Alexander 11 The Tsar Liberator Flashcards
What is the northern part of Russia called?
The tundra
What is the tundra like?
Frozen for most of the year and only supports scrub vegetation
Where is the fertile land for agriculture found?
In the steppes
- black earth region
What is south of the tundra?
Endless miles of impenetrable forest
What does Russia have in the far south?
Deserts
Why is Russia difficult to rule geographically ?
Sheer size
Poor communications
-few paved roads
-roads impassable in winter (muddy)
How may different nationalities were there in Russia?
Over 100
How much of the population are actually Russians?
1/2
What was the range of culture in Russia?
Sophisticated European Russians - nomadic Muslim people’s - wandering tribes
How many people were peasants in 1859?
Over 90% of the population
How much of the population are nobles in 1859?
Less than 1%
What were the two groups of peasants?
Serfs
State peasants
What was it like as a serf?
Bound to the estates of nobles
Required to work
Had a plot of land on which they could grow food
No access to legal system
No rights - couldn’t leave, marry who they want and could be traded and sold
What are state peasants?
Lived on estates owned by state
Legally free
Paid rent
Restricted travel
What is the Mir?
The peasant commune
What did the Mir do?
Allocated land
Made sure serfs fulfilled their labour obligations
How much of the worlds total land mass does Russia occupy?
1/6
Who dominated the peasant commune (Mir)?
Older peasants who resisted change
What are the two faces of the Mir?
A model of co-operation and mutual support
A spite of petty jealousies and rivalries where violence wasn’t uncommon
How much of the population were members of the Russian Orthodox Church?
70%
What was the main mean through which peasants got all their information?
The church
Who made up the ordinary soldiers in the Russian army?
Conscripts from the villages who had to serve for 25 years
Who was the leading power in Russia in 1815?
Russia
What was a high priority for Russians?
Maintaining great power status
What was huge shock to the Russian regime?
Defeat in the Crimean war, especially as it was being fought on their own territory
When was the Crimean war?
1853-56
What did the Crimean war reveal about Russia?
Highlighted poor communications as no railways so troops had to be moved along muddy roads
Army’s files and artillery hopelessly outclassed by French and British
Questions raised about efficiency of army and leadership
Russia’s backwardness
How did the Crimean war damage the Romanov dynasty?
Cast doubt on Russia’s status as a major power
Many high up people thought it was Russia’s backwardness which led to defeat
When did Alexander 11 gain the throne?
February 1855
What did Alexander 11 do in 1837?
Went on a tour of 29 Russian provinces - build a bond between future tsar and people - enormous success
Who was a II tutor?
Zhukovsky a poet who believed a person must be raised as a “human being” and win the love of his subjects
What did a II do in 1939?
Embarked on a European tour - knowledge of western ideas and traditions - met German wife
Why was a II well fitted for his role as tsar?
His father believed he should take personal hand in all aspects of government so put him on several committees and councils to gain experience
Was a II a firm believer in autocracy?
Yes but he knew Russia needed to become part of the modern world
What did a II do on 30 March 1856?
Gave speech to marshals of the nobility - signalled start of emancipation
What is a II famous quote on the emancipation?
“It is better to abolish serfdom from above, than to wait for the time when it starts to abolish itself from below”
What is the moral reason for abolishing serfdom?
Members of royal family dating from Catherine the great believed it was morally and ethically wrong
Turgenev (writer) shows nobles and state officials the plight of the serfs - majority of nobles object
What was the risk of revolt reason for abolishing serfdom?
Serious peasant revolts and disturbances had been increasing since 1840
1848 revolutions in Europe unsettle tsar
Army made up of peasants so may not be able to control uprising
December 1857 tsar orders weekly reports on peasantry mood
What is the Crimean war reason for abolishing serfdom?
Drew attention to the state of the army - peasants who enlisted for 25 years and then were freed from serfdom
Military reform couldn’t go ahead without releasing freed serfs back into their village with military training - risky - loyalty - needed a smaller better trained army
What is the economic reason for the abolition of serfdom?
Hinders development
Free labour more productive than forced labour
No growth of domestic demand
Emancipation would free serfs to move to where they could be the most productive