1. Russian Czars Increase Power
Chapter 21 Section 4
Russian Czars Increase Power

2. The First Czar – Ivan IV
Ivan IV of Russia came to the throne at 16 years old
He seized control from the Boyars who are Russian land owning nobles.
Ivan also married Anastasia Romanov, from the powerful Romanov Boyar family.
He took the title Czar since the Russian king married the last Byzantine (aka Roman) princess.

3. Ivan iV into Ivan the Terrible
During his first 13 years, Ivan was winning wars/ land, gave Russia a great law code, and ruled justly
However, after 1560 when Anastasia died, Ivan blamed the Boyars.
He organized a secret police to hunt down Boyars

4. Ivan the Terrible Hunts Traitors
Using his secret police, Ivan hunted down any Boyar who was rumored to be a “traitor”.
He would then also hunt down that Boyar’s family even their serfs and their families.

5. Ivan the Terrible…Kills his own Son?
Ivan even famously killed his own son
Therefore, Ivan’s second son, who was very sickly, took over and died just three years after Ivan.

6. Michael Romanov
When Ivan’s son passed away, Michael Romanov (Anastasia’s grandnephew) was chosen by representatives of Russian cities.
Romanov establishes a dynasty that goes from
The Romanovs strengthened Russia by passing a great law code and putting down revolts
Since they held total power they could become absolute monarchs as well.
Their first was Peter The Great

7. Before Peter the Great
Russia was backwards with so many boyars and serfs
When a boyar sold land, he sold serfs on it too
Boyars could pay debts with Serfs
The Mongols isolated Russia from Europe
Russia had no warm water port city, they froze over during the winter months (Oct-April)
Religiously, the Russians were Orthodox and not Catholic or Protestant, thus looked at as heretics.

8. Peter Visits the West
As Peter the Great grew up, he was fascinated by Western European ways
came to the throne at 24, he embarked on the “Grand Embassy” and traveled throughout Western Europe
He met every major European leader in every European Country
Peter realized that he needed to Westernize, or modernize, Russia
This is how he became an Absolute Ruler
He would Westernize Russia through:
The Orthodox Church
Limiting The Boyars
Russia’s Military

9. Peter Westernizes the Russian Orthodox Church
Peter brought the Russian Orthodox Church under state control.
He abolished the Patriarch, or leader, and set up a Holy Synod, or council
This Synod was set up and appointed by him

10. Peter Westernizes the Boyars and the Russian Military
Peter controlled the Boyars through western traditions of granting titles and land to people
Since these new Russian “Lords” were given everything by Peter, they were incredibly loyal
Peter modernizes his military by hiring European officers.
These officers drilled the Russians in European military tactics with European weapons
By his death Peter had an army of 20,000 well trained/ elite soldiers

11. Peter Westernizes Russia
As Peter Westernized he also:
Introduced potatoes, becoming a Russian standard for food and drink
Started the first Russian newspaper, which he conveniently edited himself.
Raised women’s social status by having them at social events
Ordered nobles to give up their traditional clothes and fashions, for Western ones…

12. For example…
Russian Czar before Peter Peter the Great

13. Moving the Capital
The most symbolic move the Peter made to Westernize Russia was moving the capital from Moscow, Michael Romanov’s city
The city Peter moved it to was won after 21 long years of fighting the Swedish.
Although it was built on a swamp, killing up to 100,000 Russians in its construction, St. Petersburg, Russia was built.

14. St. Petersburg as the capital
Peter builds his great palace, The Hermitage, and forces all Russian nobles to move there
This was the culmination of Peter’s Westernization as Russia now also had its all year port city and capital