Mikhail Speransky: How the son of a simple priest surprised Napoleon and raised the future Russian emperor

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

Russia is rich in talents, especially in nuggets - people from the lower classes, common people, serfs. One of the most famous personalities is Mikhail Mikhailovich Speransky, an outstanding statesman and reformer of Russia, a man of unusual fate, who was destined to find himself in the whirlpool of the country's political life and survive unprecedented ups and downs.

Why the seminarian Spasovy Ochi chose civil service and rose to the rank of State Councilor

Mikhail Mikhailovich was born on January 1, 1772 in the family of a hereditary rural priest. He spent his childhood in the village of Cherkutino, Vladimirsky district. The boy who learned to read and write early avoided noisy games with his peers, replacing them with reading books. In the tenth year of his life, he left the parental home and was enrolled in the diocesan theological seminary in Vladimir.

According to the then tradition, it was here that Mikhailo received his surname. Speransky (from the Latin spero - to hope) he began to be called for his abilities, which inspired great hopes in teachers. The young man earned the respectful nickname “Spasovy Ochi” from his fellow seminarians for his strong knowledge and for the fact that, in their words, he “understood everything, saw everything”.

Then I studied in St. Petersburg. After graduating with honors from the Theological Academy, M. M. Speransky remained a teacher in it. However, the stupid thirst for self-improvement made the young man change his occupation. After serving as the home secretary of Prince Kurakin, Mikhail, under his patronage, received a place in the office of the Prosecutor General. Thus, a twenty-five-year-old Master of Theology became a titular counselor.

Having established himself as a skilled master of the pen, Speransky received an invitation to serve from the secret adviser Dmitry Prokofievich Troshchinsky, a close associate of Alexander I. Soon, Mikhail Speransky was introduced to the permanent council to discuss important state affairs, and then was appointed state secretary of the emperor. June 1801 was marked by the promotion of Speransky to the actual state councilor, an award that was prohibitively high for his young age.

Reformer Speransky: what projects of Mikhail Mikhailovich were implemented by Alexander I

Under Emperor Alexander I, M. M. Speransky was involved in the development and editing of documents that form the basis of the monarch's reformist course. He is the author of the project for the transformation of government bodies and improvement of the state system on a constitutional basis. Speransky outlined his concept of a plan for restructuring the political and socio-economic structure in a number of notes.

To improve the state of the financial sector, he developed a draft reform, which provided for such measures as stopping the issue of banknotes, raising some taxes and prices for exported raw materials, and selling part of state estates.

Speransky aspired to become the "architect" of the global state transformation of Russia. He failed to achieve this. But this man, thanks to his labors, deservedly received the right to be called the founder of Russian legal science.

Speransky's meeting with Napoleon

In 1808, Alexander I met with Napoleon Bonaparte, during which the Russian emperor flashed his Secretary of State Mikhail Speransky, who was invited to give several reports. Contemporaries noted that Speransky made such a strong impression on Napoleon that he, as a sign of respect, presented him with a valuable gift and called him "the only bright head in Russia."

And after one of the personal conversations with Mikhail Mikhailovich, he asked Alexander I with a smile if the sovereign of Russia would exchange his subject for any kingdom. In these joking words, one can see a high assessment not only of Speransky as a statesman, but also of the insight and generosity of the Russian emperor, who discerned and appreciated the talents of his subordinate, a native of the people, and brought him closer to himself.

Opal Speransky

The rapid career of Mikhail Speransky aroused envy and irritation among those close to the emperor. There were many reactionaries who took hostility to the ideas carried out in his projects. Dissatisfaction with the increase and introduction of new taxes grew. Against the background of deteriorating relations with France, the flattering characterization given to Speransky by Napoleon played a negative role.

And although outwardly nothing changed in the position of Mikhail Mikhailovich (he even received the Order of Alexander Nevsky), the forces opposed to him persuaded the sovereign to decide on the resignation of Speransky.

This was followed by expulsion - to Nizhny Novgorod, and from there to Perm.

Return of Speransky to public service. Awarding the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called

Justice triumphed, and Russia again needed the bright mind of the outstanding reformer. In 1821, Mikhail Mikhailovich ended up in the capital, where he actively worked on commissions to develop reforms in various spheres of state life.

The new autocrat Nicholas I highly appreciated Speransky's grandiose brainchild - "Complete collection of laws of the Russian Empire" in 45 volumes and bestowed on him the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, which was the highest state award.

In addition, Mikhail Speransky became a mentor to Tsarevich Alexander Nikolaevich in political and legal sciences. Surely these long frank conversations with the heir to the throne about the true state of affairs of state and the need for drastic changes led to the fact that it was Alexander II who carried out global state reforms.

Mikhail Mikhailovich Speransky died at the age of 67, having received the count's title a year before. As a “son of a priest,” this man, thanks to his intelligence, lived an amazing life, made a brilliant career and became one of the most influential political figures of his era.

However, even the brightest minds were not always able to curb the rampage of the monarchs. Therefore, from time to time were published funny and stupid decrees of Russian rulers.