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History of Russia

Russia is a country in Eastern Europe and North Asia, and it is the largest country in the world.. 5 eras, 1263 to today.

Grand Principality of Moscow, 1263–1547 Draft, not yet reviewed

It was a late medieval Russian monarchy, and its capital was the city of Moscow. Moscow became a separate principality when Daniel, the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky, received the city and surrounding area as an appanage. Ivan I regained the title of grand prince and was able to collect tribute for the khan from other Russian princes, which increased Moscow's wealth. Ivan IV was crowned as the first Russian tsar in 1547, thereby formally establishing the Tsardom of Russia.

Seat of power: Moscow

Rulers

Tsardom of Russia, 1547–1721 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Tsardom of Russia, also known as the Tsardom of Moscow, was the centralized Russian state from the assumption of the title of tsar by Ivan IV in 1547 until the foundation of the Russian Empire by Peter the Great in 1721. From 1550 to 1700, Russia grew by an average of 35,000 square kilometres (14,000 sq mi) per year. The period includes the upheavals of the transition from the Rurik to the Romanov dynasties, wars with the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Sweden, and the Ottoman Empire, and the Russian conquest of Siberia. In 1613, a zemsky Sobor proclaimed the boyar Mikhail Romanov as tsar, beginning the 300-year reign of the Romanov family.

Seat of power: Moscow

Rulers

Russian Empire, 1721–1917 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Russian Empire was an empire that extended across northern Eurasia from 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in 1917, forming the final era of Tsarist Russia and the wider Russian monarchy. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about 22,800,000 km2 (8,800,000 sq mi), roughly one-sixth of the world's landmass. Alexander II initiated major reforms, most notably the 1861 emancipation of all 23 million serfs. In 1917, mass unrest in Petrograd and army mutinies culminated in the February Revolution, which led to Nicholas II's abdication, the establishment of the Russian Provisional Government, and the proclamation of the Russian Republic.

Seat of power: Saint Petersburg

Rulers

Soviet Union, 1922–1991 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from its formation in 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. Joseph Stalin initiated rapid industrialization and forced collectivization that led to significant growth, but contributed to a devastating famine in the 1930s that killed millions. The Soviet Union played a decisive role in defeating the Axis powers as part of the Allies, while extending its sphere of influence to Central and Eastern Europe. In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev sought reform through his policies of glasnost and perestroika.

Seat of power: Moscow

Rulers

Russia, 1991 to today Draft, not yet reviewed

In 1991, the Russian SFSR emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union as the Russian Federation. Following a constitutional crisis in 1993, a new constitution was adopted, establishing a semi-presidential republic. Since the turn of the century, Russia's political system has been dominated by Vladimir Putin. Russia has been militarily involved in numerous conflicts, including its war with Georgia in 2008 and its war with Ukraine since 2014, the latter has involved the internationally unrecognised annexation of Crimea in 2014 and four additional regions following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, resulting in a full-scale war.

Seat of power: Moscow

Rulers

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.