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.
Alexander I led Russia through an extremely tumultuous period. Early in his reign he invaded Georgia, then an Iranian client state. This Russo-Persian War lasted from 1804 until 1813, but ultimately the Treaty of Gulistan ceded Dagestan, Georgia, and Azerbaijan to Russia. After collaborating with Napoleon in the War of the Fifth Coalition, the French invaded Russia; Alexander in turn led the Sixth Coalition to victory 1814.
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