Russia

Front matter

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Preface

I HAVE attempted in the present work an outline of Russian history, with such a grouping of the chief facts as would enable my readers to understand the development of the country from the little Grand Duchy of Muscovy in the fifteenth century to the present mighty empire with its hundred million inhabitants. While I have not intentionally concealed the darker shades of the picture, I have endeavoured to avoid drawing my sketch from an English standpoint only. Still less have I felt inclined to indulge in any of the claptrap abuse with which some Western authors season their books on Russia. All nations have been aggressive in their way, and therefore it is idle to talk overmuch about Russian aggressions ; all nations have some blood-stained pages in their annals, and therefore it is something like hypocrisy to be struck with especial horror at Russia's misdeeds.

In reality there is nothing political about my book ; I have simply told the truth as it appeared to me. I have treated Russia as an important element in the nationalities of the world, a country of great solidarity and strength, whatever may have been said to the

Vlll PREFACE.

contrary. She is entitled to the gratitude of the world, were it only for the protection she has afforded to the oppressed Christians of the East. The tide of Mohammedan persecution and proselytism was turned from the time when Peter the Great showed the rayahs, groaning under the Turkish yoke, that they could look to Russia for help. It is to her that the new nationality of Bulgaria, which gives such excellent promise, owes its origin. We cannot be surprised that the Christians of the East have felt grateful for her benefits. She alone stood up against their oppressors ; and her enemies among us must feel that by their mistaken policy they have only strengthened her hands.

Whatever the faults of my little book may be, I can honestly say that it is based upon original authorities, as a glance at any of the pages will show. It aims at something more than a compilation ; to give a greater freshness to the details, I have illustrated them by translations from the bilini, or historical poems, which have come down to us, from the native chroniclers and from contemporary diaries. The main sources of Russian history are stated at length in the concluding chapter of the work, and I believe this list will be found useful to any one who may wish to study the subject more thoroughly. I have added a chapter on Russian literature once ignored in Europe, but now winning its way to notice. Perhaps the brief sketch here given may allure some to the study of this noble language. Its area is rapidly extending ; it must inevitably absorb the Ugro- Altaic and Siberian languages. They are fast

PREFACE. IX

disappearing before it ; in fact, in the east of European Russia we can pass from village to village and trace the people in gradual stages of Russification. Feeling sensible of the interest which the country must always possess for the ethnologist and philologist, I have attempted a classification of the various languages spoken within its boundaries. Without pretending to be exhaustive, such information will be found useful ; it is only in this way that we can understand the exact relations in which the principality of Lithuania and the eastern provinces of the former kingdom of Poland stood to Russia. We must remember that the bulk of the people of both were homogeneous with the Russians in blood, language and religion.

The political and social institutions of the country — including the mzr and zemstvo — have also been briefly described. An attempt has been made throughout the work to spell the names accurately and on a fixed plan, and to put an end, as far as possible, to the chaos which still prevails among us in these matters.

In conclusion I will say of my book in the words of Martial —

February, 1890.

PREEACE TO SEVENTH EDITION.

The present work has in this edition been carried to the date of the Treaty of Portsmouth (1905), with which the war with Japan was (temporarily, at least) concluded. Some account has been given of the bloody struggle which took place, and also of the constitutional changes introduced into Russia, the effects of w'hich are watched with eager curiosity. It would be impossible to prognosticate the results of the war in the Far East. Taking advantage of the weakness of Russia, the Finns have secured their much craved autonomy, and the attitude of the Poles has become bolder. The politics of Europe are in an unsettled state, the vexed question of the Near East is again coming to the front, and the proximate break up of the Austrian Empire is anticipated with considerable anxiety. Since the Treaty of Reichstadt in 1876, Austria has had a definite position in the Balkan Peninsula. The Treaty of San Stefano endorsed the occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it was ratified by that of Berlin. The Macedonians are still at the mercy of their Turkish masters. Till the outbreak of war with Japan,

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Preface To Seventh Edition

Russia had been pursuing a peaceful course, and was occupied in consolidating her Asiatic Empire. In Asia she had done some good work, and it remains to be seen how she will meet the new difficulties in her path.

W. R. MORFILL.

Oxford, May 29.

The Country and the People of Russia . i-

Geography, 3 — Ethnology, 5 — Dialects, 9 — Population of the Largest Cities, 11.

'AGE

vii

II. 13-31

Discoveries at Kertch, 17 — Derivation of the word Russia, 19 — The Story of Oleg's Death, 21 — Russian Sagas, 23 — Story of Olga, 25— The Gods of the Heathen Slavs, 27— The Wer-Gild, 29 — Yaroslav, 31.

III. Russia Divided: The Period of the Appanages

1054-1238 32

Smolensk, Chernigov, Novgorod, 33 —Vladimir's Poikhenic^ 35 — Invasion of the Mongols, y].

IV. Russia Under the Mongols, i 238-1462

38-51

First Mention of Moscow, 39 — The Mongol Khans, 41 — Influence of the Mongols on Russia, 43 — The Lithuanian Sovereigns, 45 — Union between Lithuania and Poland, 47 — The Black Death, 49— End of the Mongol Tyranny, 51.

>^>v CONTENTS.

Establishment of the Autocracy and Consolidation OF THE Empire till Death of Boris Godunov. 1462-1605 . . 52-99

Marriage of Ivan III., 55 — Ivan Increases his Territory, 57 — Russian Progress in the Arts, 59 — Pskov, 61 — Herberstein's Account of Moscow, 63 — Reign of Ivan the Terrible, 65 — Prince Andrew Kurbski, 67 — Sir Jerome Horsey, 69— Richard Chancellor, 71 — Anthony Jenkinson's Travels, 73 — Treaties with England, 75 — The Account of Giles Fletcher, 77— Ivan's Seven Wives, 79— Death of Ivan, 81 — Early Russian Printing, 85— The Conquest of Siberia, 87— Feodore and Dmitri, 89— The Death of Dmitri, gi — Accession of Boris, 93 — The False Demetrius, 95— Death of Boris, 97 — Intestine Struggles, 99.

VI

The Period of Troubles. The Two Precursors OF Peter, Michael and Alexis. 1605-1682 100-132

Xenia the Tsarevna, loi — Assassination of Dmitri, 103 — Polish Invasion, 105 — Treaty with Sweden, 107 — Scotch Adventurers, 109 — Olearius's Description of Moscow, in — The People of Moscow, 113 — The Streltsi, 115 — Accession of Alexis, 117 — Origin of the Cossacks, 119 — The Cossacks Revolt from Poland, 121 — Acquisition of Territory, 123 — Nicon the Patriarch, 125 — Miege's Description of Alexis, 127 — Court Grandeur, 129 — Accession of Feodore, 131.

VII

Ivan and Peter — The Regency of Sophia — Regeneration of Russia under Peter the Great. 1682-1725 .... 133-173

Ambassadors of Russia, 135 — Expedition against the Tatars, 137 — Basil Golitsin, 139— Travels of Peter the Great, 141 — Peter in England, 143 — Revolt of the Streltsi, 145 — Charles Invades

CONTENTS. XV

PAGE

Russia, 151 — Battle of Poltava, 153— Death of Mazeppa, 155 — Ecclesiastical Reforms, 157 — Social Reforms, 159 — The Second luiropean Tour, 161 — Alexis, 163 — Execution of Alexis, 167 — Character of Peter the Great, 169 — Peter's Work, 171 — Peter an Enigma, 173.

VIII

The Reforms of Peter in Abeyance — Rkigns OF Catherine I., Peter II., Anne, Ivan VL, AND Elizabeth, i 725-1 762 . 174-209

Ostermann, 177 — Power of Menshikov, 179 — Exile of Menshikov, 181 — Death of Peter II., 183— Anne, Duchess of Courland, 185 — Document of the High Council, 187 — Scene in the Kremlin, 189 — Character of Anne, 191 — Russian Victories, 193 — Munich and Biren, 195— Beauty of Elizabeth, 197 — Fate of the Dethroned Emperor, 199 — Banishment of Ostermann, 201 — The Seven Years' War, 203 — Treacher)^ of Apraksin, 205 — " Slovo i dielo," 209.

IX

The Plans of Peter Developed. Peter III. (Jan. 5 -July 19, 1762). Catherine II. (1762-1796) . ... . 210-248

Return of the Exiles, 21 1 — Catherine's Aims, 215 — Peter III. Abdicates, 217 — The Assassination of Prince Ivan, 219 — Ecclesiastical Affairs, 221 — The Affairs of Poland, 223 — A Peasants' War, 227 — Capture of Pugachev, 229 — Catherine's Expedition to the Crimea, 235 — Death of Potemkin, 237— The Treaty of Verela, 239 — Gustavus IV. of Sweden, 241 — Death of Catherine, 243 — Catherine and the Arts, 245 — Coxe's Description of Catherine, 247.

X

Reigns of Paul (i 796-1801) and Alexander I. (1801-1825). Russia in Collision with THE French Revolution and Napoleon 249-2S0

Character of Paul, 251 — Ko'zebuc's Anecdote of Paul, 253 —

XVI CONTENTS.

PAGE

War with France, 255— Assassination of Taul, 257— The Royal Family, 259 — Incorporation of Georgia an^l Plnland, 263 — The City of Tiflis, 265 — Napoleon Invades Russia, 267 — Battle of Borodino, 269 — Rostopchin Fires Moscow, 271 — Retreat of the Grand Army, 273— Napoleon Deserts his Army, 275 — Estimate of the Invading Forces, 277— Death of Alexander, 279.

XI

Reaction followed by Reforms. Reigns of Nicholas (1825-1855), Alexander II. (1855- 1881), Alexander III 281-310

The Russian Church, 285— Battle of Navarino, 287 — War with Poland, 289 — Hungary Prostrate, 291 — The Crimean War, 293 — Siege of Sevastopol, 295 — Death of Nicholas, 297 — End of the War, 299 — The Second Polish Revolution, 301 — Execution of Sieriakowski, 303 — Annexations, 307 — Nihilist Plots, 309.

XII. Alexander III. (1881-1894) — Nicholas II. . 311-318

The Jews, 313 — The Triple Alliance, 315 — Troubles in Finland, 317.

XIII

Vladivostok Founded, 321 — Russia and Japan, 323 — Declaration of War, 323 — Disasters of Russia, 324 — Battle of Tsusima, 326 — Destruction of Russian Navy, 326 — Treaty of Portsmouth, 326.

XIV

Bili7tz, 329— Ostromir Gospels, 331— The Chronicle of Nestor, 332— Early Literature, 333 — Sergius Kubasov, 335 — The Academy of Kiev, 337 — Michael Lomonosov, 338 — Russian Drama, 340— Karamzin's History, 342— Poetry of Pushkin, 343— Lermontov, 346— Nicholas Gogol, 347— Turgueniev and Tolstoi, 348— Poetry of Nekrasov, 351— Characteristics of Russian Literature, 353.

CONTENTS. XV 11

XV. I'Ar.F

The Social Condition of Russia Before and

Aft.er the Time of Peter the Great , 355-3S7

The Russian Nobility, 357 — The Development of Serfdom, 359 — Peter's Treatment of the Serfs, 161 — The Russian Clergy, 363 — The Power of the Tsar, 365 — Religious Parties, 367 — Rudiments of Self-Government, 369 — Judicial Institutions, 370 — Manners, 371 — Social Customs, 373 — Life of the Boyars, 376 — Seclusion of the Women, 377 — Condition of the Serfs, 379 — Religious Sects in Russia, 381— Village Communes, 383 — Russian Villages, 384.