From Mongols, to Muscovy, to Czarism

AP European HistoryMs. Pugh

(portions and layout were taken from a Essex High School (Vermont) Presentation)

Early History

• The earliest inhabitants of “Russia” were from Scandinavian areas.

• About 862 these groups began to settle in what is now the Ukraine.

• The center of the Rus Territory was Novgorod. This is called the Kieven Rus period.

Russian Orthodox Christianity• In the 10th century, Vladimir sought out a

religion for his people. The legend (take it for what it is worth) of how he chose Orthodox Christianity is as follows:

• He sent men to study Catholicism, Islam, and Judaism.

• The man who went to study Catholicism returned and mentioned that Catholics had to answer to the Pope – Vladimir did not want to answer to anyone – No to Catholicism

• The man who went to study Islam returned and informed Vladimir that Muslims could not drink alcohol – No to Islam

• The man who went to study Judaism returned and reported that Jews did not have to answer to any man and they could drink – Vladimir liked this, but at the same time…

• A merchant returned from the Byzantine World would drawings of Orthodox Christian Churches and icons. Vladimir was so overcome with their beauty (and the fact there was not a “pope” and alcohol was not forbidden) that he chose Orthodox Christianity as the religion of Russia.

Mongols

• In 1240, Kiev was destroyed by the Mongols and the Russian territory was split into numerous smaller dukedoms.

• Golden Horde – period of Mongol control

• Mongols do not disrupt Russian culture

• Decline of Mongols after 100-200 years of rule

• Rise of Muscovy – shift from Kiev to Moscow

Muscovy

• After the Mongols were pushed out of Russia, power shifted from Kiev to Moscow.

• Constantinople was the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. With its fall to the Muslim Ottoman Empire, Ivan III called Moscow the new center of Christianity or the “Third Rome.”

• Ivan IV (the Terrible) (1530-1584) was the first Russian ruler to call himself czar. He pushed Russia eastward with his conquests.

• After Ivan, a period of time called the Time of Troubles began. The next secure ruler of Russia was Michael Romanov. He was elected as ruler and after him the Romanovs held onto the throne of Russia until 1917.

Social Classes

• There were two main “classes” in Russian history

1. Cossacks – peasants

2. Boyars – nobles

Romanovs

• Michael Romanov – was elected to be Czar/Tzar/Tsar (sounds like Caesar), but afterwards the ruling family of Russia was inherited.

• Alexis became Czar in 1645 and ruled until 1676. • His son Fedor (Theodore) III became Czar and was

basically competent, but he was physically deformed and had some problems ruling. He died and his two brothers Ivan V and Peter I were declared co-Czars. Ivan was mentally retarded, so their sister really ruled until Peter was old enough to.

Peter the Great

• Struggle for the crown• Russia = Backward,

100 years behind• Westernization

– Reforms aimed at making Russia “European”

European Tour

• When Peter was young he went on a tour of Europe.

• He traveled in disguise and even performed manual labor along the way.

• He became convinced that Russia needed to become as “westernized” as Europe.

St. Petersburg, 1703

• Peter sought easy access to the Baltic Sea -- needed for trade and military

• Peter builds a new capital – St. Petersburg

Cultural Reforms of PeterGoal: aimed to “westernize” society,

little impact on the peasantry• Clothing changed to German style• The Boyars were forced to shave

their beards.• The calendar was changed to

more closely resemble that of Europe.

• Language - a written language was established.

• Education - increase in the number of schools, attendance, and emphasis on education.

• Architecture

Social Reform

• Table of Ranks (civil service)

• Serfs - sold to factories, this is the first time they’re mentioned in law and it serves to condone serfdom.

• Education - more schools, more requirements

• Church reform - establishment of Holy Synod, reorganization of clergy

Peter the Great

Political / Institutional Reform

• Law of Succession - says the successor is the choice of the ruler, leads to trouble in succession.

• Colleges

• Municipal / Provincial reform

Peter the Great

Economic reform

• Poll tax – one of the few taxes the nobility got to pay.

• Establishment of industry – mini Industrial Revolution that was supported by the state.

Peter the Great

Religious “Reform”

• Did away with the Russian Patriarch (like a pope, but with less power)

• Holy Synod would make decisions

Military reform

• Military made up of both Cossacks and Boyars

• Boyars were forced into service – way of controlling them

• Issued Table of Rank which defined someone’s social status based upon military rank

• Founded the navy• 200,000 men drafted – for

life

Peter the Great

Expansion and Conquest

• Russia won the Great Northern War (1700-21) against Sweden’s Charles XII including the Battle of Poltava (1709) and signed the Peace of Nystad (1721) ending the war.

• Russia annexed Latvia and Estonia

Other Fun Facts

• Peter the Great was 6’8” tall

• He sent his first wife to a nunnery, he later married a servant

• Had ten legitimate children

• Had his oldest son killed

Peter – a Legacy

• He simply tried to do too much.He simply tried to do too much.• Russia wasn’t ready for Peter and his reforms.Russia wasn’t ready for Peter and his reforms.• His reforms can be considered to be aimed primarily at His reforms can be considered to be aimed primarily at

making Russia stronger militarily, to help Russia fight making Russia stronger militarily, to help Russia fight wars.wars.

• Because Peter initiated all of the reforms on his own, Because Peter initiated all of the reforms on his own, all of them could be changed after he diedall of them could be changed after he died

• There was now less emphasis on the idea of the state There was now less emphasis on the idea of the state representing the rule of God, instead on initiating its representing the rule of God, instead on initiating its own ideas and letting them stand for themselves, on own ideas and letting them stand for themselves, on their own merit.their own merit.

• SerfdomSerfdom

From Peter to Catherine – a Quick Peek – more details later

• Catherine I (1725-1727)• Peter II (1727-1730)• Anna (1730-1740)• Ivan VI (1740-1741)• Elizabeth (1741-1761)• Peter III (1761-1762)

-No dominant leader

-Continued Myth of the Benevolent Czar

Snapshot of Russian Society

• Peasantry – 90% (47% public, 53% private)

• Townspeople – 3%

• Clergy – 1%

• Nobility – 1% (3% owned 50% of serfs)

Nobility

Clergy

Townspeople

Peasantry

Catherine the Great(1762-1796)

• Seizure of power – the coup

• German Czarina• Sought to continue in

Peter’s footsteps• More on her later --

Russia – Themes: 1450 -1750

• Culturally distinct (not Europe, not Asia)

• Backward (no Renaissance, no Reformation) but attempts to catch up through state-sponsored Westernization

• Rural (95% of population)

• Serfdom (until 1861)

• Strong Nobility – ever-present Myth of the Benevolent Czar

Assignment

Create a comparison chart of Louis XIV and Peter the Great.

Monarch Peasants Nobles Military Other

Louis XIV

Peter I