1. Age of Absolutism: Russia

2. Russian Isolation Prior 1480, under Mongol rule for 200 yrs
Western civilization reached Russia through Byzantine Empire
Eastern Orthodox religion
Cyrillic alphabet
Virtually landlocked; no rivers flow to seas that hosted trade routes (or were frozen in winter)

3. Evolution of a “Western” Monarchy
Czar Ivan IV the Terrible; absolute monarch; dies 1584
Period of nobility unrest/invasions by neighboring countries; national assembly elects Michael Romanov (grandnephew of Ivan IV)
Romanovs were a large, powerful family from Moscow of the 1300s

4. Romanov Dynasty Romanovs strengthen absolutism in Russia
Suppressed all protests
Brought groups such as the south Russian Cossacks under their rule
Developing into a power
Peter I the Great becomes czar in 1682
Shared the throne with half brother and half sister until 1689; he becomes sole leader of Russia

5. Peter I the Great Ruled Russia until 1725
Believed Russia needed to become more like Europe (more “Western”)
Major goal: acquire warm-water port
Looking to the Sea of Azov or Black Sea
Both controlled by Ottoman Empire
Needs stronger army
Needs Europe’s help

6. Peter I the Great 1697 Peter secretly goes to western Europe
Tries to negotiate alliance but not successful
Does meet with scientists and artisans
Learns many western customs
Works in Dutch shipyard to learn shipbuilding
Returns to Russia, reorganizes army following French model
1700 starts war with Sweden, looking for port along Baltic Sea; wins war in 1721; declares Russia to be an empire

7. Peter I the Great
St. Petersburg; Peter builds completely new city following western plans and architecture, 1703
Moves capital city from Moscow to St. Petersburg 1712; represents new, western Russia

8. Peter I the Great Social changes
Women have more freedoms/role in society
Nobles must shave long beards; dress in western style
Changes in government administration
Encouraged local industry and foreign trade
Ended arranged marriages
Changed from the Russian calendar to the Julian

9. Peter I the Great Followed absolutist ideals of Louis XIV
Control the nobility
“service nobility” – noble’s rank depended upon service to the czar-called Table of Ranks; granted large estates with 1000s of serfs for service
Increase number of serfs; bound now to land and lord; conditions worsen
Lord is now bound to czar; required to maintain home in St. Petersburg
Orthodox Church comes under his control
Peter crowns his 2nd wife Catherine as Empress 1724; Peter dies 1725

10. Romanov Dynasty Peter I the Great dies Catherine I (wife) takes throne
Born to peasant family
Never learned to read/write
Reigned for two years
First woman to rule imperial Russia

11. The Road to Catherine II the Great

12. Catherine II the Great
Supported the arts, including art, science, literature, and theater
Believed in western European ideals of enlightened political reform
Considered political reforms
Considered law changes to make all citizens equal

13. Catherine II the Great Depended upon the support of the nobility
Did not enact any reforms to keep their support
Focused on the strength of Russia and territory expansion
Looks to expand to the east & west

14. Catherine II the Great Westward Expansion:
Kingdom of Poland:, large country in central Europe; Polish nobles having trouble electing a king, also weakened over ethnic and religious differences
Looked to Prussia, Austria, and Russia for help
They take advantage of the situation, 1772 seized land from Poland in series of “Partitions”, Russia takes the majority portion
1795, last partition, Poland ceases to exist and Russia is a major European power

15. Catherine II the Great Eastward Expansion:
Russian settlers gradually moved eastward, particularly the Cossacks
Previously captured Mongol city of Sibir gives Russia access to Siberia with wealth of natural resources; increases power
Rich fur trade, built posts for trade and defense
Previous treaty with China opens trade there
By 1841 crossed Bering Strait into No. Am.; later expands southward

16. Catherine II the Great
Russia now reached well into Central Europe all the way through to North America
Russia now has to be considered in Europe’s “balance of power”
Dies 1796