Early History

The Rus & Cyril
  • The Slavic people landed in modern day Russia 
  • Cyril ( from Constantinople ) comes and creates the written language of the 

The Rise of The Russian Empire
  • Vladimir :
    • Chooses the Eastern Orthodox Religion for his people, because Constantinople is much better off than the Romans, or Islamic people
    • Constantinople was a trade hub for the Slavs to most of the world
  • The Russians were never actually ruled by the Mongols
  • The Mongols just demand tribute and the biggest payer give
  • Ivan the Third ( Ivan the Great ):
    • The first uniter of the people of Rus
    • Ivan took the title of Czar ( or Tsar ) and united the Muscovites
    • He led an army against the Mongols and overthrew their oppressors
    • 1459 took the title of the Byzantine Leader Czar
    • Called in architects to rebuild the city of Moscow
    • Built a small city inside of Moscow called the Kremlin
    • Consolidated land for the farmers, so they were bound to the land they farm on
      • Mainly for controlling the nobles ( Boyars )
      • Lets the Boyars control everything about the land they own and the people who are on the land
      • Allows the peasants to move once a year
  • Ivan the Fourth ( Ivan the Terrible ):
    • Born to Vasili who was king
    • Father died when he was 3, and watched as Boyars fought for power
    • His mother died at 7
    • At 17 he watched his uncle get killed
    • He started to become cruel towards others, and became isolated
    • Ivan started to realize that he would have to kill to rule
    • He took the title of Czar official, and shifted from the Muscovite Prince to a Russian Emperor
    • All of the Boyars are completely under his control
      • They never controlled land
      • They owed their position to Ivan
    • The Czar's power was absolute
    • Shifted from just Muscovy to conquering the Khan's places
    • Anastasia Romanov - His wife who he loved
      • Died of a Sickness
      • Ivan Ivanovitch - Ivan's son who was set for ruling
    • Anastasia dies and Ivan starts to go back to his cruel childhood
    • Started to go crazy after his wife's death
    • Oprichniki - Ivan's henchmen, who were sent to kill anyone who they thought were against Ivan
      • Obeyed Ivan only
      • Religious Terrorists
      • Dressed like Monks
      • Massacred many people
      • Extremely Brutal
    • Develops a special sense of liking for torture, and held special executions
    • Slaughtered his enemies and their families
    • Starts to ease off his people after the city of Moscow was destroyed
    • Starts to remarry, but remarries many times
    • Did not like his daughter in law, and she was pregnant
    • He killed his son in blind rage due to his daughter in law
    • He was extremely upset at the death of his son
      • No heir to the throne
  • The Mongols sacked Moscow while Russia was weak with war within themselves due to Ivan the Terrible

The Warring Period
  • Poland and Sweden start to move in towards Russia through war
  • Poland takes Moscow, and 
  • Poland imprisons the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church
  • Mikel Romanov:
    • The Romanov spawned a whole Dynasty of the Russian Sovereign
    • Created Serfdom: Completed Ivan the Third's 
      • Gives landowner power to find and bring back the serfs at any time
      • In other parts of Europe if a serf is free for 1 year and the 1 day they are no longer serfs,
        • Mikel prevents that from happening, and allows the landowner infinite time to find and capture the serf again
      • Serfs could be forced to marry and be sold ( similar to slaves, but not completely )