AQA · A-Level · History

    Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017

    Orthodoxy and developments in the Church: attempts to increase the power…

    Full specification wording

    1E Russia in the Age of Absolutism and Enlightenment, 1682–1796 (A-level only) – Increasing the glory of Russia, 1707–1725: Orthodoxy and developments in the Church: attempts to increase the power of the Tsar

    Between 1707 and 1725, Peter the Great restructured Russian Orthodoxy to eliminate the Church as a rival authority and increase the power of the Tsar.

    Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 2 of 6

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    Between 1707 and 1725, Peter the Great restructured Russian Orthodoxy to eliminate the Church as a rival authority and increase the power of the Tsar. Having refused to replace Patriarch Adrian, Peter enacted the 1721 Spiritual Regulation, drafted by Feofan Prokopovich, which formally abolished the Patriarchate. In its place, he established the Holy Synod, a council of clerics overseen by a secular official, the Chief Procurator. This development transformed the Church into a department of the state, ensuring its vast wealth and influence served the Tsar’s autocratic ambitions. Priests were even required to report treasonous confessions, cementing the Tsar's absolute control over both the spiritual and secular realms in Russia.

    What earns the marks

    • Explain the significance of the 1721 Spiritual Regulation in abolishing the independent Patriarchate.
    • Analyse the structure and function of the Holy Synod, highlighting the role of the secular Chief Procurator.
    • Evaluate how the subordination of the Church increased the Tsar's autocratic power and financial resources.
    • Discuss the ideological justification for these changes, such as Feofan Prokopovich's arguments for the divine right of the Tsar over the Church.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Stating that Peter abolished the Orthodox Church.

      Put it right: Clarify that Peter abolished the Patriarchate, not the Church itself, which he instead subordinated to the state.

    • Confusing the Holy Synod with a secular government department like the Senate.

      Put it right: Specify that the Holy Synod was a council of clerics, but it was supervised by a secular Chief Procurator appointed by the Tsar.

    • Ignoring the financial motives behind Church reform.

      Put it right: Mention that controlling the Church allowed Peter to access monastic revenues to fund his wars and state-building.

    Exam tips

    • Use the establishment of the Holy Synod in 1721 as the definitive turning point in the relationship between the Tsar and the Orthodox Church.
    • Connect Church reforms to Peter's broader goal of absolutism; controlling the Church removed the last institutional check on his power.
    • Reference the requirement for priests to break the seal of confession for treason as a powerful example of the Church becoming an instrument of state control.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the 1E Russia in the Age of Absolutism and Enlightenment, 1682–1796 (A-level only) – Increasing the glory of Russia, 1707–1725: Orthodoxy and developments in the Church: attempts to increase the power of the Tsar lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    Which institution did Peter the Great establish in 1721 to replace the Patriarchate and bring the Russian Orthodox Church under direct state control?

    Listen

    Between 1707 and 1725, Peter the Great restructured Russian Orthodoxy to eliminate the Church as a rival authority and increase the power of the Tsar. Having refused to replace Patriarch Adrian, Peter enacted the 1721 Spiritual Regulation, drafted by Feofan Prokopovich, which formally abolished the Patriarchate. In its place, he established the Holy Synod, a council of clerics overseen by a secular official, the Chief Procurator. This development transformed the Church into a department of the state, ensuring its vast wealth and influence served the Tsar’s autocratic ambitions. Priests were even required to report treasonous confessions, cementing the Tsar's absolute control over both the spiritual and secular realms in Russia. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explain the significance of the 1721 Spiritual Regulation in abolishing the independent Patriarchate. Analyse the structure and function of the Holy Synod, highlighting the role of the secular Chief Procurator. Evaluate how the subordination of the Church increased the Tsar's autocratic power and financial resources. Discuss the ideological justification for these changes, such as Feofan Prokopovich's arguments for the divine right of the Tsar over the Church. A common slip: Stating that Peter abolished the Orthodox Church. Instead, Clarify that Peter abolished the Patriarchate, not the Church itself, which he instead subordinated to the state. Exam tip: Use the establishment of the Holy Synod in 1721 as the definitive turning point in the relationship between the Tsar and the Orthodox Church.

    See it

    A top-down flowchart with nine nodes. The first node, refusal to replace Patriarch Adrian, leads to the 1721 Spiritual Regulation drafted by Feofan Prokopovich, which leads to the Patriarchate being formally abolished. That leads to the establishment of the Holy Synod, a council of clerics, which leads to the Chief Procurator, a secular official overseeing the Synod. This leads to the Church becoming a department of the state. From that node two branches emerge: one to Church wealth and influence serving the Tsar, and one to priests being required to report treasonous confessions. Both of these branches lead to a final node, increased power of the Tsar.
    It shows how Peter the Great's refusal to replace the Patriarch led through the 1721 Spiritual Regulation to the Holy Synod and the Chief Procurator, turning the Church into a department of the state and increasing the Tsar's power.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A top-down flowchart with nine nodes. The first node, refusal to replace Patriarch Adrian, leads to the 1721 Spiritual Regulation drafted by Feofan Prokopovich, which leads to the Patriarchate being formally abolished. That leads to the establishment of the Holy Synod, a council of clerics, which leads to the Chief Procurator, a secular official overseeing the Synod. This leads to the Church becoming a department of the state. From that node two branches emerge: one to Church wealth and influence serving the Tsar, and one to priests being required to report treasonous confessions. Both of these branches lead to a final node, increased power of the Tsar.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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