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Russian Empire in Europe and East Asia. The eventual fall of the Golden Horde contributed most to the formation of the Russian political “state” -1480 Moscow doesn’t pay tribute. State of Muscovy. Member of Hanseatic League (Baltic Sea cities) Hub of lucrative fur trade
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The eventual fall of the Golden Horde contributed most to the formation of the Russian political “state” -1480 Moscow doesn’t pay tribute
State of Muscovy • Member of Hanseatic League (Baltic Sea cities) • Hub of lucrative fur trade • Recruited “Cossacks” for a personal army • Promised them land in conquered regions • Ivan III took the title of “czar” ( Russian version of “Caesar”) when he married a Byzantine princess • Ivan became head of state and head of Russian Church Ivan III expropriated the Byzantine symbol of the double headed eagle ( an old Roman icon !) as a symbol of his authority: “The Third Rome”
Like their “steppe” cousins, Russian Cossacks were expert horsemen and fearless warriors
IVAN IV • Married into the prestigious Romanov boyar (nobles) clan • Suspicious of powerful boyars • Expansionist- multi-cultural empire • Started the oprichniki ( secret police) to spy on suspected traitors • Centralization of Gov’t • Known to skin victims alive and cook enemies in giant frying pans in center of Moscow ! ! ! ! • Left no heirTime of Troubles Ivan IV (the Terrible)
The Romanov Dynasty • Assembly of Boyars elected a member of the Romanov family as tsar 1613 • Would rule Russia until the Russian Revolution of 1917 Michael I r.1613-1645
Peter the Great : R.1689 – 1725 • In 1689 Peter set out to make Russia a match for western Europe • Went abroad and sent other Russians to study western science & military & industrial technology • But...did not select a western form of government ! Peter the Great spent much of his youth in the foreign quarter learning from West Europeans
Reforms of Peter the Great • Military Reform • Paid professional army • Created a navy even before he had ports for ships • Secret police • Bureaucratic Reform • Relied on nobles to serve as government officials • Established a Table of Ranks or meritocracy- bring in non-nobles Commanded men to shave beards ( or pay a hefty tax) and wear western clothes
Social Reform • 1st secular system of education • Economic Reform • State sponsorship of new industries • Mining and metallurgical industries
St Petersburg ( the “Venice of the North” was built on the the river Neva to rival the great European cities that Peter saw on his travels . Peter lived in a small cabin for 7 years to personally oversee the building of city.
Catherine the Great 1762- 1796 (Reign) • Married to grandson of Peter the Great • Had her husband deposed with help of nobility • Charter of Nobility • Enhanced their privileges • Extended rights over peasants • Created an effective tsarist bureaucracy- strong central govt/ nobles had local control
Enlightened Despot??? • Instituted policies to improve lives of her subjects and thought of herself as an “enlightened despot” • More humane penalties for criminals • Public education for girls • Promotion of inoculation • She read Montesquieu and Voltaire, and invited philosophs to Russia
Or Cruel Czar ???? • Pugachev’s Rebellion • Rebellion was brutally put down and Pugachev was brought to Moscow in chains and executed • Rebellion caused Catherine to rescind reforms and tighten her grip on Russia EmelianPugachev’s Rebellion 1773-1774
Russian Empire expanded into present day Poland, Crimea and the Balkans
The End of the Experiment • The outbreak of the French Revolution brought a speedy end to any intellectual & cultural experimentation in Russia • Catherine cut ties with western Europe
Russian Empire : Overview • Grew from territorial state to huge Russian Empire in early modern era (1450-1750) • Became a powerful centralized gov’t under tsars • Agriculturedominated Russian economy with reliance of unfree and involuntary labor of serfs • Westernization made Russia a competitive empire but also created internal conflicts • Expansion stimulated cultural and commercial exchange as well as conflict with neighbors