Rulers of Russia and Central Europe

Rulers of Russia and Central Europe Chapter 18 Section 4

Key Terms • Boyars • Czar • Peter the Great • Westernization • Catherine the Great • Thirty Year’s War • Treaty of Westphalia • Maria Theresa • Frederick the Great

The Monarchy and Ivan IV • 1500’s Russia far behind the West • Boyars- landowners or church officials with conservative viewpoints • Czar-Latin word for caesar or emperor • 1546 Ivan becomes czar

Reforms of Ivan IV • Created a general council (merchants, low, level nobles) • Promote military on merit • Drew up a new legal code • Defeated the Tartars • Expanded Russian territory

Ivan the Terrible • 1547-1563 known as the good period • 1560’s he changed • Suspicious of closest advisors • When his wife died he thought she was murdered • People were conspiring against him

Ivan the Terrible • Created a 6,000 police force • Dressed in black and rose black horses • Controlled half of Russia’s territory • Brutal punishment for speaking out • 1565 seized land of 12,000 Boyars

Ivan the Terrible • Ordered killing of thousands in Novgorod • 1581 killed his own son • Russia left without an heir • Time of troubles lasted till 1613

Peter the Great • Peter became czar in 1682 • Age of 17 took over the throne • Peter said to be 6’6” • Stormed Azov- Black Sea port held by the Turks • Attack was a disaster

Peter the Great • Peter built a better navy • Peter helped to build the ships • Built hundreds of ships • New navy Azov surrendered

Modernization and Reform • Westernization- the process of bringing western ideas to Russia • 1697 Peter went to Europe • Traveled in disguise • Learned hands on skills (ship building)

Modernization and Reform • Recruited Europeans to bring skills to Russia • Streltsy rebelled to have his sister on the throne • Disbanded the Streltsy and started modern army

Modernization and Reform • Brought church under state control • Built up Russian industry • Started first newspaper • Started schools • Modernized calendar • Promoted based on merit instead of social status

Modernization and Reform • Russians needed to learn more science • Waned to adopt European style of clothing • Cut off his own long hair and beard • Boyars resisted this action

Founding of Saint Petersburg • 1700 fought Swedes for warm water port • Russia’s other ports choked with ice much of the year • Baltic Sea would open Russian trade • Built new capitol of Saint Petesburg

Catherine the Great • Czar Peter III 1761 • Catherine and soldiers grew angry at his incompetence • Catherine seized power declare Czarina

Early Reforms • Kept Peter’s westernization efforts • Built statue said to Peter the First from Catherine the Second • Reformed Russia’s legal and educational system • Removed restrictions on trade

Challenges to Catherine’s Rule • War with Poland • Russia won and took half of Poland’s territory also on the Black Sea • Rebellion inside Russia • Yemelyan Pugachev-claimed he was Peter III

Challenges to Catherine’s Rule • Gained support among peasants • Caught and was beheaded • Catherine needed to strengthen the monarchy in rural areas • Reorganized local government

Challenges to Catherine’s Rule • Administration, hands of local landowners • In return for government service taxes were reduced • Gave them absolute control over their lands and the peasants

Monarchy and Conflict in Central Europe • Rulers in Central Europe never became Absolute monarchs • Holy Roman Empire had a single emperor • Covered most of Central Europe • Empire had dozens of small states • Each with own ruler

Monarchy and Conflict in Central Europe • 1450’s All Holy Roman Emperors came from the Hapsburg family • 1600’s Hapsburg emperor caused the Thirty Years War • Alliances cause it to be a continent wide affair

Thirty Years’ War • Religious dispute in 1618 • Two Protestant churches were ordered to shut down • Protestants threw the emperor’s representatives out the palace window • They were unhurt

Thirty Years’ War • Emperor’s attempt to control religion sparked revolt • Nobles in Bavaria and Austria rebelled • Joined by other rulers • Monarch in Spain were members of the Hapsburg joined Ferdinand’s side

Thirty Years’ War • France, Spain’s rival joined the Protestant side • Denmark and Sweden Also on Protestant side • War lasted till 1648 • 7 million Germans died • Disease and starvation

Thirty Years’ War • Treaty of Westphalia ended the war • Extended religious tolerance to both Catholics and Protestants • Reduced the power of the Holy Roman Emperor

Austria and Prussia • Austria governed by the Hapsburg family • Prussia’s rulers came from Hohenzollerns • 1740 Charles V died without an heir (HRE) • Wrote the Pragmatic Sanction-empire could be passed to a female

Austria and Prussia • Maria Theresa was his daughter seemed she would take the throne • Hohenzollerans had different ideas • Frederick the Great seized Austria Province of Silesia • Offered Maria Theresa an alliance

Austria and Prussia • Would help her husband become Holy Roman Emperor • Maria Theresa turned him down • War of Austrian succession broke out

Austria and Prussia • Spain, France and two German states entered on Prussia’ side • Each hoped to gain territory • Maria Theresa asked for peace • Prussia kept Silesia launching it to position of power

Continued Rivalry • Prussia’s victory intensified rivalry with Austria and Hungary • 1756 Seven Year’s War • Prussia ruled by Frederick and Great Britain on one side • Austria, France, Russia on the other

Continued Rivalry • Fighting also occurred in North America and India • Prussia was on verge of defeat • Austrian and Russia forces occupied the capitol

Continued Rivalry • Russia pulled out of the war • Prussia regained strength • Prussia became the strongest military in Europe • Frederick pushed opponent out of Prussia

Rulers of Russia and Central Europe