Chapter 18

The Rise of Russia

In the beginning

• The first Russian state-centered around the city of Kiev around the 9th century

• in the 1230’s it was conquered by the Mongols who ruled the region for the next 250 years

• it fell into disorder in the 15th century and fell under the influence on the state of Moscow

Foundations

• Different from the West– Little commercial exchange– BUT major factor in world relationships and

balance of power • Separate identity from the rest of Europe– What do we allow to influence the identity????– How we interact with the West

• Rise of the Absolute Monarchs

Ivan the Great• stopped paying tribute to the

Mongols…therefore declared Russian independence

• Freed much of Russia in 1462• he began the policy called

“gathering the Russian land” and built Moscow into a large and powerful state

• Orthodox church affirmed that Ivan was chosen by God and started calling Moscow the “third Rome”

• Rurik Dynasty

Ivan the Terrible

• First Tsar • Married Anastasia

Romanov – Reign of terror

• Continued Russian expansion

• Wanted to control the Russian nobles– Boyars

The Time of Troubles

• Ivan dies without an heir– Causes problems

SHOCKER• Poland and Sweden was

also attacking • Boyars fought over who

would be in control – They choose a young boy

from the Romanov family

The Romanov

Michael• Reestablished internal order

and stopped the poles and the Swedes

• Resumed expansion– Got Kiev back from Poland

• Closest relative to Anastasia• Reigns as an eastern monarch

– Kremlin: Fortified area

• Alexis– Stopped the

strengthening of the Nobles

– Gained power over the Church

Peter The Great

• Absolute Monarch– Took more power– Autocrat

• Make the culture and the economy more western

• Created a trained military – Able to defeat the rivals

• Sweden was never to be world power again

Peter and the West

• He used only what he thought would better Russia– Not a worldwide export economy• The economy should support the military

– Revised tax system– Began mining iron: more manufacturing – Gave more power to women without actually

changing gender relations• His wife breaks the Terem

• Created a set of advisors he could control

Second Time of Troubles

• After Peter Dies and a question of heir: HAHAHA– Peter’s Wife Catherine I– Anna (Peter’s Daughter)– Elizabeth (Peter’s

Daughter)– Peter (Elizabeth’s Nephew)

AND Catherine II

Catherine The Great

• Wife of Peter III– Takes control for herself

with the help of peasant uprising

• German Princess and very smart– Loved by the people

• Made people believe she was an Enlightened Despot

Catherine and the West

• Wanted Enlightened ideas but also wanted to be a STRONG central monarch (absolute)– Wrote to Voltaire– Put on a show of being more western – HOWEVER a great number of western ideas were

able to get to Russia even if they were not used right away

• Divided Poland – Very Important

Cossacks • Peasant adventurers who

were encouraged to move to newly acquired lands– Russian Cowboys

• Not an ethnic group but an ideological group

• Horse people • Fled the Russian empire– Serfs and others wanting to

escape – Asian elements

Pugachev

Pugachev Rebellion• Claimed to be the true

tsar– Promised to end

serfdom, taxes, military conscription

• However, it was not a unified army

• Captured and executed

Serfdom in Russia

• During the Mongols the peasants were free farmers• After the Mongols they needed to sell their land

because of debts• Russian government supported the nobility having

serfs– It was a way to control the masses and keep the nobles

rich and happy• Became more like slavery:– Bought, sold, given, gambled– Coursed labor

Anne

Elizabeth I

Paul I