Peter I Great

Peter I the Great (Peter Alekseevich Romanov). Peter was born on the night of May 30(June 9) 1672 in the Terem Palace of the Kremlin (in 7180 according to the then accepted chronology "from the creation of the world"). He died on January 28 (February 8), 1725 in St. Petersburg. Buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Peter I - Russian Tsar since April 27, 1682, the first All-Russian Emperor since October 22, 1721.

Statesman and military leader, commander and diplomat, founder of the regular Russian army and navy.

Father - Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov - had numerous offspring. Peter was 14 children, but the first from his second wife, Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. On June 29, the day of St. Peter and Paul, he was baptized in the Chudov Monastery (according to other sources, in the Church of Gregory of Neokesariysky, in Derbitsy, by Archpriest Andrei Savinov) and named Peter. In the 4th year of Peter's life, in 1676, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich died. The prince's guardian was his half-brother, godfather andthe new tsar Fyodor Alekseevich. Clerk N. Zotov taught Peter to read and write from 1676 to 1680.

Pedigree of the Romanovs

Death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and accession of his elder brother Fyodor(from Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya) they pushed Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna and her relatives, the Naryshkins, into the background. Tsarina Natalya was forced to go to the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow.

On April 27 (May 7), 1682, after 6 years of reign, the sickly Tsar Fyodor Mikhailovich died. Enlisting the support of Patriarch Joachim, the Naryshkins and their supporters elevated Peter to the throne on the same day. The Miloslavskys, relatives of Tsarevich Ivan and Tsarevna Sophia by their mothers, saw in the proclamation of Peter as tsar an infringement of their interests. The Streltsy, of whom there were more than 20,000 in Moscow, incited by the Miloslavskys, on May 15 (25), 1682, came out openly: with shouts that the Naryshkins had strangled Tsarevich Ivan, they moved to the Kremlin. Natalya Kirillovna, hoping to calm the archers, together with the patriarch and the boyars, led Peter and Ivan to the Red Porch.

Natalya Kirillovna on the Red Porch with Peter and Ivan

However, the uprising was not over. In the first hours, the boyars Artamon Matveyev and Mikhail Dolgoruky were killed, then other supporters of Tsarina Natalia Kirillovna, including her two brothers Naryshkins.

The murder of Artamon Matveev

On May 26, electives from the rifle regiments came to the palace and demanded that the elder Ivan be recognized as the first tsar, and the younger Peter - the second. Fearing a repetition of the pogroms, the boyars agreed, and Patriarch Joachim immediately performed a solemn prayer for the health of the two named tsars in the Kremlin's Assumption Cathedral, and on June 25 he crowned them king.

On May 29, the archers insisted that Princess Sophia Alekseevna take over the government (regent) with the brothers.

Princess Sophia

Already in his youth, Peter's character traits, outstanding abilities, interest in military and especially in naval affairs were clearly manifested. For the war games of Peter near Moscow in the village of Preobrazhenskoye on the banks of the river. Yauza, a “funny fortress” was created and “amusing” regiments - Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky - were organized, which later became the nucleus of the Russian regular army. The aggravation of relations between various groups that fought for power led to the preparation of Sophia's military action against Peter in August 1689. Warned by his supporters, Peter hastily left for the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, where the troops loyal to him were gathered. As a result of the decisive actions of Peter's supporters, Sophia was exiled to the Novodevichy Monastery under strict supervision, her closest followers were executed.

Execution of archers in Moscow

After the death of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich on January 29 (February 8), 1696, Peter I became the sole ruler. Subsequent attempts by the followers of Sophia to overthrow Peter I by organizing a new reactionary rifle rebellion ended in failure, and the rifle army was eliminated.

The priority of Peter I's activity in the first years of autocracy was the continuation of the war with the Crimean Khan. Since the 16th century, Muscovite Rus fought against the Crimean and Nogai Tatars for the possession of the vast coastal lands of the Black and Azov seas... In the course of this struggle, Russia collided with the Ottoman Empire, which patronized the Tatars. One of the strongholds on these lands was the Turkish fortress of Azov, located at the confluence of the river. Don to the Sea of ​​Azov and The Azov sea.

To accomplish this task, Peter I formed an army of about 31,000 people, with 114 mortars, 12 howitzers, 44 pishchals. To master military equipment Peter I conducted maneuvers at Kozhukhov, near Moscow. To divert the attention of the Turks and Tatars from the impending attack on Azov, cavalry under the command of B.P. Sheremetyeva.

B.P. Sheremetyev

In the spring of 1695, Russian troops were moved to the Azov fortress. “They joked under Kozhukhov, - wrote Peter I, - now we are going to play under Azov.” The vanguard of the Russian army set out from Moscow in early March and on June 27 camped at Azov. On the way, the Don Cossacks joined him. On April 28, the main forces moved on ships "smoothly" (along the Volga, then along the Don). They were accompanied by Peter I and his military consultant F.Ya. Lefort. On July 5, the entire army was concentrated in the Azov region. Peter I decided to take the fortress by storm. On August 5, the first assault on Azov took place, but was repulsed. The second assault on 25 September was also unsuccessful. Heavy losses and the approaching autumn forced Peter I to lift the siege of Azov and return. The outcome of the unsuccessful actions was largely influenced by the lack of a Russian fleet in the Sea of ​​Azov, as a result of which the fortress was not isolated from outside help and received reinforcements from Turkey by sea.

F.Ya. Lefort

The failure did not break the will of Peter I. It was decided to act against Azov not only with ground forces, but also with a fleet that could cut off the fortress from the sea. For this, it was decided to build a fleet. The Boyar Duma, at his request, decided: “ sea ​​vessels be ". This was the basis for the creation, for the first time in Russia, of a regular Navy. Construction was carried out at the established shipyards in Voronezh, the village of Preobrazhenskoye, Kozlov and other places. The Admiralty was transferred to Tavrov on the Sea of ​​Azov, a port was created in Taganrog. Most of the ships were built flat-bottomed; these included various ships, including those with weapons from 44 to 58 guns. 2 ships of the line were built, 4 fire ships, 23 galleys, a large number of transport ships. Flagship - 36-gun ship "Apostle Peter"

Fleet under Peter I

Simultaneously intensified ground troops... The number of the army prepared for the new campaign was 75,000 people under the command of Generalissimo A.S. Shein (the first generalissimo of Russia, the title was awarded after the successful capture of Azov).

In the spring of 1696, the 2nd Azov campaign of the army and navy under the general command of Peter I began, were concentrated in Voronezh. At the end of April, 8 regiments, including the guard, went to Azov on transport ships. The rest of the troops moved overland. Sheremetyev's cavalry (70,000 people) was again directed to the lower reaches of the Dnieper. On May 3 (13), the galley flotilla sailed in detachments of 5-8 ships. The Russian fleet (under the command of Admiral F.Ya. Lefort) went to sea to blockade Azov. Peter I took part in the blockade with the rank of captain of the Principium galley.

A.S. Shein

On May 27, the Russian fleet entered the Sea of ​​Azov, threw off the Turkish ships and at the beginning of June blocked Azov from the sea. The Russian army laid siege to the fortress from land. By the joint efforts of the army and navy, on July 18, Azov was taken by storm.

Storming the fortress of Azov

The Azov campaigns hastened the end of the war between Russia and Turkey and the conclusion of the Peace Treaty of Constantinople in 1700. They fortified the southern borders of the country. The experience of the Azov campaigns was used by Peter I during military reforms and reorganization armed forces Russia, showed the increased role of the fleet in the war and were the beginning of the transformation of Russia into a naval power.

In March 1697 in Western Europe the Great Embassy was sent through Livonia, the main purpose of which was to find allies against Ottoman Empire... Admiral-General F.Ya. Lefort, General F.A. Golovin, chief Ambassadorial order P.B. Voznitsyn. In total, the embassy included 250 people, among whom, under the name of the police officer of the Preobrazhensky regiment, Peter Mikhailov, was Tsar Peter I. For the first time, the Russian tsar took a trip outside his state. Peter visited Riga, Koenigsberg, Brandenburg, Holland, England, Austria.

Peter I in Holland

The embassy recruited several hundred specialists in shipbuilding to Russia, purchased military and other scientific equipment. In addition to negotiations, Peter devoted a lot of time to the study of shipbuilding, military affairs and other sciences. Peter worked as a carpenter at the shipyards of the East India Company, with his participation a ship was built“Peter and Paul“. In England, he visited a foundry, an arsenal, parliament, Oxford University, the Greenwich Observatory and Mint, whose caretaker at that time was Isaac Newton.

Great embassy of its main goal did not achieve, but as a resultPeter I, there was a reorientation foreign policy Russia with South direction to the north.

After returning from the Grand Embassy, ​​Peter I began to prepare for a war with Sweden for access to Baltic Sea... In 1699, the Northern Alliance was created against the Swedish king Charles XII, which, in addition to Russia, included Denmark, Saxony and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Military weakness and lack of coordination of actions at the beginning of the war doomed the Allies to major defeats. Charles XII one by one defeated the opponents with the help of rapid amphibious operations. Shortly after the bombing of Copenhagen, Denmark withdrew from the war on August 8, 1700. The attempt of the Polish king Augustus II to seize Riga ended in failure. Peter I only 19 (30) August 1700, after the conclusion of peace with Turkey, was able to declare war on Sweden and send troops (35,000 people, 145 guns) to Narva, the siege of which dragged on until late autumn. Upon learning of the withdrawal of the troops of August II from Riga to Kovno, Charles II landed about 32,500 people with 37 guns in Pernov and on November 19 (30), 1700, with 8,500 soldiers, attacked the camp of the Russian troops, and completely defeated it. Peter I himself left for Novgorod two days before.

Great Northern War Map

The defeat of the Russian army at Narva

Charles XII

However, by energetic measures, Peter I restored regular army(up to 40,000 people, 300 guns) according to the European model, created the navy, took urgent measures to develop industry.

Peter I nominated talented Russian military leaders: A.D. Menshikov, B.P. Sheremetev and others.

HELL. Menshikov

In 1701, active operations of the Russian troops in the Baltics resumed.

On December 9 (21), 1701, the dragoon regiments of B.P. Sheremetev won the first victory over the Swedish corps of General V.A. Schlippenbach at Erestfer and a larger defeat at Gumelsgorf on July 18 (30), 1702, the remnants of the Swedish troops took refuge in Pernov. At the same time, the troops of F.M. Apraskin pushed the Swedes away from the Russian base - Novaya Ladoga, breaking them on the river. Izhora and forcing them to retreat to the Nyenskans fortress at the mouth of the Neva. The flotilla of ships under the command of I. Tyrnov twice defeated Swedish ships in Lake Ladoga, near Kexholm and forced them to leave for Vyborg. On October 11 (22), Peter I took possession of the Nottenburg fortress (Shliselburg). In the spring of the following year, he occupied Nyenskans, Yamburg and Kopor'e.

Storming of Nottenburg

Blocking the way to the Neva for the Swedish fleet, Peter I erected the mouth of the river near the southern navigable channel, near about. Kotlin, fort Kronshlot (Kronstadt). In 1703, at the mouth of the river. The city of St. Petersburg was founded on the Neva River, and since 1712 it has become the capital of Russia.

Peter I in St. Petersburg

In 1704, Dorpat, Narva and Ivan-gorod were taken, which led to the consolidation of Russia on the shores of the Baltic Sea.

After the deposition of the Polish king August II in 1706 and his replacement by Stanislav Leshchinsky, Charles XII in the summer of 1708 began his fateful campaign against Russia, intending to reach Moscow through Smolensk. However, meeting resistance from the Russian troops, Karl turned from the Starish region to Ukraine, where he hoped to receive help from the traitor of the Ukrainian people, Hetman I.S. Mazepa.

Karl XII and hetman I.S. Mazepa

At the end of September, the Swedes reached Kostenichi (on the road to Starodub) and stopped in anticipation of A. Levengaupt's corps. However, in the battle near the village of Lesnaya on September 28 (October 9), 1708, Peter I (16,000 people and 30 guns) utterly defeated Levengaupt's corps (16,000 people and 30 guns, a wagon train with food and ammunition - 7,000 carts). Peter I sent A.D. Menshikov, consisting of 10 dragoon and 3 infantry regiments, mounted on horses (a total of 11,600 people). Russian troops threw back the Swedish vanguard. Corvolant in 2 lines attacked the main forces of the Swedes. A stubborn battle lasted for several hours, but in the end the Swedes, having suffered heavy losses, retreated to Wagenburg. As Bour's cavalry approached the Russians, the Russians attacked again. At night Levengaupt, abandoning all the artillery and the convoy retreated down the river. Sozh. The Swedes lost 8,000 killed, 1,000 prisoners, wagon train, banners. Russian troops lost over 1,000 killed and 3,000 wounded.

Battle of Lesnaya

The defeat of A. Levengaupt's corps deprived Charles XII of the reinforcements and provisions he needed, and thwarted his plans for a campaign against Moscow.

An acute shortage of food and fodder forced Charles XII in the spring of 1709 to turn south to the Poltava region, which was not yet devastated by the war. In April 1709, the Swedish army concentrated in the Poltava region.

The general battle between the Russian and Swedish armies during the Northern War took place near Poltava on June 27 (July 8) 1709.

In the spring of 1709, after an unsuccessful winter campaign in Ukraine, Charles XII(35,000 soldiers and 32 guns) laid siege to Poltava. In April-June, the garrison of Poltava (4200 soldiers, 2500 armed citizens, 29 guns), headed by the commandant Colonel A.S. Kelin, supported from outside by the approaching cavalry of Field Marshal A.D. Menshikov, successfully repulsed several enemy assaults. On June 16 (27), at a military council, Peter I made a decision for a general battle. On June 20 (July 1), the main forces of the Russian army (42,000 soldiers and 72 guns) crossed to the right bank of the river. Vorskla. On June 25 (July 6), Peter I placed the army in a position near the village of Yakovtsy (5 km north of Poltava), placing it in a fortified camp.

The field in front of the camp, about 2.5 km wide, covered from the flanks by dense forest and thickets, was fortified by a system of field engineering structures of 6 frontal and 4 quadrangular redoubts perpendicular to them. The redoubts were at a distance of a rifle shot from each other, which ensured tactical interaction between them. In the redoubts there were 2 battalions of soldiers and grenadiers, behind the redoubts - 17 cavalry regiments under the command of A.D. Menshikov. The plan of Peter I was to wear down the enemy at the forefront of the redoubts, and then defeat him in an open field battle.

June 27 (July 8) at 2 am the Swedish army under the command of Field Marshal K.G. Renschild (Karl XII on June 17 (28) was wounded in the leg during a reconnaissance) numbering about 20,000 people and 4 guns (28 guns without ammunition were left in the train, and the rest of the troops - up to 10,000 people were in reserve near Poltava and protecting communications) 4 columns of infantry and 6 columns of cavalry moved to the position of the Russians. At the first stage of the battle, battles were fought for the forward positions. At 3 o'clock the Russian and Swedish cavalry started a stubborn battle at the redoubts. By 5 o'clock the Swedish cavalry was overturned, but the infantry following it captured the first two redoubts. Menshikov asked for reinforcements, but Peter I, adhering to the plan of the battle, ordered him to retreat behind the line of redoubts. At six o'clock, the Swedes, advancing behind the retreating Russian cavalry, came under cross fire from the Russian fortified camp with their right flank, suffered heavy losses and fled in panic to the forest near Malye Budishchi.

Russian artillerymen near Poltava

At the same time, the right-flank Swedish columns of Generals Ross and Schlippenbach, cut off from the main forces during the battle for redoubts, by order of Peter I, were destroyed by Menshikov's cavalry in the Poltava forest.

Poltava battle

At the second stage of the battle, the struggle of the main forces unfolded. At about 6 o'clock in the morning, Peter I built up an army in front of the camp in 2 lines, placing the infantry in the center under the command of General R.Kh. Bour and Field Marshal A.D. Menshikov, artillery deployed in the first line of infantry under the command of General Ch. Bruce. A reserve was left in the camp - 9 battalions. Part of the infantry and cavalry Peter I sent to reinforce in Malye Budischi and the garrison of Poltava, in order to cut off the path of retreat to the Swedes and prevent them from capturing the fortress during the battle. The Swedish army also lined up against the Russians in a linear order.

At 9 o'clock the Swedes went on the offensive. Met with heavy fire from Russian artillery, they rushed into a bayonet attack. In a fierce hand-to-hand combat, the Swedes pushed the center of the first line of the Russians. But Peter I, who was observing the course of the battle, personally led the counterattack of the Novgorod battalion and threw the Swedes back to their original positions. Soon the Russian infantry began to push the enemy, and the cavalry began to cover his flanks. By 11 o'clock, the Swedes began to retreat, which turned into a stampede. Karl XII with Hetman Mazepa, leaving the troops, fled from the battlefield (to the Ottoman Empire). The remnants of the Swedish army retreated to Perevolochna, where they were overtaken and laid down their arms. In the Battle of Poltava, the Swedes lost more than 9,000 people killed, over 18,000 prisoners, 32 guns and the entire train. The losses of the Russian troops amounted to 1345 people killed and 3290 people wounded.

The beginning of the Battle of Poltava

Captured Swedes near Poltava

The Battle of Poltava predetermined the victorious outcome of the long Northern War and raised the international prestige of Russia.

Having defeated the elite troops of Charles XII in Ukraine, Russian troops in 1710 captured Riga, Revel, Kexholm, Vyborg and Fr. Ezel. With the help of British and Austrian diplomacy, Charles XII managed to draw Turkey into the war, which in 1710 declared war on Russia. Despite the setback in Prut campaign 1711, Peter I achieved an armistice with Turkey at the price of a concession to them Azov.

In 1713, Peter I, with the help of a special Ingermanland corps (over 65,000 people), with the assistance of a galley squadron (over 200 ships with 870 guns) and a sailing fleet (7 battleships, 4 frigates with 900 guns) launched a decisive offensive against the Swedish troops in Finland. During the summer of 1713, Helsingfors and Abo (Turku) were occupied, a major defeat was inflicted on the Swedish troops in the battle on October 6 (17) near Pelkin. In February (March) 1714 M.M. Golovin defeated the Swedes at Lappala and occupied the city of Vaza.

Thanks to the Swedish domination of the Baltic Sea, the Great Northern War dragged on. The Baltic Fleet of Russia was just being created, but managed to win its first victory in the Gangut naval battle.

Gangut naval battle

The Gangut naval battle between the Russian and Swedish fleets took place on July 26-27 (August 6-7) north of the Gangut (Hanko) peninsula on the Baltic Sea. At the end of June 1714, the Russian rowing fleet (99 galleys and a scampway with 15,000 troops) under the command of General-Admiral F.M. Apraksina concentrated off the eastern coast of the Gangut peninsula in order to break through to the Abo-Aland skerries and land troops to strengthen the Russian garrison in Abo (100 km north-west of Cape Gangut). The path of Apraksin's fleet was blocked by the Swedish fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Vatrang (15 battleships, 3 frigates and a detachment of rowing ships), which took up a position at the southwestern tip of the Gangut Peninsula. Peter I made reconnaissance and ordered to build a passageway (wooden deck) across the narrow isthmus of the peninsula (2.5 km) for the transfer of galleys along it to the skerry area located north of the Gangut Peninsula. The sudden actions of these ships behind enemy lines were supposed to divert his attention from the breakthrough of the main forces of the Russian fleet. Learning about the construction of the crossing, the commander of the Swedish fleet immediately sent a detachment of ships (1 frigate, 6 galleys, 3 skerboats) to the northern coast of the peninsula under the command of Rear Admiral N. Ehrenskjold. At the same time, he sent a detachment of Vice Admiral Lille(8 battleships and 2 bombardment ships) to strike at the main forces of the Russian fleet in the area of ​​its concentration. The enemy forces were dismembered. Peter I immediately took advantage of this. On the morning of July 25 (August 6), when due to the lack of wind, the Swedish sailing ships could not maneuver, the vanguard of the Russian fleet was 20 scampaways) under the command of Captain-Commander M.Kh. Zmaevich began a rapid breakthrough, bypassing the seaward Swedish squadron out of the reach of its artillery fire. Following him, a guard detachment (15 scampaways) made a breakthrough to the western part of the passage. The daring actions of the Russian rowing ships caught the Swedes by surprise. Bypassing the Gangut Peninsula, Zmaevich's detachment met and fired at the Shautbenakht Taube detachment (1 frigate, 5 galleys, 6 skerboats), going to join the main forces of the Swedish fleet. Finding the Russian ships that had broken through, Shaktbenakht Taube turned to the Aland Islands. On the same day, Russian ships blockaded Ehrensjold's detachment. Believing that the next detachments of Russian ships would continue to break through the previous route, the commander of the Swedish fleet withdrew Lille's detachment, and he himself withdrew from the coast, freeing the coastal fairway. Apraksin took advantage of this, breaking through the coastal channel with the main forces of the rower to his vanguard, which continued to block the Swedish ships. Ehrensjold refused the offer to surrender. Then the vanguard of the Russian fleet attacked the Swedes. The first two attempts were repulsed, but the third was crowned with success. All 10 Swedish ships led by Ehrensjold were taken prisoner. The Swedes lost 361 people killed, 350 wounded, 237 prisoners, 10 ships with 116 guns went to the Russians as trophies. The Russians lost 127 people killed and 342 wounded.

The victory at Gangut (the first victory of the Russian regular fleet) had a large military-political significance... She ensured the successful actions of the Russian troops in Finland and created the conditions for the transfer of hostilities to the territory of Sweden.

The brilliant victories of the Russian fleet in the Ezel naval battle on May 24 (June 4) near about. Ezel (Saaremaa) and about. Grengam July 27 (August 7) ​​1720 showed the complete superiority of the Russian Navy over the Swedish.

Ezel Naval Battle

In 1720, Sweden began peace negotiations with Russia, culminating in the Nystadt Peace Treaty of 1721. Victory in the Northern War crowned the age-old struggle of Russia for access to the Baltic Sea and, together with large internal transformation Peter I contributed to its transformation into one of the great powers.

The largest foreign policy event of Peter I after the Northern War was the Caspian (or Persian) campaign of 1722-1724. On June 18, 1722, after the Persian Shah Tohmas Mirza asked for help, a 22,000 Russian detachment sailed across the Caspian Sea. Derbent surrendered in August, after which the Russians returned to Astrakhan due to problems with food. In 1723, the western coast of the Caspian Sea was conquered with the fortresses of Baku, Rasht, Astrabad. On September 12, 1723, the Petersburg Treaty was concluded with Persia, according to which the Russian Empire included the western and southern coast of the Caspian Sea with the cities of Derbent, Baku and the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran and Astrabad.

Persian campaign of Peter I

During his reign, Peter I showed deep understanding state tasks standing in front of Russia, and carried out major reforms aimed at overcoming the backwardness of Russia from the advanced countries of Europe and the use of its huge natural resources... His activities to restructure the state apparatus were aimed at strengthening the absolutist state, strengthening the feudal-serf system, the rule of the nobility class and the nascent bourgeoisie.

Instead of the Boyar Duma, the Governing Senate was created in 1711, to which the collegiums were subordinate. The independent position of the church was largely limited: the activities of the created synod were controlled by a government official - the chief prosecutor, the patriarchate was liquidated in 1721. Instead of the previous division of the country into counties and provincial administration, 8 provinces were created at the head of the governors. The provinces were divided into 50 provinces. Area transformations government controlled ended in 1721 with the proclamation of Russia as an empire.

As a military leader, Peter I is among the most educated and talented builders of the armed forces, generals and naval commanders in Russian and world history of the 18th century. The work of his entire life was to strengthen the military power of Russia and increase its role in the international arena.

Under Peter I, the army and navy received a uniform and harmonious organization, regiments, brigades and divisions were formed in the army, squadrons, divisions and detachments were formed in the navy, and a single dragoon-type cavalry was created.

The basis of the structure of the armed forces was the recruitment service introduced by him (1705) and the compulsory military service of the nobles. To manage the army in the field, the post of commander-in-chief (general-field marshal) was introduced, in the fleet - general-admiral. At the field headquarters, a council of war ("consilia") was established as an advisory body. In the period 1701-1719, navigation, artillery, engineering schools and the maritime academy. Military regulations were approved, military ranks, established orders and medals.

Weapons of the army of Peter I

Grenadiers and Dragoons of Peter I

For all the contradictory nature of his nature, Peter I entered the history of Russia as a progressive statesman and military leader who was able to deeply and comprehensively understand the pressing problems of Russia's development and did a lot to turn it into a great world power.

Monuments to Peter I have been erected in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kronstadt, Arkhangelsk, Taganrog, Petrodvorets, Tula, Petrozavodsk.

Monument to Peter I in Moscow

Monument to Peter I in St. Petersburg (Bronze Horseman)

After the Polish battles, the Swedish army was badly exhausted, and therefore retreated to the Ukraine to replenish its forces. Peter I understood that the Swedes were a dangerous enemy. Therefore, everything was done so that the enemy did not get the necessary rest - on the route of the Swedish troops, all supplies of food and weapons were destroyed, the common people went into the forest, hiding food and livestock there.

The Battle of Poltava briefly. The course of the battle.

Before the battle begins.

In the fall of 1708, the Swedes reached the suburbs of Poltava and, settling on winter holidays in Budischi, they decided to take the city by storm. The superiority of forces was significant - at the disposal of the Swedish king Charles XII there were thirty thousand soldiers against a small Poltava garrison.

But the bravery of the inhabitants of the city allowed them to hold out against the whole army for two months. Poltava was never surrendered to the Swedes.

Battle of Poltava. Preparing for battle.

While the Swedes were wasting time and energy under the walls of Poltava, Peter I was preparing his troops for the most important battle. At the beginning of June, having crossed the Vorskla River, Russian soldiers settled at the Yakovtsy, five kilometers from the besieged city, in the rear of the Swedes.

Having blocked the only path along which the Swedes could advance with several redoubts, Peter placed 17 cavalry regiments of his friend and military leader, Alexander Menshikov, behind them.

Ukrainian hetman Skoropadsky, meanwhile, cut off the Swedes' path to Poland and Ukraine. Peter did not trust the hetman too much, but nevertheless used his powers.

Battle of Poltava with the Swedes. Battle.

The Battle of Poltava began on the morning of June 27, 1709. At first it might seem that the advantage was on the side of the Swedes - although they lost a lot of soldiers, they were still able to pass through two lines of fortifications. However, under artillery fire, they had no choice but to retreat into the forest and take a break.

Taking advantage of the pause, Peter advanced the main forces to their positions. And in the next "round" of the battle, the Swedes began to openly lose. The Novgorod regiment, put into battle in time, brought confusion to the Swedish formation, and the Menshikov cavalry struck from the other side.

In this chaos, the Swedes could not stand it and fled. By 11 o'clock in the morning, the battle was over. King Charles XII and his ally, the traitorous hetman Mazepa, managed to escape by crossing the Dnieper, but 15 thousand Swedish soldiers and commanders were captured.

The meaning and results of the Battle of Poltava.

After the battle set by Peter I to the Swedish king, this country ceased to be the most powerful military force Europe. The Swedes lost a third of their troops killed and lost key commanders who were captured.

All participants in the Battle of Poltava became heroes at the hands of Peter, and the Northern War ended with the victory of Russia.

Started Peter I the struggle for Russia's access to the Baltic Sea and fortification on these borders was hard and lengthy. The Great Northern War, in which Russia and Sweden were the main opponents, stretched out for 21 years.

However, the decisive battle, which predetermined the outcome of the confrontation, took place on June 27 (July 8), 1709, six miles from the city of Poltava.

The Northern War began disastrously for Russia - with a crushing defeat at Narva in 1700.

The defeat at Narva caused Russia not only material, but also political damage - the power of Peter I in Europe was no longer taken seriously, while the Swedish king Charles XII, the winner of the "Russian barbarians", was treated with undisguised sympathy.

However, the discouraging start of the war did not break either the will or the political aspirations of Peter. Guided by the principle "for one beaten two unbeaten give", the Russian tsar, avoiding a general battle with the Swedes, again proceeded to seize their fortresses on the shores of the Baltic.

Charles XII himself contributed to this. The Swedish king, endowed with undoubted military talents, was at the same time endowed with excessive self-confidence. It was she who made the Swedish king consider Russia completely defeated and completely concentrate on the fight against the ally of Peter I, King of the Commonwealth August II.

The pursuit of the quirky Augustus stretched over several years, which the Russian tsar successfully used to reform and re-equip the army, as well as for the gradual conquest of Ingermanland. In 1703, St. Petersburg was founded at the mouth of the Neva, after which the Russians continued the tactics of a leisurely "weaning of the Swedish lands."

Charles XII decided at the end of the war with August II to invade Russia, capturing and setting Moscow on fire, thereby putting an end to the claims of Peter I.

Charles XII's route during the Northern War. Photo: Public Domain

About the dangers of self-confidence

In 1706, August II was done away with, and Charles set about preparing an invasion of Russia.

True, the factor of surprise was not an ally of Charles XII - all his plans and intentions were clear to Peter I and his military leaders.

The Russian tsar dragged his opponent into a war of attrition, and soon the Swedish army, which invaded the Russian possessions, began to experience problems with food and ammunition.

Charles XII seriously relied on the help of the Swedish king who had defected to the side Hetman of Little Russia Ivan Mazepa, who promised the Swedes 50 thousand Cossacks, food and a comfortable winter.

In practice, however, together with Mazepa, about 10 thousand Cossacks went over to the side of the Swedes. At the same time, Charles XII, not relying too much on their loyalty, did not use the Cossacks in the Battle of Poltava. It is curious that for exactly the same reason, fearing treason, Peter I refused to use the Cossack units near Poltava.

Martial happiness began to betray Charles XII. The three-month siege of Poltava, which the Swedes initially considered an easy prey, ended in nothing.

Charles XII, having learned about the approach of Peter I with the army, intended to give his enemy a general battle, despite the weakened state of his own troops and the great advantage of the Russians in the number of the army.

Swedish generals, based on previous experience, believed that the Russians would behave passively in battle, which would enable the Swedes to overturn Russian army and put him to flight.

Unlike Charles XII, Peter I did not rely on luck and military happiness, but prepared for battle carefully, building defensive redoubts in the path of the enemy's movement. In addition, the Russian tsar managed to achieve an overwhelming advantage in artillery, which would become one of the decisive circumstances in the battle.

On the eve of the battle, the situation was extremely unfortunate for Charles XII. He did not receive reinforcements, he was not supported by the Ottoman Empire, on whose entry into the war he hoped.

In addition, the "easy catch" Poltava never passed into the hands of the Swedes.

Denis Martin. "Battle of Poltava" (1726). Photo: Public Domain

Despite all this, Charles XII accepted the plan of the general battle. The essence of the Swedes' plan was a surprise attack by the infantry at dawn with a breakthrough into the Russian rear, which was supposed to throw the Russian army into confusion, after which the cavalry had to finish the job.

Of the 37 thousand people of the army of Charles XII in the Battle of Poltava, he had 8000 infantry, 7800 cavalry and about a thousand irregular cavalry. Peter I had an army of 60,000 at his disposal, of which 25,000 infantry and up to 12,000 cavalry participated in the Battle of Poltava. And all this, not counting the superiority of the Russians in guns, which, according to various sources, they had from 100 to 300, while the Swedes had no more than 40 guns, which, moreover, did not have ammunition in abundance.

Knowing about all this, the self-confident Charles XII decided to nevertheless give a decisive battle.

Swedish crash instead of Russian

The Swedes' plan for battle began to crumble at the very beginning, when the regiments, intending to take the Russians by surprise, stumbled upon redoubts at night, the construction of which was not even suspected.

The stubborn battle ended with the planned retreat of the Russians to the main positions, but in the Swedish camp the impression was that the enemy had fled.

The illusion turned out to be so strong that those close to him began to congratulate King Charles on his victory.

While the Swedes were preparing for the holiday, a disaster was brewing. Carried away by the storming of the 3rd redoubt, the column of the Swedish General Roos broke away from the main forces and was defeated by the Russians. The same fate befell the cavalry detachment. General Schlippenbach... Volmar Schlippenbach himself became the first Swedish general to be taken prisoner by Russia that day.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the main battle of the main forces began. The Swedish infantry attacked the Russian formation, and a fierce hand-to-hand fight ensued. The critical moment for the Russian troops came when, on the left flank, the Swedes overturned the 1st battalion of the Novgorod regiment with a bayonet attack, capturing over a dozen Russian guns.

The authority of the Swedish army was extremely high. The breakthrough of the Swedes threatened to bring confusion and panic into the ranks of the Russian army. However, here Tsar Peter himself intervened in the matter, at the head of the 2nd battalion of Novgorodians, who stopped the enemy's offensive.

L. Karavak. "Peter I in the Battle of Poltava" (1718). Photo: Public Domain

Meanwhile, the Russian right flank infantry under the command of General Mikhail Golitsyn put to flight the opposing Swedish battalions. The cavalry tried to come to the rescue, but was thrown back by the Russian cavalry.

Here the superiority of the Russian troops in numbers began to affect. Having failed to achieve rapid success, the Swedish regiments were exhausted, gaps appeared between them, which led to their encirclement. In the center, the battalions of the Uppland regiment were almost completely destroyed, where less than two dozen of 700 soldiers survived.

By 11 o'clock in the morning, the worst thing happened for Charles XII - his brave and invincible soldiers fled in disorder.

Feast and surrender

The king himself had to flee, suffering losses among his inner circle.

The defeat of the Swedes was complete: the Russians got 137 of the standards and banners of the enemy, the generals and field marshals of the Swedish king and even the first minister Charles XII were captured.

In the evening of the same day, Peter I celebrated the victory in his tent, where captured Swedish generals were also invited. The Russian tsar drank to the loyalty and courage of the Swedes and to the health of his teachers in the military field.

Personal standard of Charles XII, captured during the Battle of Poltava. Peter-Pavel's Fortress. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / A. Sdobnikov

Despite the celebration, Peter sent part of the troops in pursuit of the retreating. The end of the Swedish army came two days later at the town of Perevolochna. Russian troops drove the Swedes into the arrow of the Vorskla and Dnieper rivers, blocking their escape routes.

Only Karl XII himself, Mazepa, a small number of confidants and a guard detachment managed to cross the Dnieper and escape the pursuit. This happened a few hours before the approach of the Russian troops.

When the pursuers, led by Menshikov, the broken Swedes capitulated. 16 thousand people were captured, including 3 generals, 11 colonels, 16 lieutenant colonels, 23 major, 1 field assistant, 12,575 non-commissioned officers and privates.

The losses of the Swedes directly in the Battle of Poltava amounted to 9224 killed and 2973 taken prisoners.

The losses of the Russian troops were 1345 killed and 3290 wounded.

Poor Karl, poor Sweden ...

The defeat at Poltava turned out to be much more terrible for Charles XII than the defeat of Peter I at Narva. Poltava not only destroyed the military authority of the Swedish king, it dealt a decisive blow to the Swedish army, which never regained its former power.

The war with Russia lasted another 12 years, but it was, figuratively speaking, a delayed defeat. Russian troops gradually finished off the Swedes, occupying more and more new territories, in the end, bringing the matter to ruinous landings, operating almost in the vicinity of Stockholm. The Swedes could no longer oppose this with something other than unwillingness to admit defeat.

The fate of Charles XII himself turned out to be even more deplorable. Hiding in the possessions of the Ottoman Sultan, the former idol of Europe spent several years in Bendery, having no real strength to continue the war and at the same time losing power in his homeland.

In 1713, the sultan literally expelled the "inmate" from his possessions, and he hardly, almost secretly, made his way to the lands belonging to Sweden. True, he never returned to Stockholm - there Charles was no longer perceived as a king. The Swedish nobility was utterly irritated by the unsuccessful and ruinous war, which literally destroyed the country's influence in Europe.

In 1718, Charles XII, resigned to the obvious, tried to make peace with Russia, recognizing most of the conquests of Peter I in the Baltic. The parties, however, did not come to an agreement.

In November of the same year, the king of Sweden, during his last campaign in Norway, which at that time was owned by Denmark, was killed by a stray bullet during the siege of the fortress of Fredriksten.

There is a version, however, that Charles XII fell victim to the Swedish elite, who decided that they no longer needed such a loser monarch.

But the "shadow of Poltava" hovered over the heirs of Karl. Three years after his death, in 1721, Sweden concluded the Treaty of Nystadt with Russia on conditions much more difficult than those that Charles XII refused in 1718.

In the spring of 1708 Charles XII invaded Russia. With him were 24 thousand infantry and 20 thousand cavalry. These were selected, well-versed warriors. In Europe, they were legendary as invincible soldiers. The Swedish king initially intended to march to Moscow through Smolensk, but this direction was covered by a strong army led by Boris Sheremetev. Charles XII turned south, went to the Ukraine. He was in secret correspondence with the Ukrainian hetman Ivan Mazepa. Many in the Cossack foreman were dissatisfied with the position of Ukraine within Russia. They believed that the liberties of the foremen and the Little Russian gentry were curtailed. The hardships of the Northern War also affected. 20 thousand Cossacks fought in the "Livonian region". Ukrainian hetman Ivan Mazepa dreamed of Ukraine, a vassal of Sweden. Karl XII Mazepa promised apartments for the army, food, fodder (feed for horses), military support for the 30-thousandth Zaporozhye army.

FROM RELATION ABOUT THE BATTLE OF POLTAVA

“And so by the grace of the Almighty, the perfect Victoria, which has hardly heard and seen such a thing, with easy labor against a proud enemy through his royal majesty a glorious weapon and a personal brave and wise drive won. For his majesty truly showed his courage, wise generosity and military skill, without fear of any fear to his royal personage, in the highest degree, and moreover, his hat was pierced by a bullet. Under his lordship Prince Menshikov, who, moreover, showed his courage enough, three horses were wounded. At the same time, this vedati must be that only one line of our infantry, in which about ten thousand was acquired, was in battle with the enemy, and the other did not reach that; for the enemies, being refuted from our first line, fled and were thus beaten<…>The news was received from those sent to bury the dead during the battle that they counted on the battlefield and the circle thereof and buried the Swedish dead bodies of 8519 people, except for those who were beaten in pursuit through the forests in different places. "

"I ASK YOU TO RETURN TO MY TENT"

On the eve of the Battle of Poltava, King Charles XII, promising his officers and soldiers a quick victory, invited the Russian Tsar to a sumptuous dinner at the tent. “He has prepared many foods; go where the glory leads you. " Peter I really arranged a feast for the winners, where he invited captured Swedish generals. Russian monarch at the same time, not without irony, he said: “Yesterday my brother King Karl invited you to dine in my tent, but today he did not come and did not keep his word, although I very much expected him. But when His Majesty did not deign to appear, then I ask you to come to my tent. "

ORDER FOR THE TRAITOR

After Poltava, Peter I sent the following command to Moscow: “Upon receiving this, immediately make a ten-pound silver coin, and on it command to carve Judas, hanging on the aspen, and below thirty pieces of silver lying with them a bag, and back and this inscription:“ They curse the ruinous son Judas the hedgehog chokes for the love of money. " And for that coin, to make a two-pound chain, send it to us by courier mail immediately. " It was the Order of Judas, made especially for the traitor Hetman Mazepa.

Tests on the history of the Fatherland

VICTORY PARADE

The event turned out to be wonderful. The order of the parade can be judged by the engravings of P. Picard and A. Zubov.

From the Serpukhov Gate came the triumphant sounds of twenty-four trumpeters and six timpani, leading the column. The procession was opened by the Semenovsky Life Guards regiment in horse formation, led by Prince M.M. Golitsyn. The Semenovites rode with banners unfolded and broadswords bared.

They were followed by trophies taken near Lesnaya, behind them Russian soldiers again now dragged through the snow 295 banners and standards captured at Lesnaya, near Poltava and Perevolnaya. (by the way, at the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945, 200 fascist banners and standards were thrown at the foot of the Lenin mausoleum). Such dragging of enemy trophy banners over land and water (if it was in the port), became in the Peter's era a kind of traditional part of victory events. Then came the Swedish prisoners. December 21 in the Russian capital held great amount prisoners of war - 22,085 Swedes, Finns, Germans and others, taken during 9 years of the war.

At first, the captured non-commissioned officers of the "Courland corps" were led on foot. After the victories at Lesnaya and Poltava, the Swedes were not considered a formidable enemy and, in mockery, they let 19 sledges of the "Samoyed king" drawn by the "Samoyed king" by the half-crazy Frenchman Uymenya with the Nenets dressed in reindeer skins, drawn by reindeer and horses. They were followed on horseback by the Swedish king's stretcher captured near Poltava. They were kept for some time in the Armory until the fire of 1737 destroyed them ...

After the Swedes followed the grenadier company of the Preobrazhensky regiment, again Swedish officers and trophies taken already near Poltava. Then Levengaupt was on foot along with Renscheld and Chancellor K. Pieper.

Following the generals on horseback rode the colonel of the Preobrazhensky regiment, Peter the Great, in a uniform torn by fragments of Swedish cannonballs, in a saddle, shot through by a Swedish bullet, in a cocked hat pierced by it. He rode the same horse, on which, in the difficult moments of the Poltava battle, he led the second battalion of Novgorodians into the attack. The tsar was now followed by Field Marshal Alexander Menshikov. The Transfiguration men moved after them and a huge baggage train began.

The Swedish regimental music was carried in 54 open carts, accompanied by 120 Swedish musicians. Among the trophies were the silver timpani of the Swedish Leib-Regiment. By the "fine" command of Tsar Peter Alekseevich as a mark of distinction in the Battle of Poltava and with the obvious traditional meaning of the commander's Kleinod of the leader, they were granted to General-Field Marshal, His Serene Highness Prince A.D. Menshikov to the General or Leib-shkvadron - the ancestor of the Horse Guards, becoming a precedent when a trophy turned into a combat award. The prisoners were led along the city streets through all 8 triumphal gates, erected "to the shame and disgrace of the Swedes."

Bells were ringing in all the churches, people were shouting, cursing and, in general, there was "such a roar and noise that people could hardly hear each other on the streets," wrote Corporal Eric Larsson Smepust. However, all the participants in the procession were treated to beer and vodka. Swedish generals, as after the Battle of Poltava, were summoned to a feast at Menshikov's house. The Moscow Victory Parade, organized by Peter the Great, was one of the most magnificent during his reign. And it was carried out not only for the edification of their own and other people's contemporaries, but also for their descendants. A tradition was born that must be preserved.