Imperial  RussiaThe  time  of  the  czars

Video  “Building  an  Empire”  -­‐  Russia

Ê https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6_8rIDrxHU

In  the  earliest  days…

Ê Settlements  only  in  western  part  of  what  we  now  call  Russia  

Ê From  Black  Sea  to  the  Baltic  Sea

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Central and Northern Asia: Political

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In  the  earliest  days

Ê See  the  video  (4  minutes):  

Ê https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5mpdffE0BY

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In  the  earliest  days…

Ê Slavic  farmers  and  traders  

Ê Slavic  =  ppl  from  Poland,  Czech  Republic,  Ukraine,  Bulgaria…  

Ê Spoke  similar  languages,  but  no  unity

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Invasion

Ê Vikings  from  Scandinavia  arrived  in  800s  CE  

Ê Vikings  ruled  

Ê Vikings  &  Slavs  intermarried  

Ê eventually  created  a  new  culture  

Ê One  of  the  tribes  of  Slavic  people  were  the  “Rus”  

Ê This  is  where  we  get  the  word  “Russia”

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Russia  becomes  Christian

Ê 900s  CE  Russia  adopts  Orthodox  Christianity  

Ê Promoted  by  a  Russian  king  

Ê Today  75%  of  Russians  practice  Russian  Orthodox  Christianity

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Kiev  -­‐  a  glittering  capital  city

Ê At  this  time  the  most  important  city  in  Russia  is  Kiev

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Invasion  by  the  “Golden  Horde”

Ê From  region  of  Lake  Baikal  in  Russia  near  Mongolia  

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Ê Part  of  Ghengis  Khan’s  armies  in  1200s  

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Ê Tartars    (Tatars)  

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Ê Demanded  obedience  and  tribute

Moscow

Ê Established  1147  as  a  small  fort  -­‐  eventually  rises  to  be  today’s  capital  of  Russia  

Ê In  the  1320s  a  nobleman  from  Moscow  rose  to  power  and  worked  with  the  Mongols  

Ê Ivan  “Moneybags”  (Ivan  I)

Ivan  III…  Ivan  the  Great

Took  throne  1462  

1480  –  rose  up  against  Tartar  rule  &  refused  to  pay  tribute  

  They  continued  to  be  just  next  door,  though  

Moscow  –  capital  city  

Expanded  territory  

Died  1505

Ivan  IV  –  Ivan  the  Terrible

Ê 1547  took  power  

Ê Ivan  the  Great’s  grandson  Ê Always  a  bit  “off”  even  as  a  child  Ê Childhood  was  a  time  of  violent  rebellions  against  throne  Ê Father  Vasili  III  died  when  he  was  3  (infection  from  a  boil)  Ê Mom  –  serving  as  his  regent  –  died  when  he  was  8  (poisoned?)  Ê Very  intelligent  Ê Very  religious

Ivan  IV  –  Ivan  the  Terrible

Ê 1st  ruler  to  be  crowned  czar  (tsar)  Ê “caesar”  in  Russian

Ivan  IV  –  Ivan  the  Terrible Ivan  IV  –  Ivan  the  Terrible

Ê 1552  –  Seige  of  Kazan  –  Tartar  capital  Ê 8  days  Ê Opened  door  to  create  a  vast  empire  Ê Commissioned  St.  Basil’s  Cathedral  to  commemorate  victory

St.  Basil’s  Cathedral  –  8  churches  –  Notice  the  “onion  domes”

Legend  says  he  had  the  architect  blinded  so  he  could  never  duplicate  his  masterpiece

Ivan  the  Terrible

Ê Paranoid  

Ê Attacked  any  opposition  

Ê Launched  several  foolish  wars  

Ê Beat  pregnant  daughter-­‐in-­‐law  for  wearing  immodest  clothing  

Ê Killed  chosen  son  as  he  tried  to  defend  her

“The  Oprichniki”  by  Nikolai  Nevrev  –  shows  arrest  of  Feodorov  (treason)

“Ivan  the  Terrible  Killing  His  Son”   by  Ilya  Repin   Ivan  the  Terrible

Ê Plagues  of  1570  killed  1000s  daily  

Ê Cracked  down  on  dissidents  

Ê Dissident:  someone  who  speaks/acts  against  gov’t  Ê Attack  of  Novgorod  –  est.  60,000  dead  

Ê Died  1584  (stroke)

Feodor

Ê Inherits  throne  from  his  father  

Ê Unintelligent  

Ê Childless  

Ê Died  1598  

Ê This  led  to  the  “Time  of  Troubles”  Ê Civil  unrest  &  revolution

Peter  the  Great  1672-­‐1696

Ê Takes  throne  1682

Peter  the  Great  1672-­‐1696

Ê Curious  

Ê Intelligent  

Ê 6’5”  

Ê Aware  that  the  rest  of  the  world  views  Russia  as  backward  

Ê Wanted  to  modernize  so  they  could  be  a  respected  world  power

Peter  the  Great  –  cruel  leader

Ê Very  cruel  to  peasant  class  

Ê Persecuted  “Old  Believers”  Ê Beard  Tax  of  1698  

!!!

Ê Created  a  small  army  out  of  his  servants  &  used  them  in  live  ammo  war  games

Peter  the  Great  –  cruel  leader

Ê Built  St.  Petersburg  –  new  capital  of  Russia  

Ê Harbor  City  –  coast  of  Baltic  Sea  Ê Freezes  in  winter  &  floods  in  summer  Ê No  bedrock  here  to  build  on  

Ê Had  to  build  w/pilings  

Ê 1000s  of  workers  dug  mud  by  hand  &  carried  it  in  their  shirts  

Ê “City  of  Bones”  –  est.  100,000  died  in  construction

Palace  Peterhof

Palace  Peterhof Interesting  personal  note…

Ê 2  wives,  14  children  

Ê Eldest  child  &  heir  –  Alexei  

Ê Accused  of  wanting  to  overthrow  his  father  

Ê Confessed  under  torture  

Ê Sentenced  to  death  but  died  in  prison  of  his  wounds

Peter  the  Great

Ê Suffered  from  bladder  problems  

Ê Legend  says  he  waded  out  to  help  some  drowning  soldiers  

Ê Died  1725  of  gangrene  in  his  bladder

Catherine  the  Great  1729-­‐1796

Catherine  the  Great  1729-­‐1796

Ê Married  Peter  of  the  Romanov  royal  family  at  15  

Ê Daughter  of  impoverished  Prussian  prince  

Ê Converted  to  Orthodox  Christianity  &  took  Russian  name  Ekaterina  (Catherine)

Catherine  the  Great  1729-­‐1796

Ê 4  children  –  none  were  likely  Peter’s  

Ê Peter  took  the  throne  when  his  aunt  died  1762  

Ê Immediately  people  disliked  his  rule  &  threatened  to  overthrow  him  

Ê Catherine  sided  with  them  

Ê 6  mo.  Later,  Peter  abdicated  the  throne  

Ê 8  days  later,  Peter  was  murdered  by  the  brother  of  her  lover

Catherine  the  scandalous???

Ê Had  many  lovers  

Ê All  4  of  her  children  were  probably  fathered  by  them  

Ê Gave  them  many  gifts  Ê Titles  Ê Land  Ê Servants  Ê Palaces  Ê Military  support

Catherine  the  Great

Ê Wrote  many  books  

Ê Supporter  of  the  arts  

Ê Composed  an  opera  

Ê Focus  on  education  

Ê Built  the  Winter  Palace  

Ê Expands  Russia  to  its  current  size

Winter  Palace

Ê Official  residency  of  Russian  monarchs  1732-­‐1917  

Ê St.  Petersburg  

Ê 1500+  rooms  

Ê 600’  long  

Ê 3  stories  high

Winter  Palace  –  Small  throne  room

Winter  Palace  –  Gates Winter  Palace  –  Nicholas  Hall

Winter  Palace  –  St.  George’s  Hall Winter  Palace  –  Johrdan  Staircase

Winter  Palace Death  of  Catherine

Ê Stroke,  1796  

Ê Despite  the  many  rumors…

Alexander  I

Ê Grandson  of  Catherine  

Ê Had  been  cooperating  w/Napoleon  in  a  blockade  of  British  trade  goods  

Ê Wanted  to  drop  the  deal  

Ê Napoleon  was  furious

Negotiations  fail…

Ê Napoleon  invades  Russia  despite  advice  that  he  shouldn’t  Ê June  24,  1812  

Ê Biggest  army  ever  raised  Ê 600,000  men  from  every  corner  of  his  empire  

!Ê Napoleon  expected  a  20  day  seige  

Ê Thought  Alexander  would  come  around

Russians  refuse  to  fight…

Ê Just  keep  retreating  into  Russia  

Ê Soldiers  dying  of  heat  exhaustion  

Ê 150,000  out  of  commission  before  a  shot  was  fired

Moscow  burns,  Sept.  1812

Ê The  Russians  burn  it  themselves,  rather  than  have  it  captured  by  Napoleon  

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Ê Russia  still  won’t  fold,  so  in  Oct.  Napoleon  heads  home  Ê Still  sees  it  as  his  victory  

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Ê But  Russian  winter  came  early

Napoleon  &  the  Russian  winter…

Ê 22  below  

Ê Men  &  horses  freezing  to  death  

Ê Starvation,  fatigue,  disease  

Ê Attacks  by  peasants  

Ê Only  10%  of  his  men  make  it  home

The  Last  Czar  of  Russia

Ê Nicholas  II  

Ê Focused  on  developing  the  eastern  part  of  the  empire  

Ê Trans-­‐Siberian  RR  Ê World’s  longest  RR  at  the  time

Russia  &  Japan

Ê Japan  had  the  same  idea  to  trade  w/east  Asia  

Ê Russia  &  Japan  conflicted  Ê 1905  Russia  defeated  

Ê Embarrassment  for  Russian  people  

Ê 1914  WWII  –allied  w/France  &  Britain  Ê Much  suffering  in  Russia  

Ê High  inflation  

Ê Starvation

Abdication

Ê In  Feb.  1917  Nicholas  lost  the  support  of  the  army    

Ê Family  held  in  various  locations  Ê Eventually  in  the  Ural  Mtns.