RUSSIAN EMPIRE

• Why have historians generally paid more attention to southern Eurasia than northern Eurasia?

  • its population centers led to the large cities, big states, and thick trade routes 
  • southern eurasia’s agriculture-friendly temperature and soils stretch throughout Eurasia
  • north was colder and often seen as  a domain of pastoralist and less important and developed 
• What northern Eurasian group had a huge impact on the entire region in the thirteenth century?

  • Mongols 
• Who drove the Mongol “Golden Horde” out of Muscovy (Muscow)?

  • the rulers of Moscow, such as the Grand Dukes, led a combined army to drive the Mongol out of the area
• How long did the Romanovs rule the Russian Empire?

  • The Romanovs ruled the Russian Empire for approximately 304 years, from 1613 to 1917.
• Who were the serfs and who were the boyars in imperial Russia? What were their roles?

  • the serfs were peasants bound to the land
  • boyars were the nobles who owned the serfs
• How and where did the Russian Empire expand under the Romanovs?

  • Under the Romanovs, the Russian Empire expanded through a combination of military conquests, treaties, and colonization. Expansion occurred primarily eastward into Siberia, southward into Central Asia and the Caucasus, and westward into territories such as Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic region. Major cities like Kiev, Kazan, and Astrakhan were conquered, and territories were acquired through treaties with neighboring states such as Sweden, Poland-Lithuania, and the Ottoman Empire
• Divine Right of Monarchy

  Russian rulers claimed their authority as being bestowed by divine will, portraying themselves as God's chosen leaders
• Belief in the tsar's divine right

  Justified their absolute rule and discouraged dissent
• Orthodox Church Endorsement

  The Orthodox Church played a crucial role in legitimizing the Russian monarchy
• Rulers patronized the Church

  Aligning themselves closely with religious institutions to gain support and legitimacy from the clergy and devout subjects
• Expansion and Conquest

  • Rulers expanded the Russian Empire through military conquests, particularly into Siberia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus
  • These territorial gains not only increased the empire's size but also enhanced the ruler's prestige and power
• Bureaucratic Centralization

  • Rulers centralized administrative power, establishing a bureaucratic system to govern the vast empire effectively
  • This centralized control allowed rulers to maintain order, collect taxes, and enforce their authority across diverse regions
• Cultural Assimilation

  • Russian rulers promoted a sense of cultural unity and assimilation by imposing Russian language, customs, and Orthodox Christianity on conquered territories and diverse ethnic groups within the empire
  • This helped solidify loyalty to the central government
• Economic Development

  • Rulers pursued economic policies aimed at expanding trade, agriculture, and industry to strengthen the empire's economy and increase their own wealth and power
  • This included initiatives such as promoting trade routes, developing infrastructure, and encouraging settlement in newly acquired territories
• Military Strength

  • Maintaining a powerful military was essential for consolidating power in the Russian Empire
  • Rulers invested heavily in the military, modernizing their armed forces and expanding their military capabilities to defend the empire's borders and suppress internal dissent
• Role of the Orthodox Church in Muscovy/Russia

  • Close relationship with the state, often serving as a tool for political control and legitimacy
  • The tsar was seen as the protector of the Orthodox faith
  • The Church played a significant role in state affairs, including education, administration, and cultural life
• Role of Orthodoxy in Muscovy/Russia

  • Central to Russian cultural identity, shaping customs, traditions, and societal norms
  • The Church played a crucial role in preserving and promoting Russian cultural heritage, language, and values
• Influence of the Orthodox Church on the expansion of Muscovy/Russia

  • The concept of "Moscow as the Third Rome" fueled territorial ambitions and the spread of Orthodox Christianity to newly conquered lands
• • the romanovs demanded loyalty and service from the boyars, but the boyars wanted control of serfs in return
  • the romanovs cooperated, which is how serfdom came to be
• • serfs and cossacks were done with the taxation and poor treatment and rebelled in the 17th century
• • cossacks were supposed to be an egalitarian society but were put fown by the romanov armies
• • The Romanovs were a prominent dynasty that ruled Russia from 1613 until the Russian Revolution in 1917