Russian backwardness Flashcards
What % of the Russian population were peasants in 1855?
85%
What % of the Russian population were members of the nobility in 1855?
1%
What was the official religion in Russia of which a key principle was the divine right of the Tsar?
Russian Orthodox Church
How many kilometres of railways did Russia have in 1855?
1,049km
How many peasant rebellions had occurred during 1826-1854?
712
What were enslaved Russian peasants known as?
Serf
How many people were working in Russia’s steel and iron industry in 1830?
20,000
What year did the first rail line between St Petersburg and Moscow run?
1851
What were the dates of the Crimean War?
1853-56
Who was the Tsar when the Crimean War started?
Nicholas I
Who was Russia fighting against in the Crimean War?
Britain, France, Ottoman Empire
Why did Russia lose the Crimean War?
- lack of modern, industrialised weaponry
- lack of strategic railways
- poor physical fitness/morale of conscripted serfs
- poor tactics
Which members of the royal family encouraged Alexander to reform Russia?
Brother - Grand Duke Constantine
Aunt - Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna
What did Alexander II explain to the nobles in Moscow in 1856?
“Reform from above not below”
What % of serfs had been mortgaged to the state by 1859?
66%
