The Rise of Russia

After the Mongols….

1450-1750

•Land based empire – Asian territory

•Chief power in E. Europe•Selective Westernization•Remained outside of global trade system

End of Mongols•Ivan III and Ivan IV (Terrible) – lead movement to free Russia of Mongol influence (1462) – gained much territory

•Ivan III – Tzar (Czar) – 3rd Rome

•Ivan IV (Terrible) – killed many boyars (nobility)

•New lands were settled by cossacks (peasants/warriors)

•End of free peoples of Asia (left from various nomadic tribes)

•1613 – Time of Troubles – Ivan IV left no heir; nobility regained control; Sweden and Poland invaded Russia; boyars selected Romanov dynasty to rule (ended Time of Troubles)

•Romanov restored order and Tzarist autocracy

Peter the Great - Westernization

•Attacked both Ottoman Empire and Sweden (moved capital to St. Petersburg)

•Army, administration and Church more firmly under his control.

•Economy – metals and mining•Enforced Western clothing – to cut off elite from traditional backgrounds.

•Schools – math, science•Only Westernized elite, not peasants or commoners

•Did not desire to enter the global commercial system

Catherine the Great

•Took over retarded husband’s reign (Peter III)

•Continued policy of autocratic centralization

•Interested in Enlightenment ideas

•Strengthened power of nobility

•Landlords gained almost absolute control over serfs.

•Turned against Western ideas during French Revolution

•Censored intellectual who spoke against autocracy.

•Poland – Russia partitioned Poland – ceased to be an independent state.

Economy

•Coercive labor system and relied entirely on serfdom

•17th and 18th century – intensified serfdom

•1800 – ½ peasants were enserfed to nobility; ½ to the state

•1649 – serfdom was hereditary

•E. Europe – also coercive labor system

•Few artisans and merchants•Self-sufficient – did not depend on the West for trade

•Most profitable trade was with central Asia and internally

•Intellectual and peasant dissatisfaction on serfdom would challenge Russia’s political and social stability