Absolutism in Russia

Ivan to Peter

Russian Beginnings before 9th C

Many Ethnic Groups in RussiaScythiansAlansFinnsTurksMagyars

Siberia Siberia “Permafrost” “Permafrost”

Average temperatures of Average temperatures of January January vary from 0 to -50°C, and in vary from 0 to -50°C, and in July from 1 to 25°C July from 1 to 25°C

150,000,000 population.150,000,000 population. A former “A former “gulaggulag”” Soviet prison Soviet prison camp.camp.

Slavs move in

FarmersGrew barley, wheat, ryeTraded forest products:

Timber, fur, fish

Vikings take over

Slavs peaceful—do not fightRurik moves in: First Viking

RulerOleg, his successor, captures

Kiev

Early RussiaEarly Russia

Kieven Rus

Good location for tradeOn Dnieper RiverConstantinople nearbyTrade forest products for

manufactured goods and ideas

Early Byzantine Early Byzantine Influences:Influences:

Orthodox ChristianityOrthodox Christianity

Early Byzantine Early Byzantine Influences:Influences:

Orthodox ChristianityOrthodox Christianity

Cyril and Methodius

Monks850 AD left Constantinople to

spread Christianity to SlavsCreated Cyrillic languageTaught Slavs their alphabet—

from Greek language

Early Byzantine Early Byzantine Influences:Influences:

Cyrillic AlphabetCyrillic Alphabet

988—Vladimir I

Vladimir renounces his pagan ways and wives

Accepts Christianity999—orders all Kievens to be

baptizedChristian world—one leader:

Pope in Rome

1054—Christianity splits

Patriarch of Constantinople refused to accept Papal Supremacy

Split continues todayEastern/Greek Orthodoxy

centered in Constantinople

1453—Constantinople Falls

Turks sack ConstantinoplePower of patriarch reducedRussian Church leaders gain

power

16th Century Church

Russia independent of Greek Orthodox Church

Rejected control of Patriarch in Constantinople

Moscow becomes center of Russian Orthodoxy

Patriarch’s influence

Russian Patriarchs close to Tsars

Encourage strong control over Peasants

Russia separated from Western Ideas

Split with Rome

Russian Separation

Native Russian used in Church, not Latin

Russian scholars isolated from intellectual developments in West

Decline of Kieven Rus

Despite advantages: good soil, rivers, Black Sea trade

Many Problems: Succession of Rulers had to hold territorial seats to become ruler

Threats of (Mongol) nomads,

Loss of Northern trade

1223: Golden Horde Enters Russia

Batu Khan+ Gold Colored tents1240: sacks KievOnly Novgorod Free, but forced

to recognize Tatar Ruler for 200 years

NovgorodNovgorod

Mongol Rule

Loose control of RussiaRussians paid tribute to KhanCould manage their own affairsRussian Princes wanted to

unite,Appealed to West for help—

none came

The Mongols Invade The Mongols Invade RussiaRussia

Mongol Rule

No help from WestAsian customs adoptedWomen’s status declinedSlavs poor; few rightsTatar words, clothing,

architecture acceptedAutocracy

Emergence of Moscow

Moscow Princes gained favor from Tatars

Right to collect taxesMoscow River replaces Dnieper

as main trade route1299—Head of Russian

Orthodox church moves to Moscow

Moscow

Church became unifying factor for Russian People under Tatars

Moscow strongest and largest of small Russian states

Gains control over lesser Princes

Ivan III 1462-1505

Ivan the Great: Founder of Russian Nation State

1st to use title “Tsar”Refused to pay tribute to TatarsMongols divided; lost power

Ivan the Great Ivan the Great (r. 1462-1505)(r. 1462-1505)

Ivan III Tearing the Great Khan’s Letter Ivan III Tearing the Great Khan’s Letter Requesting More Tribute in 1480.Requesting More Tribute in 1480.

Ivan III 1462-1505

1472: married Sophia, niece of last Byzantine emperor

Moscow becomes 3rd Rome—New holy city

Autocratic rule

Serfdom in Russia

Before Tatar invasion, serfs free to move around

Invasion destroyed: fields, animals, buildings

Peasants sold labor or promised part of their crops to get loans

Serfdom in Russia

Poorest most vulnerable could not pay off debt

Debt serfdom replaced by legal serfdom

Serfs tied to land by lawCould not move

Serfdom in Russia

As nobility grew, so did serfdom;Labor laws passedPeasants stayed on land and

worked for landownersDeadening effect on economyInefficient work

Serfdom in Russia

Serfs not motivated as in WestSerfs poorWhole nation affectedLasts until 1861

Ivan IV 1533-1584

Grandson of Ivan IIIOrphaned at age 8Becomes Tsar at 17Extended Russian boundaries

and drove to SiberiaDestroyed power of Boyars

Ivan IV 1533-1584

Thousands executedKills Ivan, his oldest son1584—Russia stronger

Time of Troubles 1584-1613

Who will be heir?Dmitri, child of Ivan’s 7th wife

would not be recognized by the Church

Feodor was retarded; spent most of his time in prayer

Time of Troubles

Feodor ‘ruled’ 14 yearsBoyars began fighting autocracyBoris Godunov becomes regentDefeated the Romanov family

(killed many important members; they were still popular w/people)

Time of Troubles

1591: mysterious death—10-year old Dmitry is found dead, with his throat cut

Death ruled accidental: he was playing with a knife and had an epileptic seizure; killed himself

Was it Godunov?

Time of Troubles 1598

Feodor dies w/out heirBoris Godunov is elected Tsar

by zemsky soborGodunov: popular, experienced

in government, honorable

Time of Troubles

Godunov tries to stabilize Russia: destroy boyars, rest of Romanovs

Favored enlightenmentTried to set up university in

Moscow—church balkedSent students abroad to study

Time of Troubles

1601: Drought/famine hit RussiaGodunov tried to collect and

redistribute food; 1 million dieArmed mobs ravaged towns,

looking for food

Time of Troubles

Rumors spread that Dmitry was not really dead—they knifed the wrong boy

A young man appears and claims to be the true prince of Russia (False Dmitry I)

Time of Troubles

False Dmitry I got recognition from Poland;

In exchange for support, he promised to make Russia Catholic once he takes the throne

Time of Troubles

1604: Polish Warriors, Cossacks, peasants support False Dmitry I; invade Russia

Boris Godunov fought, but with victory in sight, Godunov becomes sick and dies

1605: False Dmitry entered Moscow—crowned Tsar

Time of Troubles

False Dmitry reigned 13 monthsPoles antagonized Muscovites,

tried to make them submit to Catholicism

Time of Troubles

Finally, Prince Vasily Shuisky organizes Russian soldiers, townsfolk

Slaughtered the Poles; executed False Dmitry; burned his remains

Stuffed them into a cannon and fired towards Poland

Elected Shuisky Tsar

Time of Troubles

1606-1613 Shuisky is a Boyar-Tsar: no power base

Ivan Bolotnikov led a mass revolt of Cossacks, runaway peasants, and vagabonds against all authority and property owners; reached Moscow before it was defeated

Time of Troubles

Other Pretenders tried to take the throne: False Dmitry II—set up headquarters in Tushino: 2 Tsars w/equal followers

1610 Shuisky deposedFalse Dmitry II murdered over $

Time of Troubles

Russia had no Tsar, no government

Ineffective Duma (led by boyars) tried to rule

Western claims made: Sweden, Poland seized territories

Time of Troubles

Russian People rallied together: Begun in churches

“3rd Rome must not be allowed to fall to Catholic ‘heretics’ of the West”

Time of Troubles

Citizens of Novgorod gave 1/3 of all possessions to finance crusade

Great national army formed: Marched on Moscow and wiped out the Polish garrison there

Neither Poland nor Sweden challenged it

Time of Troubles

Zemsky Sobor elected new Tsar: 16 year old Michael Romanov

Acceptable to Muscovites and Cossacks: linked to Ivan IV by marriage

Time of Troubles ends

Michael is weak TsarSon Alexis and grandson

Feodor III also weak1689: Peter I crowned Tsar