1. Russian Absolutism

2.  By the end of the middle ages, Russia had gained its independence from Mongol rule.  In the late 1400's, the rulers of Moscow gained considerable power and began to extend their control over the rest of Russia.  In 1533, Ivan IV, “Ivan the Terrible” came to power. He became the first Russian ruler to be known as Czar.  During Ivan's reign, Russia began its expansion eastward into Siberia.  To insure loyalty of his subjects, Ivan prohibited the free movement of peasants. This began absolutist control.  In 1613, Michael Romanov became Czar. He founded the Romanov dynasty which would rule Russia for the next 300 years and extended absolutism. Background of Russian Absolutism

3. Russia ROMANOV DYNASTY NameReign Michael Romanov1613 - 1645 1645 - 1676 Alexis I1645 - 1676 Fedor1676 - 1682 Ivan V1682 - 1689 Peter I, the Great1689 - 1725 Catherine I1725 - 1727 Peter II1727 - 1730 Anna1730 - 1740 Ivan VI1740 - 1741 Elizabeth1741 - 1762 Peter III1762 - 1762 Catherine II, the Great1762 - 1796 Paul I 1796 - 1801 Alexander I1801 - 1825 Nicholas I1825 - 1855 Alexander II1855 - 1881 Alexander III1881 - 1894 Nicholas II1894 - 1917

4. Peter the Great (1689-1725) u In 1697 Peter made an “incognito” grand tour of Western Europe in search of alliances uWhile on tour he observed and experienced western technology and culture uPeter became obsessed with bringing these ideas back to Russia (westernization) uHe began modernization and expansion of Russia, often through ruthless suppression of peasants and serfs uHe began heavily taxing the lower classes to heavily to pay for the westernization. uHe built St. Petersburg as his “Window to the West” uBy the end of his reign, Russia began emerging as a rising power. uThis growth would continue under a successor “Catherine the Great”

5. Catherine the Great (1762-1796) uContinued Peter the Great’s policies of expansion uExtended serfdom to newly acquired territories uExpanded Russian territory to the Black Sea and Crimean Peninsula uEnacted numerous “enlightened policies and reforms” however she did not make reforms with serfdom uPassed laws prohibiting complaints of serfs against their masters uBy the end of her reign 34 million of the 36 million Russians were serfs (94%)

6. The Royal Palaces