For 10 centuries, the domestic and foreign policies of the Russian state were determined by representatives of the ruling dynasties. As you know, the greatest prosperity of the state was under the rule of the Romanov dynasty, descendants of an old noble family. Its ancestor is considered to be Andrei Ivanovich Kobyla, whose father, Glanda-Kambila Divonovich, baptized Ivan, came to Russia in the last quarter of the 13th century from Lithuania.
The youngest of the 5 sons of Andrei Ivanovich, Fyodor Koshka, left numerous offspring, which include such surnames as the Koshkins-Zakharyins, Yakovlevs, Lyatskys, Bezzubtsevs and Sheremetyevs. In the sixth generation from Andrei Kobyla in the Koshkin-Zakharyin family there was the boyar Roman Yuryevich, from whom the boyar family, and subsequently the Romanov tsars, originated. This dynasty ruled in Russia for three hundred years.
Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov (1613 - 1645)
The beginning of the reign of the Romanov dynasty can be considered February 21, 1613, when the Zemsky Sobor took place, at which the Moscow nobles, supported by the townspeople, proposed electing 16-year-old Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov as sovereign of all Rus'. The proposal was accepted unanimously, and on July 11, 1613, in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, Mikhail was crowned king.
The beginning of his reign was not easy, because the central government still did not control a significant part of the state. In those days, robber Cossack detachments of Zarutsky, Balovy and Lisovsky were walking around Russia, ruining the state already exhausted by the war with Sweden and Poland.
Thus, the newly elected king was faced with two important tasks: first, ending hostilities with his neighbors, and second, pacifying his subjects. He was able to cope with this only after 2 years. 1615 - all free Cossack groups were completely destroyed, and in 1617 the war with Sweden ended with the conclusion of the Stolbovo Peace. According to this agreement, the Moscow state lost access to the Baltic Sea, but peace and tranquility were restored in Russia. It was possible to begin to lead the country out of a deep crisis. And here Mikhail’s government had to make a lot of efforts to restore the devastated country.
At first, the authorities took up the development of industry, for which foreign industrialists - ore miners, gunsmiths, foundry workers - were invited to Russia on preferential terms. Then the turn came to the army - it was obvious that for the prosperity and security of the state it was necessary to develop military affairs, in connection with this, in 1642, transformations began in the armed forces.
Foreign officers trained Russian military men in military affairs, “regiments of a foreign system” appeared in the country, which was the first step towards the creation of a regular army. These transformations turned out to be the last in the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich - 2 years later the tsar died at the age of 49 from “water sickness” and was buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Kremlin.
Alexey Mikhailovich, nickname Quiet (1645-1676)
His eldest son Alexei, who, according to contemporaries, was one of the most educated people of his time, became king. He himself wrote and edited many decrees and was the first of the Russian tsars to begin signing them personally (others signed decrees for Mikhail, for example, his father Filaret). Meek and pious, Alexey earned the people's love and the nickname Quiet.
In the first years of his reign, Alexei Mikhailovich took little part in government affairs. The state was ruled by the Tsar's educator, boyar Boris Morozov, and the Tsar's father-in-law, Ilya Miloslavsky. Morozov's policy, which was aimed at increasing tax oppression, as well as Miloslavsky's lawlessness and abuses, caused popular indignation.
1648, June - an uprising broke out in the capital, followed by uprisings in southern Russian cities and in Siberia. The result of this rebellion was the removal of Morozov and Miloslavsky from power. 1649 - Alexei Mikhailovich had the opportunity to take over the rule of the country. On his personal instructions, they compiled a set of laws - the Council Code, which satisfied the basic wishes of the townspeople and nobles.
In addition, the government of Alexei Mikhailovich encouraged the development of industry, supported Russian merchants, protecting them from competition from foreign traders. Customs and new trade regulations were adopted, which contributed to the development of domestic and foreign trade. Also, during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, the Moscow state expanded its borders not only to the southwest, but also to the south and east - Russian explorers explored Eastern Siberia.
Feodor III Alekseevich (1676 - 1682)
1675 - Alexei Mikhailovich declared his son Fyodor heir to the throne. 1676, January 30 - Alexei died at the age of 47 and was buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Kremlin. Fyodor Alekseevich became the sovereign of all Rus' and on June 18, 1676 he was crowned king in the Assumption Cathedral. Tsar Fedor reigned for only six years, he was extremely unindependent, power ended up in the hands of his maternal relatives - the Miloslavsky boyars.
The most important event of the reign of Fyodor Alekseevich was the destruction of localism in 1682, which provided the opportunity for promotion to not very noble, but educated and enterprising people. IN last days During the reign of Fyodor Alekseevich, a project was drawn up to establish a Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy and a theological school for 30 people in Moscow. Fyodor Alekseevich died on April 27, 1682 at the age of 22, without making any order regarding the succession to the throne.
Ivan V (1682-1696)
After the death of Tsar Fyodor, ten-year-old Pyotr Alekseevich, at the suggestion of Patriarch Joachim and at the insistence of the Naryshkins (his mother was from this family), was proclaimed tsar, bypassing his older brother Tsarevich Ivan. But on May 23 of the same year, at the request of the Miloslavsky boyars, he was approved by the Zemsky Sobor as the “second tsar,” and Ivan as the “first.” And only in 1696, after the death of Ivan Alekseevich, Peter became the sole tsar.
Peter I Alekseevich, nickname the Great (1682 - 1725)
Both emperors pledged to be allies in the conduct of hostilities. However, in 1810, relations between Russia and France began to take on an openly hostile character. And in the summer of 1812, war began between the powers. The Russian army, having expelled the invaders from Moscow, completed the liberation of Europe with a triumphal entry into Paris in 1814. The successfully ended wars with Turkey and Sweden strengthened the country's international position. During the reign of Alexander I, Georgia, Finland, Bessarabia, and Azerbaijan became part of the Russian Empire. 1825 - During a trip to Taganrog, Emperor Alexander I caught a severe cold and died on November 19.
Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855)
After Alexander's death, Russia lived without an emperor for almost a month. On December 14, 1825, an oath was announced to his younger brother Nikolai Pavlovich. That same day, an attempted coup took place, which was later called the Decembrist uprising. The day of December 14 made an indelible impression on Nicholas I, and this was reflected in the nature of his entire reign, during which absolutism reached its highest rise, expenses for officials and the army absorbed almost all state funds. During the years, the Code of Laws of the Russian Empire was compiled - a code of all legislative acts that existed in 1835.
1826 - the Secret Committee was established, dealing with the peasant issue; in 1830, a general law on estates was developed, in which a number of improvements were designed for the peasants. About 9,000 rural schools were established for the primary education of peasant children.
1854 - the Crimean War began, ending in the defeat of Russia: according to the Paris Treaty of 1856, the Black Sea was declared neutral, and Russia was able to regain the right to have a fleet there only in 1871. It was the defeat in this war that decided the fate of Nicholas I. Not wanting to admit the error of his views and beliefs, which led the state not only to military defeat, but also to the collapse of the entire system of state power, the emperor is believed to have deliberately taken poison on February 18, 1855.
Alexander II the Liberator (1855-1881)
The next from the Romanov dynasty came to power - Alexander Nikolaevich, the eldest son of Nicholas I and Alexandra Fedorovna.
It should be noted that I was able to somewhat stabilize the situation both within the state and on the external borders. Firstly, under Alexander II, serfdom was abolished in Russia, for which the emperor was nicknamed the Liberator. 1874 - a decree was issued on universal conscription, which abolished conscription. At this time, higher educational institutions for women were created, three universities were founded - Novorossiysk, Warsaw and Tomsk.
Alexander II was able to finally conquer the Caucasus in 1864. According to the Argun Treaty with China, the Amur Territory was annexed to Russia, and according to the Beijing Treaty, the Ussuri Territory was annexed. 1864 - Russian troops began a campaign in Central Asia, during which the Turkestan region and Fergana region were captured. Russian rule extended all the way to the peaks of the Tien Shan and the foot of the Himalayan range. Russia also had possessions in the United States.
However, in 1867, Russia sold Alaska and the Aleutian Islands to America. The most important event in foreign policy Russia during the reign of Alexander II became the Russian-Turkish war of 1877–1878, which ended in the victory of the Russian army, which resulted in the declaration of independence of Serbia, Romania and Montenegro.
Russia received part of Bessarabia, seized in 1856 (except for the islands of the Danube Delta) and a monetary indemnity of 302.5 million rubles. In the Caucasus, Ardahan, Kars and Batum with their surroundings were annexed to Russia. The Emperor could have done a lot more for Russia, but on March 1, 1881, his life was tragically cut short by a bomb from Narodnaya Volya terrorists, and the next representative of the Romanov dynasty, his son Alexander III, ascended the throne. Difficult times have come for the Russian people.
Alexander III the Peacemaker (1881-1894)
During the reign of Alexander III, administrative arbitrariness increased significantly. In order to develop new lands, a massive resettlement of peasants to Siberia began. The government took care of improving the living conditions of workers - the work of minors and women was limited.
In foreign policy at this time, there was a deterioration in Russian-German relations and a rapprochement between Russia and France took place, which ended with the conclusion of the Franco-Russian alliance. Emperor Alexander III died in the fall of 1894 from kidney disease, aggravated by bruises received during a train accident near Kharkov and constant excessive consumption of alcohol. And power passed to his eldest son Nicholas, the last Russian emperor from the Romanov dynasty.
Emperor Nicholas II (1894-1917)
The entire reign of Nicholas II passed in an atmosphere of growing revolutionary movement. At the beginning of 1905, a revolution broke out in Russia, marking the beginning of reforms: 1905, October 17 - the Manifesto was published, which established the foundations of civil freedom: personal integrity, freedom of speech, assembly and unions. The State Duma was established (1906), without whose approval not a single law could enter into force.
Agrarian reform was carried out according to the project of P.A. Stolshin. In the field of foreign policy, Nicholas II took some steps to stabilize international relations. Despite the fact that Nicholas was more democratic than his father, popular discontent with the autocrat grew rapidly. At the beginning of March 1917, the Chairman of the State Duma M.V. Rodzianko told Nicholas II that the preservation of autocracy was possible only if the throne was transferred to Tsarevich Alexei.
But, given the poor health of his son Alexei, Nicholas abdicated the throne in favor of his brother Mikhail Alexandrovich. Mikhail Alexandrovich, in turn, abdicated in favor of the people. The republican era has begun in Russia.
From March 9 to August 14, 1917, the former emperor and members of his family were kept under arrest in Tsarskoye Selo, then they were transported to Tobolsk. On April 30, 1918, the prisoners were brought to Yekaterinburg, where on the night of July 17, 1918, by order of the new revolutionary government, the former emperor, his wife, children and the doctor and servants who remained with them were shot by security officers. Thus ended the reign of the last dynasty in Russian history.
Some sources say that they come from Prussia, others that their roots come from Novgorod. The first known ancestor is a Moscow boyar from the time of Ivan Kalita - Andrei Kobyla. His sons became the founders of many boyar and noble families. Among them are the Sheremetevs, Konovnitsyns, Kolychevs, Ladygins, Yakovlevs, Boborykins and many others. The Romanov family descended from the son of Kobyla - Fyodor Koshka. His descendants first called themselves Koshkins, then Koshkins-Zakharyins, and then simply Zakharyins.
The first wife of Ivan VI “the Terrible” was Anna Romanova-Zakharyina. This is where the “kinship” with the Rurikovichs and, consequently, the right to the throne can be traced.
This article tells how ordinary boyars, with a fortunate combination of circumstances and good business acumen, became the most significant family for more than three centuries, until the Great October Revolution of 1917.
Family tree of the Romanov royal dynasty in full: with reign dates and photos
Mikhail Fedorovich (1613 - 1645)
After the death of Ivan the Terrible, not a single blood heir of the Rurik family remained, but a new dynasty was born - the Romanovs. The cousin of John IV’s wife, Anastasia Zakharyina, Mikhail, demanded his rights to the throne. With the support of the ordinary Moscow people and the Cossacks, he took the reins of power into his own hands and began a new era in the history of Russia.
Alexey Mikhailovich “The Quietest” (1645 - 1676)
Following Mikhail, his son, Alexei, sat on the throne. He had a gentle character, for which he received his nickname. Boyar Boris Morozov had a strong influence on him. The consequence of this was the Salt Riot, the uprising of Stepan Razin and other major unrest.
Feodor III Alekseevich (1676 - 1682)
The eldest son of Tsar Alexei. After the death of his father, he legally took the throne. First of all, he elevated his associates - the bed-keeper Yazykov and the room steward Likhachev. They were not from the nobility, but throughout their lives they helped in the formation of Feodor III.
Under him, an attempt was made to mitigate punishments for criminal offenses and amputation of limbs as an execution was abolished.
The decree of 1862 on the destruction of localism became important in the reign of the tsar.
Ivan V (1682 - 1696)
At the time of the death of his elder brother, Fedor III, Ivan V was 15 years old. His entourage believed that he did not have the skills inherent in a tsar and the throne should be inherited by his younger brother, 10-year-old Peter I. As a result, the rule was given to both at once, and their older sister Sophia was made their regent. Ivan V was weak, almost blind and weak-minded. During his reign, he did not make any decisions. Decrees were signed in his name, and he himself was used as a ceremonial king. In fact, the country was led by Princess Sophia.
Peter I "The Great" (1682 - 1725)
Like his older brother, Peter took the place of the Tsar in 1682, but due to his youth he could not make any decisions. He devoted a lot of time to studying military affairs while his older sister Sophia ruled the country. But in 1689, after the princess decided to single-handedly lead Russia, Peter I brutally dealt with her supporters, and she herself was imprisoned in the Novodevichy Convent. She spent the rest of her days within its walls and died in 1704.
Two tsars remained on the throne - Ivan V and Peter I. But Ivan himself gave his brother all the powers and remained the ruler only formally.
Having gained power, Peter carried out a number of reforms: the creation of the Senate, the subordination of the church to the state, and also built a new capital - St. Petersburg. Under him, Russia won the status of a great power and the recognition of Western European countries. The state was also renamed the Russian Empire, and the tsar became the first emperor.
Catherine I (1725 - 1727)
After the death of her husband, Peter I, with the support of the guard, she took the throne. The new ruler did not have the skills to conduct foreign and domestic policy, she didn’t want this, so in fact the country was ruled by her favorite - Count Menshikov.
Peter II (1727 - 1730)
After the death of Catherine I, the rights to the throne were transferred to the grandson of Peter “the Great” - Peter II. The boy was only 11 years old at that time. And after 3 years he died suddenly from smallpox.
Peter II paid attention not to the country, but only to hunting and pleasure. All decisions were made for him by the same Menshikov. After the overthrow of the count, the young emperor found himself under the influence of the Dolgorukov family.
Anna Ioannovna (1730 - 1740)
After the death of Peter II, the Supreme Privy Council invited Ivan V's daughter Anna to the throne. The condition for her ascension to the throne was the acceptance of a number of restrictions - “Conditions”. They stated that the newly-crowned empress does not have the right, by unilateral decision, to declare war, make peace, get married and appoint an heir to the throne, as well as some other regulations.
After gaining power, Anna found support from the nobility, destroyed the prepared rules and dissolved the Supreme Privy Council.
The Empress was not distinguished by either intelligence or success in education. Her favorite, Ernst Biron, had a huge influence on her and the country. After her death, it was he who was appointed regent to the infant Ivan VI.
The reign of Anna Ioannovna is a dark page in the history of the Russian Empire. Under her, political terror and disregard for Russian traditions reigned.
Ivan VI Antonovich (1740 - 1741)
According to the will of Empress Anna, Ivan VI ascended the throne. He was a baby, and therefore the first year of his “reign” was spent under the leadership of Ernst Biron. Afterwards, power passed to Ivan’s mother, Anna Leopoldovna. But in fact, the government was in the hands of the Cabinet of Ministers.
The emperor himself spent his entire life in prison. And at the age of 23 he was killed by prison guards.
Elizaveta Petrovna (1741 - 1761)
As a result of a palace coup with the support of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, the illegitimate daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine came to power. She continued the foreign policy of her father and marked the beginning of the Age of Enlightenment, opened State University named after Lomonosov.
Peter III Fedorovich (1761 - 1762)
Elizaveta Petrovna left no direct heirs in the male line. But back in 1742, she made sure that the line of Romanov rule did not end, and appointed her nephew, the son of her sister Anna, Peter III, as her heir.
The newly-crowned emperor ruled the country for only six months, after which he was killed as a result of a conspiracy led by his wife, Catherine.
Catherine II "The Great" (1762 - 1796)
After the death of her husband Peter III, she began to rule the empire alone. She did not make either a loving wife or mother. She devoted all her strength to strengthening the position of the autocracy. Under her rule, the borders of Russia were expanded. Her reign also influenced the development of science and education. Catherine carried out reforms and divided the country's territory into provinces. Under her, six departments were established in the Senate, and the Russian Empire received the proud title of one of the most developed powers.
Paul I (1796 - 1801)
The mother's dislike had a strong influence on the new emperor. His entire policy was aimed at erasing everything that she had done during the years of her reign. He tried to concentrate all power in his hands and minimize self-government.
An important step in his policy is the decree banning the succession to the throne by women. This order lasted until 1917, when the reign of the Romanov family came to an end.
The policies of Paul I contributed to a slight improvement in the lives of the peasants, but the position of the nobility was greatly reduced. As a result, already in the first years of his reign, a conspiracy began to be prepared against him. Dissatisfaction with the emperor grew in various strata of society. The result was death in his own room during the coup.
Alexander I (1801 - 1825)
He took the throne after the death of his father, Paul I. It was he who took part in the conspiracy, but knew nothing about the impending murder and suffered from guilt all his life.
During his reign, several important laws saw the light of day:
- The decree on “free cultivators”, according to which peasants received the right to redeem themselves with the land by agreement with the landowner.
- A decree on educational reform, after which representatives of all classes could undergo training.
The emperor promised the people the adoption of a constitution, but the project remained unfinished. Despite liberal policies, large-scale changes in the life of the country have not occurred.
In 1825, Alexander caught a cold and died. There are legends that the emperor faked his death and became a hermit.
Nicholas I (1825 - 1855)
As a result of the death of Alexander I, the reins of power were supposed to pass into the hands of his younger brother Constantine, but he voluntarily renounced the title of emperor. So the throne was taken by the third son of Paul I, Nicholas I.
The strongest influence on him was his upbringing, which was based on severe suppression of the individual. He could not count on the throne. The child grew up in oppression and suffered physical punishment.
Study travels largely influenced the views of the future emperor - conservative, with a pronounced anti-liberal orientation. After the death of Alexander I, Nicholas showed all his determination and political abilities and, despite a lot of disagreements, ascended the throne.
An important stage in the development of the ruler’s personality was the Decembrist uprising. It was brutally suppressed, order was restored, and Russia swore allegiance to the new monarch.
Throughout his life, the emperor considered his goal to be the suppression of the revolutionary movement. The policies of Nicholas I led to the largest foreign policy defeat during the Crimean War of 1853 - 1856. The failure undermined the emperor's health. In 1955, an accidental cold took his life.
Alexander II (1855 - 1881)
The birth of Alexander II attracted enormous public attention. At this time, his father did not even imagine him in the place of ruler, but young Sasha was already destined for the role of heir, since none of Nicholas I’s older brothers had male children.
The young man received a good education. He mastered five languages and had a perfect knowledge of history, geography, statistics, mathematics, natural science, logic and philosophy. Special courses were conducted for him under the guidance of influential figures and ministers.
During his reign, Alexander carried out many reforms:
- university;
- judicial;
- military and others.
But the most important is rightfully considered the abolition of serfdom. For this move he was nicknamed the Tsar Liberator.
Nevertheless, despite the innovations, the emperor remained faithful to the autocracy. This policy did not contribute to the adoption of the constitution. The emperor's reluctance to choose a new path of development caused an intensification of revolutionary activity. As a result, a series of assassination attempts led to the death of the sovereign.
Alexander III (1881 - 1894)
Alexander III was the second son of Alexander II. Since he was not initially the heir to the throne, he did not consider it necessary to receive a proper education. Only at a conscious age did the future ruler begin to prepare for his reign at an accelerated pace.
As a result tragic death father's power passed to the new emperor - tougher, but fair.
A distinctive feature of the reign of Alexander III was the absence of wars. For this he was nicknamed the “peacemaker king.”
He died in 1894. The cause of death was nephritis - inflammation of the kidneys. The cause of the disease is considered to be both the crash of the imperial train at Borki station and the emperor’s addiction to alcohol.
Here is practically the entire family genealogical tree of the Romanov family with years of reign and portraits. Special attention should be paid to the last monarch.
Nicholas II (1894 - 1917)
Son of Alexander III. He ascended the throne as a result of the sudden death of his father.
He received a good education aimed at military education, studied under the leadership of the current Tsar, and his teachers were outstanding Russian scientists.
Nicholas II quickly became comfortable on the throne and began to promote an independent policy, which caused discontent among some of his circle. The main goal of his reign was to establish the internal unity of the empire.
Opinions about Alexander's son are very scattered and contradictory. Many consider him too soft and weak-willed. But his strong attachment to his family is also noted. He did not part with his wife and children until the last seconds of his life.
Nicholas II played a big role in the church life of Russia. Frequent pilgrimages brought him closer to the indigenous population. The number of churches during his reign increased from 774 to 1005. Later, the last emperor and his family were canonized by the Russian Church Abroad (ROCOR).
On the night of July 16-17, 1918, after the October Revolution of 1917, the royal family was shot in the basement of Ipatiev’s house in Yekaterinburg. It is believed that the order was given by Sverdlov and Lenin.
On this tragic note, the reign of the royal family ends, which lasted for more than three centuries (from 1613 to 1917). This dynasty left a huge mark on the development of Russia. It is to her that we owe what we have now. Only thanks to the rule of representatives of this family, serfdom was abolished in our country, educational, judicial, military and many other reforms were launched.
Complete scheme family tree over the years of reign of the first and last monarchs from the Romanov family, they clearly show how from an ordinary boyar family a great family of rulers emerged who glorified the royal dynasty. But even now you can trace the formation of the successors of the family. On this moment the descendants of the imperial family are alive and well and could lay claim to the throne. There is no longer any “pure blood” left, but the fact remains. If Russia again switches to a form of government such as a monarchy, then the successor of the ancient family may become the new king.
It is worth noting that most Russian rulers lived relatively short lives. After fifty, only Peter I, Elizaveta I Petrovna, Nicholas I and Nicholas II died. And the threshold of 60 years was overcome by Catherine II and Alexander II. Everyone else died in pretty early age due to illness or coup d'etat.
The Romanovs are the great dynasty of kings and emperors of Russia, an ancient boyar family that began its existence at the end of the 16th century. and still exists today.
Etymology and history of the surname
The Romanovs are not quite the correct historical surname of the family. Initially, the Romanovs came from the Zakharyevs. However, Patriarch Filaret (Fyodor Nikitich Zakharyev) decided to take the surname Romanov in honor of his father and grandfather, Nikita Romanovich and Roman Yuryevich. This is how the family received a surname that is still used today.
The boyar family of the Romanovs gave history one of the most famous royal dynasties in the world. The first royal representative of the Romanovs was Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, and the last was Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov. Although the royal family was interrupted, the Romanovs still exist to this day (several branches). All representatives of the great family and their descendants live abroad today, about 200 people have royal titles, but not one of them has the right to lead Russian throne in the event of the return of the monarchy.
The large Romanov family was called the House of Romanov. The huge and extensive family tree has connections with almost all the royal dynasties of the world.
In 1856 the family received an official coat of arms. It depicts a vulture holding a golden sword and a tarch in its paws, and along the edges of the coat of arms are eight severed lion heads.
Background to the emergence of the Romanov royal dynasty
As already mentioned, the Romanov family descended from the Zakharyevs, but where the Zakharyevs came to the Moscow lands is unknown. Some scholars believe that family members were natives of the Novgorod land, and some say that the first Romanov came from Prussia.
In the 16th century. The boyar family received a new status, its representatives became relatives of the sovereign himself. This happened due to the fact that he married Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina. Now all of Anastasia Romanovna’s relatives could count on the royal throne in the future. The opportunity to take the throne came very soon, after the suppression. When the question of further succession to the throne arose, the Romanovs came into play.
In 1613, the first representative of the family, Mikhail Fedorovich, was elected to the throne. The era of the Romanovs began.
Tsars and emperors from the Romanov family
Starting from Mikhail Fedorovich, several more kings from this family ruled in Rus' (five in total).
These were:
- Fedor Alekseevich Romanov;
- Ivan the 5th (Ioann Antonovich);
In 1721, Rus' was finally reorganized into the Russian Empire, and the sovereign received the title of emperor. The first emperor was Peter the 1st, who until recently was called Tsar. In total, the Romanov family gave Russia 14 emperors and empresses. After Peter the 1st they ruled:
The end of the Romanov dynasty. The Last of the Romanovs
After the death of Peter the 1st, the Russian throne was often occupied by women, but Paul the 1st passed a law according to which only a direct heir, a man, could become emperor. Since then, women have no longer ascended the throne.
The last representative of the imperial family was Nicholas II, who received the nickname Bloody for the thousands of people who died during the two great revolutions. According to historians, Nicholas II was a fairly mild ruler and made several unfortunate mistakes in domestic and foreign policy, which led to the escalation of the situation within the country. Unsuccessful, and also greatly undermined the prestige of the royal family and the sovereign personally.
In 1905, an outbreak broke out, as a result of which Nicholas was forced to give the people the desired civil rights and freedoms - the power of the sovereign weakened. However, this was not enough, and in 1917 it happened again. This time Nicholas was forced to resign his powers and renounce the throne. But this was not enough: the royal family was caught by the Bolsheviks and imprisoned. The monarchical system of Russia gradually collapsed in favor of a new type of government.
On the night of July 16-17, 1917, the entire royal family, including Nicholas's five children and his wife, was shot. The only possible heir, Nikolai's son, also died. All relatives hiding in Tsarskoe Selo, St. Petersburg and other places were found and killed. Only those Romanovs who were abroad survived. The reign of the Romanov imperial family was interrupted, and with it the monarchy in Russia collapsed.
Results of the Romanov reign
Although during the 300 years of rule of this family there were many bloody wars and uprisings, on the whole the power of the Romanovs brought benefits to Russia. It was thanks to the representatives of this family that Rus' finally moved away from feudalism, increased its economic, military and political power and turned into a huge and powerful empire.
The Romanovs are a Russian boyar family that began its existence in the 16th century and gave rise to the great dynasty of Russian tsars and emperors who ruled until 1917.
For the first time, the surname “Romanov” was used by Fyodor Nikitich (Patriarch Filaret), who named himself so in honor of his grandfather Roman Yuryevich and father Nikita Romanovich Zakharyev, he is considered the first Romanov
The first royal representative of the dynasty was Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, the last was Nikolai 2 Alexandrovich Romanov.
In 1856, the coat of arms of the Romanov family was approved; it depicts a vulture holding a golden sword and a tarch, and at the edges there are eight cut off lion heads.
“House of Romanov” is a designation for the totality of all the descendants of the different branches of the Romanovs.
Since 1761, the descendants of the Romanovs in the female line reigned in Russia, and with the death of Nicholas 2 and his family, there were no direct heirs left who could lay claim to the throne. However, despite this, today there are dozens of descendants of the royal family living all over the world, of varying degrees of kinship, and all of them officially belong to the House of Romanov. The family tree of the modern Romanovs is very extensive and has many branches.
Background to the Romanov reign
There is no consensus among scientists about where the Romanov family came from. Today, two versions are widespread: according to one, the ancestors of the Romanovs arrived in Rus' from Prussia, and according to the other, from Novgorod.
In the 16th century, the Romanov family became close to the king and could lay claim to the throne. This happened thanks to the fact that Ivan the Terrible married Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina, and her entire family now became relatives of the sovereign. After the suppression of the Rurikovich family, the Romanovs (formerly the Zakharyevs) became the main contenders for the state throne.
In 1613, one of the Romanov representatives, Mikhail Fedorovich, was elected to the throne, which marked the beginning of the long reign of the Romanov dynasty in Russia.
Tsars from the Romanov dynasty
- Fedor Alekseevich;
- Ivan 5;
In 1721, Russia became an Empire, and all its rulers became emperors.
Emperors from the Romanov dynasty
The end of the Romanov dynasty and the last Romanov
Despite the fact that there were empresses in Russia, Paul 1 adopted a decree according to which the Russian throne could only be transferred to a boy - a direct descendant of the family. From that moment until the very end of the dynasty, Russia was ruled exclusively by men.
The last emperor was Nicholas 2. During his reign, the political situation in Russia became very tense. The Japanese War, as well as the First World War, greatly undermined the people's faith in the sovereign. As a result, in 1905, after the revolution, Nicholas signed a manifesto that gave the people extensive civil rights, but this did not help much either. In 1917, a new revolution broke out, as a result of which the tsar was overthrown. On the night of July 16-17, 1917, the entire royal family, including Nicholas's five children, was shot. Other relatives of Nicholas, who were in the royal residence in Tsarskoye Selo and other places, were also caught and killed. Only those who were abroad survived.
The Russian throne was left without a direct heir, and the political system in the country changed - the monarchy was overthrown, the Empire was destroyed.
Results of the Romanov reign
During the reign of the Romanov dynasty, Russia reached real prosperity. Rus' finally ceased to be a fragmented state, civil strife ended, and the country gradually began to gain military and economic power, which allowed it to defend its own independence and resist invaders.
Despite the difficulties that periodically occurred in the history of Russia, by the 19th century the country had turned into a huge, powerful Empire, which owned vast territories. In 1861, serfdom was completely abolished, and the country switched to a new type of economy and economy.
The 17th century brought many trials to the Russian state. In 1598, the Rurik dynasty, which ruled the country for more than seven hundred years, was interrupted. A period began in the life of Russia, which is called the Time of Troubles or the Time of Troubles, when the very existence of Russian statehood came into question. Attempts to establish a new dynasty on the throne (from the boyars of the Godunovs and Shuiskys) were hampered by endless conspiracies, uprisings, and even natural disasters. The matter was also complicated by the intervention of neighboring countries: the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden, which at first sought to acquire adjacent territories, wanting in the future to deprive Russia of state independence altogether.
There were patriotic forces in the country that united in the struggle for the independence of their homeland. The people's militia, led by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and merchant Kuzma Minin, with the participation of people from all classes, managed to expel the invaders from the central regions of the Moscow state and liberate the capital.
The Zemsky Sobor, convened in 1613, after much debate, confirmed Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov on the throne, laying the foundation for a new dynasty.
ROMANOVS- boyar family, in 1613-1721. royal, since 1721 imperial dynasty.
The ancestor of the Romanovs is usually considered to be Andrei Ivanovich Kobyla, the boyar of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan I Kalita. According to the pedigree lists, Andrei Ivanovich Kobyla had five sons, and the Kobylins, Kolychevs, Konovnitsyns, Lodynins, Neplyuevs, Sheremetevs and others descend from him.
Until the 15th century the ancestors of the Romanovs were called Koshkins (from the nickname of Andrei Ivanovich’s fifth son, Fyodor Koshka), then Zakharyins (from Zakhary Ivanovich Koshkin) and Zakharyin-Yuryevs (from Yuri Zakharyevich Koshkin-Zakharyin).
The daughter of Roman Yuryevich Zakharyin-Yuryev (?-1543) Anastasia Romanovna (c. 1530-1560) in 1547 became the first wife of Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible. Her brother Nikita Romanovich Zakharyin-Yuryev (? -1586) became the founder of the Romanovs. This surname was borne by his son, Fyodor Nikitich Romanov (c. 1554-1633), who became patriarch (Filaret).
In 1613, at the Zemsky Sobor, Filaret's son Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov (1596-1645) was elected king and became the founder of the Romanov dynasty. The Romanov dynasty also included Alexei Mikhailovich (1629-1676, Tsar from 1645), Fyodor Alekseevich (1661-1682, Tsar from 1676), Ivan V Alekseevich (1666-1696, Tsar from 1682 g.), Peter I Alekseevich (1672-1725, Tsar from 1682, Emperor from 1721); in 1682-1689, during the childhood of Ivan and Peter, the state was ruled by Princess Sofya Alekseevna (1657-1704). The Romanov dynasty ruled Russia until Nicholas II abdicated the throne in 1917.
ZAKHARYINS- a Moscow boyar family descended from Andrei Kobyla (died in the mid-14th century), boyar of Grand Duke Semyon the Proud, and his son Fyodor Koshka (died in the 1390s), boyar of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy.
The ancestor of the Zakharyins is the grandson of Fyodor Koshka - Zakhary Ivanovich Koshkin (? - ca. 1461), boyar of Grand Duke Vasily II the Dark. His sons Yakov and Yuri, boyars of Grand Duke Ivan III, gave rise to two branches of the family - the Zakharyin-Yakovlevs (Yakovlevs) and the Zakharyin-Yuryevs.
Yakov Zakharyevich (? - ca. 1510) was the Novgorod governor from 1485; in 1487, together with his brother Yuri, he conducted a search for followers of the Novgorod-Moscow heresy; in 1494 he participated in negotiations on the matchmaking of Ivan III’s daughter Elena with the Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander Kazimirovich, and participated in campaigns against Lithuania.
Yuri Zakharyevich (? - ca. 1503) in 1479 participated in the Novgorod campaign of Ivan III, in 1487 he replaced his brother as the Novgorod governor, carried out confiscations of the estates of the Novgorod boyars, and participated in campaigns against Lithuania. The most famous representatives of the Zakharyev-Yuryev family: Mikhail Yuryevich (? -1539) - okolnichy (1520), boyar (1525), governor, diplomat who led relations with Poland and Lithuania; in 1533-1534 was part of the boyar group that actually ruled the Russian state under the young Tsar Ivan IV, retired from business after his relative I.V. fled to Lithuania. Lyatsky-Zakharyin. Roman Yurievich (? -1543) - founder of the Romanov family. Vasily Mikhailovich (?-15b7) - okolnichy, then (1549) boyar, was a member of the Near Duma of Ivan IV, one of the initiators of the oprichnina policy.
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MIKHAIL FEDOROVYCH reign: 1613-1645 |
(07/12/1596-07/13/1645) - the founder of the Tsarist-Imperial Romanov dynasty, the first Russian Tsar from the Romanov boyar family. | |
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ALEXEY MIKHAILOVICH reign: 1645-1676 |
(03/19/1629-01/29/1676) - Tsar since 1645, from the Romanov dynasty. | |
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FEDOR ALEXEEVICH reign: 1676-1682 |
(05/30/1661 - 04/27/1682) - king since 1676. | |
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IVAN V ALEXEEVICH reign: 1682-1696 |
(06/27/1666 - 01/29/1696) - king since 1682. | |
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PETER I ALEXEEVICH reign: 1682-1725 |
(05/30/1672-01/28/1725) - Tsar from 1682, first Russian Emperor from 1721. | |
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EKATERINA I ALEKSEEVNA reign: 1725-1727 |
(04/05/1683-05/06/1727) - Russian empress in 1725-1727, wife of Peter I. | |
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PETER II ALEXEEVICH reign: 1727-1730 |
(10/13/1715-01/19/1730) - Russian emperor in 1727-1730. | |
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ANNA IVANOVNA reign: 1730-1740 |
(01/28/1693-10/17/1740) - Russian Empress from 1730, Duchess of Courland from 1710. | |
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IVAN VI ANTONOVICH reign: 1740-1741 |
(08/12/1740-07/05/1764) - Russian emperor from 10/17/1740 to 12/25/1741. | |
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ELIZAVETA PETROVNA reign: 1741-1761 |
(12/18/1709-12/25/1761) - Russian empress from 11/25/1741, youngest daughter of Peter I and Catherine I. | |
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PETER III(Karl Peter Ulrich) reign: 1761-1762 |
(02/10/1728-07/06/1762) - Russian emperor in the period from 12/25/1761 to 06/28/1762. | |
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EKATERINA II ALEKSEEVNA reign: 1762-1796 |
(04/21/1729-11/06/1796) - Russian Empress from 06/28/1762 | |
