Chapter 18The Rise of Russia

Russia – where did it expand?Non-western empires tend to be land-based and contiguous to their original centers.

• Russia starts small, then expands to: central Asia in order to push out the Mongols

Alexis worked to colonize central Asia-south to the Caspian Sea -east to the Ural Mountains -western Siberia• Alexis chooses not to go too far west because there are

more experienced and stronger armies past the Ural Mountain range.

The Cossacks (peasants) were recruited to migrate to newly seized lands. –“Cossack spirit of expansion!”

Czars rewarded nobles by giving them estates in new territories.

Some areas were taken by force—Ukraine down to the Ottoman Empire/Poland was taken with the help of Prussia and Austria. (Sound familiar to later history?)

Mongol Rule –effect on Russia?

Mongol control over Russia never changed basic Russian values because the Mongols never actually settled in Russia—they demanded tribute money, but did not seek full governmental control. (Remember the map we made of the “tribute empire”?)

Some Russians adopted Mongol dress and social habits if they did business with the Mongols on a regular basis.

Russian religion remained Orthodox Christian

Local administration remains in the hands of landlords

Ivan III frees Russia from Mongol control when he refused to pay them.

Westernization – what it meant to Russia

Background:

Continental Europe viewed Russians as baptized bears. Russia was seen as Asian/oriental/backwards and having little to contribute to Europe. That continued until Russia developed nuclear capabilities…

WESTERNIZATION UNDER PETER THE GREAT:

Peter wanted to be seen as an equal by European Rulers. He knew his people were behind in technology/industry/military. Russia was facing problems with the Ottomans, so Peter arranged a trip to travel through all the great cities of Europe.

A) He was hoping to get support against the Ottomans,

B) He wanted to gain knowledge about the West that he could bring back to make his country better.

Westernization – what it meant to Russia—Peter

the Great Peter the Great was a selective Westernizer. He did not want his

people to learn about parliamentary gov’t or any form of gov’t that would take power away from him. He fully intended to maintain an autocratic gov’t, in which he would keep the power.

Peter returned from his tour with new ideas about military organization, new weapons, ship-building techniques, how to get power away from wealthy families who controlled the noble councils, how to make his people appear more European and less backward.

He reorganized the army and built a navy, encouraged the nobility to travel to Europe and to dress in the latest European fashions. He forced men to shave their traditional beards so they would not look like Mongols or old-fashioned Russians, and charged a beard tax to those who refused to shave. He forcibly shaved many to the point of drawing blood.

Peter the Great Peter the Great forced all wealthy families to educate their

sons in the West and required the sons to teach for 2-3 years before they could marry. This caused middle and lower classes to become literate, and kept the upper class from making early marriage alliances.

Peter forced peasants to build St. Petersburg and then moved the capital there, in order to move closer to the Baltic Sea.

Peter wanted economic development that would support the military—not necessarily to build global trade. He concentrated on the mining and metallurgical industries that supported the military. He freed the slaves and made them serfs (coercive labor system) so they could be taxed. Peter added land to his empire in an effort to gain a warm water port.

Peter the Great Peter gained access to the Baltic Sea. He started

universities in Russia to educate his people. He started shipbuilding and started a navy. He took power away from the Orthodox Church and actually put the church under state control.

Peter never changed his merchant class into a more western middle class and he made no efforts to help the peasants.

Peter’s hobby was dentistry. He was not formally trained, but he was fascinated by the way it worked.

There is a great deal of anti-Peter propaganda—shaving people’s beards and pulling teeth.

Peter the Great

Peter the Great

Peter the Great’s Decree on Compulsory Education of the Russian Nobility, January 1714

The Great Sovereign has decreed: in all regions children between the ages of ten and fifteen of the nobility, of government clerks, and of lesser officials, must be taught mathematics and some geometry. Toward that end, students should be sent from mathematical schools [as teachers], several into each region, to prelates and to renowned monasteries to establish schools. During their instruction these teachers should be given food and financial remuneration of three altyns and two dengas per day from regional revenues set aside for that purpose by personal orders of His Imperial Majesty. No fees should be collected from students. When they have mastered the material, they should then be given certificates written in their own handwriting. When the students are released they ought to pay one ruble each for their training. Without these certificates they should not be allowed to marry nor receive marriage certificates.

Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great Birthname: Sophia—girl from Germany who was sent at

the age of 12 to marry the Russian prince in an arranged marriage. She was converted to the Orthodox faith, learned Russian, and changed her name to Catherine.

She was raised alongside her husband until they were 16 years old, and the two were married. Her husband was mentally slow due to royal inbreeding. Catherine took power from her husband. She admired Peter the Great and was also a selective westernizer. During Catherine’s reign, Russia expanded to the Black Sea and into Europe. She increased Russian influence in European affairs.

Catherine the Great, cnt’d. Catherine was a student of the Enlightenment and corresponded

with the great thinkers of the day. (also a selective westernizer) She disliked the Revolutions taking place (American, French…..) and did not want revolutionary ideas spreading to her people so she censored those ideas and was a patron of the arts- buying many European paintings for the Russian museums. She never aided the peasants and actually gave the nobility more control over the serfs.

Catherine brought Russia on to the world stage and forced Europe to see Russia not as a part of Asia, but as part of Europe. She supported education and encouraged nobility to have their sons educated in European universities.

Lots of misogyny existed because Catherine was a female ruler—rulers of other countries would make several degrading comments about the not-quite-ruler of Russia.

Fabulous Ruler, very well liked by the Russians, her husband was not fully functional, she had lots of steamy affairs, promoted education for girls, majorly expanded Russia’s borders. Lots of untrue stories told about her “She died having sex with a horse” Actually died from a stroke

Catherine the Great From Catherine II. Proposals for a New Law Code In

1767 Catherine summoned an assembly to draft a new code of laws for Russia and gave detailed instructions to the members about the principles they should apply..)

6. Russia is a European State.

9. The Sovereign is absolute; for there is no other Authority but that which centers in his single Person.

10. The Extent of the Dominion requires an absolute Power to be vested in that Person who rules over it. It is expedient so to be, that the quick Dispatch of Affairs, sent from distant Parts, might make ample Amends for the Delay occasioned by the great Distance of the Places.

11. Every other Form of Government whatsoever would not only have been prejudicial to Russia, but would even have proved its entire Ruin.

Catherine the Great From Letters of Baron de Breteuil, Breteuil was the French Ambassador to

Imperial Russia at the time Catherine the Great ascended to the throne.

This princess seems to combine every kind of ambition in her person. Everything that may add luster to her reign will have some attraction for her. Science and the arts will be encouraged to flourish in the empire, projects useful for the domestic economy will be undertaken. She will endeavor to reform the administration of justice and to invigorate the laws; but her policies will be based on Machiavellianism; and I should not be surprised if in this field she rivals the king of Prussia. She will adopt the prejudices of her entourage regarding the superiority of her power and will endeavor to win respect not by the sincerity and probity of her actions but also by an ostentatious display of her strength. Haughty as she is, she will stubbornly pursue her undertakings and will rarely retrace a false step. Cunning and falsity appear to be vices in her character; woe to him who puts too much trust in her. Love affairs may become a stumbling block to her ambition and prove fatal for her peace of mind. This passionate princess, still held in check by the fear and consciousness of internal troubles, will know no restraint once she believes herself firmly established.

Who resisted modernization and

why?• Many resisted westernization especially under Peter• Upper Class and Conservative Elite did not like the changes he madein the government, some commissioned propaganda to be published against Peter (they got sent to Siberia)• The Orthodox Church did not like having their power taken away• Peter’s son Alexis opposed his father’s policies and was tried for treason and sentenced to death- he died in prison due to torture

Themes in Russian History

• Expansion- Cossack Spirit of Expansion- Peasants

• Carefully Managed Westernization - Military, Economic, (and Science-with Catherine)

-NO gov’t westernization• Capacity for Change • Serfdom- a coercive labor system - work the land, but don’t own the land

- responsible to the nobles who own the land - Russians did this to their own people - about 1600’s

Nature of Russian Serfdom

Nature of Russian Serfdom

Serfs: worked the land but did not own any, obligated to nobility, hereditary situation (class), coercive labor system, could be bought, sold, gambled away, could be punished by their masters

Major Difference- Russians enslaved their own people, whereas most other slave systems enslave others