Russian Empire’s Politics

Absolute Power
As kings changes to tsars in Russia, politics changed. The tsars believed that they should have absolute (complete and total) control over everything in their country. Peter the Great and Catherine the Great were rulers who held almost all of the power in Russia. But was having absolute power such a good thing for their subjects (people they ruled)?

Tsars and Emperors
The traditional title for the absolute ruler of Russia was tsar (pronounced ZAR). But when Peter the Great (Peter I) started his project to modernize Russia, he also changed the title of Russia’s absolute ruler from tsar to emperor. This was the same title that Rome’s absolute ruler had, and Peter wanted Europe to see Russia more like they saw Rome. He wanted the same respect of power that Rome got from other European countries.

The powers of the ruler did not change when the title changed. They only increased. During the rule of Peter the Great, he continued to give the federal (country) government more and more power, and to take away power from county and town governments. He took power away from his nobles, and they agreed because he gave them more and more power over their serfs. Peter also gave most of the jobs in the federal government to military officers, because he knew that if the military was his government, the people could not kick him out of power and take over. He was just too powerful.

A Political Coup
Catherine the Great was born a German princess in one of the tiny German states, but became the most powerful ruler of the huge Russian Empire. In 1745 she the future Emperor Peter III. In 1762 she was part of a coup (koo), or a sudden illegal grab of power, against her husband. He was overthrown and killed, and Catherine became empress of Russia.

She came to Russia as a teenager and a foreigner, but Catherine did everything she could to get the people of Russia to love her. She learned Russian, converted to Greek Orthodox Christianity, and tried to improve the education of the country. Russia’s neighboring European countries respected and admired her. During her rule, many groups in Russia and other countries tried to take power, but the Russian army kept power for the empire.

Keeping Power
Both Peter the Great and Catherine the Great kept their power by using military force and by being careful to set up their government so that other people could not take over. They both put military men who were loyal to them in positions of power. They gave power to their nobles over the serfs, while taking away the nobles’ power in the government. Because of this, they kept their power for a long time: Peter for 30 years, and Catherine for 34 years.

Peter the Great