Transcript Russia From Mongols, to Muscovy, to Czarism

From Mongols, to Muscovy, to Czarism
AP European History
Ms. Pugh
(portions and layout were taken from a Essex High School (Vermont) Presentation)
Early History
• 862 the “Rus” (Viking tribes) began to organize in what is now the
Ukraine – they were settlers from Scandinavia and had traveled
along water routes.
• 962 the “Kievan Rus” was established in Novgorod.
Russian Orthodox Christianity
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In the 10th century, Vladimir sought out a
religion for his people. The legend 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.
• Mongols gain control
Russia, known as the
Golden Horde
• 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.
• After the fall of Constantinople, Ivan III (1462-1505)
referred to his empire as "the Third Rome" and
considered it heir to the Byzantine tradition.
• Ivan IV (the Terrible) (1530-1584) was the first Russian
ruler to call himself czar. He pushed Russian eastward
with his conquests
• Ivan was succeeded by Boris Godunov, whose reign
commenced the so-called Time of Troubles. Relative
stability was achieved when Michael Romanov
established the Romanov Dynasty that ruled 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
getting Russia up to
speed
• The Great Embassy
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 Peter
Goal: 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
Peter the Great
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
• Establishment of
industry – mini
Industrial Revolution
that was supported by
the state.
Religious “Reform”
• Did away with the Russian Patriarch (like a
pope, but with less power)
• Holy Synod would make decisions
Peter the Great
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
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.
• Russia wasn’t ready for Peter and his reforms.
• His reforms can be considered to be aimed primarily at
making Russia stronger militarily, to help Russia fight
wars.
• Because Peter initiated all of the reforms on his own,
all of them could be changed after he died
• There was now less emphasis on the idea of the state
representing the rule of God, instead on initiating its
own ideas and letting them stand for themselves, on
their own merit.
• Serfdom
From Peter to Catherine – a Quick
Peek – more details later
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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
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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
Louis XIV
Peter I
Peasants
Nobles
Military
Other