Empire Building In Russia

Question 1

Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible)

Answer 1

• r. 1547-1584
• tsar of Russia and Grand Prince of Moscow
• adopted Byzantine concept of autocrat (singular rule that answered to no one)
• had a lot of paranoia
• removed khans from his land
• was intelligent and devout but had mental illness and bouts of rage
• man of vanity who liked to show off his wealth

Question 2

Legal Code of 1649

Answer 2

• document that official idea serfdom created by Romanov tsars
• permanently tied peasants to the land; would be considered fugitives if escaped land
• spread throughout Europe, became significant

Question 3

Time of Troubles

Answer 3

• 1598-1613
• period of time between the death of Feodor Ivanovich (Ivan the Terrible’s son) and the Romanov dynasty
• False Dimitri I claimed to be dead son of Ivan the Terrible, people rallied to various pretenders because desperate for a leader
• famine killed one third of population

Question 4

Boyar

Answer 4

• member of the highest rank of aristocracies
• princes started marrying boyars’ families; marriage between boyars obtained loyalty of noble classes by promising land (land grants)
• were the council to the prince
• had a lot of power and influence, but were severely restricted dying Ivan the Terrible’s reign; persecution

Question 5

Peter the Great

Answer 5

• r. 1696-1725
• tsar of Russia
• displayed tsar’s supremacy over intermediaries
• mocked religion, didn’t feel subjected to God, put tight restrictions on church and clergy
• massive expansion efforts: Roman style arch “I came, I saw, I conquered”
• Mongol style statecraft: people had to be loyal only to the king; church’s govt., etc. not as important

Question 6

Oprichnina

Answer 6

• 1565-1572
• series of changes made my Ivan’s paranoia against boyars
• created the Oprichniki (secret police)
• start of serfdom (peasants were tied permanent the land)
• confiscation of land from Russian aristocrats
• public executions
• tactics used to solidify loyalty