2 creation of the Supreme Privy Council. Supreme Privy Council
"Verkhovnikov's idea" and "Conditions"
Portrait of Anna Ioannovna on silk. 1732
Rejecting the married eldest daughter Tsar Ivan Alekseevich, Ekaterina, 8 members of the Council elected his youngest daughter Anna Ioannovna to the kingdom by 8 o'clock in the morning on January 19 (), who had lived in Courland for 19 years and had no favorites and parties in Russia, which means she suited everyone. Anna seemed to the nobles obedient and manageable, not prone to despotism.
Taking advantage of the situation, the leaders decided to limit the autocratic power, demanding that Anna sign certain conditions, so-called " Conditions". According to " conditions"real power in Russia passed to the Supreme Privy Council, and the role of the monarch for the first time was reduced to representative functions.
Conditions
Relying on the support of the guards, as well as the middle and petty nobility, Anna publicly broke " Conditions and his letter of acceptance.
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Higher advisory government agency Russia in 1726 30 (7 8 people). Created by Catherine I as an advisory body, in fact, it resolved the most important state issues. The accession to the throne of Catherine I after the death of Peter I caused ... ... Wikipedia
Higher state establishment of Russia in 1726-1730 (7 8 people). Created by Catherine I as an advisory body; actually solved the most important state issues. He tried to limit the autocracy in his favor, but was dissolved by Empress Anna ... ... Law Dictionary
SUPREME PRIVATE COUNCIL, the highest advisory state institution of Russia in 1726 30 (7 8 people, A.D. Menshikov, F.M. Apraksin, P.A. Tolstoy, etc.). Created by Catherine I. In fact, it solved the most important state issues. Tried to restrict... Modern Encyclopedia
The highest advisory state institution of Russia in 1726 30 (7 8 people). Created by Catherine I as an advisory body, in fact, it resolved the most important state issues. He tried to limit the autocracy in his favor, but was dissolved ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
SUPREME PRIVATE COUNCIL, the highest state institution of Russia in 1726 30 (7 8 members). Created by decree of Empress Catherine I dated February 8, 1726. Formally, it was an advisory body, in fact, it decided the most important state issues. Tried ... ... Russian history
The Supreme Privy Council was established - the highest advisory body under the Empress, which was in charge of the main state internal and external affairs of Russia.
After the death of Emperor Peter I in 1725, his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna ascended the throne, creating from among the associates of the late emperor the Supreme Privy Council, which was supposed to advise the empress on how to proceed when making state decisions. Collegiums were subordinated to the Council, and the role of the Senate was reduced, which was expressed, in particular, in renaming it from the “Governing Senate” to the “High Senate”.
The first composition of the Privy Council included seven people: A. D. Menshikov, F. M. Apraksin, G. I. Golovkin, P. A. Tolstoy, A. I. Osterman, D. M. Golitsyn and the son-in-law of the Empress Duke Karl Holstein .
Members of the Supreme secret council developed for Catherine I "an opinion not in a decree on the newly established Privy Council", which established the rights and functions of this body. It was assumed that all major decisions were to be accepted only by the Supreme Privy Council, and any imperial decree had to end with the phrase "given in the Privy Council." Matters passed to the Council foreign policy, army and navy, appointment of senior officials (including senators), control over the activities of the collegiums, financial management, control-investigative and supervisory functions.
Financial issues, which turned out to be at the center of the council's activities, were tried to be resolved in two directions: by streamlining the system of accounting and control over state revenues and expenditures and by saving money. The collection of poll tax and recruits was shifted from the army to civil authorities, military units withdrawn from countryside to the cities, and some of the officers from the nobility were sent on long holidays without payment of a monetary salary. In order to save money, members of the Council decided to liquidate a number of local institutions (court courts, offices of zemstvo commissars, waldmeister offices) and reduce the number of local employees. Some of the petty officials who did not have a class rank were deprived of their salaries.
The Supreme Privy Council lifted restrictions on trade in certain goods, canceled many restrictive duties and created favorable conditions for foreign merchants, in particular, the previously prohibited trade through the port of Arkhangelsk was allowed. In 1726, an alliance treaty was concluded with Austria, which for several decades determined the nature of Russia's policy in the international arena.
If under Catherine I the Council was an advisory body with broad powers, then under Peter II it concentrated all power in its hands. At first, Menshikov was in charge of the Soviet, but in September 1727 he was arrested and exiled to Siberia. After the death of Peter II in January 1730, the Supreme Privy Council invited Anna Ioannovna, Dowager Duchess of Courland, to the throne. At the same time, on the initiative of Golitsyn, it was decided to reform the political system of Russia by actually eliminating the autocracy and introducing a limited monarchy. To this end, the members of the Council suggested that the future empress sign special conditions - "Conditions", according to which she was deprived of the opportunity to independently make political decisions: make peace and declare war, appoint to government posts, change the taxation system.
The lack of unity among the supporters of the Supreme Privy Council, who were trying to limit the power of the empress, allowed Anna Ioannovna, who arrived in Moscow, to publicly break the "Conditions", relying on the support of the middle and small nobility and the guard.
By the Manifesto of March 4 (15), 1730, the Supreme Privy Council was abolished, and most of its members were sent into exile.
Lit .: Anisimov E. V. Russia without Peter: 1725-1740. SPb., 1994; Vyazemsky B. L. Supreme Privy Council. St. Petersburg, 1909; Ostrovsky V. Power in secret. How Russia was left without the House of Lords // Petersburg Diary. 2006. July 31 (No. 29 (88));Minutes of the Supreme Privy Council, 1726-1730 M., 1858;Filippov A.N. The history of the Senate during the reign of the Supreme Privy Council and the Cabinet. Yuriev, 1895; Filippov A. N. The Cabinet of Ministers and its comparison with the Supreme Privy Council: Speech delivered at the solemn meeting of the Imperial Yuryev University, December 12, 1897. Yuryev, 1898.
Supreme Privy Council Supreme Privy Council
the highest state institution of Russia in 1726-30 (7-8 people). Created by Empress Catherine I as an advisory body, in fact, it resolved the most important state issues. Disbanded by Empress Anna Ivanovna.
SUPREME PRIVATE COUNCILSUPREME PRIVATE COUNCIL - supreme body state power V Russian Empire (cm. RUSSIAN EMPIRE)(1726-1730); It was created by decree of Catherine I Alekseevna on February 8, 1726, formally as an advisory body to the Empress, in fact, it decided all the most important state affairs. During the accession of Empress Anna Ivanovna, the Supreme Privy Council tried to limit the autocracy in its favor, but was dissolved.
After the death of Emperor Peter I the Great (cm. PETER I the Great)(1725) his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna ascended the throne. She was not able to independently govern the state and created from among the most prominent associates of the late emperor the Supreme Privy Council, which was supposed to advise the empress what to do in this or that case. Gradually, the solution of all the most important domestic and foreign policy issues was included in the sphere of competence of the Supreme Privy Council. Collegiums were subordinated to him, and the role of the Senate was reduced, which was reflected, in particular, in the renaming from the "Governing Senate" to the "High Senate".
Initially, the Supreme Privy Council consisted of A.D. Menshikov, P.A. Tolstoy, A.I. Osterman, F.M. Apraksina, G.I. Golovkina, D.M. Golitsyn and Duke Karl Friedrich Holstein-Gottorp (son-in-law of the Empress, husband of Tsarina Anna Petrovna (cm. ANNA Petrovna)). A struggle for influence unfolded between them, in which A.D. won. Menshikov. Ekaterina Alekseevna agreed to the marriage of the heir to Tsarevich Peter with Menshikov's daughter. In April 1727 A.D. Menshikov achieved the disgrace of P.A. Tolstoy, Duke Karl-Friedrich was sent home. However, after the accession to the throne of Peter II Alekseevich (May 1727), A.D. Menshikov and the Supreme Privy Council included A.G. and V.L. Dolgorukovs, and in 1730 after the death of F.M. Apraksina - M.M. Golitsyn and V.V. Dolgorukov.
The internal policy of the Supreme Privy Council was aimed mainly at solving problems related to the socio-economic crisis that the country was experiencing after a long Northern war (cm. NORTHERN WAR 1700-1721) and reforms of Peter I, primarily in the financial sector. The members of the council ("supervisors") critically assessed the results of Peter's reforms, recognized the need to correct them in accordance with real opportunities countries. At the center of the activities of the Supreme Privy Council was financial question, which the leaders tried to solve in two directions: by streamlining the system of accounting and control of state revenues and expenditures and by saving money. The leaders discussed the issues of improving the systems of taxation created by Peter and government controlled, reduction of the army and navy and other measures aimed at replenishing the state budget. The collection of the poll tax and recruits was shifted from the army to the civil authorities, military units were withdrawn from the countryside to the cities, some of the officers from the nobility were sent on long vacations without payment of monetary salaries. The capital of the state was again moved to Moscow.
In order to save money, the leaders liquidated a number of local institutions (court courts, offices of zemstvo commissars, waldmeister offices), and reduced the number of local employees. Some of the petty officials who did not have a class rank were deprived of their salaries, and they were asked to "feed from their work." Along with this, the positions of voivods were restored. (cm. VOIVOD). The leaders tried to revive the inner and foreign trade, allowed previously prohibited trade through the port of Arkhangelsk, removed restrictions on trade in a number of goods, abolished many restrictive duties, created favorable conditions for foreign merchants, revised the protectionist customs tariff of 1724. In 1726, an alliance treaty was concluded with Austria, which for several decades determined Russia's behavior in the international arena.
In January 1730, after the death of Peter II ( cm. PETER II), the leaders invited the Dowager Duchess of Courland Anna Ivanovna to the Russian throne. At the same time, on the initiative of D. M. Golitsyn, it was decided to reform the political system of Russia by actually eliminating the autocracy and introducing a limited Swedish-style monarchy. To this end, the leaders suggested that the future empress sign special conditions - “conditions”, according to which she was deprived of the opportunity to independently make political decisions: make peace and declare war, appoint to government posts, change the taxation system. Real power passed to the Supreme Privy Council, whose composition was to be expanded by representatives of the highest officials, the generals and the aristocracy. The nobility as a whole supported the idea of limiting the absolute power of the autocrat. However, the negotiations between the leaders and Anna Ivanovna were conducted in secret, which aroused suspicion among the mass of nobles of a conspiracy to usurp power in the hands of aristocratic families represented in the Supreme Privy Council (Golitsyn, Dolgoruky). The lack of unity among the supporters of the leaders allowed Anna Ivanovna, who arrived in Moscow, relying on the guards and part of the court officials, to carry out a coup: on February 25, 1730, the empress broke the “conditions”, and on March 4, the Supreme Privy Council was abolished. Later, most of the members of the Supreme Privy Council (with the exception of Osterman and Golovkin, who did not support the Golitsyns and Dolgorukovs) were subjected to repression.
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The highest advisory state institution of Russia in 1726 30 (7 8 people). Created by Catherine I as an advisory body, in fact, it resolved the most important state issues. The accession to the throne of Catherine I after the death of Peter I caused ... ... Wikipedia
Higher state establishment of Russia in 1726-1730 (7 8 people). Created by Catherine I as an advisory body; actually solved the most important state issues. He tried to limit the autocracy in his favor, but was dissolved by Empress Anna ... ... Law Dictionary
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SUPREME PRIVATE COUNCIL, the highest state institution of Russia in 1726 30 (7 8 members). Created by decree of Empress Catherine I dated February 8, 1726. Formally, it was an advisory body, in fact, it decided the most important state issues. Tried ... ... Russian history
The highest advisory state institution of Russia in 1726 30 (7 8 people). Created by Catherine I as an advisory body, in fact, it resolved the most important state issues. He tried to limit the autocracy in his favor, but was dissolved ... ... Political science. Dictionary.
Supreme Privy Council- (English Supreme secret Council) in Russia in 1726 1730. the highest state institution, formed by the decree of Catherine I of February 8, 1726. Formally, V.t.s. had an advisory character, but actually decided all the most important state affairs. W.t.s. obeyed... ... Encyclopedia of Law
Supreme Privy Council- SUPREME PRIVATE COUNCIL, the highest advisory state institution of Russia in 1726 30 (7 8 people, A.D. Menshikov, F.M. Apraksin, P.A. Tolstoy, etc.). Created by Catherine I. In fact, it solved the most important state issues. Tried to restrict... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
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- The internal policy of Catherine I and the Supreme Privy Council, A. V. Demkin. The proposed work is the first modern times special monograph on the Supreme Privy Council. Established by the nominal decree of Catherine I of February 8, 1726, the Supreme Privy Council ...
Supreme Privy Council- the highest advisory state institution of Russia in 1726-1730 (7-8 people). Created by Catherine I as an advisory body, in fact, it resolved the most important state issues.
The accession to the throne of Catherine I after the death of Peter I caused the need for an institution that could explain the state of affairs to the empress and direct the direction of the government, for which Catherine did not feel capable. Such an institution was the Supreme Privy Council.
The decree on the establishment of the Council was issued in February 1726. Field Marshal General His Serene Highness Prince Menshikov, General Admiral Count Apraksin, State Chancellor Count Golovkin, Count Tolstoy, Prince Dimitri Golitsyn and Baron Osterman were appointed its members. A month later, the son-in-law of the Empress, the Duke of Holstein, was included in the number of members of the Supreme Privy Council, on whose zeal, as the Empress officially declared, "we can fully rely." Thus, the Supreme Privy Council was originally composed almost exclusively of the chicks of Petrov's nest; but already under Catherine I, one of them, Count Tolstoy, was ousted by Menshikov; under Peter II, Menshikov himself found himself in exile; Count Apraksin died; the duke of Holstein had long ceased to be in the council; of the original members of the Council, three remained - Golitsyn, Golovkin and Osterman.
Under the influence of the Dolgoruky, the composition of the Council changed: the predominance in it passed into the hands of the princely families of Dolgoruky and Golitsyn.
The Council was subordinated to the Senate and collegiums. The Senate, which began to be called "High" (and not "Governing"), was at first belittled to such an extent that it was decided to send him decrees not only from the Council, but even from his formerly equal Holy Synod. The Senate was deprived of the title of governing, and then they thought of taking this title away from the Synod as well. First, the Senate was titled "highly trusted", and then simply "high".
Under Menshikov, the Soviet tried to consolidate government power; ministers, as the members of the Council were called, and senators swore allegiance to the empress or to the regulations of the Supreme Privy Council. It was forbidden to execute decrees that were not signed by the Empress and the Council.
According to the will of Catherine I, during the childhood of Peter II, the Council was given power equal to that of the sovereign; only in the question of the order of succession the Council could not make changes. But the last clause of the testament of Catherine I was left without attention by the leaders when Anna Ioannovna was elected to the throne.
In 1730, after the death of Peter II, half of the 8 members of the Council were Dolgoruky (princes Vasily Lukich, Ivan Alekseevich, Vasily Vladimirovich and Alexei Grigorievich), who were supported by the Golitsyn brothers (Dmitry and Mikhail Mikhailovich). Dmitry Golitsyn drafted a constitution.
However, most of the Russian nobility, as well as members of the Supreme Privy Council Osterman and Golovkin, opposed the Dolgoruky plans. Upon arrival in Moscow on February 15 (26), 1730, Anna Ioannovna received from the nobility, headed by Prince Cherkassky, in which they asked her "to accept autocracy such as your laudable ancestors had." Relying on the support of the guards, as well as the middle and petty nobility, Anna publicly tore up the text of the conditions and refused to comply with them; By the Manifesto of March 4 (15), 1730, the Supreme Privy Council was abolished.
The fate of its members was different: Mikhail Golitsyn was dismissed and died almost immediately, his brother and three of the four Dolgoruky were executed during the reign of Anna Ioannovna. Only Vasily Vladimirovich Dolgoruky survived the repressions, returned from exile under Elizaveta Petrovna and appointed head of the military collegium. Golovkin and Osterman during the reign of Anna Ioannovna occupied the most important government posts. Osterman in 1740-1741 briefly became the de facto ruler of the country, but after another palace coup was exiled to Berezov, where he died.
Emperor Peter II
The accession of Peter II was prepared by a new court intrigue, not without the participation of the guards. Catherine, with Menshikov and her other followers, of course, wanted to leave the throne after herself to one of her daughters; but, according to the general opinion, the only legitimate heir of Peter the Great was his grandson Grand Duke Peter. Discord threatened between the supporters of the nephew and aunts, between the two families of Peter I from both of his wives - an eternal source of unrest in the state, where the royal court was like a serf manor. The cunning Osterman proposed a way to reconcile the sides that bristled at each other - to marry a 12-year-old nephew to a 17-year-old aunt Elizabeth, and to justify marriage in such a close relationship, he did not disdain such biblical considerations about the initial reproduction of the human race that even Catherine I bashfully covered this with her hand project. Foreign diplomats at the Russian court came up with a smarter world: Menshikov betrays his party, becomes his grandson and persuades the empress to appoint the Grand Duke as heir with the condition of marrying Menshikov’s daughter, a girl two years younger than Aunt Elizabeth.
In 1727, when Catherine fell dangerously ill shortly before her death, members of the highest government institutions gathered in the palace to resolve the issue of her successor: the Supreme Privy Council that arose under Catherine, the Senate, the Synod, and the presidents of the collegiums, but were invited to a meeting and majors of the guard, as if the guards officers were a special state corporation, without whose participation it was impossible to solve such important issue. This supreme meeting decidedly preferred the grandson to both daughters of Peter. With difficulty, Catherine agreed to appoint this grandson as her successor. It was said that just a few days before her death, she resolutely announced to Menshikov her desire to transfer the throne to her daughter, Elizabeth, and reluctantly yielded to the opposite side only when she was made to look like they would not otherwise vouch for the opportunity for her to reign calmly.
Before her death, a will was hastily drawn up, signed by Elizabeth instead of her sick mother. This “testament” was supposed to reconcile the hostile parties, adherents of both families of Peter I. Four persons were called to the throne in turn: the Grand Duke-grandson, Tsesarevna Anna and Elizabeth and Grand Duchess Natalya (Peter II’s sister), each person with their offspring, with their "descendents"; each subsequent person inherits the predecessor in the event of his descendant death. In the history of the succession to the throne, this testament is a meaningless act. After Peter II, who even without him was considered the legitimate heir, the throne was replaced in such an order that the most far-sighted testament would not have been able to foresee. But this testament has its place in the history of Russian legislation on succession to the throne, contributes to it, if not new normal, That new trend. Using the law of Peter I, it aimed to fill the void formed by this very law, made the first attempt to establish a permanent legal order of succession to the throne, to create a real basic law of the state: the testament itself defines itself as a basic law that has to remain in force forever, never subject to cancellation.
Therefore, the testament read in the solemn meeting of the royal family and the highest state institutions on May 7, 1727, the day after the death of Catherine I, can be recognized as the forerunner of the law on April 5, 1797 on the succession to the throne. For the history of Russian legislative thought, it would not be superfluous to note that the testament of Catherine I was compiled by the minister of the Duke of Holstein, Bassevich, who was then in St. Petersburg.
Supreme Privy Council.
Political reminiscences at home and foreign observations awakened in the ruling circles, if not the thought of public freedom, then at least thoughts of personal security. The accession of Catherine seemed a favorable moment in order to protect himself from arbitrariness, to strengthen his position in the management of reliable institutions. Proclaimed by the Senate not entirely legally, under pressure from the guards, Catherine sought support in people close to the throne at the moment of Peter's death. Here, most of all, they feared the strengthening of Menshikov's impudence, and from the very first days of the new reign there was talk of frequent gatherings of high-ranking nobility, the princes Golitsyn, Dolgoruky, Repnin, Trubetskoy, Count Apraksin; the purpose of these meetings is supposedly to achieve great influence in the board, so that the queen does not decide anything without the Senate.
The Senate itself, feeling like a government, hurried to stock up on reliable support and, immediately after the death of Peter, tried to appropriate the command of the guard. Observant french ambassador Campredon, already in January 1726, informed his court that most of the nobles in Russia were striving to moderate the despotic power of the empress. And, without waiting for the Grand Duke Peter, the grandson of the reformer, to grow up and reign, people who expect to subsequently receive an influential share in the government will try to arrange it according to the English model. But Catherine's supporters were also thinking about self-defense measures: already in May 1725, there was a rumor about the intention to establish a close council at the tsarina's office from her intimate unborn friends with Menshikov at the head, which, standing above the Senate, would decide the most important matters. The Cabinet Council did show up, only with the wrong composition and character. During the life of Peter the Ladoga Canal was not dug up. At the end of 1725, Munnich, who was digging it, demanded 15,000 soldiers from the Senate to complete the job. A heated debate broke out in the Senate. Menshikov spoke out against Munnich's demand, finding such work harmful and unsuitable for soldiers. Others insisted on sending as the cheapest way to cum useful work bequeathed by Peter the Great. When the opposing senators had talked enough, Menshikov stood up and ended the dispute with an unexpected statement that no matter how the Senate decided, but by the will of the empress, not a single soldier would be sent to the canal this year. The senators were offended and murmured, indignant, why the prince forced them to argue for no reason for so long, instead of forestalling the debate with this statement at the very beginning of the matter, and why he alone enjoys the privilege of knowing the will of the empress. Some threatened to stop going to the Senate. A rumor spread around the capital that disgruntled nobles were thinking of enthroning Grand Duke Peter, limiting his power. Tolstoy settled the quarrel with a deal with the dissatisfied, which resulted in the Supreme Privy Council, established by decree on February 8, 1726. This institution wanted to calm the offended feeling of the old nobility, removed from the supreme administration by unborn upstarts.
A. Charleman.Emperor Peter II in Petersburg
The Supreme Privy Council was composed of six members; five of them with the foreigner Osterman belonged to the new nobility (Menshikov, Tolstoy, Golovkin, Apraksin), but the sixth was adopted by the most prominent representative of the noble boyars - Prince D. M. Golitsyn. According to the decree of February 8, the Supreme Privy Council is not a completely new institution: it was made up of real privy councilors who, as "first ministers", in their position already had frequent secret councils on the most important state affairs, consisting of senators, and three, Menshikov , Apraksin and Golovkin, and also the presidents of the main boards: Military, Naval and Foreign. Eliminating the inconvenience of such "busy work", the decree turned their frequent meetings into a permanent office with exemption from senatorial duties.
The members of the Council submitted an "opinion" to the Empress in several points, which was approved as the regulations of the new institution. The Senate and collegiums were placed under the supervision of the Council, but remained with their old statutes; only matters of particular importance, not provided for in them or subject to the highest decision, that is, requiring new laws, they had to transfer their opinion to the Council. This means that the Senate retained administrative power within the limits of the current law, losing legislative power. The council operates under the chairmanship of the empress herself and is inseparable from the supreme power; it is not a "special collegium", but, as it were, an extension of the sole supreme power into a collegiate form. Further, the regulations decreed that no decrees should be issued before they were “absolutely taken place” in the Privy Council, were recorded and read to the Empress “for approbation”.
These two points are the main idea of the new institution; everything else is just technical details that develop it. In these paragraphs: 1) the supreme power renounced sole action in the manner of legislation, and this eliminated intrigues, approaches to it in secret ways, temporary work, favoritism in management; 2) a clear distinction was made between a law and a mere order according to current affairs, between acts, the change of which deprived the management of the nature of regularity. Now no important matter could be reported to the Empress apart from the Supreme Privy Council, no law could be promulgated without prior discussion and decision in the Supreme Privy Council.
To foreign ambassadors at the Russian court, this Council seemed to be the first step towards a change in the form of government. But it was not the form that changed, but the essence of government, the nature of the supreme power: while retaining its titles, it turned from a personal will into a state institution. However, in some acts the title of autocrat also disappears. Someone, however, was frightened, guessing what was going on, and the decree of the next, 1727, year, as if explaining the main idea of the institution, obscures it with reservations, minor details, even direct contradictions. Thus, ordering any legislative matter to be submitted to the Council in advance for discussion and promises not to accept “particular reports” on such cases from anyone, the decree casually stipulated: “Is it really from us that it will be commanded to do something particular and especially.”
This reservation destroyed the institution itself. But the initiative was made; the importance of the Supreme Privy Council seemed to be growing. The will of Catherine I introduced him to the regency under her young successor and gave him the full power of an autocratic sovereign. However, with all this power, the Council was completely powerless before the whims of the bad boy-emperor and the arbitrariness of his favorites. The need to regulate the supreme power, which had manifested itself under Catherine I, should now intensify in decent people from the tribal nobility, who expected so much from Peter II and were so insultingly deceived.
After the enthronement after the death of Peter I, his wife Catherine I, power was concentrated in the hands of Prince AD Menshikov. The latter tried in every possible way to reduce the role of the Senate, and on the other hand, he was forced to make an agreement with other "chicks of Petrov's nest."
By the decree of Catherine I of February 8, 1726, the Supreme Privy Council was established, which actually assumed the functions of the Senate, which, according to Peter I, during his absence carried out top management country. The members of the Council formally had to give the Empress "secret advice on political and other important state affairs." The Senate, which was no longer called the Governing, but the High, as well as the colleges, were placed in a subordinate position to the Council, in which all the main levers of power in the empire were now concentrated. All decrees were sealed not only by the signature of the Empress, but also by the members of the Council.
Menshikov obtained from Catherine I that before her death she made a clause in her will that during the infancy of Peter II the Council received the same power as the reigning monarch (in fact, a collective regency was established), while the Council was forbidden to make any changes in the order of succession to the throne .
In area domestic policy The activity of the Council was focused on solving, first of all, financial, economic and social problems associated with the crisis in which Russia was in last years the reign of Peter I. The Council considered it a consequence of Peter's reforms, and therefore intended to correct them in a more traditional way for Russia (for example, the country's capital was returned to Moscow). IN current practice The Council tried to streamline the system of accounting and control of public finances, as well as reduce costs and find additional ways replenishment of the state budget, including a reduction in spending on the army, a reduction in the officer corps, etc. At the same time, the row established by Peter was liquidated, the number of officials was reduced. At the same time, to attract foreign merchants, whole line trade restrictions, incl. revised protectionist customs tariff of 1724
Composition of the Council
The empress took over the chairmanship of the Council, and its members were appointed:
Field Marshal General His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov,
Admiral General Count Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin,
State Chancellor Count Gavriil Ivanovich Golovkin,
Active Privy Councilor Count Pyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy,
Acting Privy Councilor Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Golitsyn
Vice-Chancellor Baron Andrey Ivanovich Osterman.
The composition of the Council changed: in March 1726, Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp, married to the daughter of the Empress, Princess Anna Petrovna, was introduced into its composition.
The most serious changes in the composition of the Council occurred in connection with the death of Catherine I. Due to disagreements over her heir, Count Tolstoy in May 1727 was sentenced to death penalty(with a reference replaced), and after the ascension to the presto of Peter II, the Duke of Holstein-Gottorp withdrew from participation in the Council.
In 1727, Princes Alexei Grigoryevich and Vasily Lukich Dolgorukov, who enjoyed the support of Peter II, Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn, Field Marshal and President of the Military Collegium, were introduced to the Council in 1727, and Field Marshal General Prince Vasily Vladimirovich Dolgorukov in 1828. Thanks to the intrigues of the Dolgorukovs and Osterman, Menshikov was sent into exile on September 7, 1727, and Peter II announced that from now on all instructions would come only from him. In November 1828 Count Apraksin died.
Enthronement of Anna Ioannovna
After the death in January 1730 of Emperor Peter II in Russia, where power was completely controlled by the "supreme leaders", a succession crisis arose. Seven members of the Council, as well as the favorite of Peter II, Prince Ivan Alekseevich Dolgorukov (son of a member of the Council Alexei Grigorievich), took part in deciding on the succession to the throne.
On 18 (29) January, meetings of the Council began to determine the heir. The candidacy of the eldest daughter of Tsar John Alekseevich Catherine, who was married to the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Her younger sister Anna Ioanovna, the Dowager Duchess of Courland, who did not have strong support at court, or even in Courland, became a compromise candidate. By 8 o'clock in the morning on January 19 (30), the decision was made, only Prince A.G. Dolgorukov opposed her election. Simultaneously with the proposal elected Duchess Anna, Prince D.M. Golitsyn suggested that her power be limited by a number of conditions written in the "Condition". In accordance with them, the empress, upon accession to the throne, had to undertake to maintain the Supreme Privy Council, which consisted of 8 people, and at the same time in the future without its consent: not to start a war; do not make peace; not introduce new taxes; not to promote to ranks (to the court, civil and military) older than the colonel, and to transfer the guards and the army under the control of the Council; do not favor estates and estates. In addition, the Council had to approve all sentences to deprive the nobles of life, property or dignity, and also received full control over state revenues and expenditures. Later, Prince D.M. Golitsyn wrote a draft constitution, according to which the rule of the highest aristocracy was established in Russia with the limited power of the monarch, which provided for the creation, incl. representative institutions. This plan, however, was not approved by the Council, without reaching an agreement, the “supervisors” decided to submit the issue for consideration by the nobility gathered in Moscow (the future Legislative Commission). Various groups came up with their own projects (all implied the restriction of the monarchy), but not a single one was supported by the Council.
Prince V.V. opposed the "Conditions". Dolgorukov, Baron A.I. Osterman and Count G.I. Golovkin. However, their opinion was not taken into account and Prince V.L. Dolgorukov with "Conditions" on January 20 (31) left for Mitava to the Duchess Anna. On January 28 (February 8), Anna Ioanovna signed the "Conditions", after which she left for Moscow.
She arrived in the capital on February 15 (26), where she took the oath of high officials and troops in the Assumption Cathedral. swore allegiance to the sovereign. The fight between the factions turned into new stage: the “supreme” tried to achieve official confirmation (“Conditions” were only a preliminary document, an “agreement of intent”), and the group opposing them (A.I. Osterman, P.I. Yaguzhinsky and others), which enjoyed the support of ordinary nobility, advocated a return to autocratic monarchy.
February 25 (March 7) large group nobles filed a petition to Anna Ioannovna with a request to reconsider - together with the nobility - the future structure of the country. Anna Ioanovna signed the petition, after which, after a 4-hour meeting, the nobility filed a new one, in which they advocated the restoration of autocracy. The “Supreme” who did not expect such a turn of events were forced to agree, and Anna Ioannovna publicly tore up the “Conditions” and her letter in which she had previously agreed to their adoption.
Liquidation of the Council
By the Manifesto of March 4 (15), 1730, the Council was abolished, and the Senate was restored to its former rights. Representatives of the Dolgorukov family, as the most actively involved in the conspiracy, were arrested: I.A. and A.G. The Dolgorukovs were sent into exile, V.L. Dolgorukov - executed. The remaining members of the Council formally did not suffer, Prince V.V. Dolgorukov was arrested only in 1731, Prince D.M. Golitsyn - in 1736; Prince M.M. Golitsyn died in December 1730. G.I.
Golovkin and A.I. Osterman not only retained their posts, but began to enjoy the favor of the new empress.
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Ganin Andrei Vladislavovich
Doctor of Historical Sciences
After the death of Peter I, the system of state administration he created was preserved with minor changes.
After the death of Peter I, the task was reaching a compromise between Peter's nominees and conservatives.
In 1726 the Supreme Privy Council was formed, which began to act according to the type of the Boyar Duma. It included: His Serene Highness Prince A. D. Menshikov, Admiral F. M. Apraksin, Chancellor G. I. Golovkin, Count P. A. Tolstoy, Prince D. M. Golitsyn, A. I. Osterman.
The Supreme Council ruled the country during the reign of Catherine I (1725-1727) and Peter II (1727-1730). Under the conditions of the reign of the minor Peter II, the Supreme Privy Council actually controlled the empire. Its functions:
Leadership of the Senate;
Approval of all decrees of the emperor.
In 1727, the composition of the Supreme Privy Council changed: the nominees of Peter I, Menshikov and Tolstoy, were sent into exile, having stained themselves with corruption and bloody searches. Instead, the Council included princes VL and AG Dolgorukie, representatives of the old boyar aristocracy. The main ideologist of the Supreme Council was Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Golitsyn, a supporter of the executed Tsarevich Alexei, who spoke out against Peter's absolutism.
Activities of the Supreme Privy Council:
1) adopted laws to reduce taxes, weakened the police system introduced by Peter I, liquidated the Secret Chancellery - the main body of political investigation.
2) In 1727, the system of local government was reorganized: there was a reduction in the bureaucracy; the court and the collection of taxes were entrusted to the governors.
In the future, members of the Supreme Privy Council planned to reform the system of state administration and limit autocracy. After the sudden death of young Peter II in 1730, the Supreme Privy Council did not allow a vacuum of power and elected Anna, the niece of Peter I, Dowager Duchess of Courland, to the throne. . However, the nobility opposed the rise of the oligarchs and the creation of oligarchic rule in Russia. Under the leadership of the Prosecutor General P. Yaguzhinsky, the nobles appealed to Anna Ioannovna with a protest, and the Empress broke the conditions the next day after they were signed. Conditions were the first draft of the Russian constitution, and a constitutional monarchy in Russia in 1730 it existed for one day.
Under Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740), the Privy Council was transformed into the Supreme Cabinet of Ministers and lost most of its powers.
In 1741, under Elizabeth Petrovna, the Supreme Cabinet was abolished.
The main opponent of the Privy Council was the nobility, who sought to obtain as many privileges as possible.
Stages of the rise of Moscow | The folding of the public administration system in the XIV-pp. 16th century | Zemsky Sobors: composition, mechanism of work, functions.
| Characteristics of the command system. | Local government at the end of the XVI century. | Features of public administration in p.p. 17th century | Legal basis Russian state in the 17th century | Changes in the administrative apparatus, public service and the organization of estates in Russia in the 17th century. | Prerequisites for the transformation of the system of power in the first quarter of the XVIII century. | Organization public service and estates. |mybiblioteka.su - 2015-2018. (0.007 sec)
Supreme Privy Council- the highest advisory state institution of Russia in 1726-1730 (7-8 people).
Created by Catherine I as an advisory body, in fact, it resolved the most important state issues.
The accession to the throne of Catherine I after the death of Peter I caused the need for an institution that could explain the state of affairs to the empress and direct the direction of the government, for which Catherine did not feel capable. Such an institution was the Supreme Privy Council.
The decree on the establishment of the Council was issued in February 1726. Field Marshal General His Serene Highness Prince Menshikov, General Admiral Count Apraksin, State Chancellor Count Golovkin, Count Tolstoy, Prince Dimitri Golitsyn and Baron Osterman were appointed its members. A month later, the son-in-law of the Empress, the Duke of Holstein, was included in the number of members of the Supreme Privy Council, on whose zeal, as the Empress officially declared, "we can fully rely." Thus, the Supreme Privy Council was originally composed almost exclusively of the chicks of Petrov's nest; but already under Catherine I, one of them, Count Tolstoy, was ousted by Menshikov; under Peter II, Menshikov himself found himself in exile; Count Apraksin died; the duke of Holstein had long ceased to be in the council; of the original members of the Council, three remained - Golitsyn, Golovkin and Osterman.
Under the influence of the Dolgoruky, the composition of the Council changed: the predominance in it passed into the hands of the princely families of Dolgoruky and Golitsyn.
The Council was subordinated to the Senate and collegiums. The Senate, which began to be called "High" (and not "Governing"), was at first belittled to such an extent that it was decided to send decrees to it not only from the Council, but even from the Holy Synod, which was formerly equal to it. The Senate was deprived of the title of governing, and then they thought of taking this title away from the Synod as well. First, the Senate was titled "highly trusted", and then simply "high".
Under Menshikov, the Soviet tried to consolidate government power; ministers, as the members of the Council were called, and senators swore allegiance to the empress or to the regulations of the Supreme Privy Council. It was forbidden to execute decrees that were not signed by the Empress and the Council.
According to the will of Catherine I, during the childhood of Peter II, the Council was given power equal to that of the sovereign; only in the question of the order of succession the Council could not make changes. But the last clause of the testament of Catherine I was left without attention by the leaders when Anna Ioannovna was elected to the throne.
In 1730, after the death of Peter II, half of the 8 members of the Council were Dolgoruky (princes Vasily Lukich, Ivan Alekseevich, Vasily Vladimirovich and Alexei Grigorievich), who were supported by the Golitsyn brothers (Dmitry and Mikhail Mikhailovich). Dmitry Golitsyn drafted a constitution.
However, most of the Russian nobility, as well as members of the Supreme Privy Council Osterman and Golovkin, opposed the Dolgoruky plans. Upon arrival in Moscow on February 15 (26), 1730, Anna Ioannovna received from the nobility, headed by Prince Cherkassky, in which they asked her "to accept autocracy such as your laudable ancestors had." Relying on the support of the guards, as well as the middle and petty nobility, Anna publicly tore up the text of the conditions and refused to comply with them; By the Manifesto of March 4 (15), 1730, the Supreme Privy Council was abolished.
The fate of its members was different: Mikhail Golitsyn was dismissed and died almost immediately, his brother and three of the four Dolgoruky were executed during the reign of Anna Ioannovna. Only Vasily Vladimirovich Dolgoruky survived the repressions, returned from exile under Elizaveta Petrovna and appointed head of the military collegium. Golovkin and Osterman during the reign of Anna Ioannovna occupied the most important government posts. Osterman in 1740-1741 briefly became the de facto ruler of the country, but after another palace coup, he was exiled to Berezov, where he died.
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The Supreme Privy Council - the highest advisory state institution of the Russian Empire in 1726-1730. consisting of 7-8 people. Created by Empress Catherine I as an advisory body, in fact, it resolved the most important state issues. Key positions in it were held by A.D. Menshikov.
In 1730, after the death of Peter II, half of the 8 members of the Council were the Dolgorukovs (princes Vasily Lukich, Ivan Alekseevich, Vasily Vladimirovich and Alexei Grigorievich), who were supported by the Golitsyn brothers (Dmitry and Mikhail Mikhailovich). Dmitry Golitsyn drafted a constitution.
However, part of the Russian nobility, as well as members of the Supreme Privy Council Osterman and Golovkin, opposed the plans of the Dolgorukovs.
Having rejected the married eldest daughter of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich, Catherine, 8 members of the Council elected his youngest daughter Anna Ioannovna to the kingdom by 8 o'clock in the morning on January 19 (30), who had lived in Courland for 19 years and had no favorites and parties in Russia, which means that arranged for everyone. Anna seemed to the nobles obedient and manageable, not prone to despotism.
Taking advantage of the situation, the leaders decided to limit the autocratic power, demanding that Anna sign certain conditions, the so-called "Conditions". According to the "Conditions", real power in Russia passed to the Supreme Privy Council, and the role of the monarch for the first time was reduced to representative functions.
On January 28 (February 8), 1730, Anna signed the “Conditions”, according to which, without the Supreme Privy Council, she could not declare war or make peace, introduce new taxes and taxes, spend the treasury at her own discretion, promote to ranks higher than a colonel, grant estates, to deprive a nobleman of his life and property without trial, to marry, to appoint an heir to the throne.
On February 15 (26), 1730, Anna Ioannovna solemnly entered Moscow, where the troops and the highest officials of the state swore allegiance to the empress in the Assumption Cathedral. In the new form of the oath, some of the former expressions that meant autocracy were excluded, but there were no expressions that would mean new form reign, and, most importantly, no mention was made of the rights of the Supreme Privy Council and the conditions confirmed by the empress. The change consisted in the fact that they swore allegiance to the empress and the fatherland.
The struggle of the two parties in relation to the new state structure continued. The leaders sought to convince Anna to confirm their new powers. Supporters of autocracy (A.I. Osterman, Feofan Prokopovich, P.I.
Yaguzhinsky, A.D. Kantemir) and wide circles of the nobility wanted to revise the “Conditions” signed in Mitau. The ferment arose primarily from dissatisfaction with the strengthening of a narrow group of members of the Supreme Privy Council.
On February 25 (March 7), 1730, a large group of nobility (according to various sources, from 150 to 800), including many guard officers, appeared at the palace and submitted a petition to Anna Ioannovna. The petition expressed a request to the empress, together with the nobility, to reconsider a form of government that would be pleasing to all the people. Anna hesitated, but her sister Ekaterina Ioannovna decisively forced the Empress to sign the petition. Representatives of the nobility conferred for a short time and at 4 pm filed a new petition, in which they asked the empress to accept full autocracy, and to destroy the clauses of the “Conditions”.
When Anna asked the bewildered leaders for their approval of the new conditions, they only nodded their heads in agreement. As a contemporary notes: “It is their happiness that they did not move then; if they showed even the slightest disapproval of the verdict of the nobility, the guardsmen would have thrown them out the window.
Relying on the support of the guards, as well as the middle and small nobility, Anna publicly tore up the “Conditions” and her letter of acceptance.
On March 1 (12), 1730, the people for the second time swore an oath to Empress Anna Ioannovna on the terms of complete autocracy.
