The Age of Palace Coups: Briefly on the Causes and Consequences

The era of domestic coups, briefly described below, is often called the "golden age of women's government." At the same time, this is a series of brutal conspiracies and overthrows. What were the causes of such phenomena? What happened after that? Who were the main actors? Now we'll find out.

The era of palace coups: briefly about the causes and features of the period

So, palace coups are a change of monarchs as a result of some conspiracy or similar action. Distinctive features are: the active participation of the guards, that is, on whose side the military power ultimately turns out, usually wins, as well as participation in coups of a narrow circle of persons. That is, agitation was minimized as much as possible. As for the reasons, there are several. The main one is the publication by Peter the Great of the decree on succession to the throne. Its essence was that the monarch, who rules, can unveil the name of his successor without any pressure from him. The era of palace coups, a summary of which can be found in any training manual, originates from the very moment when the first emperor dies, without naming the name of the next monarch. This became a fundamental component of all other subsequent events.

The era of palace coups: briefly about succeeding monarchs

The successor of Peter the Great is his wife - Catherine. She was not very worried about the state problems, for this purpose she created a special body - the Supreme Privy Council. Catherine was in power for a short time - only two years. The grandson of Peter the Great came to replace him - Peter the Second. The struggle for his entourage was conducted seriously, and the princes Dolgoruky won in it. But even this young creature dies. Now comes the time of Anna Ioannovna. For ten years, the country falls into the "Bironovshchina" - this is the period when the German favorites of the empress actually ruled the state. At the very beginning, she zealously broke the condition and dissolved the governing body created by Catherine the First. After it, the throne passes into the hands of very dubious personalities, the so-called Braunschweig dynasty. Anna Leopoldovna was a regent under the young Ivan, but could not stay there more than 9 months. As a consequence, another coup. And then Elizabeth Petrovna ascends to the throne. The Guards provided enormous support to the new Empress, and she firmly occupied the throne for 20 years: this time can be called the heyday of Russian society in all its understandings. After her, Peter III gets the power, a little-headed young man who was a fan of all Prussian. It is no accident that the era of palace coups is the one that was committed in 1762, when Russia began to rule Catherine II. That's who really stayed there for a long time and brought the country to a new level with its enlightened policy.

Thus, the era of palace coups, briefly referred to above, was a turning point in Russian history. The people adequately withstood all these conspiracies and entered a new century a strong power.