period of the reign of Catherine 2 in Russia (1762 - 1796). - A time of great changes and significant events in the life of the people.
future Russian empress, born Sophia August Frederika of Anhalt-Zerbst first came to Russia in 1745 at the invitation of Elizabeth.In the same year she married the Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich (Peter 3).Dislike husband and Elizabeth's illness led to a situation where there was a threat to her expulsion from Russia.Based on the Guards regiment, in 1762 she made a bloodless coup and became Empress.In such circumstances, began the reign of Catherine 2.
Empress has been active reform efforts, seeking to strengthen his personal power.In 1767 he convened to write a new Legislative Commission.Assembly legislators, however, turned out to be objectionable, and Catherine was dissolved
In 1763, to improve the management system she held senatorial reform.In the Senate, it was six departments, and he lost the right to lead the state apparatus, becoming the highest judicial and administrative authority.It was restored Berg Board, Chief Magistrate and Manufactures Collegium.The centralization and bureaucratization of the country's power paralleled a steady pace.To resolve the financial difficulties v1763- 1764 Catherine holds the secularization of church lands (translated them into secular ownership), which enabled to boost the coffers and neutralize the clergy as a powerful political force.
reign of Catherine 2 was not soft.At the time of her reign she had Pugachev uprising.Peasant War 1773-1775 showed that this segment of society does not support it.And Catherine decides to strengthen the absolutist state, relying on the nobility.
«The Charter," the nobility and the city (1785) sequenced the structure of society, strictly denoting closed classes: the nobility, clergy, merchants, petty bourgeoisie and the serfs.The dependence of the latter has steadily increased, creating the conditions for the onset of "the golden age of the nobility."
During the reign of Catherine 2 feudal system in Russia has reached its climax.The Empress did not seek to change the foundations of social life.Based on the labor of serfs Empire, reliance on the right of the throne and the nobility wise Empress, control everything - so look life in the country in this period.Domestic and foreign policy carried out solely in the interests of the centralized state.Imperial was a peculiar approach towards the provinces (Little Russia, Livonia and Finland), as well as expansion extended to Crimea, the Polish Kingdom, the North Caucasus, which has already begun to escalate national problems.In 1764 Hetman was abolished in Ukraine, she was appointed to rule the governor-general and president of the board Malorosskoy.
In 1775 was the beginning of the reform of the administration.Instead of 23 provinces created 50 new.Giving directions Exchequer industry Order - public institutions (hospitals and schools), the courts are separated from the administration.The control system of the country becomes uniform, the subordinate governors of central colleges, governors and finally the empress.
known that the reign of Catherine 2 - it is also the height of favoritism.But if Elizabeth is a tangible phenomenon did not bring harm to the state, it is now a broad distribution of public lands and serfs fit Empress nobles began to cause resentment.
Enlightened absolutism of Catherine - this time of the ideas of social and political theories of the 18th century, in which the development of society should go in an evolutionary way under the guidance of an enlightened monarch and beloved by the people, whose assistants are philosophers.
Results of the reign of Catherine 2 is very significant for the Russian history.The area of the state has grown significantly, budget revenues have increased four times, while the population grew by 75%.However, enlightened absolutism to resolve all urgent problems and could not.
