Created by Ms. Susan M. Pojer edited by Ms. D. Tempelton, 2009

Russia Today

Former Soviet Region Compared in Latitude & Area with the United States

Topography of Russia

Themes in Russian History  Expansion by conquest.  Need for warm-water ports.  The necessity of a strong, central government.

Early Russia

Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Christian missionaries to the Slavs, 9 th century

Early Byzantine Influences: Orthodox Christianity

Early Byzantine Influences: Cyrillic Alphabet

Novgorod

Highest rank of feudal nobility in Medieval Rus, Bulgaria, Moldavia and Ukraine In Kievan Rus they formed a council (Duma) that advised the prince In Muscovy they chose the prince they served During the Middle Ages, they were a major power in Kievan Rus and Muscovy Russian Boyars

Russian Boyars

Russian Boyars Ivan IV restricted their power, curtailing their right to hold land without serving the Tsar

Russian Expansion

Alexander Nevsky: Battle on the Ice (Neva River) Against the Swedes Teutonic Knight

The Mongols Invade Russia

Ivan IV, “Grozny” (r ) Ivan III Tearing the Great Khan’s Letter Requesting More Tribute in 1480.

Crowned as first “Tsar of All Russia” in 1547 at age of 16 Revised the law code, established a standing army (the Streltsy), established a Council of Nobles and confirmed the position of the Russian Orthodox Church Introduced the first printing press to Russia Defeated the Kazan Khanate in 1552 and the Astrakhan Khanate in 1556 Built St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow to commemorate the defeat of the Khans Passed the first laws to restrict the mobility of the peasants – leading to their eventual serfdom Livonian Wars – attempts to expand Russian territory westward. Lasted 24 years and devastated western Russia. Eventually defeated by alliance of Sweden, Poland and the Hanseatic League. Towards the end of his life, Ivan became mentally unstable

The Death of Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich Ivan accidentally killed his son, causing a crisis over the succession

Russia in the Late 1500s

The Time of Troubles Ivan Grozny was succeeded by his mentally incompetent son, Feodor – the last Tsar of the Rurik Dynasty The period between his death in 1598 and the accession of Michael Romanov in 1613 is Russia’s “Time of Troubles” Famine from 1601 – 1603, dislocating large numbers of people Bands of armed brigands preyed on the population The Government was unable to effectively rule Russia was invaded by Poland (with the goal of forcing the Russian rulers to become Catholic), and Lutheran Sweden in the west and the Tatars in the east Uprisings in the cities led to brutal repression and massacres

Governmental crisis led Kuzma Minin Novgorod merchant, and Prince Pozharsky to lead an uprising of the Russian people that effectively defeated the Poles and established a new Russian government in Moscow National Assembly elected Michael Romanov as Tsar He was related, through his mother, to the first wife of Ivan IV

Michael Romanov (r )

Romanov Dynasty ( ) Romanov Family Crest

The Pendulum of Russian History Pro-West For Progress & Change Encourage New Ideas, Technologies, etc. Anti-West Isolationist Xenophobic Ultra-Conservative  Most Tsars  Russian Orthodox Church  Military  Boyars  peasants  A few Tsars  Intellectual elites  Merchants/businessmen  Young members of the middle class. REFORM-MINDED LEADER DEMAGOGUE

Peter the Great (r )

Early Reign Inherited after the death of his older half-brother, Alexis I in 1682 Regent was his half sister, Sophia, who ruled for him until 1689 when she led a rebellion against him and was overthrown Reorganized the Russian army – making it more modern Put down a rebellion of the streltsy Required nobility, army officers and government officials to adopt Western dress and customs War against the Ottoman Empire – not very successful

“The Grand Embassy” Peter traveled to Europe in an attempt to gain support for a war against the Ottomans European rulers not interested – most were involved with The War of the Spanish Succession at the time Peter visited Holland and spent time learning how to build ships by working in a Dutch shipyard In England he met with King William III and reviewed the English Royal Navy Visited Manchester and where he learned techniques of planning a new city which he later used in the planning and building St. Petersburg Visited Leipzig, Dresden and Vienna, where he met the HRE In 1698, Peter was forced to return to Russia to put down a rebellion of the streltsy

Peter in the Netherlands learning shipbuilding

Contemplating the Building of St. Petersburg Founded in 1703 to be the capital of Russia

The Great Northern War Seeking to control the Baltic Sea, Peter declared war on Sweden Battle of Narva – 1701 – Russians defeated during a snowstorm Swedes turn their attention to Poland, giving Peter time to reorganize the Russian army Swedish king Charles XII invaded Russia in 1706 and attempted to conquer the Ukraine Battle of Poltava – major defeat for the Swedes resulting in the abdication and exile of Charles XII Peter continued to build his navy, enabling him to conquer much of Finland by Treaty of Nystad ends Great Northern War – Russia acquires Ingria, Estonia, Livonia and Karelia but returns most of Finland to Sweden As a result of this war, Russian has acquired a warm-water port for the Navy

The Taking of Narva, 1704 Peter pacifies his troops and stops the looting and murder

Russia & Sweden After the Great Northern War

Later Years of Peter’s Reign Proclaimed “Emperor of All Russia” in 1721 Reformed Russian Orthodox Church by establishing the Holy Synod to rule the church in place of the Patriarch of Moscow – makes Church subservient to State Law – no man could enter a monastery before the age of 50 – to encourage enlisting in the military Had his wife, Catherine, crowned as Empress in 1724 Executed his son and heir, Alexei, for opposing Peter’s policies (the son of his first wife, Eudoxia) 1725 construction completed on the Peterhof Palace (Peter’s Court”) near St. Petersburg Summer of 1724 Peter had surgery to alleviate uremia – blockage of the bladder. The problems were alleviated but returned the next year. Died on Feb. 8, 1725 of gangrene in the bladder at the age of 52

Peterhof Palace

East Chapel at Peterhof

Throne room

Accomplishments of Peter the Great Modernized Russia, transforming it into an empire Discontinues use of the Old Russian Calendar, which had dated events from the “beginning of the world” and implements the Julian Calendar Established the “Table of Ranks” in 1722 which determined precedence among the nobility was determined by service to the State, not by birth Decree on Compulsory Education (1714) – children of nobility required to have a basic education in math and science Abolished taxes on land and introduced a “head tax” on everyone Professional army – into which both nobles and serfs can be conscripted Expanded the Navy

Established School of Navigation and Maths, School of Medicine, School of Engineering and School of Science Made education a top priority for members of the upper and middle classes Created a state-run newspaper Fixed prices on many items Mercantilism Encouraged the adoption of Western customs and the French language among the upper classes