In 1605 a man claiming to be Dmitri Ivanovich took the Russian throne after a military campaign. Only a year later Tsar Dmitri’s rivals assassinated him; however, there was a persistent myth among his supporters that he had escaped death and would eventually return to rule. In the following years other pretenders emerged claiming to be Dmitri, and to remove support for these false claimants Dmitri’s rivals manufactured a propaganda campaign to discredit Tsar Dimitri. The propaganda produced by Dimitri’s rivals denounced him as a sorcerer and heretic in an attempt to destroy his reputation. This paper will seek to understand how preexisting religious, political ideologies supported the narrative produced by the First False Tsar Dmitri’s rivals …show more content…
In this text Dunning attempts to argue that the conflict that Russia was facing was not based off class conflict or rebellion but instead it was political. Dunning uses a variety of primary and secondary sources to prove his arguments effectively. With Dunning’s focus on the various accessions to the throne, this text is useful for this research paper as he explores different mechanisms behind Dmitri’s reign, assassination, and later propaganda campaign. This analysis will be helpful this research papers examination of the campaign and why it was constructed using a religious narrative.
In “Who Was Tsar Dmitri?”, Chester Dunning reexamines the identity and character of ‘the false’ Tsar Dmitri. He attempts to break down the myths that have been recycled from Russian primary sources into Russian historiography. By using traditional Russian folklore and surviving propaganda produced by Dmitri’s rivals Dunning is able successfully call into question the characterization of Dmitri in traditional scholarship. This article will be useful for this research paper as it explores both the context of Dmitri’s reign and assassination and also the propaganda used to discredit
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This text works as a case study exploring how the traditional association between god and tsar could be used to justify new leadership and rule. Kivelson uses extensive primary sources to illustrate the widely held belief in this connection of Tsar and God. This text will help with this research paper’s own case study of Tsar Dmitri fall from rule and how the political religious ideology of the time was used in discrediting Tsar Dmitri.
In this article Ostrowski discusses the nature of the Tsar’s power in collaboration with other Russian institutions including the boyars and church in the 16th and 17th century. Ostrowski attempts to refute the traditional use of a absolutist or autocratic framework by historians when studying Russia by proving a level of collaboration or exchange between the Tsar and the elite. This article is a helpful addition to this research paper as it will help develop my analysis of the way Orthodox Russian’s viewed and interacted with their
Review Guide- Chapter 18: Timeline- 1533-1584: Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) 1604-1613: Time of Troubles 1613-1917: Romanov dynasty 1689-1725: Peter the Great 1703: Founding of St. Petersburg 1762-1796:
Russia emerged as a significant power during the 1500s through war. It fought its neighbors and expanded its territory aimlessly. Ivan the Terrible’s expansion brought him into contact with both Western Europe and the Ottoman Empire. Aiming to gain a port and outlet to the Baltic,
In Russia, Westernization was nothing new as the late nineteenth century had rolled around, for they had already been immersed in political conflicts of Western Europe by the earlier parts of the century. Russia’s Westernization had even been started by Peter the Great. Being so well adapted to the politics of the West, the conservative Russian nobility had feared revolutions by the liberal West. Russia then had attempted to
Throughout Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Eastern versus Western ideas are constantly being introduced and in turn debated, sometimes violently. This being the case, it would be uncharacteristic of Dostoevsky to include such an extensive account, The Grand Inquisitor, against Christ and there not to be an East versus West theme. Eastern versus Western may be understood as Orthodox versus Roman Catholic although it is not to be restricted only within the scope of religious debates. The differences between the two are prevalent in other areas of life including: the self and social life. These topics will be discussed directly, and the foundation of each manifest themselves in multiple ways; although sublet their importance must be noted. The focus of this essay is to explore why Ivan’s inquisitor was wrong. As in many religious debates, especially concerning the Bible, differences often come subtly and may end in agreeing to disagree; although there must be a correct way of thinking. These subtle differences are—somewhat regularly—opposing beliefs concerning one word or only a few words. Yet, these differing beliefs in words and what they mean to each believer may seem insignificant to the untrained eye. But they come to define religions and societies, set ground for debates and wars, and, in the case of the Karamazov’s, split blood. Although Ivan’s Grand Inquisitor formulates a compelling argument against the actions of Christ—condemning Him for allowing
In Ivan the Terrible’s correspondence to Andrei Kurbsky, the letters are a call and response style in regards to the concept of Russian identity in Muscovite Rus. Prince Kurbsky initiates the conversation criticizing Ivan’s methodology within his rule. The author notes on Ivan’s “fierce persecution” of his own people, positing that the tsar himself is turning from the very foundations of Russian society: the Orthodox faith. However, despite notions of truth in
The last Tsar Nicholas II ascended the throne in 1894 and was faced with a country that was trying to free itself from its autocratic regime. The serfs had recently been emancipated, the industry and economy was just starting to develop and opposition to the Tsar was building up. Russia was still behind Europe in terms of the political regime, the social conditions and the economy. Nicholas II who was a weak and very influenced by his mother and his wife had to deal with Russia’s troubles during his reign. In order to ascertain how successfully Russia dealt with its problems by 1914, this essay will examine the October Manifesto and the split of the opposition, how the Tsar became more reactionary after the 1905 revolution, Stolypin’s
Research for bibliography about the influence of the Tsar during the Bolshevik Revolutions. Instruments used: History Reference books. Three main books were particularly helpful: Three "Whys" of the Russian Revolution, The Russian Revolution, and Rethinking the Russian Revolution. Writing of an annotated bibliography of the topic.
Shreya Khandelwal Global Studies Mrs. Vivadelli 24 February 2017 Book Study In the book, The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander there are many themes and topics that helped my understanding of the region. The main character, Mikhail Semyonov was the only living person who had witnessed the murder of the Royal family. Throughout the reading, he answers everything there is to know about Tsar, missing bodies, the loss of his family and more.
One object, a paradox embodied in a Russian revolutionary plate interested me, primarily due to my limited knowledge of the revolution therefore arousing curiosity, but also due to the irony of the plate. Illustrating an egalitarian realm of the proletariat yet, peculiarly, the plate made from porcelain; the luxury material providing historic connotations with aristocratic culture and status. This interest drove me to attend a lecture at LSE on the origins of the revolution, and question whether Marxism was in any sense native to Eastern Europe. Further lectures by John Merriman on the topic made me consider why this cruel anti-Semite, Nicholas II was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. I found the matter challenging, however the further I explored, the more I became engrossed in the subject and so continued to broaden my understanding with Smith’s ‘The Russian Revolution: A very short introduction’. This self-motivated inquisitiveness drives me forward; an important attribute of a prospective
From a western, secular perspective, it seems that Russia has not yet reached a place where it is really laic. It is believed that political power and religion are tightly intertwined, and that one can’t go without the other. However, when we look further than what the media tell us, we actually notice how complicated this relations are. This is why this essay is going to explore how in Russia, religion and political power really work with each other, and to what extent. It is meant to see how religion can be manipulated by politicians, and why, but more specifically how can religion shape a society.
This publication will eradicate all philosophic doubts about the practical course of revolution- it will make our theories a reality. More crucially, it is proof that Russia can be alive once again. We would not have been challenged so brazenly if it were not so.’” Dmitri reports him to The Gentleman and Perchik is captured and tortured for openly opposing the Russian government. When
The most interesting theme of the entire history of Russia is the period in which the formation of Russian statehood takes place. Surprisingly, the events preceding Russia’s formation are among the least studied pages of our history. Written sources telling of the times are very meager, they are mainly found in the presentation of Byzantine chroniclers, who described the events, at times, in biased and contradictory terms. Of course, Byzantines viewed the Slavs as primarily restless, warlike neighbors and they are not particularly interested in their culture, their way of life or their customs. Therefore, to study the history of ancient Russia and paganism uses mainly archaeological and ethnographic research. Some events have shed light
One resource used for this investigation was Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie, which describes the reign of Nicholas II. This source was published in 1967 in the United States, thus the book is a secondary source. Massie is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian whose work focuses on the Russian Romanovs. Massie’s alma mater includes Yale and Oxford University. The source is highly valuable in its extremely detailed and comprehensive research of nearly 600 pages, providing the thoughts of those in positions of power and interesting, insightful perspectives to the situation at the time. An analysis on connecting causes and effects are thorough and
Despite all the work Alexander II did toward reforming Russia, the “Era of Great Reforms” left one crucial aspect unaltered: the power of the emperor. The intentional neglect of this was what kept the reforms from realizing their true potential. This led to dissatisfaction, which encouraged repression, terror, and most importantly: revolution. The first was the Polish Rebellion, caused by the failure of Russian authorities to suppress Polish nationalism. Although the Poles failed, other minorities sprung up for their voice
As we look at Russian history and political culture we may see the strong tradition of charismatic type of leadership and that Russia for a long time had been guided by a certain idea or a concept ("Moscow is the Third Rome"; "Orthodoxy, Autocracy, National Character", communist "radiant future") which had a great influence on politics, political behavior and political symbolic.