Early Russian History

-Expansion by conquest

Need for warm water ports

-The necessity of a strong, central government

-1450: Mongols invaded and controlled Russia

-Had to pay taxes so they would not crush them

Ivan the Great: 1462-1503

-Refused to pay Mongols , did not attack and gained independence

Ivan IV

-Attempted to take Poland in order to get a warm-water port

Michael Romanov: 1613-1645

-Remain royal family until 1918

Peter the Great: 1682-1725

-Romanov

-Moved Russia towards western thinking

Violence and Cruelty

-Suppression of Streltsy Revolt: 1698

-War

-Creation of modern army and navy

-War and imperial expansion

-Rationalize and centralize administration

-Transform society

-Western intellectual and cultural life

-St. Petersburg: secular power, order and rationality

Prussia and Germany

The electors of Brandenburg and Dukes of Prussia

-George William: 1619-1640

-Frederick William: 1640-1688, absolutist ruler

-Frederick III: 1688-1713

Absolutism in Central Europe

The Hollenzollerns and Brandenburg: Prussia

Frederick the Great: 1740-1786

-Absolutist dictator

-Enlightened dictator

-Largest army in Europe

-Spoke French, loved Frech literature

-Wanted to be like Louis XIV

-Built infrastructure of Prussia

-Created modern school

-Built new factories

Austria

-Controlled by Hapsburg’s

Leopold I: 1658-1765

Holy Roman Emperor

Absolutist dictator

Did everything Frederick the Great did, but on a smaller scale

Loved music

First cousin to Louis XIV

Takes Hungary from the Ottomans

Fought the War for Spanish Succession against Louis XIV

Schonbrunn Palace

Charles VI: 1711-1740

HRE and king of Austria

Did not have an heir

Daughter: Maria Teresa 1740-1780

Figths for Maria’s right to be queen

-Pragmatic Sanction

Maria became Queen of Austria

Dies in 1740 and all central European powers declare war on Austria

-War for Austrian Succession: Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle

Austria defeats Prussia, but is forced to give a little land away (Silesia)