E. Biron - favorite and de facto ruler of the country; embezzlement, rampant government, loose morals, disrespect for Russian traditions

• Anna Ioannovna was little involved in politics; mostly her associates did it for her. But she loved to relax and have fun. The expenses for her entertainment were enormous. She also loved luxury.
• She loved to surround herself with jesters and clowns, often this role was played by prominent nobles - princes M. Golitsyn and N. Volkonsky, Count A. Apraksin
• She arranged the wedding of her 50-year-old jester Golitsyn and the ugly Kalmyk woman Buzheninova (she received her surname in honor of the empress’s favorite dish). For this purpose, a real Ice House was built, where the newlyweds froze.
• Before her death, she declared Ivan 6 (the son of her niece, Anna Leopoldovna) as her heir during the regency of Biron.

Historical portrait of Anna Ioannovna

Activities

1.Domestic policy

2. Foreign policy

RESULTS OF ACTIVITY

• Anna Ioannovna strengthened the unlimited power of the monarch.
• During the reign of Anna Ioannovna, there were no significant positive changes in the country. The dominance of foreigners and their desire to gain personal benefit did not lead to noticeable economic growth, although there were some successes in trade and industry.
• The implementation of a pro-noble policy increased the importance of the nobles in the country; the empress relied on their support in her activities.
• The situation of the peasants further deteriorated.
• There were positive trends in foreign policy (strengthening trade relations with Western countries, improving relations with Poland, acquiring a number of fortresses in the south). However, it was not possible to achieve access to the Black Sea.
• In general, the reign of Anna Ioannovna went down in history as a dark decade, Bironovism, with the dominance of foreigners, embezzlement, disrespect for the country and people ruled by this empress.

This material can be used when writing a historical essay (task No. 25)

You can read about specific individuals who played an important role in a particular event.

You can read about the role in foreign and domestic policy here.

The era of Anna Ioannovna in painting

• Introduction
• End of the reign
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

Introduction

Amnna Ioamnnovna (Amnna Ivamnovna; January 28 (February 7) 1693 - October 17 (28), 1740) - Russian empress from the Romanov dynasty.

Second daughter of Tsar Ivan V (brother and co-ruler of Tsar Peter I) and Tsarina Praskovya Fedorovna. In 1710 she was married to the Duke of Courland, Friedrich Wilhelm; Having become a widow 2.5 months after the wedding, she remained in Courland.

Judging by the surviving correspondence, Anna Ioannovna was a classic type of landowner lady. As E.V. very accurately noted. Anisimov: “The general tone, the style of life of Anna’s court... most of all resembles the style of life of a Russian landowner of the 18th century with her simple concerns, and entertainment, gossip and proceedings of courtyard quarrels.” She loved to be aware of all the gossip, the personal lives of her subjects, and gathered around her many jesters and talkers who amused her. From the surviving letters of Anna Ioannovna, the empress’s superstition and her great penchant for gossip are striking. Anna especially loved to act as a matchmaker, bringing together couples of people according to her own understanding. Anna had some masculinity, V.O. Klyuchevsky described her like this: “Tall and corpulent with a face more masculine than feminine.” The roughness of her appearance, excessive plumpness, and lack of grace were noted by many of Anna’s contemporaries.

Anna loved horses, borrowing this tendency from her favorite Biron. She liked hunting and often practiced shooting from the windows of her palace. Newspapers of that time reported on the empress's hunting exploits, and in order to avoid a shortage of animals, subjects were forbidden to hunt any game within a hundred miles from the capital.

Anna Ioannovna's reign was marked by huge expenses for entertainment events, the costs of holding balls and maintaining the courtyard were tens of times higher than the costs of maintaining the army and navy, during her reign an ice town with elephants at the entrance appeared for the first time, from whose trunks burning oil flowed like a fountain, later during the the clownish wedding of her court jester Prince M.A. Golitsyna with A.I. Buzheninova, the newlyweds spent their wedding night in an ice house.

Anna Ioannovna herself was not very interested in state affairs, leaving the management of affairs to her favorite Biron and the main leaders: Chancellor Golovkin, Prince Cherkassky, for foreign affairs Osterman and for military affairs Field Marshal Minich.

russian empress reign politics

Accession to the throne of Anna Ioannovna

Anna Ioannovna became empress unexpectedly for everyone. In January 1730, fourteen-year-old Emperor Peter II fell ill and died suddenly. With his death, the male line of the Romanov dynasty ended. They decided to take advantage of this circumstance as an opportunity to change the existing way of government. Part of the supreme leaders, led by Prince D.M. Golitsyn, attempted an oligarchic coup in the interests of a narrow circle of aristocratic families, represented by the princes Dolgoruky and Golitsyn, who occupied almost all the seats in the Supreme Council.

The Duchess of Courland, Anna Ioanovna, was recognized as the most suitable candidate for a monarch with limited rights.

“The death of the last of the male line of the Romanovs took everyone by surprise and therefore many, not knowing who to settle on, wanted to quickly place on the throne a person who could not remain on it for long, but would give time to think and prepare. For these reasons, Anna’s candidacy was readily accepted ". To consolidate the limitation of the empress's power, the leaders drew up the so-called conditions - points that regulated Anna's power.

These clauses obliged the future empress to make all her decisions only with the consent of the Supreme Privy Council, namely: declaration of war, conclusion of peace, imposition of taxes on the population, promotion to ranks higher than colonel, and the guard and the army in general were placed under the supreme command of the Supreme Privy Council; deprivation of the nobility of life, estates and honor in court, distribution of estates and villages as grants, promotion of both Russians and foreigners to court ranks, use of state revenues for expenses.

In addition, Anna was obliged not to marry, not to appoint an heir either for herself or for herself, and to maintain the Supreme Privy Council consisting of its permanent 8 people. If the points were not fulfilled, the empress was deprived of her crown.

Conditions were sent to Mitava where Anna Ioannovna lived. The choice of the leaders came as a complete surprise to her.

Anna Ioannovna, the second daughter of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich, brother and co-ruler of Peter the Great, and Praskovya Fedorovna Saltykova, for the political reasons of Peter I, who sought to strengthen his position in the Baltic states, was married in her youth to the Duke of Courland, Frederick William. However, just a few months after her marriage, Anna became a widow. Due to her uncle’s state interests, she was forced to stay and live in a foreign country, experiencing an unfriendly attitude on the part of the Courland nobles, who were afraid of increasing Russian influence in Mitau. On the other hand, Anna was completely dependent on Peter I, who saw in his niece only a conductor of his will and was not at all interested in her feelings, opinions, or the real situation in Courland.

An idea of ​​the duchess’s living conditions in Mitau and her character traits is shown by letters preserved in the archives. Their content presents Anna Ioannovna as a practical woman, ready to endure humiliation in the name of achieving a goal, intelligent enough to navigate the intricacies of court life in St. Petersburg and use the situation to her advantage. An unexpected passion for luxury made her life difficult and burdened with debt. But she always knew well who she could turn to with a request, for whom a letter with New Year’s greetings was enough, and who was in disgrace and maintaining connections with him would be in trouble. “Her letters are striking in her ability to play nice, to humiliately beg, to use all the levers of influence on the person from whom she expects help.”

Widow's life, the poverty of material opportunities with a tendency to waste, the need to meekly obey someone else's will to the detriment of personal interests - all this did not encourage the formation of a benevolent attitude towards others, cordiality, compassion and other virtues. And already Anna Ioannovna went to Moscow for the royal crown with a gloomy, callous character.

Having signed the “conditions,” Anna arrived in Moscow in February 1730. In the clash between supporters and opponents of limiting imperial power, Anna managed to find a very advantageous position, which allowed her to rely on supporters of the autocracy and then, with the help of the guard, carry out a palace coup, marked by the public and solemn destruction of the “standards”. From this day on, the autocratic rule of Anna Ioannovna began.

Domestic policy of Anna Ioannovna

After the coronation, Anna first lived in the Kremlin, in a fairly comfortable room in the ancient Amusement Palace. With the onset of summer, she moved to Izmailovo, and at that time in the Kremlin, next to the Arsenal, the Italian architect Rastrelli built a new wooden palace, called Annenhof. The Empress settled there in October 1730. But soon she liked the Golovinsky house with Petrovsky Park, where she sometimes held celebrations, so much that she ordered Rastrelli to build another, wooden Annenhof next door, which was ready by the summer of next year and where she even spent the winter before moving to St. Petersburg in 1732 . Later she never returned to Moscow. In St. Petersburg, Anna settled in the house of Count Apraksin, donated by the admiral to Peter II. She greatly expanded it and turned it into a palace called the New Winter Palace, and the Old was given to the court staff.

Peter 1 destroyed the old royal court, but did not create a new one. Neither Catherine 1 nor Peter II had their own court in the literal sense of the word, with its complex organization and decorative pomp common in Western countries. With the exception of a few chamberlain positions, everything had to be created anew, and Anna set about it. She appointed many court officials and established receptions on certain days; she gave balls and set up a theater like the French king's. For the festivities on the occasion of her coronation, Augustus II sent her several Italian actors from Dresden, and she realized that she needed to have a permanent Italian troupe. She discharged her in 1735, and twice a week “interludes” alternated with ballet. They were attended by students of the cadet corps, who studied under the guidance of the French dance teacher Lande. Then the Italian opera appeared with 70 singers and female singers, under the direction of the French composer Araglia. Since the empress did not understand Italian, Tredyakovsky translated the text for her, and the empress watched the performance with a book in her hands. But even this help did not make her interested in the theater. Her head, like her upbringing, was little suited to artistic forms of entertainment. At that time, a troupe of German comedians, performing crude farces, enjoyed much greater success at court.

But be that as it may, the emerging Russian society (in the European sense of the word) continued to develop. Fashion appeared under Anna. It was officially forbidden to come to court twice in the same dress. The Spartan simplicity of previous reigns gave way to ruinous luxury. Spending three thousand a year on a dress, the man looked miserable, and Madame Biron’s dress was valued at five hundred thousand rubles. The table also adopted a hitherto unseen sophistication. The usual rough drunken revelry under Peter I, when everyone indiscriminately, including ladies, had to get drunk on vodka, is now a thing of the past. The Empress did not like people to get drunk in her presence. Scenes of drunkenness at court became relatively rare. Along with the delicacies, French wines - champagne and Burgundy - were served on the table. The houses gradually became larger and were furnished with English furniture. Luxurious carriages and gilded carriages with velvet upholstery began to appear more often.

State affairs under Anna remained in decline, although they acquired some order compared to previous times. Immediately upon her accession to the throne, she abolished the Supreme Privy Council and restored the Senate. The Senate soon begins to divide into departments and loses its dominant role. Old organs appear again only under new names. In 1730, the Office of Secret Investigation Cases was established, replacing the Preobrazhensky Order, which was destroyed under Peter II. In a short time it gained extraordinary strength and soon became one of the most important institutions and a kind of symbol of the era. Anna was constantly afraid of conspiracies that threatened her reign. Therefore, the abuses of this department were enormous even by Russian standards. Espionage became the most encouraged government service. An ambiguous word or a misunderstood gesture was often enough to end up in a dungeon, or even disappear without a trace. All those exiled to Siberia under Anna were considered to be over 20 thousand people; Of these, more than 5 thousand were of whom no trace could be found, since they were often exiled without any recording in the proper place and with a change in the names of the exiles, without even informing the Secret Chancellery. Up to 1,000 people were counted as executed, not including those who died during the investigation and those executed secretly. And there were quite a few of them too. In total, more than 30 thousand people were subjected to various types of repression.

In 1731, the Cabinet of Ministers was established, which had previously functioned as the personal secretariat of the Empress. The Cabinet of Ministers included Osterman, Count G.I. Golovkin and Prince A.M. Cherkassky; after Golovkin’s death he was successively replaced by P.I. Yaguzhinsky, A.P. Volynsky and A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin. In fact, the Cabinet was the direct successor to the Supreme Privy Council. “The establishment of the Cabinet was something new in Russia and was not to everyone’s taste, especially since Osterman was considered a double-minded person, and Cherkassky very lazy; then they said that “in this office Cherkassky was the body, and Osterman the soul, not too honest.” During the first year of her reign, Anna tried to carefully attend Cabinet meetings, but then she completely cooled down to business and already in 1732 she was here only twice. Gradually, the Cabinet acquired new functions, including the right to issue laws and decrees, which made it very similar to. The Supreme Council.

All affairs under Anna were run by three main Germans - Biron, Osterman and Minich, who were constantly at odds with each other. Anna Ioanovna’s favorite E.I. acquired special power. Biron, therefore, the time of her reign was called “Bironovism”, which personified political terror, embezzlement, debauchery, disrespect for Russian traditions, and entered a dark page in Russian history. Foreigners - mainly Baltic nobles and Germans - began to play a decisive role in governing the country. According to the apt expression of historian V.O. Klyuchevsky - “the Germans poured into Russia like rubbish from a holey bag. They surrounded the courtyard, inhabited the throne, and climbed into all the profitable places in the administration.” The army was led by Field Marshal B.K. Minikh, it was under his leadership that the military reform was carried out, the Izmailovsky and Horse Guards regiments were formed; Collegium of Foreign Affairs - A.I. Osterman, Academy of Sciences - I.D. Schumacher. Political investigation is reaching a wide scope. In 1731, the activities of the Secret Chancellery, headed by A.I., were restored. Ushakov. In 1740, the trial of the cabinet minister A.P. took place. Volynsky, who made disapproving statements about both the Germans and the Empress and sought to limit the influence of foreigners on the domestic and foreign policy of Russia, as a result of which he was sentenced to death.

Besides them, there were many other smaller Germans who seized all the profitable places and positions and pushed the Russian aristocracy out of control. German dominance was so sensitive that it became, as it were, a second symbol of the era. All this caused strong displeasure among the Russian nobility and especially among its advanced part, which was then the guard. But while Anna was alive, indignation did not break out. However, it appeared immediately after she was gone.

During the reign of Anna, the line of subordinating the church to the state and transforming the clergy into a specific type of bureaucracy obedient to the autocracy was continued. Thus, on April 15, 1738, the College of Economy was removed from the department of the Synod and transferred to the Senate. Along with it, the Dvortsovy and Kazenny orders that existed under the Synod were also transferred there. In essence, the Synod became a bureaucratic institution that could only be supported by salaries from the general state treasury. Previously, the Russian Church prohibited foreigners from building their churches in Russia. But Anna allows the construction of temples of other faiths. Thus, the only obstacle to contacts between Russians and foreigners was removed. "Foreigners of other Christian faiths were given the freedom to build their own churches and worship in them."

Anna Ioanovna's government continued its pro-noble policy. In 1731 the decree on single inheritance was canceled. Since 1736, the service life of nobles was limited to 25 years. In 1736, factory workers and members of their families were permanently attached to the factories. Thus, civilian labor was finally supplanted by serf labor.

Anna in 1731 began to actively distribute land to Russian and foreign nobles. Foreigners liked this measure, and they began to strive to receive these lands from the empress. During the reign of Anna Ioannovna, the right to dispose of estates was returned to the nobility, which allowed them to divide their estates among all children. From now on, all estates were recognized as the full property of their owners. The collection of poll taxes from serfs was transferred to their owners. The landowner was now obliged to monitor the behavior of his serfs. Although these measures increasingly elevated the nobles above other people, the foreign nobles did not like the privileges given to the Russian nobles, since these measures increasingly shortened the distance between foreigners and Russians.

Some positive changes took place in the field of education: the Land Noble Cadet Corps for nobles was established, a school for training officials was created under the Senate, and a seminary for 35 young men was opened at the Academy of Sciences. The organization of postal services dates back to this time, as well as the introduction of police units to maintain order in large cities. A lot of manufactories appeared: leather, metalworking and processing of wool and other types of fabric. Care for the breeding of horse breeding plants was a peculiar feature of Anna Ivanovna's reign, under the influence of her favorite Biron. In 1731, the stable office or stable order was established. And until her death, Anna Ivanovna showed great concern for the success of horse breeding in Russia. “In order to supply the Russian cavalry with suitable horses, she ordered a great many of the best foreign horses to be registered and to establish many horse factories.”

But there were a lot of negative aspects to Anna’s reign. State expenditures on holidays and luxury were so increased that arrears increased several times. But foreigners did not care about these expenses, they were only surprised by this luxury.

During Anna's reign, the Russian nobility, its most noble families, such as the Dolgorukys, Golitsyns and Volynskys, fell into disgrace. They were exiled along with all their families and some were executed. These people were not so angry with the empress as with her favorite Biron. “If she weren’t so angry with us, but her favorite, who was constantly with her, he tried to exterminate our family so that he would not exist in the world.”

Thus, foreigners supported Anna's policy, seeing in it a continuation of Peter's policy. Just like Peter, Anna continued to give privileges to foreigners. Anna herself carried out all events under the influence and control of foreigners, mainly Biron. But it would be unfair to attribute solely to Biron’s influence all the persecutions, exiles, tortures and painful executions that took place during her reign: they were also determined by Anna’s personal qualities.

Anna Ivanovna's reign was marked by the rise of Russian industry, primarily metallurgy, which came out on top in the world in the production of cast iron. From the second half of the 1730s, a gradual transfer of state-owned enterprises into private hands began, which was enshrined in the Berg Regulations (1739), which stimulated private entrepreneurship.

End of the reign

Back in 1732, Anna Ivanovna publicly announced that the inheritance of the throne after her should go to the male offspring of her niece, the daughter of the empress’s elder sister, Ekaterina Ivanovna, Duchess of Mecklenburg. The latter's husband, Karl Leopold, at one time acquired a reputation as a tyrant, was driven out by his Mecklenburg subjects, driven out of patience, and condemned by the Imperial Diet. Being dependent on her uncle, Tsar Peter I, Princess Ekaterina Ivanovna, at his will, married the Duke of Mecklenburg, but soon did not get along with him. In 1719, she left him for Russia along with her young daughter Elisaveta-Ekaterina-Christina. This daughter, forced to spend her childhood in Russia, was accepted into the fold of the Orthodox Church in 1733 and named Anna Leopoldovna. Having lost her mother, the princess remained in the care of her aunt, Empress Anna Ivanovna, who loved her like her own daughter until the princess, having reached adulthood, began to show traits in her character that her aunt did not quite like. But since the empress had no other close relatives, and in the event of her death, the throne could go to Tsesarevna Elisabeth Petrovna, whom Anna Ivanovna did not tolerate, the empress was in a hurry to find a groom for her niece in order to provide her offspring and her family with the inheritance of the throne. The German Empire contained a rich supply of princes and princesses for marriage ties in Russia. In July 1739, Anna Leopoldovna was married to the Duke of Brunswick Anton-Ulrich, and in August 1740 the couple had a son, John Antonovich.

The Empress died unexpectedly. Her ten-year reign was crowned by two high-profile events - the wedding of her jester in the ice palace and the execution of Volynsky. On October 5 (16), 1740, Anna Ioannovna sat down to dine with Biron. Suddenly she felt sick and fell unconscious. The disease was considered dangerous. Meetings began among senior dignitaries. The issue of succession to the throne was resolved long ago; the empress named her two-month-old child, Ivan Antonovich, as her successor. It remained to be decided who would be regent until he came of age, and Biron was able to gather votes in his favor.

On October 16 (27), the sick empress had a seizure, foreshadowing her imminent death. Anna Ioannovna ordered Osterman and Biron to be called. In their presence, she signed both papers - about the inheritance after her of Ivan Antonovich and about the regency of Biron.

At 9 o'clock in the evening on October 17 (28), 1740, Anna Ioannovna died at the 48th year of her life. Doctors declared the cause of death to be gout combined with stone disease. She was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

Conclusion

The reign of Anna Ioannovna continues in Russian history a kind of “era of favorites,” when the state was ruled on behalf of empresses - women by their favorites. Anna's accession to the throne was legal, but her reign can be called a time of profound changes in the consciousness of the Russian nobility. This is a time of rationalization of the court behavior of the nobles in the struggle to increase their chances of power. The nobility was placed in the most difficult conditions: either they were among the winners and received power, or they ended their lives on the chopping block. This taught the Russian nobility to adapt, calculate and control words and deeds. In this regard, the interest of the nobles in knowledge of foreign languages ​​and new fashion items increased sharply.

But at the same time, it should be noted that the external modernization of the nobility was absolutely not connected with deep internal changes. Thus, in 1730, the bulk of the nobles did not support the desire of the more revolutionary-minded part to turn Russia into a parliamentary monarchy, seeing in an absolute monarchy reliable protection from popular uprisings and a source of new privileges, and also simply being afraid to take over the management of the state. It should also be noted that this hope was justified, and Anna, albeit partially, supported the mood of the nobility with all sorts of benefits.

The reasons for the failure of the Supreme Privy Council project are:

1) the confrontation between a narrow group of nobles who advocated limiting autocracy and the broad mass of nobles for whom autocracy was the guarantor of their stable existence;

2) fear of the establishment of a narrow aristocratic dictatorship in the person of the Supreme Privy Council;

3) the desire to create broad representation in higher government institutions and fully satisfy social needs;

4) the vigorous activity of A.I. Osterman and F. Prokopovich, who pitted two groups of nobles against each other;

5) the inability of the leaders to find a common language with the mass of nobles.

According to the words expressed by S.F. Platonov and N.I. Kostomarov, Anna Ioannovna was not ready to rule. She did not know how to govern the state. The Empress not only did not like the Russian people, she was afraid of them. During her reign, the country did not develop. And the positive features of this time, which despite everything there were, were rather the merit of the cabinet of ministers, commanders and people.

The country was actually ruled by the Germans, who flooded into Russia and occupied all government posts. The strongest influence on Anna was exerted by her favorite, Ernest Biron, who was made Duke of Courland. It is not for nothing that the era of this reign was called “Bironovism.”

The conditions signed by Anna Ioannovna, under a favorable set of circumstances, provided they were supported by the nobility, could well have contributed to Russia’s transition to a parliamentary form of monarchy. But even in this case, such a metamorphosis would be only a temporary concession by the newly-minted empress. Anna's stubborn, tough and willful character would not withstand constant control from the Council. For the political system of the 18th century. a characteristic feature was the constant struggle for survival. The era of palace coups did not tolerate weakness and obedience on the part of those who had to prove their strength every day. 1730 clearly showed another natural trend - the strengthening of the guard troops, their active involvement in political events and the understanding that the law of power is force.

In general, the reign of the empress can be reflected in the statement of a person close to her, B.Kh. Minikha: “...the whole way of government under Anna Ioannovna was imperfect and even harmful to the state.”

Bibliography

1. Anisimov E.V. Russia in the “era of palace coups” [Text] /E.V. Anisimov/ - M.: St. Petersburg, 2008.

2. Anisimov E.V., Kamensky A.B. Russia in the 18th - first half of the 19th century. [Text] /E.V. Anisimov/ - M.: St. Petersburg, 2009

3. Vasilyeva L. Anna Ioannovna [Text] /L. Vasilyeva // Science and religion - 2000-№8, pp. 12-14

4. Kostomarov N.I. The dominance of the House of Romanov: Russian history in the biographies of its main figures [Text] / N.I. Kostomarov/ - M.: STD Publishing House, 2007

5. Parfenov L. Russian Empire. Peter I. Anna Ioannovna. Elizaveta Petrovna [Text] /L. Parfenov/ - M. publishing house - EKSMO, 2013

6. Prokopovich F. The story of the election and accession to the throne of Empress Anna Ioannovna [Text] / F. Prokopovich/-Publishing book on demand, 2012

7. New Russian Encyclopedia. Volume I. [Text] - M., 2004

Similar documents

Biographical information about the life of Anna Ioannovna, the Russian empress from the Romanov dynasty. The time of her reign, which later became known as the “Bironovschina” after her favorite Biron. Domestic policy of the new government, ongoing reforms.

presentation, added 01/16/2015


The reign of Anna Ioannovna as one of the most interesting reigns in the era of palace coups, her role and significance in the history of Russia. Characteristics of government, court life, assessment of Anna Ioannovna’s policies by foreign political scientists of her time.

abstract, added 03/28/2010


Creation of a negative image of the era of Anna Ioannovna in the works of domestic historians of the 19th-20th centuries. Anna Ioannovna as empress and politician. "Bironovschina" as a stage in Russian history and a historiographical myth. New approaches to assessing the Anninsky period.

course work, added 03/27/2011


Brief biographical information from the life of Anna Ioannovna. Consequences of adopting the "Condition". Proclamation of Anna Ioannovna as autocratic Empress. Punishment with lashes in the Secret Chancery (etching of the late 18th century). Features of the government of Elizabeth Petrovna.

presentation, added 04/18/2011


The main reasons for the instability of power and palace coups after the death of Peter I. The history of the life and reign of Catherine I, Peter II, Anna Ioannovna. Domestic and foreign policy of Russia during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna. Accession of Catherine II.

course work, added 05/18/2011


Prerequisites and essence of palace coups. Catherine I Alekseevna as Empress of All Russia, the path to the throne. Reign and death of Peter II. Activities of the government of Anna Ioannovna. Domestic policy of Elizaveta Petrovna. Appointment of the heir to the throne.

abstract, added 11/13/2010


The main points of the design of the institution of female sovereignty using the example of the reign of Catherine I and Anna Ioannovna. The role of Anna Leopoldovna and Elizaveta Petrovna in the history of Russia. The transformation of favoritism into an integral part of the policy of Russian empresses.

course work, added 09/12/2013


Priorities of Russian rulers of the period of “palace coups” in relation to the domestic policy of Russia: Catherine I, Peter II, Anna Ioannovna, Ivan Antonovich, Elizaveta Petrovna, Peter III. Features of the reign and policy of Empress Catherine II.

abstract, added 05/23/2008


The historical significance of women's rule for Russian statehood. The story of Catherine Alekseevna I: the extraordinary qualities that led her to the throne. The "dark period" of Anna Ioannovna's reign. Brilliant Elizaveta Petrovna, the “golden age” of Catherine II.

test, added 10/31/2009


Russian Empress since 1730, niece of Peter I. By decision of the Supreme Privy Council, she was chosen to the Russian throne after the death of Emperor Peter II, her cousin. Granted significant benefits to the nobility.

Anna Ioannovna is a Russian empress from the Romanov dynasty, niece, who was on the throne from 1730 to 1740. Anna was born on February 7, 1693 into the royal family in the Cross Chamber of the Terem Palace of the Moscow Kremlin.

The girl's parents - Tsar Ivan V and Tsarina Praskovya Fedorovna - raised two more daughters: the eldest Catherine and the younger Praskovya. From an early age, Anna and her sisters studied Russian literacy, arithmetic, geography, dancing, German and French. The princesses' teachers were Johann Christian Dietrich Osterman (Andrei Osterman's elder brother) and Stefan Ramburg.

In 1696, Ivan Alekseevich died, and the dowager queen and her children were forced to leave the Kremlin chambers and move to the country residence Izmailovo, which was an estate built in the old Russian style. The palace facilities included orchards, numerous ponds, and a winter garden. Performances were regularly staged in the court theater, and musicians gave concerts of symphonic music.

In 1708, the family of Peter I's deceased brother moved to St. Petersburg. The solemn procession arrived in the new capital together with Alexei Petrovich, the princesses Feodosia, Maria and Natalya and the dowager queen Martha Matveevna. In honor of the emperor's relatives, a large feast was held with cannon salvoes and a boat trip along the Gulf of Finland. Praskovya Fedorovna settled with her daughters in a palace not far from the place where Smolny now stands. Soon the Swedes began an attack on the northern capital, and the relatives had to return to Moscow.

Peter's troops failed to gain the upper hand in the Northern War. The Russian emperor needed the support of the Prussian and Courland rulers. During the war, Courland experienced political pressure from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, from which it was a vassal. In 1709, Peter managed to turn the tide of action; Russian troops occupied Courland. Diplomatic negotiations took place with the King of Prussia, Frederick William I, at which it was decided to unite the two dynasties.

The Russian princess, Peter's niece Anna, was chosen as the bride, and the nephew of the Prussian king, Duke of Courland Friedrich Wilhelm, was chosen as the groom. After two months of marriage, the young husband died of a cold on the way to Courland. Peter forbade Anna to return to her homeland. The princess arrived in Mitau, where she held the position of dowager duchess for 20 years. The treasury of the duchy was devastated by long-term taxes from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, so Anna had to eke out a modest existence. The Duchess wrote many times to Peter I, and then to his widow, asking for financial assistance.

Beginning of reign

In 1730, Emperor Peter II died, and it became necessary to choose a new ruler. At a meeting of the Privy Council, six candidates were nominated for the Russian throne: the son of the deceased Duchess Anna Petrovna - Peter-Ulrich, the second daughter of Peter I - the crown princess, the first wife of Peter I - Evdokia Feodorovna Lopukhina, and three daughters of Tsar John Alekseevich.

Princes Dmitry Golitsyn and Vasily Dolgorukov suggested inviting Anna Ivanovna, who had been in straitened circumstances for twenty years and could make the necessary concessions to the aristocracy. The Privy Council supported the choice, and a letter was sent to the Duchess with a list of “conditions” - conditions limiting autocratic power in favor of the Privy Council.

Anna signed a document in Mitau on January 25 (Old Art.), according to which she was obliged to take care of the spread of Orthodoxy in Russia, not to marry, not to carry out major foreign policy actions without the consent of the Privy Council, not to change the tax system, not to appoint a successor to at your own discretion. On February 15, Anna Ioannovna arrived in Moscow, where a week later military and senior government dignitaries swore allegiance to her.

But on February 25, the oppositionists of the Privy Council - Andrei Osterman, Gabriel Golovkin, Archbishop Feofan (Prokopovich), Peter Yaguzhinsky, Antioch Cantemir, Ivan Trubetskoy - presented a petition to the queen for the restoration of absolutism. Anna Ioannovna, having heard the petition, tore up the “conditions”, and three days later a new oath of autocratic ruler took place, and at the end of April - Anna’s crowning of the kingdom. The Privy Council was abolished in favor of the governing Senate.

Domestic policy

During the reign of Anna Ioannovna, foreign and domestic policy was handled by those close to her - Chancellor Andrei Osterman and the favorite Ernst Johann Biron, who received favor from Anna during the dukedom in Courland. The army was led by Field Marshal of German origin Christopher Minich. Anna did not favor the Russian nobility, preferring to surround herself with foreigners. Contemporaries called the period of Anna Ioannovna’s reign “Birovshchina,” since the empress’s favorite had virtually unlimited possibilities.

Since 1730, according to established tradition, the Treasury began issuing coins with the image of the new empress. In 1731, a ruling structure was created - the Cabinet of Ministers, as well as two new military regiments - Izmailovsky and Cavalry, staffed by foreigners and soldiers from the southern provinces. In the same year, the Land Noble Cadet Corps appeared to train noble heirs, and a year later officer salaries increased. A school for training officials and numerous seminaries, including those at the Academy, were opened. The strengthening of Orthodoxy was facilitated by the introduction of a law on the death penalty for blasphemy.

In the second half of the 30s, serfdom was finally legalized, and factory workers were declared the property of enterprise owners. After the introduction of stricter measures, industry growth began, and soon Russia took first place in the world in the production of cast iron. Participants in drawing up the initial demands for the empress were arrested and sent to prison or exile. By the fortieth year, a conspiracy against Anna Ioannovna had matured among the ministers, which was uncovered, and the organizers and participants - minister Artemy Volynsky, architect Pyotr Eropkin, adviser to the admiralty office Andrei Khrushchev - were executed.

Anna Ioannovna herself was not distinguished by her talent for governing the state. The queen spent most of the imperial time on entertainment - creating masquerades, holding balls and hunting. At the court of the empress there were about a hundred dwarfs and giants, jesters and jokers. The history of that time records a humorous wedding arranged at the court of the queen between Prince Mikhail Golitsyn-Kvasnik and a native of Kalmykia, Avdotya Buzheninova. Anna Ioannovna favored theatrical art. During her reign, a fashion for Italian opera began in Russia, a theater with 1000 seats was built, and the first ballet school was opened.

Foreign policy

Foreign policy affairs were handled by A. Osterman, who in 1726 had already achieved a peace treaty with Austria. Thanks to Russia's victory in the military conflict with France over the Polish heritage, King Augustus III was enthroned in Warsaw in 1934. The four-year war with Turkey ended in 1739 on unfavorable terms for Russia, signed in Belgrade.

Personal life

In 1710, Anna married the Duke of Courland, Friedrich Wilhelm. In honor of the wedding, Peter I organized a celebration that lasted more than 2 months. During feasts, the nobility were satiated with food and wine. Before going home, the Duke fell ill, but did not attach any importance to the illness. Having left with the crew, Wilhelm died on the first day of the trip. Unable to return to her family, Anna Ioannovna was forced to settle in Courland.

The courtiers were hostile against the young widow, and the only friend and then favorite of the duchess was the Russian resident Pyotr Mikhailovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin. In 1926, Anna intended to marry Count Moritz of Saxony, but the wedding was upset by Prince Alexander Menshikov, who planned to become Duke of Courland himself.

In 1727, the prince was recalled to Russia, and Ernst Johann Biron became Anna's new favorite. It is assumed that the future Russian empress gave birth to a son from Biron. Anna Ioannovna later took her favorite to Russia and made her co-ruler.

Death

Empress Anna Ioannovna died on October 17 (old style) 1740 in St. Petersburg. The cause of the queen's death was kidney disease. The queen's grave is located in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. In her will, the empress indicated the descendants of her sister Catherine of Mecklenburg as heir to the throne.

Memory

The events of the 18th century are of interest not only to historians, but also to filmmakers. More than once the biography of Empress Anna became the basis of the plot of historical documentaries or feature films. In the 80s, in the films “The Ballad of Bering and His Friends”, “The Demidovs”, “” the role of Anna Ioannovna was played by the actress Maria Polizeimako.

In the multi-part series “Secrets of palace coups. Russia, XVIII century”, which was released in the early 2000s, Queen Anna played, and in 2008 her role was performed by.

After the last representative of the House of Romanov in the male line, Peter 2, died in 1730. Anna was invited to take the royal throne. However, the members of the Secret Supreme Council who invited her seriously limited her powers. By signing the Conditions, Anna Ioannovna lost her actual power, transferring it to the Council. However, the Conditions were already torn apart by the Empress in February 1730. With the support of the guard and the nobility, she was proclaimed autocratic empress.

Anna Ioannovna's reign began with the liquidation of the Secret Supreme Council and its replacement by the Cabinet of Ministers. In an effort to protect herself from conspiracies, Anna established the Office of Secret Investigations, which quickly gained considerable power. Thanks to the preservation of the foreign policy course taken by Peter the Great, Russia during the reign of Anna was able to strengthen its position on the world stage. Successful military campaigns were conducted. But there were also major mistakes, such as the conclusion of the Belgrade Peace.

During the reign of Anna Ioannovna, postal communications between cities improved significantly, and police were created in the provinces. The situation with higher education has also improved. Many measures were taken to develop and strengthen the Russian fleet and army.

In foreign policy During the reign of Anna Ioannovna, the main events unfolded around Russian-Polish and Russian-Turkish relations. The reason for the Russian-Polish War (1733 - 1735) was the election of the candidacy of Stanislav Leszczynski, supported by

France. Russia and Austria insisted on the accession of Augustus III, the son of the deceased king. The successful actions of Russian troops in Poland led to the accession of Augustus III. In 1735 - 1739 Russia fought a war in alliance with Austria against Turkey. Military operations were carried out in Crimea in the Don and Dnieper directions. The actions of the Russian troops were successful, but Russia's ally Austria concluded a separate peace with Turkey. In 1739, Russia and Turkey concluded the Peace of Belgrade, according to which Russia received Azov, but without the right to strengthen it. It was not possible to achieve access to the Black Sea.

Foreign policy Elizaveta Petrovna

Elizaveta Petrovna (1741 - 1761) (daughter of Peter I and Catherine I) was enthroned as a result of another palace coup. She was supported by the guard, the Russian nobility, dissatisfied with the dominance of foreigners, and Swedish and French diplomacy, interested in reorienting Russian foreign policy. Elizabeth proclaimed a return to her father's ways. The cabinet of ministers was abolished and the Senate, Berg and Manufactory Collegium, and Chief Magistrate were restored. Russian nobles - the Shuvalovs, Vorontsovs, and Razumovskys - established themselves in the highest positions in the state. A.P. became chancellor. Bestuzhev-Ryumin. Elizabeth proclaimed the abolition of the death penalty. Under her, Moscow University was opened (1755) and the Academy of Arts began its activities in St. Petersburg (1757).

Elizabeth Petrovna's social policy was aimed at expanding the rights and privileges of the nobility. In 1746, only nobles were granted the right to own land and peasants. In 1760, landowners received the right to exile peasants to Siberia. In 1755, factory peasants were assigned as permanent (possession) workers in Ural factories. Was the acquisition of nobility limited by the Table of Ranks? The Noble Land Bank was established to support the nobility. The nobility will receive monopoly privileges for distilling. There is a revival of trade. In 1754, internal customs duties were abolished - myty. A bank was established for the merchants. The customs tariff of 1757 established high duties on imported foreign goods. Russia traded with European countries, mainly with England and the countries of the East. The Makaryevskaya Fair became the center of major operations.

Foreign policy. At the beginning of Elizabeth's reign, Russia waged a war with Sweden (1741-1743), which ended in a peace favorable to Russia in the city of Abo. According to this peace, Sweden confirmed the results of the Northern War and ceded part of Finland to Russia.

The main foreign policy event during Elizabeth's reign was Russia's participation in the Seven Years' War (1756 - 1763). The war involved two coalitions of European powers: Prussia, England and Portugal against France, Spain, Austria, Sweden, Saxony and Russia. The new king of Prussia, Frederick II?2.101 created one of the largest well-trained army in Europe. Prussia began to threaten Russian interests in Poland and the Baltic states. In 1757 Russia enters the war. Russian troops invaded East Prussia. On August 19, 1757, near the village of Gross-Jägersdorf, Russian troops under the command of S.F. Apraksin?2.102 defeated the Prussian troops. On August 14, 1758, a major battle took place near the village of Zornsdorf. In 1758, Koenigsberg was taken. On July 23, 1759, near the village of Knersdorf, Frederick’s army was defeated. On September 29, 1760, the detachment of General Z.G. Chernyshev? 2.103 occupied Berlin, and in 1761 the Kolsberg Fortress was captured. In the battles of the Seven Years' War, the formation of talented Russian commanders P.A. Rumyantseva?2.104 and A.V. Suvorov?2.105. However, the change in Russia's foreign policy course in connection with the accession of Peter III?2.106 in December 1761 negated the successes of the Russian troops. Peter III, a great admirer of Frederick II, makes a separate peace with Prussia (April 24, 1762), returning to it all conquered territories.

Russia's eastern policy during the reign of Elizabeth was characterized by the annexation of Kazakh lands, which began with the voluntary entry of the Younger Kazakh Zhuz into Russia in 1731. In 1740 - 1743, the Middle Zhuz voluntarily became part of Russia.

The focus of Russian diplomats was the traditional Black Sea problem and the active protection of conquests in the Baltic.

Russian-Turkish War 1768-1774.

April 1769 - the first two campaigns under the command of A.M. Golitsyn were unsuccessful, although before his departure he still took Khotin (September 10) and Iasi (September 26). Then Russian troops took Bucharest. Soon Moldova swore allegiance to Russia.

After a series of victories by I.F. Medema, Kabarda swore allegiance to Russia.

In 1770 Russia won even greater victories over Turkey. Russian troops occupied Izmail, Kiliya, Akkerman and others.

1770, June 25-26; July 7 and July 21 – victories of the Russian fleet at Chesma and P.A. Rumyantsev’s troops at Larga and Kagul.

July 1771 – Yu.V. Dolgoruky was announced about the approval of eternal friendship with Russia, as a result, Russia formed its own peace conditions, which did not suit Austria.

In June 1774 Russian troops again raided the Danube. The Turks suffered several defeats at once.

§ The Crimean Khanate was declared independent;

§ The fortresses of Kerch, Yenikale and Kinburn pass to Russia;

§ The Black and Marmara Seas were declared free for merchant ships of Russian citizens;

§ Georgia is freed from the heaviest tribute by young men and women sent to Turkey;

§ Türkiye pays Russia 4.5 million rubles. for military costs.

1783 – liquidation of the Crimean Khanate, the entry of its territory into Russia. Founding of Sevastopol.

Russian-Turkish War 1787-1791.

August 21, 1787 The Turkish fleet attacked Russian patrols near Kinburn. The defeat of the Turks, the disruption of their attempt to capture Crimea from the sea and destroy Sevastopol.

1788 - the actions of the Russian army focused on the assault on the Turkish fortress of Ochakov, since the main forces of the Turkish fleet were stationed in the harbor. The Russians won the battle near Snake Island under the command of F.F. Ushakov. December - successful assault on Ochakov;

§ Türkiye ceded to Russia all the lands of the Black Sea region up to the Dniester River, gave up Ochakov;

§ Türkiye was obliged to compensate for damages for raids in the North Caucasus;

§ Moldavia, Bessarabia and Wallachia remained in the hands of the Porte, and the question of the protectorate of Georgia was not resolved.

Russian-Swedish war 1788-1790.

Summer of 1788 The Triple Alliance was created, directed against Russia (England, Prussia, Holland); finally, Prussia, England and Turkey achieved an attack on Russia by Sweden.

June 1788 - Swedish troops besieged the fortresses of Neishlot and Friedrichsgam, and the Swedish fleet entered the Gulf of Finland;

July 1788 – the battle of the island of Gogland, a Russian victory, thereby the Russians stopped Gustav III’s attempt to take possession of St. Petersburg;

1789 – Russian troops launched an offensive in Finland, Russian victory;

1772 - the first partition of Poland, according to which Russia received Eastern Belarus with borders along the Western Dvina, Druta and Dnieper.

1793 – the second partition of Poland, according to which Russia received Belarus and Right Bank Ukraine;

1794 – uprising in Poland under the leadership of T. Kosciuszko;

1795 – the third partition of Poland, according to which Russia received Western Belarus, Lithuania, Courland and part of Volyn;