Peter The Great, of Orange. Usurper on the Throne. Sergey Soloviev

oh bastard, the service is lost! And what now? Well, everything turned out differently..:

      Peter, without saying a word, knocked both soldiers to the ground with two blows of his fist, so that their hats and guns flew to the sides.

      – You should know the Tsar by sight! – he said loudly to the dumbfounded sergeant, – but thank you for the service! Strangers have no business in my palace!

      And Peter put six chervonets into the Preobrazhensky’s hand, for the entire guard of guards.

      – But why are you standing there, frozen, Alexashka? They are waiting for us, let’s go!

      Now the Tsar spoke only in Russian, though with a slightly incorrect pronunciation. The orderly was surprised at this man. He did not lose his presence of mind at all. He did not know what to do now, but this one – only stamped his steps firmly. Suddenly he turned around, glanced at the soldiers as if deciding something important.

      – Take me, Alexashka, to the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky. And take my money box. An important matter is being started.

      – Got it, my dear. How could I not understand?

      Menshikov also appreciated this move of the new Peter. Clever. of course… As they say, everyone loves money…

      The regiments were lined up in rows, and the tsar personally, not shying away from the servicemen, went around to each one and presented them all with silver efimki. Now the guardsmen recognized the tsar, and agreed that he was the true sovereign of Rus’.

      – Soldiers! Line up at the Preobrazhensky Palace and wait for me there! Do not disperse until I return! – he gave a stern order. Peter returned now not as a lonely wanderer, but as a true commander and leader, behind whom there was real power. And power is not weak words, but proud strength.And strength is based on people who are ready to fight for the leader, and do whatever he orders.

      He was proud of himself, and smiled contentedly. A man with strength, this impresses everyone, and the servants immediately recognized who was the boss in the house. And there was not a single attempt at resistance, or even doubt!

      Then the bedchamber attendants came running, hastily opened the doors, and the most important of them, apparently the bedchamber attendant, walked ahead of Peter, throwing the doors open. He was agile. and somehow especially deftly bent down, never hitting the low doorframes. The guide threw open the double-leaf carved doors, and bowed low, very low. Peter turned to Menshikov and said loudly and clearly:

      – Wait for me here!

      Boyars at the Tsar’s Throne

      A portal into the unknown opened before him. In front of him, on a small elevation, stood a throne decorated with a double-headed eagle. The walls were richly painted, and there were low benches on which sat the Seven. Seven long-awaited nobles who had invited him to the Russian throne. He was not used to doubting, and he walked past them with a quick step and sat on the throne of the largest Christian monarchy in the world.

      He expected something incredible, but neither the earth opened up to swallow the stranger, nor did lightning burn him, revealing the power of Providence. Nothing like that. Seven pairs of surprised eyes of people dressed in rich brocade coats trimmed with fur simply looked at him. Finally, he stood up and spoke, whom Peter recognized as Fyodor Yuryevich Romodanovsky. – Hello, Tsar-father… Finally we meet again. And how he has matured, I don’t recognize him…

      – He looks like himself, and that’s good, – Peter grinned, – I heard, there is another rebellion in Moscow, and few of the guilty have been punished?

      – So why execute them? – Romodanovsky did not understand, – there are few service people. There are not enough of them. And you, father, should wear the Tsar’s barma when going out, and Orthodox clothes…

      – No, it’s not necessary…

      – What was discussed in the letters, does it not raise doubts? – Boris Alekseevich expressed himself slyly.

      – The rights of Alexei Petrovich will not be challenged.

      The boyars whispered contentedly, and nodded. And they no longer looked so wary.

      – Well, that’s it… – Boris Alekseevich Golitsyn began to speak slowly, – we have decided to do everything so that there will be no harm in the Russian state. And you must sign these Conditions,” he gave the Dutchman a message written on good paper. Piter began to read:

      “Through this we most firmly communicate, my most important concern and effort will be not only about the maintenance, but also about the utmost possible dissemination of our Orthodox faith of the Greek confession, also after accepting the Russian crown I will not enter into marriage for the rest of my life and will not determine an heir either with me or by myself, we also promise that since the integrity and well-being of any state consists of good advice, for this reason we will always maintain the already established Boyar Duma of seven persons and without any other agreement:

      1, not to start a war with anyone

      2. not to conclude peace,

      m. not to burden our loyal subjects with any taxes,

      4. not to grant noble ranks, both in civil and military land and naval, above the rank of colonel, not to assign below to noble affairs, and the guard and other troops to be under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Privy Council

      5. Not to take away from the gentry the life, property and honor without a trial,

      6. not to grant patrimonies and villages,

      7. not to produce in court ranks, both foreigners and Russians,

      8. not to use state revenues for expenses, and to maintain all our subjects in mercy, and if I do not fulfill anything according to this promise, then I will be deprived of the Russian crown.”

      – That’s clever, – and he slowly signed with the pen handed to him.

      He left the regulations on the table, and he himself walked, rather than marched, around the chamber, with his hands behind his back, like a huge raven.

      – Tsarina Evdokia has gone to a monastery. So she won’t bother you, father, – said Fyodor Lopukhin.

      And the new tsar understood this. So that no more heirs to the throne would appear from his blood. – Call me Herr Peter, or Pyotr Alekseevich, – the new tsar ordered harshly. On the road he read and thought a lot. He knew what the boyars’ power was based on – the old way of life and service people. There, in the dormeze, on the road between Revel and Novgorod, he thought of this, which burst out of him like an avalanche:

      – I order a search to be conducted among those archers. The one who called me a German wanted to destroy you, the boyars. Tsar Leopold told me about this and reproached me severely. And issue a decree – to take those archers to Preobrazhenskoye and torture them, to find out who else was involved in this theft.

      – Why? There was no conspiracy, that’s for sure. No forgery, nothing was found! – answered the prince-caesar.

      – They searched poorly… And, my order to you, Boris Alekseevich – to recruit ten dragoon regiments. And the archers have nothing to do in Moscow.

      – And the Stremenny? – Lev Kirillovich spoke up.

      – They will sit in Azov, become quieter. It will be more reliable that way.

      Peter recalled what he read Dmitry Ivanovich… He sat on the throne, and then flew off with the archers’ wish. And he even flew out of a cannon, like a cannonball, even after death. He didn’t need that… And it was uncomfortable to sit in Moscow, unkindly… He had to build his own, his own…

      – So… Bring the Streltsy from the monasteries to Preobrazhenskoye. I’ll ask myself, since they didn’t tell you. It’s okay, I won’t get