The decree on succession to the throne was issued due to the lack of a natural and satisfactory heir for Emperor Peter I. After Tsarevich Alexei was removed from the throne (see note 3), his younger brother Pyotr Petrovich (1715-1719), who soon died, was declared the new heir. Other sons of Peter the Great also died in infancy or early childhood. The emperor did not want to transfer the throne to his grandson Peter Alekseevich and on February 5, 1722 he approved a decree on the right of the emperor to appoint a successor.

This reform was very unsuccessful for two reasons. Firstly, it contradicted the Christian idea of ​​​​monarchy, according to which the monarch receives the throne from God, and not from man. Secondly, the method for determining the heir in the absence of an order for his appointment was not indicated. Therefore, the decree on succession to the throne turned out to be one of the reasons palace coups and the actual subordination of the monarchy to the nobility in the 18th century. The decree was canceled by Emperor Paul in 1797.

We, Peter the Great , Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia and so on and so forth and so on.

We declare, since everyone knows what Absalom’sOur son Alexey was arrogant and arrogant, and that it was not through repentance that his intention was stopped, but by the mercy of God towards our entire fatherland (which is apparently enough from the manifesto about that matter); and this grew out of him for no other reason than the old custom that a big son was given an inheritance, and besides, he was the only male of our surname at that time, and for this reason he did not want to look at any fatherly punishment; This unkind custom, I don’t know why, was established in such a way, for not only in people, according to the reasoning of smart parents, there were abolitions, but also in the holy scripture we see when Isaac’s wife asked for an inheritance to her husband, his youngest son, who had grown old, and what is even more surprising, is that God’s blessing followed; We also see it in our ancestors, when the blessed and eternally worthy of memory Grand Duke Ivan Vasilievich, and truly great not in word, but in deed; for this, scattered by the division of the children of Vladimirovour fatherland was collected and established, which, not by primacy, but by will, he repaired this, and canceled it twice, seeing a worthy heir, who would not waste the collected and established our fatherland again in waste, first he gave it to his grandson past his sons, and then set aside the already married grandson , and gave his son his inheritance (as is clear from the Degree Bookit is possible to see), namely, in the summer of February 7006 on the 4th day, Grand Duke Ivan Vasilyevich created for himself the heir of his grandson Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, and was crowned in Moscow at the great reign by the princely crown Metropolitan Simon, and in the summer of April 7010, on the 11th day, Grand Duke Ivan Vasilyevich was angry with the grandson of his Prince Dmitry, and did not order him to be remembered in churches by the Grand Duke, and put him on guard and on the same April, on the 14th day, made his son Vasily Ivanovich heirand the same Metropolitan Simon was crowned; to which there are other similar examples, which, for the sake of brevity, are not mentioned here now, but in the future they will be especially published. In the same reasoning, last year 1714, we had mercy on our subjects, so that their private houses would not fall into ruin from unworthy heirs, although we created a charter so that real estate could be given to one son, but we gave it to the will of the parents, to whom the son they want to give, see a worthy one, although to a smaller one, bypassing the larger ones, recognizing the convenient one, who would not squander the inheritance. How much more must we have concern for the integrity of our entire state, which, with God’s help, is now more widespread, as it seems to everyone; why we decided to make this charter, so that it would always be in the will of the ruling sovereign, whoever he wants, he will determine the inheritance, and for a certain one, seeing what obscenity, he will cancel it again, so that children and descendants do not fall into such anger as is written above, having this bridle on you. For this reason, we command that all our faithful subjects and worldly people, without exception, confirm this charter of ours before God and his gospel on such a basis that anyone who is opposed to this, or interprets it differently, is considered a traitor, subject to death and ecclesiastical punishment. will be subject to an oath.

Complete collection of laws Russian Empire. Meeting 1st. T.VI. St. Petersburg, 1830. pp. 496-497

The answers to tasks 1–19 are a number, or a sequence of numbers, or a word (phrase). Write your answers in the answer boxes to the right of the assignment number without spaces, commas or other additional characters.

1

Place historical events in chronological order. Write down the numbers that represent historical events in the correct sequence.

1. Battle on the ice

2. Baptism of Rus'

3. Battle of Grunwald

2

Establish a correspondence between events and years: for each position in the first column, select the corresponding position from the second column

3

Below is a list of terms. All of them, with the exception of one, relate to events and phenomena of the 18th century.

1) Conditions; 2) prosecutor; 3) fiscal; 4) assembly of the nobility 5) State Council; 6) Stacked commission.

4

Write down the term in question.

The liquidation of strong individual peasant farms, carried out in the USSR during the period of collectivization.

5

Establish a correspondence between processes (phenomena, events) and facts related to these processes (phenomena, events): for each position in the first column, select the corresponding position from the second column.

6

Establish a correspondence between fragments of historical sources and their brief characteristics: for each fragment indicated by a letter, select two corresponding characteristics indicated by numbers.

A) “Having barely emerged from childhood, not yet 20 years old, he set about the affairs of government with extraordinary energy for his age. Then, on the instructions of the smart leaders of Tsar Metropolitan Macarius and Priest Sylvester, from the boyars, who were divided into hostile circles, several efficient, well-meaning and gifted advisers came forward and stood near the throne - the “elected council”, ... obviously received actual dominance in the boyar duma, in general in central administration."

B) “... How much more must we care about the integrity of our entire state, which, with God’s help, is now more widespread, as everyone apparently is; why we decided to make this charter, so that it would always be in the will of the ruling sovereign, whoever he wants, he will determine the inheritance, and for a certain one, seeing what obscenity, he will cancel it again, so that children and descendants do not fall into such anger as is written above, having this bridle on you.”

1. The king referred to in the text showed mercy towards his “slaves” throughout his reign.

2. Alexey Adashev was a contemporary of the events described in the text.

4. A generation after the tsar mentioned in the document, the ruling dynasty in the Moscow state was ended.

5. This document became one of the reasons for palace coups.

Write down the selected numbers under the corresponding letters.

Fragment A		Fragment B

7

What three of the listed features were characteristic of the socio-economic situation in Russia in the 1990s? Write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

1. social stratification

2. growth in income of the population

3. nationalization of enterprises

4. fall in the ruble exchange rate

5. privatization of enterprises

6. increased spending on the army

8

Fill in the gaps in these sentences using the list of missing elements below: for each sentence marked with a letter and containing a blank, select the number of the required element.

A) ______, being a sniper, destroyed over 200 Nazis. Died in Germany on April 22, 1945.

B) Operation _______ was the largest defeat of the German army in its entire history

B) July 4, 1942, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command gave the order for the evacuation of Soviet troops from _______,

1. "Bagration"

2. V.I. Talalaev

3. Simferopol

4. Sevastopol

5. "Typhoon"

6. V.V. Talalikhin

9

Establish a correspondence between the events and the participants in these events: for each position in the first column, select the corresponding position from the second column.

10

Read an excerpt from the memoirs of a Soviet commander and indicate the author of the memoirs.

“I immediately reported to the People’s Commissar and I.V. Stalin received what M.A. conveyed. Purkaev.

I.V. Stalin said:

Come with the People's Commissar to the Kremlin.

Taking with him the draft directive to the troops, together with the People's Commissar and Lieutenant General N.F. Vatutin we went to the Kremlin. On the way, we agreed to achieve a decision to bring the troops into combat readiness at all costs.

I.V. Stalin met us alone. He was clearly concerned.

Did the German generals plant this defector to provoke a conflict? - he asked.

No, answered S.K. Tymoshenko. - We believe that the defector is telling the truth.

Meanwhile, in the office of I.V. Stalin included members of the Politburo.

What do we do? - asked I.V. Stalin.

There was no answer.

It is necessary to immediately give a directive to the troops to bring all troops in the border districts to full combat readiness,” said the People’s Commissar.

Read! - answered I.V. Stalin.

I have read the draft directive."

11

Fill in the blank cells of the table using the list of missing elements below: for each lettered blank, select the number of the required element.

1. conclusion of a treaty between Rus' and Byzantium

2. Otto I the Great

4. conclusion of the Yam-Zapolsky truce between Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

5. conclusion of the Andrusovo truce between Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

6. conclusion of “Eternal Peace” between Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

8. Charlemagne

12

Read an excerpt from the Constitution of the USSR.

“Article 1. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is a socialist state of the entire people, expressing the will and interests of the workers, peasants and intelligentsia, the working people of all nations and nationalities of the country.

Article 2. All power in the USSR belongs to the people. The people exercise state power through the Councils of People's Deputies, which make up political basis THE USSR. All other government bodies are controlled and accountable to the Councils of People's Deputies.

Article 3. The organization and activities of the Soviet state are built in accordance with the principle of democratic centralism: the election of all government bodies from top to bottom, accountability to their people, and the binding nature of decisions of higher bodies for lower ones.

Democratic centralism combines unified leadership with initiative and creative activity on the ground, with the responsibility of each government body and official for the assigned work.

Article 4. The Soviet state, all its bodies operate on the basis of socialist legality, ensure the protection of law and order, the interests of society, the rights and freedoms of citizens. State and public organizations, officials are obliged to comply with the Constitution of the USSR and Soviet laws.

Article 5. The most important issues of state life are submitted for public discussion, and are also put to a popular vote (referendum).

Article 6. The guiding and guiding force of Soviet society, the core of its political system, state and public organizations is Communist Party Soviet Union. The CPSU exists for the people and serves the people...”

Using the passage and your knowledge of history, choose three true statements from the list given.

1. This Constitution of the USSR was adopted during the leadership of the USSR by I.V. Stalin.

2. The principle of democratic centralism presupposes that decisions of higher authorities are binding on lower ones.

3. Article 5 of this Constitution of the USSR has never been implemented throughout the history of the Soviet Union.

4. According to this passage, Soviet power exists in the USSR.

5. This Constitution of the USSR was adopted by the XXV Congress of the CPSU.

6. One of the articles of the USSR Constitution presented in the passage was abolished before the collapse of the USSR.

Look at the diagram and complete tasks 13-16

13

Fill in the blank in the sentence: “The events indicated in the diagram occurred in the year nineteen hundred ___________.” Write the answer in a word (phrase).

14

Write the name of the country on whose territory Soviet troops were located during the battle shown in the diagram.

15

What is the name of the military leader who led the Soviet troops at the final stage of the battles indicated in the diagram.

16

Which judgments related to the events indicated in the diagram are correct? Choose three judgments from the six proposed. Write down the numbers that represent them in the table.

1. Simultaneously with the battles indicated in the diagram, the USSR was negotiating with England and France about a military alliance against Germany.

2. During the decisive battles indicated in the diagram, the USSR and Germany signed a non-aggression pact.

3. Japanese troops, during the military conflict indicated in the diagram, sought to break into the Primorsky Territory.

4. The battles indicated in the diagram are considered part of World War II.

5. The participation of the USSR in the designated military conflict was caused by the need to provide assistance to an ally who was attacked.

6. The consequences of the events indicated in the diagram allowed the USSR to annex the south of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.

17

Establish a correspondence between cultural monuments and their brief characteristics: for each position in the first column, select the corresponding position from the second column.

Look at the image and complete tasks 18-19

18

Which judgments about this poster are correct? Indicate two judgments out of five proposed. Write down the numbers under which they are indicated in the table.

1. The poster was created during the days of the Berlin War offensive operation.

2. During the publication of this poster, the objects depicted on it were subjected to daily bombing by fascist aircraft.

3. Participants in the event, the anniversary of which this poster is dedicated to, were V.I. Lenin and L.D. Trotsky.

4. The poster depicts an architectural monument, in the construction of which Italian architects took part.

5. In the year of publication of this poster, the first during the Great Patriotic War was produced in Moscow. Patriotic War artillery salute.

19

Select a poster that commemorates the event whose anniversary the poster above is associated with. In your answer, write down the number under which it is indicated.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Part 2.

First write down the number of the task (20, 21, etc.), and then a detailed answer to it. Write down your answers clearly and legibly.

Excerpt from the book of the Soviet leader

“Yes, the world today is not the same as yesterday, and its new problems cannot be solved on the basis of a way of thinking inherited from previous centuries. Is it possible now to hold on to the thesis of war as a continuation of politics by other means?

In a word, we in the Soviet leadership came to the conclusion - and we never tire of repeating it - about the need for new political thinking. Moreover, the Soviet leadership is striving to energetically translate it into practical action, primarily in the field of disarmament. This dictated the foreign policy initiatives that we honestly proposed to the world. What is the scope of the new historical thinking? It truly covers all the major issues of our time.

Despite all the contradictions modern world, with all the diversity of social and political systems existing in it, with all the diversity of choices that peoples have made at different times, it represents a certain integrity. We are all passengers of one ship - the Earth, and we must not allow it to crash. Second Noah's Ark will not be...

We want and are ready to cooperate in all areas. But to cooperate on the basis of equality, mutual understanding and interaction.

Sometimes it not only disappoints us, but leads us to serious reflection when in the United States our country is perceived as an aggressor, an “evil empire,” etc., they spread various fables and gossip about it, sow distrust and hostility towards our people, and provoke us with various prohibitions, they simply behave with us in an uncivilized manner. This is unacceptable myopia...

The situation does not allow us to wait for the ideal moment: a constructive and broad dialogue is needed today. We proceed from this when we build television bridges between Soviet and American cities, between Soviet and American political and public figures, between ordinary Americans and Soviet citizens. We present in our media the entire spectrum of Western positions, including the most conservative ones. We encourage contacts with representatives of different worldviews and political convictions... We are far from considering only our approach as true. We do not have universal recipes, but we are ready to sincerely and honestly, together with the United States and other countries, seek answers to all questions, including the most difficult ones.”

Indicate the foreign policy slogan that defines relations with Western countries during the time the author of the book was in power. State the name and reign of the author of the book. Write what concept characterizes the period during which the author ruled the state.

Show answer

The correct answer must contain the following elements:

1) slogan - new political thinking;

2) name - M.S. Gorbachev; reign - 1985-1991;

3) concept - Perestroika

What are the political results of the period of perestroika M.S. Does Gorbachev consider the most positive? Specify any three phenomena.elements:

1) slogan- acceleration (acceleration of social and economic development);

2) factors:

Increasing resistance of the party-state apparatus;

Subjective factor: M.S. Gorbachev was a man of the old system, considered it viable and was not ready to radically break it;

Activation of anti-perestroika forces (article by N.A. Andreeva);

Exacerbation interethnic relations, the solution of which required concentration of forces and priority attention;

Unfavorable economic climate - falling oil prices, which was one of the reasons for the USSR budget deficit;

Unfavorable political climate: criticism from left and right, the beginning of a confrontation between the Union and Russian authorities.

The factors may be formulated differently. Other factors may be specified

The Congress met on June 13 in Berlin. In addition to Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, Great Britain, Italy and Turkey were represented. From the first meeting, England began its hostile attacks against Russia with particular sharpness. Of all the issues that were to be discussed, the Bulgarian question seemed to be the most serious; at Bismarck’s suggestion, it was decided to put an end to it first. Indicate any goal that Germany pursued when discussing the “Bulgarian question”. Give two reasons why this issue was so important to everyone

Show answer

Any of the following purposes may be named:

1. prevent Russia from strengthening in Bulgaria;
2. prevent Russia from strengthening in the south of the Balkan Peninsula;
3. prevent the formation of an independent Bulgarian state allied with Russia.

The following reasons can be given:

1. the strengthening of Russia contradicted German interests in the Balkan Peninsula;
2. the strengthening of Russia contradicted the interests of Austria-Hungary, Germany’s actions in the interests of this country pushed Austria-Hungary towards a military-political alliance with Germany;
3. England was not interested in strengthening Russia in the Balkans, since in the long term this could lead to Russian control over the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits;
4. Turkey was counting on a conflict between Russia and Western European countries, trying to maintain control over all of Bulgaria (or part of it).

As a result of the events of 1905, the form of government changed - a Duma monarchy arose; source legislative branch Only the emperor ceased to exist, that is, the autocracy was limited;

Civil liberties were introduced in Russia, including freedom political parties, which has never existed in Russia before;

2) in refutation, For example:

The Emperor actually retained all the main power privileges (the possibility of dissolving the Duma and passing laws bypassing the Duma in accordance with Article 87 of the Basic Laws);

The Emperor retained the opportunity to change the electoral legislation so that the party composition of the Duma would be the most loyal and obedient to the supreme power. Other arguments may be given

You need to write a historical essay about ONE of the periods of Russian history:

1. 1584-1613;

2. 1825-1855;

3. 1985-1991

– indicate at least two events (phenomena, processes) relating to a given period of history;

- name two historical figures, whose activities are related to the specified events (phenomena, processes), and, using knowledge of historical facts, characterize the role of these individuals in the events (phenomena, processes) of a given period in the history of Russia;

– indicate at least two cause-and-effect relationships that existed between events (phenomena, processes) within a given period of history.

Using knowledge of historical facts and (or) the opinions of historians, give one historical assessment of the significance of this period for the history of Russia. During the presentation, it is necessary to use historical terms and concepts related to a given period.

Share your results or ask how to solve a specific task. Be polite guys.

February 16, 1722(February 5th Art. Art.) Peter's Charter on the inheritance of the throne was published. This act abolished the custom according to which the eldest son automatically became heir to the throne. Now everything depended on the will of the sovereign, who could change his decision if he saw that the chosen one did not live up to expectations.

We are Peter the first emperor and autocrat of all Russia and so on and so forth and so on.

We declare, since everyone knows, by what Absalom’s anger our son Alexey was arrogant, and that it was not through repentance that his intention was stopped, but by the mercy of God towards our entire fatherland (which is evident from the manifesto about the matter); and this grew up for no other reason than the old custom that a big son was given an inheritance, and besides, he was the only man of our family at that time, and for this reason he did not want to look at any fatherly punishment;

This unkind custom, I don’t know why, was established in such a way, for not only in people, according to the reasoning of smart parents, there were abolitions, but also in the holy scripture we see when Isaac’s wife asked for an inheritance to her husband, his youngest son, who had grown old, and what is even more surprising, is that God’s blessing followed; We also see it in our ancestors, when the blessed and eternally worthy memory of the Grand Duke Ivan Vasilyevich, and truly great not in word, but in deed: for he, scattered by the division of the children of Vladimirov, gathered and established, who not by primacy, but by his will repaired it, and canceled it twice, seeing a worthy heir, who would not waste our collected and established fatherland again in waste; ), namely, in the summer of February 7006, on the 4th day, the Great Prince Ivan Vasilyevich made himself the heir of his grandson, Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, and was crowned in Moscow at the great reign by the princely crown, Metropolitan Simon, and in the summer of April 7010, on the 11th day Grand Duke Ivan Vasilyevich was angry with his grandson Prince Dmitry, and did not order him to be remembered in churches by the Grand Duke, and put him on guard and on the same April, on the 14th day, he made his son Vasily Ivanovich heir and the same Metropolitan Simon was crowned; To which there are other similar examples, which, for the sake of brevity, are not mentioned here now, but in the future they will be especially published in print. In the same reasoning, last year 1714, we had mercy on our subjects, so that their private houses would not fall into ruin from unworthy heirs, although we created a charter so that real estate could be given to one son, but we gave it to the will of the parents, to which son they will want to give, seeing someone worthy, although to a smaller person, bypassing the larger ones, recognizing the convenient one, who would not squander the inheritance. How much more must we have concern for the integrity of our entire state, which, with God’s help, is now more widespread, as it seems to everyone; Why did we decide to make this charter, so that it would always be in the will of the ruling sovereign, whoever he wants, he will determine the inheritance, and for a certain one, seeing what obscenity, he will cancel it again, so that children and descendants will not be as angry as it is written above, having this rein on myself. For this reason, we command that all our faithful subjects and worldly people, without exception, confirm this charter of ours before God and his gospel on such a basis that anyone who is contrary to this, or interprets it differently, is considered a traitor, is subject to execution and is subject to the church oath will.

On October 22, 1721, Peter the Great accepted the imperial title - Russia became an empire. Legal historian M. Vladimirsky - Budanov wrote at the beginning of the 20th century:

“The royal power receives a new title - imperial, while preserving all the previous ones. The new title, similar in essence to the previous one - royal, however, contains a new meaning: the royal title makes our sovereigns the successors of the Byzantine kings, the imperial title makes them adopters of similar Western European traditions. Now power exists in the interests of the state and for the state. In accordance with the new foundations of power, Peter the Great believed that the will of the reigning sovereign was not bound by the order of legal inheritance. If the sovereign finds the legal heir not in line with the good of the state, then he can appoint anyone as his successor. This change in the basis of power led to a precise legislative definition of unlimited autocratic power - “His Majesty is an autocratic monarch who should not give an answer to anyone in the world in his affairs; but he has strength and power, his own states and lands, like a most Christian sovereign who rules according to his will and goodness.”

Peter rightfully and deservedly accepted the title of Great. The entire Russian Empire, its best sons, understood what the Power was and what it became. The great historian S. Solovyov wrote:

“They imagined what happened 20 years ago and what it is now. They imagined the humiliation in which Russia was after Narva, and the respect with which the European powers now made way for it in order to give it an honorable place among them.” A hundred years after the creation of the Russian Empire, the great poet A. Pushkin wrote: “Russia entered Europe like a deflated ship - with the sound of an ax and the thunder of cannons.” All of Europe said that Peter was striving to become an Eastern Roman emperor. Peter became the All-Russian Emperor - he worked for Russia and took the imperial title along with the country, sharing all the glory with it.

Peter easily unbent the horseshoe, but it cost him his whole life to “unbend” the country. He was very proud of the calluses on his hands, which were not at all characteristic of the monarchs of the Romanov dynasty - “I am the Tsar, but I have calluses on my hands, and that’s all because: to show you an example and at least in my old age to see me as sufficient helpers and servants for the Fatherland.” A. Pushkin wrote about Peter: “Now an academician, now a hero, now a navigator, now a carpenter, he was a worker with an all-encompassing soul on the eternal throne.”

In Tsarevich Alexei, Peter met stubborn resistance to his transformations. The emperor's son wrote in his autobiography:

“My disobedience to my father, and the fact that he did not want to do what he wanted, the reason is that from infancy he lived somewhat with his mother and girls, where he learned nothing else except hut amusements, but rather learned to be prude, which is what I am by nature inclined And then, when they took me from my mother, my father, having care for me so that I would learn those things that are appropriate for a king’s son, also ordered me to study German language and other sciences, which was extremely disgusting to me, and I did it with great laziness, only so that time would pass in it, but I had no desire for it. Not only the military affairs and other affairs of my father, but also his person himself completely disgusted me.”

Peter wrote to his son several times about the future of the Russian state and monarchy:

“When I have considered this joy given by God to our Fatherland, I look at the line of inheritance, a sorrow almost equal to joy consumes me, seeing you very much in the direction of state affairs that is indecent. I am a man and am subject to death, then to whom will I leave the above-mentioned planting with the help of the Most High and some that has already been returned?

I will also remember this, how evil and stubborn you are. For how much I scolded and beat you for this, and besides, I haven’t spoken to you for almost many years. But none of this was possible, but everything was for nothing, everything was on the side and you didn’t want to do anything, just to live and have fun.

Be aware that I will deprive you of your inheritance, like a gangrenous oud. For I do not and do not regret my life for my Fatherland and people, then how can I have pity on you indecently? It would be better to have someone else’s kindness than your own indecent one.

Everyone knows that you hate my deeds, which I do for my people, my people, without sparing my health, and of course, for me you will be the destroyer of them. For this reason, it is impossible to remain as you want to be, neither fish nor meat. Either abolish your character and unhypocritically honor yourself as an heir or become a monk; for without this my spirit cannot be at peace, especially since I have become less healthy now.”

Once again, Tsarevich Alexei, who had already renounced his rights to the throne, said that when he becomes king, he will destroy the king’s old advisers, recruit new ones, abandon Petersburg for Moscow, will not build ships, and will refuse his father’s territorial acquisitions. The fate of the prince was decided and the difficult drama ended in 1718 with a tragedy in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

In the Moscow kingdom there was no law on succession to the throne - the throne was passed on by will to the eldest son of the reigning sovereign; upon the end of the dynasty a new one was elected Zemsky Sobor. Peter broke the usual order. On February 5, 1722, the highest dignitaries of the state swore allegiance to the “Charter on the Succession to the Throne”:

“We, Peter the Great, Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, and so on, and so on, and so on.

In 1714, having mercy on our subjects, so that their private houses would not fall into ruin from unworthy heirs, although we made a charter so that real estate could be given to one son, we nevertheless gave it to the will of the parents, to whom they would want to give it to their son, seeing a worthy one, although to the smaller ones, bypassing the larger ones, recognizing the convenient one, who would not squander the inheritance.

How much more must we care about the integrity of our entire state, which, with God’s help, is now more widespread, as everyone can see. What we have decided to make this charter, so that it will always be in the will of the ruling sovereign, whoever he wants will determine the inheritance, and for a certain one, seeing what obscenity, he will cancel it again, so that children and descendants do not fall into such anger, as is written above, having this rein on myself.

For this reason, we command that all our faithful subjects, without exception, confirm this charter of ours before God and his gospel on such a basis that anyone who is contrary to it, or interprets it in any other way, is considered a traitor, subject to the death penalty and church damnation will.

In Preobrazhenskoye, on the 5th day of February 1722.”

The oath of the decree on the succession of the highest elite of the state has been preserved:

“Oath promise.

I, the below-named, promise and swear before Almighty God and His Holy Gospel that according to the announcement of His Most Holy and Most Powerful Peter the Great, Emperor and Autocrat of All-Russia, our all-merciful Sovereign, about the inheritance of the Charter, this present 1722 February 5th day, according to which , if His Majesty, by his high will and according to him, the ruling sovereigns of the Russian throne want to make someone heir, then in their Majesty's will be done.

And if the designated heir, seeing what indecency, they deign to cancel again, then so be it in their Majesty’s will.

And I call on that His Majesty’s Charter to be true and righteous, and according to the power of that Charter, I will obey in everything, and according to it, I will recognize myself as the true heir and myself as the sovereign, and in any case, I will stand for one with the position of my belly and against those who They will act disgustingly.

And if I appear to be contrary to this, or to interpret anything else contrary to the aforementioned Charter, then I will be considered a traitor and will be subject to the death penalty and church damnation.

And in confirmation of this oath of mine, I kiss the words and the cross of my Savior and subscribe.

Theodosius, Archbishop of Novgorod,

Prince Alexander Menshikov,

Chancellor Count Golovkin,

Feofan, Archbishop of Pskov,

Count Ivan Musin-Pushkin,

Count Jacob Bruce,

Prince Grigory Dolgorukov,

Prince Dmitry Cantemir,

Count Andrey Matveev,

Prince Dmitry Golitsyn,

Baron Peter Shafirov."

The Romanov dynasty sat on the Moscow throne by popular will, and Peter did not consider Rus' as his patrimony, his destiny - as did the Rurikovichs, who often thought that the kingdom existed for them, and not they for the kingdom. V. Klyuchevsky wrote:

“Peter always had two foundations ready for his way of thinking and acting, firmly laid down in early years: this is an unflagging sense of duty and an ever-intense thought about the common good of the Fatherland, in the service of which this duty consists.” Peter often named two main tasks - the duties of the sovereign - “the internal improvement of the country and the external security of the state.” To solve these problems, Peter used the principle of autocracy, brought to absolutism.

The monarch was called an autocrat as the bearer of unlimited power. The title “Sovereign and Autocrat of All Rus'” was first used by the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan the Third in 1493. During the time of liberation from Tatar-Mongol yoke The concept of “autocracy” in the society of that time was associated primarily with the idea of ​​the external independence of the country. The victory on the Ugra in 1480 “made the great reign of all Rus' a sovereign - autocratic, in the original sense of the word, state.” Peter is the hereditary autocratic head of state, an absolute monarch. Absolutism (French absolutisma - unconditional, unlimited) is a form of government in which the head of state is considered as the only source of legislative, judicial and executive power. He sets taxes and spends the collected money uncontrollably, with the help of officials dependent only on him; is the commander-in-chief of the state's armed forces. V. Klyuchevsky wrote: “The thought of the Fatherland never left Peter: in joyful and sorrowful moments it encouraged him and directed his actions, and he spoke about his duty to serve the Fatherland in whatever way he could simply, without pathos, as a serious matter, but natural and necessary. Peter, completely unlike other sovereigns, was ready to die for the Fatherland - “we must care about the benefit of the state while we have the strength.” The Emperor wanted the common good to become the private interest of all his subjects. He hammered this into the consciousness of society through numerous decrees and regulations. To implement his ideas, he recruited fellow performers everywhere, regardless of origin. His “chick” I. Neplyuev told Catherine the Great fifty years later:

“We, Peter the Great’s disciples, were led by him through fire and water.” Peter knew human nature well. He told his doctor: “There is little truth in people, but there is a lot of deceit. I ordered the governors to collect monster monsters and send them to you in the Cabinet of Curiosities. If I wanted to send you human monsters not because of the appearance of their bodies, but because of their ugly morals, you wouldn’t have enough room for them.”

A German diplomat recorded Peter's speech in 1714 during the launching of another warship:

“Which of you even dreamed about thirty years ago that here, by the Baltic Sea, in a country conquered by our labors and courage, we would build a city in which you live! That we will live to see such brave and victorious soldiers and sailors of Russian blood? Such sons who visited foreign countries and returned home so smart; that we will see so many foreign artists and craftsmen in our country? Will we live to see that foreign sovereigns will respect you and me so much?

Only through the exorbitant labors of our rulers did we open our eyes and assimilate the former Greek arts, sciences and way of life. Now it is our turn to come before us, if only you will support me in my important undertakings, will obey without any excuses, and will become accustomed to freely recognizing and studying good and evil. I advise you to remember the Latin proverb “Ora et labora” - “Pray and work”, and firmly hope that perhaps in our lifetime you will put other educated countries to shame and raise the glory of the Russian name to the highest degree.

Having protected the Fatherland with security from the enemy, one must try to find glory for the state through art and science.”

Peter said that “The Lord gave kings authority over the nations, but Christ alone has authority over the conscience of men.” He wrote:

“I know that I am considered a tyrant. Foreigners say that I command slaves. This is not true: they don’t know all the circumstances. I command subjects who obey my decree. These decrees contain benefits, not harm, to the state.

You need to know how to manage people. English liberty is out of place here, like a pea against a wall.

An honest and reasonable person, who has seen something harmful or thought of something useful, can speak directly to me without fear. You yourself are witnesses to this. I am glad to hear something useful from my last subject. Access to me is free, as long as they don’t waste my time with idleness. Of course, my fatherland is not happy with my ill-will. Ignorance and stubbornness have always attacked me from the moment I decided to introduce useful changes and correct rude morals. Those are the real tyrants, not me.

I do not aggravate slavery by curbing the kingdom of the stubborn, softening oak hearts, I am not cruel, dressing my subjects in new clothes, establishing order in the army and in citizenship and accustoming them to humanity, I do not tyrannize when justice condemns a villain to death. Let anger slander - my conscience is clear.

God is my judge! The wind carries wrong rumors in the world.”

Opposition to Peter's reforms among the old boyars was significant. Peter said to his comrades: “I suffer, but all for the fatherland; I wish him what is good, but my enemies do demonic dirty tricks to me.”

Many of his comrades, upon learning of his death in January 1725, “were unconscious for more than a day; he taught us to recognize that we too are human.”

Peter's co-worker A. Nartov wrote:

“We, who were servants of this great sovereign, sigh and shed tears, sometimes hearing reproaches for his hardness of heart, which was not in him. If they knew a lot about what he endured, what he endured and how vulnerable he was with sorrows, they would be horrified at how much he tolerated human weaknesses and forgave crimes that did not deserve mercy.

And although Peter the Great is no longer with us, his spirit lives in our souls, and we, who had the happiness of being with this monarch, will die faithful to him and bury our ardent love for the earthly God with us.

We proclaim our father without fear because we learned noble fearlessness and truth from him.”

The great Russian historian S. Soloviev dedicated several volumes of his “History of Russia” and a separate work to Peter the Great.

“The history of no people presents us with such a great, multilateral transformation, accompanied by such great consequences both for inner life people, and for its significance in the common life of peoples, in world history.

Our people had to, through a terrible revolution, through an extraordinary effort of strength, emerge from the desperate situation of new road, to a new life. This in no way diminishes the greatness of the man who, in accomplishing such a difficult feat, gave a powerful hand to the great people, strained all his strength with the extraordinary power of his will, and gave direction to the movement.

Western historians do not want to appreciate the world-historical significance of the phenomena that occurred in Eastern Europe in the first quarter of the 18th century. Despite this, they are forced to turn to the results of these phenomena, that is, to the decisive influence of Russia on the destinies of Europe. These unkind relations of the West towards Russia best show us its significance and together with the significance of the activities of Peter, the culprit of uniting both halves of Europe in common activity.

Storms purify the air, but the devastation they leave behind shows that this purification is bought at a high price. Strong drugs are given when severe illnesses, and we know that pre-Petrine Russia accumulated many diseases, and the phenomena of the transformative era best indicate them. The political body became healthy and received the means to continue a life rich in strong manifestations.

The time of revolutions is a difficult time for peoples. Such was the era of transformation. Complaints about the great hardships were heard from all sides, and not in vain. But the people went through a difficult school. People really study, not just numbers and geometry, not in just schools; people are learning civic responsibilities and civic activities, undergoing such training for the first time in the history of Russia. Whether they addressed words and deeds sympathetically or unsympathetically, they still thought about these words and deeds. What could have destroyed a decrepit society, a people incapable of development - the unrest of the transformative era, ignorance of peace - developed the strength of a young and strong people who had been dormant for a long time and needed a strong push to awaken. There was a lot to learn. Peter's entire system was directed against the main evils that plagued ancient Russia: against the disunity of forces, the lack of habit common cause, against the lack of ability to start a business.

Having exposed the importance of the state, forcing, apparently, heavy sacrifices to be made to this new deity and himself setting an example, Peter, however, took measures so that the personality was not suppressed, but received due development. The first place here should be given to education, introduced by Peter, and acquaintance with other peoples who were ahead of our people in development.

Service people in the 17th century had a shameful saying: “Escape, although dishonest, is great.” Under Peter, this saying was coined, and he himself testified that in the second half of the Northern War, flight from the battlefield stopped. The terrible labors and hardships were not in vain.

An extensive program was outlined for many, many years to come, it was not written on paper - it was written on the land, which was supposed to reveal its riches to the Russian people, who through science received the full right to own it.

At sea, where the Russian fleet appeared; on rivers connected by canals; the program was outlined in the state by new institutions and regulations; was inscribed among the people through education, the expansion of their mental sphere, the rich reserves of mental food that the open West and the new world created within Russia itself delivered to them.

Most of what was done was only at the beginning, others were in rough outlines, for many only materials were prepared, only instructions were given. That is why we called the activities of the transformative era a program that Russia is still carrying out and will continue to carry out. Avoiding it was always accompanied by sad consequences. Various rumors and judgments “for” and “against”, rumors about how to deal with this or that matter left over from the era of transformation, were precisely the beneficial consequences of mental stimulation that gave the Russian people the opportunity to live new life and execute the Converter program.

We must admit that at the time described, Russia was sent a man capable of choosing the much lesser of two evils, namely a comprehensive and active transformation.

No nation has ever accomplished such a feat as was accomplished by the Russian people in the first quarter of the 18th century. We have every right to call the man who led the people in this feat the greatest historical figure, for no one can have greater value in the history of civilization.

From whatever point of view we study the era of transformation, we must be amazed at the moral and physical powers of the Transformer. Peter had the old Russian heroic nature. He loved breadth and space: this explains that, in addition to a conscious attraction to the sea, he also had an unconscious one.

The heroes of old Rus' strove to the wide steppe, the hero of the new strove to the wide sea.

The deed accomplished by Peter was accomplished by him with the help of capable people whom he knew how to find everywhere and preserve.

The awareness of his duties to God, a deep religious feeling was constantly expressed by Peter, lifted his spirit in troubles and did not allow him to become carried away in happiness.

Extraordinary greatness, combined with the awareness of the insignificance of all human minds, a strict demand for the fulfillment of duties, a strict demand for truth, the ability to listen to the harshest objections, extreme simplicity, sociability, complacency - all this strongly tied the best people who had the opportunity to get close to him to Peter. One can imagine what it was like for them in 1725 to hear the famous words of Feofan Prokopovich: “What have we come to, O Russians! What do we see? What are we doing? Let’s bury Peter the Great!”

May the spirit of Peter the Great not leave us! The results of the activities of great people, the wealth of power and glory are lost when the spirit of these great people ceases to live among the people. The incorruptible legacy that he left us is an example of labor unprecedented in history, willpower in the fight against obstacles, in the fight against evil: an example of love for his people, an example of unshakable faith in his people, in their abilities, in their significance; an example of the art of educating one’s people in word and deed, through books, laws and institutions, raising them to their feet; an example of borrowing someone else’s property for one’s own good and fruit; an example of the right view, the right feeling, by which Peter showed us natural allies among our fellow tribes; an example of passion for knowledge and devotion to faith, which promises longevity for peoples, as written on the tablets of history.

We will fulfill Peter's will:

“And henceforth we must work and prepare everything in advance, since missing the time is like irrevocable death.”

Under Peter there were two parties - supporters and opponents of reforms. Statements about the tsar from supporters of Asianism have been preserved: “son-in-law Lefortov”, “the waiting basurman”, “whoever drinks blood on that day, he is happy, but on which day he doesn’t drink, and on that day they don’t eat bread”, “as if Peter were killed, so the service would have passed”, “the world-eater, he has eaten the whole world”, “there is no transfer for him, he only transfers good heads”, “he dragged all the nobles into the service”, “if he lives long, he will transfer us all”, “ this is not the sovereign who now owns”, “he is replaced”, “orders to wear a German dress - it is notable that he was born of a German woman”, “destroys the Christian faith”, “Antichrist”, “born of an unclean maiden”.

“Chicks of Petrov's nest” have always been in the minority. Despite some personal qualities of some of the “chicks,” it was they who did not allow the reactionary forces to turn Russia back after 1725. The squad created by the emperor played a big role in preventing the Russian Empire from becoming the Muscovite kingdom again. The publicist - peasant of that time, Ivan Pososhkov, wrote in his essay “The Book of Poverty and Wealth”: “We all see how our Great Monarch works himself, but does not have time, because he has few accomplices - he also goes to the mountain himself - ten pulls, and millions are pulled downhill, then how will things be for him soon?

The outstanding Russian historian V. Klyuchevsky wrote about the significance of Peter’s transformations:

“Peter’s reform became the central point of our history, combining the results of the past and the makings of the future. It should be viewed from a triple angle: 1) in relation to Peter’s attitude towards Western Europe; 2) in his relation to ancient Russia; 3) according to the influence of his case on further time. Case strong man usually survives it and has a posthumous continuation.

Peter took from old Rus' state powers, supreme power, law, estates, and borrowed from the West technical means for the organization of the army, navy, state and national economy, government agencies.

The results of the reform were directed more toward the future; its meaning was not clear to everyone; but her techniques were felt by her contemporaries first of all, and Peter had to meet with them. The climate for reform was created by external war and internal struggle. Serving as the main driving force of the reform, the war had the most unfavorable effect on its progress and successes. The reform took place amidst the confused turmoil that usually accompanies war. The needs and difficulties that she caused at every step forced Peter to hurry. The war gave reform a nervous, feverish pulse, a painfully accelerated pace. In the midst of military anxieties, Peter did not have time to stop, calmly discuss the situation, weigh his measures, patiently wait for the slow growth of his undertakings. He demanded from everyone quick action, immediate results; in case of any difficulty or slowdown, he urged the performers on with terrible threats, which were poured out so wastefully that they lost their stimulating power. The injudicious punishment of the law in some increased the courage of the crime, in others it produced confusion and embarrassment, neurasthenic tetanus and a general feeling of burden.

The reform took place amidst a silent and persistent internal struggle, which broke out noisily more than once: four terrible rebellions and four conspiracies - all opposed to innovations, built in the name of antiquity, its concepts and prejudices. Hence Peter’s hostile attitude towards Russian antiquity, towards folk life.

Peter walked against the wind and with his own accelerated movement increased the oncoming resistance. Over the years, having experienced a disorderly youth, he was unconsciously and completely imbued with the thought of the people's welfare, like none of our kings, and directed all the indestructible energy of his powerful nature towards this. Hoping to replenish the available funds with the creativity of the authorities, the transformer sought to do more than possible, and the performers, intimidated and clumsy, lost the ability to do what they could, and just as Peter in his transformative run did not know how to spare human strength, so the people in their closed, standing resistance did not want to appreciate his efforts.

The reform itself arose from the urgent needs of the state and the people, instinctively felt by a powerful man with a sensitive mind and strong character, talents that harmoniously combined in one of those exceptionally happily formed natures that, for unknown reasons, appear in humanity from time to time. With these qualities, warmed by a sense of duty and the determination “not to spare one’s life for the Fatherland,” Peter became the head of a people who, of all European peoples, were the least fortunately placed historically. This people found the strength to build a large state by the end of the 16th century, one of the largest in Europe, but in the 17th century they began to feel a lack of material and spiritual means to support their eight-century construction. The reform, modest and limited in its original concept, aimed at restructuring the military forces and expanding the financial resources of the state, gradually turned into a persistent internal struggle, stirred up all the stagnant mold of Russian life, agitated all classes of society. Started and led by the supreme power, the habitual leader of the people, it adopted the nature and methods of a violent coup, a kind of revolution.

Peter's reform was a struggle between despotism and the people, against their inertia. The combined action of despotism and freedom, enlightenment and slavery is a political squaring of the circle, a riddle that has been solved in our country for two centuries since the time of Peter and is still unresolved. The belief in the miraculous power of education, with which Peter was imbued, his reverent cult of science forcibly ignited a spark of enlightenment in the slave minds, which gradually flared up into a meaningful desire for truth and freedom. Autocracy in itself is disgusting as a political principle. The civil conscience will never recognize him. But one can put up with a person in which this unnatural force is combined with self-sacrifice, when an autocrat, without sparing himself, goes ahead in the name of the common good, risking being broken by insurmountable obstacles and even by his own business. This is how they put up with a stormy spring thunderstorm, which, breaking down centuries-old trees, refreshes the air and with its downpour helps the shoots of new crops.

Eyewitnesses, both their own and others, describe manifestations of grief, even horror, caused by the news of Peter's death.

In all the churches in Moscow during the memorial service, “there was such a howl, a cry, a tearful cry that it was impossible for women to howl and cry sorrowfully anymore, and truly I have never seen or heard such public horror since my birth.” The foreigners noticed genuine grief in the army and among all the people. “Everyone felt that a strong hand had fallen, and an alarming question involuntarily arose: what will happen next?”

About historical significance Peter's reforms, the outstanding Russian historian S. Platonov wrote at the beginning of the 20th century:

“The nobility under Peter had not yet achieved the right to own people as a class privilege, but owned peasant labor only on the basis that they needed security for their service. The peasants did not lose their civil rights and were not yet considered complete serfs. Life enslaved them more and more, but, as we saw, this began even before Peter, and ended after him.

On Russian society Peter's reforms, decisive and broad, made a terrible impression after the cautious and slow policy of the Moscow government. Society did not have the consciousness of historical tradition that lived in the brilliant Peter. The short-sighted Moscow people explained to themselves both the external enterprises and the internal innovations of the sovereign by his personal whims, views and habits and were convinced that Peter was mercilessly destroying their antiquity. Social thought had not yet risen to the consciousness of the fundamental principles of Russian state and social life and discussed only individual facts.

Peter did not improve the old times, but drove them away and forcibly replaced them with new orders. Forced to fight for his power and independence at the beginning of his reign, Peter retained his fighting techniques forever. Met with open hostility at first, and then feeling hidden opposition to himself in society, Peter all the time fought for what he believed in and what he considered useful.”

Active development and expansion of one’s influence - this is the principle that underlies the prosperous existence of states in the history of mankind. For more than three thousand years, rulers and sovereigns, in the struggle for supreme power, defended their possessions from seizure, fought with competitors, entered into alliances with neighboring countries, expanded and united their lands. They covered up their actions with their rights as sovereigns and the power of laws. They were good or bad, fulfilled or not observed, but without them anarchy and chaos reigned in the country.

The forms of government in the state over the entire period of human existence have not been diverse - absolute and constitutional monarchy, aristocratic, bourgeois, democratic republic. “The state is created not only in order to live, but also in order to live happily,” believed the ancient Greek thinker Aristotle, the famous teacher of Alexander the Great. Thousands of years later, the Russian philosopher N. Berdyaev answered him:

“The state does not exist to turn earthly life into paradise, but to prevent it from finally turning into hell.” All outstanding thinkers of mankind tried to create a model of an ideal state. Ideal models were created ideal states- No.

The theorist of state power N. Machiavelli wrote: “The nobility wants to subjugate and oppress the people, the people do not want to be subordinated and oppressed. This clash is resolved in two ways: either by autocracy or by freedom.” A hundred years after N. Machiavelli, the genius of absolutism, the Duke de Richelieu, wrote in his “Political Testament”: “The most powerful state in the world cannot boast that it is in reliable peace if it is not able to protect itself at all times from sudden invasion and attack "

States have always sought to expand their influence by increasing their territory - Ancient Rome and Persia, the Ottoman Porte and the countries of Europe, the empires of Alexander the Great, Chigiz Khan and Tamerlane, the United States of America and the Russian Empire. The increase in influence was accompanied by wars, the creation of colonies, and the development of the economy, ideology and culture. As a result, the potential of the state that dominated the region or the planet grew. The funds and resources received - no one's or someone else's - constituted the power of the state. Dominance - with military force, a strong economy, an effective ideology and a developed culture is one of the most important laws of state existence in both the 18th and 21st centuries. There is no world harmony, there is a hierarchy of states depending on the degree of influence and dominance. And at the beginning of the Third Millennium, the key to the prosperity of the state is a strong national economy and an active foreign economic policy, accompanied by a powerful ideological cover and the all-round development of culture.

Russia - Rus' first became a political center in the 9th century, creating one of the largest powers of the Middle Ages. The development of Russia, interrupted by the Tatar-Mongol invasion, was continued under the Moscow prince Ivan Kalita. From the 14th to the 17th centuries, Russia, thanks to the activities of Ivan III the Terrible, included the Volga region, Wild Field and Siberia. It was to Russia, as the center of power, that the Cossacks of Bogdan Khmelnitsky turned with a request to accept them “under the high hand” of the Moscow Tsar.

The development of Russia as a political and economic center was given a strong impetus by Peter the Great - with his multilateral transformations and active foreign policy activities. The impulses of power given to the Russian Empire by the grandiose activities of Peter the Great were sufficient until the beginning of the 20th century. His ideas and methods of creating a great state are also in demand in Russia of the Third Millennium.

The sovereign potential of Russia, as an economic, political, ideological, cultural center of power in the modern world, is enormous. To exist successfully, this center must have a rich treasury - a powerful financial system, a strong mobile army, a rich developing culture and an active foreign economic policy, supported by a clear ideological position.

Realizing Russia's sovereign potential in the 21st century is a task comparable to the actions of Peter the Great. The first emperor knew and understood well what kind of state and with what margin of safety he created. In 1724, Peter planted acorns on the Petersburg-Peterhof road. Straightening up, he noticed the wry, mocking look of the foreign diplomat. “You think, why plant him if you don’t live long enough,” the Transformer told him. Peter the Great explained to the diplomat what the benefit of the state is and for what the ruler should work tirelessly.

Extraction

Decree on what to do after our departure. 1. To have an unhypocritical court and to punish unjust judges by taking away honor and all property; Let the sneakers do the same. 2. Look at unnecessary expenses throughout the state, and set aside especially unnecessary ones. 3. Collect as much money as possible, since money is the artery of war. 4. The nobles gather young people to serve as reserve officers, and especially those who are going to be found. 5. Correct bills and keep them in one place. 6. Goods that are farmed out or sold to departments and provinces must be inspected and certified. 7. About the salt of the miner to farm out and the slave’s profit from her...

4.4. General Regulations

Extraction

Since then, His Royal Majesty ... following the examples of other Christian regions, has deigned the most merciful intention to perceive, for the sake of the decent management of his state affairs, and the correct determination and calculation of his parishes, and the correction of useful justice and police, also for the sake of the possible protection of his subjects and the maintenance of his naval and ground forces in good condition, as well as commerce, arts and manufactories, and the good establishment of their maritime and land duties, and for the sake of the multiplication and growth of mining factories, and other state needs, the following necessary and appropriate State Collegiums should be established. Namely: Foreign Affairs, Kamor, Justits, Revision, Military, Admiralty, Commerce, State Office, Berg and Manufactory Collegium.

And in it, presidents, vice-presidents and other members belonging to it and clerical and office servants, and more from their own subjects, to determine, and also to establish the necessary offices and offices...

4.5. Charter on the succession to the throne

We, Peter I, Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, and so on and so forth and so on... We must take care of the integrity of our entire state, which, with the help of God, is now more widespread, as it seems to everyone; why we decided to make this charter, so that it would always be in the will of the ruling sovereign, whoever he wants, he will determine the inheritance, and ... seeing what obscenity, he will again cancel it, so that children and descendants do not fall into such anger, as is written above, having this rein on myself.

4.6. From the order of Catherine II of the commission for drawing up
new code

1767

Chapter 3

9. The sovereign is autocratic, for no other power than the power united in his person can act similarly to the space of such a great state.

11. Any other rule would not only be harmful to Russia, but also completely ruinous.

12. Another reason is that it is better to obey the laws under one master than to please many.

13. What is the pretext for autocratic rule? Not one to take away people’s natural freedom, but to direct their actions to obtain the greatest good from everyone.

15. The intention and end of autocratic rule is the glory of the citizens, the state and the sovereign.

Chapter 13

295. Agriculture cannot flourish here where no one has anything of their own.

296. This is based on a very simple rule: “Every person has more concern for his own than for what he may fear that another will take away.”

317. Trade is removed from there, where it is oppressed, and is established in a place where its peace is not disturbed...

Chapter 15

358. Farmers live in villages and hamlets, cultivate the land, from which the fruits that grow feed every condition of people, and this is their lot.

359. In the cities live burghers who practice crafts, trade, arts and sciences.

360. Nobility is a designation of honor that distinguishes from others those who are adorned with it.

363. Virtue with merit elevates to the degree of nobility.

364. Not only is it fitting for the nobility, but this nobility can also be acquired through civic virtues, as well as military virtues.

4.7. Letter of grant to the nobility