Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna: biography, years of reign, foreign and domestic policies, achievements and interesting facts. Who ruled after Elizaveta Petrovna? Children of Elizaveta Petrovna Romanova

Elizaveta Petrovna Romanova, Russian Empress
Years of life: December 18 (29), 1709, p. Kolomenskoye, near Moscow - December 25, 1761 (January 5, 1762), St. Petersburg
Reign: 1741-1762

From the Romanov dynasty.

Extraordinarily beautiful since childhood, Elizaveta Petrovna spent her adolescence and youth in balls and entertainment. She grew up in Moscow, and in the summer she went to Pokrovskoye, Preobrazhenskoye, Izmailovskoye or Alexandrovskaya Sloboda. Elizabeth rarely saw her father as a child; the future empress was raised by his sister, Princess Natalya Alekseevna, or the A.D. Menshikov family. She was taught dancing, music, foreign languages, dressing skills, and ethics.

Monogram of the Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. Fragment of carved gilded decoration of the court church of the Great Peterhof Palace.

After her parents' marriage, Elizabeth began to bear the title of princess. The will of Catherine I of 1727 provided for the rights of Elizabeth and her descendants to the throne after Peter II and Anna Petrovna. During the last year of Catherine I's reign, there was frequent talk at court about the possibility of a marriage between Elizabeth and her nephew Peter II, who was selflessly in love with her. After the sudden death of Peter II from smallpox in January 1730, Elizabeth, despite the will of Catherine I, being still actually illegitimate, was not considered in high society as one of the contenders for the throne, which was occupied by her cousin Anna Ioannovna. During her reign (1730-1740), Elizabeth was in disgrace, but those dissatisfied with Anna Ioannovna and Biron had high hopes for the daughter of Peter the Great.

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. The author's model of the monument, made for the city of Baltiysk in 2004. Sculptor - Georgy Vartanovich Frangulyan (born 1945).

Taking advantage of the decline in authority and influence of power during the regency of Anna Leopoldovna, on the night of November 25, 1741, 32-year-old Tsarevna Elizaveta Petrovna, accompanied by Count M.I. Vorontsov, physician Lestocq and music teacher Schwartz with the words “Guys! You know whose daughter I am, follow me! Just as you served my father, so will you serve me with your loyalty!” raised behind her the grenadier company of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Thus, a coup d'état was carried out during which Ivan VI, his mother, and regent Anna Leopoldovna were overthrown.

The course of state affairs during the entire reign of Elizabeth was influenced by her favorites - the brothers Razumovsky, Shuvalov, Vorontsov, A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin.
The first document signed by Elizaveta Petrovna was a manifesto, which proved that after the death of Peter II, she was the only legitimate heir to the throne. She also wished to arrange coronation celebrations in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin and on April 25, 1742 she placed the crown on herself.

Basic principles of domestic and foreign policy Elizaveta Petrovna proclaimed a return to Peter's reforms. She abolished the state institutions that arose after the death of her father (the Cabinet of Ministers, etc.), and restored the role of the Senate, collegiums, and the Chief Magistrate.

In 1741, the Empress adopted a Decree that recognized the existence of the “Lamai faith,” and Buddhism was officially adopted as the state religion in the Russian Empire.

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

In 1754, intrastate customs were eliminated, which led to a significant revival of trade relations between the regions.

The first Russian banks were founded - Dvoryansky (Borrowed), Merchant and Medny (State).

A tax reform was carried out, which improved the financial situation of the country.

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 and count them instead of recruits. And peasants were prohibited from conducting monetary transactions without the permission of the landowners.

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

Under Elizaveta Petrovna, military educational institutions were reorganized.

In 1744, a decree was issued to expand the network of primary schools. The first gymnasiums were opened: in Moscow (1755) and Kazan (1758).

In 1755, on the initiative of her favorite I.I. Shuvalov founded Moscow University, and in 1760 - the Academy of Arts. Outstanding famous cultural monuments have been created (Tsarskoye Selo Catherine Palace, etc.). Support was provided to M.V. Lomonosov and other representatives of Russian culture and science. In 1755, the newspaper “Moskovskie Vedomosti” began to be published, and in 1760 the first Moscow magazine “Useful Amusement” began to be published.

In general, the internal policy of Empress Elizabeth was characterized by stability and a focus on growing the authority and power of state power. Thus, Elizaveta Petrovna’s course was the first step towards a policy of enlightened absolutism.

Elizabeth's foreign policy was also active. During the Russian-Swedish war of 1741-1743, Russia received a significant part of Finland. Trying to resist Prussia, Elizabeth abandoned relations with France and entered into an anti-Prussian alliance with Austria. Russia under Elizaveta Petrovna successfully participated in the Seven Years' War 1756–1763. After the capture of Koenigsberg, the Empress issued a decree on the annexation of East Prussia to Russia. The culmination of Russia's military glory under Elizabeth was the capture of Berlin in 1760.

The basis of foreign policy was the recognition of 3 alliances: with the “maritime powers” ​​(England and Holland) for the sake of trade benefits, with Saxony - in the name of advancement to the northwest and western lands, which ended up being part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and with Austria - to confront the Ottoman Empire and the strengthening of Prussia.

In the last period of her reign, Elizabeth was less involved in issues of public administration, entrusting it to P.I. and I.I. Shuvalov, M.I. and R.I. Vorontsov and others.

In 1744 she entered into a secret morganatic marriage with A.G. Razumovsky, a Ukrainian Cossack, who under her made a dizzying career from a court singer to the manager of the royal estates and the actual husband of the empress. According to contemporaries, she gave birth to several children, but information about them is unknown. This was the reason for the appearance of impostors who called themselves her children from this marriage. Among them, the most famous figure was Princess Tarakanova.

After the decrees on peasants and landowners were issued, at the turn of the 50-60s. In the 18th century, there were more than 60 uprisings of monastic peasants (Bashkiria, the Urals), which were suppressed by her decree with exemplary cruelty.

The period of Elizabeth's reign was one of excess and a period of luxury. Masquerade balls were constantly held at court. Elizaveta Petrovna herself was a trendsetter. The Empress's wardrobe includes up to 12-15 thousand dresses, which today form the basis of the textile collection of the State Historical Museum in Moscow.

Since 1757 Elizaveta Petrovna began to be plagued by hysterical fits. She often lost consciousness, and at the same time, non-healing wounds on her legs and bleeding opened. During the winter of 1760-1761, Elizabeth was on a big outing only once. Her beauty was quickly destroyed, she did not communicate with anyone, feeling depressed. Soon the hemoptysis intensified. She confessed and received communion. Elizaveta Petrovna died on December 25, 1761 (January 5, 1762 according to the new style).

Elizabeth managed to appoint her nephew Karl-Peter-Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp (son of sister Anna) as the official heir to the throne, who converted to Orthodoxy under the name of Peter III Fedorovich and made peace with Prussia.

The body of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna was buried on February 5, 1762 in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

Many artists painted her portraits, marveling at the beauty of Empress Elizabeth.

Her image is reflected in cinema: in the films “Young Catherine”, 1991; “Vivat, midshipmen!”; “Secrets of palace coups”, 2000-2003; “With a pen and a sword”, 2008.

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna She had a practical mind and skillfully led her court, maneuvering between various political factions. Overall reign Elizaveta Petrovna became a time of political stability in Russia, the strengthening of state power and its institutions, the final consolidation in Russian society of the results of the reforms of Peter the Great, Elizabeth's father.

I. Argunov "Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna"

“Elizabeth has always had a passion for rearrangements, restructuring and moving; in this “she inherited the energy of her father, built palaces in 24 hours and covered the then route from Moscow to St. Petersburg in two days” (V. Klyuchevsky).

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna (1709-1761)- daughter of Peter I, born before the church marriage with his second wife, the future Catherine I.

Her father surrounded her and her older sister Anna with splendor and luxury as future brides of foreign princes, but was not very involved in raising them. Elizaveta grew up under the supervision of “mammies” and peasant nurses, which is why she learned and fell in love with Russian morals and customs. To teach foreign languages, teachers of German, French, and Italian were assigned to the crown princesses. They were taught grace and elegance by a French dance master. Russian and European cultures shaped the character and habits of the future empress. The historian V. Klyuchevsky wrote: “From Vespers she went to the ball, and from the ball she kept up with Matins, she passionately loved French performances and knew all the gastronomic secrets of Russian cuisine to a fine degree.”

Louis Caravaque "Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna"

Elizaveta Petrovna’s personal life did not work out: Peter I tried to marry her to the French Dauphin Louis XV, but it did not work out. Then she rejected French, Portuguese and Persian applicants. Finally, Elizabeth agreed to marry the Holstein prince Karl-August, but he suddenly died... At one time, her marriage with the young Emperor Peter II, who passionately fell in love with his aunt, was discussed.

Anna Ioannovna (Elizabeth's cousin), who ascended the throne in 1730, ordered her to live in St. Petersburg, but Elizabeth did not want to tease the empress, who hated her, with her presence at court and deliberately led an idle life, often disappearing in the Alexandrovskaya Sloboda, where she communicated mainly with ordinary people. people, took part in their dances and games. Next to Elizaveta Petrovna’s house there were barracks of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. The guards loved the future empress for her simplicity and good attitude towards them.

Coup

After the baby John VI was proclaimed emperor, Elizabeth Petrovna’s life changed: she began to visit the court more often, meeting with Russian dignitaries and foreign ambassadors, who, in general, persuaded Elizabeth to take decisive action. On November 25, 1741, she appeared at the barracks of the Preobrazhensky Regiment and made a speech to the grenadiers, who swore allegiance to her and headed to the palace. Having overthrown the ruler and her son, Elizabeth declared herself empress. In a short manifesto, she explained her action by the request of her loyal subjects and her blood relationship with the reigning house.

She generously rewarded the participants in the coup: money, titles, noble dignity, ranks...

Surrounding herself with favorites (mostly these were Russian people: the Razumovskys, Shuvalovs, Vorontsovs, etc.), she did not allow any of them to achieve complete dominance, although intrigues and the struggle for influence continued at court...

HER. Lansere "Empress Elizaveta Petrovna in Tsarskoe Selo"

The artist Lanceray masterfully conveys the unity of the lifestyle and art style of past eras. The entrance of Elizaveta Petrovna with her retinue is interpreted as a theatrical performance, where the majestic figure of the empress is perceived as a continuation of the facade of the palace. The composition is based on the contrast of lush baroque architecture and the deserted ground floor of the park. The artist ironically juxtaposes the massiveness of architectural forms, monumental sculpture and characters. He is fascinated by the roll call of architectural decorative elements and toilet details. The Empress's train resembles a raised theatrical curtain, behind which we are caught by surprise by the court actors rushing to play their usual roles. Hidden in the jumble of faces and figures is a “hidden character” – an Arab little girl, diligently carrying the imperial train. A curious detail was not hidden from the artist’s gaze either – an unclosed snuffbox in the hasty hands of the gentleman’s favorite. Flashing patterns and spots of color create a feeling of a revived moment of the past.

Domestic policy

Upon her accession to the throne, Elizaveta Petrovna, by a personal decree, abolished the Cabinet of Ministers and restored the Government Senate, “as it was under Peter the Great.” To consolidate the throne for her father's heirs, she summoned her nephew, the 14-year-old son of Anna's elder sister, Peter-Ulrich, Duke of Holstein, to Russia, and declared him her heir as Peter Fedorovich.

The empress transferred all executive and legislative power to the Senate, and she indulged in festivities: going to Moscow, she spent about two months in balls and carnivals, which ended with the coronation on April 25, 1742 in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin.

Elizaveta Petrovna turned her reign into sheer entertainment, leaving behind 15 thousand dresses, several thousand pairs of shoes, hundreds of uncut pieces of fabric, the unfinished Winter Palace, which absorbed from 1755 to 1761. 10 million rubles. She wished to remodel the imperial residence to her taste, entrusting this task to the architect Rastrelli. In the spring of 1761, the construction of the building was completed, and interior work began. However, Elizaveta Petrovna died without ever moving to the Winter Palace. Construction of the Winter Palace was completed under Catherine II. This building of the Winter Palace has survived to this day.

Winter Palace, 19th century engraving

During the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, no fundamental reforms were carried out in the state, but there were some innovations. In 1741, the government forgave the peasants' arrears for 17 years; in 1744, by order of the Empress, the death penalty was abolished in Russia. Homes for the disabled and almshouses were built. On the initiative of P.I. Shuvalov, a commission was organized to develop new legislation, noble and merchant banks were established, internal customs were destroyed and duties on foreign goods were increased, and conscription duties were eased.

The nobles again became a closed, privileged class, acquired by origin, and not by personal merit, as was the case under Peter I.

Under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the development of Russian science took off: M.V. Lomonosov published his scientific works, the Academy of Sciences published the first complete geographical atlas of Russia, the first chemical laboratory appeared, a university with two gymnasiums was founded in Moscow, and the Moskovskie Vedomosti began to be published. In 1756, the first Russian state theater was approved in St. Petersburg, of which A.P. became the director. Sumarokov.

V.G. Khudyakov "Portrait of I.I. Shuvalov"

The foundation of the library of Moscow University is being laid; it is based on books donated by I.I. Shuvalov. And he donated 104 paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Poussin and other famous European artists to the collection of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. He made a huge contribution to the formation of the Hermitage art gallery. In Elizabethan times, art galleries became one of the elements of magnificent palace decoration, which was supposed to stun those invited to the court and testify to the power of the Russian state. By the middle of the 18th century, many interesting and valuable private collections appeared, the owners of which were representatives of the highest aristocracy, who, following the empress, sought to decorate palaces with works of art. The opportunity for Russian nobles to travel a lot and interact closely with European culture contributed to the formation of new aesthetic preferences of Russian collectors.

Foreign policy

During the reign of Elizaveta Petrovna, Russia significantly strengthened its international position. The war with Sweden, which began in 1741, ended with the conclusion of peace in Abo in 1743, according to which part of Finland was ceded to Russia. As a result of the sharp strengthening of Prussia and the threat to Russian possessions in the Baltic states, Russia, on the side of Austria and France, took part in the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), which demonstrated the power of Russia, but cost the state very dearly and gave it practically nothing. In August 1760, Russian troops under the command of P.S. Saltykov defeated the Prussian army of Frederick II and entered Berlin. Only the death of Elizabeth saved the Prussian king from complete disaster. But Peter III, who ascended the throne after her death, was an admirer of Frederick II and returned all of Elizabeth’s conquests to Prussia.

Personal life

Elizaveta Petrovna, who in her youth was a passionate dancer and a brave rider, over the years found it increasingly difficult to accept the loss of her youth and beauty. From 1756, fainting and convulsions began to happen to her more and more often, which she carefully hid.

K. Prenne "Equestrian portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna with her retinue"

K. Waliszewski, a Polish historian, writer and publicist, created a series of works dedicated to Russian history. Since 1892, he has published books in France in French, one after another, about the Russian tsars and emperors, and about their entourage. Walishevsky's books were united in the series “The Origin of Modern Russia” and cover the period between the reigns of Ivan the Terrible and Alexander I. In the book “Daughter of Peter the Great. Elizaveta Petrovna” (1902), he describes the last year of the empress’s life as follows: “Winter 1760-61. passed in St. Petersburg not so much in balls, but in tense anticipation of them. The Empress did not appear in public, locked herself in her bedroom, and received only ministers with reports without getting out of bed. For hours, Elizaveta Petrovna drank strong drinks, looked at fabrics, talked with gossips, and suddenly, when some outfit she tried on seemed successful to her, she announced her intention to appear at the ball. The court bustle began, but when the dress was put on, the empress’s hair was combed up and makeup was applied according to all the rules of art, Elizabeth went to the mirror, peered - and canceled the celebration.”

She died in 1761 in great suffering, but assured those around her that they were too small compared to her sins.

Elizaveta Petrovna was in a secret morganatic marriage with A.G. Razumovsky, from whom (according to some sources) they had children who bore the surname Tarakanov. In the 18th century Two women were known under this surname: Augusta, who, at the behest of Catherine II, was brought from Europe and tonsured into the Moscow Pavlovsk Monastery under the name Dosithea, and an unknown adventurer, who declared herself the daughter of Elizabeth in 1774 and laid claim to the Russian throne. She was arrested and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress, where she died in 1775, hiding the secret of her origin even from the priest.

K. Flavitsky "Princess Tarakanova"

The artist K. Flavitsky used this story for the plot of his painting “Princess Tarakanova.” The canvas depicts a casemate of the Peter and Paul Fortress, outside of which a flood is raging. A young woman stands on the bed, trying to escape the water rushing through the barred window. The wet rats climb out of the water, approaching the prisoner's feet.

Biography of Elizaveta Petrovna

The future Empress of Russia Elizaveta Petrovna Romanova was born on December 18, 1709, in a marriage between Peter 1 and Catherine 1 that was not legalized by the church at that time. Upon learning of the birth of his daughter, Peter 1 canceled the celebrations planned for that day to mark the successful end of the Russian-Swedish war. In March 1711, the illegitimate Elizabeth was declared princess.

Elizabeth was distinguished by her amazing beauty, sharp mind, resourcefulness, love of dancing and riding horses. Elizaveta received her education in the villages of Preobrazhenskoye and Izmailovskoye, where she studied history, geography and foreign languages.

Numerous attempts by Peter 1 to marry his daughter to a representative of a noble ruling dynasty did not bring positive results. Menshikov’s attempts to find a worthy match for Elizabeth under Peter 2 ended with the same “success”. Osterman even offered to marry her to Peter Alekseevich, but the princess refused.

In 1730, Pyotr Alekseevich died. The question arises of who will take the Russian throne. According to the will of Catherine 1, this should be Elizabeth. However, the secret Supreme Council decides that the throne should be taken by Anna Ioannovna, the sister of the princess, with whom they have far from warm relations.

During her reign, Anna managed to significantly reduce the country's prestige and ruin the state treasury. 10 years later (in 1740) Anna died, leaving the throne to her nephew Ivan 6 Antonovich. Because he was still small, Anna Leopoldovna was appointed regent. Dissatisfied with everything that was happening inside the country, Elizabeth, together with her supporters, decided on a palace coup and assumed the throne (1741).

Domestic policy of Elizaveta Petrovna

Wanting to restore the state of the country to the same as it was at the time of Peter the Great, the first thing Queen Elizabeth did was to abolish the death penalty in Russia. In 1741, internal political transformations began: the highest state body appeared - the Senate, which compiled a new set of laws. Elizabeth also directed her actions towards improving the capabilities of the nobles. The abolished customs duties have significantly improved the development of the Russian market.

In 1744 - 1747 The 2nd population census in Russia was carried out. The poll tax has been reduced. The country's economy, industry and agriculture developed rapidly. The cultural and scientific growth of the Russian state began: Moscow University, the Academy of Sciences, many gymnasiums, the 1st public theater and the Academy of Arts appeared in St. Petersburg, which gave great Russian artists to world culture.

Foreign policy of Empress Elizabeth

Elizabeth was very active in her foreign policy. During the beginning of her reign, Russia waged a war with Sweden, which wanted to avenge its defeat in the Northern War. However, this war ended in another failure for the Swedes, and part of Finland went to Russia. Victory in this war led to the desire of many European countries to enter into an alliance with Russia. Thus, Russia had the opportunity to take part in the War of the Austrian Succession.

In 1756, the Seven Years' War began, as a result of which Russia, together with its allies, practically destroyed Prussia, but in December 1761, Elizaveta Petrovna died, and her nephew Peter 3, whom she appointed as successor, concluded a peace treaty.

The reign of Elizabeth Petrovna can be considered quite favorable for the Russian Empire. The biography of Elizabeth itself is fascinating and interesting. A bright person and significant historical figure.

During the 20 years of her reign, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna earned the reputation of a good ruler among the people; in general, she was loved. The reign of this daughter of Peter the Great, who carried out a coup d'etat and usurped power, became a time of stabilization and strengthening of Russia in the international arena, as well as a time of internal transformations for the benefit of the country. The cause of Elizaveta Petrovna’s death, as determined by modern doctors, depended on liver cirrhosis caused by heart disease and vascular insufficiency.

She was born in 1709. from the connection between Peter the Great and Catherine the First two years before their marriage, when, together with her sisters Anna and Natalya, she received the title of princess. Since childhood, Elizabeth was distinguished by her beauty and studied French. She never received a good education, being carried away by entertainment and worries about her appearance. The princess did not marry: there were many reasons. One groom refused, the second died before the wedding and the headstrong girl, having come to terms with the fact that she would not be married, got herself her first “Galant”.

After the palace coup, Elizabeth quickly became accustomed to the throne, but, despite her energy, she showed constant laziness in everything that was not particularly interesting to her. State affairs were handled by the closest court figures, the queen organized balls, changed outfits and lovers. In 1742, she declared her nephew Karl-Peter-Ulrich of Holstein as her heir and completely plunged into a sea of ​​pleasures.

Elizabeth loved clothes very much. After her death, only 15 thousand dresses remained, not counting shoes and accessories. While having fun, she often forgot about her business and the most important documents lay unsigned for weeks. However, state reforms were still carried out, mainly in the field of theater and science, supervised by the brother of the Tsarina’s “heart friend” Alexei Razumovsky. The Academy of Sciences and gymnasiums, the first theaters and authors of Russian plays appeared. The benefits granted to the nobility by the tsarina served to develop the all-Russian market and the emergence of Russian banks, strengthening international trade ties.

Elizabeth abused fatty foods and wine, and she did not have any regime: depending on the empress’s mood, she could sit down to eat in the middle of the night, or start dancing, walking, or hunting. All this undermined the health of the queen, who had asthma and epilepsy, probably inherited from her father. She had severe, prolonged seizures, after which she was able to recover only in a few days. Closer to her 50th birthday, the queen began to experience frequent nosebleeds and stomach bleeds, as well as venous bleeds on her legs. After a seizure in 1756, she had to be ill for a long time.

Throughout 1961, she often had a fever and her bleeding weakened. The queen gave up all her fun, rested a lot and even began to attend church less often, which she never forgot. By 1962 she began to decline and died in January, at the age of 52. Determining why Elizaveta Petrovna died, doctors wrote about the patient’s severe blood loss and exhaustion.

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3rd Empress of All Russia November 25 (December 6) 1741 - December 25, 1761 (January 5, 1762)
Coronation:
Predecessor:
Successor:
Birth:
Dynasty:	Romanovs (Welphs)
	Catherine I
	A. G. Razumovsky
Autograph:
Monogram:

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 Ekaterina 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, wanting to celebrate his victory over Charles XII in the old capital; Swedish prisoners were brought behind him. The Emperor intended to immediately celebrate the Poltava victory, but upon entering the capital he was notified of the birth of his daughter. “Let’s put off the victory celebration and hasten to congratulate my daughter on her entry into the world,” he said. Peter found Catherine and the newborn baby healthy and celebrated with a feast.

Being 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 the French ambassador noticed that the sovereign’s youngest daughter seemed unusually beautiful in this outfit. The following year, 1718, assemblies were introduced, and both princesses appeared there in dresses of different colors, embroidered with gold and silver, and in headdresses sparkling with diamonds. Everyone admired Elizabeth's dancing skills. In addition to her ease of movement, she was distinguished by resourcefulness and ingenuity, constantly inventing new figures. The French envoy Levi noted at the same time that Elizabeth could be called a perfect beauty if her hair were not reddish.

The princess's upbringing could not have been particularly successful, especially since her mother was completely illiterate. But she was taught in French, and Catherine constantly insisted that there were important reasons for her to know French better than other subjects. This reason, as is known, was the strong desire of her parents to marry Elizabeth to one of the persons of French royal blood. However, they responded to all persistent proposals to become related to the French Bourbons with a polite but decisive refusal.

In all other respects, Elizabeth’s education was not very 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 her parents' marriage, she bore the title of princess. The will of Catherine I of 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 court about the possibility of a marriage between an aunt and a nephew, who were connected by friendly relations at that time. After the death of Peter II, engaged to Catherine Dolgorukova, from smallpox in January 1730, Elizabeth, despite the will of Catherine I, was not actually considered as one of the contenders for the throne, which was transferred to her cousin Anna Ioannovna. During her reign (1730-1740), Tsarevna Elizabeth was in disgrace; those dissatisfied with Anna Ioannovna and Biron had high hopes for the daughter of Peter the Great.

Accession to the throne

Taking advantage of the decline in authority and influence of power during the regency of Anna Leopoldovna, on the night of November 25 (December 6), 1741, 32-year-old Elizabeth, accompanied by Count M.I. Vorontsov, physician Lestocq and her music teacher Schwartz, said “Guys! You know whose daughter I am, follow me! Just as you served my father, so will you serve me with your loyalty!” raised behind her the grenadier company of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Having encountered no resistance, with the help of 308 loyal guards, she proclaimed herself the new queen, ordering the imprisonment of the young Ivan VI in the fortress and the arrest of the entire Brunswick family (relatives of Anna Ioannovna, including the regent of Ivan VI, Anna Leopoldovna) and her adherents. The favorites of the former empress Minich, Levenwolde and Osterman were sentenced to death, replaced by exile to Siberia - in order to show Europe the tolerance of the new autocrat.

Reign

Elizabeth was almost not involved in state affairs, entrusting them to her favorites - the brothers Razumovsky, Shuvalov, Vorontsov, A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin.

Elizabeth proclaimed a return to Peter's reforms as the basic principles of domestic and foreign policy. The role of the Senate, the Berg and Manufactory Collegium, and the Chief Magistrate was restored. The Cabinet of Ministers was abolished. The Senate received the right of legislative initiative. 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 invisible. The importance of the Synod and the clergy increased (the empress's confessor Fyodor Dubyansky acquired particular influence at court), and schismatics were brutally persecuted. The Synod took care of the material support of the clergy, monasteries, and the spread of spiritual education among the people. During the reign of Elizabeth, work on a new Slavic translation of the Bible, begun under Peter I in 1712, was completed. The Elizabethan Bible, published in 1751, is still used in the worship of the Russian Orthodox Church with minor changes.

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 to 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 wanted to convert to Orthodoxy.

In 1744-1747, the 2nd census of the tax-paying 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 relations between the regions. The first Russian banks were founded - Dvoryansky (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 per 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 completed 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, landowners received the right to exile peasants to Siberia and count them instead of recruits. Peasants were prohibited from conducting monetary transactions without the permission of the landowner.

In 1755, factory peasants were assigned as permanent (possession) workers in Ural factories.

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

Under Elizabeth, military educational institutions were reorganized. In 1744, a decree was issued to expand the network of 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 M.V. Lomonosov and other representatives of Russian science and culture. In the last period of her reign, Elizabeth was less involved in issues of public administration, entrusting it to P.I. and I.I. Shuvalov, M.I. and R.I. Vorontsov and others.

In general, Elizabeth Petrovna’s domestic policy was characterized by stability and a focus on growing the authority and power of state power. Based on a number of signs, it can be said that Elizaveta Petrovna’s course 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 Romanov “by blood.”

Social unrest

At the turn of the 50-60s. XVIII century There were more than 60 uprisings of monastic peasants.

In the 30-40s. There were uprisings twice in Bashkiria.

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

Foreign policy

Russo-Swedish War (1741-1743)

In 1740, the 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. Prussia and France, hostile to Austria, tried to persuade Russia to take part in the conflict on their side, but they were also satisfied with non-intervention in the war. Therefore, French diplomacy tried to push Sweden and Russia into conflict in order to divert the latter's attention from European affairs. Sweden declared war on Russia.

Russian troops under the command of General Lassi defeated the Swedes in Finland and occupied its territory. The Abo Peace Treaty (Abo Peace Treaty) of 1743 ended the war. The treaty was signed on August 7, 1743 in the city of Abo (now Turku, Finland) on the Russian side by A. I. Rumyantsev and I. Lyuberas, on the Swedish side by G. Cederkreis and E. M. Nolken. During the negotiations, Russia agreed to limit its territorial claims subject to the election of Holstein Prince Adolf Fredrik, cousin of the Russian heir Peter III Fedorovich, as heir to the Swedish throne. On June 23, 1743, Adolf was elected heir to the Swedish throne, which opened the way to a final agreement.

Article 21 of the peace treaty established eternal peace between the countries and obliged them not to enter into hostile alliances. The Peace of Nystad of 1721 was confirmed. The Kyumenegorsk province with the cities of Friedrichsgam and Vilmanstrand, part of the Savolaki province with the city of Neyshlot, went to Russia. The border runs along the river. Kümmene.

Beginning of Kazakhstan's accession to Russia

Back in 1731, Anna Ioannovna signed a document accepting the Junior Kazakh Zhuz into Russia. Khan of the zhuz Abulkhair and the elders swore allegiance to Russia.

In 1740-1743 The Middle Zhuz voluntarily became part of Russia; Orenburg (1743) and a fortress on the river were built. 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 capitulate. 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 near the village. Gross-Jägersdorf and only with the support of the reserve brigade of P. A. Rumyantsev broke out of the encirclement. The enemy lost 8 thousand people. and retreated. Apraksin did not organize the persecution, and he himself retreated to Courland. Elizabeth suspended him and put him under investigation. The Englishman V.V. Fermor was appointed as the new commander.

At the beginning of 1758, Russian troops captured Königsberg, then all of East Prussia, the population of which 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. Some rulers of Germany often raised a toast to the Germans who were victorious at Zondorf, but these statements were erroneous, since the army that occupied the battlefield after the battle was considered victorious. The Russian army occupied the battlefield (this battle is described in detail by Valentin Pikul in the novel “With a Pen and a Sword”). At the beginning of the battle, Fermor, along with the Austrian ambassador to the Russian army, fled from the battlefield. The army won without a commander in chief. Fermor was subsequently suspended. During the battle, Frederick II said the famous phrases:

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

On September 28, 1760, Berlin was captured; it was briefly captured by the corps of General Z. G. Chernyshev, who captured military warehouses. However, as Frederick approached, the corps retreated.

In December 1761, Elizabeth died of a throat hemorrhage due to a chronic disease unknown to 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 Russian military actions against former allies - Austria and Sweden.

Personal life

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

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

Succession to the throne

On November 7 (November 18), 1742, Elizabeth appointed her nephew (the son of her sister Anna), Duke of Holstein Karl-Peter Ulrich (Peter Fedorovich), as the official heir to the throne. 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 the “hair regulation,” commanding all court ladies to cut their hair bald, and gave everyone “black tousled wigs” to wear until they grew back. City ladies were allowed by decree to keep their hair, but wear the same black wigs on top. The reason for 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 off her hair completely and wear a black wig.

Memory

Literature

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

• V. Pikul “Word and Deed”
• Coronation album of Elizabeth Petrovna
• Soboleva I. A. German princesses - Russian destinies. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2008. - 413 p.

To the cinema

• "Young Catherine" (" Young Catherine"), (1991). Vanessa Redgrave plays Elizabeth.
• “Viva, midshipmen!” (1991), “Midshipmen - III” (1992). Natalya Gundareva plays the role of Elizabeth.
• “Secrets of palace coups” (1-5th films, (2000-2003)). In the role of Elizabeth - Ekaterina Nikitina.
• With a feather and a sword (2008). Olga Samoshina plays the role of Elizabeth.

• In the winter of 1747, the Empress issued a decree, referred to in history as the “hair regulation,” commanding all court ladies to cut their hair bald, and gave everyone “black tousled wigs” to wear until they grew back. City ladies were allowed by decree to keep their hair, but wear the same black wigs on top. The reason for 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 off 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 full face, from its best side. And there are almost no profile portraits of Elizabeth, except for the occasional medallion on a bone by Rastrelli.

• On December 22, 2009, the exhibition “Vivat, Elizabeth” opened in the Catherine Palace, organized by the State Museum-Reserve “Tsarskoe Selo” together with the State Museum of Ceramics and the “Kuskovo Estate of the 18th Century” and dedicated to the 300th anniversary of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. One of the most interesting exhibits of the exhibition was a paper sculpture depicting the ceremonial attire of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. The sculpture was made especially for the exhibition, commissioned by the museum, by the world-famous Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave.