Russian empire. Russian Empire: the beginning of the formation of the Russian Empire 1721

Russian empire- monarchical class multinational state early XVIII- beginning of the 20th century Developed on the basis of Russian centralized state, which in 1721 Peter I declared an empire.

The Russian Empire included: from the 18th century. Baltics, Right Bank Ukraine, Belarus, part of Poland, Bessarabia, North Caucasus; from the 19th century, in addition, Finland, Transcaucasia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia and the Pamirs. TO end of the 19th century V. The territory of the Russian Empire was 22,400,000 km².

Population

According to the 1897 census, the population was 128,200,000 people, including European Russia - 93,400,000, Kingdom of Poland - 9,500,000, Grand Duchy of Finland - 2,600,000, Caucasus Territory - 9,300,000, Siberia - 5,800,000, Central Asian regions - 7,700,000. More than 100 peoples and nationalities lived on the territory of the Russian Empire. 57% of the population were non-Russian peoples. Tsarism brutally oppressed non-Russian peoples, pursued a policy of forced Russification, suppression of national culture, and incitement of interethnic hatred. Russian was the official national language, mandatory for all state and public institutions. According to the expression, the Russian Empire was a “prison of nations.”

Administrative division

The territory of the Russian Empire in 1914 was divided into 81 provinces and 20 regions. There were 931 cities. Some provinces and regions were united into governorates-general (Warsaw, Irkutsk, Kiev, Moscow, Amur, Stepnoe, Turkestan and Finland). The official vassals of the Russian Empire were the Khanate of Bukhara and the Khanate of Khiva. In 1914, the Uriankhai Territory (now the Republic of Tyva) was accepted under the protectorate of the Russian Empire.

Autocratic system. Caricature

Structure of power and society

The Russian Empire was a hereditary monarchy headed by an emperor who exercised autocratic power. This provision was enshrined in the “Basic State Laws”. A member of the emperor's family and his relatives constituted the imperial house (see ""). The emperor exercised legislative power through the State Council (since 1810) and (since 1906), state apparatus led through the Senate, Council of Ministers and ministries. The Emperor was the supreme leader armed forces Russian Empire (see Russian Army, Russian Navy). In the Russian Empire, the Christian Church was part of the state; “primary and dominant” was the Orthodox Church, which was ruled by the emperor through the Synod.

The entire population was considered subjects of the Russian Empire, the male population (from 20 years old) was obliged to swear allegiance to the emperor. Subjects were divided into 4 estates (“states”):

• nobility;
• clergy;
• city ​​dwellers ( honorary citizens, guild merchants, townspeople and townspeople, artisans or guilds);
• rural inhabitants (that is, peasants).

The ruling class was the nobility. belonged to him political power. The local population of Kazakhstan, Siberia and a number of other regions of the empire were separated into an independent “state” and were called foreigners (see “”). This category was managed by .

Extensive legislation has been collected in Full meeting laws of the Russian Empire and the Code of Laws of the Russian Empire. The Russian Empire had a coat of arms - a double-headed eagle with royal regalia; state flag - a cloth with white, blue and red horizontal stripes; the national anthem, which began with the words: “God save the Tsar.”

Decline and collapse of the empire

In progress historical development Russia in the 2nd half of the 19th century. moved from to, and at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. entered the stage. In Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. The economic and social prerequisites for a people's revolution have matured. Center revolutionary movement moved from Western Europe in Russia. The revolution of 1905-1907 shook the foundations of the autocracy and was a “dress rehearsal” for the bourgeois and proletarian revolution. overthrew the autocracy

Russian empire - a state that existed from November 1721 to March 1917.

The Empire was created after the end Northern War with Sweden, when Tsar Peter the Great proclaimed himself emperor, and ended its existence after February Revolution 1917 and the abdication of imperial powers by the last Emperor Nicholas II and his abdication from the throne.

At the beginning of 1917, the population of this huge power was 178 million people.

The Russian Empire had two capitals: from 1721 to 1728 - St. Petersburg, from 1728 to 1730 - Moscow, from 1730 to 1917 - St. Petersburg again.

The Russian Empire had vast territories: from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea in the south, from Baltic Sea in the west to Pacific Ocean in the east.

The major cities of the empire were St. Petersburg, Moscow, Warsaw, Odessa, Lodz, Riga, Kyiv, Kharkov, Tiflis (modern Tbilisi), Tashkent, Vilna (modern Vilnius), Saratov, Kazan, Rostov-on-Don, Tula, Astrakhan, Ekaterinoslav (modern Dnepropetrovsk), Baku, Chisinau, Helsingfors (modern Helsinki).

The Russian Empire was divided into provinces, regions and districts.

As of 1914, the Russian Empire was divided into:

a) provinces - Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan, Bessarabian, Vilna, Vitebsk, Vladimir, Vologda, Volyn, Voronezh, Vyatka, Grodno, Ekaterinoslav, Kazan, Kaluga, Kiev, Kovno, Kostroma, Courland, Kursk, Livonia, Minsk, Mogilev, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Novgorod, Olonets, Orenburg, Oryol, Penza, Perm, Podolsk, Poltava, Pskov, Ryazan, Samara, St. Petersburg, Saratov, Simbirsk, Smolensk, Tavricheskaya, Tambov, Tver, Tula, Ufa, Kharkov, Kherson, Kholm, Chernihiv, Estland, Yaroslavl, Volyn, Podolsk, Kiev, Vilna, Kovno, Grodno, Minsk, Mogilev, Vitebsk, Courland, Livonia, Estland, Warsaw, Kalisz, Kieleck, Lomzhinsk, Lublin, Petrokovsk, Plock, Radom, Suwalki, Baku, Elizavetpolskaya (Elisavetpolskaya), Kutaisskaya, Stavropolskaya, Tiflisskaya, Black Sea, Erivanskaya, Yeniseiskaya, Irkutskskaya, Tobolskaya, Tomskaya, Abo-Björneborgskaya, Vazaskaya, Vyborgskaya, Kuopioskaya, Nielanskaya (Nylandskaya), St. Michelskaya, Tavastguskaya (Tavastgusskaya), Uleaborgskaya

b) regions - Batumi, Dagestan, Kars, Kuban, Terek, Amur, Transbaikal, Kamchatka, Primorskaya, Sakhalin, Yakut, Akmola, Transcaspian, Samarkand, Semipalatinsk, Semirechensk, Syr-Darya, Turgai, Ural, Fergana, Don Army Region;

c) districts - Sukhumi and Zagatala.

It would be worth mentioning that the Russian Empire in its last years before its collapse included once independent countries - Finland, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.

The Russian Empire was ruled by one royal dynasty - the Romanovs. Over the 296 years of the empire's existence, it was ruled by 10 emperors and 4 empresses.

First Russian Emperor Peter the Great (ruled in the Russian Empire 1721 - 1725) was in this rank for 4 years, although the total time of his reign was 43 years.

Peter the Great set as his goal the transformation of Russia into a civilized country.

Over the last 4 years of his stay on the imperial throne, Peter carried out a number of important reforms.

Peter carried out a reform government controlled, introduced the administrative-territorial division of the Russian Empire into provinces, created regular army and a powerful navy. Peter also abolished church autonomy and subordinated

church of the imperial power. Even before the formation of the empire, Peter founded St. Petersburg, and in 1712 he moved the capital there from Moscow.

Under Peter, the first newspaper was opened in Russia, many were opened educational institutions for nobles, and in 1705 the first comprehensive gymnasium was opened. Peter also put things in order in the preparation of all official documents, prohibiting the use of half names in them (Ivashka, Senka, etc.), prohibited forced marriage, removing the hat and kneeling when the king appeared, and also allowed marital divorces. Under Peter, a whole network of military and naval schools was opened for the children of soldiers, drunkenness was prohibited at feasts and meetings, and the wearing of a beard by government officials was prohibited.

For increase educational level nobles Peter introduced compulsory study foreign language(in those days - French). The role of the boyars was leveled, many boyars from yesterday's semi-literate peasants turned into educated nobles.

Peter the Great forever deprived Sweden of the status of an aggressor country, defeating the Swedish army led by the Swedish king Charles XII near Poltava in 1709.

During the reign of Peter the Russian Empire annexed to its possessions the territory of modern Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, as well as the Karelian Isthmus and part of Southern Finland. In addition, Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina(territory of modern Moldova and Ukraine).

After the death of Peter, Catherine I ascended the imperial throne.

The Empress reigned briefly, only two years (reign 1725 - 1727). However, its power was rather weak and was actually in the hands of Alexander Menshikov, Peter’s comrade-in-arms. Catherine showed interest only in the fleet. In 1726, the Supreme Privy Council was created, which governed the country under the formal chairmanship of Catherine. During Catherine's time, bureaucracy and embezzlement flourished. Catherine only signed all the papers that were handed over to her by representatives of the Supreme Privy Council. There was a struggle for power within the council itself, and reforms in the empire were suspended. During the reign of Catherine the First, Russia did not wage any wars.

The next Russian Emperor Peter II also reigned briefly, only three years (reign 1727 - 1730). Peter the Second became Emperor when he was only eleven years old, and he died at the age of fourteen from smallpox. In fact, Peter did not rule the empire; in such a short period he did not even have time to show interest in state affairs. Real power in the country continued to be in the hands of the Supreme Privy Council and Alexander Menshikov. Under this formal ruler, all the undertakings of Peter the Great were leveled out. The Russian clergy made attempts to secede from the state; the capital was moved from St. Petersburg to Moscow, the historical capital of the former Moscow principality and the Russian state. The army and navy fell into decay. Corruption and massive theft of money from the state treasury flourished.

The next Russian ruler was Empress Anna (reigned 1730 – 1740). However, the country was really ruled by her favorite Ernest Biron, Duke of Courland.

The powers of Anna herself were greatly curtailed. Without the approval of the Supreme Privy Council, the empress could not impose taxes, declare war, spend the state treasury at her own discretion, promote high ranks above the rank of colonel, or appoint an heir to the throne.

Under Anna, the proper maintenance of the fleet and the construction of new ships were resumed.

It was under Anna that the capital of the empire was returned back to St. Petersburg.

After Anna, Ivan VI became emperor (reigned 1740) and became the youngest emperor in history Tsarist Russia. He was placed on the throne at the age of two months, but Ernest Biron continued to have real power in the empire.

The reign of Ivan VI turned out to be short. Two weeks later it happened palace coup. Biron was removed from power. The infant emperor remained on the throne for just over a year. During his formal reign, no significant events occurred in the life of the Russian Empire.

And in 1741, Empress Elizabeth ascended to the Russian throne (reigned 1741 – 1762).

During the time of Elizabeth, Russia returned to Peter's reforms. The Supreme Privy Council, which for many years replaced the real power of the Russian emperors, was liquidated. Has been cancelled the death penalty. Noble privileges were formalized by law.

During the reign of Elizabeth, Russia took part in a number of wars. In the Russian-Swedish war (1741 - 1743), Russia again, like Peter the Great, won a convincing victory over the Swedes, winning a significant part of Finland from them. Then came the brilliant Seven Years' War against Prussia (1753-1760), which ended with the capture of Berlin by Russian troops in 1760.

During the time of Elizabeth, the first university was opened in Russia (in Moscow).

However, the empress herself had weaknesses - she often loved to organize luxurious feasts, which significantly emptied the treasury.

The next Russian emperor, Peter III, reigned for only 186 days (reign year 1762). Peter worked energetically state affairs, during his short stay on the throne, he abolished the Office of Secret Affairs, created the State Bank and for the first time introduced paper money into circulation in the Russian Empire. A decree was created prohibiting landowners from killing and maiming peasants. Peter wanted to reform Orthodox Church according to the Protestant model. The document “Manifesto on the Freedom of the Nobility” was created, which legally established the nobility as a privileged class in Russia. Under this tsar, nobles were exempted from forced military service. All high-ranking nobles exiled during the reign of previous emperors and empresses were released from exile. However, another palace coup prevented this sovereign from further working properly and reigning for the good of the empire.

Empress Catherine II (reigned 1762 – 1796) ascends the throne.

Catherine the Second, along with Peter the Great, is considered one of the best empresses, whose efforts contributed to the development of the Russian Empire. Catherine came to power through a palace coup, overthrowing her husband from the throne Peter III, who was cold towards her and treated her with undisguised disdain.

The period of Catherine's reign had the most tragic consequences for the peasants - they were completely enslaved.

However, under this empress, the Russian Empire significantly moved its borders to the west. After the division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Eastern Poland became part of the Russian Empire. Ukraine also joined it.

Catherine carried out the liquidation of the Zaporozhye Sich.

During the reign of Catherine, the Russian Empire victoriously ended the war with the Ottoman Empire, taking Crimea from it. As a result of this war, Kuban also became part of the Russian Empire.

Under Catherine, there was a massive opening of new gymnasiums throughout Russia. Education became available to all city residents, except peasants.

Catherine founded a number of new cities in the empire.

During the time of Catherine, a major uprising took place in the empire led by

Emelyan Pugachev - as a consequence of further enslavement and enslavement of the peasants.

The reign of Paul I that followed Catherine did not last long - only five years. Paul introduced cruel cane discipline in the army. Corporal punishment for nobles was reintroduced. All nobles were required to serve in the army. However, unlike Catherine, Paul improved the situation of the peasants. Corvée was limited to only three days a week. The grain tax in kind from peasants was abolished. The sale of peasants along with land was prohibited. It was forbidden to separate peasant families during sale. Fearing the influence of the recent Great french revolution, Paul introduced censorship and banned the import of foreign books.

Pavel died unexpectedly in 1801 from apoplexy.

His successor, Emperor Alexander I (reigned 1801 - 1825) - during his time on the throne, carried out a victorious Patriotic War against Napoleonic France in 1812. During the reign of Alexander, the Georgian lands - Megrelia and the Imeretian kingdom - became part of the Russian Empire.

Also during the reign of Alexander the First, a successful war was fought with the Ottoman Empire (1806-1812), which ended with the annexation of part of Persia (the territory of modern Azerbaijan) to Russia.

As a result of the next Russian-Swedish war (1806 - 1809), the territory of all of Finland became part of Russia.

The Emperor died unexpectedly of typhoid fever in Taganrog in 1825.

One of the most despotic emperors of the Russian Empire, Nicholas the First (reigned 1825 - 1855), ascends the throne.

On the very first day of Nicholas's reign, the Decembrist uprising took place in St. Petersburg. The uprising ended disastrously for them - artillery was used against them. The leaders of the uprising were imprisoned Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg and were soon executed.

In 1826, the Russian army had to defend its distant borders from the troops of the Persian Shah who unexpectedly invaded Transcaucasia. The Russian-Persian War lasted two years. At the end of the war, Armenia was taken from Persia.

In 1830, during the reign of Nicholas I, an uprising against the Russian autocracy took place in Poland and Lithuania. In 1831, the uprising was suppressed by Russian regular troops.

Under Nicholas the First, the first railway from St. Petersburg to Tsarskoe Selo was built. And by the end of his reign, the construction of the St. Petersburg-Moscow railway was completed.

During the time of Nicholas I, the Russian Empire waged another war with the Ottoman Empire. The war ended with the preservation of Crimea as part of Russia, but the entire Russian navy, according to the agreement, was removed from the peninsula.

The next emperor, Alexander II (reigned 1855 - 1881), completely abolished serfdom in 1861. Under this king, a Caucasian War against detachments of Chechen highlanders led by Shamil, the Polish uprising of 1864 was suppressed. Turkestan (modern Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan) was annexed.

Under this emperor, Alaska was sold to America (1867).

The next war with the Ottoman Empire (1877-1878) ended with the liberation of Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro from the Ottoman yoke.

Alexander II is the only Russian emperor to die a violent unnatural death. A member of the Narodnaya Volya organization, Ignatius Grinevetsky, threw a bomb at him while he was walking along the embankment of the Catherine Canal in St. Petersburg. The emperor died on the same day.

Alexander III becomes the penultimate Russian emperor (reigned 1881 - 1894).

Under this tsar, the industrialization of Russia began. Throughout the European part of the empire were built railways. The telegraph became widespread. Telephone communication was introduced. In large cities (Moscow, St. Petersburg) electrification was carried out. A radio appeared.

Under this emperor, Russia did not wage any wars.

The last Russian emperor, Nicholas II (reigned 1894 - 1917), took the throne at a difficult time for the empire.

In 1905-1906, the Russian Empire had to fight with Japan, which captured the Far Eastern port of Port Arthur.

In the same year 1905 it happened armed uprising working class in largest cities empire, which seriously undermined the foundations of autocracy. The work of the Social Democrats (future communists) led by Vladimir Ulyanov-Lenin unfolded.

After the revolution of 1905, tsarist power was seriously limited and transferred to local city Dumas.

Started in 1914 First World War put an end to the further existence of the Russian Empire. Nicholas was not ready for such a protracted and exhausting war. Russian army suffered a series of crushing defeats from the troops of the Kaiser's Germany. This accelerated the collapse of the empire. Cases of desertions from the front have become more frequent among the troops. Looting flourished in the rear cities.

The Tsar's inability to cope with the difficulties that arose in the war and within Russia provoked a domino effect, in which within two or three months the huge and once powerful Russian Empire was on the verge of collapse. In addition to this, revolutionary sentiments intensified in Petrograd and Moscow.

In February 1917, a provisional government came to power in Petrograd, staging a palace coup and depriving Nicholas II of real power. The last emperor was asked to leave Petrograd with his family, which Nicholas immediately took advantage of.

March 3, 1917 at Pskov station in the carriage of his imperial train Nicholas II officially abdicated the throne, deposing himself as the Russian emperor.

The Russian Empire quietly and peacefully ceased to exist, giving way to the future empire of socialism - the USSR.

Along with the collapse of the Russian Empire, the majority of the population chose to create independent national states. Many of them were never destined to remain sovereign, and they became part of the USSR. Others were included Soviet state later. What was the Russian Empire like at the beginning? XXcenturies?

By the end of the 19th century, the territory of the Russian Empire was 22.4 million km 2. According to the 1897 census, the population was 128.2 million, including the population European Russia- 93.4 million people; Kingdom of Poland - 9.5 million, - 2.6 million, Caucasus Territory - 9.3 million, Siberia - 5.8 million, Central Asia - 7.7 million people. Over 100 peoples lived; 57% of the population were non-Russian peoples. The territory of the Russian Empire in 1914 was divided into 81 provinces and 20 regions; there were 931 cities. Some provinces and regions were united into governorates-general (Warsaw, Irkutsk, Kiev, Moscow, Amur, Stepnoe, Turkestan and Finland).

By 1914, the length of the territory of the Russian Empire was 4383.2 versts (4675.9 km) from north to south and 10,060 versts (10,732.3 km) from east to west. The total length of the land and sea borders is 64,909.5 versts (69,245 km), of which the land borders accounted for 18,639.5 versts (19,941.5 km), and the sea borders accounted for about 46,270 versts (49,360 .4 km).

The entire population was considered subjects of the Russian Empire, the male population (from 20 years old) swore allegiance to the emperor. The subjects of the Russian Empire were divided into four estates (“states”): nobility, clergy, urban and rural inhabitants. The local population of Kazakhstan, Siberia and a number of other regions were distinguished into an independent “state” (foreigners). The coat of arms of the Russian Empire was a double-headed eagle with royal regalia; national flag- cloth with white, blue and red horizontal stripes; national anthem- “God save the king.” Official language- Russian.

Administratively, the Russian Empire by 1914 was divided into 78 provinces, 21 regions and 2 independent districts. The provinces and regions were divided into 777 counties and districts and in Finland - into 51 parishes. Counties, districts and parishes, in turn, were divided into camps, departments and sections (2523 in total), as well as 274 landmanships in Finland.

Territories that were important in military-political terms (metropolitan and border) were united into viceroyalties and general governorships. Some cities were allocated into special administrative units - city governments.

Even before the transformation of the Grand Duchy of Moscow into Russian kingdom in 1547, at the beginning of the 16th century, Russian expansion began to go beyond the boundaries of its ethnic territory and began to absorb the following territories (the table does not indicate lands lost before early XIX century):

Territory	Date (year) of accession to the Russian Empire	Data
Western Armenia (Asia Minor)		The territory was ceded in 1917-1918
Eastern Galicia, Bukovina (Eastern Europe)		ceded in 1915, partially recaptured in 1916, lost in 1917
Uriankhai region (Southern Siberia)		IN currently as part of the Republic of Tuva
Franz Josef Land, Emperor Nicholas II Land, New Siberian Islands (Arctic)		The archipelagos of the Arctic Ocean are designated as Russian territory by a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Northern Iran (Middle East)		Lost as a result of revolutionary events and Civil War in Russia. Currently owned by the State of Iran
Concession in Tianjin		Lost in 1920. Currently a city directly under the People's Republic of China
Kwantung Peninsula (Far East)		Lost as a result of defeat in Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905. Currently Liaoning Province, China
Badakhshan (Central Asia)		Currently, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Okrug of Tajikistan
Concession in Hankou (Wuhan, East Asia)		Currently Hubei Province, China
Transcaspian region (Central Asia)		Currently belongs to Turkmenistan
Adjarian and Kars-Childyr sanjaks (Transcaucasia)		In 1921 they were ceded to Turkey. Currently Adjara Autonomous Okrug of Georgia; silts of Kars and Ardahan in Turkey
Bayazit (Dogubayazit) sanjak (Transcaucasia)		In the same year, 1878, it was ceded to Turkey following the results of the Berlin Congress.
Principality of Bulgaria, Eastern Rumelia, Adrianople Sanjak (Balkans)		Abolished following the results of the Berlin Congress in 1879. Currently Bulgaria, Marmara region of Turkey
Khanate of Kokand (Central Asia)		Currently Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
Khiva (Khorezm) Khanate (Central Asia)		Currently Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan
including Åland Islands		Currently Finland, the Republic of Karelia, Murmansk, Leningrad regions
Tarnopol District of Austria (Eastern Europe)		Currently, Ternopil region of Ukraine
Bialystok District of Prussia (Eastern Europe)		Currently Podlaskie Voivodeship of Poland
Ganja (1804), Karabakh (1805), Sheki (1805), Shirvan (1805), Baku (1806), Kuba (1806), Derbent (1806), northern part of the Talysh (1809) Khanate (Transcaucasia)		Vassal khanates of Persia, capture and voluntary entry. Secured in 1813 by a treaty with Persia following the war. Limited autonomy until the 1840s. Currently Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Imeretian kingdom (1810), Megrelian (1803) and Gurian (1804) principalities (Transcaucasia)		Kingdom and principalities of Western Georgia (independent from Turkey since 1774). Protectorates and voluntary entries. Secured in 1812 by a treaty with Turkey and in 1813 by a treaty with Persia. Self-government until the end of the 1860s. Currently Georgia, Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti, Guria, Imereti, Samtskhe-Javakheti
Minsk, Kiev, Bratslav, eastern parts of Vilna, Novogrudok, Berestey, Volyn and Podolsk voivodeships of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Eastern Europe)		Currently, Vitebsk, Minsk, Gomel regions of Belarus; Rivne, Khmelnitsky, Zhytomyr, Vinnitsa, Kiev, Cherkassy, ​​Kirovograd regions of Ukraine
Crimea, Edisan, Dzhambayluk, Yedishkul, Little Nogai Horde (Kuban, Taman) (Northern Black Sea region)		Khanate (independent from Turkey since 1772) and nomadic Nogai tribal unions. Annexation, secured in 1792 by treaty as a result of the war. Currently Rostov region, Krasnodar region, Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol; Zaporozhye, Kherson, Nikolaev, Odessa regions of Ukraine
Kuril Islands (Far East)		Tribal unions of the Ainu, bringing into Russian citizenship, finally by 1782. According to the treaty of 1855, the Southern Kuril Islands are in Japan, according to the treaty of 1875 - all the islands. Currently, the North Kuril, Kuril and South Kuril urban districts of the Sakhalin region
Chukotka (Far East)		Currently Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
Tarkov Shamkhaldom (North Caucasus)		Currently the Republic of Dagestan
Ossetia (Caucasus)		Currently Republic North Ossetia- Alania, Republic of South Ossetia
Big and Small Kabarda		Principalities. In 1552-1570, a military alliance with the Russian state, later vassals of Turkey. In 1739-1774, according to the agreement, it became a buffer principality. Since 1774 in Russian citizenship. Currently Stavropol region, Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Chechen Republic
Inflyantskoe, Mstislavskoe, large parts of Polotsk, Vitebsk voivodeships of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Eastern Europe)		Currently, Vitebsk, Mogilev, Gomel regions of Belarus, Daugavpils region of Latvia, Pskov, Smolensk regions of Russia
Kerch, Yenikale, Kinburn (Northern Black Sea region)		Fortresses, from the Crimean Khanate by agreement. Recognized by Turkey in 1774 by treaty as a result of war. Crimean Khanate gained independence from Ottoman Empire under the auspices of Russia. Currently, the urban district of Kerch of the Republic of Crimea of ​​Russia, Ochakovsky district of the Nikolaev region of Ukraine
Ingushetia (North Caucasus)		Currently the Republic of Ingushetia
Altai (Southern Siberia)		Currently Altai region, Altai Republic, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, Tomsk regions of Russia, East Kazakhstan region of Kazakhstan
Kymenygard and Neyshlot fiefs - Neyshlot, Vilmanstrand and Friedrichsgam (Baltics)		Flax, from Sweden by treaty as a result of the war. Since 1809 in the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland. Currently Leningrad region Russia, Finland (South Karelia region)
Junior Zhuz (Central Asia)		Currently, the West Kazakhstan region of Kazakhstan
(Kyrgyz land, etc.) (Southern Siberia)		Currently the Republic of Khakassia
Novaya Zemlya, Taimyr, Kamchatka, Commander Islands (Arctic, Far East)		Currently Arkhangelsk region, Kamchatka, Krasnoyarsk territories

In the 1720s. the delimitation of Russian and Chinese possessions continued under the Burinsky and Kyakhtinsky treaties of 1727. In the areas adjacent to, as a result Persian campaign Peter I (1722-1723) the border of Russian possessions temporarily covered even all the western and Caspian territories of Persia. In 1732 and 1735 In connection with the aggravation of Russian-Turkish relations, the Russian government, interested in an alliance with Persia, gradually returned the Caspian lands to it.

In 1731, the nomadic Kyrgyz-Kaisaks () of the Younger Zhuz voluntarily accepted Russian citizenship, and in the same 1731 and 1740. - Middle Zhuz. As a result, the empire included the territories of the entire eastern Caspian region, the Aral region, the Ishim region and the Irtysh region. In 1734, the Zaporozhye Sich was again accepted into Russian citizenship.

In 1783, the Treaty of Georgievsk was concluded with the kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (Eastern) on voluntary recognition of the Russian protectorate over it.

In the west of the country, the main territorial acquisitions were associated with three sections (1772, 1793, 1795). The intervention of Prussia and Austria in the internal affairs of Poland led in 1772 to its division, in which Russia was forced to take part, defending the interests of the Orthodox population Western Ukraine And . Part of Eastern Belarus (along the Dnieper - ) and part of Livonia went to Russia. In 1792, Russian troops again entered the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at the call of the Targowica Confederation. As a result of the second partition of Poland in 1793, Right Bank Ukraine and part of Belarus (with Minsk) went to Russia. The third partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1795) led to the elimination of the independence of the Polish state. Courland, Lithuania, part of Western Belarus and Volyn went to Russia.

In the southeast of Western Siberia in the 18th century. there was a gradual advance to the south: to the upper reaches of the Irtysh and Ob with its tributaries (Altai and Kuznetsk Basin). Russian possessions also covered the upper reaches of the Yenisei, excluding the sources themselves. Further east, the borders of Russia in the 18th century. were determined by the border with the Chinese Empire.

In the middle and second half of the century, Russia's possessions, by right of discovery, covered southern Alaska, discovered in 1741 by the expedition of V. I. Bering and A. I. Chirikov, and the Aleutian Islands, annexed in 1786.

Thus, during the 18th century, the territory of Russia increased to 17 million km2, and the population from 15.5 million people. in 1719 to 37 million people in 1795

All these changes in territory, as well as development government structure The Russian Empire was accompanied (and in some cases preceded) by intensive research - first and foremost topographical and general geographical.

In the 19th century, just like in the previous century, the state territory of our fatherland continued to change, mainly in the direction of expansion. The territory of the country increased especially dramatically in the first fifteen years of the 19th century. as a result of wars with Turkey (1806-1812), (1804-1813), Sweden (1808-1809), France (1805-1815).

The beginning of the century was marked by the expansion of the possessions of the Russian Empire. In 1801, the Kartli-Kakheti kingdom (Eastern Georgia), which had previously been under Russian protectorate since 1783, voluntarily joined Russia.

The unification of Eastern Georgia with Russia contributed to the subsequent voluntary entry into Russia of the Western Georgian principalities: Megrelia (1803), Imereti and Guria (1804). In 1810, Abkhazia and Ingushetia voluntarily joined Russia. However, the coastal fortresses of Abkhazia and Georgia (Sukhum, Anaklia, Redut-Kale, Poti) were held by Turkey.

The Treaty of Bucharest with Turkey in 1812 ended the Russian-Turkish war. Russia retained in its hands all the regions up to the river. Arpachay, Adjara Mountains and. Only Anapa was returned to Turkey. On the other side of the Black River she received Bessarabia with the cities of Khotin, Bendery, Akkerman, Kilia and Izmail. The border of the Russian Empire was established along the Prut to, and then along the Chilia channel of the Danube to the Black Sea.

As a result of the war with Iran, the North Azerbaijani khanates joined Russia: Ganja (1804), Karabakh, Shirvan, Sheki (1805), Kuba, Baku, Derbent (1806), Talysh (1813), and in 1813 the Gulistan Peace Treaty was signed, according to which Iran recognized the annexation of Northern Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Eastern Georgia, Imereti, Guria, Megrelia and Abkhazia to Russia.

Russian-Swedish War 1808-1809 ended with the annexation of Finland to Russia, which was announced by the manifesto of Alexander I in 1808 and approved by the Friedrichsham Peace Treaty of 1809. The territory of Finland up to the river went to Russia. Kemi, including the Åland Islands, Finnish and part of the province of Västerbotten to the river. Torneo. Further, the border was established along the Torneo and Munio rivers, then north along the Munioniski-Enonteki-Kilpisyarvi line to the border with. Within these borders, the territory of Finland, which received the status of an autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, remained until 1917.

According to the Tilsit Peace Treaty with France in 1807, Russia received the Bialystok District. The Treaty of Schönbrunn in 1809 between Austria and France led to Austria transferring the Tarnopol region to Russia. And finally, the Congress of Vienna of 1814-1815, which ended the wars of the coalition of European powers with Napoleonic France consolidated the division between Russia, Prussia and Austria of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, most of which, receiving the status of the Kingdom of Poland, became part of Russia. At the same time, the Tarnopol region was returned to Austria.

There were many empires in the world that were famous for their wealth, luxurious palaces and temples, conquests and culture. Among the greatest of them are such powerful states as the Roman, Byzantine, Persian, Holy Roman, Ottoman, and British empires.

Russia on the historical world map

The empires of the world collapsed, disintegrated, and in their place separate independent states. The Russian Empire, which existed for 196 years, from 1721 to 1917, did not escape a similar fate.

It all started with the Principality of Moscow, which, thanks to the conquests of princes and kings, grew to include new lands in the west and east. Victorious Wars allowed Russia to take possession of important territories that opened the country's path to the Baltic and Black Seas.

Russia became an empire in 1721, when Tsar Peter the Great accepted the imperial title by decision of the Senate.

Territory and composition of the Russian Empire

In terms of the size and extent of its possessions, Russia ranked second in the world, second only to the British Empire, which owned numerous colonies. At the beginning of the 20th century, the territory of the Russian Empire included:

• 78 provinces + 8 Finnish;
• 21 regions;
• 2 districts.

The provinces consisted of counties, the latter were divided into camps and sections. The empire had the following administrative-territorial administration:

Many lands joined the Russian Empire voluntarily, and some as a result conquests. The territories included in its composition according to at will, were:

• Georgia;
• Armenia;
• Abkhazia;
• Tyva Republic;
• Ossetia;
• Ingushetia;
• Ukraine.

During the foreign colonial policy of Catherine II, the Kuril Islands, Chukotka, Crimea, Kabarda (Kabardino-Balkaria), Belarus and the Baltic states became part of the Russian Empire. Part of Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic states went to Russia after the division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (modern Poland).

Russian Empire Square

The territory of the state stretched from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea and from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean, occupying two continents - Europe and Asia. In 1914, before World War I, the area of ​​the Russian Empire was 69,245 square meters. kilometers, and the length of its borders was as follows:

Let's stop and talk about individual territories of the Russian Empire.

Grand Duchy of Finland

Finland became part of the Russian Empire in 1809, after a peace treaty was signed with Sweden, according to which it ceded this territory. The capital of the Russian Empire was now covered by new lands, which defended St. Petersburg from the north.

When Finland became part of the Russian Empire, it retained great autonomy, despite Russian absolutism and autocracy. It had its own constitution, according to which power in the principality was divided into executive and legislative. The legislative body was the Sejm. Executive power belonged to the Imperial Finnish Senate; it consisted of eleven people elected by the Diet. Finland had its own currency - Finnish marks, and in 1878 received the right to have a small army.

Finland, as part of the Russian Empire, was famous for the coastal city of Helsingfors, where not only the Russian intelligentsia, but also the reigning house of the Romanovs loved to vacation. This city, which is now called Helsinki, was chosen by many Russian people, who happily vacationed at resorts and rented dachas from local residents.

After the strikes of 1917 and thanks to the February Revolution, the independence of Finland was declared and it seceded from Russia.

Annexation of Ukraine to Russia

Right-bank Ukraine became part of the Russian Empire during the reign of Catherine II. The Russian empress first destroyed the hetmanate, and then the Zaporozhye Sich. In 1795, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was finally divided, and its lands went to Germany, Austria and Russia. Thus, Belarus and Right Bank Ukraine became part of the Russian Empire.

After Russian-Turkish war 1768-1774 Catherine the Great annexed the territory of modern Dnepropetrovsk, Kherson, Odessa, Nikolaev, Lugansk and Zaporozhye regions. As for Left Bank Ukraine, it voluntarily became part of Russia in 1654. Ukrainians fled from social and religious repression of the Poles and asked for help from the Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. He, together with Bogdan Khmelnitsky, concluded the Pereyaslav Treaty, according to which Left Bank Ukraine became part of the Muscovite kingdom with autonomy rights. Not only Cossacks took part in the Rada, but also ordinary people who made this decision.

Crimea - the pearl of Russia

The Crimean Peninsula was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1783. On July 9, the famous Manifesto was read out at the Ak-Kaya rock, and the Crimean Tatars expressed their consent to become subjects of Russia. First, the noble Murzas, and then ordinary residents of the peninsula, took an oath of allegiance to the Russian Empire. After this, festivities, games and celebrations began. Crimea became part of the Russian Empire after the successful military campaign of Prince Potemkin.

This was preceded by difficult times. The Crimean coast and Kuban were the possessions of the Turks and Crimean Tatars from the end of the 15th century. During the wars with the Russian Empire, the latter gained a certain independence from Turkey. The rulers of Crimea changed quickly, and some occupied the throne two or three times.

Russian soldiers more than once suppressed revolts organized by the Turks. The last Khan of Crimea, Shahin Giray, dreamed of making the peninsula European power, wanted to spend military reform, but no one wanted to support his endeavors. Taking advantage of the confusion, Prince Potemkin recommended that Catherine the Great incorporate Crimea into the Russian Empire through a military campaign. The Empress agreed, but on one condition: that the people themselves express their consent to this. Russian troops treated the residents of Crimea peacefully and showed them kindness and care. Shahin-Girey abdicated power, and the Tatars were guaranteed freedom to practice religion and observe local traditions.

The easternmost edge of the empire

Russian exploration of Alaska began in 1648. Semyon Dezhnev, a Cossack and traveler, led an expedition that reached Anadyr in Chukotka. Having learned about this, Peter I sent Bering to check this information, but the famous navigator did not confirm Dezhnev’s facts - the fog hid the coast of Alaska from his team.

It was only in 1732 that the crew of the ship St. Gabriel first landed in Alaska, and in 1741 Bering studied the coast of both it and the Aleutian Islands in detail. Gradually, exploration of the new area began, merchants arrived and formed settlements, built a capital and called it Sitka. Alaska, as part of the Russian Empire, was not yet famous for its gold, but for its fur-bearing animals. The furs of various animals were mined here, which were in demand both in Russia and in Europe.

Under Paul I, the Russian-American Company was organized, which had the following powers:

• she ruled Alaska;
• could organize an armed army and ships;
• have your own flag.

Russian colonialists found mutual language with the local people - the Aleuts. The priests learned their language and translated the Bible. The Aleuts were baptized, girls willingly married Russian men and wore traditional Russian clothes. The Russians never made friends with another tribe, the Koloshi. It was a warlike and very cruel tribe that practiced cannibalism.

Why did they sell Alaska?

These vast territories were sold to the United States for $7.2 million. The agreement was signed in the US capital - Washington. Prerequisites for the sale of Alaska to Lately are called different.

Some say that the reason for the sale was the human factor and the reduction in the number of sable and other fur-bearing animals. There were very few Russians living in Alaska, their number was 1000 people. Others hypothesize that Alexander II was afraid of losing the eastern colonies, so, before it was too late, he decided to sell Alaska for the price that was offered.

Most researchers agree that the Russian Empire decided to get rid of Alaska because there were no human resources to cope with the development of such distant lands. The government was thinking about whether to sell the Ussuri region, which was sparsely populated and poorly managed. However, the hotheads cooled down, and Primorye remained part of Russia.