The era of Russian palace revolutions .28chronologically.29 History of Russia (1721–96)

1 era of russian palace revolutions (chronologically)

1.1 catherine i, ruled 1725-1727
1.2 peter ii, ruled 1727-1730
1.3 anna of russia, ruled 1730-1740
1.4 ivan vi, ruled 1740-1741
1.5 elizabeth of russia, ruled 1741-1762
1.6 peter iii, ruled 6 months in 1762

the era of russian palace revolutions (chronologically)
catherine i, ruled 1725-1727

peter great had 2 wives, yevdokiya lopukhina (the daughter of minor noble) , marfa skavronskaya (a lithuanian peasant, renamed catherine after conversion orthodoxy). catherine i’s rise through peter i’s table of ranks simple peasant empress, embodied petrine spirit, making seem though peter literally “created” her. of aleksandr menshikov (her advisor, ex-lover , leader of palace guards), gained throne emphasizing connection peter , maternal nature. due poor health, menshikov did of ruling. catherine i’s blessing, created supreme privy council, consisted of 6 or members. took on of functions of ruling senate (an advisory body founded peter oversee judicial, financial , administrative affairs) immediately, catherine appointed peter ii, grandson of peter great, successor , died after 2 years of ruling.

peter ii, ruled 1727-1730

peter ii eleven when became emperor. @ such young age, advisers manipulated him throughout reign. intent on maintaining power, menshikov took young boy under wing, banishing competitors including both petar zaitsev , emil vasilcin related peter siberia and, ultimately, betrothing peter ii daughter maria menshikova. however, when menshikov fell ill , had leave court, andrei osterman , alexis dolgoruky ingratiated young emperor’s graces, replacing menshikov peter ii’s premier advisers. both nobles , members of supreme privy council , had menshikov tried , banished siberia on “a charge of ‘tyranny’”. peter became, once again, engaged daughter of 1 of supreme privy council’s members (this time dolgoruky’s daughter, catherine). however, before wedding took place, peter died of smallpox without naming successor, throwing empire succession struggle.

anna of russia, ruled 1730-1740

when peter ii died, there multiple candidates throne including peter i’s first wife, yevdokiya, , peter i’s daughter, elizabeth. however, alexis dolgoruky , allies chose anna ivanonva, daughter of peter i’s half brother ivan, because supreme privy council wanted ruler not impose on powers of council, allowing them continue virtually rule empire. supreme privy council offered throne “konditsii” or conditions. these included inability of empress marry, designate successor, declare war or peace, raise taxes, or spend state revenue without consent of council. many other nobles saw aristocratic grab power , told would-be empress arrived in moscow. ultimately, anna invalidated conditions, abolished council , sent many members advocated conditions exile. during reign, anna relied heavily on ernst johann von biron (her longtime adviser , lover), making many refer reign “bironovshchina” (biron’s repressive regime). together, repealed peter i’s legislature prohibited nobles dividing estates amongst sons while reducing nobility’s state service requirements. many regard reign time of foreign domination, particularly german, in court. however, stems fact few germans had high ranking positions. during reign, anna remained involved in external conflicts. in 1732, government forced cede territories annexed several years earlier peter in north , south caucasus persia, led nader shah, in order forge russo-persian alliance against common enemy, ottoman empire. 1733-1736, russia became allied austria against france , spain in war of polish succession. russia , austria joined stop election of french candidate polish throne, allowing austria’s favored candidate win. later, allied austria, russia went war ottoman empire in hopes of gaining new territory. war, lasting 1735-1739 “secured restoration of azov russia , lands between azov , dniester” @ high casualty rates, due disease. anna ivanonva named young son of anna leopoldovna , duke of brunswick, ivan vi, successor , biron regent.

ivan vi, ruled 1740-1741

anna leopoldovna argued biron , replaced him babe’s regent. cabinet composed of both russians , germans advised anna leopoldovna. however, regime lasted year due ineffective leadership. peter i’s last surviving daughter, elizabeth, long in sidelines sensed moment obtain power , led coup against anna leopoldovna , ivan vi, imprisoning or banishing stood in way.

elizabeth of russia, ruled 1741-1762

as last surviving child of peter i, elizabeth’s reign had legitimacy , people of empire greeted ascension end of german dominated rule. was, perhaps, more interested in politics of predecessors. however, lacked of father’s force , drive in political sphere. impatient , unpredictable, unwilling rely heavily on 1 adviser. however, administration continued of peter i’s legacy. restored senate’s powers, abolished domestic custom barriers , founded university of moscow in 1755. during reign, ordered building of of famous structures, including winter palace, although not completed until catherine great. however, elizabeth remained intent on keeping nobility satisfied. during elizabeth’s reign, nobility’s control on daily life of serfs increased: landlord controlled serfs marry. indeed, senate passed legislature allowed nobles exile serfs siberia. despite worsening life serfs, majority of population still saw elizabeth benevolent ruler, when compared german brutes dominated court during anna ivanonva , ivan vi’s sovereignties. elizabeth remained interested in diplomacy , russia’s foreign affairs. under rule, russia took part in 7 years war 1755 1762. russia entered war ally of austria , france against prussia. campaign advanced ended result of mounting financial difficulties , elizabeth’s death in 1762. nephew , successor, peter iii (grandson of peter i), took russia out of war.

peter iii, ruled 6 months in 1762

peter iii reigned mere 6 months before wife, catherine ii, led coup against him. born , raised in germany in court of father, duke of holstein-gottorp, , did not come live in russia until fourteen. difficult ascertain character because there exist many contradictory accounts. catherine’s journals describe him incompetent bordering on retarded, yet acts emperor illustrate amount of shrewdness. peter withdrew russia 7 years war salvage remainder of empire’s finances , save beloved prussia complete defeat while depriving russia of territorial advances. instead, threatened war denmark on ancestral claims in schleswig, though overthrown before fighting begin. perhaps notable of reign “manifesto on freedom of nobility” ended compulsory state service nobility. however, during short reign peter managed irritate nobility dramatically decreasing power of senate. angered church liberation of serfs on church land , obvious contempt russian orthodoxy. yet terminated reign passion prussian style military. delight rigid discipline alienated palace guards, , allowed catherine ii, of lover grigori orlov led palace guard regiments, overthrow peter iii on july 9, 1762. peter’s assassination symbolically showed end of era of palace revolutions.