Russian Government During the 16th Century

Overview

• Rise of the Russian tsars: Ivan III to the Romanov dynasty
• Rule of Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible)
• Time of Troubles
• Religious and cultural developments

Ivan III (The Great)

• Grand Duke of Moscow
• Freed Moscow from Mongol tribute
• Unified several Rus’ principalities
• Called himself “Tsar” (from Caesar)
• Moscow as the 'Third Rome' after the fall of Constantinople
• Married Byzantine princess Sophia in 1472
• Introduced new code of laws: Sudebnik (1497)
  • Included Yuri’s Day for peasant mobility
  • Curbed privileges of Boyars and Orthodox Church

Religious Movements

• Non-Possessors: Followers of Nil Sorsky, opposed church wealth
• Possessors (Josephites): Followers of Joseph Volotsky, supported church wealth
  • Backed by Tsars, prevailed over Non-Possessors

Vasili III

• Ruled for 28 years
• Divorced first wife, married Elena, had two sons: Ivan (1530) and Yuri (1532)
• Died in 1533, leaving Elena as regent
• Elena died in 1538, likely poisoned by Boyars
• Power vacuum: Shuiskys and Belskys rose to power

Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible)

• Difficult childhood, neglected, saw violence
• Became Tsar at age 16
• Name “the Terrible” translates to “fearsome”
• Known for violence against political opponents
• Centralized power, limited Boyar Duma and Russian parliament
• Conquered Mongol khanates, expanded territory to Caucasus
• Oprichnina (1565-1572): Reign of terror, Oprichniki targeted nobility
• Sack of Novgorod (1570): Massacre of population suspected of disloyalty
• Patron of arts, church, and foreign trade
• Established trade route with England (1555)
• Founded Moscow Print Yard (publishing house)
• Military defeats in Baltic, death of son and heir in 1581
• Died in 1584, succeeded by Feodor

Time of Troubles

• Feodor’s rule (1584-1598), younger brother Dmitry died in 1591
• Boris Godunov (1598-1605), de facto ruler, suspected of Dmitry’s murder
• Educational reforms, famine
• False Dmitry I, backed by Poland, became Tsar but executed in 1606
• Further False Dmitry claimants in 1610 and 1611
• Uprising against Polish forces in 1612
• Michael Romanov chosen as Tsar in 1613, ending Time of Troubles

Michael Romanov

• Concluded peace treaties with Sweden and Poland (1617, 1618)
• Economic and agricultural recovery
• Dynasty lasted 300 years (18 Romanov Tsars)

Alexis I

• Successor to Michael
• Faced rebellion over tax on salt
• Legal code of 1649: Bound peasants and slaves as serfs to the land

Review Questions

1. Moscow influenced by refugees from which fallen city?
   • Answer: Constantinople
2. Ivan the Terrible established trade relations with which European power?
   • Answer: England