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Russia In the early 17th century Russia was the most isolated and backward of European states. The tsar (caesar) ruled the immediate vicinity of Moscow, but the rest of the kingdom of Muscovy was really controlled by powerful and independently-minded nobles - the boyars. In addition, the influence of the traditionalist and ultra-conservative Orthodox Clergy on the mass of the people made any attempts at change difficult, or even dangerous.
The Tsar Boris Gudunov (1598-1605) had attempted to impose strong government but had been met by such forceful opposition that civil war broke out during which Boris himself was killed. After his death the state suffered revolts among the peasants and the Cossacks. There was much damage caused by uncontrolled mobs of soldiers who pillaged villages and towns. The northern city of Novgorod was captured by the Swedes and a Polish prince was declared tsar after Moscow was occupied by Polish armies in 1611. It was the Orthodox Clergy which led a crusade against the Catholic Polish and Lutheran Swedish invaders. By 1613 an assembly representing all classes of society - the Zemski Sobor (a Russian version of the States-General) - had declared Mikaïl Romanov to be the new tsar.
The reigns of the first two Romanov tsars, Mikaïl (1613-1645), and Alexis (1645-1676), were marked by the first real attempt to open up Muscovy to western influence. Foreign technicians arrived to train the army and found the first factories. English, Dutch and German merchants set up businesses in Moscow and the northern port of Archangelsk. Despite all their efforts the results were very limited because of the Russian people who were extremely resistant to new ideas. The nobility and the clergy were afraid of losing their power and influence. In addition, there was a profound belief that it was their duty to defend the values and traditions of "Holy Mother Russia". This anti-foreign sentiment was reinforced by the exhausting war against Poland to the west. In 1648 the Cossacks of the Ukraine rose in revolt against the Poles and in 1653 they asked for Russian protection. two important consequences resulted from this:
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© Shirley Burchill, Nigel Hughes, Richard Gale and Keith Woodall 2007 Footnote : As far as the Open Door team can ascertain the images shown on this page are in the Public Domain. |
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