The most powerful dynasties in history. Large family and marriage ties

According to Japanese legends and in particular according to the Kojiki epic Jimmu was the great-grandson of the sun goddess and therefore he himself is considered not only the founder of the Japanese state, but also the second after celestial being. With the help of divine origin, the rulers of ancient Japan tried to exalt the imperial power and unify the country. Just as the Empire of Japan claims to be the oldest state on Earth, so the Imperial House of Japan can rightfully claim to be the oldest in the world. If you believe the legends, the current dynasty has ruled the Land of the Rising Sun for more than 2600 years. One can only envy such longevity. The ruling dynasties of European and other countries are much younger. The oldest in Europe - Danish, for example, dates back to 899 years, i.e. dates back just over 1100 years.

However, historians have serious doubts about the existence of the first 25 Japanese emperors. The first emperor whose existence is documented was Keitai(507-531), 26th in a row. In any case, even the biggest skeptics admit that the Japanese monarchy is at least one and a half thousand years old, which still makes it the oldest on the planet. It got its very beautiful name - the Chrysanthemum Japanese Throne at the end of the 19th century, when the imperial seal was adopted with a carved her yellow chrysanthemum, a flower with 16 petals. Until this time, the list of Japanese emperors included 121 names. Incl. and 8 women's. Of Japan's 120 rulers, only two reigned twice. By a strange coincidence, these were empresses: Koken (Shotoku during the second reign) and Kogyoku-Saimei.

Of course, not all the emperors from the long list of divine rulers of the Land of the Rising Sun had real power. Some can well be called absolute rulers, others were puppets in the hands of the shoguns. At first, this title was given by emperors to influential princes who led an army to wage some kind of war or suppress an uprising of peasants or impostors. Later, the title of shogun received a broader interpretation. Shoguns were the name given to the most influential princes from the most powerful families, who were considered something like first ministers, guardians of the state or heads of the imperial office, i.e. were second in command in Japan. Often they ruled instead of weak emperors. The era of the shogunate lasted nearly seven centuries and ended in 1867 with the accession of the emperor Meiji. The last shogun was Yoshinobu from the family Tokugawa.

State symbol

The last emperor of old Japan was Komei(1846-67). Who replaced him on the throne Meiji became the first emperor of modern, according to generally accepted chronology, Japan. He ruled for almost half a century, from 1867 to 1912, and carried out major reforms that allowed Japan, which had pursued a policy of isolation from the outside world for many centuries, to quickly become one of the world powers. The significance of Meiji is also evidenced by the fact that historians named an entire period in the country’s history after him. Under Meiji, a constitution was adopted in 1889, based on the constitutions of Western countries. It became the first not only in Japan, but throughout East Asia. The emergence of a new world power took place at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and was accompanied by victorious wars: the Sino-Japanese and Russian-Japanese, as well as the annexation of Taiwan and Korea.

Japanese emperors, unlike their European counterparts, never had surnames. By this they obviously wanted to emphasize the divinity of their origin and rule. And although after the adoption of the new constitution in 1947, the Japanese emperors lost their divinity, the tradition remained. The last divine emperor was Hirohito, the father of the current “symbol of the state and the unity of the people,” as the monarch is called in the constitution. Hirohito also left a big mark on the history of the country. He ruled for 63 (!) years and became the last ruler of Japan who had real power. He, along with the Japanese people, had to endure two wars, defeat in World War II and a difficult period of reconstruction of the destroyed country.

The 1947 Constitution took away not only the divine origin from the emperors, but also deprived them of real power. For the past seven decades, Japan has been about as much an empire as the United Kingdom, with kings and queens playing a ceremonial role.

An oasis of peace and tranquility

The imperial family has been living in the Koiko Palace for a century and a half, in the very center of the multimillion-dollar bustling Tokyo. There, behind water-filled ditches and high stone walls, hides an oasis of peace and tranquility, where about 70 species of birds live in parks, gardens and groves.

The palace is located on the site of the medieval Edo Castle, which was considered the largest on the planet (it had 99 gates alone). Rare stones left over from Edo can still be seen in the palace walls, towers and gates. According to the shogun's plan Yeasu Tokugawa, the first ruler to unify all of Japan, Koiko was to become the economic and political center of the nation.

Construction of the palace lasted more than a century. In 1710, it was the largest residential complex on the islands, occupying almost 20 square meters. km. Koiko became a royal palace much later. After the surrender of the last shogun in 1868, Emperor Meiji moved to Koiko from Kyoto. During World War II, Koiko Palace was heavily damaged by American air raids. It was restored to its previous form by 1968. The Imperial Palace is still the largest residential complex in the country. There are more than a thousand servants here! WITH Koyo Gaien, a huge square in front of the palace, offers stunning views of Niyubashi, two beautiful bridges across which you can get to the inner chambers. Niyubashi is the most photographed place in Japan.

Tourists have access to the Eastern Garden. It is especially beautiful in March and April, when cherries and plums bloom. Mere mortals can enter the palace itself only twice a year: December 23, the emperor’s birthday Akihito, and January 2, New Year's Greetings Day. Visitors can see the emperor and family members walking onto the balcony several times.

Women offside

Now sits on the Chrysanthemum throne Akihito, fourth emperor of modern Japan and 125th, eldest son of Hirohito. He ascended the throne on January 7, 1989 after the death of his father and celebrated the 25th anniversary of his reign in the first days of the year. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko have three children: two sons are the crown prince Naruhito, who turns 54 in less than two weeks, and Prince Akisino(Fumihito), as well as a daughter - princess Sayako.

The Emperor is 80 years old. His health leaves much to be desired. In 2012, he underwent heart surgery, and 9 years before that, a prostate tumor was removed. Four doctors monitor the health of the Emperor and Empress in shifts 24 hours a day. There is a closed clinic at the court with 8 departments and 42 doctors and nurses, which costs more than 3 million Japanese taxpayer dollars every year. It has everything except the queues. The record, according to the doctors themselves, was once 28 patients in one day.

Akihito's health is poor, but the inheritance situation in Japan remains confusing. The 1947 law confirmed the 1889 law prohibiting the succession of the throne through the female line. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince only has a daughter. All attempts by his wife, Princess Masako, to give birth to an heir were unsuccessful, as a result of which she basically had a severe nervous breakdown, which she has been treating for several years without much success.

In 2005, a group of experts submitted a proposal to the government to repeal the Salic law. At the beginning of 2006, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi promised to send the law to parliament. However, there was no need to repeal the old law. Existed since 2001, the year it was born Aiko, daughter of the crown prince, the potential dynastic crisis resolved itself. The Emperor's second son, Prince Akisino, after two daughters, a son was finally born in September 2006, the first male child in the imperial family in 40 years. Formally a prince Hisahito is now third on the list of candidates for the Chrysanthemum Throne, after his uncle and father.

Over the past 70 years, the position of women in Japanese society has changed significantly. However, the Japanese government is in no hurry to repeal the law on male succession to the throne. Shinzo Abe during his first premiership in 2007, he announced that he was withdrawing the proposal to change the Law of the Imperial House, and was unlikely to change anything now. The government is not difficult to understand. Firstly, the emperor's second son has an heir, and secondly, the prime minister obviously hopes for the longevity of both Akihito and Naruhito and wants to pass the abolition of the Salic law onto their descendants.

STATE ORGANIZATION OF Rus' for 1000 years

THREE RULING DYNASTY in Rus'

© N.M. Mikhailova. Homeland studies. Study guide. M. 1995

For 1000 years existence of the Russian State supreme rulers(princes, kings and emperors) in the male line there were representatives three kinds:

RURIKOVYCHY(princes and kings) ruled for 700 years, from 879 to 1598

ROMANOVS(kings and emperors) ruled for 143 years, from 1613 to 1760

HOLSTEIN-GOTTORP(emperors) ruled for 157 years, from 1760 to 1917

After Elizabeth's death in 1760 the throne was taken by the grandson of Peter I from his daughter Anna, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp named Karl-Peter-Ulrich. When transitioning to his Orthodoxy renamed to Peter and gave the patronymic Fedorovich. In 1762 he was killed conspirators who placed his wife, nee princess, on the Russian throne Sophia-Frederik-August Anhalt-Zerbst. Upon arrival in Russia, she converted to Orthodoxy and was renamed Ekaterina Alekseevna.

After her death, her son became emperor Paul, common ancestor all members Houses of Holstein-Gottorp, known in Russia as the Romanovs. His sons, grandsons and great-grandsons took princesses from different Houses of Germany as wives, and they dragged their relatives to serve in Russia. Therefore, by the end of the 19th century, in addition to persons assigned to the House of Holstein-Gottorp, there were the so-called "rulers" princes from other Germanic Houses: Oldenburgs, Württembergs, Leutenburgs, Mecklenburg-Schwerins and Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Finishing the conversation about the ruling dynasties in Russia, one cannot help but pay attention to the fact that all three were extremely unhappy if misfortune is measured number of violent deaths.

In table 1 at the top (in the header of each column) The ancestors of three dynasties and the places from where they came to our land are indicated. In the third column rulers from first dynasty(Ruriks, called Rurikovichs), in the second - from the second dynasty (from the family of boyars Kobylin - Romanovs), and in the first column - emperors from the family of dukes Holstein-Gottorp. On the right are foreign births, with whom they were connected by family ties (in the second column, since they did not fit in the first). The end of the dynasty is marked by a shaded line with extreme dates of reign.

The fourth (far right) column shows names of direct descendants a native of the Horde of Mirza Kichi Bey - ancestor of the Korobin family of boyars, from which my maternal grandfather, Yuri Korobin, came. The tree of this genus is located at the end of the 1st volume of the Chronicler on the flyleaf. In just 600 years, from the beginning of the 14th to the middle of the 20th century, people were born and lived 14 generations that's it. They survived all the disasters and were participants in all the wars waged by the “Russian Sovereigns” during this time.

THIRD DYNASTY : HOLSTEIN-GOTTORP (Romanovs)

PETERIII. Prince of Holstein-Gottorp

his wife

CATHERINEII. Princess Sophia of Anhalt-Zerbt.

REFORMES OF 1764 AND 1785. WARS with Turkey.

Rise of Pugachev (executed). Uprising in Poland

their son

PAULI. Wife Dorothea of ​​Württemberg

Grand Master of the Order of Malta.

ALEXANDERI. Wife Augusta of Baden

WARS: with Sweden, with Napoleon 1812 -1815. The beginning of the war in the Caucasus

MILITARY CONSPIRACY. Regicide plan. Died. Version: poisoned???

NICHOLAYI Pavel...Wife Charlotte of Prussia

Uprising in Poland in 1831. WAR with Turkey (Crimean) in 1854− 1855

Died.(According to rumors: poisoned ?).

ALEXANDERII. Wife Augusta of Hesse

1861.MANIFESTO on the emancipation of the serfs. REFORM 1860s

Uprising in Poland in 1863. WAR with Turkey 1877-1878

KILLED BY Terrorists March 1, 1881. The Narodnaya Volya were hanged.

ALEXANDERIII. Wife Dagmara of Denmark

Attempted regicide in the 1880s . The revolutionaries were executed.

NICHOLAYII. Wife Alice of Hesse

Khodynka. WAR with Japan 1903 -1904. Bloody Sunday 9 Jan 1905.

Dispersal of the I and II State Dumas. Terrorists.

Military courts. Lena execution 1912.

WAR with Germany and Turkey since 1914. Gr. Rasputin since 1904.

THE END OF THE EMPIRE AND MONARCHY

By order of the Time. Rights in Aug. 1917 N.A. Romanov was arrested and exiled without trial along with his wife and children beyond the Urals, to the Tobolsk province.

By order of the Council of People's Commissars the family of the former tsar was transported to Yekaterinburg. Due to the approach of Kolchak July 18, 1918 royal family, doctor Botkin and servants without trial were shot in the basement of the house of the merchant Ipatiev.

In the early 1980s, under the Secretary of the Regional Committee of the CPSU Comrade. B.N. Yeltsin this house was destroyed. When he became President of the Russian Federation, the royal family was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. The remains were found and they were buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Leningrad was renamed St. Petersburg. A great many descendants of this German family live abroad and are considered the “ruling House of Romanov.” Probably, they would not mind returning the lost throne, but so far the monarchy has not been restored.

Despite the fact that we live in a world where there is more and more talk about democracy and the electoral system, dynastic traditions are still strong in many countries. All dynasties in Europe are similar to each other. Moreover, each dynasty is special in its own way.

Windsors (Great Britain), since 1917

The youngest

British monarchs are genealogically representatives of the Hanoverian and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasties, and more broadly of the Wettins, who had fiefdoms in Hanover and Saxony. During the First World War, King George V decided that it was wrong to be called in German and in 1917 a proclamation was issued, according to which the descendants of Queen Victoria, representing the Hanoverian dynasty, and Prince Albert in the male line - British subjects - were declared members of the new House of Windsor, and in 1952, Elizabeth II improved the document in her favor, declaring her descendants who are not descendants of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the male line to be members of the house. That is, de facto, from the point of view of normal monarchical genealogy, Prince Charles and his descendants are not Windsors, the dynasty is interrupted by Elizabeth II, and they belong to the Glucksburg branch of the House of Oldenburg, which rules in Denmark and Norway, because Elizabeth’s husband, Prince Philip, is from there. By the way, the Russian Emperor Peter III and all his descendants in the male line are also from the House of Oldenburg by blood.

Bernadotte (Sweden), from 1810

The most revolutionary

The son of a lawyer from Gascony, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte chose a military career and became a general during the French Revolution. His relationship with Napoleon did not work out from the very beginning; the ambitious Gascon considered himself better than Bonaparte, but he fought very successfully for the emperor. In 1810, the Swedes offered him to become the adopted son of a childless king, and, after he accepted Lutheranism, they approved him as crown prince, and soon as regent and de facto ruler of Sweden. He entered into an alliance with Russia and fought against the French in 1813-1814, personally leading the troops. So the current ruler, Carl XVI Gustav, is very similar to the Gascon with his nose.

Glücksburg (Denmark, Norway), from 1825

The most Russian

The full name of the dynasty is Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. And they themselves are a branch of the House of Oldenburg, the interweaving of whose descendants are extremely complex; they ruled in Denmark, Norway, Greece, the Baltic states, and even under the name of the Romanovs - in Russia. The fact is that Peter III and his descendants, according to all dynastic rules, are just Glucksburg. In Denmark, the Glucksburg throne is currently represented by Margrethe II, and in Norway by Harald V.

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, from 1826

The most accommodating

The family of the Dukes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha originates from the ancient German house of Wettin. As was customary in the 18th-19th centuries, the descendants of various German branches of the ancient ruling houses were actively used in dynastic marriages. And so the Saxe-Coburg-Gothas did not spare their offspring for the common cause. Catherine II was the first to establish this tradition by marrying her grandson Konstantin Pavlovich, Duchess Juliana (in Russia, Anna). Then Anna betrothed her relative Leopold to the British Princess Charlotte, and his sister Victoria, married to Edward of Kent, gave birth to a daughter, Victoria, who would become the most famous British queen. And her son Prince Alfred (1844-1900), Duke of Edinburgh, married Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, sister of Alexander III. In 1893, the prince inherited the title of Duke of Coburg and it turned out that an Englishman and a Russian were at the head of the German family. Their granddaughter Princess Alix became the wife of Nicholas II. The Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty is now genealogically on the British throne and completely, without any reservations, in the Belgian in the person of Philip Leopold Louis Marie.

Orange dynasty (Netherlands), from 1815

The most power-hungry

The descendants of the glorious William of Orange regained influence in the Netherlands only after the final defeat of Napoleon, when the Congress of Vienna established monarchical rule there. The wife of the second king of the Netherlands, Willem II, was the sister of Alexander I and the daughter of Paul I, Anna Pavlovna, so the current king, Willem Alexander, is the great-great-great-great-grandson of Paul I. In addition, the modern royal family, although it continues to consider itself part of the Orange dynasty, is in fact the grandmother of Willem Alexander Juliana belongs to the House of Mecklenburg, and Queen Beatrix belongs to the Westphalian princely House of Lippe. This dynasty can be called power-hungry because the three previous queens abdicated the throne in favor of their descendants.

Bourbons of Parma (Luxembourg), since 1964

The most seedy

In general, the Parma Bourbon line was at one time a fairly famous and ambitious Italian dynasty, but it fell into almost complete decline with the loss of its fiefs at the end of the 19th century. So she would have vegetated, being a more or less successful aristocratic family, but one of the offspring, Felix, married the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Charlotte of Orange. So the Bourbons of Parma became the ruling dynasty of the dwarf state of Luxembourg and lead a modest life, raising children, protecting wildlife and preserving the Luxembourgish language. The status of an offshore zone and 200 banks per microcountry allows them not to think about their daily bread.

Liechtenstein (Liechtenstein), since 1607

The most noble

Throughout its rich history - the house has been known since the 12th century - they have not gotten involved in big politics, perhaps because at the very beginning they realized that they could part with everything quite quickly. They acted slowly, carefully, helped the powers that be - they far-sightedly bet on the Habsburgs, created successful alliances, easily changed religion, either leading the Lutherans or returning to Catholicism. Having received the status of imperial princes, the Liechtensteins did not seek to intermarry with foreign families and strengthened their dynastic ties within the Holy Roman Empire. Actually, Liechtenstein was at first a secondary possession for them, which they acquired, since their overlord was de jure the emperor, in order to enter the Reichstag and increase their political importance. Then they became related to the Habsburgs, who confirmed their homogeneity, and to this day the Liechtensteins are distinguished by great attention to dynastic ties, marrying only with high-ranking nobles. It is worth adding to the above that GDP per capita in Liechtenstein is second in the world after Qatar - $141,000 per year. This is not least due to the fact that the dwarf state is a tax haven, where various companies can hide from the taxes of their countries, but not only. Liechtenstein has a thriving high-tech industry.

Grimaldi (Monaco), from 1659

The most rootless

Grimaldi is one of the four families that ruled the Genoese Republic. Since constant skirmishes took place there in the 12th – 14th centuries between supporters of the power of the pope, the Ghibellines, and the emperor, the Guelphs, Grimaldi had to periodically run around nearby Europe. That's how they found Monaco for themselves. In 1659, the owners of Monaco accepted the princely title and received the title of Dukes de Valentinois from Louis XIII. They spent almost all their time at the French court. But this is all in the past, and in 1733 the family was cut short, and those who are now Grimaldi actually descend from the Duke of Estuteville, who, according to the marriage contract, the rulers of Monaco were obliged to take his surname. The current Prince Albert and his sisters are descended from the marriage of Count Polignac with the illegitimate daughter of Prince Louis II, who ruled the principality from 1922 to 1949. But Albert’s lack of nobility more than makes up for it with the publicity that works for the principality.

Princes of Andorra - Bishops of Urgell, from the 6th century

The most ancient

Since 1278, Andorra has had two prince-rulers - the Bishop of Urgell and someone from France, first the Count of Foix, then the King of Navarre, and now the president of the republic. Episcopal rule is a historical atavism of the secular rule of the Catholic Church. The Urgell, or, more correctly, Urgell diocese was founded in the 6th century, and since then the bishops have traced their genealogy. The current prince is Bishop Joan-Enric Vives i Sisilla, a theologian, practicing priest and public figure. But for us, of particular interest in the history of Andorra and the bishops of Urgell is 1934, when they were removed from the throne by the Russian adventurer Boris Skosyrev. He came to Andorra, proclaimed himself king, and either the instigated or bribed General Council of the country supported him. The new king issued a lot of liberal documents, but when he decided to make a gambling zone there, the previously loyal bishop rebelled. And although King Boris I declared war on him, he still won, calling reinforcements from Spain of five national guards.

Spanish Bourbons (since 1713)

The most extensive

Everyone knows that recently the Spanish Bourbons are the most disgraced, but they are also the most extensive of the Bourbons historically. They have as many as six lateral branches, including the most significant - Carlist - from the Infanta Don Carlos the Elder. At the beginning of the 19th century, he was the purest contender for the Spanish throne, but due to the pragmatic sanction of Ferdinand VII in 1830, who transferred the throne to his daughter Isabella, he remained out of work. A strong party formed behind Carlos, he started two wars, called Carlist (his grandson Carlos the Younger participated in the third). The Carlist movement in Spain was significant until the 1970s; formally it still exists, but it has no significance in politics, although they have their own contender for the throne - Carlos Hugo.

Our world is based on money, power, eternal struggle and inequality, so only strong and strong-willed individuals can survive in it, but for those who have wealth and titles, this path to the top becomes easier. Over the centuries, property and monetary savings were transferred from heir to heir, which made it possible to create entire dynasties that prospered with each new generation, staunchly holding their positions and increasing wealth.

Unfortunately, not all ruling families became great and influential. However, this article will highlight the most powerful and majestic dynasties of the world that have made special contributions to the future of their country and their people.

Rothschild dynasty

The Rothschilds were a dynasty of German financiers and bankers who controlled all of Europe. The family was also granted nobility by the governments of England and Austria. Its founder is Mayer Amschel Rothschild, who sought to leave the business in family circles, so few people knew about the business achievements and monetary accumulations of the dynasty.

The founder of one of the most powerful and influential clans in the history of the family very carefully chose future spouses for representatives of his family, so he looked for the most suitable candidate exclusively in the circles of close relatives. The beginning of the financial empire was the opening of the bank “N. M. Rothschild and Sons" in 1811. The institution is still in operation today.

The dynasty reached particular prosperity and prosperity in the period from 1825 to 1826, as it began to issue its own coins. In the 19th century, the dynasty had about $1 billion. She took an active part in financing various projects.

Today its representatives own three world banks, two holding companies, hundreds of beautiful gardens and parks, an insurance fund, etc. The dynasty has an incredibly large heritage, which is why it is considered the richest and most influential in the modern world.

Plantagenet Dynasty

Unlike the Tudors, the Plantagenet dynasty (1126-1400) left behind a significant contribution to the development of the political and cultural system of England, which continues to function successfully to this day. The Plantagenet family dates back to 1126. At that time it was a royal house, the founder of which was Henry II.

In the period from 1154 to 1485, the dynasty was led by about fifteen monarchs of this family, which included junior government lines. During their reign, the Plantagenets were able to shape English monastic art and culture. In those years, the Gothic style itself was of particular value, with the use of which, with the support of the dynasty, the world famous York Cathedral and Westminster Abbey were erected.

The rulers also paid special attention to the social sphere, which was partially changed under them. For example, Edward III signed the so-called Magna Carta, which over time radically influenced the formation of constitutional and common law. Also, the current Parliament of England, the universities of Oxford and Cambridge are the “brainchildren” of the Plantagenet dynasty, which ended with Richard III in 1400.

Nehru-Gandhi dynasty

The Nehru-Feroz Gandhi dynasty is exclusively political, since its representatives not only took an active part in the National Indian Congress party, but also occupied leading positions in it. They made significant contributions to the country, especially in the early years of its independence.

The founder of the family business was Motilal Nehru Gandhi, after whom the dynasty was continued by his direct heir Jawaharlal Nehru Gandhi. Also, family aspirations were supported by his son Rajiv and daughter Indira, who took the positions of Indian prime ministers, but after a few years they were killed.

Rajiv is survived by his wife Sonia, who today is the head of the National Indian Congress, and their son named Rahul has been working in the country's Parliament since 2004. Without a grain of doubt, it can be argued that this particular Indian dynasty is the personification of the traditions of tribal governance on the territory of democratic Asian republics.

Khan Dynasty

The Mongol Empire was created in the 13th century. She quickly became incredibly powerful and brought fear to literally the whole world. Its founder was Genghis Khan, who was able to unite the nearby territories. He gathered his own huge army from the tribes of nomads who lived in the Asian northeastern lands. This fearless and at the same time merciless ruler attacked cities and small settlements, appropriating other people's possessions and conquering thousands of peoples.

At the time when power was in the hands of Genghis Khan, the bulk of the territory of Central Asia was under the control of the Khan dynasty. After his death in 1227, his son Ogedei took the throne, but his grandchildren and other children also received a small share. It is not known for certain where the great Genghis Khan is buried now, but there is an assumption that he rests on the territory of Mongolia. His descendants continued his work, each time adding new vassal states to the family's possessions. The reign of the Khan family ended in 1370.

Julio-Claudian dynasties

The Yulio-Claudian dynasty was a union of several clans, the main one of which was the Claudian family. The imperial family included such world-famous Roman rulers as Augustus, Caligula, Tiberius, Claudius and Nero.

It was under their leadership that the majestic Roman Empire developed and flourished from 27 BC to 68 AD. The imperial line ended with the last heir, Nero, who committed suicide. All these great personalities were related to each other either by adoption or by marriage with representatives of these great families.

Each of these rulers made a special contribution to the expansion of Roman borders, and thanks to them, many buildings were erected, among which the Colosseum, which the whole world knows about today, occupied a special place. As historians of Ancient Rome assert in their writings, emperors were held in high esteem by the common people, but senators did not like them. There is also evidence that members of the imperial family were not only crazy and tyrants, but also sexually perverted.

Ming Dynasty

Despite the fact that the rulers of one of the greatest dynasties in the world had the surname Zhu, the founder of the Chinese empire, Zhu Yuanzhang, called his “brainchild” Ming. The translation of this name sounds like “diamond”. Its historical path began after the fall of the Mongol Yuan Empire in 1368, and lasted a relatively short time - only until 1644.

However, despite this, the short period of her reign became one of the greatest in the entire history of mankind, since she was able to influence the correct and stable development of social life not only in China, but throughout the world. The Ming Dynasty was the last in Asian lands to be ruled by ethnic Chinese.

At that time, the empire had significant privileges, which included the presence of a huge army and enormous military forces, which were created by millions of warriors. With its help, the Great Wall of China was restored and the Forbidden City was erected. At that time, such projects required enormous financial investments. It was also during the existence of the Ming family that the formation of capitalism began.

Habsburg Dynasty

The House of Habsburg was founded presumably in 930 by Guntram the Rich, which lasted until 1918. Throughout its reign, the dynasty controlled the lands of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the lands of the Austrian and Spanish empires. The Habsburg family had Swedish roots, but despite this, they were able to be one of the most influential and powerful in Austria for 600 years.

The dynasty differed from the rest, first of all, in its ability to successfully conclude marriage alliances with other royal families, thereby increasing not only its territorial possessions, but also creating profitable alliances. For example, Maria Theresa gave the dynasty ten heirs. And today there are descendants of the Habsburgs, but they live an ordinary life without continuing their “blooded” empire.

Ptolemaic Dynasty

The Ptolemies were a Macedonian Hellenistic royal dynasty that ruled Ancient Egypt from 305 BC to 30 AD. It was founded by one of the assistants of Alexander the Great - Ptolemy. It was he who was appointed Egyptian satrap in 323 BC after the death of the ruler.

In 305 BC, Ptolemy declares himself king. The dynasty ruled until 30 AD, but its end came when the Egyptian lands became the property of the Roman conquerors. The last and most outstanding queen of a noble family was Cleopatra VII. She became famous for her political qualities in the fight against Pompey and Julius Caesar, as well as Mark Antony and Octavian. However, the great ruler committed suicide when her possessions became the property of the Romans who hated her.

Medici Dynasty

The Medici dynasty was an oligarchic dynasty that ruled from the 13th to the 17th centuries in the territory of Florence. Representatives of the family also included the Popes, French and English royal families, as well as many high-ranking personalities of Florence. The dynasty contributed to the beginning of the development and prosperity of humanism and art.

Moreover, in concert with powerful Italian families such as the Sforza, Visconti, Mantuan and Este de Ferrara families, the Medici Empire ushered in the Italian Renaissance. At one time, the dynasty was considered one of the richest and most powerful in European territory. Its representatives were able to gain political power not only in the lands of Florence, but also throughout Europe.

Capetian Dynasty

The Capetian dynasty was the largest and most influential royal house in Europe. It consisted of purebred descendants of the French king Hugh Capet, who founded the empire in 987. Also among its representatives were the Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri and the Spanish ruler Juan Carlos. For centuries, the family took root throughout Europe and founded completely different units, ranging from estates to kingdoms.

Moreover, the dynasty became famous as the most incestuous, especially the monarchs of Spain. Many years have passed since then, but the empire was able to survive to this day. Proof of this fact are the Duke of Anjou and Prince Luis Alfonso de Bourbon, who rule over the territory of the kingdom of Luxembourg and Spain.

As a result of the peasant uprising, the power of the Mongols was overthrown. The (foreign) one was replaced by the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). From the end of the 14th century. China is thriving economically and culturally. Old cities begin to develop, and new ones appear, in which trade and crafts predominate. The process of the country's evolution is reinforced by the emergence of manufactories, where the division of labor is introduced. The best scientists, architects, and artists are attracted to the imperial court. The main emphasis is on urban construction.

Chinese Ming Dynasty: economic transformations

Almost immediately after the advent of this dynasty, measures began to be introduced to improve the existing situation of the peasants, since it was they who helped bring about a change in power. The Ming Dynasty revived the allotment system in the North, which eliminated the economic power of the landowning elite (North Chinese), which had previously allied with the Yuanyam. But in the South, everything was exactly the opposite - landownership was preserved. Modernization of the existing accounting and tax system, as well as special attention from the authorities to irrigation - all this contributed to rapid economic growth.

The growth of the urban economy was traced, the reason for which was regional specialization (porcelain production was located in Jiangxi, and mainly railway production was located in Guangdong), the emergence of new directions, a special place among which was occupied by the construction of 4-deck ships.

Commodity-money relationships are also gradually developing. Private manufactories appeared on the basis of merchant capital. Central and Southern China became the site of the emergence of craft gardens. Subsequently, the prerequisites for the creation of a pan-Chinese market were formed (the number of official fairs was already close to 38).

The other side of the coin

Simultaneously with the above progressive phenomena, there were a number of obstacles hindering the development of entrepreneurship (this was typical for the entire East). These include state monopolies, state-owned manufactories in which more than 300 thousand artisans worked, state levies on trade and it was they who did not give the economy the opportunity to switch to a qualitatively different production.

Ming Dynasty

During the period of economic growth and strengthening of state power, a predominantly offensive policy was pursued (until 1450 it was called “facing the sea”, and after that it became “facing the barbarians”).

The most significant event of this time is the expansion of China, which affected the states of the South Seas.

The Ming Dynasty, due to the growing need to solve the problem of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean piracy, was forced to create a fleet that consisted of 3,500 ships. Further economic growth contributed to the commission of as many as seven expeditions of a separate fleet, led by the chief eunuch Zheng He, to East Africa. This naval commander had at his disposal 60 large 4-deck ships, the length of which reached 47 meters, they had such pretentious names as “Pure Harmony”, “Prosperity and Prosperity”. Each carried a crew of 600, including a group of diplomats.

Extract from logbooks

According to them, during the journey to the coast, Zheng, speaking in modern language, acted calmly and humbly at sea. However, occasionally small foreigners did not obey the good intentions of the emperor.

Reign of the Ming Dynasty: History

The main emphasis of Zhu Yuanzhang (the first in the period 70-80) was on the final expulsion of the Mongols from his country, suppressing attempts at social protest among Chinese peasants through the procedure of improving the economy and strengthening personal power. Such tasks were solved by increasing the army, strengthening centralization, the use of the harshest methods, which caused discontent among all segments of the population.

At the same time as limiting the powers of local authorities, the emperor relied on numerous relatives who later became rulers - vans (title) of appanage principalities due to the fact that, in his opinion, the most reliable were children and grandchildren.

There were kingdoms throughout the country: near the periphery they performed a defensive function against threats from the outside, and in the center they acted as a counterweight to separatism and rebellion.

In 1398, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang died, after which the court camarilla, bypassing his direct heirs, elevated Zhu Yongwen, one of his grandsons, to the throne.

Reign of Zhu Yunwen

He first of all had his eye on the system of inheritances created by his grandfather. This caused the war with Jingnan (1398 - 1402). The confrontation ended with the capture of the capital of the empire, Nanjing, by the ruler of Beijing - the eldest son of Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Di. She burned down in a fire along with his opponent.

Third Emperor of the Ming Dynasty

Zhu Di continued his father's policy of centralizing the state, while abandoning the existing system of the Vans (in 1426, the rebellion of the dissatisfied Vans was suppressed). He laid siege to the titular nobility and increased the importance of the palace secret services in the process of governing the state.

Under him, the question of what significantly influenced the political weight of the South and the North was finally resolved. Thus, the latter, acting as the cradle of Chinese civilization, loses its weight in the 3rd - 5th centuries. in favor of the first due to the constant threat of nomads. These parts of the country are carriers of fundamentally different traditions and mentalities: southerners are complacent, carefree, and northerners are decisive, tough, having a higher social status - “han-zhen”. All this was reinforced by existing linguistic (dialectical) differences.

The Yuan and Song chose the North as their political base, but the Ming Dynasty, on the contrary, chose the South. This is what gave them the opportunity to win.

In 1403, the new emperor renamed the existing Beiping (translated as “Pacified North”) to Beijing (“Northern Capital”). So, until 1421, China had two capitals - the imperial one in the north and the government-bureaucratic one in the south. Zhu Di thereby got rid of the influence and tutelage of the southerners, while simultaneously depriving the southern bureaucracy (Nanjing) of excessive independence.

In 1421, the capital was finally consolidated in the North. In connection with the Ming, she secured the support of the North Chinese population and strengthened the country's defense capabilities.

Ming Emperors

As mentioned earlier, this dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644. The Ming replaced the Mongol Yuan in a popular uprising. In total, sixteen emperors of this dynasty reigned for 276 years. For ease of reference, the emperors of the Ming Dynasty are listed in the table below.

Outcome of the Peasants' War

It was she who caused the fall of the Ming Dynasty. It is known that, unlike an uprising, it is not only numerous, but also affects different segments of the population. It is larger-scale, long-lasting, well-organized, disciplined due to the presence of a leadership center and the presence of ideology.

It is worth examining this event in more detail to understand how the fall of the Ming Dynasty occurred.

The first stage of the peasant movement began in 1628 and lasted for 11 years. Over 100 outbreaks failed to unite and were suppressed. The second stage occurred in 1641 and lasted only 3 years. The united forces of the rebels were led by the capable commander-in-chief Li Zichen. He managed to form a peasant army from the existing numerous chaotic detachments, which was distinguished by discipline and had clear tactics and strategy.

Li advanced rapidly under slogans popular among the masses regarding the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty. He promoted universal equality and promised no taxes at the end of the war.

As it became known, in the early morning of April 26, 1644, absolutely no one came to the ringing of the bell, which called the ministers to come to Emperor Chong Zhen for an audience. Then he said that this was the end, his associates began to cry. The Empress turned to her husband for the last time and told him that for 18 years she had been devoted to him, but he never bothered to listen to her, which led to this. After this, the empress hanged herself with her belt.

The emperor had no choice but to clumsily kill his daughter and concubine with a sword and hang himself with his belt on an ash tree. Following the emperor, according to the customs of that time, all 80 thousand officials passed away. According to one version, the Great Sovereign left a note on a piece of silk, which was addressed to Li Zichen. In it, he said that all officials are traitors, and therefore deserve death, they must be executed. The emperor justified his death by his reluctance to be beholden to the lowest, most despicable of his subjects. After several hours, the invader's envoys removed the emperor's body from the tree and then placed it in a coffin intended for the poor.

Great Ming Dynasty Tomb

More precisely, tombs, since on the territory of the famous memorial there are the graves of thirteen emperors of this dynasty. The Ming Dynasty tomb extends over 40 square meters. km. It is located approximately 50 km from Beijing (north) at the foot of the great Mountain of Heavenly Longevity. The Ming Dynasty tomb is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many people come to Beijing just to see her.

Conclusion

The Manchu yoke of the newly created Qing dynasty, one might say, was imposed on the country during European times, which doomed China to as many as 268 years of political and socio-economic stagnation before the growing colonial expansion from Europe.

The two most powerful dynasties are the Ming and Qing. But the differences between them are colossal: the first showed the people the opportunity to take a new, progressive path, allowed them to feel free and significant. The second destroyed everything that had been created by many years of labor and made the state reclusive.