Russian Empire

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Greater Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire (1882–1917)[1]

The Russian Empire (Pre-reform Russian: Pоссiйская Имперiя, Modern Russian: Российская империя, translit: Rossiyskaya Imperiya) was the successor State to the Tsardom of Russia and existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917.

History

Imperial Russia

In the 18th century, Russia was transformed from a static, somewhat isolated, very traditional state into a more dynamic, partially Westernized Russian Empire. This transformation was in no small measure a result of the vision, energy, and determination of Peter the Great. Historians disagree about the extent to which Peter himself transformed Russia, but they generally concur that he laid the foundations for empire-building over the next two centuries, driving back western invaders such as the Swedes. The era that Peter initiated signalled the advent of Russia as a major European power.

The Russian Empire by its expansion became one of the largest empires in the world. At one point in 1866, it stretched from eastern Europe, across northern Asia, and into Alaska in North America. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Russian Empire was the largest State in the world, extending from the Arctic Ocean to the north to the Black Sea on the south, from the Baltic Sea on the west to the Pacific Ocean on the east. Across this vast realm were scattered the Tsar's 164 million (1914) subjects, from poor, often illiterate peasants, to the noble and aristocratic families sometimes of great wealth. Its government, including a vast civil service, and a Parliament (from 1906), was presided over by the Tsar (or Emperor), who was supreme autocrat until 1917.

As West European economic growth accelerated during the Industrial Revolution, which had begun in the second half of the eighteenth century in the West, Russia lagged behind, creating new problems for the empire as a great power.

Emperors of Russia

  • Peter I 'the Great' (9 June 1672 – 8 February 1725); Romanov
  • Catherine I (15 April 1684 – 17 May 1727); Skowroński; second wife of Peter I; Romanov by marriage
  • Peter II (23 October 1715 – 30 January 1730); grandson of Peter I via the murdered Tsarevich Alexei; Romanov
  • Anna (7 February 1693 – 28 October 1740); daughter of Ivan V and Praskovia Saltykova; Romanov
  • Ivan VI (23 August 1740 – 16 July 1764); great-grandson of Ivan V; Brunswick-Lüneburg
  • Elizabeth (29 December 1709 – 5 January 1762); daughter of Peter I and Catherine I; Romanov
  • Peter III (21 February 1728 – 17 July 1762); son of Anna Petrovna, a daughter of Emperor Peter I and Empress Catherine I; nephew of Elizabeth; Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov (a cadet branch of the German House of Oldenburg) (abdicated)
  • Catherine II 'the Great' (2 May 1729 – 17 November 1796) of Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg; wife of Peter III; Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov by marriage
  • Paul I (1 October 1754 – 23 March 1801); son of Peter III and Catherine II; Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov (murdered)
  • Alexander I 'the Blessed' (23 December 1777 – 1 December 1825); son of Paul I and Maria Feodorovna; first Romanov King of [Congress] Poland and Grand Duke of Finland; Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
  • Nicholas I (6 July 1796 – 2 March 1855); younger brother of Alexander I; third son of Paul I and Maria Feodorovna; Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
  • Alexander II 'the Liberator' (29 April 1818 – 13 March 1881); son of Nicholas I and Alexandra Feodrovna; Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov (murdered)
  • Alexander III 'the Peacemaker' (10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894); son of Alexander II and Maria Alexandrovna; Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
  • Saint Nicholas II (18 May 1868 – 17 July 1918); son of Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna; murdered by the Bolsheviks; Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov

See also

Further reading

  • Volkoff, Vladimir, Vladimir, The Russian Viking, Honyglen Pubs., U.K., 1984, ISBN: 0-907855-02-4
  • Franklin, Simon, Writing, Society and Culture in Early Rus, c950-1300, Cambridge University Press, England, 2002, ISBN: 0-521-81381-6
  • Murray, John, Russia, Poland, and Finland, London, 1875.
  • Morfill, W.R., Russia, Fisher Unwin pubs., London, Second edition. 1891.
  • Winter, Nevin O., The Russian Empire, Page & co., Boston, 1913.
  • Howe, Sonia E., A Thousand years of Russian History, Williams & Norgate pubs., London, 1917.
  • Seton-Watson, Hugh, The Russian Empire 1801-1917, Clarendon Press, Oxford, England, 1967/1988, ISBN: 0-19-922103-7
  • Gatrell, Peter, The Tsarist Economy 1850-1917, Batsford pubs., London, 1986, ISBN: 0-7134-2584-9

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Or, a double-headed Imperial Eagle Sable, twice imperially crowned proper, armed and membered Gold, langued Gules, grasping in the dexter claw an imperial sceptre, and in the sinister claw an imperial orb, all proper; in chief another bigger imperial crown with issuant and pendent therefrom a blue-celeste ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called; the Imperial Eagle is charged on the breast with an escutcheon: Gules, an image of St. George Martyr the Victorious in complete armour Argent, wearing a flying cloak Azure, riding a horse in full gallop Argent, the latter is covered with a horse-cloth Gules, fringed, bridled and maned Or, and treading upon a dragon crawling in base Or, winged Vert, whose head the rider is piercing through with a spear, the rear end of the latter is terminating in an Orthodox cross Gold (for Moscow); above the shield is placed a helmet of St. Prince Alexander of Neva, with a mantling Sable, doubled Or; the shield is encircled with the collar and pendent therefrom a badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called; and for supporters are: on the dexter side St. Michael the Taxiarch in complete armour, holding in the dexter hand a sword enflamed, all proper; and on the sinister side St. Gabriel the Archangel habited proper, holding in the sinister hand a long cross Gold; all displayed within an imperial robe of estate with a pavilion Or, semée of imperial eagles, doubled Ermine, and ensigned with an imperial crown proper; along the pavilion’s rim is a motto: “СЪ НАМИ БОГЪ” which means “GOD WITH US”, lettered Gules; and above all, issuant from behind the pavilion and the imperial crown, is a state gonfannon Or, fimbriated of the state livery colours: Sable, Or, and Argent, and emblazoned with all of the above; the imperial robe of estate is semi circled below by nine shields, each being ensigned with its proper crown: first Argent, a wyvern Sable, crowned and armed Or, winged, langued and tailed Gules (for the Kingdom of Kazan); second Azure, a royal crown of eight arches (five visible) Or, doubled Vert, above a sabre curved in fess point to the dexter Argent, hilted and pummeled Or (for the Kingdom of Astrakhan); third Gules, an eagle displayed Argent, royally crowned proper, armed and membered Or (for the Kingdom of Poland); fourth Ermine, two sables rampant combatant Sable, supporting an ancient crown Or, and a bow in fess, with two arrows saltirewise points downwards, all Gules (for the Kingdom of Siberia); fifth Or, a double-headed Byzantine eagle displayed Sable, twice royally crowned and armed Gold, charged on the breast with an escutcheon: Azure, an Orthodox cross within a bordure, all Or (for the Kingdom of the Chersonesus Taurica); sixth quarterly with enté en pointe and an inescutcheon (for the Kingdom of Georgia): first Gules, between in sinister chief and dexter base two mullets of eight points, a horse in full gallop all Argent (for Iberia); second Or, a volcano fumant Vert, pierced through with two arrows saltirewise points upwards Sable (for Kartli); third Azure, between in chief and at either side three mullets of six points Argent, two arrows saltirewise points upwards of the same, debruised by an inescutcheon Or, charged with an increscent Gules (for Kabardia); fourth Or, a lion rampant Gules, crowned proper (for Armenia); fifth Enté en pointe Or, a Chercassian warrior in complete armour Argent, habited Gules and wearing a fur cloak Sable, holding a spear of the same on the dexter shoulder, and riding a horse in full gallop Sable (for the Chercassian and Mountaineer Princes); the inescutcheon: Or, an image of St. George Martyr the Victorious in complete armour Azure with a cross on the breast, wearing a flying cloak Gules, and riding a horse in full gallop Sable, covered with a horse-cloth Gules, fringed Gold, treading upon a crawling dragon Vert, winged Sable, eyed and langued Gules, whose head the rider is piercing through with a spear Gules (for Georgia); seventh tierced per pale and enté en pointe: first Azure, an image of St. Michael the Archangel in complete armour with the wings inverted all Argent, holding in the dexter hand a sword enflamed proper, and in the sinister hand a shield Argent (for the Grand Duchy of Kiev); second Gules, a lion rampant guardant Or, crowned with an iron crown proper, holding in the dexter forepaw a long cross Argent (for the Grand Duchy of Vladimir); third Enté en pointe Argent, two bears statant erect combatant Sable, supporting a throne Or, cushioned Gules, on which are placed a sceptre and a long cross saltirewise, both Or; on the back of the Throne is a triple candlestick Gold with three lighted candles proper; in a base Azure, two fish fesswise respectant naiant and counter-naiant Argent (for the Grand Duchy of Novgorod); eighth Gules, between eight roses Argent, barbed and seeded proper, a lion rampant Or, ducally crowned proper, holding in the dexter vambraced forepaw a straight-bladed sword proper, hilted and pommeled Or, and resting the sinister forepaw on a curved sabre proper, hilted and pommeled as the latter, the blade of which the lion is treading upon with the dexter hind paw (for the Grand Duchy of Finland); beneath all is placed a shield, ensigned with a royal crown proper, displaying the Ancestral Arms of His Imperial Majesty: per pale, first Argent, a griffin segreant Gules, holding a sword proper and a round shield Or, ensigned upon its upper edge with an eaglet Sable, all within a bordure Sable, charged with eight lion’s heads erased Or and Argent alternately (for the House of Romanov); second quarterly with enté en pointe and an inescutcheon, first Gules, a lion rampant Or, crowned proper, holding in the forepaws a long-handled axe of St. Olaf Argent, handled Or (for Norway); second Or, two lions passant Azure (for Schleswig); third Gules, an inescutcheon per fess Argent and Gules, between three nettle leaves and as many passion nails in pairle Argent (for Holstein); fourth Gules, a swan Argent, beaked, membered and royally gorged Or (for Stormarn); fifth Enté en pointe: Gules, a knight in armour Or, on a horse Argent, brandishing a sword Argent, and with a shield Azure, charged with a cross pattée Or (for Ditmarsen); over all, an inescutcheon of pretence ensigned with a Duke’s crown proper, namely: Per pale, first Or, two bars Gules (for Oldenburg); second Azure, a cross pattée fitchy Or (for Delmenhorst); the imperial robe of estate is semi circled above by six shields: first twice per fess and twice per pale, with enté en pointe, first Argent, a stag trippant Gules, unguled and attired of twelve tynes Sable (for Nizhny Novgorod); second Argent, two arms vested Gules, issuant from either side of the shield out of clouds Azure, and holding in the hands two spears in saltire Gules (for Yugora); third Or, a prince vested Vert, with a fur hat on, wearing a cloak and booted Gules, holding in the dexter hand a sword proper and in the sinister hand a scabbard Sable (for Ryazan); fourth Argent, a cannon Sable, its carriage and wheels Or, with perching on the fuse a “Paradise Bird” proper (for Smolensk); fifth Azure, a snow leopard Or, in chief issuant out of clouds Argent a dexter hand proper (for Pskov); sixth Gules, a throne Or, cushioned Vert, on which is placed a royal crown proper (for Tver); seventh Argent, a bear passant erect guardant Sable, holding in the sinister forepaw a long-handled axe Or (for Yaroslavl); eighth Gules, a stag statant Argent, gorged Or (for Rostov Veliky); ninth Azure, two fish in saltire Argent, in chief a crescent of the same, in dexter chief a cross pommé Or (for Beloozero); tenth enté en pointe: Sable, a fox Argent, langued and eyed Gules (for Udora); second tierced per pale and enté en pointe, first Gules, a cross formy Argent (for Volyn); second Azure, the sun in splendour accompanied in chief with a cross couped, all Or (for Podolsk); third Argent, an eagle crowned displayed Sable, holding behind the back in the sinister claws a long cross tilted bendwise Or (for Chernigov); third quarterly with enté en pointe and an inescutcheon, first per fess, first Gules, an eagle displayed Argent; second Or, a knight in complete armour Azure (Pogonia – “Pursuit”), holding a sword proper and a shield Argent, charged with an Orthodox cross Gules, riding a Horse Sable, covered with a three-tailed horse-cloth of the fourth, fringed of the field (for Belostock); second Or, a Bear statant erect Sable, langued and eyed Gules (for Samogitia); third Argent, a knight in complete armour Sable (Pogonia – “Pursuit”), holding a scimitar proper and a circular shield Gules, charged with an Orthodox cross Argent, riding a horse Sable, bridled Argent and Gules (for Polotsk); fourth Gules, a knight in complete armour Argent (Pogonia – “Pursuit”), holding a sword and a round shield of the same, charged with an Orthodox cross Gules, riding a horse Argent, saddled Gules, covered with a three-tailed horse-cloth Or, fringed Azure (for Vitebsk); fifth enté en pointe: Argent, a wolf passant reguardant Gules (for Mstislav); inescutcheon: Gules, a knight in complete armour Argent (Pogonia – “Pursuit”), holding a sword and a shield of the same, charged with an Orthodox cross Gules, riding a horse Argent, covered with a three-tailed horse-cloth of the field, fringed Or (for the Grand Duchy of Lithuania); fourth quarterly, first Or, three lions passant Azure (for Estland); second Gules, a griffin segreant Argent, holding a sword Or, and charged on his breast with a cypher (Peter the Second, Emperor of All Russias) Gules, ensigned with an imperial crown (for Liefland); quarterly, first and fourth Argent, a lion rampant crowned Gules (for Kurland); second and third Azure, issuant from the side a demi stag trippant ducally crowned, attired of twelve tynes, Argent; the figures in the first and third quarters being contourné (for Semigalia); fourth Gules, two arms embowed vambraced combatant Argent, each holding in the hand a scimitar proper, with in chief a crown Or (for Korelia); fifth quarterly, with an inescutcheon: first Or, an arm vested Gules, issuant from the sinister side out of clouds Azure, holding a bow and an arrow in full draught, with in dexter chief a cross pommé, all Gules (for Vyatka); second Vert, an Agnus Dei Argent carrying a gonfannon Gules, shafted Or, charged with a cross Argent (for Bulgaria); third Argent, a fox passant Sable, langued and eyed Gules (for Obdora); fourth Vert, a savage wreathed with oak foliage both about the temples and loins, and holding a club Argent on the dexter shoulder (for Kondia); inescutcheon Gules, a bear passant Argent, carrying on the back a book of the Gospel Or, ensigned with a cross formy rayonnant of four rays Argent (for Perm); sixth Or, a unicorn passant Sable, armed, langued and eyed Gules (for Turkestan).
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