Russian Monarchs
A history of Russian monarchs.
Contents
Grand Duchy of Moscow
Tsardom of Russia
Imperial Russia
Peter I inherited the Great Turkish War from the regency of Sophia Alekseyevna. His priority however was Sweden, and the war presented an inconvenient entanglement. The Treaty of Constantinople importantly ceded Azov to Russia, establishing a highly defensible southern border, and allowing him to pivot into the Great Northern War. Peter then established the Russian Empire in 1721 by gaining possession of the Ostsee Governorates through the Treaty of Nystad.
As part of the Great Northern War, Peter also launched an attack on the Ottomans. The Russo-Ottoman War of 1710 was however a complete failure. The Treaty of the Pruth forced him to return Azov.
He next began expanding south into Safavid Iran in 1722. The First Russo-Persian War was ended through the Treaty of Saint Petersburg in 1723; the coastline of the Caspian Sea was ceded to Russia. However, Nader Shah negotiated the Treaty of Resht with Anna in 1732; much of this land was returned in exchange for trade privileges.
Paul I brought Russia into the Napoleonic Wars during the Second Coalition. His assassination in 1801 brought Alexander I to the throne in an extremely tumultuous period. Alexander joined the Third Coalition, but also treated with Napoleon. He would in fact collaborate with him during the War of the Fifth Coalition.
Instead, he brought Russia into conflict with Iran. He invaded Georgia, then an Iranian client state, sparking another Russo-Persian War in 1804. The Treaty of Gulistan in 1813 ceded Dagestan, Georgia, and Azerbaijan to Russia.
Napoleon now invaded Russia, leading Alexander to join the Sixth Coalition. He led the Russian forces into France and to victory in 1814.
Shortly after succeeding, Nicholas I secured further cessions from Iran in the final Russo-Persian War. Treaty of Turkmenchay ceded Eastern Armenia and Nakhchivan in 1828.
Nicholas then pivoted toward the Ottomans, as Mahmud II had closed the Dardanelles for Russian ships. The Russo-Turkish War was a clear Russian victory and the Treaty of Adrianople in 1829 ceded the mouth of the Danube River on the Black Sea. It also allowed Russia to occupy Moldavia and Walachia. These advances were all undone however by the Crimean War, which Nicholas started and his son Alexander II inherited.
Revolutions
The February Revolution saw the permanent replacement of monarchical governments in Russia.
Dynasties