Russia 1450s to 1700s

History of Russia timeline

Volga Bulgaria 7th-13th c. Kievan Rus 9th-12th c. Novgorod Republic 12th -14th c. Mongol Invasion 1220-1240’s Golden Horde 1240’s -1480’s Muscovy 1340-1547 Khanate of Kazan 1438-1552 Tsardom of russia 1547-1721 Russian Empire 1721-1917

1240-1480 Mongol Rule

After the Mongols withdrew (or were they defeated?), a kingdom centered around Moscow had begun.

Russia 1450 - 1690The first TSARS (or

Czars)Worked to gain power

over the boyars (nobles), improve their military, and create a strong central government.

Russian Boyars

Ivan III, the Great (1462-1505) In the 15th C, grand princes

of Moscow continued to increase land,population, and wealth

Laid foundations of Russian national state

Fall of Constantinople and emergence of New Rome and seat of Orthodox Christianity

Proclaimed his absolute sovereignty over all Russian princes and nobles

Refused further tribute to Tatars

Ivan III Tearing the Great Khan’s Letter Requesting More Tribute in 1480.

Ivan III, The Great

Divided into khanates and hordes Manor system and creation of expanding

military control Ivan III forced lesser princes to accept him

and his successors as unquestioned rulers over military, judicial, and foreign affairs

Gradually, Russian ruler emerged as a powerful, autocratic ruler, a tsar or Ceasar

Tsardom of Russia

First Russian ruler to officially crown himself “Tsar” was Ivan IV (The Terrible)

1547-1584 Subordination of

nobles, exiling many, and executing many

Enduring legacies both positive and negative

Ivan IV (1533-1547)

Ivan IV Vasilyevich-the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547

His long reign saw the conquest of Tartary and Siberia and the subsequent transformation of Russia into a multiethnic state.

Time of Troubles

Russian Inquisition left thousands dead Ivan IV murdered his son and daughter-in-law

who was carrying his grandson No true successor to crown Internal chaos attracts Polish-Lithuanian

intervention and installment of “tsars” Vast lands acquired under Ivan III lost

Russia 1450 - 1690Conflicts over the rule of Russia

led to series of civil wars and outside invasions.

Romanov Dynasty(1613-1917) New Dynasty must restore

peace and reclaim lost lands from Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth and Sweden

Boyars fearing civil war and loss of lands cooperated with the first Romanovs

Enserfment of peasants Great burden of taxation

placed on peasants All segments of population

were subject to military and special taxes

Romanov Family Crest

Michael Romanov (r. 1613-1645)

c The Romanov Dynasty is established in 1613

c The only Russian royal family lasted for 304 years!

Romanov Dynasty(1613-1917)

The Romanovs

Many peasant uprisings and riots most notably the Cossacks

Centralization of stateTsar’s army crushed many of the

uprisings and “examples” were made of those who rebelled against the state

The power of the Tsars increased – toward ABSOLUTISM

Councils of Russian nobles were eliminated

Trained bureaucrats came from “lower classes” in the government and military instead of nobles being officials

The secret police & the Tsar’s special forces suppressed rebellion.

Peter I, the Great (r. 1682-1725) Consolidated autocracy in

Russia and brought country into European state system

Largest state in the world from Baltic to Pacific Ocean

Window to the sea and the Great Northern War

New Capital, St. Petersburg, a window opened to Europe to replace the cultural center of Moscow

Russia Under Peter I

New Openness to the West 1689-1725 Tsar Peter the Great

Forced Westernization

Modernized the army, built a navy, and continued expansion

Instituted an educational system and offered freedom for women.

• Pushed for Western dress, architecture, science &

• Shaved BEARDS!

Allowed mobility in government based upon merit

Built St. Petersburg as a new capital Organized and modernized trade and

commerce.

Russian Empire

Peter I took the title of emperor and tsar and the Russian Tsardom officially became the Russian Empire in 1721

Government organized on Western models Died in 1725 and led to succession battle that

would eventually end with a German Princess who married the German heir to the Russian throne, Catherine II aka The Great

Russia became one of the great land empires.

Russian armies took control of new territories. “Pioneers” expanded Russian territorial control

However, Russia remained a traditional

agricultural society.Nobles continued to control the

lower classes.– Serfdom was expanded and rural

peasants suffered– Little freedom was offered to the lower

classesSocial unrest and revolt was

common

Russian interaction with . . . Ottoman Empire, Eastern Europe, and Central

Asia Russian war victories led to territorial gains

(especially Poland and around the Caspian sea)

China – mutual agreement on boundaries Western Europe – Westerners carried on

much of the trade in Russia, Western styles from architecture to the military were mimicked, but Russia remained politically isolated from Western Europe.

The Pendulum of Russian History

Pro-WestFor Progress & ChangeEncourage New Ideas,Technologies, etc.

Anti-WestIsolationistXenophobic

Ultra-Conservative

Most Tsars Russian

Orthodox Church Military Boyars peasants

A few Tsars Intellectual elites Merchants/

businessmen Young members of

the middle class.

REFORM-MINDEDLEADER DEMAGOGUE