Russian Absolutism

 By the end of the middle ages, Russia had gained its independence from Mongol rule.  In the late 1400's, the rulers of Moscow gained considerable power and began to extend their control over the rest of Russia.  In 1533, Ivan IV, “Ivan the Terrible” came to power. He became the first Russian ruler to be known as Czar.  During Ivan's reign, Russia began its expansion eastward into Siberia.  To insure loyalty of his subjects, Ivan prohibited the free movement of peasants. This began absolutist control.  In 1613, Michael Romanov became Czar. He founded the Romanov dynasty which would rule Russia for the next 300 years and extended absolutism. Background of Russian Absolutism

Russia ROMANOV DYNASTY NameReign Michael Romanov Alexis I Fedor Ivan V Peter I, the Great Catherine I Peter II Anna Ivan VI Elizabeth Peter III Catherine II, the Great Paul I Alexander I Nicholas I Alexander II Alexander III Nicholas II

Peter the Great ( ) u In 1697 Peter made an “incognito” grand tour of Western Europe in search of alliances uWhile on tour he observed and experienced western technology and culture uPeter became obsessed with bringing these ideas back to Russia (westernization) uHe began modernization and expansion of Russia, often through ruthless suppression of peasants and serfs uHe began heavily taxing the lower classes to heavily to pay for the westernization. uHe built St. Petersburg as his “Window to the West” uBy the end of his reign, Russia began emerging as a rising power. uThis growth would continue under a successor “Catherine the Great”

Catherine the Great ( ) uContinued Peter the Great’s policies of expansion uExtended serfdom to newly acquired territories uExpanded Russian territory to the Black Sea and Crimean Peninsula uEnacted numerous “enlightened policies and reforms” however she did not make reforms with serfdom uPassed laws prohibiting complaints of serfs against their masters uBy the end of her reign 34 million of the 36 million Russians were serfs (94%)

The Royal Palaces