Russia: Difference between revisions

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==History==
 
==== EarlyPremodern Russian Historyhistory ====
 
=====Medieval period (880-1547)=====
====Kievan Rus and the Grand Duchy of Moscow====
The East Slavs emerged as a recognisable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD. The medieval state of Rus' arose in the 9th century. In 988, it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire, beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium. Rus' ultimately disintegrated until the Grand Duchy of Moscow finally reunified it in the 15th century.
 
====Tsardom=Early ofimperial Russiaperiod (1547-1750) =====
In development of the Third Rome ideas, the Grand Duke Ivan IV "the Terrible" was officially crowned the first ''Tsar'' of Russia in 1547. The ''Tsar'' promulgated a new code of laws, established the first Russian feudal representative body, curbed the influence of the clergy, and introduced local self-management in rural regions. Ivan the Terrible doubled the already large Russian territory during his long reign by annexing the three Tatar khanates (parts of the disintegrated Golden Horde):; Kazan and, Astrakhan along the Volga and the Siberian Khanate in southwestern Siberia. Thus, by the end of the 16th century, Russia expanded east of the Ural Mountains, thus east of Europe, and into Asia, transformed into a transcontinental state. In the east, the rapid Russian exploration and colonization of the vast territories of Siberia were primarily led by Cossacks hunting for valuable furs and ivory. Russian explorers pushed eastward primarily along the Siberian River Routes. By the mid-17th century, there were Russian settlements in Eastern Siberia, on the Chukchi Peninsula, along the Amur River, and the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
 
By the end of the 16th century, Russia expanded east of the Ural Mountains, transforming into a transcontinental empire. In the east, the rapid Russian exploration and colonization of the vast territories of Siberia were primarily led by Cossacks hunting for valuable furs and ivory. Russian explorers pushed eastward primarily along the Siberian River Routes. By the mid-17th century, there were Russian settlements in the Far East.
=== Imperial Russia ===
 
==== RussianImperial colonization of AlyeskaRussia ====
{{Main|Alyeska}}
Russia was the first European power to explore and settle the far northeast of North America. In 1788, the private Kurile Island Company, founded initially to explore the business opportunities in the Kurile Islands, was given by the Russian Tsar permission to explore the region of what is now modern-day [[Alyeska]]. A few years later, the tsar proclaimed the Ukase of 1790, which detailed the claims of Russia on the American continent. The Kurile Island Company was given a charter to the Aleutian Islands and eventually other parts of Alaska. Russians tried to settle Kolchak island in the south of their claimed land with the Port Alexander colony (1816 - 1832). However, the Russians eventually relinquished much of their claims in North America in the Russo-Dutch Treaty of 1832.
 
==== The= Russian Succession Crisis & modernization period =====
The part that they retained, Alyeska, was a mostly forgotten colony and a backwater for much of the 19th century, with a revolving door of colonization companies trying to find a way to profit from the region. Nevertheless, in the 1870s, after realizing the geopolitical importance of Alyeska to Russian interests, the Tsar founded and granted a monopolistic charter to the Russian Pacific Company to oversee the colonization and management of the territory. Since the company was state-funded, the Russian Pacific Company was able to pour more development into Alyeska than its private company predecessors. In the 1890s, gold was discovered in the Alyeskan territory. This resulted in an influx of immigrants from Russia and East Asia to Alyeska.
Shortly before his demise, Tsar Alexander III, appointed Orange-Nassau prince and his nephew-in-law, [[Henry-Williams]], as his chief naval reformer. Over the 1860s, Henry-Williams became wildly popular in Russia due to his success in modernizing the navy and his revitalisation of Russian culture. He was a popular topic for the press, had strong ties to the Russian elites, and assimilated into society.
 
After the death of the Russian tsar Alexander III in 1867, the heir and eldest male prince, Ivan, was expected to inherit the Russian throne. At the time of his father's death, Ivan had been bedridden for over a year. He was extremely sick and was expected to be an incompetent leader, with Russian newspapers mocking his appearance and perceived inability to rule. Henry-Williams claimed the throne of Russia in opposition to Crown Prince Ivan, kicking off the Russian Succession Crisis.
==== The Russian Succession Crisis & modernization period ====
After the death of the Russian tsar Alexander III in 1867, the heir and eldest male dynast, Ivan, was expected to inherit the Russian throne. At the time of his father's death, Ivan had been bedridden for over a year. He was extremely sick and was expected to be an incompetent leader, with Russian newspapers mocking his appearance and perceived inability to rule. Before the death of the Tsar, Alexander III, to gain influence in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, appointed a Dutch prince of House Oranje, Henry-Williams, as his chief naval reformer (additionally the husband of the Tsar's niece). Over the 1860's Henry-Williams (the cousin of the current Dutch King) became wildly popular in Russia because of his success in modernizing the navy and his adaptation and promotion of Russian culture. He was a frequent subject of interest in the press, had strong ties to the Russian elites, and became a great patron of Russian literature. He studied the language and could speak fluent Russian (as well as Ukrainian and Polish) and even converted to orthodox Christianity and was baptized with a Slavic name.
 
After being urged by his wife and other members of the Russian court, Henry-Williams claimed the throne, whichwith kickedsupport offof the Russian-SuccessionNetherlands, Crisissuccessfully andbecame a Russian War of Succession. AfterTsar onlyafter eight months of fighting (within the1868. DutchHe supporting Henry-Williams' claim)founded the war wasdynastic overbranch, andthe Henry-Williams was declared Emperor and Tsar[[House of Russia. This was possible due to HenryOrange-Williams naval and military contacts in Russia, his support amongst the people, and support from the Kingdom of the NetherlandsRomanov]]. To gain additional legitimacy and appease conservative members of the royal family, Henry-Williams and his Russian wife (thebecame niececo-rulers. ofThey thebecame late tsar) both ruledknown as co-emperors, and in 1868 the new[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Monarchs_of_Spain tsarOrthodox andMonarchs tsarinaof started their reignRussia].
 
===== Genrican period (1868-1884) =====
Being a past naval reformer, Henry-Williams, the new tsar, shifted his focus to the expansion of Russia's influence in the pacific and the growing wealth and geostrategic position that could be found in a pacific empire. He believed one of the early steps to a Russian pacific empire was to create a Trans-Siberian railway to connect the Muscovite region to the Russian Pacific ports.
Being a past naval reformer, Tsar Henry shifted his focus to the expansion of Russia's influence in the Pacific. He created a Trans-Siberian railway to connect Russia's European core to its territories in the Far East.
 
In the 1870s, the Russian court carried out a series of reforms.
==== Russo-Ottoman War (1884 - 1885) ====
During the late 19th century, Russia slowly strengthened its economic and military power due to the reforms in the 1870s. In addition to this, the Russian realized the weakness of Ottoman control in the Balkans and Crimea. After a series of revolts in the Balkans were put down harshly by Ottoman forces, Russia pledged support for independence movements in Serbia and Romania. This led to Russia retaking Crimea, Wallachia, Moldavia, Serbia gaining independence. Austria, who joined the war late, also annexed the northwestern tip of Ottoman territory (but were promised more but didn't receive it from Russia, which strained Russo-Austrian relations for a while).
 
===== TheRusso-Ottoman GreatWar Game(1884-1885) =====
During the late 19th century, Russia slowly strengthened its economic and military power due to the reforms in the 1870s. In addition to this, the Russian realized the weakness of Ottoman control in the Balkans and Crimea. After a series of revolts in the Balkans were put down harshly by Ottoman forces, Russia pledged support forto the independence movements in Serbia and Romania. This led to Russia retakingbringing Crimea, Wallachia, Moldavia, and Serbia gainingunder independencetheir sphere. [[Austria|Austria,]] who joined the war late, also annexed thea northwesternsmall tippart of the Ottoman territoryEmpire (but- werethough promisedit morewas butless didn't receive it fromthan Russia, which strained Russo-Austrian relations for a while)promised.
Beginning in the 1840's Russia and Britain started to compete for influence in Central Asia, with the British believing that without countering Russian ambitions in the region, the Raj could eventually be at risk of invasion. This led to a military build-up and increased conflict over alliances with Afghanistan, Persia, and the Chinese nations. By 1893 tensions had simmered down. The great game ended with the creation of [[Serindia]] as a Buffer state between Russian and the British Raj, and the demilitarization of the border with the Kingdom of Afghanistan.
 
====The Russian Revolution & Republican Civil War (1925-1928)====
In the 1920s, the [[European Economic Crisis]] and its effects hit Russia especially hard. In 1922, a series of crop failures and poor financial decisions by the Russian imperial authorities caused a financial crisis known as the Russian depression. During the depression, massive famines in Ukraine and the Don Kuban region sent thousands of refugees north towards urban centers such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kiev. This led to food riots, strikes, and crackdowns by imperial authorities.
 
In the 1920s, the European Economic Crisis and its lead-up hit Russia especially hard. In 1922, a series of crop failures and poor financial decisions by the Russian imperial authorities caused a financial crisis known as the Russian depression. During the depression, massive famines in Ukraine and the Don Kuban region sent thousands of refugees north towards urban centers such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kiev, leading to food riots, strikes, and crackdowns by imperial authorities. Around every large city in Russia, large shantytowns, informally known as "Tsartowns," started popping up; these shantytowns were overcrowded, and disease outbreaks were common in them. During this period, anti-elite, anti-tsar, and pro-republican sentiments grew throughout the Russian empire. In 1923, the Russian Republican Congress (the largest republican organization in Russia at the time, also known as the R.R.C.) had over a million members in the Muscovite region alone. By the winter of 1925, the situation in Russia rapidly deteriorated, with most citizens believing that the Tsar mishandled the economic crisis and exacerbated the famines in the rural south through poor economic policy. Additionally, there was an outrage at the continued opulence of the Tzar, Tsarina, and nobilities lifestyles while so many lowerthe classespeasantry starved.
====Russian colonization of Oceania====
===The Russian Revolution & Republican Civil War (1925-1928)===
In the 1920s, the European Economic Crisis and its lead-up hit Russia especially hard. In 1922, a series of crop failures and poor financial decisions by the Russian imperial authorities caused a financial crisis known as the Russian depression. During the depression, massive famines in Ukraine and the Don Kuban region sent thousands of refugees north towards urban centers such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kiev, leading to food riots, strikes, and crackdowns by imperial authorities. Around every large city in Russia, large shantytowns, informally known as "Tsartowns," started popping up; these shantytowns were overcrowded, and disease outbreaks were common in them. During this period, anti-elite, anti-tsar, and pro-republican sentiments grew throughout the Russian empire. In 1923, the Russian Republican Congress (the largest republican organization in Russia at the time, also known as the R.R.C.) had over a million members in the Muscovite region alone. By the winter of 1925, the situation in Russia rapidly deteriorated, with most citizens believing that the Tsar mishandled the economic crisis and exacerbated the famines in the rural south through poor economic policy. Additionally, there was an outrage at the continued opulence of the Tzar, Tsarina, and nobilities lifestyles while so many lower classes starved.
 
===== Storming of the Winter Palace & the Birth of Republican Russia =====
On December 3rd, the winter palace was surrounded by a bread riot that swept through Moscow, and after 6 hours of rioting, the protestors stormed the Winter Palace. The nobility left the previous day to St. Petersburg (but upon hearing of the storming of the palace, left for Britain). After two days of further agitation and the breakdown of imperial civil control in Russia, the Russian Republican Congress declared the first Russian Republic and the end of imperial rule. After a week of tension with the new government, the imperial military reluctantly agreed to back the new government.
 
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== Culture ==
 
== Imperialism ==
 
==== The Great Game ====
Beginning in the 1840's Russia and Britain started to compete for influence in Central Asia, with the British believing that without countering Russian ambitions in the region, the Raj could eventually be at risk of invasion. This led to a military build-up and increased conflict over alliances with Afghanistan, Persia, and the Chinese nations. By 1893 tensions had simmered down. The great game ended with the creation of [[Serindia]] as a Bufferbuffer state between Russian and the British Raj, and the demilitarization of the border with the Kingdom of Afghanistan.
 
==== Russian colonization of OceaniaAlyeska ====
{{Main|Alyeska}}
Russia was the first European power to explore and settle the far northeast of North America. In 1788, the private Kurile Island Company, founded initially to explore the business opportunities in the Kurile Islands, was given by the Russian Tsar permission to explore the region of what is now modern-day [[Alyeska]]. A few years later, the tsar proclaimed the Ukase of 1790, which detailed the claims of Russia on the American continent. The Kurile Island Company was given a charter to the Aleutian Islands and eventually other parts of Alaska. Russians tried to settle Kolchak island in the south of their claimed land with the Port Alexander colony (1816 - 1832). However, the Russians eventually relinquished much of their claims in North America in the Russo-Dutch Treaty of 1832.
 
The part that they retained, Alyeska, was a mostly forgotten colony and a backwater for much of the 19th century, with a revolving door of colonization companies trying to find a way to profit from the region. Nevertheless, in the 1870s, after realizing the geopolitical importance of Alyeska to Russian interests, the Tsar founded and granted a monopolistic charter to the Russian Pacific Company to oversee the colonization and management of the territory. Since the company was state-funded, the Russian Pacific Company was able to pour more development into Alyeska than its private company predecessors. In the 1890s, gold was discovered in the Alyeskan territory. This resulted in an influx of immigrants from Russia and East Asia to Alyeska.
 
== See also ==
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