Disputed successions and the role of the Supreme State Council and the…

The idea

Peter the Great’s failure to name an heir under his 1722 succession law triggered the 'Epoch of Palace Coups' (1725–1762), characterised by chronic instability and disputed successions. Power vacuums were frequently exploited by elite factions. The Supreme State Council, formed in 1726 by Menshikov, attempted to monopolise power, most notably by drafting the 'Conditions' in 1730 to limit Empress Anna’s autocratic authority, though this oligarchic bid ultimately failed. Crucially, the Preobrazhensky Regiment and other elite Guards units became the ultimate arbiters of power. Composed of nobles, these regiments orchestrated coups, such as the installation of Catherine I in 1725 and Elizabeth in 1741, demonstrating that autocracy relied heavily on military backing.

What earns the marks

• Explain how Peter the Great's 1722 Law of Succession, which allowed the monarch to choose their heir, inadvertently caused decades of disputed successions.
• Analyse the formation and function of the Supreme State Council as an oligarchic body attempting to control the monarch, particularly during the reigns of Catherine I and Peter II.
• Evaluate the significance of the 1730 'Conditions' as a failed constitutional attempt by the Supreme State Council to limit autocratic power.
• Assess the role of the Preobrazhensky Regiment and other Guards regiments as 'kingmakers' who used military force to resolve succession crises, such as in 1725 and 1741.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Confusing the Supreme State Council with the Senate.

  Put it right: The Council was a small, elite advisory body created in 1726 that temporarily overshadowed the Senate.

• Assuming the Preobrazhensky Regiment was a standard army unit.

  Put it right: It was an elite Guards regiment composed largely of nobles with significant political influence.

• Claiming the 'Conditions' of 1730 successfully established a constitutional monarchy.

  Put it right: Empress Anna tore them up once she secured the support of the Guards and lesser nobility.

Exam tips

• Use the 1730 succession crisis as a primary case study to contrast the oligarchic ambitions of the Supreme State Council with the autocratic preferences of the wider nobility.
• Highlight the paradox of the era: while the monarch held absolute theoretical power, their practical survival depended entirely on the loyalty of the Preobrazhensky Regiment.
• Connect the disputed successions back to Peter the Great's legacy, specifically his failure to secure a clear, legitimate line of succession before his death.