| dbo:abstract |
Paul I of Russia was Emperor of all Russia (or Tsar) between 1796 and 1801, when he was deposed and assassinated in a palace coup. Paul succeeded his mother, Catherine the Great, and almost immediately launched a campaign to revoke her legacy. Paul appears to have hated his mother and her acts as Empress. His upbringing had been a lonely one spent mostly away from court, and Paul held her responsible for the overthrow and death of his father, Peter III, from whom she had taken the throne. Paul revoked many of her decrees on the day of his accession, denigrated her memory and promoted that of his father, Peter. Catherine had generally worked with the Russian nobility and treated them sympathetically; Paul believed them weak and disorganized, needing strict treatment, and revoked many of their privileges. Paul was also inspired by the French Revolution seven years earlier, which sent shockwaves through the royal courts of Europe. He attacked the prevalence of French culture in Russia in an effort to prevent the influence of revolutionary ideals. Foreign travel was banned, and visitors could only travel from France on a passport issued by the House of Bourbon. Censorship increased, words were banned from use, and fashion especially was forcibly changed; anything deemed to be French—such as round hats and high cravats—or particularly non-Russian, such as a certain style of coach harness, were prohibited. Secret police vigorously enforced Paul's edicts. Anyone found in the streets wearing one of the banned hats, for example, was liable to have it ripped from their head and shredded before them. Paul also made sweeping reforms to the Russian Imperial Army. Already a martinet—he drilled his household troops continuously as Grand Duke—he instituted a brutal military regime. Units were drilled constantly; officers—whom the ranks were encouraged to anonymously denounce—were liable to summary punishment for the slightest infractions. Paul occasionally beat them himself, or they could be dismissed from the rank and exiled to Siberia. The army's uniforms were redesigned in the Prussian fashion, which was deeply disliked as the tight uniforms were felt to be impractical. There was also an emphasis on minutiae, such as waxed hair. Paul's sweeping changes alienated so many areas of society that he was eventually deposed in a coup and assassinated. Contemporaries, including his doctors, commented that he seemed in a perpetual state of stress and liable to incandescent rages. While 19th- and early-20th-century historians generally accepted these assertions, more recent historiography has tended to emphasize the difficulties of medical diagnosis 200 years later, and note that the contemporary memoirs those earlier historians cited were not impartial sources. It is probable that debate was restricted until at least the 20th century in any case, as questioning the cause of Paul's disposition might have given rise to questions as to the legitimacy of the later Romanovs. Others have noted that contemporary diplomatic letters are more reliable as sources. There is a broad consensus that Paul probably was mentally unstable or had a spectrum disorder, but how much this affected his reign or his ability is questionable. His ability to operate as expected was less affected than traditionally asserted. Modern historians emphasize the positive policies Paul enacted, which, while not precluding mental illness, left a legacy in spite of it. (en) |
| dbp:quote |
My God! From the very outset of Emperor Paul I's accession, what strictness, what meekness, what a martial spirit began to rule in Moscow! From being arrogant and unapproachable, the nobles became humble, for the law was the same whether one was a noble or a merchant. Ostentatious luxury came under suspicion. And among the common people, there appeared a kind of terror and obedience before a sort of martial or enlightened-authoritarian spirit, for the strictness and obedience extended to all classes of people. (en) |
| dbp:text |
Is believed to be vindictive, headstrong and absolute in his ideas. It is only to be feared that by virtue of having his wings clipped, a potentially decided character may be rendered obstinate, that it may be replaced by duplicity, repressed hatred and perhaps pusillanimity, and that the high-mindedness which might have been developed in him may be stifled at last by the terror that his mother has always inspired in him. (en) No remonstrance is ever tolerated until the damage has already been done. In short, to speak plainly, the happiness of the State counts for nothing in the governing of affairs. There is only one absolute power, which does everything without rhyme or reason. It would be impossible to enumerate to you all the mad things that have been done... My poor country is in an indescribable state: farmers are harassed, commerce obstructed, liberty and personal welfare are reduced to nothing. That is the picture of Russia. (en) |
| rdfs:comment |
Paul I of Russia was Emperor of all Russia (or Tsar) between 1796 and 1801, when he was deposed and assassinated in a palace coup. Paul succeeded his mother, Catherine the Great, and almost immediately launched a campaign to revoke her legacy. Paul appears to have hated his mother and her acts as Empress. His upbringing had been a lonely one spent mostly away from court, and Paul held her responsible for the overthrow and death of his father, Peter III, from whom she had taken the throne. Paul revoked many of her decrees on the day of his accession, denigrated her memory and promoted that of his father, Peter. Catherine had generally worked with the Russian nobility and treated them sympathetically; Paul believed them weak and disorganized, needing strict treatment, and revoked many of the (en) |
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