For 300 years the history of Russia was inextricably linked to one family: the Romanovs. Claiming a divine right to reign and tracing the family lineage back to Peter the Great, they were Russia's second and last imperial dynasty and, for better or worse, as Lindsey Hughes demonstrates, shaped the country's history for three centuries until their downfall and murder in 1918. 17th century Russia was riddled with chaos, internal disorder, rioting, and a constant threat of foreign invasion. During the rule of Peter the great, Russia was transformed into an empire by his introduction of trade with Europe and aggressive military campaigns. Through the impact of Peter the Great, followed by the continuing influences of Michael, Ivan, Catherine II, Nicholas I and Alexander III, the Romanovs undoubtedly shaped the politics, society, art and philosophy of their times and lead to the establishment of Russia as one of the great world powers. But when the Romanovs gathered to celebrate their tercentenary in 1913, dark clouds were gathering. The infamous mystic Rasputin had prophesized their demise and his unpopular influence on the Tsar was growing. The strain of the First World War had spread unrest throughout Russia. On July 17th, 1918 three hundred and four years of the Romanov dynasty ended when, probably under Lenin's orders, Tsar Nicholas II, his wife and five children were brutally murdered by a Bolshevik execution squad bringing the Romanov dynasty to a final and bitter end. This brilliant and original new work, comprised of vivid and powerful portraits of the entire Romanov family, illustrates exactly what and how the family contributed to the creation of Russia. By bringing the characters of the Tsars and their family to life, Lindsey Hughes offers an insightful addition to our knowledge of an epic and fascinating history.
By:
Professor Lindsey Hughes
Imprint: Continuum
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Spine: 25mm
Weight: 516g
ISBN: 9780826430816
ISBN 10: 0826430813
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 29 September 2009
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Preface Abbreviations, dates, spellings and transliteration List of Illustrations Family Trees Introduction 1. Romanov Roots, 1613-45: Michael 2. The Pious Tsars, 1645-96: Alexis, Fedor and Ivan V 3. Transformation, 1682-1725: Peter the Great 4. The Age of Empresses and Palace Revolutions, 1725-62: Catherine I, Peter II, Anna, Ivan VI, Elizabeth, Peter III 5. Philosopher on the Throne, 1762-96: Catherine II 6. The Napoleonic Era, 1796-1825: Paul and Alexander I 7. Consistent Autocracy, 1825-55: Nicholas I 8. Reform and Reaction, 1855-94: Alexander II and Alexander III 9. The Last Romanov: Nicholas II (i) 1894-1913 10. From Celebration to Annihilation: Nicholas II (ii) 1913-1918 11. Postscript, 1918-2007 Bibliography Index
Lindsey Hughes was an internationally renowned authority on 17th and 18th century Russian history, in particular on the age of Peter the Great. As well as teaching at London University's School of Slavonic and East European Studies, where she was a professor and head of the history department, she wrote prolifically and was a valued member of an influential cohort of scholars brought together in the Eighteenth-Century Russia Study Group founded in 1968 by Anthony Cross. She passed away in 2007 shortly after having completed this final book.
Reviews for The Romanovs: Ruling Russia 1613-1917
'More than a testimony to Hughes' remarkable spirit, this is the best book in English on the subject, illuminated by a deep knowledge of Russia's imperial past, wide in scope yet admirable in its concision, and infused with a subtlety of interpretation free of the overheated, romantic treatment that has clouded most previous accounts.' The Times Literary Supplement
