Russian Empire

Russian Empire

The Russian Empire was a historical empire that extended across Eurasia and North America from 1721, following the end of the Great Northern War, until the Russian Revolution in 1917. It was the third largest empire in history, at its greatest extent stretching over three continents, Europe, Asia, and North America.

History

The Russian Empire was established on 22 October 1721 by Peter the Great after the Treaty of Nystad. Peter the Great's reforms brought considerable Western European cultural influences to Russia. The subsequent leaders continued this westernization, with policies that included the suppression of the Orthodox Church in favor of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The empire reached its peak of power during the reign of Catherine the Great when its borders expanded southward and westward to absorb New Russia, Belarus, and Right-Bank Ukraine. The empire extended into Central Asia, including the beginning of the conquest of the Kazakh Khanate.

Government and administration

The Russian Empire functioned as an absolute monarchy until the Revolution of 1905 and then became a de facto constitutional monarchy. The emperor served as both the head of state and all high ranking church positions. This system of government was instituted by Peter the Great.

Economy

The economy of the Russian Empire was a predominantly agrarian one with low productivity. Industrialization and economic modernization began to occur only from the 1860s onwards. The empire had a predominantly agricultural economy due to the vast tracts of fertile land, with wheat, barley, and rye being the principal crops.

Society

Society in the Russian Empire was multi-ethnic and multi-religion. The empire was dominated by the Russian ethnic group, but numerous other ethnic groups were included, such as the Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles, and others. The state religion was Orthodox Christianity, but other religions were tolerated, including Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism.

Decline and fall

The decline of the Russian Empire is usually linked with the inefficient and autocratic political structure, corruption, and the peasant's life conditions. The empire began to decline in the late 19th century as it struggled to reform and modernize, and faced resistance from within the political establishment. The final blow was the Russian Revolution of 1917, which led to the abdication of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, and the creation of the Soviet Union.

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