List of Russian monarchsThis is a list of Russian monarchs. The list begins with the semi-legendary prince Rurik of Novgorod, sometime in the mid-9th century, and ends with Nicholas II, who abdicated in 1917, and was murdered with his family in 1918. Two dynasties have ruled Russia: the Rurikids (862–1598) and Romanovs (1613–1917). OverviewRussian sovereigns have used a range of titles since the 9th century.
Sovereign of all RussiaThe Sovereign of all Russia, also the Sovereign and Grand Prince of all Russia, was a title used by the grand princes of Moscow. The title was later changed to sovereign, tsar and grand prince. HistoryDmitry Shemyaka used the title sovereign from 1446 and issued coinage with the title. After his brother Vasily II returned to Moscow and took back the title of grand prince of Moscow, he also adopted the title of sovereign and began issuing coins with the title.
Russian EmpireRussian state from 1721 to 1917The Russian Empire was an empire that extended across northern Eurasia from 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in 1917, forming the final era of Tsarist Russia and the wider Russian monarchy. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about 22,800,000 km (8,800,000 sq mi), roughly one-sixth of the world's landmass, making it the third-largest empire in history, behind only the British and Mongol empires.
Alexis of RussiaHouseRomanovFatherMichael of RussiaMotherEudoxia StreshnevaReligionRussian OrthodoxAlexei Mikhailovich (Russian: Алексей Михайлович, IPA:; 19 March [O.S. 9 March] 1629 – 8 February [O.S. 29 January] 1676), also known as Alexis, was Tsar of all Russia from 1645 until his death in 1676. He was the second Russian tsar from the House of Romanov.
Tsardom of RussiaThe Tsardom of Russia, also known as the Tsardom of Moscow, was the centralized Russian state from the assumption of the title of tsar by Ivan IV in 1547 until the foundation of the Russian Empire by Peter the Great in 1721. It is generally regarded as the first phase of Tsarist Russia. From 1550 to 1700, Russia grew by an average of 35,000 square kilometres (14,000 sq mi) per year.
TsarTsar, also spelled czar, tzar or csar (), is a Slavic title derived from the Latin word caesar. It was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the term—a ruler with the same rank as a Roman emperor, holding it by the approval of another emperor or a supreme ecclesiastical official—but was usually considered by Western Europeans to be equivalent to "king".
Peter the GreatPeter I (9 June 1672 – 8 February 1725), known by the epithet the Great, was the tsar of all Russia from 1682 to 1721, and the first emperor of Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned jointly with his brother, Ivan V, from 1682 until Ivan's death in 1696. Much of Peter's reign was consumed by lengthy wars against the Ottoman and Swedish empires.Michael of RussiaHouseRomanovFatherFeodor Nikitich RomanovMotherKseniya ShestovaReligionRussian OrthodoxSignatureMichael I (Russian: Михаил Фёдорович Романов, romanized: Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov; 22 July[O.S. 12 July] 1596 – 23 July[O.S. 13 July] 1645) was Tsar of all Russia from 1613 after being elected by the Zemsky Sobor of 1613 until his death in 1645.
By the Grace of GodBy the Grace of God (Latin: Dei Gratia, abbreviated D.G.) is a formulaic phrase used especially in Christian monarchies as an introductory part of the full style of a monarch. In England and later the United Kingdom, the phrase was formally added to the royal style in 1521 and continues to be used. It is also used by bishops. For example, on UK coinage, the abbreviation DG appears today.
Ivan the TerribleTsar of Russia from 1547 to 1584DynastyRurikFatherVasili III of RussiaMotherElena GlinskayaReligionRussian OrthodoxIvan IV Vasilyevich (Russian: Иван IV Васильевич; 25 August 1530 – 28 March [O.S. 18 March] 1584), commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, was Grand Prince of Moscow and all Russia from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia from 1547 until his death in 1584.
Isabel de MadariagaIsabel Margaret de Madariaga (27 August 1919 – 16 June 2014) was a British historian who specialised on Russia in the 18th century and Catherine the Great. She published six books on Russia and is credited for changing the perception of Catherine the Great amongst Russian and Western scholars.
Emperor of RussiaThe Emperor and Autocrat of all Russia was the official title of the Russian monarch from 1721 to 1917. The title originated in connection with Russia's victory in the Great Northern War (1700–1721) and appeared as an adaptation of the tsar's title under the accepted system of titling in Europe. The title was transformed from the previous title of tsar and grand prince of all Russia.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.