Why did Catherine II want to legalize polygamy in Russia, and why she did not succeed

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The contribution of Catherine II to the cultural development of Russia is quite large. The Empress was fond of literature, collected masterpieces of painting and corresponded with French enlighteners. This woman was incredibly energetic, and directed her energies to governing the country. Thanks to her, polygamy was almost introduced in Russia. Read in the material for what reasons the ruler wanted to legitimize this and why her attempt failed.

The energetic empress and her contribution to the prosperity of Russia

Catherine II went against her father and abandoned Lutheranism. There is evidence that during a serious illness she ordered to send an Orthodox priest. This act was approved by subordinates.

The empress's energy was inexhaustible. She got up very early, drank the strongest coffee, tidied herself up and got down to government affairs. This woman was not a nominal ruler, she delved into all the nuances and made decisions. During the reign of Catherine, several wars took place, the empress expanded the state at the expense of new lands. The liquidation of Poland as a state took place, the Crimea was annexed. The size of the army increased - it reached 312 thousand people (previously the value was 162 thousand). When Catherine ascended the throne, the fleet consisted of 21 battleships and six frigates. The Empress enlarged it 8 times.

For export, they began to supply significantly more resources such as linen, cast iron, bread, and the number of large enterprises almost doubled. In connection with such reforms, it was necessary to increase the population, and Catherine II perfectly understood this. Although the annexed territories added about 7 million people, this was not enough, and there was no certainty of the loyalty of such citizens.

How Catherine created nursing homes, helped widows and thought about introducing polygamy

So, Catherine was faced with the task of providing production with labor, and the army with the military. In large cities (Moscow, St. Petersburg), nursing homes were created to receive orphaned children and foundlings. To help the widows, the empress established a monetary fund. Taking care of the health of the population and striving to reduce mortality during epidemics, Catherine made it mandatory to vaccinate against smallpox. For the same purpose, a quarantine system was developed in large cities, at border posts, in ports.

There is an opinion of historians that during the war with Turkey, Catherine drew attention to such a phenomenon as polygamy. This gave her the idea that in this way it is possible to increase the population. There is evidence that the empress hinted at this option several times, as if probing the ground, how society and in particular the Church would react to such an innovation.

The ostentatious piety of a real atheist and church reform projects

From the outside, Catherine looked like a pious parishioner. She, as expected, visited temples, stood at services. But in fact, the ruler adhered to atheistic views and therefore severely trampled on the interests of the church. For example, in 1764, the secularization of lands belonging to the church in favor of the state was carried out. Monasteries lost arable land with peasants, they were left with small gardens, forests, fish backwaters. As for the peasants, practically nothing has changed for them: they were not released, but made the property of the state, and they had to pay the quitrent to the treasury. Catherine was very interested in the works of Diderot and Voltaire, where she got the idea that religion is an excellent tool for hard government management. She appointed Ivan Melissino as Chief Prosecutor of the Synod. It was he who owns the project for reforming the church structure, submitted in 1767.

What Melissino suggested: • Some holidays should be canceled, services should be made shorter, and long all-night vigils should be replaced with short prayers. • Foreigners should have freedom of religion. • Old Believer communities should be free. • A commission of judicious people should be created to rid the church of harmful superstitions. and fraudulent miracles • The wearing of icons from home should be abolished • Fasts should be loosened and shortened • The "feeding book" should be checked for contradictions and mistakes should be corrected • Monasticism that did not exist in the early church should be gradually abolished. The money that went to pay the monks should be distributed among skillful priests, from among whom bishops should be chosen. Moreover, they should be allowed to live with their wives in accordance with the prescriptions of the apostle. • Divorces should be made easier (except for those that are due to adultery). • Clergy to dress in “decent dress.” • The process of commemorating the departed should not be extortion. • Infants cannot receive communion until they are ten years old.

Conflict with Metropolitan of Rostov, because of which the idea of polygamy failed

These reforms were not approved by the Synod, otherwise, most likely, Catherine would have been able to introduce polygamy. However, there was a conflict with the Metropolitan of Rostov. This was an outstanding church figure, Arseniy Matsievich. This man is the son of an Orthodox priest, a native of Poland. He immediately realized that the proposed measures could lead to the destruction of the Orthodox Church as the basis of the state and even to the danger of subjugating the country to the Vatican. Matsievich was imprisoned, where he ended his life. Catherine publicly called him a "liar", but Arseny's authority could not be crushed. This situation showed that Russia was not ready for radical (and highly controversial) innovations, which included polygamy.

Orlov made a stunning career not only because he was in a relationship with the empress. He primarily a talented commander who tamed the formidable Ottoman Empire.