Civilian and Political Life
during the
Age of Napoleon
(1796-1815)

   

 

 
A historical overview of the political and civilian events
that took place during the years 1796 to 1815
 

This section will focus on a history of significant social and political events that took place throughout the Russian Empire during the era of the Napoleonic Wars.  Achievements in literature, music, and science will also be noted in this section.  The Russian rulers of the period will also be profiled at a later time.  Dates are given in the modern Gregorian calendar, but old style Julian dates are sometimes given in parenthesis.

Political & Civil Events Historical Index
  

 
Statistics of the Russian Empire
1796-1815

 

Russian Leaders
(1796-1815)

1762-1796 Catherine II the Great
1796-1801 Paul I Petrovich Romanov
1801-1825 Alexander I Pavlovich Romanov

 

Timeline 1796-1815

 

1796
    The Alexander Palace is completed in Tsarskoyoe Selo.
  17 November
(6 November)
Catherine the Great dies in St. Petersburg.  Paul I becomes Tsar of Russia.
  18 November
(7 November)
Coronation of Paul I.
Alexei Arakcheyev is appointed commandant of St. Petersburg garrison.
    Tsar Paul I attempts to reform the army by introducing the Infantry Codes - a set of regulations based on ceremonial drill.  General Suvorov ignores the new regulations.
  19 December
(8 December)
General Pyotr A. Rumyantsev dies at age 71.
1797
    Tsar Paul I issues a decree stating that mandatory work (barshchina) by serfs for the landed nobility would be limited to three days a week.
  January The Knights Hospitaller of Malta approach Paul about the Priory of Poland.  Tsar Paul relocates it to St. Petersburg.
  August

Knights Hospitaller bestow knighthood on Tsar Paul for his earlier assistance with the Priory of Poland.

1798
  June Napoleon's forces invade Malta,
  October Tsar Paul is elected Grand Master of the Knights of Malta.
1799
    Russian involvement in the War of the Second Coalition against Napoleon.
    General Suvorov leads campaign in Italy and Switzerland.
  6 June
(26 May)
Russian poet Alexander S Pushkin is born.
  8 July Ukaz of 1799 establishes the Russian-American Company and grants a Russian monopoly on trade along North American Pacific coast down to 55° N latitude.
   

Russia ends involvement in War of the Second Coaliton.

1800
    Tsar Paul interns all British ships and crews in Russian ports in response to the British seizure of Malta and failure to return it to the Knights Hospitaller.
1801
    Sale of serfs without land is prohibited.
  8 January Tsar Paul signs decree formally incorporating Georgia into the Russian Empire.
  23 March
(11 March)
Tsar Paul is murdered by a group of noblemen.  Tsar Alexander I takes the throne.
  12 September Tsar Alexander I affirms Paul's decree annexing Georgia.
  11 November
(30 October)
Fyodor M. Dostoevsky is born in Moscow.
1802
  8 September Tsar Alexander establishes ministries to replace the Collegium established by Peter the Great as part of administrative reforms.
1803
     
1804
     
1805
    General Alexi Arakcheyev develops "System of 1805" for artillery.  The reorganization would increase the firepower of Russian divisons.
    Architect Andreyan Zakharov is appointed as Chief Architect of the Department of the Navy.
1806
    Conquest of Dagestan and Baku.
    Architect Andreyan Zakharov begins work on the empire style Admiralty building which would be completed in 1815.
1807
    Count Mikhail Speransky begins administrative reforms leading to the establishment of the State Council by Tsar Alexander I.
1808
  January General Alexi Arakcheyev is promoted to Defense Minister.
1809
    Ivan Krylov's Fables is published.  It contains 23 short fables and was extremely successful.
  17 September Treaty of Frederikshamn between Russia and Sweden is signed resulting in the annexation of Finland by the Russian Empire.
1810
     
1811
    Ivan Krylov is admitted into the Russian Academy of Sciences.
1812
    Ivan Krylov begins working at the Imperial Library where he would stay until 1841.
  24 June Napoleon invades Russia.
  26 August Battle of Borodino.
  14 September Napoleon enters Moscow.
  19 October Napoleon leaves Moscow.
1813
    Alexander I pursues Napoleon to Paris (will go into 1814)
1814
     
1815
     

  

 

Statistics of the Russian Empire
(1796-1815)

 
Coming Soon!!
 

Selected Items from
1796 - 1815

Earlier Political Events

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Russia and the
Age of Napoleon

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