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Explore Russia's historical controversies, including Kievan Rus, the "Mongolian yoke," and the rise of Moscow. Learn about Russia's expansion and westernization in the 16th-18th centuries and its transformation in the 19th century.
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Nation and Memory Lecture 3 Russia’s Mission Week 3
Outline • Russia‘s disputed past • Kievan Rus‘, the “Mongolian yoke“ and the rise of Moscow • Expansion and Westernization 1600-1800 4. Russia in the 19th century 5. Conclusion Appendix: Timeline 1801-1881
Nikolay M. Karamzin (1766-1826) Pyotr Y. Chaadayev (1794-1856) Ivan V. Kireevsky (1806-1856)
Autocracy, Orthodoxy, and Nationality/National Character (narodnost’) Count Sergey S. Uvarov, Minister for Education 1832 “narodnost’” underlines the originality and uniqueness of the Russian people, the fundamental values of Russian culture and society, as opposed to Westernization. "To turn Russians back to Russian ways", ("возвраща́ть ру́сских к ру́сскому"). Uvarov
Key questions • Byzantium, Kiev and Orthodox belief • Autocracy • Relationship to Europe • Relationship to Asia • Inferior or superior • Imperial vs national
Outline • Russia‘s disputed past • Kievan Rus‘, the “Mongolian yoke“ and the rise of Moscow • Expansion and Westernization 1600-1800 4. Russia in the 19th century 5. Conclusion Appendix: Timeline 1801-1881
Timeline I: The Principality of Kiev • The Principality of Kiev
1000 1200
1300 1400
Timeline II: the ‘Mongolian yoke‘ • Mongolian heritage – for 200 years part of a Mongolian empire (1240 – middle of the 15th c.)
Aleksander Nevsky during the Battle of Lake Peipus or Battle of the Ice, 1242, scene from Alexander Nevsky by Sergei Eisenstein, 1938 Battle of Kulikovo, 1380, Painting 1850
The Principality of Moscow: Geography • Forests in Moscovian heartland • Peripheral location • Vast Russian plain • Dense and viable network of rivers • Spring and autumn: mud, time of immobility
Timeline III: The Rise of Moscow • Byzantine heritage – Orthodox faith – Third Rome
The Gathering of the Lands of the Golden Horde • After end of Mongolian Empire and defeat of successors – power vacuum in the East, filled by Moscow • Conquest of Kazan and Astrakhan 1555 • Conquest of Kazakh steppe • Colonization of Siberia • Subjugation of Central Asia
1500 1600
Moscow and the idea of the Third Rome • After fall of Constantinople 1453 Moscow princes see themselves as legitimate heirs of orthodox emperor • 17th – 19th centuries: several wars against Ottoman Empire • Access to the Black Sea • Conquest of Crimea • Caucasus and Transcaucasus with orthodox Georgian nation • Russian Emperor: Protector of Orthodox population in Ottoman Empire
Autocracy • Greek origin: self-ruler (samoderzhets) • Form of government • Unlimited power held by one individual • Used by Byzantine Emperor • Transferred with idea of Third Rome to Moscow Measures: • Ivan IV: Oprichnina 1564 ff: persecution of old nobility with help of 'oprichniki' • Sack of Novgorod in 1570
Outline • Russia‘s disputed past • Kievan Rus‘, the “Mongolian yoke“ and the rise of Moscow • Expansion and Westernization 1600-1800 4. Russia in the 19th century 5. Conclusion Appendix: Timeline 1801-1881
Timeline III: Expansion • Influences of Western and Central Europe (Polish, German, Swedish, French) – 17th c. – 20th c.
The Gathering of the Lands of the Rus • Conquest of Novgorod • Several wars against the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth • 1654 Treaty of Pereyaslav with Cossack Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky • 1667 Peace Treaty of Andrusovo, West Bank Ukraine and Eastern part of Belarus join Russian Empire • 1772 First Partition of Poland, Right Bank Ukraine and Western part of Belarus • Russian Emperor: Protector of Orthodox population in Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth • 1793/95 Second and Third Partition of Poland, eastern half of Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth goes to Russian Empire
Timeline 4: Westernisation • 1682/1689-1725 Peter I. (the Great) • 1697 “Grand Embassy” to Western Europe • Government and administrative reforms – more effective administration: Swedish, Dutch, German example • Land tax and household tax replaced by capitation: payable also by serfs • Reform of the Russian Orthodox Church: Patriarch of Moscow replaced by Holy Synod (10 clergymen) • 1721 Title “Emperor” • 1722 Introduction of a new order of precedence: the Table of ranks: privileges of nobility based on state service
Access to the Baltic Sea • Great Northern War against Sweden 1699-1721 • Conquest of Ingermanland • 1703 Foundation of St.Petersburg • Integration of Estonia and Livonia 1721 • 1809 Finland becomes part of the Russian Empire
Battle of Poltava, 1709: Russia vs. Sweden and Cossack Allies (Mazepa) Beginning of end of Cossack autonomy
Catherine the Great Portrait by Dmitry Levitsky
Timeline 4: Westernisation II • 1761 under Peter III.: Liberty of nobility: no longer obliged to serve in the military or civil service • 1762-1796 Catherine II. (the Great): Westernisation continues • Enlightened Absolutism: administrative reforms, attempt to organise society in well defined social groups – estates • Charter to the Nobility (1785) and Charter to the Towns • 1790 Aleksandr N. Radishchev publishes “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow”: attack on serfdom and autocracy
Outline • Russia‘s disputed past • Kievan Rus‘, the “Mongolian yoke“ and the rise of Moscow • Expansion and Westernization 1600-1800 4. Russia in the 19th century 5. Conclusion Appendix: Timeline 1801-1881
Influences • Byzantine heritage – Orthodox faith – Third Rome • Mongolian heritage – for 200 years part of a Mongolian empire (1240 – middle of the 15th c.) • Influences of Western and Central Europe (Polish, German, Swedish, French) – 17th c. – 20th c.
Key questions: new challenges in the age of nationalism • What is Russia? What is Russia's role in the world? • Relationship to Europe, to Asia • Autocratic tradition – no estates: weakness of society • Nobility vs. Peasants (serfs) • Weak middle class • 'Backwardness' • Multiethnic empire
Problems of nation building • Serfdom until 1861 • Liberation without land (peasants have to pay for it) • Non-Russian peasants in periphery of Empire have often more rights than Russian peasants • Gulf between nobility/elite and peasants • Weakness of Russian Orthodox Church – since 17th c. tool of autocracy • Late introduction of self-administration (zemstva) • Gulf between autocracy and educated elite • Empire vs. Russian nation (enormous role of non-Russians in imperial bureaucracy) • Great Russians are not absolute majority of population • National movements in periphery • Challenge by socialism • The Russian Empire is overstretched Dilemma: to compete with the other Great Powers modernisation needed, effective modernisation co-operation of elites, education of population… But… end of autocratic rule, sharing of power, education also vehicle for ‘wrong’ – revolutionary or reformist ideas – scared of peasant uprising
Outline • Russia‘s disputed past • Kievan Rus‘, the “Mongolian yoke“ and the rise of Moscow • Expansion and Westernization 1600-1800 4. Russia in the 19th century 5. Conclusion Appendix: Timeline 1801-1881