Anna Ioannovna, niece of Peter the Great, went down in history with a terrible image. For what they just did not reproach the second ruling queen of Russia: for tyranny and ignorance, craving for luxury, indifference to state affairs and for the fact that the dominance of the Germans was in power. Anna Ioannovna had a lot of bad character, but the myth about her as an unsuccessful ruler who gave Russia to be torn apart by foreigners is very far from the real historical picture
History at school is taught in virtually isolated lines. Separately Europe, separately Asia, separately Rurik and their legacy. But it is quite possible to measure historical periods in Russian figures. For example, in Ivan the Terrible
In the biographies of great rulers, you rarely find mention of small people. But sometimes they also end up in the chronicles - as, for example, the valet who served Catherine II. Most likely, if the history of the Russian state had not been under the empress, and before that - the Grand Duchess Vasily Shkurin, the very history of the Russian state could have developed differently. And in any case, the life of Catherine's son would have been different - the one who could change his mother on the throne, but preferred a much less ambitious life
The great tsar and reformer Peter I, with his decree on succession to the throne, laid a "time bomb": there were no clear rules for the transfer of power, anyone could now claim the throne. After his death until the end of the "era of palace coups", each subsequent accession was preceded by a palace turmoil (hidden intrigue or open blow). The most short-lived and unimpressive was the reign of the representatives of the so-called "Braunschweig family", who came to power on the wave of national negativity
For a long time, officers from all over Europe entered the Russian service. The vector of accepting foreigners into his own army was set by Peter the Great, although overseas volunteers in Russia were also favored before him. Catherine II actively continued the Petrine policy, striving to provide the imperial army with the most qualified and effective personnel. Foreign volunteers have made a significant contribution to the formation of the defense capability of Russia, the development of the economy and industry. And among them were not only talented
There are not so few people of African descent living in Russia. Many believe that they began to join the ranks of the Russians only at the end of the twentieth century, when students from Africa and Cuba began to come to the Soviet Union and then the Russian Federation. In fact, the Russian Empire had its own blacks. True, entry into the country most often did not depend on their will
Up to eight or ten years it often seems that things that make life easier have always existed. After ten, something clicks in your head, and almost everything that you use in everyday life every day - if it is more complicated than a saucepan - you think that it was invented recently. More often than not, both are misconceptions. Take, for example, a flush toilet
It is known that "Talented people are talented in everything." Confirming this statement of Lyon Feuchtwanger, many famous writers wrote music, and musicians - paintings, but Alexander Dumas chose a more practical hobby. The genius writer was an equally talented chef and famous gourmet. Moreover, he did not limit his culinary exercises to French cuisine, but traveled around the world in search of original recipes and exotic ingredients
At the beginning of the 20th century, a man lived in Vilnius who did a lot of good things in his life. His name today, however, is not very well known outside his hometown, and the memorial dedicated to him is a small bronze sculpture of natural growth. However, there is another monument, a literary one, thanks to which the good doctor has been known and loved by millions of children and adults for about a hundred years, because it was this man who once inspired Korney Chukovsky to write the famous lines: “Good doctor Aibolit
The adaptation of Pushkin's unfinished novel Peter the Great's Arap was conceived and filmed as a rather serious two-part historical film, but after the intervention of censorship it turned into a melodrama, even the original name was changed by the artistic council. Vladimir Vysotsky bitterly said that they took him to the main role, but in the end he ended up "after the tsar and the comma"
The reputation of Elizabeth II can be called ideal: the British adore her, she herself was not involved in scandals, and, most importantly, she stands guard over the interests and traditions of the monarchy. And the queen demands the same from her relatives. But we must not forget that even those in whose veins blue blood flows, in fact, are ordinary people. And no matter how much the “main grandmother” tries to restrain her family members, they still sometimes get into unpleasant situations and give loud news feeds. Let's remember the most gro
For a long time, there was a stereotype in society that rich people marry only beauties, and they have enough intelligence and their own. In practice, however, this is often not the case at all. Oligarchs appreciate beautiful women, but much more they like smart women who are able to maintain a conversation, and, if necessary, give advice. Very often, next to a wealthy man is not the first beauty, but a woman intellectually gifted and educated
"Adele's syndrome" - such a name in the literature bears a painful attraction, an unrequited passion that captures completely and burns from the inside, interfering with leading a normal life and being a full-fledged person. The story of one such addiction - the love of the daughter of the writer Victor Hugo - gave the name to this - alas - quite common phenomenon
For the second month now, the world community has been discussing the news that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have renounced all titles and privileges. While some are wondering what caused this decision (paparazzi pressure, control by the queen, rumors …), others believe that the former actress is simply tired of living "by protocol." But if you think about it, it is quite possible that the "megsit" happened precisely because the Duchess of Sussex simply could not master the new rules that she must follow
Sea yachts for the first persons of the state are a special type of ships and a special type of residences. It seems quite natural that they embodied all the best that was invented for comfort and safety, but it is surprising that even after more than a century, the level of equipment of the imperial ships at first glance seems unattainable for an ordinary person of the XXI century - however, opinions here may differ
Towards the end of his life, retired General Pushkin ironically admitted to his daughter that he saw some disappointment in the eyes of his acquaintances. Alexander Alexandrovich believed that people were looking for in him, the offspring of the great poet, some kind of exclusivity. At the same time, the son of Pushkin himself considered himself an ordinary and nothing outstanding person who disappointed the public. I must say that Alexander Alexandrovich was either shy or underestimated himself. Because he had no merits
Oliver Sachs is an amazing person who managed to turn medicine into literature. It would seem that this is - but it has greatly increased the awareness of the general public about neurological disorders, and the attitude in society towards people with health problems has become much more adequate. In addition, his extensive practice contained cases, each of which could be turned into a film story (and one turned!) - they are so amazing
Italian footwear is famous all over the world. Recent archaeological finds have shown that this is no coincidence. It turned out that the shoe traditions of Mediterranean craftsmen go back to the days of the Roman Empire. Ancient Roman shoes found in Germany are not only perfectly preserved, having lain underground for two thousand years, but are also distinguished by their elegant design and functionality
Millions of women were crazy about him, and with dozens of them he had affairs, but at the same time he called Rome every evening to talk to his wife. She was not at all the most beautiful or the smartest, but one day she made a choice for herself that she wanted to be the legal wife of Marcello, and not the ex. “I have never counted women, I only loved them! - the famous artist admitted. - In this life they gave me love. Maybe I gave them less. "
Japan is traditionally associated with two religions - Shinto and Buddhism. But in fact, Christianity has existed in it for several centuries. True, the relationship between Japan and Christianity is very complex, and, probably, the peak of the complexity was the events known as the Shimabara Uprising - after which Shinto Christians were presented as bloody rebels, and Christians blame Shinto for their brutally tortured co-religionists
Ivan the Terrible is most often remembered as a stern and decisive ruler. And few people know that this man has repeatedly married and had several wives during his life. Some historians believe that it was family life that influenced the formation of the king's personality. Read how many wives Grozny had, who they were, where the tsar got to know them and how he treated them, and what is the fate of each of them
On April 24, 2020, many Western media reported on the possible death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. He succeeded his father in office in 2011, becoming the youngest head of state. His life was shrouded in a veil of secrecy, but some facts about the ruler became known. In our today's review, we propose to recall the most odious facts from the life of the supreme leader Kim Jong-un, which shook the whole world
Once Alaska, and at the same time the Aleutian Islands belonged to the Russian Empire. True, it is very conditional, formal. The fact is that the local Indian tribes - the Tlingits - were not eager to become anyone's subjects. Bloody clashes between aborigines and Russian colonists have become commonplace. In that protracted war, the Russian-American company had few chances. The remoteness of Alaska, as well as the small number of colonists, played a major role. But a war for distant lands
Despite the fact that the demanded stars of show business have a busy schedule that does not fit in with the image of parents with many children, many of them successfully manage to debunk this myth. They are happy to increase the number of their heirs, whose upbringing is successfully combined with a career. Moreover, if it is easier for men to find a compromise between filming, performance and fatherhood, then these difficulties do not stop women either
There were many evil rumors and gossip about the family of Emperor Nicholas II. Most of them were deliberately spread in order to discredit the tsar and the monarchical power, which was of great importance for the people (only in Russia there was the expression “tsar-father) and was the cornerstone of the traditional social structure of the Russian state. One of the reasons for hostile conversations was "cute eccentricity": in Tsarskoe Selo they kept an elephant in a special pavilion - a gift to Nicholas II
Feasts in Russia were loved and organized quite often, since there were enough reasons: name day, birth of a child, wedding, state events, Orthodox holidays. The feast was a complex ritual, prepared for in advance, and the royal feasts were striking in their magnificence. Everything was important: how the participants sat, at what distance from the sovereign, and even to which of them cutlery was served in advance
In Russia, there were professions that may seem ridiculous to a modern person. People earned their livelihoods by crying for various reasons, picking through the garbage, spitting grain into the ground, or selling wolf's tails. Forge, tar, pastiller, crochet - who are these specialists, and what did they do?
A Soviet child read a book about Robinson Crusoe with almost the same feeling with which modern children play Minecraft - rejoicing at the miracle of creating their little civilization out of almost nothing. When you look at a story from an adult perspective, questions arise - both to the author and to the character. And the shine of both fades a little
By the time Peter the Great set up to reign, the states of Western Europe, with a more developed fleet, managed to colonize almost all known overseas lands. However, this did not bother the active tsar - he decided to equip an expedition to Madagascar in order to make the island a zone of Russian influence. The purpose of such a maneuver was India - a country with the richest resources, which attracted all the major maritime powers at that time
Still, by historical standards, recently people did not have a daily shower, no deodorant, or many other things important for hygiene. Knowing this, many residents of the twenty-first century are sure that all people in the old days smelled strongly and badly, clothes looked untidy close by, and it’s scary to think about underwear. In fact, of course, man has always - like any healthy animal - tried to take care of his cleanliness. It was just that it was much more difficult to maintain her before
The name of Malyuta Skuratov has become a household name among the people. There were legends about the cruelty of "the sovereign's faithful dog". How did a native of an impoverished noble family become the main oprichnik and murderer of Ivan the Terrible - further in the review
At all times and in all countries there was such a thing as bribery. From time immemorial, everyone knows exactly how to solve "sensitive" issues bypassing the law. Here are just small bribe-takers go to jail, and large ones - on the pages of history. Five well-known bribe-takers will be discussed further in the review
The love story of the great empress and Grigory Potemkin began in the days of the coup, and ended, according to historians, only when "death separated them." The loving empress did not deny herself feminine joys, changing her favorites quite often, but only this person she called “husband” and “kind spouse” in her letters. Despite the fact that there are no documents that accurately confirm the fact of their marriage, there is a lot of evidence that Catherine really entered
In 1730, Anna Ioannovna came to Russia to take the royal throne. Ernst Johann Biron followed her from Courland. The reckless love of the queen for her favorite led to the fact that the time of her reign was called "Bironovism", which meant the power of foreigners acting only in the name of their interests
There is an opinion that men should rule the world. However, history knows the period of matriarchy, and the influence of women on men cannot be ruled out either. How often a representative of the fair sex appeared next to the monarch, skillfully and unobtrusively forcing a man to act as it was beneficial to her. We offer today to recall the most famous favorites in history
Global pandemics are a problem that humanity has inexorably faced throughout its existence. However, despite how obvious the answer seems to be to the question of how and why they arose, many scientists (and not only) minds preferred to think quite differently. How have people in the past explained to themselves and others the causes of pandemics? Are the stars really to blame for them, or is it all about inadequate living conditions?
Today, as well as many centuries ago, men gladly woo young and beautiful women. But they do not always manage to achieve what they want. There are circumstances when you have to marry older women. Only now they would say “she is already over forty,” but before, at twenty-five, a young woman became an old maid, whom no one looked at. The woman's lot was to wait for the groom and save up a dowry. And men chose, wooed, married, supported the family. To those who could not ww
This history project was spontaneous. It was conducted together with his students by the talented American teacher Ron Jones in 1967, but then for about 10 years the results of the weekly "training" were not widely advertised. The reason for this silence was very simple - the participants were ashamed of what they saw inside themselves. Even the teacher and author of the unique experiment was shocked at how successful his pedagogical experience turned out to be
You can start the New Year this way - by going with three thousand accompanying people on a long trip to the southern lands - in any case, Empress Catherine II once did. The Tauride voyage remained in history both due to its scale and as a source of some gossip and rumors - including about the "Potemkin villages"
The legends of the dark times in Europe and Asia are full of admiration for lost civilizations, developed so highly that listeners of these legends could hardly believe. Much later, with scientific progress, Europeans began to treat these legends with increasing skepticism: it is clear that the world is developing from simple technologies to complex ones, where can complex technologies come from to simple ones? With the development of archeology, mankind again had to believe in lost civilizations. At least compared to the narrator