Absolute Rulers of Russia

Ivan the Terrible

Ivan the Terrible

Ivan IV takes the throne in 1533- he is 3 years old

His mother rules on his behalf until her death when Ivan is 5

Ivan the Terrible

Boyars- the landowning nobility in Russia

The boyars fight for control of the young prince and for POWER

- Ivan is terrified

Ivan the Terrible

• Ivan crowns himself Czar of Russia when he is 16 years old

•He is the first Czar of Russia

Czar = Emperor

Ivan the Terrible

“The Good Period” 1547 to 1560

Ivan conquers land in an effort to boost the economy- wants to have sea routes to Russia- goes to war with Sweden and Poland

Ivan later loses his new territories

Ivan the Terrible

“Ivan the Terrible”Ivan turns against Russia

Oprichniki- Ivan’s secret police

-dressed in all black and rode black horses

- murdered anyone Ivan suspected of being a traitor (mostly boyars)

Murdered a possible 5,000 or more subjects

Ivan the Terrible

Ivan’s most terrible act

Ivan murders his only viable heir in a fit of rage in 1581

Leads to a later period, the Time of Troubles, when boyars fought and there was no powerful czar to control them

Absolute Rulers of Russia

From Ivan IV to Ivan the Terrible

Absolute Rulers of Russia

Peter the Great

Peter the Great

Peter the Great first shares the throne with his half-brother

Becomes sole ruler of RussiaIn 1696

Nicknamed ‘Peter the Great” because he was Russia’s great reformer

Peter the Great Peter the Great first shares the throne with his half-brother

Becomes sole ruler of RussiaIn 1696

Nicknamed ‘Peter the Great” because he was Russia’s great reformer

Peter the Great Russia is trapped in the dark ages

Serfdom lasts until the mid-1800’s

little contact with Western Europe

Russians are Orthodox Christians- see Catholics and Protestants as heretics

Peter the GreatPeter Travels West

Embarks on a “Grand Embassy”- a trip through western Europe to learn about their customs, manufacturing, and military

Dresses as a commoner as not to be recognized

Peter the GreatPeter Westernizes Russia

Westernization- using Western Europe as a model for change

Peter the GreatPeter Westernizes Russia

Must use force to promote change

• Brings Russian Orthodox Church under his control

• Reduces the power of the boyars/gives power positions to men from lower families

• builds a strong army trained by westerners - enforces heavy taxes to pay for army

Peter the GreatPeter Westernizes Russia

Westernization of Russia:

Potatoes become a staple to the Russian diet

Peter starts and edits the first Russian newspaper

He allowed women to attend social gatherings

Made nobles dress like Westerners

Opened a school of navigation

Peter the GreatA school of navigation? Wonder where he got this idea from?

Education is Key!!!

Peter believes education is key to success!- allows (and orders) subjects to travel to foreign

lands to study science

He was a known genius!

Peter the GreatThe Rise of St. Petersburg

A working sea route = a successful economy

The city of St. Petersburg

•Located on the Baltic Sea

•A swampy wasteland

•Peter takes the territory from Sweden

Peter the GreatThe Rise of St. Petersburg

Peter sends serfs every summer to build the city of St. Petersburg

- 25,000 to 100,000 die from work conditions

and disease

St. Petersburg becomes the new capital of Russia and a productive sea port