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Apr 5, 1462
Ivan III (The Great)
Born on January 22, 1440. Died on November 6, 1505. Ruled from April 5, 1462 until his death on November 6, 1505. Brought much of Northern Russia under his rule and recovered Russian territory that had been taken by Lithuania. Refused to pay the customary tribute to the Grand Khan Ahmed in 1476. -
Dec 13, 1533
Ivan IV (The Terrible)
Born on August 25, 1530. Died on March 28, 1584. Grand Prince from December 13, 1533 until January 26, 1547. Tsar from January 26, 1547 until March 28, 1584. Conquered the Khanates of Kazan, Astrakhan, and Siberia. This transformed Russia into a multiethnic state spanning almost one billion acres. -
Michael Romanov
Born on July 12, 1596. Died on July 12, 1645. Ruled from February 21, 1613 until July 12, 1645. He cleared the land of various countries that were occupying it at the time. (Like Sweden and Poland) His reign marked the end of the Time of Troubles. -
Peter I (The Great)
Born on June 9, 1672. Died on February 8, 1725. Ruled from June 2, 1682 until November 2, 1721. Led many victories in war that led to a vast expansion of the empire and became a great European power. Also led a cultural revolution that replaced the medieval social and political system with a modern, scientific system. -
Catherine II (The Great)
Born on May 2, 1729. Died on November 6, 1796. Ruled from June 9, 1762 until November 6, 1796. Longest ruling female of Russia. With the help of highly successful generals and admirals, she expanded Russia and colonized various territories. Her reign is often known as Russia's golden age. -
Alexander II
Born on April 29, 1818. Died on March 13, 1881. Ruled from March 2, 1855 until March 13, 1881. After the Crimean War, he began a period of radical reform that included developing Russia's natural resources and reforming branches of the administration. He also sold Alaska to the United States in 1867. -
Nicholas II
Born on May 6, 1868. Died on July 17 1918. Ruled from November 1, 1894 until March 15, 1917. Took Russia from being one of the world's greatest powers to an economic and military collapse. Began Russian involvement in World War I. -
Alexander Kerensky
Born on May 4, 1881. Died on June 11, 1970. In office from July 21, 1917 until November 7, 1917. One of the most prominent leaders of the Revolution of 1917. -
Vladimir Lenin
Born on April 22, 1870. Died on January 21, 1924. In office from Demember 30, 1922 until January 21, 1924. He is regarded as the Father of the Soviet Union. -
Joseph Stalin
Born on December 18, 1878. Died on March 5, 1953. In office from May 6, 1941 until March 5, 1953. Created a new economic plan that turned Russia from an agricultural nation to an industrial superpower. Millions of of Soviet citizens died or were sent to penal labor camps as a result of Stalin's policies. -
Nikita Khrushchev
Born on April 15, 1894. Died on September 11, 1971. In office from March 27, 1958 until October 14, 1964. Well-known for the Cuban Missile Crisis. Supported the early Soviet Space Program. -
Mikhail Gorbachev
Born on March 2, 1931. In office from October 1, 1988 until December 25, 1991. His reorientation of Soviet aims contributed to the end of the Cold War. He was the last leader of the Soviet Union. -
Boris Yeltsin
Born on February 1, 1931. Died on April 23, 2007. In office from December 25, 1991 until December 31, 1999. He was the first President of the Russian Federation. (First leader after the fall of the Soviet Union) He transformed Russia's socialist command economy into a free market economy. -
Vladimir Putin
Born on October 7, 1952. Officially in office from May 7, 2000 until May 7, 2008. He is credited with bringing political stability back to Russia, During his presidency, poverty decreased by 50%, Russian GDP increased by 72%, and Russia was affirmed as an energy superpower. -
Dmitri Medvedev
Born on September 14, 1965. In office from November 14, 2005 until present day. Medvedev's main goals are to stop Russian dependence on oil and gas, stop crime with his anti-corruption program, and modernize Russia's economy and society. -
Grand Prince Vladimir of Kiev
Born in 958, died in 1015. Ruled from 980-1015. Successfully converted Kiev to Christianity.
