The Russian Empire 1450-1750 (SIGNIFICANCE Study Guide) Emma Westerhof
Society
Politics/Government
Religion/Culture
Intellectual Advances
Technology/
Infrastructure
Economy/Commerce
- Grand Prince or Czar
(Caesar) autocratic ruler +
above law; controlled lords,
manipulated peasants
- Boyars + Lords in practice
checked Czar’s ultimate
authority (e.g. Time of
Trouble = appt. Michael
Romanov); Zemsky Sobor
Assembly
- Ecclesiastical and monastic
authorities exercised power in
government + could persuade
rulers
- Secret police (Oprichnina)
terrorized peasants
- Historical background:
Cyril and Methodius from
Byzantine Empire spread
Orthodoxy to Kievan Rus
- After Constantinople fell,
center of Christianity moved
to Moscow (Third Rome)
- Russian Orthodox Church
unified lands under power of
Moscow + freed people from
Golden Horde
- As empire expanded, new
religions, languages,
ethnicities incorporated
creating a multinational
empire (sheer size)
- Russia was isolated from
rest of Europe and had
very few interactions with
foreigners/viewed as
huge, mysterious
underdog country in east
- Did not participate in
Enlightenment Movement
or Scientific Revolution
- Did not see intellectual
or artistic change postRenaissance
- Lagged behind Western
Europe and did not
contribute to intellectual
movements
- Infrastructure basically
nonexistent because of huge
territory, sparsely populated
regions, rivers run wrong way,
no seaports or control of
warm water regions, hard to
collect taxes and have
powerful administration with
few cities, could not trade
finished goods because of size
of empire, bad climate
- Technological advances were
few, but Ivan IV the Terrible
introduced muskets and
printing press to Russia
- Little to no outside contact or
communication with foreign
countries (rural foundation)
- Expanded to reach part of Qing
Empire, but little commercial
interaction
- Strogonov trade family led
exploration into Siberia to establish
control over region for natural
resources (fur)
- Few cities in Russia, so very little
interaction inside empire itself
(recovering from Golden Horde
period when Mongols neglected
culture, trade)
- Lack of roads prevented easy
transportation of goods
- Elite monopolized few goods
- Peter the Great declares
himself first “emperor” and
military leader (autocracy)started westernization
process; Catherine II talented
diplomat
- Church supported czar’s
rules; Church possessed great
power and influence in society
and politics
-Theocracy and autocracy
- Boyars + Lords +
Landholders rule on local
level and feudal system very
powerful
- Crunched down on peasants
whole period (rebellions,
taxes, etc.)
- Sparsely populated regions
easy to control; Cossacks
fought back or joined military
-Christian Orthodox
Church’s role in Russia
changes
- Diplomat granted
permission to be
patriarchate in Moscow
- Czar served as leader of
secular life, patriarchate
became leader of
ecclesiastical
- Relations between church
and state conflicting after
period of “symphonia”
- Peter I rescinds
patriarchate grant
- Russia not isolated, opened
new trade relations
- Culture westernized (elites
forced to adopt customs)
- HUGE advances
scientifically +
intellectually
- Peter the Great visited
foreign ally countries and
learned about Western
customs to bring back to
Russia
- Russian people wanted
to emulate and engage
Western Europe
- Elites adopted European
court styles, peasants
encouraged to adopt
Western traditions
- Education for masses
encouraged by Peter the
Great (churches provided
teaching to children)
- HUGE technological
advances because of new
contacts and trading
relationships formed with
Western Europe (Holland,
France, Prussia, England)
- Military completely
reinvented by Peter the Great,
and with newly acquired port
in Baltic/Black Seas, Russia
was able to build up naval
power by using Dutch
shipbuilding designs and
navigational techniques
- Infrastructure grew with
building of St. Petersburg
(canals, roads, drains, etc.
built by enslaved serfs)
- HUGE economic and commercial
advancements made during Peter
the Great’s rule as a result of new
connections with Western Europe
(Holland, England, France,
Prussia, Italy, etc.)
- Romanov rulers encouraged
foreigners, architects, artists,
scientists, merchants to come to St.
Petersburg
- Exported gold, iron, grain,
timber, animal pelts, etc.
- Imported tobacco, silks, spices,
luxury goods, etc.
- Trade network expanded, and
Russia became a more
prominent/respected trading
partner for Western Europe
- Farming + agricultural pursuits
remained important to empire
Muscovite Dynasty….
- Grand Prince Ivan III + Czar
Ivan IV had ultimate authority
and formed special
relationships with elites
- Boyars + Feudal Lords +
Landholders exercised great
influence and “owned” workers
- Peasants + Cossacks had few
rights; tied to land and
provided crops for lords
- Elite women secluded from
public eye in terem, no
independence outside home;
could manage $
- Peasant women expected to
labor
Romanov Dynasty….
- Peter the Great + successor
Catherine II were autocratic
ruler and had ultimate
authority
- Boyars + Lords + military
officials possessed power, but
appointed based on merit (not
hereditary)
-Peasant workers became serfs
(1649 law); prevented from
escaping; brutal treatment
- Women forced into public eye
as part of Peter’s
westernization effort (roles
changed)
-Merchant class suppressed by
lords