This article examines the texts of decrees issued during the brief reign of Peter II (1715–1730). Although his rule lacked major achievements – especially compared to the legacy of his great-grandfather, Peter the Great – state documents were regularly issued in the young emperor’s name. These documents were intended, among other purposes, to show that the emperor was actively involved in the social and political life of his vast country. The article highlights that under Peter II, the imperial decree took on a stricter, more formal character. One notable trend was the reduced use of subjective, personal expression in the text. Instead, the documents were filled with stable, recurring formulas that appeared from one decree to the next. Of particular interest are the formulas of dynastic succession – fixed verbal patterns that include the names and titles of Peter II’s royal predecessors (ancestors) as key components. These formulas carried significant ideological weight. The study also notes that formulas expressing the sovereign’s political decisions regarding Malorossia as well as several newly acquired Baltic and other territories, were borrowed almost unchanged from the decrees of Peter the Great, who had originally established those relations. This borrowing underscores the young emperor’s commitment to his grandfather’s foreign policy. In a context of weak central power, the formal text of a state document acquired a unifying social function. It reassured subjects that Peter II, in all his state decisions, unwaveringly followed the precepts of his great ancestors – above all, the laws and regulations established by his imperial grandfather. According to the documents’ creators, such texts were designed to convincingly demonstrate the strength and stability of state authority.