1. By: Kathy Hill, Becca Cashion, Ava Fowler, and Margaret Morgan

2.  Irvin the Terrible’s Death30 year period of political instability. -Fighting for control of state Romanov  1613 instability restored with 1 st Romanov tsar, Michael

3. Peter I the Great  End of century Peter I the Great transformed Russia into major European power -Only 10 years old when he became Tsar -Fascinated with technology o Even visited Dutch Republic to study manufactures and different companies. Listened to lectures on anatomy. Most importantly visited shipyards to learn shipbuilding, which he enjoyed. Applied what he had learned to the rest of his life. -Fashion: Forbade men to grow beards in Moscow, his court was ordered to dress in western clothes -Loved alcohol, coarse language, and practical jokes

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyLJ2ai KUOw

5.  1700, 2 decade struggle w/ Sweden for control of Baltic Sea. Why? To link eastern and western Europe. Peter saw that it was essential to have control in order to maintain major power.  Russia won! This was a turning point in their history.

6.  City built by Peter  Thought to be reason for success in securing the Baltic Port.  Became new capital of Russia  Forced skilled craftsmen to settle there with their families.

7.  Continued fighting w/ Sweden -Peter introduced up-to-date western drill and weapons -Built a Baltic Navy from scratch  TAXED EVERYTHING from “beehives to beards to baths” He did this in order to gain more $ for the military

8. Poltava  1709- Peter destroyed the Swedish army at this battle of Poltava -9,000 Swedes died, 16,000 surrendered  Swedes never recovered from this war.  At the end of the Great Northern War Peter was proclaimed the emperor of Russia.

9.  Peter continued to restructure Russian society  3 tiered hierarchy: Serfs (1/2 of Russian population, millions of them) Under control of landlords Worked without pay NO FREEDOM (resembled African slaves) Landlords Peter demanded they serve for a life in military or civilian administration State Services Had to work up from the bottom of their service branch up to the top on the basis of personal merit. This idea of “personal” merit was invented by Peter, called the Table of Ranks, and was even tested by himself when he rose through the ranks of the army and the navy.

10.  Most radical reform when Peter tried of abolish this order of bishops in the Eastern Orthodox Church  Never openly attacked Orthodoxy, but he was a Lutheran that was influenced by his beliefs  Replaced it with the Holy Synod, which was a council of clergy that supported Lutheran teachings by reducing the church to a simple department of state.

11.  1725-1762: Russia was allied with Austria against France, the Poles, the Swedes, and the Turks.  This encouraged Peter’s Policy of bringing Russia directly into the European system of international politics and diplomacy  1762-landlord class was cut out of Peter’s compulsory state service obligation. As a result the landlords served voluntarily since service brought prestige,influence, and wealth

12.  1762-Peter III became emperor Violent, crude, and dimwitted Feared Russians and loved Germans Lutheran and ordered all icons to be removed from Russian Churches while demanding Orthodox clergy to dress like Lutheran pastors Married to Sophie who plotted with courtiers to depose Peter in a palace coup d'état 6 months after Peter’s accession. Soon murdered (by his wife) and the conspirators deemed Sophie as his successor. Sophie ruled Russia for the next 34 years as Catherine II the Great

13. 1762-1796  One of Russia’s most powerful rulers  Continued Peter III’s polices by capturing all ecclesiastical lands (which continued to reduce the church’s independence from the state) Exempting the landlord class from compulsory state service  Gave large amounts of land and peasants to her “favorites” This increased the # of serfs  Expanded Russian territories of the north shore of the Black Sea, the Crimean peninsula, the northern Caucasus, and established the modern western boundaries of Russia  By the end of her reign, only 50% people in the Russian territories were Russian. Rest were different ethnic and religious communities Cultural diversity in the empire

14. 1740-1748 Frederick II of Prussia vs. Maria Theresa of Austria Rulers of Bavaria and Saxony challenged Maria Theresa’s right to rule (said there were more legitimate heirs to Charles VI) Frederick II wanted Silesia (wealthy territory in Austria) ○ Took advantage of Maria Theresa’s weakness because of the struggle over succession ○ Claimed Silesia belonged to Prussia and seized it ○ Britain and France joined in  War ended in 1748= Prussia victorious  kept Silesia France Prussia Britain Austria Vs.

15. 1756-1763 o War broke out again between Austria and Prussia over Silesia o In the meantime… France and Britain at war in North America Continued fighting in Europe and India over colonies o Shift in alliances BritainFrance vs. PrussiaAustria o Diplomatic revolution= this shift in alliances between European states

16.  Effects on Society: Frederick II of Prussia victorious  kept Silesia ○ Prussia now allied with Germany ○ Strain on Prussia’s finances and military (saved by Germany) Austria suffered a major loss after the Seven Years’ War ○ Shock of losing Silesia made Maria Theresa focus on building the state ○ Before the war: ○ She founded a military academy, expanding the government’s ability to house and supply its troops ○ Paid for reform by overhauling the state’s tax structure  made state taxation permanent ○ Founded a school to train state administrators ○ After the war: her reforms failed and she was forced to make changes ○ Increased revenue to pay for a better army ○ Improved serfs ○ Imposed new taxes on Catholic Church

17.  Maria Theresa died in 1780  Succeeded by her son, Joseph II  Wanted to strengthen Austria against Prussia  Pushed domestic forms in a radical direction Abolished serfdom Imposed state taxes on ex-serfs His reforms asserted direct state control  Landlords angered an rose up against him, peasants in support of him  Overall, the defeat resulted in increased peasant prosperity in Austria