History Page

                    Outline: Russian Absolutism

I.  The Character of Russia
   A.  Western Influences
      i. Vikings
      ii. Orthodox  Christianity
   B. Geographical isolation of Russia and the east
       i. no warm water sea ports --
          limited communication with west
       ii. Mongol invasion
       iii. Tartars
       iv. Siberia -- 5,000 miles across Asia
       v.  Volga River and the Caspian Sea
       vi. Asiatic dress
       vii. Asiatic architecture
       viii. Asiatic music
II.  Russia behind the west
   A.  superstitious
   B.  manners and customs
   C.  cruel punishments
   D.  people unwilling  to change
   E.  treatment of serfs
III.  Russian monarchs
    A. Ivan the Terrible  
    B. Michael Romanov
III. Peter the Great
    A. childhood and personal characteristics
        the assault of the nobility on Peter's family
        his half brothers Feodor and Ivan
        the regency of Sophia
        the overthrow of Sophia and her exile
        to a convent
        Ivan abdicated
        Peter became Tsar
    B. conquest of Azov and visit to the west
    C. revolt of the Streltsy
    D. Great Northern War:
         The Swedish monarch Charles XII
         The Battle of Narva 1700:
               the army was westernized
               acquisition of St. Petersburg
         The Battle of Poltava in 1709
         The Treaty of Nystadt in 1721
         The History of the Russian Navy
    E. westernization of  society
       i. St.  Petersburg   --
         The History of St. Petersburg
       ii. western customs introduced:
             manners
             dress
             the calendar
             western newspapers
             western museums
             western music
    F.  repression of Church
         The Procurator and Holy Synod
    G.  repression of Nobles
          Table of Ranks
    H. Taxes
    I.  Industry and peasants:
      i. encouragement of production at home:
      ii. Peter dressed in Russian made garments
      iii. export of iron products by the end
           of Peter's Reign
 

          A Chronology of Russian History:

        Kievan and Appanage Periods

        The Imperial Period
 
 

          Absolutism in Prussia       Austrian Absolutism
           Printable Version                                    Printable Version

          Russian Absolutism           The Glorious Revolution
          Printable Version                                     Printable Version  


                   

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