Russian History: Formation of the Russian State and Peter the Great

Vocabulary flashcards covering the formation of the Russian state, the Romanov dynasty, and Peter the Great's reforms.

Czar

The Russian word for "caesar," meaning an emperor or king.

Boyars

The Russian nobility whose power was crushed by Ivan IV.

Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible)

The first ruler to take the title of "czar" in the sixteenth century, who expanded Russian territories eastward and crushed the power of the boyars.

Time of Troubles

A period of anarchy and chaos in Russia that followed the end of Ivan IV's dynasty in 1598.

Zemsky Sobor

The national assembly of Russia that chose the new czar in 1613.

Michael Romanov

The new czar chosen in 1613 by the zemsky sobor who started the Romanov dynasty.

"Police State" (in Peter's context)

A well-ordered community governed by law, which Peter tried to create to impose central government rule more effectively.

"Window to the West"

A port with ready access to Europe, allowing Russia to trade and interact with the West, achieved by building St. Petersburg on the Baltic Sea.

St. Petersburg

A new city built by Peter the Great in 1703 on the Baltic Sea; it served as the Russian capital from its completion until 1918.

Sweden

The country that controlled the Baltic Sea and was Russia's rival.