The kings of Russia. The history of the kings of Russia. The Last Tsar of Russia

The traditional form of government in Russia is the monarchy. Once part of this large country was part of Kievan Rus: the main cities (Moscow, Vladimir, Veliky Novgorod, Smolensk, Ryazan) were founded by princes, descendants of the half-legendary Rurik. Hence the first ruling dynasty called the Rurik. But they wore the title of princes, the kings of Russia appeared much later.

The period of Kievan Rus

Initially, the ruler of Kiev was considered the Grand Duke of all Rus. Specific princes paid him tribute, obeyed him, exhibited squads during the military campaign. Later, when the period of feudal fragmentation (the eleventh to the fifteenth century) came, there was no single state. But all the same it was the throne of Kiev itself that was desired for all, although it had lost its former influence. The invasion of the Mongol-Tatar army and the establishment by Batu of the Golden Horde deepened the isolation of each principality: on their territory, separate countries - Ukraine, Belarus and Russia - began to be formed. On the modern Russian territory, the most influential cities were Vladimir and Novgorod (it did not suffer at all from the invasion of nomads).

History of the Kings of Russia

The Prince of Vladimir Ivan Kalita, enlisting the support of the great Uzbek khan (with whom he had good relations), moved the political and ecclesiastical capital to Moscow. Over time, the Grand Dukes of Moscow united other Russian lands near their city: the Novgorod and Pskov republics became part of a single state. It was then that the kings of Russia appeared - for the first time such a title was worn by Ivan the Terrible. Although there is a legend that the royal regalia were handed over to the rulers of this land much earlier. It is believed that 1 tsar of Russia is Vladimir Monomakh, who was crowned by Byzantine customs.

Ivan the Terrible - the first autocrat in Russia

So, the first kings of Russia appeared with the coming to power of John the Terrible (1530-1584). He was the son of Basil III and Helen Glinsky. Becoming a Moscow prince very early, he began to implement reforms, encouraged self-government at the local level. However, he abolished the Elected Grace and began to rule himself. The reign of the monarch was very strict, and even dictatorial. The rout of Novgorod, the excesses in Tver, Klin and Torzhok, the oprichnina, protracted wars led to a socio-political crisis. But the international influence of the new kingdom also increased, and its borders expanded.

Transition of the Russian throne

With the death of Ivan the Terrible's son - Fyodor the First - the dynasty of the Rurikites ceased . The Godunov dynasty reigned on the throne. Boris Godunov even during the life of Fedor the First had a great influence on the tsar (his sister Irina Feodorovna was the wife of the monarch) and actually ruled the country. But Boris's son - Fyodor II - did not manage to keep power in his hands. The time of troubles began, and the country was managed for some time by False Dmitry, Vasily Shuisky, Semiboyarschina and the Zemsky soviet. Then on the throne Romanovs reigned.

The great dynasty of the kings of Russia - Romanovs

The beginning of the new imperial dynasty was put by Mikhail Fedorovich, who was elected to the throne by the Zemsky Sobor. This ends the historical period, called the Troubles. The Romanovs' house is the descendants of the great tsar who ruled in Russia until 1917 and the overthrow of the monarchy in the country.

Mikhail Fedorovich resembled an old Russian noble family, who bore the Romanov surname from the middle of the sixteenth century. The ancestor of him is a certain Andrei Ivanovich Kobyl, whose father came to Russia either from Lithuania or from Prussia. There is an opinion that he was from Novgorod. Five sons of Andrei Kobyl founded seventeen noble families. The representative of the clan - Anastasia Romanovna Zakharina - was the wife of Ivan IV the Terrible, to whom the newly-born monarch was a grand-nephew.

The tsars of Russia from the Romanovs' house have stopped the Troubles in the country, than they deserve the love and respect of the common people. Mikhail Fedorovich at the time of election to the throne was young and inexperienced. At first, the great elder Martha and Patriarch Filaret helped him to rule , so the Orthodox Church significantly strengthened its position. The reign of the first tsar from the Romanov dynasty is characterized by the beginning of progress. The first newspaper appeared in the country (it was issued by its clerks specially for the monarch), international ties were strengthened, factories (iron-smelting, iron-making and weapons-making) were being built and working, foreign specialists were being attracted. Centralized power is strengthening, new territories are joining Russia. His wife gave Mikhail Fedorovich ten children, one of whom inherited the throne.

From kings to emperors. Peter the Great

In the eighteenth century, Peter the Great transformed his kingdom into an empire. Therefore in history all the names of the kings of Russia who ruled after him were already used with the title of emperor.

A great reformer and an outstanding politician, he did a lot for the prosperity of Russia. The board began with a fierce struggle for the throne: his father, Alexei Mikhailovich, had a very numerous offspring. First he ruled with his brother Ivan and the regent princess Sophia, but their relationship did not add up. Eliminating the other pretenders to the throne, Peter began to rule the state alone. Then he began military campaigns to ensure Russia's access to the sea, built the first fleet, reorganized the army, recruiting foreign specialists. If the great tsars of Russia had not paid enough attention to the education of their subjects, the emperor Peter the Great personally sent noblemen to study abroad, brutally suppressing dissenters. His country, he remade the European pattern, as he traveled a lot and saw how people live there.

Nikolay Romanov - the last king

The last Russian emperor was Nikolai II. He received a good education and very strict upbringing. His father - Alexander the Third - was demanding: from his sons he expected not so much obedience, as much reason, strong faith in God, hunting for work, especially did not tolerate the denunciations of children against each other. The future ruler served in the Preobrazhensky regiment, so he knew well what the army and military affairs are. During his reign, the country actively developed: the economy, industry, agriculture reached the peak of their heyday. The last tsar of Russia actively participated in international politics, conducted a reform in the country, shortening the term of service in the army. But he also conducted his own military campaigns.

The fall of the monarchy in Russia. October Revolution

In February 1917, unrest began in Russia, particularly in the capital. The country at that time took part in the First World War. Wanting to end the contradictions at home, the emperor, while at the front, abdicated in favor of his young son, and several days later did the same in the name of Tsarevich Alexei, instructing his brother to rule. But the Grand Duke Michael refused such honor: the insurgent Bolsheviks had already put pressure on him. Upon his return to his homeland, the last tsar of Russia was arrested along with his family and sent into exile. On the night of 17 to 18 July of the same year 1917, the monarchy, along with a servant who did not want to leave her sovereigns, was shot. Also, all the representatives of the Romanovs' house that were left in the country were destroyed. Some managed to emigrate to Great Britain, France, America, and their descendants still live there.

Will there be a revival of the monarchy in Russia?

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many began to talk about the revival of the monarchy in Russia. At the place of execution of the royal family - where Ipatiev's house in Yekaterinburg used to stand (in the basement of the building, a death sentence was imposed), a temple was constructed dedicated to the memory of the innocently murdered. In August 2000, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church ranked everyone to the saints, affirming their memory on the fourth of July. But many believers disagree with this: a voluntary abdication is considered a sin, since the priests blessed the kingdom.

In 2005, the descendants of Russian autocrats held a council in Madrid. Then they sent a request to the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation to rehabilitate the house of the Romanovs. However, they were not recognized as victims of political repression due to a lack of official data. This is a criminal offense, not a political one. But representatives of the Russian imperial house do not agree with this and continue to appeal the verdict, hoping to restore historical justice.

But whether a monarchy of modern Russia is needed is a question for the people. History will put everything in its place. In the meantime, people honor the memory of members of the royal family cruelly shot during the Red Terror and pray for their souls.