RUSSIA UNDER THE ROMANOVS
IVAN THE TERRIBLE (1553-1584)
beginnings of tsarist absolutism
TIME OF TROUBLES (1584-1613)
aristocratic (boyar) rebellion
zemsky sobor: national boyar assembly
claims right to elect tsar
period of feudal anarchy, church as one stable institution
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH: Moscow as "third Rome" (Constantinople is 2cd)
PATRIARCH OF NIKON (1652-1666): religious
crisis
Greek Orthodox ceremonial changes versus
strict Russian "Old Believers": collective suicides
MICHAEL
ROMANOV (1613-1645)
elected by zemsky sobor
son of Patriarch of Moscow, grandnephew of Ivan the Terrible
TSAR ALEXIS (1645-1676)
hereditary principle still weak
1649 decree on serfdom
last legislative act of zemsky sobor
imposes serfdom on all peasants (90%) of population
1667-71: peasant revolt under STEPHEN RAZIN
supported by Cossacks, serfs, army deserters, Old Believers
1670 march on Moscow defeated by Tsarist army;
Razin executed
PETER THE GREAT: born 1672, died 1725; becomes Tsar at 4
1682-89 Sophia as Regent for Ivan & Peter (joint Tsars)
1689 Peter survives plot, becomes sole Tsar
Projects and reforms:
Opening to the West
Seaports at Archangel on Arctic Ocean, Azov on Black Sea
1697-98 Trip to western Europe: military and industry
1698: return to Russia to suppress revolt of Streltsky Guard
modernizing regulations: calendar reform, no beards
1699-1721 Swedish War: takes site of St. Petersburg
1703: starts construction of St. Petersburg
Expansion of government
1705 conscription; builds up military
1718 office of “tax inventor”; creates poll tax:
head tax on peasantry, collected by landlords
1722 Table of Ranks: civil, military, court service
1732 canal system linking St. Petersburg to Volga
Mercantilist policies: govt. sponsored
industrial enterprises
1719 College of Manufactures to train workers
1721 grants noble status to industrial entrepreneurs
Problem of succession:
1716 executes his own son Alexis for opposing Peter's reforms
1722 decrees that tsar should select own successor; died 1725
1725-62: period of weak rulers
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PETER III (1762)
grandson of Peter the Great, marries German princess
CATHERINE THE GREAT (1762-1796)
Russia's 18th century enlightened despot