Russia. A History

Ivan I (Kalita), designated grand prince of Vladimir, by the Mongol khan

1340–1584

Rise of Muscovy

1337

Founding of Holy Trinity Sergius Monastery

1359–89

Dmitrii Donskoi reigns as grand prince of Moscow

1367

Construction of stone kremlin in Moscow

1380

Battle of Kulikovo

1389–1425

Vasilii I reigns as grand prince of Moscow

1425–62

Vasilii II reigns as grand prince of Moscow

1433–53

Civil war between Vasilii II and his kinsmen

1448

Bishop Iona of Riazan selected metropolitan, without the approval of Constantinople

1453

Fall of Constantinople

1462–1505

Ivan III (the Great) reigns as grand prince of Moscow

1463

Moscow acquires the principalities of Iaroslavl and part of Rostov

1478

Moscow annexes Novgorod

1480

Battle of Ugra, nominal end of Moscow subordination to Mongols

1485

Moscow conquers Tver

1497

Ivan III issues a brief law code (Sudebnik), with the first broad limitation on peasant movement

1499

Moscow acquires the principalities of Viatka

1505–33

Vasilii III reigns as grand prince of Moscow

1510

Moscow absorbs the city-state of Pskov

1514

Smolensk conquered

1521

Annexation of Riazan, last independent principality in central Russia

1533–84

Ivan IV reigns in minority as grand prince (1533–47), then tsar of Moscow (1547–84)

1537

Local judicial and administrative reforms, with the election of ‘brigandage elders’ (gubnye starosty)

1547

Ivan IV crowned tsar

1550

Law code (sudebnik) promulgated

1551

Church council (‘Hundred Chapters’ or Stoglav) proposes church reforms

1552

Conquest of Kazan

1555

Reform of local fiscal system (zemskie starosty)

1556

Astrakhan conquered

1558–83

Livonian War, ending with threats that cede lands to Poland-Lithuania and Sweden

1564

Publication of first book

1564–72

Oprichnina, Ivan’s personal domain

1570

Oprichnina forces sack Novgorod

1571

Crimean Tatars storm and burn Moscow

1575

Ivan IV abdicates temporarily in favour of Semen Bekbulatovich

1580

First law forbidding peasants to change landlords

1582

Ermak’s initial conquest of khanate of western Siberia

1584–1613

Time of Troubles

1584

Fedor Ivanovich reigns as tsar, with Boris Godunov ruling behind the scenes

1589

Law code (sudebnik); establishment of Patriarchate

1591

Death of Tsarevich Dmitrii

1598

Fedor dies, marking the extinction of the Riurikid dynasty

1598–1605

Boris Godunov reigns as tsar

1605–6

First False Dmitrii reigns as tsar

1606–7

Bolotnikov rebellion

1606–10

Reign of ‘boyar’ tsar, Vasilii Shuiskii

1610–13

Interregnum: boyar intervention, Polish rule

1612

Liberation of Moscow by Minin and Pozharskii (October)

1613–1689

Muscovy: Restored and Reconstructed

1613

Election of Michael Romanov, onset of new dynasty (1613–1917) 1613–45 Mikhail reigns as tsar

1617

Treaty of Stolbovo with Sweden

1618

Armistice of Deulino with Poland

1619

Filaret (Romanov) consecrated as patriarch

1632–4

Polish war

1645–76

Alexis reigns as tsar

1648

Moscow uprising

1649

Law code (Sobornoe ulozhenie)

1650

Novgorod and Pskov rebellions

1652

Establishment of separate foreigners’ settlement (nemetskaia sloboda) in Moscow; consecration of Nikon as Patriarch

1653

First church reforms, which eventually led to schism (raskot)

1654

Cossacks under Bohdan Khmelnitskii recognize Moscow’s suzerainty

1666–7

Church council: condemnation of Nikon, formal beginning of schism

1667

Armistice of Andrusovo with Poland

1667–71

Stenka Razin rebellion

1672

First theatrical performance

1676–81

First Russo-Turkish war

1676–82

Fedor reigns as tsar

1682–9

Regency of Sofia; nominal rule of Peter I and Ivan V

1682

Peter I proclaimed tsar, then co-tsar with older half-brother Ivan V; aboltion of precedence; Streltsy revolt

1686

‘Eternal Peace’ with Poland-Lithuania and joining Holy League against the Ottoman Turks

1687–9

Vasilii Golitsyn’s failed campaigns against the Crimean khanate

1689

Russian-Chinese Treaty of Nerchinsk

1689–1740

Petrine Russia and Aftermath

1689

Peter I (the Great) assumes power, ruling until his death in 1725

1690

Birth of Tsarevich Alexis

1693–4

Peter travels to Archangel to sample sea voyages

1695–6

Azov campaigns: initial failure, eventual success

1697–8

Peter’s ‘Grand Embassy’ to Western Europe

1698

Revolt of the Streltsy suppressed

1700–21

Northern War between Russia and Sweden

1700

Russian defeat at Narva; death of Patriarch Adrian; adoption of European (Julian) calendar

1701

Opening of the Moscow school of mathematics and navigation

1702

Manifesto welcoming foreigners to Russia; opening of first public theatre in Moscow

1703

Foundation of St Petersburg; publication of first newspaper (Vedomosti)

1705–6

Streltsy revolt at Astrakhan

1707–8

Cossack revolt on lower Don led by Bulavin

1708

Adoption of civil alphabet

1709

Russian victory at Poltava

1710

Russian conquest of Baltics

1711

Foundation of the Senate; marriage of Peter to Catherine; defeat at Pruth

1713