Located in the middle of two continents Europe and Asia. An Empire governed by the Tsars in an absolutist way, concentrating all the power in the figure of the Tsar. An unquestionable power, they decided on war, laws, institutional positions and religion. His power was infinite and nothing and no one could stand in the way of his power, much less question it. We talk about Russian Empire: Origin, reigns, expansion and declinehow it came about, who were its greatest representatives and how it disappeared, then we will explain everything to you.
History and origin of the Russian Empire
Can’t understand the Russian empire without knowing how Russia emerged as a nation, ultimately its history. This story begins with the arrival of East Slavic and Finnish tribes.
It was not until the year 882 when Oleg of Novgorodbelonging to the Novgorod region, united northern Novgorod with southern kyiv. From this union came the first East Slavic state, the so-called Kievan Rus’.
In the year 944, the son of Oleg, Igor of kyiv, tried to occupy a part of Constantinople, his raid was unsuccessful. Despite the failure, if he got a trade agreement very important with the Byzantine Empire. As a consequence of the influence of the Empire, led to christianization of the Kievan Rus.
This approach got merge both cultures, the Slavic and the Byzantine. A union that was maintained over time for the next seven centuries.
However, the rivalry between the various principalities by the territorial predominance of the Rus of kyiv, ended up disintegrating said unification. Given this weakness, Mongol Tatars took the opportunity to finish dominating the entire regiondomain that would last until the sixteenth century.
In this period, as Europe advanced, the Russian territories had become isolated and very backward territories.
Nevertheless the northern territories NovgorodThey continued to prosper. Despite suffering two terrible Mongol attacks that devastated hercreated a new entity, Muscovywhich in the thirteenth century, was renamed, the great Principality of Moscowa principality that centuries later would give rise to the Russian Czar.
It wouldn’t be until early 16th centurywhen a figure of vital importance arises, Ivan the Terrible (1533-1584) whoever head of the Principality of Moscow.
After the separation of an already disintegrated Mongol empire, he founded the Russian state of Muscovyplacing its capital in Moscow. Ivan made himself Tsar or what is the same Great King of the entire Russian Empire.
If you want to know more about the person of Ivan the Terrible, we recommend: Ivan “The Terrible” – Biography of Ivan IV of Russia
a reign marked by absolutism that he would be able to enlarge the Russian empire with the force of his arms. With the death of Ivan the Terrible, arose internal disputesdisputes that ceased in 1613, when Michael Romanoff took Moscow and where he was proclaimed the new tsar. Thus began a new dynasty that would last until the fall of Nicholas II in 1917.
Peter I the Great
Pedro I, nicknamed El Grande, was the most important czar and darling of the Romanoff dynasty. aware of the shortcomings of your countrydid not hesitate to get his own fleet learning from the great Dutch ships.
East worked undercover in a dutch shipyard where he learned both how to build the best ships and the art of sailing.
Once the necessary knowledge was acquired, he transferred it to Russia where he directed the construction of many of his vessels.
He did something similar with the army, creating a battalion and participating as a soldier in the. Thus, little by little, a great prestige throughout Europe. But among the most significant events of his government, it was undoubtedly the war he had with the King of SwedenCharles XII.
Sweden had the trade hegemony between the northern countries, so Denmark, Poland and Russia decided to form a customs alliance that he succeeded in ruining Swedish trade.
the swedish king Charles XIIHe was a soldier with an impeccable career and a great strategist who did not hesitate to attack each of the members of this new alliance one by one.
beat denmark, whom he dispossessed of part of their territories, forcing them to sign peace with conditions considered humiliating. After started it with Poland, capturing their king Augustus II. The third confrontation would have it against Peter the Great. Charles XII invaded russiabut this Russia was a renewed and modern Russia.
What no one expected happened. Peter the Great defeated him at the Battle of Pultawa, forcing the Swedish king to flee to Turkey, where wounded, he found refuge. This battle marked the end of the war and Peter the Great from this moment dedicated himself to governing and modernizing the country.
If you want more information about Charles XII of Sweden, we recommend The impenetrable Russia vs. Charles XII
modernized the country and expanded the borderswhere:
- Were created irrigation canals.
- Established many workshops and factories.
- I know founded a Naval Schoola School of Surgery and one School of engineers.
- I know created an aristocratic Senate with legislative and judicial functions.
- I know organized the armiescreating the military rankgiving the opportunity to people without a noble title to ascend to the ranks of officers
- started a holy synodthat is, a council of bishops in charge of religious affairs
- I know economic condition improved of the peasants.
- moved the capital to a new town called St. Petersburgbaptized with the same name (Ciudad de Pedro)
- expanded the borders Empire:
- It expanded towards the Baltic Seaobtaining territory from the Swedes, after their defeat.
- Towards the Black Seadispossessing the Turks of the territories they had wrested from the Eastern Roman Empire.
- To Poland
in 1721officially what had been the Russian Tsardom, was renamed Russian empire.
Catherine I
On the death of her husband and without having made her succession clear, in 1724, Catherine was crowned empress From Russia. Catalina was a great support for her husband, she was also his adviser on matters of state.
had a lot importance in reform what Peter I did about the army, ending the monopoly that the noble classes had. Also He promoted the appointment of public positions based on their worth and not to their titles, which led to the support of their people.
During the council meeting that would give the name of the successor, the statesman Menshikovright hand of the late Tsar, supported by the regiments of guards related to Catherine, took a hit. Thus she was proclaimed with the title of Empress of Russia. But it was not only the regiments and the Tsar’s secretary who welcomed said appointment, it also had the Bishop Pskov’s support.
We can say that Catalina had the support of the “new men”, not belonging to the traditional Russian aristocracy. However, Catherine’s power was closer to Menshikov, Peter Tolstoy and other members of the Supreme Council than to the Empress herself.
Catherine’s reign met the opposition from traditional clergy and Slavic landed noblesthe main victims of the reforms carried out by Pedro I. In addition, the common people did not understand how they had not followed the dynastic rights that they should land on Pedro.
Peter the Great he had previously been married to Eudoxia Lopujina whom he rejected in favor of Catalina. However, from that first union an heir was born Alexis Petrovich, who seems to be, he ordered executed. At the same time Alexis had also had offspring, Pedro. All these events led to a period of continuous hit of State.
Catherine’s short reign was characterized by continuing with the modernization initiated by the Tsaralthough always advised by Ménshikov and other favorite advisers. The High Secret Council was createdattributing functions that were previously carried out by the Senate.
This transfer of power generated a lack of agreement among the nobility, which ended up dividing into many parties. To solve this discomfort, Catherine named Prince Pedro as heir.
In foreign policy, Catherine supported the Austro-Spanish league, to support the Duke of Holstein. The Duke was married to his daughter, Princess Anna Petrovna, and parents of the one who would become Tsar under the name of Peter III.
Other policies that he carried out was to guarantee the security of maritime transport in the Atlantic, forming the League of Neutrals along with the Scandinavian countries. a league that isolated England internationally during the War of Independence of the United States.
continued to support the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciencesfounded by her husband, hiring mathematicians of great renown. Made and improved infrastructureas are the construction of numerous bridges in St. Petersburg.
Catherine I died two years later of the death of her husband, due to tuberculosis at the age of 43.
the Romanovs
After the death of Ivan IV, Ivan the Terrible, as we have seen at the beginning, different disputes arose to rise to power. It was not until 1613, when an assembly made up of nobles put an end to the disputes, choosing as Tsar Michael I of Russia, great-nephew of Ivan IV. who, as we have seen, began the Romanov dynasty.
On the death of Michael I, succeeded by his son Alexis I of Russia in the year 1645, after her grandson who would reign with the name of Theodore III (Fyodor III) of Russia in 1676. On his death no offspring, a convulsive period begins for the succession to the throne between the different heirs. The possible heirs were Pedro and his stepbrothers Iván and Sofía.
Own Ivan proclaimed himself King in 1682 with the name of Ivan V and under the regency of his sister Sofia. Nevertheless, Peter prevailed in 1689 with the name of Peter I the Great. With him begins a period of expansion and modernization of Russia, being the first king to adopt the title of Tsar of all the Russias.
It was Peter himself who changed inheritance lawsruling that it would be the Tsar himself who would freely designate his successor.
Coincidences of fate, the Tsar died without establishing his succession. the boyarsnoble Slavic landowners, appointed as successor to his wife Catherine I in 1725.
Upon Catherine’s death, ascends the throne his grandson Pedro II in 1727. On Pedro’s death three years later, he was succeeded Anna Ivanovna in 1730who would reign with the name of Anne I.
After Anne’s deaththe title of Tsar fell to the German Ivan VI in 1740reigning only one year. Then the Throne returned again to the Romanov familyascending the throne Czarina Isabel I, granddaughter of Pedro I in 1741. With the death of Czarina Isabel the lineage is extinct.
From now on, hehe House that would reign would be that of Holstein-Gottorpalthough they continued retaining the Romanov name or Romanoff.
On Elizabeth’s death, the throne is occupied by her nephewPeter III in 1761he filled the court with german influence. His great admiration for Frederick II the Great of Prussia spelled the end of the Seven Years’ War.
However, and depending on the historians, a conspiracy of the nobility and the clergy or of his wife,…