The reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov: biography, years of reign and interesting historical facts. War with Turkey

Introduction of serfdom. Reforms of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov 2 (Quiet) March 8, 2013

Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (father of Peter 1) was the second tsar from the Romanov dynasty who ascended the throne during the Time of Troubles.
During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich 1645 -1675, the central government strengthened and reached full power. Formalized serfdom (Conciliar Code of 1649).
There was active penetration foreigners into the country, who were given more rights than the local population (exemption from taxes for merchants).
The seizure of power of the Russian Church and the subordination of its Greek union by his protege Nikon (this is a separate topic) and the subordination of the church to the state, i.e. to the king. As a result, a split occurred and the persecution of the “Old Believers” began.
Copper Riot, salt riot , uprisings in Moscow, Novgorod, Pskov were suppressed (1648, 1650, 1662)
Due to radical reforms organized by Alexei Romanov, Civil War , which was headed by Stepan Razin (1667 -1671).

Beginning of the reign. Cathedral Code

In fulfillment of the wishes of the nobility and merchants in September 1649. The Zemsky Sobor approved a set of laws - the Code, prepared by the commission of Prince N.I. Odoevsky, it is believed, with the participation of Alexei Mikhailovich. The Code, which represented a new level of legislative practice for Russia, included special articles that regulated the legal status of certain social groups of the population. The local salary of service people was increased, and additional allotments were introduced for impoverished landowners. According to the Code, the serfdom of peasants was established as hereditary, and the period for searching for runaway peasants was indefinite. Thus, the process of legislative registration of serfdom was completed. The forced conversion of peasants into slaves was prohibited. The demands of the townspeople, dissatisfied with the existence of the “white” settlements, were also satisfied, since they were included in the tax, which made life easier for the towns as a whole.

The Code established the concept state crime what was considered treason , conspiracy against the sovereign and criminal intent "state health" . Certain legal norms of the Council Code of 1649 continued to operate until the beginning of the 19th century.

Strengthening autocracy

Under Alexei Mikhailovich, the strengthening of the autocratic, unlimited power of the tsar continued in the second half of the 17th century. Zemstvo councils were not convened, but the order system of administration reached its peak, and the process of its bureaucratization was intensively underway. A special role was played by the Secret Order established in 1654, subordinate directly to Alexei Mikhailovich and allowing him to manage other central and local institutions.

Important changes took place in the social sphere: there was a process of rapprochement between the estate and the estate, and the decomposition of the “service town” system began. Under Alexei Mikhailovich, the Customs (1653) and New Trade (1667) Charters were developed.

A reflection of new trends in Russian life was the invitation to serve in Russia of foreign specialists and the creation of regiments of a “foreign system.” There was an active penetration of foreigners into power.

Copper and salt riots, uprisings

In the first years of the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, the power was actually controlled by the boyar B.I. Morozov (“the guy”, the tsar’s educator). In 1646, duties on salt were introduced, as a result of which the products rose in price, became inaccessible to the population, and merchants' stale goods rotted. In 1647 the tax was abolished, but in order to compensate for losses, they decided to cut the salaries of service people. This caused Salt riot 1648, during which the Tsar’s relatives L.S. Pleshcheev and P.T. Trakhaniotov died, and Morozov miraculously remained alive. The government was forced to make concessions, and the collection of arrears was stopped.

The year is 1650. Pskov uprising. During the 17th century, called by contemporaries a “rebellious time,” the Russian land experienced violent manifestations of popular anger against the government, boyars, governors, officials, that is, against all masters. Attempts by the ruling classes to introduce changes in public administration and ensure economic growth were timid and inconsistent. They did not follow from a far-conceived program. “The differentiated class system only increased the discord of public interests and sentiments, and financial innovations led to the depletion of the people’s strength, to bankruptcy and the chronic accumulation of arrears. All this created a general feeling of the gravity of the situation,” wrote the prominent Russian historian V. Klyuchevsky. Popular dissatisfaction with the course of affairs “fell on the ground of general excitement prepared by the Troubles and gradually engulfed the entire society from top to bottom.”
Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, popular uprisings broke out in Moscow, Ustyug, Solvychegodsk and other cities in 1648, again in Moscow in 1649, and in Pskov and Novgorod in 1650.
The peasants were finally burdened by the final enslavement according to the Council Code of 1649. Townspeople complained about the “posad tax” (heavy taxes), merchants complained about the dominance of foreign traders who were exempt from duties.

Copper Riot- an uprising of townspeople that took place in Moscow on July 25 (August 4), 1662, against the increase in taxes during the Russian-Polish War of 1654-1667 and the issue of copper coins that were depreciating in value compared to silver since 1654. The release of unsecured (the denomination is many times higher than the market value of the metal contained in the coin) copper money led to their significant depreciation in comparison with silver. A year after the riot, the minting of copper coins was stopped. Like the Salt Riot, the Copper Riot was mainly a protest against the unsuccessful policies of the first Romanovs and specifically the government of Alexei Mikhailovich.

Reforms of Alexey Mikhailovich

Under the influence of the Romanov group, the legal system in the country is being destroyed (localism, People's Assembly, Kopnoe law), there is a distortion of the worldview (orthodox Christianity) in order to seize complete power in the country and destroy those who disagree.
Foreigners (merchants, mercenaries) are penetrating into society and are being given more rights than the local population. A class of landowners loyal to the new government is formed, the peasants find themselves in eternal enslavement.

Alexey Mikhailovich is one of the initiators. In 1666-67, a church council cursed the “Old Belief” and ordered the “city authorities” to burn anyone who “blasphemes the Lord God.” Alexey Mikhailovich took an uncompromising position in the fight against the Old Believers: in 1676. The Old Believer citadel, the Solovetsky Monastery, was destroyed. The exorbitant ambition of Patriarch Nikon and his outright claims to secular power led to a conflict with the tsar, which ended in the deposition of Nikon.

The manifestations of the crisis in the social sphere were the riot in Moscow in 1662, brutally suppressed by Alexei Mikhailovich. and the Civil War led by Stepan Razin, barely suppressed by the Romanov government.

Wars during the reign of A.M. Romanov

The liberation movement in Ukraine in the late 40s was led by Bogdan Khmelnitsky. During the military operations against Poland, Khmelnitsky negotiated with Moscow, asking to accept Ukraine into Russian citizenship. This was the only way to avoid the danger of a complete absorption of Ukraine by Poland or Turkey.

In February 1651, at the Zemsky Sobor in Moscow, they announced their readiness to accept Ukraine into Russian citizenship. On October 1, 1653, the Zemsky Sobor decided to annex Ukraine to Russia and declare war on Poland. On January 8, 1654, a large Rada met in Pereyaslavl and decided to accept Russian citizenship.

The war between Russia and Poland of 1654-1667 soon acquired pan-European significance. Sweden, the Ottoman Empire and its dependent states - Moldova and Crimea - were drawn into it.

Initially, Russian troops achieved great success, occupied Smolensk, Vitebsk, Minsk, Kovno, and in Ukraine, together with the troops of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, they liberated Western Ukrainian lands up to Lvov.

But then Sweden entered the war, which in a short time occupied a significant part of Poland. Under these conditions, Russia concluded a truce with Poland and started a war with Sweden (1656-1658). Russia's goal was not only to protect its conquests in Ukraine and Belarus, but also to fight for access to the Baltic Sea. Russian troops made their way to Riga and began its siege. The Russo-Swedish War provided an opportunity for Poland to recover from defeat and oust the Swedes from its territory. Both Poland and Russia made peace with Sweden and began a protracted war among themselves over Ukraine.

In 1667, the Truce of Andrusovo was concluded for thirteen and a half years, according to which Smolensk and Left Bank Ukraine were assigned to Russia. Kyiv passed to Russia for 2 years.

In 1686, peace was concluded, confirming the terms of the Andrusovo Truce. Kyiv remained with Russia.

Civil war led by Stepan Razin

The Peasant War led by Stepan Razin of 1667-1671 or the Rebellion of Stepan Razin was a war in Russia between the troops of the peasants and Cossacks with the tsarist troops. It ended in the defeat of the rebels.

In Soviet historiography, the reasons were: the introduction of serfdom (the Council Code of 1649), and excessive feudal oppression. Another reason was the strengthening of centralized power.

The so-called Campaign for Zipuns (1667-1669) is often attributed to the uprising of Stepan Razin - the campaign of the rebels “for booty”. Razin's detachment blocked the Volga and thereby blocked the most important economic artery of Russia. During this period, Razin's troops captured Russian and Persian merchant ships. Having received the loot and captured the Yaitsky town, in the summer of 1669 Razin moved to the Kagalnitsky town, where he began to gather his troops. When enough people had gathered, Razin announced a campaign against Moscow.

In the spring of 1670, the second period of the uprising began, that is, the war itself. From this moment on, the active part of the civil war begins against the increased power of the tsar and his reforms aimed at destroying the existing structure in the country. The Razins captured Tsaritsyn and approached Astrakhan, which surrendered without a fight. There they executed the governor and nobles and organized their own government led by Vasily Us and Fyodor Sheludyak.

After this, the population of the Middle Volga region (Saratov, Samara, Penza), as well as the Chuvash, Mari, Tatars, and Mordovians freely went over to Razin’s side. This success was facilitated by the fact that Razin declared everyone who came over to his side a free person.

In September 1670, the Razins laid siege to Simbirsk, but were unable to take it. Government troops led by Prince Dolgorukov, under whose command there were also foreign mercenaries, in particular German cavalry, moved towards Razin. A month after the start of the siege, the tsarist troops defeated the rebels, and the seriously wounded Razin’s associates took him to the Don. Fearing reprisals, the Cossack elite, led by military ataman Kornil Yakovlev, handed Razin over to the authorities. In June 1671 he was quartered in Moscow; a few years later his brother Frol was also executed.

Despite the execution of their leader, the Razins continued to defend themselves and were able to hold Astrakhan until November 1671.

The scale of the reprisal against the rebels was enormous; in some cities more than 11 thousand people were executed. In total, more than 100 thousand rebels were destroyed.

The reign of Tsar Romanov Alexei Mikhailovich, called the Quietest. Or, based on his deeds, might it be more correct to call him Terrible?

ALEXEY MIKHAILOVICH ROMANOV

(1629 - 1676)

Tsar in 1645-1676

Son of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.

He considered royal power to be divinely established, and the monarch to be the only source of law and “mercy.”

Under him, the gradual formation of absolutism began.

He was nicknamed "The Quietest" - an honorary title of Latin origin,

meaning “silence” (tranquility, prosperity) in the country during the reign of the sovereign.

It has nothing to do with the character qualities of Alexei Mikhailovich.

Until the age of five, the young Tsarevich Alexei remained in the care of the royal “mothers.” From the age of five, under the supervision of B.I. Morozov, he began to learn to read and write using the ABC book, then began reading the Book of Hours, the Psalter and the Acts of the Holy Apostles, at the age of seven he began to learn writing, and at the age of nine, church singing. Over time, the child (11-12 years old) built up a small library; Among the books that belonged to him, mention is made, among other things, of the Lexicon and Grammar, published in Lithuania, as well as Cosmography. Among the items of “children’s fun” of the future king are: a horse and children’s armor of “German business,” musical instruments, German maps and “printed sheets” (pictures). Thus, along with the previous educational means, innovations are also noticeable, which were made not without the direct influence of B.I. Morozov. The latter, as is known, dressed the young Tsar with his brother and other children in German dress for the first time. At the age of 14, the prince was solemnly “announced” to the people, and at the age of 16, having lost his father and mother, he ascended the throne of Moscow.

Character and hobbies

With his accession to the throne, Tsar Alexei came face to face with a number of issues that worried Russian life. Little prepared to resolve this kind of issues, he initially listened to the influence of his former uncle B.I. Morozov, but soon he himself began to take an independent part in affairs. In this activity, the main features of his character were finally formed. The autocratic Russian Tsar, judging by his own letters, foreigners (Meyerberg, Collins, Reitenfels, Lisek) and his relations with those around him, had a remarkably gentle, good-natured character. The spiritual atmosphere in which Tsar Alexei lived, his upbringing, character and reading of church books developed religiosity in him. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the king did not drink or eat anything during all fasts and was generally a zealous performer of church rituals. The veneration of external ritual was also accompanied by an internal religious feeling, which developed Christian humility in Tsar Alexei. “And to me, a sinner,- he writes, - "The honor here is like dust". The royal good nature and humility were sometimes, however, replaced by short-term outbursts of anger. One day, the Tsar, who was being bled by a German “doctor,” ordered the boyars to try the same remedy. Rodion Streshnev did not agree. Tsar Alexei personally “humbled” the old man, but then did not know what gifts to appease him with.

Samuel Collins, an English doctor at the royal court, reports that “His amusement consists of falconry and hound hunting. It maintains more than three hundred falcon keepers and has the best gyrfalcons in the world, which are brought from Siberia and kill ducks and other game. He hunts bears, wolves, tigers, foxes, or, better said, poisons them with dogs. When he leaves, the East Gate and the inner city wall are locked until he returns. He rarely visits his subjects... When the Tsar goes out of town or into a field of entertainment, he strictly orders that no one bother him with requests.”

Falcons of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich

“Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich with the boyars on falconry near Moscow.” Sverchkov Nikolay Egorovich. (1817 - 1898)

Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye

It is known that Alexey Mikhailovich was personally involved in the organization of the army. It has been preserved, executed by the sovereign himself. The secretary of the Danish embassy, ​​Andrei Rode, testifies that the sovereign was also involved in artillery. Alexey Mikhailovich was very interested in the European press, which he became acquainted with through translations carried out in the Ambassadorial Prikaz. The tsar personally read one of the articles (that the British, who overthrew and executed their king, greatly regret it) to the boyars at a meeting of the Duma. Since 1659, Alexey Mikhailovich tried to establish regular delivery of foreign newspapers to Russia. In 1665, for this purpose, the first regular postal line was organized, connecting Moscow with Riga, and through it with the pan-European postal system. The king showed great interest in various secret writing systems. The newly developed ciphers were used in diplomatic practice.

Letter from Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich to his cousin, steward Afanasy Matyushkin, written in secret script

The Secret Affairs Order contained drawings of Egyptian hieroglyphs based on the book by Egyptologist A. Kircher. The king's interests included astrology. Following the advice of his doctor Samuel Collins, he allowed himself to bleed based on the recommendations of medical astrology. Alexey Mikhailovich was so fascinated by the starry sky that in the early 1670s. he, through A.S. Matveev, who headed the Ambassadorial Prikaz, asked the Danish resident to get him a telescope. In the last years of his life, the tsar became interested in European music. On October 21, 1674, Alexey Mikhailovich arranged a feast for himself and his loved ones, which was accompanied by very unusual fun: “The Nemchins played argans, and they played surna, and they blew trumpets, and they played surkas, and they beat on krams and kettledrums. in everything."

PATRIARCH NIKON

The king's gentle, sociable nature needed an adviser and friend. Nikon became such a “special”, especially beloved friend. Being at that time a metropolitan in Novgorod, where with his characteristic energy he pacified the rebels in March 1650, Nikon gained the royal trust, was ordained patriarch on July 25, 1652, and began to exert direct influence on state affairs. Among the latter, the government attracted particular attention to foreign relations. Patriarch Nikon was entrusted with carrying out church reform. The reform took place in 1653-1655. and concerned mainly church rituals and books. Baptism with three fingers was introduced, bows from the waist instead of bows to the ground, icons and church books were corrected according to Greek models. The Church Council convened in 1654 approved the reform, but proposed to bring the existing rituals into conformity not only with the Greek, but also with the Russian tradition.

The new patriarch was a capricious, strong-willed man, and in many ways fanatical. Having received immense power over the believers, he soon came up with the idea of ​​​​the primacy of church power and invited Alexei Mikhailovich to share power with him. However, the king did not want to tolerate the patriarch for long. He stopped going to patriarchal services in the Assumption Cathedral and inviting Nikon to state receptions. This was a serious blow to the patriarch’s pride. During one of the sermons in the Assumption Cathedral, he announced his resignation from patriarchal duties (while retaining his rank) and retired to the New Jerusalem Resurrection Monastery. There Nikon waited for the king to repent and ask him to return to Moscow. However, the king acted completely differently. He began to prepare a church trial of Nikon, for which he invited Orthodox patriarchs from other countries to Moscow.

For the trial of Nikon in 1666, a Church Council was convened, to which the patriarch was brought under guard. The tsar stated that Nikon left the church without the tsar’s permission and renounced the patriarchate, thereby making it clear who held the real power in the country. The church hierarchs present supported the tsar and condemned Nikon, blessing his deprivation of the rank of patriarch and eternal imprisonment in a monastery. At the same time, the Council of 1666-1667 supported church reform and cursed all its opponents, who began to be called Old Believers. The participants of the Council decided to hand over the leaders of the Old Believers to the authorities. According to the Council Code of 1649, they were threatened with burning at the stake. Thus, Nikon’s reforms and the Council of 1666-1667. marked the beginning of a schism in the Russian Orthodox Church.

MILITARY REFORM

In 1648, using the experience of creating regiments of a foreign system during the reign of his father, Alexei Mikhailovich began reforming the army.

During the reform of 1648 - 1654, the best parts of the “old system” were strengthened and enlarged: the elite Moscow local cavalry of the Sovereign Regiment, the Moscow archers and gunners. The main direction of the reform was the massive creation of regiments of the new system: reitar, soldiers, dragoons and hussars. These regiments formed the backbone of the new army of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. To fulfill the goals of the reform, a large number of European military specialists were hired. This became possible due to the end of the Thirty Years' War, which created in Europe a colossal market for military professionals for those times.

AFFAIRS IN UKRAINE. POLISH WAR

At the end of 1647, the Cossack centurion Zinovy ​​Bogdan Khmelnitsky fled from Ukraine to Zaporozhye, and from there to Crimea. Returning with the Tatar army and elected hetman of the Cossack Rada, he raised the whole of Ukraine, defeated Polish troops at Zhovti Vody, Korsun, Pilyava, besieged Zamosc and concluded a profitable peace at Zborov; having failed at Berestechko, he agreed at Bila Tserkva to a peace much less profitable than Zborovsky. During all this time, Alexei Mikhailovich adopted a wait-and-see policy: he did not help either Khmelnitsky or the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. However, the tsarist troops took part in undermining the Cossack-Crimean alliance aimed at expelling the Poles from Ukraine: on the eve of the Battle of Pilyavtsy, the Don Cossacks, on the orders of the tsar, attacked Crimea and the horde was unable to come to the aid of the Cossack army.

The Belotserkov peace aroused popular displeasure; The hetman was forced to violate all the conditions and, in cramped circumstances, turned to the “king of the east” for help. At a council convened on this occasion in Moscow, on October 1, 1653, it was decided to accept the Cossacks as citizenship and war was declared on Poland. On May 18, 1654, the tsar himself set out on a campaign, going to the Trinity and the Savvin Monastery to pray. The army headed towards Smolensk. After the surrender of Smolensk on September 23, the tsar returned to Vyazma.

In the spring of 1655, a new campaign was undertaken. On July 30, the tsar made a ceremonial entry into Vilna, then Kovno and Grodno were taken. In November the Tsar returned to Moscow. At this time, the successes of Charles X, King of Sweden, who took possession of Poznan, Warsaw and Krakow, changed the course of hostilities. Moscow began to fear the strengthening of Sweden at the expense of Poland. In order to borrow money to wage war with Poland and Sweden, Alexei Mikhailovich sent diplomat Ivan Chemodanov to Venice in 1656, but his embassy did not fulfill its task. In the fall of 1656, the Vilna Truce was concluded with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

On July 15, 1656, the king set out on a campaign in Livonia and, after capturing Dinaburg and Kokenhusen, besieged Riga. The siege was lifted due to rumors that Charles X was going to Livonia. Dorpat was occupied by Moscow troops. The Tsar retreated to Polotsk and here he waited for the truce concluded on October 24, 1656. In 1657 - 1658, military operations continued with varying success. On December 20, 1658, the Valiesar Truce was concluded with the Swedes for a period of three years, according to which Russia retained part of the conquered Livonia (with Dorpat and Marienburg). The final peace was concluded in Kardis in 1661; in this world, Russia gave up all the conquered places. The unfavorable conditions of the Kardis Peace were caused by unrest in Little Russia and a new war with Poland.

After the death of Bogdan Khmelnitsky in July 1657 at the Chihyryn Rada, the Cossack elders assigned hetman duties to Ivan Vygovsky, but only until Yuri Khmelnitsky reached his full age.

At the Korsun Rada on October 21, 1657, in an atmosphere of acute contradictions, Ivan Vygovsky was elected hetman of Ukraine. The bright but contradictory personality of the new hetman could only intensify the turmoil in Ukraine. On the one hand, in conditions when Ukraine was still waging a war for national revival, a self-interested clerk, not a “natural Cossack”, but a “Polyakh” bought from the Tatars for a horse, and, in addition, married to the daughter of a Polish magnate, could not become a recognized leader by all. . But on the other hand, from 1648 he served as a general clerk and, being the closest confidant to B. Khmelnitsky, was the only person in Ukraine dedicated to all internal and external political problems. Thus, the very election of I. Vygovsky as hetman caused many contradictions and could not create unity in Ukraine. Already in October 1657, the hetman faced powerful opposition. The hetman, wholly supported by Moscow, initially managed to defeat the oppositionists, led by Poltava Colonel Martyn Pushkar and Koshevoy Ataman Yakov Barabash, but the contradictions within the Cossack society continued to heat up. Seeing the worsening of the civil war, Moscow increasingly persistently offers the hetman its help in pacifying the unrest and “rebellion,” and persuades the opposition to submit to the hetman.

After Vygovsky’s betrayal and defection to the side of Poland, in the civil war that began in Ukraine, in which Vygovsky was supported by the Polish crown, and behind Yuri Khmelnitsky stood his father’s experienced colonels Ivan Bogun, Ivan Sirko, Yakim Somko, actively supported by Alexei Mikhailovich, the supporters won alliance with Moscow, and Vygovsky was forced to lay down the hetman’s mace in favor of the politically inactive Yuri Khmelnitsky, who subsequently became a monk and entered a monastery.

Taking advantage of the hetman's betrayal and the unrest in Little Russia, Poland refused to recognize Alexei Mikhailovich as heir to the Polish throne and did not concede its conquests to Moscow. The consequence of this was the second Polish war. In June 1660, Prince Khovansky was defeated at Polonka, and in September, Sheremetev was defeated at Chudnov. Things took an even more dangerous turn thanks to the ongoing unrest in Little Russia. Teterya swore allegiance to the king, who appeared on the left side of the Dnieper, but after the unsuccessful siege of Glukhov at the beginning of 1664 and the successful actions of his opponents - Bryukhovetsky, elected hetman on the left side of the Dnieper, and Prince Romodanovsky - went beyond the Desna. A. Ordin-Nashchokin advised the tsar to abandon Little Russia and turn to Sweden. Alexey Mikhailovich rejected this offer; he did not lose hope. The favorable outcome of the struggle was facilitated by internal unrest in Poland and the transfer of Hetman Doroshenko, Teteri's successor, to the citizenship of the Turkish Sultan. On January 13, 1667, peace was concluded in the village of Andrusov. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich acquired Smolensk, Seversk land, the left side of the Dnieper and, in addition, Kyiv for two years.

Banner of the Great Regiment of the Great Sovereign Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich 1654

During the wars of 1654-1658, the tsar was often absent from Moscow and, therefore, was far from Nikon and did not restrain the patriarch’s lust for power with his presence. Returning from his campaigns, he began to feel burdened by his influence. Nikon's enemies took advantage of the tsar's cooling towards him and began to treat the patriarch disrespectfully. The proud soul of the archpastor could not bear the insult; On July 10, 1658, he renounced his rank and left for the Resurrection Monastery. The Emperor, however, did not soon decide to end this matter. Only in 1666, at a spiritual council chaired by the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch, Nikon was deprived of his bishopric and imprisoned in the Belozersky Ferapontov Monastery. During the same period of wars (1654-1667), Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich personally visited Vitebsk, Polotsk, Mogilev, Kovno, Grodno, especially Vilno, and here he became acquainted with a new way of life; Upon returning to Moscow, he made changes in the court environment. Wallpaper (gold leather) and furniture based on German and Polish designs appeared inside the palace. On the outside, the carving became figured, in the Rococo style, and not just on the surface of the wood, according to Russian custom.

INTERNAL DISTURBANCE

As soon as the war with Poland had subsided, the government had to pay attention to new internal unrest, to the Solovetsky indignation and Razin’s rebellion. With the fall of Nikon, his main innovation was not destroyed: the correction of church books. Many priests and monasteries did not agree to accept these innovations. The Solovetsky Monastery offered especially stubborn resistance; besieged since 1668, it was taken by governor Meshcherinov on January 22, 1676; the rebels were hanged. At the same time, in the south, the Don Cossack Stepan Razin rebelled. Having robbed the caravan of Shorin's guest in 1667, Razin moved to Yaik, took the Yaitsky town, robbed Persian ships, but confessed to Astrakhan. In May 1670, he again went to the Volga, took Tsaritsyn, Black Yar, Astrakhan, Saratov, Samara and raised the Cheremis, Chuvash, Mordovians, Tatars, but near Simbirsk he was defeated by Prince Yu. Baryatinsky, fled to the Don and, given out by Ataman Kornil Yakovlev , executed in Moscow on June 6, 1671.
Soon after Razin's execution, a war began with Turkey over Little Russia. Bryukhovetsky betrayed Moscow, but he himself was killed by Doroshenko’s followers. The latter became the hetman of both sides of the Dnieper, although he entrusted control of the left side to the assigned hetman Mnogohrishny. Mnogohrishny was elected hetman at the Glukhov Rada (in March 1669), again went over to the side of Moscow, but was overthrown by the elders and exiled to Siberia. In June 1672, Ivan Samoilovich was elected to his place. Meanwhile, the Turkish Sultan Mohammed IV, to whom Doroshenko succumbed, did not want to give up the left bank of Ukraine. A war began, in which the Polish king Jan Sobieski, who was the crown hetman, became famous. The war ended with a 20-year peace only in 1681.

THE KING'S MARRIAGE

Having decided to get married, the tsar in 1647 chose Euphemia, the daughter of Raf Vsevolozhsky, as his wife at a brides' show, but abandoned his choice due to intrigues in which B.I. Morozov himself was probably involved. In 1648, January 16 (26 according to the new style), the tsar married Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya.

Alexey Mikhailovich was the father of 16 children from two marriages. Three of his sons subsequently reigned.

None of Alexei Mikhailovich's daughters married.

Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya (13 children) :

Dmitry Alekseevich (1649 - October 6, 1649)
Evdokia (February 1650 - March 1712)
Marfa (August 1652 - July 1707)
Alexey (February 1654 - January 1670)
Anna (January 1655 - May 1659)
Sophia (September 1657 - July 1704)
Catherine (November 1658 - May 1718)
Maria (January 1660 - March 1723)
Fedor (May 1661 - April 1682)
Feodosia (May 1662 - December 1713)
Simeon (April 1665 - June 1669)
Ivan (August 1666 - January 1696)
Evdokia (February 1669 - February 1669)

Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina (3 children):

Peter (May 30, 1672 - January 28, 1725)
Natalia (August 1673 - June 1716)
Theodora (September 1674 - November 1678)

Makovsky K.E. The choice of a bride by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich

Sedov Grigory (1836-1886). Bride's choice king Alexey Mikhailovich

Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya (1626-1669), first wife of Alexei Mikhailovich

Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina. Portrait. Unknown artist

Achievements of the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov

From internal orders under the king Alexey The following can be highlighted: a ban on Belomest residents (monasteries and persons in state, military or civil service) to own black, taxable lands and industrial and commercial establishments (shops, etc.).
IN financially several transformations were made: in 1646 and the following years, a census of tax households was completed with their adult and minor male population, an unsuccessful attempt was made above to introduce a new salt duty; by decree of April 30, 1653, it was forbidden to collect small customs duties (myt, travel duties and anniversary) or farm them out and was ordered to be included in the ruble duties collected at customs; At the beginning of 1656 (no later than March 3), due to a lack of funds, copper money was issued. Soon (from 1658) the copper ruble began to be valued at 10, 12, and in the 1660s even 20 and 25 times cheaper than the silver one; the resulting terrible high cost caused a popular rebellion ( Copper Riot ) July 25, 1662. The rebellion was pacified by the king's promise to punish the perpetrators and the expulsion of the Streltsy army against the rebels. By decree of June 19, 1667. It was ordered to begin building ships in the village of Dedinovo on the Oka. The built ship burned down in Astrakhan. In the field of legislation : the Council Code was compiled and published and supplementing it in some respects: New Trade Charter of 1667, New Decree Articles on Robbery and Murder Cases of 1669, New Decree Articles on Estates of 1676, Military Regulations in 1649. Russia also united with Ukraine in 1654. Under Tsar Alexei, the colonization movement into Siberia continued. Nerchinsk (1658), Irkutsk (1659), Penza (1663), Selenginsk (1666) were founded.

1st September 1674 The king "announced" his son Fedora people as heir to the throne,

Material taken from open sources

The future Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, nicknamed the Quietest, was born on March 17, 1676. Since he had to manage a huge state in the near future, he was taught literacy, writing and church singing from childhood. By the age of 11, he had already formed his own personal library, albeit a small one.

When Alexei turned 14 years old, he was shown to the people, and on his 16th birthday he ascended the throne. All this time, boyar Boris Morozov was his guardian. Therefore, at the beginning of his reign, not knowing about the intricacies of resolving state issues, he always consulted with his guardian. But later he began to engage in government affairs on his own. At this time, his character was formed, which was noted by many contemporaries with the nickname “The Quietest.” The king was a good-natured and pleasant person. His main library consisted of church books, which developed a certain religiosity in his character.

Although sometimes he still showed flashes of anger and rage. But then he always tried to appease people whom he might offend with his sudden anger. Alexey had good empathy abilities - he never ignored the joys and sorrows of his people. Being an educated man, he read a lot. He had many ideas and plans. The tsar even tried to reform the army with his own hands.

Thanks to the intrigues arranged by Morozov, the Russian Tsar married the creature of his guardian, Marya Miloslavskaya. Which, as a result, brought Morozov to the forefront. But the tsar realized after the Salt Riot that Morozov was not the best candidate for governing the state. During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, many different incidents occurred in which he was directly involved. This is the split of the church as a result of the reforms of Patriarch Nikon, and the Russian-Polish war for Ukraine, and various peasant riots on the territory of the state.

As a result of his reign, the king carried out a military reform and was able to introduce regiments of the new system. The experience of foreign specialists was used, which helped improve the condition of the Russian army. He also carried out, although unsuccessful, a monetary reform that was significant for history. New coins were introduced into circulation.

Also, the result of the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich was the attachment of peasants to their place of residence, the reform of the army, money and church, as well as victory in the Russian-Polish war and the annexation of new lands to the Russian state.

After the death of his wife in 1669, the Tsar remarried Natalya Naryshkina. But after his death in 1676, this led to fierce disputes for the throne not only between Naryshkina’s son Peter and Miloslavskaya’s daughter Sophia, but also enmity between the two families as a whole.

The son of the first tsar of the Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Fedorovich, from his marriage to Evdokia Streshneva, was born on March 29 (19, according to other sources, 10 according to the old style) March 1629.

He was brought up under the supervision of the "uncle" boyar Boris Morozov. At the age of 11-12, the prince had his own children's library, among its books was a lexicon (a kind of encyclopedic dictionary), grammar, and cosmography. Alexei was distinguished by Orthodox piety: he strictly observed fasts and attended church services.

Alexei Mikhailovich began his reign at the age of 14, after being elected by the Zemsky Sobor.

In 1645, at the age of 16, having first lost his father, and soon his mother, Alexei Mikhailovich ascended the throne.

By nature, Alexey Mikhailovich was calm, reasonable, kind and compliant. In history, he retained the nickname “The Quietest.”

The first years of Alexei Mikhailovich's reign were marked by the convening of the Boyar Duma. The financial policy of the government of Alexei Mikhailovich was focused on increasing taxes and replenishing the treasury at their expense. The establishment of a high duty on salt in 1645 led to popular unrest - a salt riot in Moscow in 1648. The rebellious people demanded the “extradition” of boyar Boris Morozov. Alexei Mikhailovich managed to save his “uncle” and relative (Morozov was married to the queen’s sister) by sending him to the Kirillov Monastery. The duty on salt was abolished. The boyar Nikita Odoevsky was placed at the head of the government, who ordered an increase in the salaries of the troops (streltsy) who suppressed the uprising.

Under the leadership of princes Odoevsky, Fyodor Volkonsky and Semyon Prozorovsky, Alexei Mikhailovich signed the text of the Council Code at the beginning of 1649 - the new foundations of Russian legislation. The document affirmed the principle of a centralized state with the authoritarian power of the king.

The abolition of “lesson years” for searching for runaway peasants, enshrined in the Council Code, strengthened the position of the nobles. The position of the lower classes of the townspeople also changed significantly: all urban settlements were now “turned into taxes,” that is, they had to bear the full tax burden.

The response to these changes in the taxation system was the uprisings of 1650 in Pskov and Novgorod. Their suppression was led by the Novgorod Metropolitan Nikon, who had previously earned the tsar’s trust. Back in 1646, being the abbot of the Kozheezersky monastery, having come to Moscow to collect alms, he amazed Alexei Mikhailovich with his spirituality and extensive knowledge. The young tsar appointed him first as archimandrite of the Novo Spassky Monastery in Moscow, where the Romanov family burial vault was located, and then as metropolitan of Novgorod. In 1652 Nikon was ordained patriarch. In the 1650s x 1660s, church reform was carried out, which at first was led by Patriarch Nikon, which led to a split in the Russian Orthodox Church and the excommunication of the Old Believers. In 1658, as a result of a conflict with the Tsar, Nikon left the patriarchate. In 1666, on the initiative of Alexei Mikhailovich, a church council was convened, at which Nikon was deposed and sent into exile.

By order of Alexei Mikhailovich, state reform was carried out - new central orders (central government bodies) were established: Secret Affairs (1648), Monastyrsky (1648), Little Russian (1649), Reitarsky (1651), Accounting (1657), Lithuanian (1656) and Bread (1663). Under Alexei Mikhailovich, the first reform of the Russian army in the 17th century began - the introduction of hired “regiments of the new system.”

Alexey Mikhailovich paid special attention to the foreign policy of the state. A major achievement of Russian diplomacy during his reign was the reunification of Ukraine with Russia. On January 8, 1654, the Pereyaslav Rada approved.

In 1667, the 13-year war with Poland ended victoriously, and Smolensk, Kyiv and the entire left-bank Ukraine were returned to Russia. At the same time, Alexey Mikhailovich personally participated in many of the military campaigns, led diplomatic negotiations, and supervised the activities of Russian ambassadors.

In the east of the country, through the efforts of Russian pioneers Semyon Dezhnev and Vasily Poyarkov, the lands of Siberia were annexed to Russia. The cities of Nerchinsk (1656), Irkutsk (1659), Selenginsk (1666) were founded. Under Alexei Mikhailovich, the struggle for the security of the southern borders of Russia with the Turks and Tatars was successfully waged.

In economic policy, the government of Alexei Mikhailovich encouraged industrial activity and patronized domestic trade, protecting it from competition from foreign goods. These goals were served by the Customs (1663) and New Trade (1667) charters, which promoted the growth of foreign trade.

Miscalculations in financial policy - the issuance of copper money equal to silver, which devalued the ruble - caused discontent among the population, which grew into the Copper Riot in 1662. The revolt was suppressed by the Streltsy, and copper money was abolished. Soon after the Copper Riot, an uprising of those dissatisfied with church reforms broke out in the Solovetsky Monastery (1666). In the south of Russia, popular unrest arose under the leadership of the Don Cossack Stepan Razin (1670-1671).

Until her death, the tsar was an exemplary family man; they had 13 children, including the future tsars Fyodor and Ivan, as well as the princess ruler Sophia. After the death of Maria Miloslavskaya, Alexey Mikhailovich in 1671 married Natalya Naryshkina, a relative of the nobleman Artamon Matveev, who began to exert great influence on the monarch. The young wife bore the Tsar three children and, in particular, the future Emperor Peter I.

Alexei Mikhailovich died on February 8 (January 29, old style) 1676 at the age of 46 and was buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. According to testamentary documents of 1674, his eldest son from his marriage to Maria Miloslavskaya, Fyodor, was appointed heir to the throne.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources V

The Russian Tsar was called “the quietest” back in the 16th century. “The quietest” (later replaced by “the most merciful”) is an honorary title used to call the ruler of the Kremlin during prayers and greetings in his honor. However, in history, the quietest of all Russian monarchs remained only Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, the second representative of the House of Romanov on the Russian throne.

He was loved by the people, religious, kind, reasonable and well educated for his time. It would seem that the reign of the “quiet” sovereign should have been characterized by calm, regularity and prosperity. However, during the years of his reign (1645 - 1676), there were many popular unrest within the country and military conflicts with neighboring states.

The life story of the Russian monarch according to Mikhailovich Romanov is a biography of a significant personality who made a significant contribution to the history and culture of the Russian state.

At the behest of the Quiet Tsar, who ruled in the “rebellious” age, reforms were carried out in the army and monetary reform. During his reign, the first military ship was built, “comedy acts” (theatrical performances) were performed, European culture penetrated into various spheres of life, and secular literature and secular painting appeared in traditional Russian culture.

Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov died on January 29, 1676, blessing his son Fedor to the kingdom.