The first ruler of the young Country of Soviets, which arose as a result of the October Revolution of 1917, was the head of the RCP (b) - the Bolshevik Party - Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin), who led the “revolution of workers and peasants”. All subsequent rulers of the USSR held the post of General Secretary of the central committee of this organization, which, starting in 1922, became known as the CPSU - Communist Party Soviet Union.
Let us note that the ideology of the system ruling the country denied the possibility of holding any national elections or voting. Change senior managers state was carried out by the ruling elite itself, either after the death of a predecessor, or as a result of coups accompanied by serious internal party struggle. The article will list the rulers of the USSR in chronological order and the main stages in the life path of some of the most prominent historical figures are noted.
Ulyanov (Lenin) Vladimir Ilyich (1870-1924)
One of the most famous figures in history Soviet Russia. Vladimir Ulyanov stood at the origins of its creation, was the organizer and one of the leaders of the event, which gave rise to the world's first communist state. Having led a coup in October 1917 aimed at overthrowing the provisional government, he took the post of Chairman of the Council People's Commissars- the post of leader of a new country formed from the ruins Russian Empire.
His merit is considered to be the peace treaty of 1918 with Germany, which marked the end of the NEP - the government's new economic policy, which was supposed to lead the country out of the abyss of widespread poverty and hunger. All the rulers of the USSR considered themselves “faithful Leninists” and in every possible way praised Vladimir Ulyanov as a great statesman.
It should be noted that immediately after the “reconciliation with the Germans,” the Bolsheviks, under the leadership of Lenin, unleashed internal terror against dissent and the legacy of tsarism, which claimed millions of lives. The NEP policy also did not last long and was canceled shortly after his death, which occurred on January 21, 1924.
Dzhugashvili (Stalin) Joseph Vissarionovich (1879-1953)
Joseph Stalin became the first in 1922 general secretary However, right up to the death of V.I. Lenin, he remained in the secondary role of governing the state, inferior in popularity to his other comrades, who also aimed to become the rulers of the USSR. Nevertheless, after the death of the leader of the world proletariat, Stalin short time eliminated his main opponents, accusing them of betraying the ideals of the revolution.
By the early 1930s, he became the sole leader of nations, capable of deciding the fate of millions of citizens with the stroke of a pen. His policy of forced collectivization and dispossession, which replaced the NEP, as well as mass repressions against people dissatisfied with the current government, claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of USSR citizens. However, the period of Stalin's reign is noticeable not only in its bloody trail; it is worth noting the positive aspects of his leadership. In a short time, the Union turned from a country with a third-rate economy into a powerful industrial power that won the battle against fascism.
After the end of the Great Patriotic War, many cities in the western part of the USSR, destroyed almost to the ground, were quickly restored, and their industry became even more efficient. The rulers of the USSR, who held the highest position after Joseph Stalin, denied his leading role in the development of the state and characterized his reign as a period of the cult of the leader’s personality.
Khrushchev Nikita Sergeevich (1894-1971)
Coming from a simple peasant family, N.S. Khrushchev took the helm of the party shortly after Stalin’s death, which occurred. During the first years of his reign, he waged a behind-the-scenes struggle with G.M. Malenkov, who held the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers and was the de facto leader of the state.
In 1956, Khrushchev read a report on Stalin’s repressions at the 20th Party Congress, condemning the actions of his predecessor. The reign of Nikita Sergeevich was marked by the development of the space program - the launch of an artificial satellite and the first human flight into space. His new one allowed many citizens of the country to move from cramped communal apartments to more comfortable separate housing. The houses that were built en masse at that time are still popularly called “Khrushchev buildings.”
Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich (1907-1982)
On October 14, 1964, N. S. Khrushchev was removed from his post by a group of members of the Central Committee under the leadership of L. I. Brezhnev. For the first time in the history of the state, the rulers of the USSR were replaced in order not after the death of the leader, but as a result of an internal party conspiracy. The Brezhnev era in Russian history is known as stagnation. The country stopped developing and began to lose to the leading world powers, lagging behind them in all sectors, excluding military-industrial.
Brezhnev made some attempts to improve relations with the United States, which were damaged in 1962, when N.S. Khrushchev ordered the deployment of missiles with nuclear warheads in Cuba. Agreements were signed with the American leadership that limited the arms race. However, all the efforts of L.I. Brezhnev to defuse the situation were canceled out by the introduction of troops into Afghanistan.
Andropov Yuri Vladimirovich (1914-1984)
After Brezhnev's death on November 10, 1982, his place was taken by Yu. Andropov, who had previously headed the KGB - the USSR State Security Committee. He set a course for reforms and transformations in the social and economic spheres. His reign was marked by the initiation of criminal cases exposing corruption in government circles. However, Yuri Vladimirovich did not have time to make any changes in the life of the state, as he had serious health problems and died on February 9, 1984.
Chernenko Konstantin Ustinovich (1911-1985)
Since February 13, 1984, he held the post of General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. He continued the policy of his predecessor to expose corruption in the echelons of power. He was very ill and died in 1985, having held the highest government post for just over a year. All past rulers of the USSR, according to the order established in the state, were buried with K.U. Chernenko was the last on this list.
Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeevich (1931)
M. S. Gorbachev is the most famous Russian politician the end of the twentieth century. He won love and popularity in the West, but the citizens of his country have ambivalent feelings about his rule. If Europeans and Americans call him a great reformer, many people in Russia consider him the destroyer of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev proclaimed internal economic and political reforms, held under the slogan “Perestroika, Glasnost, Acceleration!”, which led to a massive shortage of food and industrial goods, unemployment and a drop in the standard of living of the population.
To assert that the era of M. S. Gorbachev’s reign had only negative consequences for the life of our country, it will be wrong. In Russia, the concepts of a multi-party system, freedom of religion and the press appeared. For his foreign policy, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The rulers of the USSR and Russia, neither before nor after Mikhail Sergeevich, were awarded such an honor.
In the Soviet Union, the private life of the country's leaders was strictly classified and protected as a state secret. highest degree protection. Only analysis of published lately materials allows us to lift the veil on the secrecy of their payroll records.
Having seized power in the country, Vladimir Lenin in December 1917 set himself a monthly salary of 500 rubles, which approximately corresponded to the wages of an unskilled worker in Moscow or St. Petersburg. Any other income, including fees, to high-ranking party members, at Lenin’s proposal, was strictly prohibited.
The modest salary of the “leader of the world revolution” was quickly eaten up by inflation, but Lenin somehow did not think about where the money for a completely comfortable life, treatment with the help of world luminaries and domestic service would come from, although he did not forget to sternly tell his subordinates every time: “Deduct these expenses from my salary!”
At the beginning of the NEP, the General Secretary of the Bolshevik Party Joseph Stalin was given a salary less than half of Lenin’s salary (225 rubles) and only in 1935 it was increased to 500 rubles, but the next year a new increase to 1200 rubles followed. The average salary in the USSR at that time was 1,100 rubles, and although Stalin did not live on his salary, he could well have lived modestly on it. During the war years, the leader's salary became almost zero as a result of inflation, but at the end of 1947, after the monetary reform, the “leader of all nations” set himself a new salary of 10,000 rubles, which was 10 times higher than the then average salary in the USSR. At the same time, a system of “Stalinist envelopes” was introduced - monthly tax-free payments to the top of the party-Soviet apparatus. Be that as it may, Stalin did not seriously consider his salary and of great importance didn't give it to her.
The first among the leaders of the Soviet Union who became seriously interested in his salary was Nikita Khrushchev, who received 800 rubles a month, which was 9 times the average salary in the country.
The sybarite Leonid Brezhnev was the first to violate Lenin’s ban on additional income, in addition to salaries, for the top of the party. In 1973, he awarded himself the International Lenin Prize (25,000 rubles), and since 1979, when the name of Brezhnev adorned the galaxy of classics Soviet literature, huge fees began to pour into the Brezhnev family budget. Brezhnev’s personal account at the publishing house of the CPSU Central Committee “Politizdat” is replete with thousands of sums for huge print runs and multiple reprints of his masterpieces “Renaissance”, “Malaya Zemlya” and “Virgin Land”. It is curious that the Secretary General had the habit of often forgetting about his literary income when paying party contributions to his favorite party.
Leonid Brezhnev was generally very generous at the expense of “national” state property - both to himself, and to his children, and to those close to him. He appointed his son first deputy minister foreign trade. In this post, he became famous for his constant trips for lavish parties abroad, as well as for huge senseless expenses there. Brezhnev's daughter led a wild life in Moscow, spending money coming from nowhere on jewelry. Those close to Brezhnev, in turn, were generously allocated dachas, apartments and huge bonuses.
Yuri Andropov, as a member of the Brezhnev Politburo, received 1,200 rubles a month, but when he became secretary general, he returned the salary of the general secretary from the time of Khrushchev - 800 rubles a month. At the same time, the purchasing power of the “Andropov ruble” was approximately half that of the “Khrushchev ruble”. Nevertheless, Andropov completely preserved the system of “Brezhnev’s fees” of the Secretary General and successfully used it. For example, with a basic salary rate of 800 rubles, his income for January 1984 was 8,800 rubles.
Andropov’s successor, Konstantin Chernenko, having kept the Secretary General’s salary at 800 rubles, intensified his efforts to extort fees by publishing various ideological materials in his own name. According to his party card, his income ranged from 1,200 to 1,700 rubles. At the same time, Chernenko, a fighter for the moral purity of communists, had the habit of constantly hiding from his own party large amounts. Thus, researchers could not find in the party card of Secretary General Chernenko in the column for 1984 4,550 rubles of royalties received through the payroll of Politizdat.
Mikhail Gorbachev “reconciled” with a salary of 800 rubles until 1990, which was only four times the average salary in the country. Only after combining the posts of president of the country and secretary general in 1990 did Gorbachev begin to receive 3,000 rubles, with the average salary in the USSR being 500 rubles.
The successor to the general secretaries, Boris Yeltsin, fumbled almost to the end with the “Soviet salary”, not daring to radically reform the salaries of the state apparatus. Only by decree of 1997 was the salary of the President of Russia set at 10,000 rubles, and in August 1999 its size increased to 15,000 rubles, which was 9 times higher than the average salary in the country, that is, it was approximately at the level of the salaries of his predecessors in running the country, who had the title of General Secretary. True, the Yeltsin family had a lot of income from “the outside”.
For the first 10 months of his reign, Vladimir Putin received the “Yeltsin rate.” However, as of June 30, 2002, the president's annual salary was set at 630,000 rubles (approximately $25,000) plus security and language allowances. He also receives a military pension for his rank of colonel.
From this moment on, for the first time since Lenin’s times, the basic salary rate of the leader of Russia ceased to be just a fiction, although compared to the salary rates of the leaders of the leading countries of the world, Putin’s rate looks quite modest. For example, the President of the United States receives 400 thousand dollars, and the Prime Minister of Japan has almost the same amount. The salaries of other leaders are more modest: the Prime Minister of Great Britain has 348,500 dollars, the Chancellor of Germany has about 220 thousand, and the President of France has 83 thousand.
It is interesting to see how the “regional secretaries general” - the current presidents of the CIS countries - look against this background. Former member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, and now the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, essentially lives according to the “Stalinist norms” for the ruler of the country, that is, he and his family are fully provided for by the state, but he also set a relatively small salary for himself - 4 thousand dollars per month. month. Other regional general secretaries - former first secretaries of the Central Committee of the Communist Parties of their republics - formally set themselves more modest salaries. Thus, the President of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, receives only $1,900 a month, and the President of Turkmenistan, Sapurmurad Niyazov, receives only $900. At the same time, Aliyev, having placed his son Ilham Aliyev at the head of the state oil company, actually privatized all the country's income from oil - the main currency resource of Azerbaijan, and Niyazov generally turned Turkmenistan into a kind of medieval khanate, where everything belongs to the ruler. Turkmenbashi, and only he, can resolve any issue. All foreign currency funds are managed only by Turkmenbashi (Father of the Turkmens) Niyazov personally, and the sale of Turkmen gas and oil is managed by his son Murad Niyazov.
The situation is worse than others former first Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Georgia and member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee Eduard Shevardnadze. With a modest monthly salary at $750, he was unable to establish complete control over the country’s wealth due to strong opposition to him in the country. In addition, the opposition closely monitors all personal expenses of President Shevardnadze and his family.
Lifestyle and real capabilities of current leaders former country The Soviets are well characterized by the behavior of the Russian President's wife, Lyudmila Putina, during her husband's recent state visit to the UK. The wife of the British Prime Minister, Cherie Blair, took Lyudmila to view 2004 clothing models from the Burberry design firm, famous among the rich. For more than two hours, Lyudmila Putina was shown the latest fashion items, and in conclusion, Putina was asked if she would like to purchase anything. Blueberry's prices are very high. For example, even a gas scarf from this company costs 200 pounds sterling.
The Russian president's eyes were so wide-eyed that she announced the purchase... of the entire collection. Even super-millionaires did not dare to do this. By the way, because if you buy the entire collection, people will not understand that you are wearing next year’s fashion clothes! After all, no one else has anything comparable. Putina’s behavior in this case was not so much the behavior of the wife of a major statesman of the early 21st century, but rather resembled the behavior of the main wife of an Arab sheikh in the mid-20th century, distraught by the amount of petrodollars that had fallen on her husband.
This episode with Mrs. Putina needs a little explanation. Naturally, neither she nor the “art critics in plainclothes” accompanying her during the collection display had as much money with them as the collection was worth. This was not required, because in such cases, respected people only need their signature on the check and nothing else. No money or credit cards. Even if Mr. President of Russia himself, trying to appear before the world as a civilized European, was outraged by this act, then, of course, he had to pay.
Other rulers of countries - former Soviet republics - also know how to “live well.” So, a couple of years ago, the six-day wedding of the son of the President of Kyrgyzstan Akaev and the daughter of the President of Kazakhstan Nazarbayev thundered throughout Asia. The scale of the wedding was truly Khan-like. By the way, both newlyweds graduated from the University of College Park (Maryland) only a year ago.
The son of Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev, Ilham Aliyev, also looks quite decent against this background, having set a kind of world record: in just one evening he managed to lose as much as 4 (four!) million dollars in a casino. By the way, this worthy representative of one of the “General Secretary’s” clans is now registered as a candidate for the post of President of Azerbaijan. Residents of this one of the poorest countries in terms of living standards are invited to elect either an amateur in the new elections.” beautiful life” Aliyev’s son or father Aliyev himself, who has already “served” two presidential terms, has crossed the 80-year mark and is so sick that he is no longer able to move independently.
The General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee is the highest position in the hierarchy of the Communist Party and, by and large, the leader of the Soviet Union. In the history of the party there were four more positions of the head of its central apparatus: Technical Secretary (1917-1918), Chairman of the Secretariat (1918-1919), Executive Secretary (1919-1922) and First Secretary (1953-1966).
The people who filled the first two positions were mainly engaged in paper secretarial work. The position of Executive Secretary was introduced in 1919 to perform administrative activities. The post of General Secretary, established in 1922, was also created purely for administrative and personnel internal party work. However, the first Secretary General Joseph Stalin, using the principles of democratic centralism, managed to become not only the leader of the party, but the entire Soviet Union.
At the 17th Party Congress, Stalin was not formally re-elected to office. Secretary General. However, his influence was already enough to maintain leadership in the party and the country as a whole. After Stalin's death in 1953, Georgy Malenkov was considered the most influential member of the Secretariat. After his appointment to the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers, he left the Secretariat and Nikita Khrushchev, who was soon elected First Secretary of the Central Committee, took the leading positions in the party.
Not limitless rulers
In 1964, the opposition within the Politburo and the Central Committee removed Nikita Khrushchev from the post of First Secretary, electing Leonid Brezhnev in his place. Since 1966, the position of the party leader was again called the General Secretary. In Brezhnev's times, the power of the General Secretary was not unlimited, since members of the Politburo could limit his powers. The leadership of the country was carried out collectively.
Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko ruled the country according to the same principle as the late Brezhnev. Both were elected to the party's top post while their health was failing and served only a short time as secretary general. Until 1990, when the Communist Party's monopoly on power was eliminated, Mikhail Gorbachev led the state as General Secretary of the CPSU. Especially for him, in order to maintain leadership in the country, the post of President of the Soviet Union was established in the same year.
After the August 1991 putsch, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as General Secretary. He was replaced by his deputy, Vladimir Ivashko, who worked as acting General Secretary for only five calendar days, until that moment Russian President Boris Yeltsin suspended the activities of the CPSU.
The first accession to Rus' took place in 1547, Ivan the Terrible became sovereign. Previously, the throne was occupied by Grand Duke. Some Russian tsars could not maintain power; they were replaced by other rulers. Russia was worried different periods: Time of Troubles, palace coups, assassinations of kings and emperors, revolutions, years of terror.
The Rurik family tree ended with Fyodor Ioannovich, the son of Ivan the Terrible. For several decades, power passed to different monarchs. In 1613, the Romanovs ascended the throne; after the revolution of 1917, this dynasty was overthrown, and the world's first socialist state was established in Russia. Emperors were replaced by leaders and general secretaries. At the end of the twentieth century, a course was taken to create democratic society. Citizens began to elect the president of the country by secret ballot.
John the Fourth (1533 - 1584)
Grand Duke, who became the first Tsar of All Rus'. Formally, he ascended the throne at the age of 3, when his father, Prince Vasily the Third, died. Officially took the royal title in 1547. The Emperor was known for his stern disposition, for which he received the nickname Terrible. Ivan the Fourth was a reformer; during his reign, the Code of Law of 1550 was drawn up, zemstvo assemblies began to be convened, changes were made in education, the army, and self-government.
The increase in Russian territory was 100%. The Astrakhan and Kazan Khanates were conquered, and the development of Siberia, Bashkiria, and the Don Territory began. The last years of the kingdom were marked by failures during the Livonian War and the bloody years of the oprichnina, when most of the Russian aristocracy was destroyed.
Fyodor Ioannovich (1584 - 1598)
The middle son of Ivan the Terrible. According to one version, he became heir to the throne in 1581, when his older brother Ivan died at the hands of his father. He went down in history under the name Fyodor the Blessed. He became the last representative from the Moscow branch of the Rurik dynasty, since he left no heirs. Fyodor Ioannovich, unlike his father, was meek in character and kind.
During his reign, the Moscow Patriarchate was established. Several strategic cities were founded: Voronezh, Saratov, Stary Oskol. From 1590 to 1595 it continued Russian-Swedish war. Russia returned part of the Baltic Sea coast.
Irina Godunova (1598 - 1598)
Wife of Tsar Fyodor and sister of Boris Godunov. She and her husband had only one daughter, who died in infancy. Therefore, after the death of her husband, Irina became the heir to the throne. She was listed as queen for just over a month. Irina Fedorovna led an active social life during her husband’s life, even receiving European ambassadors. But a week after his death, she decided to become a nun and go to the Novodevichy Convent. After tonsure, she took the name Alexandra. Irina Fedorovna was listed as tsarina until her brother Boris Fedorovich was confirmed as sovereign.
Boris Godunov (1598 - 1605)
Boris Godunov was Fyodor Ioannovich's brother-in-law. Thanks to a happy accident, demonstrated ingenuity and cunning, he became the Tsar of Russia. His advancement began in 1570, when he joined the oprichniki. And in 1580 he was awarded the title of boyar. It is generally accepted that Godunov led the state during the time of Fyodor Ioannovich (he was incapable of this due to his soft character).
Godunov's reign was aimed at developing Russian state. He began to actively get closer to Western countries. Doctors, cultural and government figures came to Russia. Boris Godunov was known for his suspiciousness and repressions against the boyars. During his reign there was a terrible famine. The Tsar even opened the royal barns to feed the hungry peasants. In 1605 he died unexpectedly.
Fyodor Godunov (1605 - 1605)
He was an educated young man. He is considered one of the first cartographers of Russia. The son of Boris Godunov, was elevated to the throne at the age of 16, and became the last of the Godunovs on the throne. He reigned for just under two months, from April 13 to June 1, 1605. Fedor became king during the offensive of the troops of False Dmitry the First. But the governors who led the suppression of the uprising betrayed the Russian Tsar and swore allegiance to False Dmitry. Fyodor and his mother were killed in the royal chambers, and their bodies were put on display on Red Square. During the short period of the king's reign, the Stone Order was approved - this is an analogue of the Ministry of Construction.
False Dmitry (1605 - 1606)
This king came to power after an uprising. He introduced himself as Tsarevich Dmitry Ivanovich. He said that he was the miraculously saved son of Ivan the Terrible. There are different versions about the origin of False Dmitry. Some historians say that this is a runaway monk, Grigory Otrepiev. Others argue that he could actually be Tsarevich Dmitry, who was secretly taken to Poland.
During the year of his reign, he brought back many repressed boyars from exile, changed the composition of the Duma, and banned bribery. On the foreign policy side, he was going to start a war with the Turks for access to the Sea of Azov. Opened the borders of Russia for the free movement of foreigners and compatriots. He was killed in May 1606 as a result of a conspiracy by Vasily Shuisky.
Vasily Shuisky (1606 - 1610)
Representative of the Shuisky princes from the Suzdal branch of the Rurikovichs. The tsar was little popular among the people and depended on the boyars, who elected him to rule. He tried to strengthen the army. A new military regulation was established. During Shuisky's time, numerous uprisings took place. The rebel Bolotnikov was replaced by False Dmitry the Second (allegedly False Dmitry the First, who escaped in 1606). Some regions of Russia swore allegiance to the self-proclaimed king. The country was also besieged by Polish troops. In 1610, the ruler was overthrown by the Polish-Lithuanian king. Until the end of his days he lived in Poland as a prisoner.
Vladislav the Fourth (1610 - 1613)
Son of the Polish-Lithuanian king Sigismund III. He was considered the sovereign of Russia during the Time of Troubles. In 1610 he took the oath of Moscow boyars. According to the Smolensk Treaty, he was supposed to take the throne after accepting Orthodoxy. But Vladislav did not change his religion and refused to change his Catholicism. He never came to Rus'. In 1612, the government of the boyars was overthrown in Moscow, who invited Vladislav the Fourth to the throne. And then it was decided to make Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov king.
Mikhail Romanov (1613 - 1645)
The first sovereign of the Romanov dynasty. This family belonged to the seven largest and most ancient families of Moscow boyars. Mikhail Fedorovich was only 16 years old when he was placed on the throne. His father, Patriarch Filaret, informally led the country. Officially, he could not be crowned king, since he had already been tonsured a monk.
During the time of Mikhail Fedorovich, normal trade and economy, undermined Time of Troubles. An “eternal peace” was concluded with Sweden and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The king ordered an accurate inventory of local lands to be made in order to establish the real tax. Regiments of the “new order” were created.
Alexey Mikhailovich (1645 - 1676)
In the history of Russia he received the nickname The Quietest. The second representative of the Romanov tree. During his reign, the Council Code was established, a census of tax houses was carried out and the male population was censused. Alexey Mikhailovich finally assigned the peasants to their place of residence. New institutions were founded: the orders of Secret Affairs, Accounting, Reiter and Grain Affairs. During the time of Alexei Mikhailovich, a church schism began; after the innovations, Old Believers appeared who did not accept the new rules.
In 1654, Russia was united with Ukraine, and the colonization of Siberia continued. By order of the king, copper money was issued. Also introduced was an unsuccessful attempt at a high tax on salt, which caused salt riots.
Fedor Alekseevich (1676 - 1682)
Son of Alexei Mikhailovich and first wife Maria Miloslavskaya. He was very sickly, like all the children of Tsar Alexei from his first wife. He suffered from scurvy and other diseases. Fedor was declared heir after the death of his older brother Alexei. He ascended the throne at the age of fifteen. Fedor was very educated. During his short reign, a complete census was carried out. A direct tax was introduced. Localism was destroyed and rank books were burned. This excluded the possibility of boyars to occupy positions of power on the basis of the merits of their ancestors.
There was a war with the Turks and the Crimean Khanate in 1676 - 1681. Left-bank Ukraine and Kyiv were recognized as Russia. Repressions against Old Believers continued. Fedor left no heirs; he died at the age of twenty, presumably from scurvy.
John the Fifth (1682 - 1696)
After the death of Fyodor Alekseevich, a twofold situation was created. He had two brothers left, but John was weak in health and mind, and Peter (the son of Alexei Mikhailovich from his second wife) was young in age. The boyars decided to put both brothers in power, and their sister Sofya Alekseevna became their regent. He was never involved in government affairs. All power was concentrated in the hands of the Naryshkin sister and family. The princess continued the fight against the Old Believers. Russia concluded a profitable “eternal peace” with Poland and an unfavorable agreement with China. She was overthrown in 1696 by Peter the Great and tonsured a nun.
Peter the Great (1682 - 1725)
The first Emperor of Russia, known as Peter the Great. He ascended the Russian throne together with his brother Ivan at the age of ten. Before 1696 rules together with him under the regency of his sister Sophia. Peter traveled to Europe, learned new crafts and shipbuilding. Turned Russia towards the West European countries. This is one of the country's most significant reformers
Its main bills include: reform of local self-government and central government, the creation of the Senate and Collegiums, a Synod and General Regulations were organized. Peter ordered the rearmament of the army, introduced a regular recruitment of recruits, and created a strong fleet. Mining, textile and processing industry, monetary and educational reforms were carried out.
Under Peter, wars took place with the aim of seizing access to the sea: the Azov campaigns, the victorious Northern War, which gave access to the Baltic Sea. Russia expanded to the East and towards the Caspian Sea.
Catherine the First (1725 - 1727)
Second wife of Peter the Great. She took the throne because the last will of the emperor remained unclear. In the two years of the empress's reign, all power was concentrated in the hands of Menshikov and the Privy Council. During the time of Catherine the First, the Supreme Privy Council was created, and the role of the Senate was reduced to a minimum. Long wars during the time of Peter the Great affected the country's finances. Bread rose sharply in price, famine began in Russia, and the empress lowered the poll tax. None major wars have not been carried out in the country. The time of Catherine the First became famous for the organization of the Bering expedition to the Far North.
Peter the Second (1727 - 1730)
Grandson of Peter the Great, son of his eldest son Alexei (who was executed at the behest of his father). He ascended the throne at only 11 years old; real power was in the hands of the Menshikovs, and then the Dolgorukov family. Due to his age, he did not have time to show any interest in government affairs.
The traditions of the boyars and outdated orders began to be revived. The army and navy fell into decay. There was an attempt to restore the patriarchate. As a result, the influence of the Privy Council increased, whose members invited Anna Ioannovna to reign. During the time of Peter the Second, the capital was moved to Moscow. The emperor died at the age of 14 from smallpox.
Anna Ioannovna (1730 - 1740)
The fourth daughter of Tsar John the Fifth. She was sent by Peter the Great to Courland and married to the Duke, but was widowed after a couple of months. After the death of Peter the Second, she was invited to reign, but her powers were limited to the nobles. However, the Empress restored absolutism. The period of her reign went down in history under the name “Bironovschina”, after the surname of Biron’s favorite.
Under Anna Ioannovna, the Office of Secret Investigative Affairs was established, which carried out reprisals against nobles. A reform of the fleet was carried out and the construction of ships, which had been slowed down in the past, was restored. last decades. The Empress restored the powers of the Senate. In foreign policy, the tradition of Peter the Great was continued. As a result of the wars, Russia received Azov (but without the right to maintain a fleet in it) and part of the right-bank Ukraine, Kabarda in the North Caucasus.
John the Sixth (1740 - 1741)
Great-grandson of John the Fifth, son of his daughter Anna Leopoldovna. Anna Ioannovna had no children, but she wanted to leave the throne to the descendants of her father. Therefore, before her death, she appointed her grandnephew as her successor, and in the event of his death, Anna Leopoldovna’s subsequent children.
The emperor ascended the throne at the age of two months. His first regent was Biron, a couple of months later there was a palace coup, Biron was sent into exile, and John’s mother became regent. But she was in illusions and was incapable of ruling. Her favorites, Minikh and later Osterman, were overthrown during a new coup, and the little prince was arrested. The emperor spent his entire life in captivity in the Shlisselburg fortress. They tried to free him many times. One of these attempts ended in the murder of John the Sixth.
Elizaveta Petrovna (1741 - 1762)
Daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine the First. Ascended to the throne as a result palace coup. She continued the policies of Peter the Great, finally restored the role of the Senate and many Collegiums, and abolished the Cabinet of Ministers. Conducted a population census and implemented new taxation reforms. On the cultural side, her reign went down in history as the Age of Enlightenment. In the 18th century, the first university, academy of arts, and imperial theater were opened.
In foreign policy she adhered to the behests of Peter the Great. During the years of her power, the victorious Russian-Swedish war and the Seven Years' War against Prussia, England and Portugal took place. Immediately after Russia's victory, the empress died, leaving no heirs. And Emperor Peter the Third gave all the territories received back to the Prussian King Frederick.
Peter the Third (1762 - 1762)
Grandson of Peter the Great, son of his daughter Anna Petrovna. He reigned for only six months, then, as a result of a palace coup, he was overthrown by his wife Catherine II, and a little later he lost his life. At first, historians assessed the period of his reign as negative for the history of Russia. But then they appreciated a number of the emperor’s merits.
Peter abolished the Secret Chancellery, began secularization (seizure) of church lands, and stopped persecuting the Old Believers. Adopted the “Manifesto on the Freedom of the Nobility.” Among the negative aspects is the complete annulment of the results of the Seven Years' War and the return of all conquered territories to Prussia. He died almost immediately after the coup due to unclear circumstances.
Catherine the Second (1762 - 1796)
The wife of Peter the Third came to power as a result of a palace coup, overthrowing her husband. Her era went down in history as a period of maximum enslavement of the peasants and extensive privileges for the nobles. So Catherine tried to thank the nobles for the power they received and strengthen her strength.
The period of rule went down in history as “the policy of enlightened absolutism.” Under Catherine, the Senate was transformed, provincial reform was carried out, and the Statutory Commission was convened. The secularization of the lands near the church was completed. Catherine the Second carried out reforms in almost every area. Police, city, judicial, educational, monetary, and customs reforms were carried out. Russia continued to expand its borders. As a result of the wars, Crimea, the Black Sea region, Western Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania were annexed. Despite significant successes, Catherine's era is known as a period of flourishing corruption and favoritism.
Paul the First (1796 - 1801)
Son of Catherine the Second and Peter the Third. The relationship between the empress and her son was strained. Catherine saw her grandson Alexander on the Russian throne. But before her death, the will disappeared, so power passed to Paul. The sovereign issued a law on succession to the throne and stopped the possibility of women ruling the country. The eldest male representative became the ruler. The position of the nobles was weakened and the position of the peasants was improved (a law on three-day corvee was adopted, the poll tax was abolished, and the separate sale of family members was prohibited). Administrative and military reforms were carried out. Drilling and censorship intensified.
Under Paul, Russia joined the anti-French coalition, and troops led by Suvorov liberated Northern Italy from the French. Paul also prepared a campaign against India. He was killed in 1801 during a palace coup organized by his son Alexander.
Alexander the First (1801 - 1825)
Eldest son of Paul the First. He went down in history as Alexander the Blessed. He carried out moderate liberal reforms, their developer was Speransky and members of the Secret Committee. The reforms consisted of an attempt to weaken serfdom (a decree on free cultivators) and the replacement of Peter's colleges with ministries. Was held military reform, according to which military settlements were formed. They contributed to the maintenance of a standing army.
In foreign policy, Alexander maneuvered between England and France, drawing closer to one country or another. Part of Georgia, Finland, Bessarabia, and part of Poland joined Russia. Alexander won the Patriotic War of 1812 with Napoleon. He died unexpectedly in 1825, which gave rise to rumors that the king became a hermit.
Nicholas the First (1825 - 1855)
Third son of Emperor Paul. He rose to reign because Alexander the First did not leave behind heirs, and his second brother Constantine abandoned the throne. The first days of his accession began with the Decembrist uprising, which the emperor suppressed. The emperor tightened the state of the country, his policy was aimed against the reforms and relaxations of Alexander the First. Nicholas was harsh, for which he was nicknamed Palkin (punishment with canes was the most common in his time).
During the time of Nicholas, the Secret Police was created to track future revolutionaries, the codification of the laws of the Russian Empire, the Kankrin monetary reform and the reform of state peasants were carried out. Russia took part in wars with Turkey and Persia. At the end of Nicholas's reign, the difficult Crimean War took place, but the emperor died before it ended.
Alexander II (1855 - 1881)
The eldest son of Nicholas went down in history as a great reformer who ruled in the 19th century. In history, Alexander II was called the Liberator. The emperor had to end the bloody Crimean War, as a result, Russia signed an agreement that infringes on its interests. The great reforms of the emperor include: abolition of serfdom, modernization financial system, the liquidation of military settlements, reforms of secondary and higher education, judicial and zemstvo reforms, improvement of local self-government and military reform, during which the abandonment of recruits and the introduction of universal military service took place.
In foreign policy, he followed the course of Catherine II. Victories were won in the Caucasian and Russian-Turkish wars. Despite the great reforms, public discontent continued to grow. The emperor died as a result of a successful terrorist attack.
Alexander the Third (1881 - 1894)
During his reign, Russia did not wage a single war, for which Alexander the Third was called Emperor the Peacemaker. He adhered to conservative views and carried out a number of counter-reforms, unlike his father. Alexander the Third adopted the Manifesto on the inviolability of autocracy, increased administrative pressure, and destroyed university self-government.
During his reign, the law “On cooks’ children” was adopted. It limited educational opportunities for children from the lower classes. The situation of the liberated peasants improved. The Peasant Bank was opened, redemption payments were lowered and the poll tax was abolished. Foreign policy The emperor was characterized by openness and peacefulness.
Nicholas II (1894 - 1917)
The last emperor of Russia and representative of the Romanov dynasty on the throne. His reign was characterized by sharp economic development and growth revolutionary movement. Nicholas II decided to go to war with Japan (1904 - 1905), which was lost. This increased public discontent and led to the revolution (1905 - 1907). As a result, Nicholas II signed a decree on the creation of the Duma. Russia became a Constitutional monarchy.
By order of Nicholas at the beginning of the 20th century, a agrarian reform(Stolypin project), monetary reform (Witte project) and the army was modernized. In 1914, Russia was drawn into the First World War. Which led to the strengthening of the revolutionary movement and the discontent of the people. In February 1917, a revolution took place, and Nicholas was forced to abdicate the throne. He was shot along with his family and courtiers in 1918. The imperial family is canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Georgy Lvov (1917 - 1917)
Russian politician, held power from March to July 1917. He was the head of the Provisional Government, bore the title of prince, and came from distant branches of the Rurikovichs. He was appointed by Nicholas II after signing his abdication. He was a member of the first State Duma. He worked as the head of the Moscow City Duma. During the First World War, he created a union to help the wounded and delivered food and medicine to hospitals. After the failure of the June offensive at the front and the July uprising of the Bolsheviks, Georgy Evgenievich Lvov voluntarily resigned.
Alexander Kerensky (1917 - 1917)
He was the head of the Provisional Government from July to October 1917, until the October Socialist Revolution. He was a lawyer by training and was part of the fourth State Duma, a member of the Socialist Revolutionary Party. Alexander was Minister of Justice and Minister of War of the Provisional Government until July. Then he became chairman of the government, retaining the post of minister of war and navy. Was overthrown during October Revolution and fled from Russia. He lived in exile all his life and died in 1970.
Vladimir Lenin (1917 - 1924)
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov is a major Russian revolutionary. Leader of the Bolshevik Party, Marxist theorist. During the October Revolution, the Bolshevik Party came to power. Vladimir Lenin became the leader of the country and the creator of the first socialist state in the history of the world.
During Lenin's reign, the First world war, in 1918. Russia signed a humiliating peace and lost part of the territories of the southern regions (they later re-entered the country). Important decrees on peace, land and power were signed. Continued until 1922 Civil war, in which the Bolshevik army won. Labor reform was carried out, a clear working day, mandatory days off and vacation were established. All workers received the right to a pension. Every person received the right to free education and healthcare. The capital was moved to Moscow. The USSR was created.
Along with many social reforms came persecution of religion. Almost all churches and monasteries were closed, property was liquidated or stolen. Mass terror and executions continued, an unbearable surplus appropriation system was introduced (a tax on grain and food paid by peasants), and a mass exodus of the intelligentsia and cultural elite was introduced. Died in 1924, in recent years I was ill and practically cannot lead the country. This is the only person whose body still lies in an embalmed state on Red Square.
Joseph Stalin (1924 - 1953)
In the course of numerous intrigues, Joseph Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili became the leader of the country. Soviet revolutionary, supporter of Marxism. The time of his reign is still considered controversial. Stalin aimed the country's development towards mass industrialization and collectivization. Formed a super-centralized administrative-command system. His rule became an example of harsh autocracy.
Heavy industry was actively developing in the country, and there was an increase in the construction of factories, reservoirs, canals and other large-scale projects. But often the work was carried out by prisoners. The time of Stalin is remembered for mass terror, conspiracies against many intellectuals, executions, deportation of peoples, and violations of fundamental human rights. The personality cult of Stalin and Lenin flourished.
Stalin was the Supreme Commander-in-Chief during the Great Patriotic War. Under his leadership soviet army won a victory in the USSR and reached Berlin, an act of unconditional surrender of Germany was signed. Stalin died in 1953.
Nikita Khrushchev (1953 - 1962)
Khrushchev's reign is called the "thaw". During his leadership, many political “criminals” were released or had their sentences commuted, and ideological censorship was reduced. The USSR was actively exploring space and for the first time under Nikita Sergeevich, our cosmonauts flew into outer space. The construction of residential buildings was developing at an active pace to provide apartments for young families.
Khrushchev's policy was aimed at combating personal farming. He forbade collective farmers from keeping personal livestock. The Corn Campaign was actively pursued - an attempt to make corn the main grain crop. Virgin lands were being developed en masse. Khrushchev's reign was remembered for the Novocherkassk execution of workers, the Cuban missile crisis, the beginning of the Cold War, and the construction of the Berlin Wall. Khrushchev was removed from his post as First Secretary as a result of the conspiracy.
Leonid Brezhnev (1962 - 1982)
The period of Brezhnev's rule in history was called the “era of stagnation.” However, in 2013 he was recognized as the best leader of the USSR. Heavy industry continued to develop in the country, and the light sector grew at a minimal rate. In 1972, an anti-alcohol campaign passed, and the volume of alcohol production decreased, but the shadow sector of surrogate distribution increased.
Under the leadership of Leonid Brezhnev, the Afghan War was launched in 1979. The international policy of the Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee was aimed at defusing world tensions in connection with the Cold War. A joint declaration on non-proliferation was signed in France nuclear weapons. In 1980, the Summer Olympics were held in Moscow.
Yuri Andropov (1982 - 1984)
Andropov was chairman of the KGB from 1967 to 1982, this could not but affect the short period of his reign. The role of the KGB was strengthened. Special units were created to supervise enterprises and organizations of the USSR. A large-scale strengthening campaign took place labor discipline in factories. Yuri Andropov began a general purge of the party apparatus. There were high-profile trials on corruption issues. He planned to begin modernizing the political apparatus and a series of economic transformations. Andropov died in 1984 as a result of kidney failure due to gout.
Konstantin Chernenko (1984 - 1985)
Chernenko became a leader of the state at the age of 72, already having serious health problems. And he was considered just an intermediate figure. He stood in power for a little while less than a year. Historians disagree about the role of Konstantin Chernenko. Some believe that he slowed down Andropov’s initiatives by concealing corruption cases. Others believe that Chernenko continued the policies of his predecessor. Konstantin Ustinovich died of cardiac arrest in March 1985.
Mikhail Gorbachev (1985 - 1991)
He became the last general secretary of the party and the last leader of the USSR. Gorbachev's role in the life of the country is considered controversial. He received many awards, the most prestigious - Nobel Prize peace. Under him, radical reforms were carried out and state policy was changed. Gorbachev outlined a course for “perestroika” - the introduction of market relations, the democratic development of the country, openness and freedom of speech. All this led the unprepared country to a deep crisis. Under Mikhail Sergeevich, Soviet troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan and the Cold War ended. The USSR and the Warsaw bloc collapsed.
Table of the reign of Russian tsars
A table representing all the rulers of Russia in chronological order. Next to the name of each king, emperor and head of state is the time of his reign. The diagram gives an idea of the succession of monarchs.
| Ruler name | The temporary period of government of the country |
| John the Fourth | 1533 – 1584 |
| Fedor Ioannovich | 1584 – 1598 |
| Irina Fedorovna | 1598 – 1598 |
| Boris Godunov | 1598 – 1605 |
| Fedor Godunov | 1605 – 1605 |
| False Dmitry | 1605 – 1606 |
| Vasily Shuisky | 1606 – 1610 |
| Vladislav the Fourth | 1610 – 1613 |
| Mikhail Romanov | 1613 – 1645 |
| Alexey Mikhailovich | 1645 – 1676 |
| Fedor Alekseevich | 1676 – 1682 |
| John the Fifth | 1682 – 1696 |
| Peter the Great | 1682 – 1725 |
| Catherine the First | 1725 – 1727 |
| Peter the Second | 1727 – 1730 |
| Anna Ioannovna | 1730 – 1740 |
| John the Sixth | 1740 – 1741 |
| Elizaveta Petrovna | 1741 – 1762 |
| Peter the Third | 1762 -1762 |
| Catherine II | 1762 – 1796 |
| Pavel the First | 1796 – 1801 |
| Alexander the First | 1801 – 1825 |
| Nicholas the First | 1825 – 1855 |
| Alexander II | 1855 – 1881 |
| Alexander the Third | 1881 – 1894 |
| Nicholas II | 1894 – 1917 |
| Georgy Lvov | 1917 – 1917 |
| Alexander Kerensky | 1917 – 1917 |
| Vladimir Lenin | 1917 – 1924 |
| Joseph Stalin | 1924 – 1953 |
| Nikita Khrushchev | 1953 – 1962 |
| Leonid Brezhnev | 1962 – 1982 |
| Yuri Andropov | 1982 – 1984 |
| Konstantin Chernenko | 1984 – 1985 |
| Mikhail Gorbachev | 1985 — 1991 |
With the death of Stalin - the “father of nations” and the “architect of communism” - in 1953, a struggle for power began, because what he established assumed that at the helm of the USSR there would be the same autocratic leader who would take the reins of government into his hands.
The only difference was that the main contenders for power all unanimously advocated the abolition of this very cult and the liberalization of the country’s political course.
Who ruled after Stalin?
A serious struggle unfolded between the three main contenders, who initially represented a triumvirate - Georgy Malenkov (Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR), Lavrentiy Beria (Minister of the United Ministry of Internal Affairs) and Nikita Khrushchev (Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee). Each of them wanted to take a place in it, but victory could only go to the candidate whose candidacy was supported by the party, whose members enjoyed great authority and had the necessary connections. In addition, they were all united by the desire to achieve stability, end the era of repression and gain more freedom in their actions. That is why the question of who ruled after Stalin’s death does not always have a clear answer - after all, there were three people fighting for power at once.
The triumvirate in power: the beginning of a split
The triumvirate created under Stalin divided power. Most of it was concentrated in the hands of Malenkov and Beria. Khrushchev was assigned the role of secretary, which was not so significant in the eyes of his rivals. However, they underestimated the ambitious and assertive party member, who stood out for his extraordinary thinking and intuition.
For those who ruled the country after Stalin, it was important to understand who first of all needed to be eliminated from the competition. The first target was Lavrenty Beria. Khrushchev and Malenkov were aware of the dossier on each of them that the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who was in charge of the entire system of repressive bodies, had. In this regard, in July 1953, Beria was arrested, accusing him of espionage and some other crimes, thereby eliminating such a dangerous enemy.
Malenkov and his politics
Khrushchev's authority as the organizer of this conspiracy increased significantly, and his influence over other party members increased. However, while Malenkov was the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, key decisions and policy directions depended on him. At the first meeting of the Presidium, a course was set for de-Stalinization and the establishment of collective governance of the country: it was planned to abolish the cult of personality, but to do this in such a way as not to diminish the merits of the “father of nations.” The main task set by Malenkov was to develop the economy taking into account the interests of the population. He proposed a fairly extensive program of changes, which was not adopted at the meeting of the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee. Then Malenkov put forward these same proposals at a session of the Supreme Council, where they were approved. For the first time after Stalin’s autocratic rule, the decision was made not by the party, but by an official government body. The CPSU Central Committee and the Politburo were forced to agree to this.
Further history will show that among those who ruled after Stalin, Malenkov would be the most “effective” in his decisions. The set of measures he adopted to combat bureaucracy in the state and party apparatus, to develop the food and light industry, to expand the independence of collective farms bore fruit: 1954-1956, for the first time since the end of the war, showed an increase in the rural population and an increase in agricultural production, which for many years decline and stagnation became profitable. The effect of these measures lasted until 1958. It is this five-year plan that is considered the most productive and effective after the death of Stalin.
It was clear to those who ruled after Stalin that such successes would not be achieved in light industry, since Malenkov’s proposals for its development contradicted the tasks of the next five-year plan, which emphasized the promotion
I tried to approach problem solving from a rational point of view, using economic rather than ideological considerations. However, this order did not suit the party nomenklatura (led by Khrushchev), which practically lost its predominant role in the life of the state. This was a weighty argument against Malenkov, who, under pressure from the party, submitted his resignation in February 1955. His place was taken by Khrushchev's comrade-in-arms, Malenkov became one of his deputies, but after the 1957 dispersal of the anti-party group (of which he was a member), together with his supporters, he was expelled from the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee. Khrushchev took advantage of this situation and in 1958 removed Malenkov from the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers, taking his place and becoming the one who ruled after Stalin in the USSR.
Thus, he concentrated almost complete power in his hands. He got rid of the two most powerful competitors and led the country.
Who ruled the country after the death of Stalin and the removal of Malenkov?
Those 11 years that Khrushchev ruled the USSR were rich in various events and reforms. The agenda included many problems that the state faced after industrialization, war and attempts to restore the economy. The main milestones that will remember the era of Khrushchev’s reign are as follows:
- The policy of virgin land development (not supported by scientific study) increased the number of sown areas, but did not take into account climatic features that hampered the development of agriculture in the developed territories.
- The “Corn Campaign,” the goal of which was to catch up and overtake the United States, which received good harvests of this crop. The area under corn has doubled, to the detriment of rye and wheat. But the result was sad - climatic conditions did not allow for a high harvest, and the reduction in areas for other crops provoked low harvest rates. The campaign failed miserably in 1962, and its result was an increase in the price of butter and meat, which caused discontent among the population.
- The beginning of perestroika was the massive construction of houses, which allowed many families to move from dormitories and communal apartments to apartments (the so-called “Khrushchev buildings”).
Results of Khrushchev's reign
Among those who ruled after Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev stood out for his unconventional and not always thoughtful approach to reform within the state. Despite the numerous projects that were implemented, their inconsistency led to Khrushchev's removal from office in 1964.