Russian Czars

Ivan the Great

Oct 19, 1462

• Lived from January 22, 1440 to October 27, 1505
• Gained independence from Mongol Tatars ending 200 years of rule
• Didn’t fight the Mongols; Mongols too weak; “battle” Ugra River; Amed (last khan) made token attempt to get tribute
• Made Moscow capital
• Through conquest, purchases, and diplomacy tripled the territory of his state
• Conquered Novgorod princedom in 1478
• First wife Maria of Tver died in 1467; remarried Byzantine princess Zoe Palaeologa (Orthodox name Sofia)

Russian Czars

Period: Oct 19, 1462 to Oct 19, 1917

Ivan the Great

Oct 22, 1497

• 1497 double-headed eagle
• 1497 code of law known as Sudebnik was first time laws were written down

Ivan the Terrible

Oct 22, 1530

• Ivan started dreaming of unlimited power
• 1547-he was 16
• He had a terrible childhood
• Ivan also pressed to turn his country into a military

Catherine the Great

Oct 19, 1762

• One of the most prominent rulers of Russia
• Made great progress in political power
• Expanded the territory of the Russian Empire and improved its administration
• Became empress when Empress Elizabeth died; Elizabeth's son Peter was named Emperor Peter III
• Peter created hostility between government, military, and church leaders. With aid from her lover Grigory Orlov, Catherine rallied the troops of Saint Petersburg to her support and declared herself the sovereign ruler of Russia

Catherine the Great

Oct 19, 1763

• By 1764 she began to work on the reform of Russia
• She was influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment
• Her government followed a policy of developing public confidence
• She expanded the Senate in 1762
• Her first major reform was creating the "Instruction," a set of guidelines to be used by the Legislative Commission when revising the old and inefficient laws of Russia. However, the Commission made no progress regarding this goal.

Catherine the Great

Oct 19, 1764

• Catherine helped suppress a revolt in Poland aimed at reducing Russia's influence on Poland
• Southern Ukraine and the Northern Caucasus were taken over by the Russian Empire as a result of the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774
• Catherine faced and defeated a revolt led by the Cossack Yemelyan Pugachev in which he posed as Peter III and attempted to lead a mass emigration into Turkey
• Adopted a plan in 1786 to expand Russia's educational facilities

Catherine the Great

Oct 19, 1770

• Greatly supported the arts and sciences as important aspects of society
• Under her rule, Saint Petersburg was partly rebuilt and became one of the world's most beautiful capitals
• Use of theater, music, and art/painting flourished in Russia due to her encouraging attitude of these expressive mediums

Alexander II

Oct 22, 1855

• He was born in Moscow on April 29, 1818
• Early age-boy was reared for the throne
• Tutored by a poet and literary critic
• Bringing an end to serfdom

Alexander III

Oct 19, 1881

• Under his rule, Russia thrived in peace and order
• Russia was not involved in a single major war during his rule; he was dubbed "The Peacemaker"
• Became the Tsar of Russia after revolutionaries assassinated his father in 1881
• Believed that only absolute autocracy could fight the revolutionary movement that was occurring

Alexander III

Oct 19, 1882

• Executed those responsible for his father's death as well as direct leaders of terrorist revolutionary groups; tightened police oppression; increased censorship of the press
• Encouraged development of trade and industry in hopes to recover Russia's economy, which was suffering from the Russian-Turkish War expenses
• During his rule, construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began
• Was deeply religious and tried to help the Orthodox Church in every way that he could

Nicholas II

Oct 19, 1884

• Lived from May 6, 1868 to July 17, 1918
• Last Emperor
• Knew several languages, wide knowledge of history and military science
• Coronation- hundreds of people crushed in stampede
• Married German Princess Alix of Hesse “for love”; she became Orthodox and changed name to Alexandra Feodorovna
• Only son-life threatening illness
• ‘Holy man’ Grigory Rasputin mysteriously able to help influence over royal family
• Autocrat continued what predecessors did-rapid economical and trade growth

Nicholas II

Oct 22, 1890

• Started and lost war with Japan
• Revolution began after Bloody Sunday
• Went into WWI; heavy losses; defeated
• Royal family executed by Bolsheviks

Alexander III

Oct 22, 1890

• His son Nicholas took over the throne and became the last Tsar of Russia
• A bridge in Paris known as the "Pont Alexander III" was named after him