Russia

The Mongols and Russia Between 1237 & 1241 Mongols conquer most of Rus

No good resistance to invasion Those who resisted killed, land, cities destroyed Invasion shattered Kievian civilization and accelerated

fragmentation of Rus For over 2 centuries Mongol Khans controlled and imposed

tribute on Russian princes The Golden Horde – Dominated Russia from 13th – 15th

centuries Settled in the steppe grasslands north of the Black and Caspian

seas Excellent pasturage and enabled Tartars to live nomadic life Capital at Sarai (north of Caspian Sea)

The Golden Horde Rule through adopted Persian system

i.e. through local administration by locals – collect tax After initial conquest rule by strict Islamic law

Rus princes who traveled to Sarai encountered papal envoys, Egyptians, Persians and merchants from any lands

1360’s sever internal crisis in Golden Horde Family feud between sons of Khan Rus princes play one Mongol claimant against another

Golden Horde weakened by Tamerlane who sacked Sarai in 1390’s

By mid 15th century Golden Horde disintegrated Broke into smaller khanates which paved the way for Russian

liberation

The Rise of Moscow

During the 14th century Moscow emerges as the center of princely authority and the Orthodox church

Became the focus of religious, political and economic life in Northeastern Rus

Moscow’s Prince Dmitrii Ivanovich (1359-89) “Donskoi” defeats Mongol army in 1380

The Unification of Great Russia

Moscow continues to rise under successors of Dmitrii Donskoi

Princes of Rus continue to fight for power Golden Horde exploits fighting princes

Vasili II (1425-62) Critical turning point in Muscovite political history After his protectors die Muscovy suffers a severe civil war First “time of troubles”

Vasilis’ uncle tries to take over – dies after a couple of months Second phase of Muscovite dynastic struggle involves Tartars &

Lithuanians Vasili is captured by rival, blinded and exiled, his two young sons

captured He is restored as ruler and unifies and strengthens Great Russia 1452 Moscow ceased to pay tribute to the Golden Horde

Signifies Great Russia’s de facto independence Or perhaps simply the removal of the “tartar yoke”

Ivan III, The Great (1462-1505) Achieved national unification and centralization Often called “gatherer of the Russian lands” Preferred diplomacy and intrigue to war 1480 Golden Horde allied with Poland-Lithuania to invade

Muscovy Great Russia’s unification and independence enabled Ivan to

inaugurate regular diplomatic relations with foreign powers Consolidated trade with the west by establishing trade settlement

on the Baltic forcing out German merchants (withdrawing special privileges)

Marries daughter of Byzantine Emperor (raised in Rome) = Tsar (Caesar) not used until later

Ivan the Terrible (1533-1584) Very young when parents die at the mercy of the boyars Treated Ivan and his younger brother well in public but abused

them in private Sudden shifts between grandeur and neglect added to Ivan’s

emotional instability 1547 formal coronation in the Kremlin as Muscovy’s first Tsar Marries Anastasia – boyar family Riots and rebellions frighten Ivan into placing rule in hands of a

Chosen Council of leading aristocrats and churchmen Repented publicly in Red Square and promised to rule in the

interests of the people

The “Good” half of Ivan IV’s rule

1551 Hundred Chapters Council Reaffirmed Byzantine principle of the symphony of church and

state “Mankind has two great gifts from God…: the priesthood and

tsardom.” Church hierarchy scolded for holding incomplete services,

Charging excessive fees, Tolerating corrupt and drunken priests Crossing oneself with two fingers (symbolizing the dual nature of

Christ) and the double alleluia

Foreign expansion Moves to take remnants of Mongol empire – moves

east to Siberia Eastward expansion under Ivan IV laid the basis for

a Eurasian Russian empire Anglo-Russian Trade

1553 Richard Chancellor’s ship (seeking an Arctic sea route to China) landed on the shores of the White Sea –

Granted the English Muscovy Company a monopoly of duty-free trade with Russia

Russia exchanged forest products and fur for English manufactures and luxuries

Stimulated the development of the port of Archangel Baltic region become chief foreign involvement

The Second part of Ivan the Terrible’s Rule

Change in muscovite government involved the tsar’s break with the Chosen Council and his violent turning against many of his advisers and their associates

As Muscovite absolutism grew so did boyar power – the only check on the tsar

Power of boyars not to be overestimated Ivan’s change of attitude toward adviser and boyars

as a whole changed over a period of years under the strong impact of certain events

Anastasia Dies

1553 tsar fell gravely ill Asked boyars to swear allegiance to his

infant son Dmitrii but met opposition War in Livonia brought break between Ivan

and boyars 1560 Ivan’s young and beloved wife

Anastasia died suddenly Ivan begins to kill or imprison everyone

connected with Chosen Council

Oprichnina 1564 Ivan abandons Moscow for small town sixty miles away Oprichnina – a separate state run solely by the tsar came to be associate with oprichniki today would be described

as political police wholesale slaughter of boyars, their relatives, friends, servants

and peasants whole towns slaughtered and destroyed Ivan abolishes the oprichniki in 1572 Oprichnina lasts until 1575 Tsar died in 1584 – a Soviet autopsy indicated poisoning Son Theodore (& brother Dmitrii) die and with them the

Muscovite dynasty

Peter the Great (1682-1725)

Peter’s rule begins the Imperial Age of Russia Peter becomes tsar in 1682

Peter’s half sister Sophia causes uprising

Later that year co-tsar with elder half-brother Ivan V 1682-1689 Sophia rules - Peter and his family kept

away Sophia tries to take power Peter takes control in 1694 at age 22

Peters character

Strong, tall, intelligent Tireless Also violent temper, crudeness, and frequent

cruelty Peters relatives and boyars resistant to

change Gathers people from any rank to become his

assistants Valued foreigners

War Against Turkey & The Trip West

War against Turkey – builds great fleet Sends young men to study shipbuilding and

navigation in Holland, Italy and England 1697-98 goes abroad to try and form alliance

against Ottoman Empire and learn about the West 1702 invites Europeans of every nationality except

Jews whom he considered parasitic to come to his realm promising to subsidize passage, provide advantageous employment and assure religious tolerance and separate law courts

After return from west Courtiers, officials and military to dress in western

fashion Teeth and beards removed from boyars With beginning of new century tsar changed the

Russian calendar Years to be counted from the birth of Christ – not the

beginning of creation Were to commence on the first of January – not September Introduced the newspaper Established the first secular school Ordered potatoes grown Wine to be made from grapes which he began to cultivate

The Great Northern War Peter concludes peace with Turkey Joins Poland, Saxony and Denmark against Sweden (1700) Peter’s forces overwhelmingly defeated by Charles XII Peter has 6 years to put forth a great war effort Charles defeats Augustus and can focus on Peter & Russia Peter also has rebellions against western ways Charles Ukrainian debacle leads to a revival of the coalition By 1713-14 the tsar occupied most of Finland Treaty with Russia signed in 1721

The Reforming of Russia

Only one year passed without war during Peter’s reign (1724)

Wanted to westernize and modernize all of the Russian government, society, life and culture

Did not merely copy the west but tried to adapt Western institutions to Russian needs and possibilities

Army & Navy

Regarded as the founder of the modern Russian army Predecessors had large armies that were poorly organized,

technically deficient and generally low quality. Peter instituted general conscription Reorganized and modernized the army Personally introduced a new and up-to-date military

manual

The modern Russian navy was the creation of Peter the Great

Church Reforms

Tried to reorganize the church in the Lutheran form rather than Muscovite or Byzantine tradition not one patriarch developed the Holy Synod (10 clerics lead) tries to strengthen and broaden Church schools

and improve lot of impoverished secular clergy

Administrative Reforms

Reformed the central and local government Believed in enlightened despotism Borrowed his relationship between ruler and

subject from Sweden not Muscovy Established the Governing Senate

To overview all judicial and financial affairs

Evaluations of Peter the Great

To many contemporaries appeared to be either a superhuman hero or the Antichrist

Peter the Great revered and eulogized by liberals as a champion of light against the darkness

However the cost of human life was staggering The building of St Petersburg alone – built in the

northwestern corner of the country, in almost inaccessible swamps at a high cost of lives.

Catherine II (“the Great” 1762-1796)

Huge military expansion Partitions of Poland, 1772-1797

Social reforms at first, but end with Pugachev peasant rebellion (1773-1774)