Transcript Ch. 18: The Rise of Russia
Glynis
Ivan III (Ivan the Great) took control of Russia after it gained its independence from the Mongols in 1462.
emphasized Russian expansion and centralized rule Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) – next important tsar emphasized Russian expansion and controlling the boyars (aristocracy); known for his policies of terror
Expansionism
focused mostly on central Asia; however, they kept contacts with Europe tsars recruited peasant-adventurers (cossacks) as expansionists who both farmed and fought Loyal nobles and bureaucrats received land grants in the territories.
New agricultural area and labor
Time of Troubles – (1606 1613) power claims by the boyars after Ivan IV died without an heir, as well as Swedish and Polish attacks on Russian territory. As a solution, the boyars chose Michael Romanov as tsar.
Romanov dynasty lasted until the revolution in 1917
Michael Romanov - established order easily, drove out the foreign invaders, and resumed expansion.
Alexis Romanov - Michael’s successor; abolished the assemblies of nobles and had new power over the Russian church; wanted to purge the church of superstitions; his policies returned to the Orthodox tradition of state control over the church.
dissident religious conservatives called Old Believers were exiled to Siberia or southern Russia
emphasized tsarist control and expansionism autocrat took away much of aristocrats’ power and instead made non-nobles into bureaucrats and officials gave upper-class women more freedom and changed the appearance of the nobles created a Russian navy built up mining industry encouraged westernization after his death in 1724, there were decades of weak rule
wife of the late Peter III, ruled as Catherine II defended centralization, expanded Russia with success, put down the Pugachev rebellion lessened severity of punishments and instated nobles as bureaucrats and officers instead of as an independent force.
supported some ideas of the French Enlightenment and discussed Western-style law codes however, she rejected cultural influences from the West
Occurred during the reign of Catherine the Great Russia won agreements with Austria and Prussia to partition Poland, which was very weak there were three partitions (1772, 1793, and 1795) these partitions eliminated Poland as an independent state
Serfdom
The nobility increased its power over the serfs Serfdom satisfied the nobility and controlled the commoners By 1800, the system was very close to slavery
Trade and Economic Dependence
While Russia’s economic system worked well, there were still limitations After years of agricultural traditions, farmers were not motivated to improve This led to landlords working the serfs harder, and Russian manufacturing falling behind that of the West
Social Unrest
Russian peasants, while loyal to the tsar, were bitter to their landlords for taking their land The Pugachev rebellion of the 1770s was led by Emilian Pugachev, who promised an end to serfdom, taxation, and military conscription. The rebellion was ended with Pugachev’s execution, but this did not end unrest.