Pavel 1 Petrovich (born September 20 (October 1), 1754 - death March 12 (24, 1801) - Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia since 1796, son of the emperor and. Having ascended the throne, he sought to oppose the “disastrous” policies of Empress Catherine II, which, as he believed, weakened the autocracy, with a firm line on strengthening the foundations of absolutist power. He introduced strict censorship, closed private printing houses, banned the import of foreign books, and reorganized the army along the Prussian model.

He limited the privileges of the nobility, reducing the exploitation of the peasants. Opposition to power was persecuted by police measures. The reign of Paul 1, who was distinguished by inconsistency and impulsiveness, caused discontent among the highest nobility. He was killed as a result of a palace conspiracy.

early years

Pavel was born in the Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna, in St. Petersburg. During the first years of his life, Pavel grew up under the supervision of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna; his parents were almost not allowed to see him, and he actually did not know his mother’s affection. 1761 - N.I. was assigned to him as a teacher. Panin. A supporter of the Enlightenment, he was sincerely attached to the Grand Duke and tried to educate him into an ideal sovereign.

Pavel received a good education and, as his contemporaries testify, was a capable, knowledge-seeking, romantically inclined boy with an open character who sincerely believed in the ideals of goodness and justice. At first, his relationship with his mother after her accession to the throne in 1762 was quite close. But over time, their relationship worsened. Catherine was wary of her son, who had more legal rights to the throne than herself.

Reign of Paul 1

Ascension to the throne

Paul the First became emperor in November 1796, at the age of 42, after the death of his mother, Empress Catherine II. He began his reign by restoring the rights of his father, who was overthrown as a result of a conspiracy more than 30 years ago. The new sovereign returned from exile many subjects who were displeasing to Catherine.

Wanting to protect once and for all his rights and the rights of his heirs to the kingdom, Emperor Paul 1 published in 1797 the “Institution on the Imperial Family,” in which for the first time in the history of Russia a firm and unshakable order of succession to the throne was established in the country. From then on, only a direct descendant of the emperor in the male line could ascend to the throne, and the empress had the right to only be a regent for the minor heir. Women could gain the right to succession to the throne only when there were no more male representatives of the dynasty. Since that time, there has not been a single woman on the Russian throne.

Emperor Paul 1 ruled despotically, imposed centralization in the state apparatus, carried out radical reforms in the army, and tried to limit the power of the nobles. Attempts were made to stabilize the financial situation of the state (including the famous action of melting down palace services into coins).

The rights of the nobility were significantly narrowed, and the most severe discipline and unpredictability of the sovereign’s behavior led to the massive dismissal of nobles from the army, especially officers guard.

In the interests of trade, domestic industry was encouraged to fill the domestic market. As a result, a ban was introduced on the import of a number of foreign goods, such as silk, paper, linen and hemp fabrics, steel, salt... In addition, with the help of subsidies, privileges, and government orders, domestic manufacturers were encouraged to produce goods not only for the treasury, but also for free trade. This was the case, for example, in relation to cloth and mountain breeders.

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During Paul's reign, trade with Persia, Bukhara, India and China expanded. With regard to industry, as well as trade, the government pursued a moderate protective policy. Particular attention was paid to cloth factories, which supplied their products to the treasury. This is because the products of this industry were almost entirely used for army needs, to which the emperor himself was far from indifferent.

Paul the First contributed to the strengthening of serfdom, distributing more than 600 thousand peasants during his reign. The decree of 1797, which limited corvee to three days, did little to alleviate the situation of the peasantry, since it was more a recommendation than a guide to action.

Under the reign of Paul 1, the requirements for noble service were tightened: the practice of long vacations and the registration of nobility in the army immediately after birth were prohibited. Fearing the “revolutionary infection,” Pavel took such measures as closing private printing houses (1797), banning the import of foreign books (1800), and tightening censorship.

The emperor was able to more fully implement his plans in the army and carried out army reform. Positive points(improved staffing of regiments and maintenance of soldiers) coexisted with negative ones (the “stick” discipline of punishment was introduced; unjustified imitation of the Prussian army).

After ascending the throne, Paul, in order to emphasize the contrast with his mother, began to declare peacefulness and non-interference in European affairs. But, when in 1798 there was a threat of Napoleon re-establishing an independent Polish state, Paul’s government accepted Active participation in organizing the anti-French coalition.

In the same year, the Emperor assumed the duties of Master of the Order of Malta, thereby challenging the Emperor of France, who had captured Malta. 1798-1800 - the Russian army successfully fought in Italy, and the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, which could not but cause concern on the part of Austria and England. Relations with these states completely deteriorated in the spring of 1800. At the same time, a rapprochement with France began, and a plan for a joint campaign against India was even discussed. Without waiting for the corresponding agreement to be signed, the sovereign ordered a campaign Don Cossacks which have already been stopped.

Initially, the plans included the overthrow of Paul 1 and the accession of an English regent. The conspiracy was discovered, Lindener and Arakcheev were summoned, but this only contributed to the acceleration of the execution of the conspiracy and signed the death warrant for the emperor. According to one version, he was killed by Nikolai Zubov (Suvorov’s son-in-law, Platon Zubov’s older brother), who hit him in the temple with a heavy gold snuffbox. According to another version, the sovereign was strangled with a scarf or he was crushed by a group of conspirators who, leaning on Paul and each other, did not know exactly what was happening. Mistaking one of the conspirators for the son of Constantine, he shouted: “Your Highness, are you here too? Have mercy! Air, Air!.. What have I done wrong to you?” These were his last words.

The question of whether Alexander Pavlovich could have known or sanctioned the palace coup and the murder of his father remained unclear for a long time. According to the memoirs of Prince A Czartoryski, the idea of ​​a conspiracy appeared almost in the first days of the reign of Paul 1, but its implementation became possible only after it became known about the consent of Alexander, who signed the corresponding secret manifesto, in which he recognized the need for a coup and pledged not to persecute conspirators after coming to power.

Most likely, Alexander himself was well aware that without a palace coup it would be impossible, since the emperor would not abdicate the throne of his own free will, and leaving him alive - even in prison - would mean causing a revolt of the troops trained by the sovereign. Thus, by signing the manifesto, Alexander thereby signed the death warrant for his father.

The reign of Paul I (1796-1801) is too short a period to constitute an “epoch” in our history, but in its own way it is very interesting and even in some ways a turning point. Perhaps for the first time, a person who cannot be called significant has such a serious influence on the appearance of the entire state-serf system, giving this time such a unique flavor. Apparently, largely due to the insignificance of the individual, this is the flavor of autocracy unprecedented in Rus', bordering on dictatorship.

The personality of Paul I was formed in the bizarre circumstances of Russian court life in the second half of the XVIII V. Immediately after his birth, Paul I was torn away from his parents by Empress Elizabeth, who decided to raise him herself. The peculiarities of upbringing and education laid the foundation for the emperor’s political worldview: “a critical attitude towards the government activities of the mother, sympathy for the personality of the father and at the same time, recognition of the importance of “military petty matters 44 on the Prussian model” (M.K. Lyubavsky).

Paul I's first marriage was short-lived and unsuccessful, and his wife, who later died from childbirth, managed to further ruin his relationship with his mother. When Paul I married for the second time the Württemberg princess, who received the name Maria Feodorovna upon converting to Orthodoxy, Catherine gave the young couple Eatchina, where Paul indulged in military fun. On the occasion of the birth of their first child, they were also granted a village called Pavlovskoye (now the city of Pavlovsk).

Catherine, apparently, wanted to completely push Paul I away from the throne, as evidenced by the disdainful attitude of her favorites towards him. While out of work, Paul I accumulated a strong charge of reform activity. When Catherine died in 1796, and Paul I's star finally rose, he began first of all to modify what had been under his mother, attaching great importance to visual images of power. In particular, he first gave detailed description and a detailed depiction of the coat of arms in accordance with its full title.

Judging by some information, he had a plan for the reorganization of the entire central administration, but “this plan boiled down, in essence, to the abolition of all government agencies and to the concentration of the entire administration directly in the hands of the sovereign himself” (A.A. Kornilov).

In other words, Paul I in every possible way strengthened the regime of personal power. Already in the Manifesto of the Accession to the Throne, the principle of heredity prevails over the principle of public benefit, characteristic of the Enlightenment. In line with such views, the transfer of the father’s ashes and the coronation of his remains, which seemed to many to be blasphemy.

One of the serious events was the decree on succession to the throne (April 1797), which introduced strict order to inherit the imperial throne, excluding the possibility of its inheritance by women. To provide material support for the imperial family, a special economic institution was formed, to which the palace peasants were transferred. All of them were accordingly called “specific”, and special institutions were created to manage them.

Under Paul I, bureaucratic Petersburg was “burning” in the service. The number of non-attendance days was reduced, vacancies were limited, and the Senate continued its work during summer holidays. In order to liquidate the affairs of Catherine's time, three temporary departments were formed under the Senate. Overall, the Senate was enlarged, and the number of cases resolved in it reached a record number.

To eradicate unrest in the field of provincial government, periodic senatorial audits were resumed. But perhaps the greatest changes took place in the army, the favorite institution of the new emperor. On the second day of the reign, all guards officers who were on leave were requested, and retraining of the army began, which was personally led by Paul I. The parade, according to R.S. Wortman, became the central element of the ceremony.

Paul's passion for regulating all aspects of life was reflected in the “Institution for Russian Orders,” where there were precise instructions for ceremonial acts of the order, rules for wearing clothes, etc. In this way, the emperor tried to consolidate the Russian nobility and turn it into a spiritual knightly class.

To imagine Paul’s power ambitions, we must remember that he imagined himself as a messiah and literally perceived his power as God-given. His patronage of the Order of Malta must be viewed in this context. And in his religious power he went further than his predecessors. In the act of succession to the throne of 1797, he was called “Head of the Church,” and the coronation festivities presented him as the supreme religious leader.

In the economic field, Paul I confiscated part of the banknotes - a ceremonial burning of them took place in the amount of 6 million rubles. (although this is only 4%). Then a constant weight of the silver ruble was established, and the relatively free customs tariff of 1782 was restored. Under Paul I, new water canals were opened (the Oginsky Canal, which connected the Dniester basin with the Neman, a canal was dug to bypass Lake Ilmen, etc.). Porotofranco was established in Crimea.

Pavel restored the Chamber Collegium, instructing it to deal with wine contracts. But at the same time, he introduced the position of state treasurer, who was often called the “finance minister.” In 1800, G. R. Derzhavin was appointed to this position. Under Paul, the local financial authorities established by Catherine were almost completely preserved.

However, the significance of these events in the field of economics and finance cannot be exaggerated. Most of them were short-lived.

The class policy of Paul I was distinguished by its contradictions. He persistently sought to destroy the privileges of individual classes. The anti-Catherine orientation is clearly visible here. He abolished letters of grant to cities and the nobility, prohibited noble societies submit petitions about your needs, etc. Paul I managed to distribute 530 thousand souls of peasants during the 4 years of his reign, while his mother, so hated by him, was able to distribute, however, 800 thousand souls, but in 34 years! Paul I's ideas about peasant well-being were of a state-serf nature: he believed that it was useful for the peasants to be behind the landowner, and in the landowner he saw a free police chief. Although he also did not forget about the state-owned peasants, they received a 15-tithe per capita allotment and a special estate administration, which existed before the reforms of Nicholas I. His famous decree on the three-day corvee (1797) is interpreted ambiguously: some historians believe that it significantly facilitated the situation of the peasants, while others believe that only holiday work to the landowner.

Be that as it may, any unrest among the peasants (and at the beginning of the reign of Paul I they broke out in more than 32 provinces) was suppressed mercilessly. Paul I continued Catherine's enslavement policy: by decree of December 12, 1796, the transfer of peasants who settled on private lands among the Cossack lands in the Don region and in the provinces of Ekaterinoslav, Voznesensk, Caucasus and Tauride was finally stopped.

Particular attention is paid to his attitude towards the clergy, which was aimed at improving the situation of the latter. Those on regular salaries had their salaries increased, and where the salary was not established, the parishioners were entrusted with cultivating the church land, which was then replaced by a corresponding grain contribution in kind and a sum of money. Several have also been established theological seminary, as well as Kazan and Alexander Nevsky (St. Petersburg) Theological Academies.

Paul I's tolerance towards schismatics is well known. He commanded to treat them “kindly, with kindness and philanthropy.” The response movement on the part of the Old Believers was the multiplication of the so-called Edinoverie churches.

Some of the events of Paul I do not lend themselves to intelligible interpretation, and are often simply anecdotal in nature. Thus, he waged a war against the French fashion for round hats and boots with cuffs. The number of books published was reduced to a minimum, and the import of books from abroad completely ceased. Already at the very beginning of the reign, the free entry of foreigners into the country was prohibited. On the other hand, all young people who studied abroad were requested back to Russia. However, the direction of these events is clear - the fight against the revolution, the danger of which Paul understood, apparently, better than his mother.

The foreign policy of Paul I fit well into the direction that was created both by the situation in Europe and by the previous reign. At the same time, the personality of the emperor himself gave it a special impulsiveness and flavor.

True, Paul I began with a policy of neutrality. This was explained not only by the desire to act differently from the way his mother acted. Catherine's militant policy strained the country's strength - a respite was needed. But the behavior of France also worried Paul I. And then, on his way to Egypt, Napoleon captured the island of Malta, and at the same time treated the Russian commissioner harshly. Paul I began to intensively prepare for war. At the end of 1798, a coalition was formed consisting of England, Austria, Turkey, the Kingdom of Naples and Russia.

The military operations of the allied forces concentrated in northern Italy, where Russian troops under the leadership of Suvorov won a number of brilliant victories: on the river. Adde, on the river Trebbii and others. Russian-Turkish squadron under the command of F.F. Ushakova successfully operated in the Adriatic Sea. Fr. was captured. Corfu with its fortresses that were considered impregnable, and then the entire Ionian Islands.

Such successful actions of the Russian troops aroused intrigue on the part of the Austrians. In September 1799, A.V. Suvorov from Italy moved to Switzerland to join the corps of General A.M. Rimsky-Korsakov. Suvorov's miracle heroes performed real feat in winter conditions, overcoming the San Gotthard Pass and defeating the enemy at the Devil's Bridge. However, due to the betrayal of the Austrians, Rimsky-Korsakov’s corps had already been defeated by that time.

Paul I was outraged by the actions of the Austrians. The British behaved no less brazenly. They managed to take Malta, so dear to the heart of Paul I, from France, but instead of giving it to the knights, they kept it for themselves. To this we must add the skillful diplomacy of Napoleon, who in every possible way demonstrated his affection for Paul I and offered to give Malta into his hands.

A semi-fantastic plan arose in the Russian foreign policy department, very reminiscent of the “Greek Project” of the time of Catherine. Russian diplomacy hoped to divide Turkey, with the help of Austria, France and Prussia, to create a Heretical Republic under the protectorate of Russia. Russia received Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Constantinople. An expedition to India was planned.

If we take into account all of the above, it will become clear why in April 1801. Russian ambassador was sent to France to conclude a treaty. Paul I's proposals more than corresponded to Napoleon's plans. However, the very first decision of the emperor in this direction - prohibiting anyone from trading with England - caused an explosion of discontent and in many ways prepared the way for the murder of Paul I.

In addition to foreign policy, discontent was also fueled by the overly impulsive, often contradictory actions of Paul I in the field of domestic policy. Signs of discontent in the higher bureaucracy and in certain groups of the nobility have been observed for a long time. Gradually a conspiracy arose, headed by the St. Petersburg military governor Count P.A. Palen. On the night of March 11-12, 1801, Paul I was killed by conspirators. He was not saved by the powerful walls of the newly erected Mikhailovsky Castle.

If the reign of Paul I is considered not separately, but in unity with everything Russian historical process, then it does not pose any mystery. The serf component of this unique system is still actively developing, but the autocratic component is also reaching its apogee. The authorities are no longer satisfied with their quests based on the ideology of the Enlightenment; in the face of the growing threat of revolution, they are looking for more optimal forms of their functioning... And they find them on ways to strengthen the regime of personal power. This process will continue into the next century.

• The right to free import and export abroad of goods from coastal ports. A measure aimed at developing trade.

External and domestic politics Paul 1

The foreign and domestic policies of Paul 1 were distinguished by some inconsistency and weak predictability. It did not affect the foundations of the existing system - the preservation of autocracy and serfdom. On the contrary, they strengthened even more during his short reign. During the life of Catherine 2, Paul 1 was in some opposition to the empress, hating his mother. His court in Gatchina was constantly contrasted with the St. Petersburg imperial court, which was distinguished by luxury and idle high society life. An almost ascetic atmosphere reigned in the Gatchina courtyard; it even resembled a military camp. Paul, being a supporter of Prussia and its military order, built his life according to the Prussian military model. Having ascended the throne, he tried to turn the entire country into a kind of Gatchina camp. Reactionality was the dominant feature of Paul 1's domestic policy. He hated French revolution and fought in Russia against revolutionary thought in every way available to him. Even French clothing was prohibited, as was the use foreign words, reminiscent of the revolution. The import of foreign books into Russia is prohibited. Paul 1 introduced the Prussian military system into the army, dressed the army and even the bureaucrats in Prussian clothes. Barracks order was established in the capital. At 8 o'clock in the evening, when the emperor went to bed, all other residents had to turn off the lights. The monarch's quarrelsomeness and instability led to repression without guilt and rewards without merit. The army and, in particular, the guard were constantly engaged in parades, divorces, and drills in St. Petersburg. Social life almost ceased. This caused acute discontent among the nobility. Fearing the revolutionary “contagion”, fearing any opposition, Paul 1 in his internal policy led a course towards limiting noble self-government. But he did not encroach on the basis of the foundations - noble land ownership and serfdom. During the years of his reign they became even stronger. Paul 1, according to him, saw 100 thousand free police chiefs in the landowners. He extended serfdom to the Black Sea region and Ciscaucasia. During the four years of his reign, he distributed over 500 thousand state peasants to the nobles (Catherine for 34 years - 850 thousand). The reign of Paul 1 began in an atmosphere of peasant unrest in the country, which covered 32 provinces. They were suppressed by military force. Paul himself was to blame for this, he ordered that the entire male population of the country, including serfs, be allowed to swear allegiance to him as emperor (previously they were not allowed to swear the oath). This gave rise to hope among the peasants for the abolition of serfdom. But when they did not wait for her, peasant unrest began. Thus, even in his policy towards the peasantry, Paul turned out to be very contradictory.

Paul's foreign policy 1. Was also marked by contradictions foreign policy Paul 1. An ardent enemy of France, the emperor entered the war against her in 1798. In the spring of 1799, the Russian army under the command appears in Northern Italy. Having won several brilliant victories, Suvorov liberated all of Northern Italy from the French. Austria, fearing the Italian liberation movement, asks for the transfer of Russian troops to Switzerland. There he was supposed to continue the war with the French along with Austrian troops. He makes an incredibly heroic crossing through the Alps to Switzerland, but by that time the Austrians were defeated. , breaking through the French barriers, winning victory after victory, leads the army out of the French encirclement. At the same time, the Russian fleet under the command is victoriously leading fighting at sea: he stormed the most powerful fortress on the island. Corfu, liberated Naples with fighting. Then the Russian sailors entered Rome. But in 1799, changes occurred in foreign policy: Russia stopped the war. The anti-French coalition collapsed. Napoleon made reconciliation with Paul 1. Their negotiations ended with the development of a plan of joint action against England. In January 1801, Paul, with a sudden order, without a supply of forage, sent on a campaign against English possessions There are 40 regiments of Don Cossacks in India. The break with England caused discontent among the high-ranking nobility, which had trade relations with the English merchants. The British ambassador to Russia was also involved in the coup d'état of March 11, 1801, which led to the assassination of Paul 1. But main reason, which pushed the conspirators to carry out the coup, there was acute dissatisfaction with the emperor metropolitan nobility. Paul had no social support and was overthrown.

This material is open for comment. Please express your thoughts about the foreign and domestic policies of Paul 1.

There are many people in the world who call for something and then tear their hair out when it happens.

As soon as he ascended the throne, Paul 1 changed the order of succession to the throne in Russia, which had been in effect without changes since the time of Peter the Great. Paul 1 changed the position that the future monarch is determined by the will of the incumbent. From now on, only representatives of the ruling dynasty in the male line in order of seniority had rights to the throne. Thus began the internal policy of Emperor Paul 1.

The next stage of Paul 1’s actions within the country was the search for associates and winning the love and respect of most of the people. To achieve these goals, Paul 1 almost completely removed from power all the officials who served Empress Catherine. New officials loyal to Emperor Paul were appointed to the vacant positions. The domestic policy of Paul 1 continued to soften the living conditions of the peasants. First of all, the emperor repealed the law that prohibited peasants from complaining about the landowners. After this, all types of corporal punishment for peasants were abolished, all arrears from peasants were canceled, the amount of which at the time Pavle 1 came to power exceeded 7 million rubles. In addition, Paul 1 reduced corvee throughout the country. If earlier corvee (free work of peasants on the landowner's fields) was 6 days a week, now it should not exceed 3 days a week. The imperial decree also prohibited the involvement of peasants in corvee work on weekends, as well as on religious holidays.

The main events of the emperor's policy

The internal policy of Paul 1 continued with the solution of the food issue in the country. The country had extremely high prices for all types of food. To solve this problem, Paul 1 issued a decree according to which everyone was obliged to trade at reduced prices for food obtained from state reserves.

The new emperor tried to instill fear and respect for his person in everyone. As a result, mass repressions began in the country. At the same time, the emperor did not look at the rank or origin of the accused. Paul 1 was not interested in violations either; sometimes nobles who simply violated their dress code were exiled and deprived of all titles and privileges. Paul 1 liked to repeat that there are practically no noble people in his country, and those with whom the emperor deigns to speak are considered noble, and exactly as long as the emperor speaks to him. The domestic policy of Paul 1 was extremely cruel for the country's elite. The secret chancellery, which dealt with such cases, met almost without interruption. In total, during the reign of Emperor Paul 1, 721 cases were processed through the Secret Chancellery, which amounted to almost 180 cases per year. For example, during the reign of Empress Catherine 2, secret office met on average 25 times a year, investigating 1 case per convocation.

Controversy in domestic politics

The problem of studying the era of Paul 1 is that this emperor brought almost any undertaking to the point of insanity, when ideas were simultaneously implemented that were radically different from each other and which led to contradictions. That is why today they say that Paul’s internal policy was very contradictory and there were a lot of dark spots in it. For example:

• Attitude towards revolutionaries. Pavel 1 tried to show his loyalty to the revolutionaries, as a result of which he returned Radishchev, Kosciuszko, Novikov and others from exile. At the same time, he evilly persecutes everyone who has anything to do with the French Revolution.
• Politics in the army. The Emperor prohibits the admission of minors into the guard. This is an absolute plus, but at the same time the same emperor is reforming the army in the Prussian manner (the Prussian army has never been distinguished for its strength and skill).
• Peasant question. One of the main initiatives of the emperor's domestic policy was the decree on three-day corvee, which significantly limited the powers of serf owners. On the other hand, the emperor issues a decree and literally showers all landowners with new lands.
• Public administration. A law on succession to the throne is adopted (it had long been outdated and needed reform), but Paul simultaneously eliminated many colleges, which led to chaos within the country.

The domestic policy of Paul 1 also affected reforms in the army. True, they were not widespread and affected, first of all, the relationship between a soldier and an officer. Paul 1 prohibited cruel punishment of soldiers by officers. For violating this prohibition, the punishments for officers were the most severe and were no different from the punishments for soldiers who allowed themselves to insult an officer.

In whose interests did Paul 1 rule?

Paul 1 pursued internal policies to strengthen his power, and also tried to ease the role of common man. The emperor's internal policy was carried out in the interests of ordinary categories of the population. Naturally, this displeased the major nobles, who regularly plotted against their emperor. As a result, the internal policy of Paul 1 became one of the components of a future conspiracy against the emperor. A conspiracy that cost Pavel 1 his life.

Paul the First went down in history as a cruel reformer. Liberal views and European tastes were persecuted, censorship was established, and a ban on the import of foreign literature into the country was established. The Emperor, having received the throne, largely limited the rights of the nobility. Maybe that's why his reign was so short.

In contact with

Childhood

Peter the Third, Paul's father, was on the Russian throne for only 186 days, although he planned that many years of rule lay ahead of him. After palace coup the emperor signed the abdication of the throne, which passed to his wife (Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst).

Catherine built her reign on expanding the rights and privileges of the noble class, as well as enslaving the peasants. During her reign borders Russian Empire were moved to the south and west.

The first son of Peter and Catherine, named Pavel, was born on September 20, 1754. During this period, there was a political struggle in the palace, so the boy was deprived of the love and care of his parents. At the age of eight he lost his father. Paul's mother hired a staff of the best nannies and teachers, after which she withdrew from raising the future heir to the throne.

Boy's teacher became Fedor Bekhteev- a diplomat distinguished by incredible discipline and rigor. He published a newspaper where the slightest misdeeds of the pupil were described. Nikita Panin became the second mentor, thanks to whom the boy began to study wide circle items - natural history, God's Law, music, dancing.

The immediate environment also had an influence on the formation of the personality of the heir to the throne, but communication with peers was kept to a minimum - only children of noble families were allowed to interact with him.

Ekaterina bought it for her son the huge library of academician Korf. The boy studied a lot foreign languages, arithmetic, astronomy, history, geography, learned to draw, dance and fencing, studied the Law of God. The boy was not taught military discipline; Catherine did not want her son to get carried away with it.

The heir had an impatient character and was a restless child, but could boast of a rich imagination and love of reading. His education was as high quality as possible at that time.

Personal life of the future emperor

The first wife of the future ruler died during childbirth, and the second chosen one was Sophia Dorothea of ​​Württemberg (Maria Fedorovna).

Children of Paul I– firstborn Alexander (1777), Konstantin (1779), Alexandra (1783), Elena (1784), Maria (1786), Catherine (1788), Olga (1792, died in infancy), Anna (1795), Nikolai (1796) ), Mikhail (1798).

Despite having many children and almost constant pregnancies, Maria Feodorovna took care of the house and regularly participated in social events. However, she was not of particular importance at court due to her husband’s discord with his mother.

Maria Feodorovna was a submissive princess, who followed the postulates that she had learned in her youth, but due to circumstances beyond her control, her personal life with her husband came to discord after 20 years. After birth last son The obstetrician forbade her to become pregnant, as it could cost the woman her life.

The Emperor was disappointed by this circumstance and started a relationship with another woman, his favorite Anna Lopukhina. Maria Feodorovna herself became involved in charity work and began managing orphanages, streamlining the work of institutions for homeless and abandoned children. She also actively addressed issues of women's education and founded a number of educational institutions for them.

Rise to power

When Paul I reigned? He ascended the throne at the age of 42 on November 6, 1796, when Catherine II, his mother, died. This late date is explained difficult relationships future emperor with his mother. They almost completely moved away from each other, realizing that they were people with opposing views. At first, the boy was raised as a future heir to the throne, but the older he became, the further they tried to keep him from matters of national importance.

Important! Many people had high hopes for Pavel Petrovich. His name was often on the lips of rebels, for example, . During the reign of Catherine II, many were dissatisfied with her decrees and laws.

Transformations

Numerous reforms characterize the reign of Paul 1: domestic and foreign policy underwent a number of changes.

What important steps have been taken:

• amendments were introduced to the procedure of succession to the throne, which was developed. The rights to the throne began to be enjoyed exclusively by the sons or brothers of the ruling dynasty in a descending line, or by seniority;
• the emperor's associates received the titles of senior officials or senators;
• comrades of Catherine II were removed from their posts;
• activities of higher government agencies has undergone changes for the better;
• a petition box was placed next to the palace, and reception days were also established for peasants who could openly leave complaints against their owners;
• corporal punishment has been abolished for older people over 70 years of age;
• Instead of the grain duty, which was burdensome for peasants, a financial tax was introduced. Debts of 7 million rubles were written off;
• it was forbidden to force peasants to work on holidays and weekends;
• corvee was limited - now it lasted 3 days a week;
• the sale of landless peasants and household servants was banned. If the owner treated the serfs inhumanely, the governors were obliged to carry out secret arrests and send the offenders to the monastery.
• over 4 years, 6,000 thousand state peasants were transferred to the nobles, since the emperor believed that their life was worse than that of the serfs;
• the cost of salt and food products in stores was reduced - the shortfall was compensated for by money from the treasury.

When Paul came to power, one of the the most important areas His activities turned out to be an infringement of the privileges and rights of the nobles.

He ordered all noble children who were enrolled in them to return to the regiments, and prohibited the unauthorized transfer to civilian service from the army without the permission of the Senate, approved by him personally.

The nobles had to pay new taxes, the money from which was sent to support the local administration.

The right according to which a nobleman addressed him with complaints and requests was abolished: now this was allowed to be done only with the permission of the governor. Punishment was reintroduced noble people through sticks.

Immediately after ascending the throne, the emperor declared an amnesty, but multiple punishments soon followed. Decrees of Paul the First, limiting the power of the nobility, aroused anger and enmity on the part of the privileged class. Over time, the first conspiracies began to appear in the highest guards circles to overthrow the autocrat.

Features of foreign policy

Initially, it was announced at court that neutrality would be observed towards France. He always dreamed that wars would be fought solely for the purpose of defense. However, he was an opponent of the revolutionary sentiments of this country. Friendly relations were concluded with countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Prussia, which was the result of the creation of an anti-French coalition consisting of:

• Russia,
• Kingdom of Naples,
• Austria,
• England.

In Italy, commander A.V. Suvorov headed by domestic expeditionary force. In just six months, he won a victory in Italy over French troops, after which he entered Sweden, where he joined the corps of General A.M. Rimsky-Korsakov.

During the same period, the squadron F.F. Ushakova achieved several naval victories, as a result of which the Ionian Islands became free. However, the Russian-English corps located in Holland was unable to achieve its plans, as a result of which it returned. At the same time, only Russia's allies reaped the fruits of victories over Napoleon, which caused the severance of allied ties with Austria and England. The Emperor, outraged by England's position, decided to move closer to France.

Cause of the Emperor's death

A conspiracy was formed against the ruling emperor. It was headed by the Zubov brothers, the military governor of St. Petersburg P.A.

Palen and a number of others. The reason for the conspiracy is the internal policy of the autocrat, because he eased the situation of the peasants and at the same time limited the rights and privileges of the noble class.

Among the conspirators was Alexander Pavlovich, who was promised that his father would be left alive.

Led by Count Palen on the night of March 12, 1801 The conspirators broke into the Mikhailovsky Castle, reached the imperial chambers and put forward a demand to leave the throne. Having heard Paul's refusal to abdicate the throne, the conspirators killed the autocrat.

There were several conspiracies during the life and reign of the emperor. Thus, three cases of unrest among the troops were recorded. After the coronation of the new emperor, the Canal Workshop was formed - a secret organization whose members sought to kill the ruler. After the discovery of this conspiracy, all those who took part in it were sent to hard labor or exiled. All materials related to the investigation into the conspiracy were destroyed.

It was officially announced that Emperor Paul 1 had died from apoplexy.

Paul 1st - reign of the Tsar, reforms

The reign of Tsar Paul 1st - domestic and foreign policy, results

Results of the board

How long did Paul 1 reign?? His reign lasted several years, years of reign: from April 5, 1797. to March 12, 1801. In such a short period of time, no significant changes occurred in Russian society, although the emperor tried to introduce as many new measures as possible. At the beginning of the reign, favorable conditions were created for the development of industry and trade, but by the end of the reign, internal trade was in chaos and ruin, and external trade was almost completely destroyed.

Attention! The state was in a sad state when Paul I was killed.

Who ruled after Paul 1? The heir to the throne was his first-born Alexander 1. His reign turned out to be more successful: the first step was taken, the State Council was created, and a victory was won over Napoleon in 1812; the Russian army distinguished itself in other foreign trips. was more successful.