The Monarchs of Europe
Section 4
Rulers of Russia and Central Europe
Preview
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• The Monarchy of Ivan IV
• Peter the Great
• Faces of History: Peter the Great
• Catherine the Great
• Map: The Expansion of Russia
The Monarchs of Europe
Section 4
Rulers of Russia and Central Europe
Preview, continued
• Monarchy and Conflict in Central Europe
• Map: Central Europe
• Visual Study Guide / Quick Facts
• Video: The Impact of Spain’s Golden Century
The Monarchs of Europe
Section 4
Rulers of Russia and Central Europe
Main Idea
The czars of Russia struggled with the westernization of their
empire, while powerful families battled for control of Central
Europe.
Reading Focus
• How did Ivan IV strengthen the Russian monarchy?
• What reforms did Peter the Great make in Russia?
• How did the rule of Catherine the Great affect Russia?
• What states formed in Central Europe in the 1600s and
1700s?
Section 4
The Monarchs of Europe
The Monarchy of Ivan IV
•
•
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In the 1500s Russia far behind western Europe in technical
advancement and centralized government
Russia run by church officials and boyars, or landowners
Had conservative viewpoints
Rule Without Limits
Reforms of Ivan IV
• 1546, young prince claimed title of
czar, put Russia on different course
• Title was version of Latin word
caesar, or emperor
• New czar, Ivan, intended to rule
without limits on power
• His own madness created chaos
• During early years, Ivan IV made
many reforms—created general
council that included merchants,
lower-level nobles
• Promoted military officers on merit;
drew up legal code
• Expanded Russia’s borders, trade
As a result of such achievements, the years from 1547 to 1563 are
known as Ivan’s “good period.”
The Monarchs of Europe
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Ivan the Terrible
• During 1560s, Ivan changed
• Strict policies, violent actions sealed reputation as Ivan the Terrible
• Suspicious of closest advisors; sent them away, killed supporters
• Was convinced wife was murdered, people conspiring against him
Private Police Force
• Created private police force to investigate, punish opposition
• Men dressed in black, rode black horses
• Controlled almost half of Russia’s territory in Ivan’s name
• Brutally punished anyone who spoke out against czar’s policies
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The Monarchs of Europe
Last Years of Ivan
Descent into Mental Illness
• 1565, harshness continued;
seized land from 12,000 boyars
• Ordered killing of thousands of
people in Novgorod; suspected
they wanted to separate from
Russia
• 1581, killed his own son, next in
line to be czar
• Descent into mental illness
seemed complete
Time of Troubles
• Death of Ivan’s son may have
been accident, but left Russia
without heir to throne
• Uncertainty about succession,
economic problems, foreign
invasions made chaotic period
known as Time of Troubles
• 1613, Michael, relative of Ivan’s
first wife, crowned czar; first of
Romanov dynasty
• Dynasty lasted until 1917
The Monarchs of Europe
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Contrast
How did the early rule of Ivan IV differ from
his later years?
Answer(s): early years marked by many reforms
that strengthened the government; later years
marked by suspicion, creation of royal police,
terror
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The Monarchs of Europe
Peter the Great
About 70 years later, Peter I crowned czar. Became known as Peter
the Great for his efforts to transform Russia into a modern state.
Early Rule
Building a Navy
• 1682, Peter became czar while
a child; sister ruled in his place
• Attack disaster, but inspired
Peter to build navy
• Age 17, removed sister from
throne, took power for himself
• Labored side-by-side with
thousands of carpenters
– Tall, strong man
– Had strong personality,
boundless energy
• One of first acts, stormed Azov,
Black Sea port held by Turks
• Built hundreds of ships
• New navy took up Azov
campaign
• Turks surrendered
The Monarchs of Europe
Section 4
Modernization and Reform
Westernization
• Peter realized country needed to modernize to catch up with rest of Europe
• Wanted westernization; to bring elements of Western culture to Russia
• 1697, journeyed to western Europe to see what Russia needed to modernize
New Skills
• Peter traveled in disguise, was sometimes recognized anyway
• Learned hands-on skills, especially shipbuilding
• Recruited European experts to bring skills to Russia
Rebellion
• Trip cut short by rebellion of streltsy, military corps with political influence
• Thought streltsy wanted sister on throne; had members tortured, executed
• Disbanded streltsy, organized more modern army
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The Monarchs of Europe
Reforms
• In addition to modernizing army, Peter made many other reforms
• Brought church under state control
• Built up Russian industry
• Started first newspaper in Russia
• Sponsored new schools
• Modernized calendar, promoted officials on service, not social status
Cues from West
• Supported education; believed
Russians needed to learn more
about science from West
• Wanted Russians to adopt
European-style clothing, grooming
• Cut off boyars’ traditional long
coats, beards to look European
Modern Russia
• Through these, other reforms Peter
tried to impose will on Russians
• Goal was to make Russia more
modern country
• Not always successful, but
considered founder of modern
Russia for efforts
The Monarchs of Europe
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The Monarchs of Europe
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St. Petersburg
Peter also founded a new city
• Early 1700s, fought Sweden to acquire warm-water
port
– Other ports choked by ice much of year
– Port farther south on Baltic Sea to keep Russia open to western
trade all year, connect Russia to west
• On land won from Sweden, Peter built new capital, St.
Petersburg
– Russia’s government moved to new city
– Featured Western-style architecture
Section 4
The Monarchs of Europe
Recall
Name three ways in which Peter the Great
attempted to westernize Russia.
Answer(s): by encouraging men to shave off their
beards, encouraging people to adopt European
styles of dress, building a new capital with
Western-style architecture
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The Monarchs of Europe
Catherine the Great
Russia’s next important ruler was actually a German princess who
came to Russia to marry a grandson of Peter the Great. She became
known as Catherine the Great.
Takes Power
• Husband became
Czar Peter III
• Catherine and many
nobles grew angry at
his incompetent,
weak rule
• Catherine seized
power, was declared
czarina of Russia
Honoring Peter I
Early Reforms
• Catherine saw self as
true successor of
Peter the Great
• Influenced by
European thinkers—
believed strong, wise
ruler could improve
life for subjects
• Worked to build on
his westernization
efforts
• To emphasize
legitimacy of her
claim, built statue
honoring Peter
• Reformed legal,
education systems
• Removed restrictions
on trade; promoted
science, the arts
The Monarchs of Europe
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Challenges to Catherine’s Rule
Conflicts
• Catherine tried to reform Russia, was distracted by conflict
• Faced war in Poland, where people wanted freedom from Russian influence
• 1768, Ottoman Empire joined Polish cause
War and Rebellion
• Eventually won war, took over half of Poland, territory on Black Sea
• While war raging, Catherine faced popular rebellion inside Russia
• Man claiming to be Peter III traveled countryside, leading ragtag army
Strengthening the Monarchy
• In the end, man captured, beheaded, rebellion put down
• Rebellion convinced Catherine she needed to strengthen monarchy in rural
areas; put local governments in hands of landowners, nobles
The Monarchs of Europe
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The Monarchs of Europe
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Analyze
What was one way that Catherine showed
she was an absolute monarch?
Answer(s): possible answer—she strengthened
the monarchy's authority in rural areas
The Monarchs of Europe
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Monarchy and Conflict in Central Europe
1500s, 1600s
Imperial Power
• Central European rulers never
became absolute monarchs
• Holy Roman Empire included
dozens of small states
• Holy Roman Empire headed by
single emperor, but did not have
total authority
• Each had own ruler who fought
vigorously against increased
imperial power
Hapsburg Family
Continent-Wide Affair
• Since 1450s, all Holy Roman
Emperors came from single
family—the Hapsburgs
• 1600s, Thirty Years’ War
began
• Attempt by Hapsburg emperor
to exert authority launched war
• Alliances between Hapsburgs,
other European monarchs,
made war continent-wide affair
The Monarchs of Europe
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The Thirty Years War
Catholics against Protestants
• War began as religious dispute
• 1618, official representing Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II, a Catholic,
ordered two Protestant churches in Prague be shut down
Religious Revolt
• Local Protestants furious, threw emperor’s representatives out palace
windows onto rubbish heap
• Emperor’s attempt to control religion sparked revolt throughout region
Rebellion Grew
• Nobles from 2 German states rebelled against emperor; nobles from other
states soon joined them
• Rulers of other countries became involved as well
The Monarchs of Europe
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Choosing Sides
• Monarchs of Spain, also members of Hapsburg family, joined war on
Ferdinand’s side
• King of France, Spain’s rival, joined Protestant opposition
• Kings of Denmark, Sweden also joined on Protestant side
Treaty and Toleration
• War dragged on until 1648, had devastating effects on Germany
• Two sides agreed to Treaty of Westphalia to end war
• Treaty extended religious toleration to both Catholics, Protestants
• Also reduced even more the power of the Holy Roman Emperor
• Strengthened rulers of states within it
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The Monarchs of Europe
Austria and Prussia
Among the rulers who gained the most from the Treaty of Westphalia
were the leaders of Austria and Prussia. Austria was governed by the
Hapsburg family, while Prussia’s rulers came from a rival family, the
Hohenzollerns.
Pragmatic Sanction
Reforms of Ivan IV
• 1740, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI died without male heir
• Charles VI’s daughter Maria
Theresa could now take throne
• Before he died, approved
document called Pragmatic
Sanction, stating empire could be
passed to female heir
• Hohenzollerns had different plan
• Frederick II of Prussia, Frederick
the Great, seized Silesia
• Offered Maria Theresa an alliance
Frederick promised Maria Theresa to help her husband become the
Holy Roman Emperor.
The Monarchs of Europe
Section 4
Monarchy and Conflict in Central Europe
Maria Theresa turned Frederick’s offer down,
War of Austrian Succession broke out, 1740
•
Spain, France, two German states entered war on
Prussia’s side
•
Each hoped to gain territory
•
1748, with so much against her, Maria Theresa asked
for peace
•
Prussia kept Silesia, putting Prussia in position of real
power
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The Monarchs of Europe
Continued Rivalry
Another War
Prussia Rebounds
• Prussia’s victory only intensified
rivalry between Austria and
Hungary
• During first part of war, Prussia
on verge of defeat; at one point
Austrian, Russian forces
occupied capital of Berlin
• Not long until war broke out
again
• 1756, Seven Years’ War began
• On one side Prussia, Great
Britain; on the other Austria,
France, Russia
• Russia pulled out, allowing
Prussia to regain strength,
eventually becoming strongest
military power in Europe
• 1763, war ended, but rivalry far
from over; struggle for control of
Central Europe continued
The Monarchs of Europe
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The Monarchs of Europe
Recall
What were three wars that affected Central
Europe?
Answer(s): Thirty Years’ War, War of the Austrian
Succession, Seven Years’ War
The Monarchs of Europe
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Section 4
The Monarchs of Europe
Video
The Impact of Spain’s Golden Century
Click above to play the video.