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The Expansion of Russia

The Expansion of Russia. Age of Absolutism. The First Tsar. Ivan IV “the terrible” (b. 1530 / r. 1533 – 1584) Advised and abused by boyars (Russian nobility) from 3 to 16 yrs Took individual power in 1546 – crowned himself Tsar ( Caesar ) in 1547 Added new lands in the 1550s

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The Expansion of Russia

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  1. The Expansion of Russia Age of Absolutism

  2. The First Tsar • Ivan IV “the terrible” (b. 1530 / r. 1533 – 1584) • Advised and abused by boyars (Russian nobility) from 3 to 16 yrs • Took individual power in 1546 – crowned himself Tsar (Caesar) in 1547 • Added new lands in the 1550s • 1560 - Wife Anastasia Romanov dies (No, not that Anastasia) • Ivan increasingly unstable

  3. Ivan the Terrible • Paranoid and delusional • Kills eldest son, Ivan • Helped to depopulate most of central Russia • Massacre of boyars • Peasants flee east --south – “Cossacks” • “all the people consider themselves to be kholops, that is, slaves of their Prince” • Defeats Mongols • 1557 turns west!!!!

  4. Time of Troubles • 1584 Ivan IV dies • 1598 – 1613 Time of Troubles – no clear heir • Relatives murder one another • Swedish and Polish armies invade • Cossack bands attack nobles and officials • Zemsky Sobor (feudal estates)elect Michael Romanov, (Ivan IV’s grandson) 1613-1645 • Completes “enserfment” of the peasants • 1625 law states killing a peasant = destruction of property • Alexis - 1645-1676: • 1646 serfs legally bound to estate • Serf / Cossack uprising led by Stephen Razin 1667 • Old Believers rise up against the reform ideas of Russian patriarch Nikon; threaten to break away from the church • Church became dependent upon the state Early conflict btw. tradition and moderniza-tion

  5. Peter Romanov “THE GREAT” • Born in 1672 • 6 ft. 9 --- “giant”, “barbarian genius” • 1682 - Joint ruler with half-brother Ivan V (mentally handicapped) – but half-sister Sofia acts as regent – exiles Peter!!! (1682-1689) • Returns but Sofia tries to have him murdered – Peter escapes - gains the throne; ruled alone 1689 – 1725 • 1721 state takes control of the Russian Orthodox through the Holy Synod & the procurator

  6. Peter Romanov “THE GREAT” • Brilliant – Creative – Skilled • Great Embassy: toured Europe 1696 – 1697 with 250 officials and nobles!!! • fascinated by Dutch and English • Recognizes “backwardness” of Russia; recruits 1000 foreign experts for service positions • 1698 returned to revolt of streltsi (tsar guards of noble classes, very politically active – opposed to reform and any threat to their own power) –instigated by Sofia; streltsi massacred; Sofia recedes to convent • 1698 rebuilt army from ground up; several foreign officers • recognizes need to have a “European” fighting force • All landholders had to serve as military or civil officers • Almost continuously at war w/ Ottomans and Swedes

  7. Warfare and Expansion • War with Ottomans: Russia vs. Turks and Tartars - Black Sea • not successful, Russian army to weak. • War with Swedes: “The Great Northern War” 1700-1721 • Allied with Denmark/Poland • Sweden powerful in N. Europe – scattered lands Germany, Finland, Estonia • 21 year conflict vs. Charles XII of Sweden (r. 1697-1718) • 1709 – decisive Russian victory at Poltava (Ukraine) • 1721, Treaty of Nystadt – Russia annexes Estonia and Livonia and Karelia • Russia has access to the Baltic! “Window to the West” • Wars lead to modernization of Russia – militarily first - professional • 200,000 regular troops – drafted for life!!!! • 100,000 special forces of Cossacks and foreigners! • Schools to train new military personnel

  8. Growth of Russia

  9. St. Petersburg • Improving the cities: • St. Petersburg: new capital on Baltic • Baroque example of links btw. politics / architecture / urban development • wide open avenues – uniform buildings • government offices; nobles must build here • Built from an outpost – to replace Moscow • Separate areas for nobles, merchants, artisans… (favorable terms for settling) • Marvel of modern engineering • Showplace for the tsar • Nobility paid for it • Built on the backs of the serfs

  10. The Winter Palace – St. Petersburg

  11. Peterhof

  12. Peter the Great: pros and cons • Created the “Empire of Russia” • 1711 abolishes the duma (parliament)– replaces with Senate of 10 members • 50 territorial gubernii(governments) • referred to as a state w/o a people • Abolishes hereditary succession (doesn’t trust son, Alexei) • Table of Ranks, 1722: ability in“state service” ranks over social position (birth right)

  13. Peter the Great: pros and cons • Westerners and Western ideas flow into Russia – paving the way for Enlightenment and rule of his wife, Catherine (not the Great!!) • resistance to foreigners from nobility and serfs • Alexei (son) vows to reinstall old Russian traditions • 1718 imprisoned and executed

  14. Peter the Great: pros and cons • 1725 Peter dies • Leaves behind an uneasy Russia – poor and weak, angry • No heir to the throne appointed • Great split between poor and nobility • Heavy taxation • Mercantilist policies; all industry owned by the tsar

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