Sovereign Alexey Mikhailovich. Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov - biography

Biography, life story of Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov

Childhood, accession to the throne

Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (Quiet) was born on March 29 (19), 1629 in Moscow. Father - (Mikhail I), mother - Evdokia Lukyanovna Streshneva. Alexey studied from spiritual and other books from his home library, including the latest scientific ones. The training took place under the guidance of the “guy” - Morozov B.I. The Tsar ascended the throne at the age of 16; he had a bright character, responsive to the grief and joy of others. The Tsar read a lot, was the smartest and most educated man of his age.

Marriage, Morozov's intrigues

The intrigues and abuses of the boyars caused the “Salt Riot” and unrest in the cities. The reason was the intrigues of B.I. Morozov, as a result of which the tsar married Maria Miloslavskaya, and Morozov himself became related to the tsar by marrying her sister Anna. Morozov gained influence and power. The abuses of the Miloslavskys and Morozov caused riots among the population. The tsar pacified the riots and alienated the unwanted boyars and Morozov himself.

Church reform of Patriarch Nikon

Needing an adviser and friend, Alexey Mikhailovich brought Patriarch Nikon closer to him, whom he instructed to carry out church reform. Three-finger baptism was introduced in Rus', icons and church books were corrected according to Greek customs. Nikon received great power and decided to share it with the king, meaning the primacy of the church, but the king did not agree and alienated Nikon. Nikon retired to the monastery voluntarily and resigned from his duties as patriarch. Nikon began to be judged by the Church Council for leaving the church without the permission of the tsar. He was condemned to eternal imprisonment in a monastery. At the same time, church reform was supported and a split occurred in the church. Opponents of the reform began to be called Old Believers and their persecution began, they were threatened with burning.

Reunification of Ukraine with Russia

In 1648, the Tsar reformed the army, and many European military specialists were hired. In 1653, war was declared on Poland. The failure at Smolensk and the surrender of this city, as well as subsequent events, led to the Vilna Truce with Poland. The unsuccessful war in Livonia ended with the Peace of Kardis. Troubles began in Little Russia and a new war with Poland. Poland refused to recognize the Russian Tsar as heir to the Polish throne. Internal unrest in the lands of Poland and the betrayal of Hetman Doroshenko, who became a citizen of the Turkish Sultan, forced Poland to conclude a peace beneficial to Russia. Alexey Mikhailovich returned Smolensk and acquired the left side of the Dnieper. This peace in the village of Andrusovo was a major achievement; there was a reunification of parts of Ukraine and Russia.

CONTINUED BELOW

A monetary reform was carried out and new monetary units were introduced. From the thalers available in the treasury, rubles and copper fifty rubles were minted. Taxes began to be collected in silver, and payments were made from the treasury in copper money. As a result of this, a copper riot occurred; peasants and merchants refused to sell goods for copper. Soon copper coins were completely withdrawn from circulation.

After the war with Poland, a Cossack rebellion broke out. robbed a large caravan of the guest and moved to Yaik, began to rob Persian ships. They stopped him in Astrakhan, where he confessed. The rebellion did not end there; it moved again to the Volga and took Tsaritsyn, Saratov, Astrakhan, Samara and many populated areas. They defeated him near Simbirsk, Baryatinsky led the pacification. He was executed in Moscow in 1671.

Internal unrest began on the Solovetsky Islands in the monastery. The monks refused to correct church books. The rebels were hanged after stubborn resistance in the besieged monastery.

War with Turkey

After the uprising there was a war with Turkey. Hetman Bryukhovetsky betrayed Moscow, events began in Little Russia, which led to a war with the Turkish Sultan. It lasted until 1681, after the death of Alexei Mikhailovich, and ended in peace for 20 years.

Since the late 40s, the development of Siberia was carried out, then the cities of Nerchinsk, Irkutsk, and Seleginsk were founded. Alexey Mikhailovich encouraged trade and industry. He began the process of bringing cultures closer together - Russian and Western European. The embassy department translated foreign books and scientific works.

Second marriage

After the death of his first wife, the tsar married Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. There were three children from his second marriage, including the future emperor

On March 19, 1629, the second king of the new Russian royal dynasty, Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, was born. The historical portrait of this ruler paints the image of a fairly intelligent, skillful and tolerant monarch.

The youth of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov

The biography is very interesting. His mother was E.L. Streshneva is the daughter of low-ranking small-scale boyars. Until the age of five, Alexey was under the supervision of numerous mothers and nannies. Boyarin B.I. Morozov became the mentor of the young tsar. By the age of six, the king had mastered reading and writing; the first books he read were: the Book of Hours, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Psalter. Alexey fell in love with reading so much that by the age of 12 he had his own children's library. Among his favorite books is Cosmography, Lexicon and Grammar, published in the Principality of Lithuania. Among his toys were children's armor made by German masters, musical instruments, and printed sheets (pictures). Alexey Mikhailovich also loved outdoor activities; from childhood he was fond of falconry, and in adulthood he even wrote a treatise on falconry. The biography of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov indicates the enormous influence that the guardian had on his ward. By the age of fourteen, young Alexei Mikhailovich was introduced to the people, and at sixteen, after the death of his father and mother, he ascended the throne.

The first years of the reign

The reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov began in 1645. The youth and inexperience of the ruler at first was so great that all important and pressing issues of government were concentrated in the hands of B.I. Morozov. But the excellent education and talent of the ruler made themselves felt, and soon Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov himself began to make government decisions. his reign of those years outlines all the complexities and contradictions of the domestic and foreign policies of Rus'. The active involvement of foreign advisers in governing the country gave rise to reforms.

At this time, the character of the king emerges. An educated, benevolent and calm person - this is how Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov looked in the eyes of his contemporaries. The Tsar received the nickname “The Quietest” quite deservedly. But if necessary, he could show will, determination, and sometimes even cruelty.

Cathedral Code

Romanov laid the foundation for the creation of the Council Code - the first set of laws of the Russian state. Before this, judging in Rus' was guided by various, often self-contradictory decrees, extracts and orders. The king was prompted to adopt the code by the new duties on salt. The instigators suggested that the sovereign put in order the rules of salt trade and convene the Zemstvo Assembly. At that moment, the tsar was forced to make concessions, but after the adoption of the Code, the Zemsky Sobor lost its powers and was soon dissolved.

The king's marriage

Soon after ascending the throne, a bride was found for the king. She turned out to be Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya - a girl from an old and noble boyar family. At that time, tsars did not look for brides abroad, but chose wives from successful boyar houses. Several boyar families fought for the opportunity to become related to the royal family. In the Assumption Cathedral, during prayer, the king saw the maiden Maria of the Miloslavsky family. It is unlikely that this meeting was accidental.

Be that as it may, this marriage turned out to be successful and long-lasting. Until her death, the king revered his queen, was an exemplary family man and had thirteen children with her, three of them later became rulers of the country.

Church schism

The influence of the church at the beginning of the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich was so great that the title of “great sovereign” was awarded. Thus, the king recognized the equality of power between himself and the ruler of the church. But this caused discontent among the boyars, since Nikon demanded from them complete obedience and absolute non-interference in church affairs. But, as time has shown, such management had its significant drawbacks.

Nikon considered that he had the right to tell the tsar how to carry out state affairs. The influence of the aristocracy and boyars on the tsar decreased. The origins of such influence should be sought in the upbringing that Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov received. The historical portrait and notes of contemporaries show us the image of a very God-fearing, religious person. There was only one way to reduce Nikon's influence. At the beginning of 1658, the archpriest of the Kazan Cathedral addressed the Tsar with a direct question: “How long do you tolerate this to God’s enemy?” And for the tsar there were no more humiliating reproaches than those that infringed on his royal power and doubted the authority of the autocracy. Confrontation was inevitable and eventually led to a split. The formal reason was the insult of Nikon by the boyars, after which he loudly stepped away from the rank of patriarch and went into a monastery. In 1666, he deposed Nikon and officially deprived him of his rank. Since then, the rule of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov has become truly autocratic, and he even extends his power to the Church.

Politics of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov

Foreign relations were of particular interest to the king. The request of the Cossack centurion Khmelnytsky to stop the Polish intervention was heard by the autocrat. The Zemsky Sobor of 1653 accepted the Ukrainian Cossacks as citizenship and promised them military support. In May 1654, Russian troops set out on a campaign and occupied Smolensk. By order of the tsar, in the spring of 1654 military operations were continued, and the cities of Kovno, Brodno and Vilna became Russian.

The Swedish War was started, which ended in defeat. The Troubles in Ukraine, which began shortly after the death of Khmelnytsky, required the resumption of hostilities with Poland. On January 8, 1654, the Pereyaslav Rada finally confirmed the entry of Ukraine into Russia. Much later, in 1667, Poland agreed to new borders, and the treaty on the annexation of Ukraine to Russia began to be recognized internationally. The southern borders of the state were successfully defended, cities such as Nerchinsk, Irkutsk, and Seleginsk were built.

Rebellious Age

Many decisions related to the expansion of the country’s territory were personally made by Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov. A historical portrait of the autocrat of all Rus' would be incomplete without awareness of the severe internal contradictions and tensions that he encountered during his reign. It is no coincidence that the 17th century would later be called “Rebellious” because of the constant uprisings that outraged the state. Particularly worth noting is the rebellion of Stepan Razin, which took a lot of time and effort to suppress.

The tsar's economic policy encouraged the creation of manufactories and the expansion of foreign trade. The Tsar patronized Russian trade, protecting his domestic market from foreign goods. There were also miscalculations in economic policy. The rash decision to equate the value of copper money with silver money caused popular grumbling and led to the devaluation of the ruble.

The last years of the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich

After the death of his beloved wife, the king married again. His chosen one was the one who gave him three children, including the future Emperor Peter 1.

The Tsar paid great attention to education and instructed the Ambassadorial Decree to translate foreign literature and various scientific works into Russian. Among those close to the king there were many who read the books of ancient writers, had their own libraries and were fluent in foreign languages. The king’s second wife was fond of theater, and her own small theater was specially created for her at the palace. Alexey Mikhailovich died at the age of 47.

Results of the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov

The results of the reign of this king can be described as follows:

• Autocracy strengthened - the power of the tsar was no longer limited by the Church.
• The peasants were completely enslaved.
• The Council Code arose, which became the beginning of judicial reforms in Russia.
• As a result of the reign of this king, the border of the Russian state expanded - Ukraine was annexed, and the development of Siberia began.

February 4 marked the 321st anniversary of the death of Natalia Naryshkina, a Russian beauty of the 17th century.

September 1, 1651 – February 4, 1694
Natalya Naryshkina - Russian queen, second wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, mother of Peter I

Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina was born (August 22) on September 1, 1651 into the large family of the Ryazan small nobleman Kirilla Poluektovich Naryshkin. Besides her, her parents had five more sons and a daughter. Therefore, Natalya, as the eldest daughter, was given to the family of an old friend and relative of the Naryshkins - the then famous statesman boyar Artamon Sergeevich Matveev.

From the Ryazan estate, young Naryshkina moved to the Moscow mansion of Matveev, who was considered the most enlightened and advanced person of that time in Rus', and his family corresponded to their owner in everything. Natalia also received a good secular and even “pro-Western” education in his house.

Since Matveev, under Alexei Mikhailovich, held the position of head of the Ambassadorial and Little Russian orders and enjoyed the special favor and trust of the tsar, the latter often visited his favorite easily, without ceremony. It was there, it is believed, that Alexey Mikhailovich first saw Natalya and paid special attention to her.

From his first marriage to Marya Ilyinishna Miloslavskaya, the tsar had 6 daughters and 2 sons.

Maria Ilyinishna Miloslavskaya (April 1/14, 1626, March 3/16, 1669) - the first wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich

Daughter from the first marriage of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich - Sophia (17/27 September 1657 - 3/14 July 1704) :

He was widowed in March 1669 and after 9 months he decided to marry again - in November 1669, a bride parade began, which lasted until May 1670. However, it is not known whether Alexey Mikhailovich decided to get married at all and for this purpose ordered a viewing, or, seeing young Naryshkina, he designated her as his wife, and appointed the viewing for the sake of observing the custom of antiquity.

Be that as it may, Natalya Kirillovna was called to this parade of brides and chosen by the Tsar as his wife. (January 22) On February 1, 1671, the wedding of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich took place in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin. Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina, who became the Russian Tsarina at the age of 19.

Engagement of Alexei Mikhailovich to Natalya Naryshkina. author unknown

And a year later, her first child was born - Peter Alekseevich (future Russian Emperor Peter I). Also, the royal couple later had two more daughters - Natalya (1673-1716) and Theodora (1674-1677).

Portrait of Queen Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. author unknown

Natalya Kirillovna's marriage was short-lived, but very happy. The king's love for her intensified, and especially after the birth of his children. And brought up differently from the old Moscow chamber customs, she brought a lot of new things into the way of life of the Russian queen. So, for example, she was present at all festive ceremonial services in cathedrals herself, and in the summer she rode in an open carriage, which previously was simply unacceptable, which caused embarrassment to many. Historians believe that with these and other similar deviations from ancient customs, Natalya Kirillovna prepared the ground for her son’s reforms in the same way as other influences on Peter.

According to contemporaries, the queen was of a very cheerful disposition and very willingly indulged in various amusements; she preferred the space and freedom of country life to the cramped lifestyle of the Kremlin chambers, so she spent a lot of time with her children on country “trips”, which took place mainly in villages near Moscow: Izmailovo, Kolomenskoye, Vorobyovo and Preobrazhenskoye.

And Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who passionately loved his young wife, tried to give her all kinds of pleasure. In particular, for her, he ordered the construction of the “Comedy Chamber” in the Kremlin and started a professional theater.

Alexey Mikhailovich.

But the calm and happy times ended for Natalya Kirillovna after the death of her husband, who died in the winter of 1676, blessing his son Fyodor into the kingdom. The young widow found herself drawn into a renewed war for power between the Naryshkins and the Miloslavskys. At first, removed from the court under the new tsar, she lived with her children mainly in the villages of Preobrazhenskoye and Kolomenskoye near Moscow, only occasionally visiting Moscow on major church holidays. But after Fyodor’s death in 1682, when his sister, Princess Sophia, ascended the throne as a result of the Streletsky rebellion, Naryshkina’s position especially worsened.

Sophia, even under the nominal rule of her brother Fyodor, was in charge of all state affairs, so she did not put up with the fact that after his death the young Peter Alekseevich was declared the ruler of Rus'.

As a result, after the rebellion, both young brothers Ivan and Peter were proclaimed kings, but Ivan was declared the “senior” king, and Sophia became their regent, who actually ruled the country and removed Natalya Kirillovna from all affairs. This went on for seven years, until 1689, during which the enmity between the stepmother and stepdaughter intensified.

In August 1689, Princess Sophia, with the help of the archers, decided to deal with Naryshkina, but this idea failed. The instigators were executed, Sophia was imprisoned under strict supervision in the Novodevichy Convent, and power finally passed to Peter, and the honor and importance of the queen returned to Natalya Kirillovna.

But the 17-year-old Tsar Peter himself did not delve into the affairs of government for a long time. He preferred to engage in amusing troops and building a fleet, and left the entire burden of government concerns to the discretion of his mother, who, in turn, entrusted them to her relatives and supporters. Since, unlike Sophia, Natalya Kirillovna “was governed by an incapable, small-minded person,” these people led “a very dishonest government,” and “great bribery and state theft” began.

The queen was more interested in her beloved son Petrusha, who greatly upset his mother with his absences and especially sea voyages. As you know, Peter was interested in shipbuilding from childhood and sought to travel more and more, but did not forget to maintain a tender correspondence with his mother.

In order to somehow keep her son, Natalya Kirillovna married him. At her insistence, Peter I’s first marriage took place with Evdokia Lopukhina.

Natalya Kirillovna died (January 25), February 4, 1694, “from heart disease,” at the age of 43. The next day, she was solemnly buried in the Ascension Monastery of the Moscow Kremlin, next to the first wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Marya Ilyinishna Miloslavskaya. Peter, who was very worried about the death of his mother, after her death assumed full power.

The first wife of Peter I - Lopukhina Evdokia Fedorovna (1670-1731)

A close relative of the Russian Tsarina Natalia Naryshkina:

Devorra(in the world Evdokia Petrovna Naryshkina, nee Hamilton) - a figure of the Old Believers, the aunt of Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna, the wife of the Duma nobleman Fyodor Poluektovich Naryshkin, the niece of Artamon Matveev’s wife Evdokia Grigorievna Hamilton (thanks to this marriage, Natalya was brought up in Matveev’s house, where the Tsar looked after her ).

Presumably, a portrait of Evdokia Petrovna Naryshkina:

Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, she was exiled to the village of Lobachi, Alatyr district, for her adherence to old church rites, from there she fled to Arzamas district and took monastic vows from the Old Believers as a nun under the name Devorra. In 1684 she was arrested and taken into custody. Date of death is unknown.

Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (1629-1676) - the second Russian Tsar from the Romanov family. Reigned from 1645 to 1676. He ascended the throne after the death of his father Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov at the age of 16. But it was much easier for the young sovereign than for his father. The Time of Troubles was long over, and the Moscow government enjoyed the universal support of the people.

By nature, the young man was cheerful, witty and lively. He was passionate about falconry and started a theater at court. At the same time, the young man was distinguished by prudence and conscientiousness. He respected his elders, was loyal to his friends, did not break the “old times,” but slowly and gradually mastered and introduced the experience of advanced European countries.

State activities of Alexei Mikhailovich

At first, the young tsar listened to the advice of the boyars in everything. Boris Ivanovich Morozov (1590-1661) had the greatest influence on the sovereign. He was a relative of the young Moscow ruler, since both were married to the Miloslavsky sisters.

However, Morozov turned out to be a bad manager. He abused his position, which aroused universal hostility. In February 1646, on his initiative, a new duty on salt was introduced. It has increased noticeably, which has caused sharp discontent among the population.

Alexey Mikhailovich loved falconry

It's all over salt riot. Mass riots took place both in Moscow and in other cities. Outraged people demanded that the tsar hand over Morozov to them for execution. But the sovereign secretly transported his favorite to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery.

The duty was canceled, after which popular outrage subsided. Morozov then returned to Moscow, but Alexei Mikhailovich no longer trusted him recklessly.

Church reform

The second person who had great influence on the king was Patriarch Nikon (1605-1681). It was with him that the sovereign carried out church reform, which led to a split in the Orthodox Church.

The Muscovite kingdom was focused on expanding its borders. However, this was prevented by differences in the Orthodox faith, and the basis of these differences were church rituals. They were carried out in accordance with the regulations. The Great Russians adhered to the Jerusalem Charter, and the Little Russians honored the Studite Charter. They differed significantly, that is, they differed from each other.

As a result, the Moscow people looked down on those who honored a different charter. And this prevented the expansion of borders and unification with other peoples. In such a situation, Moscow could not become the center of Orthodoxy.

Alexei Mikhailovich and Patriarch Nikon at the tomb of St. Philippa
(painting by A. Litovchenko)

Therefore, the king decided, with the help of Nikon, to change the situation. He was a powerful and decisive man, and therefore took up church reform with great determination.

The liturgical books were rewritten. They began to cross themselves not with two, but with three fingers. Serious changes took place in church rituals. However, the reforms frightened many Orthodox Christians. It began to seem to them that some kind of non-Russian faith was being introduced. And the believers split into two irreconcilable camps.

The authorities dubbed adherents of old rituals or Old Believers schismatics. They resisted Nikonianism in every possible way, which was considered as state resistance and was severely punished.

Old Believers began to be persecuted, humiliated, and killed. And those, faithful to the faith of their fathers and grandfathers, went into the forests and founded monasteries there. When they tried to arrest them, the Old Believers burned themselves.

In 1656, the Holy Council excommunicated all Old Believers from the Orthodox Church. This was a terrible punishment for believers. However, Patriarch Nikon did not escape punishment. His friendship with the king began to crack. The reason was the patriarch’s pride and his passionate desire to influence God’s anointed.

All these attempts went beyond the bounds of decency, and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov broke all relations with the presumptuous ruler. Nikon was deprived of his patriarchal rank and sent into exile to a distant northern monastery. But this disgrace had no effect on church reform.

Silver ruble under Alexei Mikhailovich

Other reforms

The Emperor held military reform. It took place in 1648-1654. During this time, the number of local cavalry, rifle regiments and gunners increased. Hussar, dragoon and reiter regiments were created en masse. Foreign military specialists were recruited.

Was carried out and currency reform. The treasury had accumulated a lot of silver thalers. Since 1654, they began to be minted into rubles. Efimkas, half-efimkas, and copper fifty rubles appeared. Taxes began to be collected in silver, and copper coins were issued from the treasury. This disrupted the financial system and caused the Copper Riot. Overall, the monetary reform was unsuccessful and failed.

During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, the uprising of Stepan Razin occurred. It began in 1667, and in 1671 the rebel chieftain was executed in Moscow.

In 1654, Ukraine was reunified with Russia. The second king of the Romanov dynasty took an active part in this. From 1654 to 1667 there was a war with Poland. It ended with the signing of the Andrusovo Truce. According to it, the cities of Smolensk and Kyiv were transferred to Russia.

Family life of Alexei Mikhailovich

As for family life, it turned out extremely well for the king. He lived for many years in complete harmony with Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya (1624-1669). This woman was distinguished by her beauty, kindness and calmness. She gave birth to 13 children to the sovereign. Of these, 5 are boys and 8 are girls.

Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya

The queen was extremely religious and pious. In a modest carriage, regardless of snow, rain or mud, she often visited holy places, where she prayed long and earnestly.

After her death, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov married for the second time to 20-year-old Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina (1651-1694), the daughter of a simple nobleman. This betrothed gave birth to her first child in 1672, who was named Peter. Subsequently he became a reformer of Russia. In addition to Peter, the wife gave birth to two more children for the sovereign.

Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina

Three sons subsequently reigned. The country was also ruled by daughter Sophia together with Ivan and Peter (triple power). None of the king's daughters married.

In 1676, the Tsar of All Rus' suddenly died. At the time of his death he was 46 years old. It is assumed that he died of a heart attack. The throne was inherited by his 15-year-old son Fyodor Alekseevich (1661-1682).

Alexey Starikov

Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov was nicknamed the Quietest. He differed from his predecessors in his sincere fear of God, education and even generosity. However, the period in Russian history during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov cannot be called calm.

The Russian-Polish war lasted for thirteen years. A popular revolt broke out in Moscow, caused by the establishment of a new duty on salt. A split occurred in the Russian Orthodox Church. All these are events that occurred during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov.

Childhood

At the age of five, the future king began to learn to read and write. Boyar Boris Morozov became his teacher. In the early years of the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, this man played an important role in solving state affairs. Morozov exerted an influence on the Tsarevich that was not easy for him to get rid of. The second of the Romanov family was very fond of books from an early age. By the age of twelve, he had collected a small library. As he grew up, he became interested in hunting.

Sixteen-year-old king

On the night of July 12-13, 1649, the first of the Romanov family, Mikhail Fedorovich, unexpectedly and quietly died. However, he managed to bless his only son for the kingdom. The boyars hastily swore allegiance to the new sovereign. So Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov began to reign, but not to rule.

People in the Middle Ages grew up quickly, of course. However, sixteen-year-old Mikhail had little knowledge of government affairs. On the throne was a lively and lively young man who did not know how to govern the country, but knew a lot about hunting and church chants.

Beginning of the reign

Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov was a relatively gentle ruler. When he ascended the throne, he was completely unprepared to resolve issues of foreign and domestic policy. In the early years, the son of Mikhail Fedorovich listened to the opinion of his relative Boris Morozov.

In 1647, the young Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov was planning to get married. His chosen one was the daughter of Raf Vsevolozhsky. But Morozov intervened. The boyar did everything to “correctly” marry the young king. Alexey Mikhailovich, under the influence of an intriguer, married Maria Miloslavskaya. Morozov himself soon married her sister. So he, along with Miloslavsky, strengthened his position at court.

Salt riot

Even the shortest biography of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov mentions this uprising. This was the largest riot during his reign. The reasons for the uprising were the population’s dissatisfaction with the policies of Boris Morozov. Salt prices have increased several times, taxes have increased.

Craftsmen, townspeople and archers took part in the uprising. An arson was set in Kitay-Gorod, and the boyars' courtyards were destroyed. Several hundred people died. But the Salt Riot played an important role in the further political life of the country. A short biography of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov certainly talks about the set of laws that he issued after the suppression of the uprising. This is discussed in more detail below. What events preceded the Salt Riot? How did Alexei Mikhailovich react to the uprising caused by Morozov's policies?

In the first years of his reign, the young ruler tried to establish balance in the budget and develop a reliable financial system. Morozov proposed reforms that would be aimed at replenishing the treasury and restoring the tax system.

Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov, being at that time still an inexperienced ruler, followed the advice of a relative. A tax was introduced on the import of salt, as a result of which the price of this product from traders increased significantly. In 1647, the supply of salt had to be abandoned. The tax was cancelled. At the same time, collections from “black” settlements increased. The burden of the tax burden now fell on the shoulders of small traders and artisans.

The salt riot is one of the most striking events in the biography of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. Briefly about Morozov we can say this: the royal educator, the de facto ruler of the state. But after the riot, the king's position changed. He sent Morozov away from Moscow. Alexei Mikhailovich issued a decree that delayed the collection of taxes and calmed the rebels. Morozov soon returned, but did not play the same role as before in governing the state. Another result of the riot was the drawing up of a code of laws.

Cathedral Code

Briefly describing the biography of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, it is worth talking about the code of laws that was in force for almost two centuries. The cathedral code was adopted in 1649.

The first Russian bureaucratic autocrat was Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. The biography of this ruler does not attract as much attention as, for example, the biography of his son Peter I. Alexei Mikhailovich is not called a great tsar. But during his reign, important innovations appeared. His predecessors never took up papers, believing that this was not befitting their rank. Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov not only published a new set of laws, but also personally reviewed the petitions.

To draw up the Code, the tsar convened a special commission, headed by Prince Nikita Odoevsky. The council was held with the participation of representatives of the townspeople's communities. The hearing was held in two chambers. In one sat the Tsar, the Consecrated Council and the Boyar Duma. In the other - people of different ranks. The cathedral code was in force until the middle of the 19th century. It was with the publication of this document that Russian serfdom began its history.

Church reform

So, a new period in the biography of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov begins after the Salt Riot. The ruler matured and no longer needed advisers. True, a person soon came to power who showed much greater ambition than Morozov. Namely Patriarch Nikon.

The sociable, gentle nature of Alexei Mikhailovich needed a friend. And Nikon, who was at that time Metropolitan of Novgorod, became this good friend. He was not only a clergyman, but a talented politician and a good business executive. In March 1650, Nikon pacified the rebels, thereby earning the tsar’s trust. Since 1652, he took an active part in state affairs.

Patriarch Nikon carried out church reform on behalf of Alexei Mikhailovich. It concerned primarily church books and rituals. The Moscow Council approved the reform, but proposed combining Greek and Russian traditions. Nikon was a strong-willed and capricious person. He received unlimited power over believers, and this power intoxicated him. Soon the patriarch came up with the idea of ​​​​the primacy of church power, which could not be approved by the tsar. Alexey Mikhailovich was soft, but knew how to show firmness in decisive moments. He stopped attending Nikon's services in the Assumption Cathedral and from now on did not invite Nikon to ceremonial receptions. This was a serious blow for the proud patriarch.

One day, during a sermon in the Assumption Cathedral, Nikon announced his resignation. He did not refuse the rank, but also retired to the New Jerusalem Monastery. Nikon was sure that the king would sooner or later repent and ask him to return to Moscow. However, this did not happen.

While Nikon was in the New Jerusalem Monastery, Alexei Mikhailovich was preparing a church trial against him. In 1666, the Moscow Council was convened. The Patriarch was brought under escort. The tsar accused him of renouncing the patriarchate without his knowledge. Those present supported Alexei Mikhailovich. Nikon was tried, defrocked and imprisoned in a monastery.

Army reform

In 1648, the king began military reform. For six years, the best parts of the “old system” were strengthened. New regiments appeared: soldiers, reiters, dragoons, hussars. The Tsar hired a huge number of specialists from Europe, which became possible thanks to the end of the Thirty Years' War.

Deterioration of Russian-Polish relations

While the Russian Tsar was planning military reform, an uprising of Ukrainian Cossacks began in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. They were headed by Hetman Khmelnytsky. The Cossacks won, but soon began to suffer defeat and asked for citizenship to Alexei Mikhailovich. They hoped that the oppression of the Russian Tsar would be less severe.

In Moscow, without thinking twice, they decided not to miss out on the rich Ukrainian lands. The Cossacks became subjects of the Russian Tsar. This led to a break with Poland.

Beginning of the war

In the paintings and photos taken from them, Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov looks like a stately, portly man. The real Russian Tsar. This is exactly what he was, according to the records of his contemporaries, at the beginning of the war with Poland.

In the spring of 1654, Russian troops occupied Mogilev, Orsha, and Smolensk. A few months later, the Swedes came out against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and captured Krakow and Warsaw. The Polish king hastily left the country. Vilno, Minsk, and Grodno fell under the onslaught of the Russian army. The “Flood” began in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which Henryk Sienkiewicz described in his famous novel.

War with Sweden

By the spring of 1656, the conflict escalated further. In May, the Russian Tsar declared war on Sweden. The siege of Riga began successfully, but almost ended in the defeat of the Russian army. I had to retreat. It turned out to be very difficult for the Russian army to fight on two fronts. Russian-Polish negotiations began, which lasted quite a long time. The Russian Tsar demanded Lithuania, the Poles insisted on the return of Ukrainian lands. The enemies had to conclude a truce due to the threat of a new Swedish offensive.

Razin's rebellion

The tsar had barely managed to regulate relations with Poland when internal unrest began. In the south of the country, Cossack Stepan Razin rebelled. He took the Yaitsky town and robbed several Persian ships. In May 1670, Razin went to the Volga, where he took Cherny Yar, Tsaritsyn, Astrakhan, Samara and Saratov. But near Simbirsk the rebels were captured. Stepan Razin was executed in Moscow in 1671. And soon a war with Turkey began, which ended after the death of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (the reign of the Tsar - 1645-1676). The war with Turkey ended with twenty years of peace in 1681.

Wives and children

As already mentioned, the tsar’s first wife was Maria Miloslavskaya. This marriage produced 13 children. Among them are Fedor III, Ivan IV and Sophia. Maria Miloslavskaya died in 1669 during childbirth, giving birth to Evdokia. The girl lived only two days. Three years later, the tsar married Natalya Naryshkina. Children of Alexei Mikhailovich from his second wife - Natalya, Feodor, Peter.

In 1674, the Tsar announced his son Fedor as his heir. Two years later, Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov died of a heart attack. He was 47 years old.