What year was the beginning of the Romanov dynasty. Family tree of the Romanovs

What year was the beginning of the Romanov dynasty.  Family tree of the Romanovs

The first known ancestor of the Romanovs was Andrei Ivanovich Kobyla. Until the beginning of the 16th century, the Romanovs were called the Koshkins, then the Zakharyins-Koshkins and the Zakharyins-Yuryevs.



Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina-Yuryeva was the first wife of Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible. The ancestor of the clan is the boyar Nikita Romanovich Zakharyin-Yuriev. From the house of the Romanovs reigned Alexei Mikhailovich, Fedor Alekseevich; during the early years of the tsars Ivan V and Peter I, their sister Sofya Alekseevna was the ruler. In 1721, Peter I was proclaimed emperor, and his wife Catherine I became the first Russian empress.

With the death of Peter II, the Romanov dynasty ended in a direct male generation. With the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, the Romanov dynasty ended in a direct female line. However, the surname Romanov was carried by Peter III and his wife Catherine II, their son Paul I and his descendants.

In 1918, Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov and members of his family were shot in Yekaterinburg, other Romanovs were killed in 1918-1919, some emigrated.

https://ria.ru/history_infografika/20100303/211984454.html

It just so happened that our Motherland has an unusually rich and diverse history, a huge milestone in which we can confidently consider the dynasty of Russian emperors who bore the surname Romanovs. This rather ancient boyar family actually left a weighty mark, because it was the Romanovs who ruled the country for three hundred years, right up to the Great October revolution 1917, after which their family line was practically interrupted. The Romanov dynasty, whose genealogical tree we will definitely consider in detail and intently, has become a landmark, reflected in the cultural and economic aspects of the life of Russians.

The first Romanovs: a family tree with years of reign

According to the well-known tradition in the Romanov family, their ancestors arrived in Russia around the beginning of the fourteenth century from Prussia, but these are only rumors. One of the famous historians of the twentieth century, academician and archaeologist Stepan Borisovich Veselovsky believes that this family has its roots in Novgorod, but this information is also rather unreliable.

The first known ancestor of the Romanov dynasty, the family tree with a photo is worth considering in detail and thoroughly, was a boyar named Andrei Kobyla, who “walked” under the prince of Moscow Simeon the Proud. His son, Fedor Koshka, gave the family the surname Koshkins, and already his grandchildren received a double surname - the Zakharyins-Koshkins.

At the beginning of the sixteenth century, it happened that the Zakharyin family rose significantly, and began to claim their rights to the Russian throne. The fact is that the notorious Ivan the Terrible married Anastasia Zakharyina, and when the Rurik family was finally left without offspring, their children began to aim for the throne and not in vain. However, the Romanov family tree as Russian rulers began a little later, when Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov was elected to the throne, perhaps this is where our rather lengthy story should begin.

Magnificent Romanovs: the tree of the royal dynasty began with disgrace

The first tsar from the Romanov dynasty was born in 1596 in the family of a noble and rather wealthy boyar Fyodor Nikitich, who later took the rank and began to be nicknamed Patriarch Filaret. His wife was nee Shestakova, named Ksenia. The boy grew up strong, savvy, grasped everything on the fly, and to everything else, he was also practically a direct cousin-nephew of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, which made him the first contender for the throne when the Rurik dynasty, due to degeneration, simply stopped. It is from this that the Romanov dynasty begins, the tree of which we consider through the prism of the past.

Sovereign Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, Tsar and Grand Duke of All Russia(ruled from 1613 to 1645) was not elected by chance. The time was troubled, there was talk of an invitation to the nobility, the boyars and the kingdom of the English King James the First, but the Great Russian Cossacks became furious, fearing a lack of bread allowance, which they received. At the age of sixteen, Michael ascended the throne, but gradually his health deteriorated, he was constantly "mournful on his legs", and died a natural death at the age of forty-nine.

Following his father, his heir, the first and eldest son, ascended the throne. Alexey Mikhailovich, nicknamed the quietest(1645-1676), continuing the Romanov family, whose tree turned out to be branched and impressive. Two years before his father's death, he was "presented" to the people as an heir, and two years later, when he died, Michael took the scepter in his hands. During his reign, a lot happened, but the main merits are considered to be reunification with Ukraine, the return of Smolensk and the Northern Land to the state, as well as the final formation of the institution of serfdom. It is also worth mentioning that it was under Alexei that the well-known peasant revolt of Stenka Razin took place.

After Alexei the Quietest, a naturally weak man, fell ill and died, his blood brother took his place.Fedor III Alekseevich(reigned from 1676 to 1682), who from early childhood showed signs of scurvy, or as they said then, scurvy, either from a lack of vitamins, or from an unhealthy lifestyle. In fact, various families ruled the country at that time, and nothing good came of the king’s three marriages, he died at the age of twenty, without leaving a will on the account of succession to the throne.

After the death of Fedor, strife began, and the throne was given to the first brother in seniority. Ivan V(1682-1696), who was just fifteen years old. However, he was simply not able to manage such a huge power, because many believed that his ten-year-old brother Peter should take the throne. Therefore, both were appointed kings, and for the sake of order, their sister Sophia, who was smarter and more experienced, was assigned to them as a regent. By the age of thirty, Ivan had died, leaving his brother as the legitimate heir to the throne.

Thus, the family tree of the Romanovs gave history exactly five kings, after which the anemone Clio took new round, and a fresh turn brought a novelty, the kings began to be called emperors, and one of the the greatest people in world history.

Imperial tree of the Romanovs over the years of reign: scheme of the post-Petrine period

The first Emperor and Autocrat of the All-Russian in the history of the state, and in fact, also its last tsar, wasPeter I Alekseevich, who received his great merits and honorable deeds, the Great (the years of reign from 1672 until 1725). The boy received a rather poor education, which is why he had great respect for the sciences and learned people hence the passion for the foreign lifestyle. He ascended the throne at the age of ten, but actually began to rule the country only after the death of his brother, as well as the conclusion of his sister in the Novodevichy Convent.

Peter's merits to the state and people are innumerable, and even a cursory review of them would take at least three pages of dense typewritten text, so it's worth doing it yourself. In terms of our interests, the Romanov family, whose tree with portraits should definitely be studied in more detail, continued, and the state became an Empire, strengthening all positions on the world stage by two hundred percent, if not more. However, a banal urolithiasis brought down the emperor, who seemed so indestructible.

After the death of Peter, power was taken by force by his second legal wife,Ekaterina I Alekseevna, whose real name is Marta Skavronskaya, and the years of her reign stretched from 1684 to 1727. In fact, the notorious Count Menshikov, as well as the Supreme Privy Council, created by the Empress, had real power at that time.

The riotous and unhealthy life of Catherine gave its terrible fruits, and after her, the grandson of Peter, who was born in his first marriage, was elevated to the throne,Peter II. He came to reign in the year 27 of the eighteenth century, when he was barely ten, and by the age of fourteen he was struck down by smallpox. The Privy Council continued to rule the country, and after it fell, the boyars Dolgorukovs.

After the untimely death of the young king, something had to be decided and she ascended the throneAnna Ivanovna(the years of the reign from 1693 to 1740), the disgraced daughter of Ivan V Alekseevich, the Duchess of Courland, widowed at the age of seventeen. A huge country was then ruled by her lover E.I. Biron.

Before her death, Anna Ionovna managed to write a will, according to him, the grandson of Ivan the Fifth, a baby, ascended the throneIvan VI, or simply John Antonovich, who managed to be emperor from 1740 to 1741. At first, the same Biron was engaged in state affairs for him, then his mother Anna Leopoldovna seized the initiative. Deprived of power, he spent his entire life in prison, where he would later be killed by the secret order of Catherine II.

Then the illegitimate daughter of Peter the Great came to power, Elizaveta Petrovna(reigned 1742-1762), who climbed the throne literally on the shoulders of the brave warriors of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. After her accession, the entire Brunswick family was arrested, and the favorites of the former empress were put to death.

The last empress was completely barren, therefore she left no heirs, and transferred her power to the son of her sister Anna Petrovna. That is, we can say that at that time it again turned out that there were only five emperors, of which only three had the opportunity to be called Romanovs by blood and origin. After the death of Elizabeth, there were no male followers at all, and the direct male line, one might say, was completely stopped.

Permanent Romanovs: the tree of the dynasty was reborn from the ashes

After Anna Petrovna was married to Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp, the Romanov family was to be cut short. However, he saved the dynastic treaty, according to which the son from this unionPeter III(1762), and the genus itself was now called Holstein-Gottorp-Romanovsky. He managed to sit on the throne for only 186 days and died under completely mysterious and obscure and up to today circumstances, and even then without a coronation, but was crowned after Paul's death, as they say now, retroactively. It is remarkable that this unfortunate emperor left behind a whole heap of “False Peters”, which appeared here and there, like mushrooms after rain.

After the short reign of the previous sovereign, the real German princess Sophia Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst, better known as the Empress, made her way to power through an armed coup.Catherine II, Great (starting from 1762, and up to 1796), the wife of that same, unpopular and stupid Peter the Third. During her reign, Russia has become much more powerful, its influence on the world community has been significantly strengthened, but inside the country she has done a lot of work, reunited the lands, and so on. It was during her reign that the peasant war of Emelka Pugachev broke out and was suppressed with noticeable effort.

Emperor Pavel I, Catherine's unloved son from a hated man, ascended the throne after the death of his mother in the cold autumn of 1796, and ruled for exactly five years, without a few months. He carried out many reforms useful for the country and the people, as if in spite of his mother, and also interrupted a series of palace coups by abolishing the female inheritance of the throne, which from now on could be passed exclusively from father to son. He was killed in March 1801 by an officer in his own bedroom, not even having time to really wake up.

After the death of his father, his eldest son ascended the throneAlexander I(1801-1825), liberal and lover of silence and charm rural life, and also who was going to give the people a constitution, so that later until the end of his days he would lie on his laurels. At the age of forty-seven, all that he received in life as a whole was an epitaph from the great Pushkin himself: “I spent my whole life on the road, caught a cold and died in Taganrog.” It is remarkable that the first memorial museum in Russia was created in his honor, which existed for more than a hundred years, after which it was liquidated by the Bolsheviks. After his death, brother Konstantin was appointed to the throne, but he immediately refused, not wanting to take part in this pandemonium of disgrace and murder.

Thus, the third son of Paul ascended the throne -Nicholas I(reign from 1825 to 1855), the direct grandson of Catherine, who was born during her lifetime and memory. It was under him that the Decembrist uprising was suppressed, the Code of Laws of the Empire was finalized, new censorship laws were introduced, and many very serious military campaigns were won. It is believed according to the official version that he died of pneumonia, but it was rumored that the king himself laid hands on himself.

Conductor of large-scale reforms and great asceticAlexander II Nikolaevich, nicknamed the Liberator, came to power in 1855. In March 1881, Ignaty Grinevitsky, a Narodnaya Volya member, threw a bomb under the sovereign's feet. Shortly thereafter, he died from his injuries, which turned out to be incompatible with life.

After the death of his predecessor, his own, younger brother was anointed to the throneAlexander III Alexandrovich(from 1845 to 1894). During his time on the throne, the country did not enter into a single war, thanks to a uniquely correct policy, for which he received the legitimate nickname of the Tsar-Peacemaker.

The most honest and responsible of the Russian emperors died after the wreck of the tsar's train, when for several hours he held the roof in his hands, threatening to collapse on his relatives and friends.

An hour and a half after the death of his father, right in the Livadia Holy Cross Church, without waiting for a memorial service, the last emperor of the Russian Empire was anointed to the throne,Nicholas II Alexandrovich(1894-1917).

After the coup in the country, he abdicated the throne, passing it to his half-brother Michael, as his mother wished, but nothing could be fixed, and both were executed by the Revolution, along with their descendants.

On the given time there are quite a few descendants of the imperial Romanov dynasty who could claim the throne. It is clear that there is no longer any smell of purity of the family, because "wonderful new world It dictates its own rules. However, the fact remains, and if necessary, a new king can be found quite easily, and the Romanov tree in the scheme today looks quite branched.


400 years ago, Russia chose a tsar for itself. February 21 (March 3, new style), 1613 Zemsky Cathedral was elected to reign Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov - the first representative of the dynasty that ruled Russia for more than three centuries. This event put an end to the horrors of the Time of Troubles. But what did the era of the Romanovs turn out to be for our country? ...

The roots of the genus

The Romanov family has ancient origin and went from the Moscow boyar of the times of Ivan Kalita, Andrei Kobyla. The sons of Andrei Kobyla became the founders of many boyar and noble families, including the Sheremetevs, Konovnitsyns, Kolychevs, Ladygins, Yakovlevs, Boborykins, and others.
The Romanovs came from the son of Kobyla Fyodor Koshka. His descendants were first called Koshkins, then Koshkins-Zakharyins, and then Zakharyins.

Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina was the first wife of Ivan IV the Terrible. She alone knew how to pacify the temper of Ivan the Terrible, and after she was poisoned and she died at the age of 30, Grozny compared each of his next wives with Anastasia.

Anastasia's brother, boyar Nikita Romanovich Zakharyin, began to be called Romanov after his father Roman Yuryevich Zakharyin-Koshkin.

So, the first Russian tsar from the Romanov family, Mikhail Romanov, was the son of the boyar Fyodor Nikitich Romanov and the boyar Xenia Ivanovna Romanova.

Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov (1596-1645) - the first Russian tsar from the Romanov dynasty.

Accession of the Romanovs: versions

Since the Romanovs, thanks to the marriage of Anastasia, were related to the Rurik dynasty, during the reign of Boris Godunov they fell into disgrace. Mikhail's father and mother were forcibly tonsured monks. He himself and all his relatives were exiled to Siberia, but were subsequently returned.

After the end of the Time of Troubles in 1613, the Zemsky Sobor elected Mikhail Fedorovich as the new sovereign. Then he was only 16 years old. In addition to him, the Polish prince Vladislav (future Vladislav IV), the Swedish prince Carl Philip, as well as representatives of many noble boyar families claimed the throne.

At the same time, the Mstislavskys and Kurakins collaborated with the Poles during the Time of Troubles, the Godunovs and Shuiskys were relatives of the recently overthrown rulers. According to the official version, the representative of the Vorotynsky family, a member of the Seven Boyars, Ivan Vorotynsky, recused himself.

According to one version, the candidacy of Mikhail Romanov was considered a compromise, in addition, the Romanov family did not tarnish itself in such a way. Time of Troubles like other noble families. However, not all historians adhere to this version - they believe that the candidacy of Mikhail Romanov was imposed on the Zemsky Sobor, and the council did not represent all Russian lands at that time, but big influence Cossack troops.

Nevertheless, Mikhail Romanov was elected to the kingdom and became Mikhail I Fedorovich. He lived for 49 years, during the years of his reign (1613 - 1645) the king managed to overcome the consequences of the Time of Troubles, restore centralized power in the country. New territories were annexed in the east, and peace was concluded with Poland, as a result of which the Polish king ceased to claim the Russian throne.

Figures and facts

Most of the Russian tsars and emperors from the Romanov dynasty lived a fairly short life. Only Peter I, Elizabeth I Petrovna, Nicholas I and Nicholas II lived for more than 50 years, and Catherine II and Alexander II lived for more than 60 years. Nobody lived to 70

Peter I the Great.

Catherine II lived the longest life and died at the age of 67. At the same time, she did not belong to the Romanov dynasty by birth, but was German. Peter II lived the least - he died at the age of 14.

The direct line of succession to the throne of the Romanovs was cut short in the 18th century, all Russian emperors since Peter III belonged to the Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov dynasty. The Holstein-Gottorps were a German ducal dynasty and at some point in history became related to the Romanovs.

Catherine II ruled the country the longest (34 years) for 34 years. Least of all the rules of Peter III - 6 months.

Ivan VI (John Antonovich) was a baby on the throne. He became emperor when he was only 2 months and 5 days old, his regents ruled in his stead.

Most of the impostors pretended to be Peter III. After he was overthrown, he died under unclear circumstances. The most famous impostor is Emelyan Pugachev, who led the peasant war in 1773-1775.

Of all the rulers, Alexander II carried out the most liberal reforms, and at the same time, he was the most assassinated. After a series of unsuccessful assassination attempts, the terrorists still managed to kill the tsar - he died from a bomb explosion, which the Narodnaya Volya people threw at his feet on the embankment of the Catherine Canal in St. Petersburg.

The last Emperor Nicholas II, who was shot by the Bolsheviks, as well as his wife and children, were included in the Russian Orthodox Church to the face of saints as martyrs.

The Romanov dynasty in faces

Mikhail I Fedorovich
The first Russian tsar from the Romanov dynasty
Years of life: 1596 - 1645 (49 years old)
Years of government: 1613 - 1645


overcoming the consequences of the Time of Troubles; restoration of centralized
authorities in the country; annexation of new territories in the east; peace with Poland
as a result of which the Polish king ceased to claim the Russian throne.


Alexei I Mikhailovich
Son of Fyodor Mikhailovich. For the absence of major upheavals in the country during the years of his
board was named the Quietest
Years of life: 1629 - 1676 (46 years)
Years of government: 1645 - 1676
Achievements and government initiatives:
military reform; a new set of laws - the Cathedral Code of 1649; church
the reform of Patriarch Nikon, which caused a split in the church.


Fedor III Alekseevich
Son of Alexei Mikhailovich. He had poor health, which is why he died early
Years of life: 1661 - 1682 (20 years)
Years of government: 1676 - 1682

Achievements and government initiatives:
census of the population of the country in 1678; abolition of parochialism - distributions
official places, taking into account the origin and official position of the ancestors; introduction
house-to-house imposition of direct taxes; fight against schismatics.


Sofia Alekseevna
Regent over Ivan V and Peter I, both of whom were recognized as tsars. After
bias cut hair in a nun
Years of life: 1657 - 1704 (46 years old)
Years of government: 1682 - 1689

Achievements and government initiatives:
the signing of the "Eternal Peace" with Poland, according to which Kyiv was recognized as part of
Russian kingdom; - fight against schismatics.


Ivan V
The son of Alexei Mikhailovich and the elder brother of Peter I. He had poor health and did not
interested in government affairs
Years of life: 1666 - 1696 (29 years old)
Years of reign: 1682 - 1696 (co-ruler Peter I)


Peter I
The last Russian tsar and the first emperor of the Russian Empire (since 1721).
One of the most famous rulers of Russia, who radically changed
the historical fate of the country
Years of life: 1672 - 1725 (52 years old)
Years of government: 1682 - 1725

Achievements and government initiatives:
large-scale reforms to radically reorganize the state and public
way of life; creation of the Russian Empire; creation of the Senate - the highest body
state power, subordinate to the emperor; victory in the Northern War
Sweden; the creation of a navy and a regular army; construction
Petersburg and the transfer of the capital to St. Petersburg from Moscow; Spread
education, the creation of secular schools; publication of the first newspaper in Russia;
accession to Russia of new territories.


Catherine I
The wife of Peter I. Took little part in public affairs
Years of life: 1684 - 1727 (43 years)
Years of government: 1725 - 1727

Achievements and government initiatives:
creation of the Supreme Privy Council, with the help of which close
empresses actually ruled the state; opening of the Academy of Sciences, creation
which was conceived under Peter I.


Peter II
Grandson of Peter I, the last direct descendant of the Romanov dynasty in the male line. IN
public affairs in force young age did not take part and indulged
entertainment, his entourage ruled instead
Years of life: 1715 - 1730 (14 years old)
Years of government: 1727 - 1730


Anna Ivanovna
Daughter of Ivan V. Favoritism flourished during her reign.
Years of life: 1693 - 1740 (47 years old)
Years of government: 1730 - 1740

Achievements and government initiatives:
the dissolution of the Supreme Privy Council and the creation of a cabinet of ministers; institution
Secret Investigation Offices; conversions in the army: service restriction for
nobles for 25 years, the creation of new guards regiments, the establishment of the gentry cadet corps.


Ivan VI (John Antonovich)
Great-grandson of Ivan V. Was emperor in infancy under the regency of Anna's favorite
Ioannovna Ernst Biron and his mother Anna Leopoldovna, was overthrown, his
childhood and the rest of his life spent in prisons
Years of life: 1740 - 1764 (23 years old)
Years of government: 1740 - 1741


Elizabeth I Petrovna
Daughter of Peter I, the last heir to the throne from the Romanov dynasty
straight female line.
Years of life: 1709 - 1761 (52 years old)
Years of government: 1741 - 1761

Achievements and government initiatives:
the abolition of the cabinet of ministers and the restoration of the role of the Senate; reform
taxation, the destruction of internal customs duties and fees; expansion of the rights of the nobility; creation of the first Russian banks; accession of new territories in Central Asia to Russia.


Peter III
Grandson of Peter I and son of his eldest daughter Anna Petrovna. Due to unpopular measures
in foreign policy and in the army lost the support of the ruling circles and soon after
accession to the throne was overthrown by his own wife Catherine, who also
was his second cousin
Years of life: 1728 - 1762 (34 years old)
Years of government: 1761 - 1762

Achievements and government initiatives:
the abolition of the Secret Chancellery; the beginning of the secularization of church lands; the publication of the Manifesto on the Liberty of the Nobility, which expanded the privileges of this class; an end to the persecution of the Old Believers.


Catherine II
Sophia Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst, daughter
Prussian general field marshal and wife of Peter III. Toppled her husband after 6
months after he ascended the throne
Years of life: 1729 - 1796 (67 years)
Years of government: 1762 - 1796

Achievements and government initiatives:
provincial reform, which determined the territorial structure of the country to
revolutions of 1917; the maximum enslavement of the peasantry and the deterioration of its
provisions; further expansion of the privileges of the nobles ("Charter of
nobility"); accession to Russia of new lands - the Crimea, the Black Sea,
parts of the Commonwealth; the introduction of paper money - banknotes; development
education and science, including the creation of the Russian Academy; renewal
persecution of the Old Believers; secularization of church lands.

Pavel I
Son of Peter III and Catherine II. He was killed by officers as a result of a conspiracy, about which
was not known to the general public until the beginning of the 20th century.
Years of life: 1754 - 1801 (46 years old)
Years of government: 1796 - 1801

Achievements and government initiatives:
improving the position of the peasantry; creation of the State Treasury;
the abolition of part of the privileges of the nobility granted by Catherine II of the military
reform.


Alexander I
Son of Paul I and beloved grandson of Catherine II. It was during his reign that Russia
won the Patriotic War of 1812 with Napoleon
Years of life: 1777 - 1825 (47 years)
Years of government: 1801 - 1825

Achievements and government initiatives:
restoration of the "Charter to the nobility"; institution
ministries instead of colleges; "Decree on free cultivators", thanks to which
the landlords received the right to free the peasants; establishment of military settlements for
recruiting the army; annexation of new territories, including Georgia,
Finland, Poland, etc.


Nicholas I
Brother of Alexander I. Ascended the throne after the abdication of his second elder
brother Konstantin, at the same time there was an uprising of the Decembrists
Years of life: 1796 - 1855 (58 years old)
Years of government: 1825 - 1855

Achievements and government initiatives:
suppression of the Decembrist uprising; increased censorship; creation of the Third
departments of the office for political investigation; war in the Caucasus; improvement
the situation of the peasants - it was forbidden to exile them to hard labor and sell them one by one
and without land; annexation to Russia of the mouth of the Danube, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus
and Transcaucasia; unsuccessful Crimean War.


Alexander II
Son of Nicholas I, actively pursued political reforms and was killed as a result
Narodnaya Volya terrorist attack
Years of life: 1818 - 1881 (62 years)
Years of government: 1855 - 1881

Achievements and government initiatives:
the abolition of serfdom in 1861; zemstvo reform - management issues
local zemstvos began to deal; creation of a unified system of courts; creation
city ​​councils in cities; military reform and the emergence of new types of weapons; joining the empire of Central Asia, North Caucasus, Far East; sale of Alaska to the USA.


Alexander III
Son of Alexander II. After the murder of his father, brought to naught many of his
liberal reforms
Years of life: 1845 - 1894 (49 years old)
Years of government: 1881 - 1894

Achievements and government initiatives:
curtailment of many reforms in the field of local self-government, judicial
systems, education; increased supervision of the peasants; explosive growth
industry; restriction of factory work of minors and night work
teenagers and women.


Nicholas II
The last Russian emperor, son Alexander III. During his reign
all three Russian revolutions occurred, after the revolution of 1917 he renounced
throne and was killed by the Bolsheviks in Yekaterinburg along with his family
Years of life: 1868 - 1918 (50 years)
Years of government: 1894 - 1917

Achievements and government initiatives:
the 1897 general census; monetary reform that established gold
ruble standard; the unsuccessful Russo-Japanese War; limitation of working hours
enterprises; publication of the Manifesto on October 17, 1905, granting the entire population
main countries civil rights and freedom; creation of the State Duma;
entry into the First World War.

Facts and myths

The most terrible secret of the Romanovs was the "Russian iron mask" - the failed Russian emperor Ivan Antonovich. According to the will of the childless Anna Ioannovna (died in 1740), her niece's son was to become her heir. At the age of one, the boy was overthrown from the throne by the daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth. Ivan spent his whole life in captivity and was killed by guards in 1764 while trying to be freed by conspirators.


Princess Tarakanova - an impostor who pretended to be the daughter of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. While in Europe, she declared claims to the throne in 1774. She was kidnapped by order of Catherine II and brought to Russia. During the investigation, she pleaded not guilty and did not disclose her origin. She died in custody in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Strictly speaking, the direct branch of the Romanov family was cut short after the death of Elizaveta Petrovna in 1761. Since then, it is more correct to call the dynasty Holstein-Gottorp-Romanovskaya. There was practically no Slavic blood in its representatives, which did not prevent some of them from being deeply Russian people.


The most counterfeited "brand" in the history of the Romanovs is Emperor Peter III, who was overthrown in 1762. More than 40 impostors are known to hide behind his name. The most famous false Peter is Emelyan Pugachev.


According to legend, Alexander I did not die in Taganrog in 1825, but staged his own death and lived in Siberia for another half a century under the name of Elder Fyodor Kuzmich. Whether this is true or not is unknown.

By the way…

After the revolution of 1917, the Russian Imperial House lost its political power, but retained the role of a historical institution.

“The status of the current Russian Imperial House is recognized by all modern royal houses. Its head is the Empress Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna (b. 1953), great-great-granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II.

Her grandfather Kirill was a cousin of Nicholas II and headed the dynasty after the death of the tsar, his son Alexei and brother Mikhail, - said Kirill Nemirovich-Danchenko, adviser to the Office of E.I.V. on interaction with public organizations and state authorities of the Russian Federation. - The second member of the House - the heir Tsesarevich and Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich (b. 1981), her son.

All other descendants of members of the dynasty, in accordance with dynastic laws, do not have rights to the throne and do not belong to the Imperial House (the headship of Maria Vladimirovna is disputed by Nikolai Romanov, the son of the prince of imperial blood Roman Petrovich. He is the president of the organization "Association of the Romanov family." - Ed.) . The total number of people in whose veins the blood of the Romanovs flows is more than 100 all over the world. Those who rightfully bear this surname are about 15.

Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna and Grand Duke George Mikhailovich

Maria Vladimirovna lives in Spain. Since 2003, the dynasty has been represented in the homeland by the Chancellery of the Russian Imperial House, the purpose of which is to promote the integration of the House into public life Russia. Maria Vladimirovna has repeatedly visited Russia, since 1992 she has known Vladimir Putin personally. After his election to the presidency, brief meetings took place, but no detailed conversation has yet taken place.

The Grand Duchess and her son are citizens Russian Federation, declare their complete loyalty to the Constitution and the existing government, firmly oppose restitution and believe that the development of cooperation between the Imperial House and modern state has perspective.

Some sources say that they come from Prussia, others that the roots come from Novgorod. The first known ancestor is the Moscow boyar of the times of Ivan Kalita - Andrey Kobyla. His sons became the founders of many boyar and noble families. Among them are Sheremetevs, Konovnitsyns, Kolychevs, Ladygins, Yakovlevs, Boborykins and many others. The Romanov family descended from the son of the Mare - Fyodor Koshka. His descendants first called themselves Koshkins, then Koshkins-Zakharyins, and then simply Zakharyins.

The first wife of Ivan VI "the Terrible" was Anna Romanova-Zakharyina. Hence the “kinship” with the Rurikovichs and, consequently, the right to the throne can be traced.
This article tells how ordinary boyars, with good luck and good business acumen, became the most significant family for more than three centuries, until the Great October Revolution of 1917.

The family tree of the royal Romanov dynasty in full: with dates of reign and photos

Mikhail Fedorovich (1613 - 1645)

After the death of Ivan the Terrible, not a single blood heir of the Rurik family was left, but a new dynasty, the Romanovs, was born. The cousin-nephew of the wife of John IV, Anastasia Zakharyina, Mikhail demanded his rights to the throne. With the support of the common people of Moscow and the Cossacks, he took the reins of government into his own hands and began a new era in the history of Russia.

Alexei Mikhailovich "The Quietest" (1645 - 1676)

Following Michael, his son Alexei sat on the throne. He had a gentle nature, for which he received his nickname. Boyar Boris Morozov had a strong influence on him. The consequence of this was the Salt Riot, the uprising of Stepan Razin and other major riots.

Fedor III Alekseevich (1676 - 1682)

The eldest son of Tsar Alexei. After the death of his father, he legally took the throne. First of all, he exalted his close associates - the bed-keeper Yazykov and the room attendant Likhachev. They were not from the nobility, but throughout their lives they helped the formation of Fedor III.

Under him, an attempt was made to mitigate punishment for criminal offenses and amputation of limbs was abolished as an execution.

Important in the reign of the king was the decree of 1862 on the destruction of parochialism.

Ivan V (1682 - 1696)

At the time of the death of his elder brother, Fedor III, Ivan V was 15 years old. His associates considered that he did not have the skills inherent in the king and the throne should be inherited by his younger brother, 10-year-old Peter I. As a result, the reign was given to both at once, and their older sister Sophia was made their regent. Ivan V was weak, almost blind and weak-minded. During his reign, he did not make any decisions. Decrees were signed in his name, and he himself was used as an exit ceremonial king. In fact, the country was led by Princess Sophia.

Peter I "The Great" (1682 - 1725)

Like his older brother, Peter took the place of king in 1682, but due to his infancy he could not make any decisions. He devoted a lot of time to the study of military affairs, while his older sister Sophia ruled the country. But in 1689, after the princess decided to single-handedly lead Russia, Peter I brutally cracked down on her supporters, and she herself was imprisoned in the Novodevichy Convent. Within its walls, she spent the rest of her days and died in 1704.

Two tsars remained on the throne - Ivan V and Peter I. But Ivan himself gave his brother all the powers and remained the ruler only formally.

Having received power, Peter carried out a number of reforms: the creation of the Senate, the subordination of the church to the state, and also built a new capital - St. Petersburg. Under him, Russia won the status of a great power and the recognition of countries Western Europe. Also, the state was renamed the Russian Empire, and the tsar became the first emperor.

Catherine I (1725 - 1727)

After the death of her husband - Peter I, with the support of the guards, she took the throne. The new ruler did not have the skills to conduct foreign and domestic policy, she herself did not want this, therefore, in fact, her favorite, Count Menshikov, ruled the country.

Peter II (1727 - 1730)

After the death of Catherine I, the rights to the throne were transferred to the grandson of Peter the Great - Peter II. The boy at that time was only 11 years old. And after 3 years, he suddenly died of smallpox.

Peter II paid attention not to the country, but only to hunting and pleasures. All decisions for him were made by the same Menshikov. After the overthrow of the count, the young emperor was under the influence of the Dolgorukov family.

Anna Ioannovna (1730 - 1740)

After the death of Peter II, the Supreme Privy Council invited Ivan V's daughter Anna to the throne. The condition for her ascension to the throne was the adoption of a number of restrictions - "Conditions". They stated that the newly-made empress did not have the right to declare wars, make peace, marry and appoint an heir to the throne, as well as some other instructions.

After gaining power, Anna found support from the nobility, destroyed the prepared rules and dissolved the Supreme Privy Council.

The Empress was not distinguished by either intelligence or success in education. Her favorite Ernst Biron had a huge influence on her and on the country. After her death, it was he who was appointed regent for the infant Ivan VI.

The reign of Anna Ioannovna is a dark page in the history of the Russian Empire. During her reign, political terror and disregard for Russian traditions dominated.

Ivan VI Antonovich (1740 - 1741)

According to the will of Empress Anna, Ivan VI ascended the throne. He was a baby, and therefore the first year of the "reign" passed under the leadership of Ernst Biron. After the power passed to Ivan's mother - Anna Leopoldovna. But in fact, the government was in the hands of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The emperor himself spent his whole life in prison. And at the age of 23 he was killed by prison guards.

Elizaveta Petrovna (1741 - 1761)

As a result palace coup with the support of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, the illegitimate daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine came to power. She continued foreign policy father and marked the beginning of the Enlightenment, opened State University named after Lomonosov.

Peter III Fedorovich (1761 - 1762)

Elizaveta Petrovna left no direct male heirs. But back in 1742, she made sure that the line of the Romanovs did not end, and appointed her nephew, the son of her sister Anna, Peter III, as her heir.

The newly minted emperor ruled the country for only six months, after which he was killed as a result of a conspiracy led by his wife, Catherine.

Catherine II "The Great" (1762 - 1796)

After the death of her husband Peter III, she became the sole ruler of the empire. She did not make a loving wife or mother. She gave all her strength to strengthening the position of the autocracy. Under her, the borders of Russia were expanded. Her reign also influenced the development of science and education. Catherine carried out reforms and divided the territory of the country into provinces. Under her, six departments were established in the Senate, and the Russian Empire received the proud title of one of the most developed powers.

Pavel I (1796 - 1801)

The mother's dislike had a strong influence on the new emperor. His whole policy was aimed at crossing out everything that she had done during the years of her reign. He tried to concentrate all power in his own hands and minimize self-government.

An important step in his policy is the decree banning the succession to the throne by women. This order lasted until 1917, when the reign of the Romanov family came to an end.

The policy of Paul I contributed to a slight improvement in the life of the peasants, but the positions of the nobility were greatly reduced. As a result, already in the first years of his reign, a conspiracy began to be prepared against him. Dissatisfaction with the emperor increased in various sectors of society. The result was death in his own room during a coup d'état.

Alexander I (1801 - 1825)

He took the throne after the death of his father, Paul I. It was he who participated in the conspiracy, but knew nothing about the impending murder and suffered from guilt all his life.

During his reign, several important laws saw the light:

  • The decree on "free cultivators", according to which the peasants received the right to redeem themselves with land by agreement with the landowner.
  • Decree on the reform of education, after which representatives of all classes could be trained.

The emperor promised the people the adoption of the constitution, but the project remained unfinished. Despite the liberal policy, large-scale changes in the life of the country did not happen.

In 1825 Alexander caught a cold and died. There are legends that the emperor faked his own death and became a hermit.

Nicholas I (1825 - 1855)

As a result of the death of Alexander I, the reins of government were to pass into the hands of his younger brother Constantine, but he voluntarily renounced the title of emperor. So the throne was taken by the third son of Paul I, Nicholas I.

The strongest influence on him had an upbringing based on the harsh suppression of personality. He could not count on the throne. The child grew up in oppression, endured physical punishment.

Study trips largely influenced the views of the future emperor - conservative, with a pronounced anti-liberal orientation. After the death of Alexander I, Nicholas showed all his determination and political abilities and, despite the mass of those who disagreed, ascended the throne.

An important stage in the formation of the personality of the ruler was the uprising of the Decembrists. It was brutally suppressed, order was restored, and Russia swore allegiance to the new monarch.

Throughout his life, the emperor considered his goal to suppress the revolutionary movement. The policy of Nicholas I led to the largest foreign policy defeat in the course of Crimean War 1853 - 1856. The failure undermined the emperor's health. In 1955, an accidental cold took his life.

Alexander II (1855 - 1881)

The birth of Alexander II attracted great attention from society. At this time, his father did not even represent him in the place of the ruler, but the young Sasha was already destined for the fate of the heir, since none of the older brothers of Nicholas I had male children.

The young man received a good education. He mastered five languages, perfectly knew history, geography, statistics, mathematics, natural science, logic and philosophy. For him, special courses were held under the guidance of influential figures and ministers.

During his reign, Alexander introduced many reforms:

  • university;
  • judicial;
  • military and others.

But the most important is considered to be the abolition of serfdom. For this move he was nicknamed the king-liberator.

Nevertheless, despite the innovations, the emperor remained faithful to the autocracy. Such a policy did not contribute to the adoption of the constitution. The unwillingness of the emperor to choose a new path of development caused an intensification of revolutionary activity. As a result, a series of assassination attempts led to the death of the sovereign.

Alexander III (1881 - 1894)

Alexander III was the second son of Alexander II. Since initially he was not the heir to the throne, he did not consider it necessary to receive a proper education. Only at a conscious age did the future ruler at an accelerated pace begin to prepare for the reign.

As a result of the tragic death of his father, power passed to the new emperor - tougher, but fair.

A distinctive feature of the reign of Alexander III was the absence of wars. For this, he was nicknamed the "peacemaker king."

He died in 1894. The cause of death was nephritis - inflammation of the kidneys. The cause of the disease is considered to be both the collapse of the imperial train at Borki station and the emperor's addiction to alcohol.

Here is practically the entire family genealogical tree of the Romanov family with years of government and portraits. Special attention should be paid to the last monarch.

Nicholas II (1894 - 1917)

Son of Alexander III. He ascended the throne as a result sudden death father.
He received a good education aimed at military education, studied under the guidance of the acting tsar, and his teachers were outstanding Russian scientists.

Nicholas II quickly settled on the throne and began to promote an independent policy, which caused dissatisfaction with part of his entourage. He made the assertion of the internal unity of the empire the main goal of his reign.
Opinions about the son of Alexander are very scattered and contradictory. Many consider him too soft and weak-tempered. But his strong attachment to his family is also noted. He did not part with his wife and children until the last seconds of his life.

Nicholas II played a big role in the church life of Russia. Frequent pilgrimages brought him closer to the indigenous population. The number of temples during his reign increased from 774 to 1005. Later last emperor and his family was canonized by the Russian Church Abroad (ROCOR).

On the night of July 16-17, 1918, after the October Revolution of 1917, the royal family was shot in the basement of the Ipatiev house in Yekaterinburg. It is believed that the order was given by Sverdlov and Lenin.

On this tragic note, the reign of the royal family ends, which lasted for more than three centuries (from 1613 to 1917). This dynasty left a huge mark on the development of Russia. It is to her that we owe what we have now. Only thanks to the rule of representatives of this family in our country, serfdom was abolished, educational, judicial, military and many other reforms were launched.

The diagram of a complete genealogical tree with the years of the reign of the first and last monarchs from the Romanov family clearly shows how a great family of rulers turned out from an ordinary boyar family, glorifying the royal dynasty. But even now it is possible to follow the formation of the successors of the clan. On the this moment alive and well the descendants of the imperial family, who could claim the throne. There is no "pure blood" left, but the fact remains. If Russia again switches to such a form of government as a monarchy, then the successor of the ancient family may become the new tsar.

It is worth noting that most of the Russian rulers lived for a relatively short time. After fifty, only Peter I, Elizabeth I Petrovna, Nicholas I and Nicholas II died. And the threshold of 60 years was overcome by Catherine II and Alexander II. All the rest died in pretty early age due to illness or a coup d'état.

The Romanov dynasty dates back to Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich elected to the Russian throne on March 3, 1613. And almost 200 years later Emperor Paul I In 1797, he issued the Law on Succession to the Throne, according to which, the right to the throne was retained by each member of the Romanov House, regardless of their gender, with the exception of those who voluntarily renounced their rights to it.

The reign of the Romanovs can be divided into three periods.

The first is associated with the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich (1613-1645), his son Alexei Mikhailovich (1645-1676) and son Alexei Mikhailovich Fedor Alekseevich (1676-1682).

The second is connected with the emergence of a new title of the monarch in the Russian Empire: Emperor. It includes the reigns of Peter the Great (1682-1725), Catherine I (1725-1727), Peter II (1727-1730), Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740), Ivan VI (1740-1741), Elizabeth (1741-1741- 1761), Peter III (1761-1762) and Catherine II the Great (1762-1796).

The last period fell on the reign Paul I (1796-1801), Alexander I (1801-1825) Nicholas I (1825-1855), Alexander II (1855-1881) and Alexander III (1881-1894), when the throne in the House of Romanov began to be transferred through the direct male line according to the decree of Paul I on succession to the throne.

304 years in power

For 304 years, the Romanov dynasty was in power in Russia. The descendants of Mikhail Fedorovich ruled until February Revolution 1917. Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov was elected to the kingdom at the age of 16 by the Zemsky Sobor. The choice fell on the young prince, because he was a descendant of the Rurikids, the first dynasty of Russian tsars.

Were not long-lived

Most of the Russian tsars and emperors from the Romanov dynasty lived a fairly short life. Mikhail Fedorovich lived for 49 years, during the years of his reign he managed to restore centralized power in the country. Only Peter I, Elizabeth I Petrovna, Nicholas I and Nicholas II lived more than 50 years, and Catherine II and Alexander II lived more than 60. No one lived to be 70 years old. Peter II lived the least: he died at the age of 14.

Holstein-Gottorp

The direct line of succession to the throne of the Romanovs was cut short in the 18th century. Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Catherine I and Peter I, had no children, so she appointed her nephew, the future Peter III, as her successor. On it, the line of the Romanovs was interrupted, but a new one appeared, the Holstein-Gottorp-Romanovs, which stretches along the female line, since Peter's mother is Elizabeth's sister.

Two kings on the throne

IN late XVII centuries, two princes were crowned on the throne at once. After the death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the eldest son Fyodor Alekseevich reigned for a short time and died unexpectedly in 1682. According to the law of succession, the next fifteen-year-old in seniority was to become king. Ivan but he was neither smart nor healthy. Then it was decided to crown two brothers on the throne at the same time: Ivan and ten-year-old Peter, the future Peter I. Since the elder brother, due to his weakness, and the younger brother, due to childhood, were not able to independently manage state affairs, until Peter came of age, their eldest became the ruler of the state. sister, Princess Sophia.

On the occasion of the wedding to the kingdom, royal crowns were placed on Ivan and Peter: on Ivan - an old Monomakh hat, on Peter - a new crown specially made for this occasion, called the Monomakh cap of the second outfit. Also, a double throne was made in the Kremlin court workshops. More than two hundred kg of silver went into its manufacture.

The richest dynasty

Until the February Revolution of 1917, the Romanov dynasty was considered one of the richest in Europe. Decorations for the Russian imperial court were created by the best craftsmen of that time: Hieronymus Pozier and Carl Faberge, Carl Bolin and Gottlieb Jahn.

hunting lovers

Many monarchs of the Romanov dynasty passionately loved hunting. Under Alexei Mikhailovich, a special Sokolnichiy yard was created in Moscow, and under Elizaveta Petrovna, the hunting pavilion "Monbizhu" was built in Tsarskoye Selo. Hunting traditions were continued by Anna Ioannovna, Catherine II and Alexander III. Other members of the imperial family had other hobbies. For example, Peter I played drums, bagpipes and oboe, Nicholas I made engravings on copper and painted them with watercolors, and Maria Fedorovna, the wife of Paul I, carved cameos from stone and glass.

Numerous wars

During the reign of the Romanovs, the territory of Russia grew almost five times. Each monarch of the Romanov dynasty left to his heir a country larger in size than he received from his predecessor.

During the reign of the Romanovs fell:

  • Russian-Polish war (1654-1667)
  • Russian-Turkish wars
  • Northern War (1700-1721)
  • Seven Years' War (1756-1763)
  • Russo-Austrian-French War (1805)
  • Patriotic War (1812)
  • Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
  • First World War (1914-1918).

The Romanov dynasty, also known as the “House of Romanov,” was the second dynasty (after the Rurik dynasty) to rule Russia. In 1613, representatives of 50 cities and several peasants unanimously elected Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov as the New Tsar. The Romanov dynasty began with him, ruling Russia until 1917.

Since 1721, the Russian tsar was proclaimed emperor. Tsar Peter I became the first emperor of all Russia. He turned Russia into great empire. During the reign of Catherine II the Great, the Russian Empire expanded and improved in administration.

At the beginning of 1917, the Romanov family had 65 members, 18 of whom were killed by the Bolsheviks. The remaining 47 people fled abroad.

The last Romanov tsar, Nicholas II, began his reign in the autumn of 1894, when he ascended the throne. His entry came much sooner than anyone expected. Nicholas's father, Tsar Alexander III, died unexpectedly at the relatively young age of 49.


The Romanov family mid-nineteenth century: Tsar Alexander II, his heir - the future Alexander III, and the baby Nicholas, the future Tsar Nicholas II.

Events quickly unfolded after the death of Alexander III. The new king, at the age of 26, quickly married his fiancee of a few months Princess Alix of Hesse, granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England. The couple have known each other since they were teenagers. They were even distantly related and had numerous relatives, being the niece and nephew of the Prince and Princess of Wales, from different sides of the family.


The artist's contemporary depiction of the coronation of the new (and last) family from the Romanov dynasty - Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra.

In the 19th century, many members of the European royal families were closely related to each other. Queen Victoria was called the "grandmother of Europe" because her offspring were dispersed throughout the continent through the marriages of her many children. Along with her royal lineage and improved diplomatic relations between the royal houses of Greece, Spain, Germany and Russia, Victoria's descendants received something much less desirable: a tiny defect in a gene that regulates normal blood clotting and causes an incurable disease called hemophilia. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, patients suffering from this disease could literally bleed to death. Even the most benign bruise or blow could be fatal. The Queen's son, Prince Leopold, had hemophilia and died prematurely after a minor car accident.


The hemophilia gene was also passed on to Victoria's grandchildren and great-grandchildren through their mothers in the royal houses of Spain and Germany.

Tsarevich Alexei was the long-awaited heir to the Romanov dynasty

But perhaps the most tragic and significant impact of the hemophilia gene occurred in the ruling Romanov family in Russia. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna learned in 1904 that she was a carrier of hemophilia a few weeks after the birth of her precious son and heir to the Russian throne, Alexei.

In Russia, only men can inherit the throne. If Nicholas II had not had a son, then the crown would have passed to him younger brother Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich. However, after 10 years of marriage and the birth of four healthy grand duchesses, the long-awaited son and heir was stricken with an incurable disease. Few subjects realized that the life of the Tsarevich often hung in the balance due to his deadly genetic disease. Alexei's hemophilia remained a closely guarded secret of the Romanov family.

In the summer of 1913, the Romanov family celebrated the tercentenary of their dynasty. The dark “time of troubles” of 1905 seemed like a long forgotten and unpleasant dream. To celebrate, the entire Romanov family made a pilgrimage to ancient historical monuments. Moscow region, and the people rejoiced. Nicholas and Alexandra were once again convinced that their people love them and that their policy is on the right track.

At this time, it was hard to imagine that just four years after these days of glory, the Russian Revolution would deprive the Romanov family of the imperial throne, and three centuries of the Romanov dynasty would end. The Tsar, enthusiastically supported during the celebrations of 1913, will no longer rule Russia in 1917. Instead, the Romanov family would be arrested and, a little more than a year later, murdered by their own people.

The story of the last reigning Romanov family continues to fascinate scholars and amateurs alike. Russian history. It has something for everyone: a great royal romance between a handsome young tsar who rules one-eighth of the world and a beautiful German princess who gave up her strong Lutheran faith and her usual life for love.

Four daughters of the Romanovs: grand duchess Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia

There were their beautiful children: four beautiful daughters and a long-awaited boy who was born with a fatal disease from which he could die at any moment. There was a controversial "peasant" - a peasant who seemed to be sneaking into the imperial palace, and who was seen to corrupt and immorally influence the Romanov family: the tsar, empress and even their children.

The Romanov family: Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra with Tsarevich Alexei on their knees, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia.

There were political murders of the powerful, executions of the innocent, intrigues, mass uprisings and world war; murder, revolution and bloody Civil War. And finally, the secret execution in the middle of the night of the last ruling Romanov family, their servants, even their pets in the basement of the “house special purpose” in the heart of the Russian Urals.



top