th
19
Century Russia
Revolution to Reform to Revolution
(again)
19th Century Czar overview
The last of the Romanov Dynasty-Alexander I
1801-1825 (Decembrists)
Nicholas I
1825- 1855
Alexander II
1855- 1881(reformer= kaboom!)
Alexander III
1881-1894
Nicholas II –
1894-1917 (last one)
Alexander I
1801-1825
Czar defeated Napoleon I
Congress of Vienna
Holy Alliance
Liberal to Conservative agenda
Dies suddenly in 1825
Brother Constantine refuses thronehesitation leads to Decembrist- youngest
brother Nicholas takes throne
Nicholas I 1825-1855
Conservative
Secret Police
Little reform
agrarian economy
Territory expansion in Balkan – Black Sea
area
Begins Crimean War 1854- dies 1855
Consequences of Crimean War
New warfare technologies-RR, shell-firing
cannon, breech loading rifle, steam
powered ships
Telegraph effects news coverage of front
lines-created negative public opinion
***severed alliance of Austria & Russia
****ended Russia territory gain in Black
Sea region
Alexander II 1855-1881 “Great Reforms”
Defeated in Crimean-forces path of reform
Military reform- end serf conscription
farm to industry
Emancipation of serfs
Better farming techniques
Reduce power of nobility
Emancipation of Serfs
1861-50 million serfs freed
Mir- community of former serfs, male
leader
Allocation of land – not free -paid to
government through long term loans
Huge debt burden to freed serf
Yet freedom means more rights–
somewhat!!
Local administration Reform
Zemstovs--regional councils where
aristocrats directed local matters
ex. education, public health , welfare
Conservative but relaxation of censorship
and travel for nobility
Exposed to European ideas
use new ways to solve problems
Military Reform
1874- government ends 25 year
conscription- now 6 years
Promote education
Increased military efficiency
Humane treatment of recruits
Fitness of Russian soldiers improves—
close to level of other European
counterparts
Judicial Reform
All Russians access to modern courts
Remove serf from landowner or secret
justice
Principle of equal justice before the law
introduced– but not always followed
Reforms bring resistance
Nobility sees power diminished
Nihilist- youthful nobles reject aristocratic
leisure- turn to peasant & worker lifestyle
Russification against ethnic groupslanguage education repression to reduce
threat of rebellion
Throughout Reforms- Czar and inner circle
allow few other to share in power
Russia + Imperialism
East through Asia
Siberia- Vladivostok
Trans-Siberian Railroad
Port Arthur on Pacific-1898 leased from
China
Turkistan
Parts of Afghanistan
Unrest in Russia-Secret societies
1871- Reform runs course
Youth turn to revolutionary ideas to
stimulate additional social and political
reform-Secret police increase
Populists- incite indebted peasants to
revolt
Land and Liberty-then People’s Will –
assassinate Alexander II in 1881
Alexander IIIConservative- rejects all liberal reform
New wave of oppressionOpriniche- secret police unchecked power
to spy
Intensifed Russification program
Oppression of Russian Jews
Pogroms- Pale of Settlement- scapegoats
Dies in 1894
Nicholas II– last Czar
Weak ruler
Inherits 18th century country entering the
20th century
Still agrarian– little industry
Serge Witte- chief minister- increases
industrialization pushes for reformpractical man- retires 1908
Peter Stolypin- continues Witte policiesassassinated in 1913
Family
Alexandra- wife, German, Victoria’s
granddaughter nickname- Sunny
Olga
Tatiana
Marie
Anastasia
Alexis- hemophilia- Rasputin,( Mad Monk)
Political Issues
Russo- Japanese War 1904-1905
Humiliating defeat for Russia- but TR got
the Nobel Peace Prize for the peace treaty
Duma- elected congress- little powerSD’s, Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, Const. D’s
Kerensky and Kornilov
1905 Revolution- Bloody Sunday
300 y anniversary- Romanov Rule 1913
Coming of WWI
Triple Alliance – FRE/E
Assassination of Francis Ferdinand – heir
to A-H throne
Princip- member of Black Hand, Serbian
revolutionary group
Leaders of the Bolsheviks
Lenin- Land, Bread, Peace
Trotsky
Bukanin
Stalin