What did Catherine the Great say about serfdom?
Catherine the Great is remembered as a great ruler. But there is one blemish in her extraordinary career: serfdom. Serfs were basically slaves. And when she took the Russian throne in 1762, most of her subjects were serfs. The new empress said that serfdom was “inhumane” and set out to abolish it.
Why did Alexander the great free the serfs?
In 1861 Alexander II freed all serfs in a major agrarian reform, stimulated in part by his view that "it is better to liberate the peasants from above" than to wait until they won their freedom by risings "from below".
How did Catherine the Great rule Russia?
Catherine II (born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 1729 in Szczecin – 17 November 1796 ), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was Empress of All Russia from 1762 until 1796—the country's longest-ruling female leader. She came to power following a coup d'état that overthrew her husband and second cousin, Peter III.
What is Catherine the Great known for?
Catherine II (born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 1729 – 17 November 1796 ), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the last reigning Empress Regent of Russia (from 1762 until 1796) and the country's longest-ruling female leader. She came to power following the overthrow of her husband and second cousin, Peter III.
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What did Catherine the Great do to peasants?
Not wishing to antagonize the nobility, Catherine increased the privileges of the nobility and decreased the freedom of peasants. The reforms of Peter and Catherine had little effect on the peasants—except to bind them to the land as serfs.
Who freed the serfs in Russia?
Russian emperor Alexander IIEmancipation Manifesto, (March 3 [Feb. 19, Old Style], 1861), manifesto issued by the Russian emperor Alexander II that accompanied 17 legislative acts that freed the serfs of the Russian Empire.
How many serfs did Catherine the Great have?
According to a census taken from 1754 to 1762, Catherine owned 500,000 serfs. A further 2.8 million belonged to the Russian state.
What did Catherine the Great do?
She led her country into full participation in the political and cultural life of Europe. She championed the arts and reorganized the Russian law code. She also significantly expanded Russian territory. Today Catherine is a source of national pride for many Russians.
Who freed the slaves?
President Abraham LincolnPresident Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."
What did Catherine do for the serfs?
During her reign, Catherine gave away many state-owned peasants to become private serfs (owned by a landowner). Pugachev launched the rebellion in mid-September 1773. He had a substantial force composed of Cossacks, Russian peasants, factory serfs, and non-Russians.
When did Russia free the serfs?
1861The abolition of serfdom in Russia in 1861 was a crucial point in the country's history and marked the first stage in its democratic transformation.
How did serfdom end in Russia?
Emperor Alexander II abolished serfdom in the emancipation reform of 1861, a few years later than Austria and other German states.
How did serfs become free?
Serfs were often harshly treated and had little legal redress against the actions of their lords. A serf could become a freedman only through manumission, enfranchisement, or escape.
When did slavery end in Russia?
Slavery, by contrast, was an ancient institution in Russia and effectively was abolished in the 1720s. Serfdom, which began in 1450, evolved into near-slavery in the eighteenth century and was finally abolished in 1906. Serfdom in its Russian variant could not have existed without the precedent and presence of slavery.
When did serfdom end in Russia?
1861While the abolition of serfdom in Russia in 1861 marked the first stage in Russia's democratic transformation, more remains to be done. The abolition of serfdom in Russia in 1861 was a crucial point in the country's history and marked the first stage in its democratic transformation.
What episode does Catherine speak to the audience?
The Nakaz1st draft and Catherine's 'close circle' are not quite the same, though, as the scene in episode 1 where the new empress is speaking to an audience of what appears to be several hundred; she had quite a number of close advisors, but not that many! Thus, Professor Kamensky's examples only confirm the content of the speech. It is unclear what exactly he means by "spoke openly", but the examples given suggest he means 'spoke openly with her (close) advisors'.
Who was the first person to discuss serfdom in Russia?
Behind this "first public discussion" of serfdom in Russia was Catherine and, among the 164 anonymous entries submitted, one was from Voltaire, with whom Catherine corresponded for many years (ref: Aaron Brick's comment). The winning entry, although critical of serfdom, made only modest suggestions for reform.
Which treatise did Montesquieu write about the importance of power?
Consequently, her enlightened views, influenced in large part by Montesquieu's 1748 treatise The Spirit of the Laws , were not put into practice: maintaining power was more important and her actions as empress actually led to serfdom reaching its apogee:
Did Catherine the Great hold the views expressed in the HBO episode dialogue?
While it is well established that Catherine did hold the views expressed in the HBO episode dialogue, I can find no specific evidence for the scene as depicted. In the article HBO’s ‘Catherine the Great’: An expert’s opinion, Alexander B. Kamenskii, Professor at HSE University (Moscow) is cited thus:
Did Serfdom give away land?
From what I know about serfdom, I guess she gave away some land and the serfs were inextricably part of that. Given that, it's a little misleading for the author of that paper to say she "gave away a million serfs" in isolation like that.
What was Catherine the Great's instruction?
The Instruction of Catherine the Great was a Russian political document prepared by the empress as a guide for a legislative commission considering internal reforms. In it Catherine “instructed” the commission to create a new legal code and recommended a series of government reforms based on liberal humanitarian political theories. According to the Instruction:
What was Catherine's plan before she came to power?
Before her accession to power, Catherine had planned to emancipate the serfs, on whom the economy of Russia, which was 95 percent agricultural, was based. The serf was the property of the master, and the fortune of a noble was evaluated not in lands but in the “souls” he owned.
How long did Catherine II rule?
Catherine II, called Catherine the Great, reigned over Russia for 34 years —longer than any other female in Russian history. As empress, Catherine westernized Russia. She led her country into full participation in the political and cultural life of Europe. She championed the arts and reorganized the Russian law code.
What was Elizabeth's most pressing problem?
Her most pressing practical problem, however, was to replenish the state treasury, which was empty when Elizabeth died; this she did in 1762 by secularizing the property of the clergy, who owned one-third of the land and serfs in Russia. The Russian clergy was reduced to a group of state-paid functionaries, losing what little power had been left to it by the reforms of Peter the Great. Since her coup d’etat and Peter’s suspicious death demanded both discretion and stability in her dealings with other nations, she continued to preserve friendly relations with Prussia, Russia’s old enemy, as well as with the country’s traditional allies, France and Austria. In 1764 she resolved the problem of Poland, a kingdom lacking definite boundaries and coveted by three neighbouring powers, by installing one of her old lovers, Stanisław Poniatowski, a weak man entirely devoted to her, as king of Poland.
What was Catherine's passion?
During her husband’s lifetime alone, she had at least three lovers; if her hints are to be believed, none of her three children, not even the heir apparent Paul, was fathered by her husband. Her true passion, however, was ambition; since Peter was incapable of ruling, she saw quite early the possibility of eliminating him and governing Russia herself.
What was Catherine's instruction to the commission?
The debates went on for months and came to nothing. Catherine’s Instruction to the commission was a draft of a constitution and a code of laws. It was considered too liberal for publication in France and remained a dead letter in Russia.
When did Catherine Alekseyevna marry?
In 1744 Catherine arrived in Russia, assumed the title of Grand Duchess Catherine Alekseyevna, and married her young cousin the following year. The marriage was a complete failure; the following 18 years were filled with disappointment and humiliation for her.
What was Catherine the Great known for?
Catherine’s long reign and her astute use of political power earned her the title “the Great,” and she was known for her support of the arts and culture.
What was Catherine the Great's favorite pastime?
Horseback riding was one of Catherine the Great's favorite pastimes.
Who was Catherine the Great's husband?
Catherine the Great poses with her husband Peter III, and son Paul I, who would later rule Russia from 1796 to 1801.
Who was Sophie von Anhalt?
Born Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst in 1729, she was the daughter of an impoverished Prussian prince. Though her family lacked money of its own, they were tied to two of the most influential families in Germany—the Anhalts and the Holsteins. Young Sophie was educated at home by tutors and recalled her strict childhood as uninteresting.
What did Catherine the Great do to the throne?
Catherine the Great unlike Peter needed the good will of the rich and powerful landowners to stay on the throne. She was vaguely related to Russian nobility but not in the current Romanov line and not enough to sit on the throne. She did what she could to stroke their egos, So she might have opposed serfdom theoretically but in reality expanded the power of the landowners over serfs and expanded its territory so the truth was she was worse than neutral about it. She made it worse.
What dream did Catherine fail to have?
However, Catherine failed in her dream: making Russia into at least a Middle European country. She tried the Enlightenment but much of it went awry making her bitter,,
Why did Catherine II overthrow Peter?
Catherine II didn't overthrow randomly though, she did it partially because when she got married to Peter there was little to no love between the two.
What was the golden period for women artists?
While it was Peter I (reign 1682-1725) that brought about reforms that gave women greater freedom to pursue education it was during the mid-18th century, the time that Catherine the Great rose to power, that female artists also rose in Russia.
Why did the Empress of Russia look like Peter the Great?
Because the Empress who reigned 1762–1796 became unexpectedly a great ruler expanding Russia’s boundaries what really made her look like the heir of her grandfather-in-law Peter the Great. While she was less into mass executions.
Did Catherine the Great oppose Serfdom?
She did what she could to stroke their egos, So she might have opposed serfdom theoretically but in reality expanded the power of the landowners over serfs and expanded its territory so the truth was she was worse than neutral about it. She made it worse.
Was Catherine the Great really great?
Catherine was truly great …no, she was not truly great , she was truly fabulous..a great promoter of Russification , Moscow as a great tourist vacation getaway, tried to ‘out-Michelin’ London, Paris, Rome, Berlin with restaurant palaces fit for a king, ie, her lover who gave her an heir, Stanislas Poniatowsky, whom she gifted with the kingship of Poland.
What was Catherine the Great's rule?
The period of Catherine the Great's rule, the Catherinian Era, is considered a Golden Age of Russia. The Manifesto on Freedom of the Nobility, issued during the short reign of Peter III and confirmed by Catherine, freed Russian nobles from compulsory military or state service.
What was Catherine the Great's influence on Russia?
Under her reign, Russia grew larger, its culture was revitalised, and it was recognised as one of the great powers of Europe. In her accession to power and her rule of the empire, Catherine often relied on her noble favourites, most notably Count Grigory Orlov and Grigory Potemkin.
Why did the Serfs riot against the Tsar?
In these cases, it was necessary to replace this "fake" tsar with the "true" tsar, whoever she may be. Because the serfs had no political power, they rioted to convey their message. However, usually, if the serfs did not like the policies of the tsar, they saw the nobles as corrupt and evil, preventing the people of Russia from communicating with the well-intentioned tsar and misinterpreting her decrees. However, they were already suspicious of Catherine upon her accession because she had annulled an act by Peter III that essentially freed the serfs belonging to the Orthodox Church. Naturally, the serfs did not like it when Catherine tried to take away their right to petition her because they felt as though she had severed their connection to the autocrat, and their power to appeal to her. Far away from the capital, they were confused as to the circumstances of her accession to the throne.
How did the Orthodox Church fare during Catherine's reign?
In many ways, the Orthodox Church fared no better than its foreign counterparts during the reign of Catherine. Under her leadership, she completed what Peter III had started: The church's lands were expropriated, and the budget of both monasteries and bishoprics were controlled by the College of Economy. Endowments from the government replaced income from privately held lands. The endowments were often much less than the original intended amount. She closed 569 of 954 monasteries, of which only 161 received government money. Only 400,000 rubles of church wealth were paid back. While other religions (such as Islam) received invitations to the Legislative Commission, the Orthodox clergy did not receive a single seat. Their place in government was restricted severely during the years of Catherine's reign.
How did Russia treat Jews?
Russia often treated Judaism as a separate entity, where Jews were maintained with a separate legal and bureaucratic system. Although the government knew that Judaism existed, Catherine and her advisers had no real definition of what a Jew is because the term meant many things during her reign. Judaism was a small, if not non-existent, religion in Russia until 1772. When Catherine agreed to the First Partition of Poland, the large new Jewish element was treated as a separate people, defined by their religion. Catherine separated the Jews from Orthodox society, restricting them to the Pale of Settlement. She levied additional taxes on the followers of Judaism; if a family converted to the Orthodox faith, that additional tax was lifted. Jewish members of society were required to pay double the tax of their Orthodox neighbours. Converted Jews could gain permission to enter the merchant class and farm as free peasants under Russian rule.
How long did Peter III reign?
Tsar Peter III reigned only six months ; he died on 17 July 1762. After the death of the Empress Elizabeth on 5 January 1762 ( OS: 25 December 1761), Peter succeeded to the throne as Emperor Peter III, and Catherine became empress consort. The imperial couple moved into the new Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg.
Where was Catherine born?
Catherine was born in Stettin, Pomerania, Kingdom of Prussia (now Szczecin, Poland) as Princess Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg. Her father, Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, belonged to the ruling German family of Anhalt.
What are some interesting facts about Catherine the Great?
Here are seven facts you need to know about the controversial, charismatic and game-changing Catherine the Great. Advertisement. 1. She Wasn't Born as a Catherine or as a Russian. Born in 1729 in Prussia (modern day Poland) as Sophie von Anhalt-Zerbst, the woman who would later be known as Catherine the Great was the oldest daughter ...
Why is Catherine the Great known as Catherine the Great?
Born in 1729, and known as Catherine the Great because she served as Russia's longest-reigning female ruler, she was empress from 1762 until her death in 1796. Wikimedia Commons. If persistent tabloid covers and made-for-television miniseries have taught us anything, it's that us commoners simply love a royal scandal.
What was Catherine II's work ethic?
"More attention should be paid to Catherine II as legislatrix, someone with a very strong work ethic who issued numerous laws to restructure the state (to achieve administrative uniformity across a vast empire), society (by more clearly delineating different societal categories), and the very configuration of Russian towns (she had blueprints made for uniform buildings in town centers)," Victoria Frede, associate professor in the department of history at UC Berkeley, says via email. "It is well known that she aggressively expanded the size of the Russian empire (including Crimea), though few appreciate that she was more successful in increasing the empire's size than Peter the Great. We may disapprove, and her legacy was mixed, especially because of the deepening of social inequality (the oppression of serfs) in her reign. She was a hard-nosed ruler, but that is why she made such a big imprint on the country."
How long did Catherine the Great rule?
But those well versed in Russian history will tell you that Catherine, who ruled from 1762 to 1796, was so much more than the gossip and intrigue that surrounded her during her reign and has shrouded her since her death. Here are seven facts you need to know about the controversial, charismatic and game-changing Catherine the Great.
Who was Catherine's first child?
Regardless of the reason, both Catherine and Peter engaged in extramarital affairs, and by 1752, she was regularly hooking up with Sergei Saltykov, a Russian military officer who many people believe is the actual father of Catherine's first child, Paul, who was born in 1754.
Who was Sophie's cousin?
At the age of 14, she was paired up with her second cousin, Elizabeth's son, Peter III. The grandson of Peter the Great, Peter III was heir to the Russian throne.
Did Catherine and Peter have a troubled marriage?
It's no secret Catherine and Peter had a troubled marriage from the start. The fact that she didn't produce an heir after eight years of marriage led many to believe Peter either was unable to consummate the marriage or was infertile.
What happened before Catherine the Great came to power?
Before coming to power, Catherine the Great had always wanted to free the serfs. Unfortunately, once she got into power she realized that the heavily agriculture-based economy of Russia relied on the serfs and that the nobles would not tolerate them being freed and trying to do so would throw the country into chaos. While she never actually made the proclamation that she does in The Great, she effectively had to cave to political pressures in a very similar way. Over time she continued to draw up new plans and developed a group of people to work on a constitution that might be able to enact the changes that she wanted to see but the results were deemed too liberal for Russia at the time and not enacted. The Great season 2 does relatively accurately depict some of the other changes that she made, however, as she did push for literary reviews and a greater focus on the sciences.
What happened to Catherine in season 1 of The Great?
After attempting diplomatic negotiations over a border dispute with the Ottomans, she eventually ends up killing the sultan and moving for war with the Ottoman Empire with a plan to free the people who live under Ottoman rule.
How did Peter die in The Great?
The other large change to the coup in The Great is the eventual result. Having already garnered the support that she needed, upon hearing that Peter had had one of her co-conspirators arrested, Catherine then had Peter arrested and forced to sign papers abdicating the throne. While The Great has Peter survive the coup, the real Peter III died just eight days afterward while imprisoned. Officially, Peter died of a stroke; however, rumors suggested that he might have been assassinated by Alexei Orlov, a supporter of the coup and the younger brother of Grigory Orlov, who is the inspiration for the character of Orlo (Sacha Dhawan).
Why did Catherine have to go through a public birth?
In The Great, Catherine has to go through a public birth so that the people can be assured that her baby has been born and is the true heir. While this was common practice at the time, Catherine was actually shut away in the Summer Palace by Elizabeth and Peter for the birth of her son. She was reportedly left unattended on the floor for several hours after the birth while Peter and Elizabeth tended to the baby before a midwife returned to help her.
Who played Peter in The Great?
The Great season 2 picks up four months after the events of season 1 which saw Catherine (Elle Fanning) enact her coup against Peter (Nicholas Hoult) with the help of Orlo (Sacha Dhawan), Velementov (Douglas Hodge), and Mariel (Phoebe Fox). After seizing power, The Great season 2 sees Catherine struggling to enact progressive change to longstanding Russian traditions as she prepares for the birth of her son Paul. Her political maneuvers eventually end up with her facing off against the Ottomans.
Did Catherine the Great kill a sultan?
While it seems there is little evidence that Catherine the Great herself killed a sultan, she did take Russia to war with the Ottomans. The Ottoman Empire had long been an enemy of Russia dating back to Peter the Great (who was Peter III’s grandfather). While The Great attributes a noble goal of freeing those who suffered under oppressive Ottoman rule, history suggests a more self-serving cause. In the wake of her failure to enact larger reforms, Catherine took up an opportunity to go to war with the Ottoman Empire in the hopes of raising Russian morale through a show of strength and national power.
Did Catherine give birth to Paul?
As The Great shows, Catherine did give birth to a boy called Paul who would go on to become Paul I. However, Paul was born in 1754, almost eight years before the coup took place and the death of Peter, and not in the aftermath of the coup. There is some debate over who the father of Paul actually was: while Catherine told him that it was Peter she had many lovers and there were suggestions that Paul might have been the result of her relationship with Sergei Saltykov.
Why did Alexander II abolish serfdom?
New laws allowed all classes (except the serfs) to own land, a privilege previously confined to the nobility. Emperor Alexander II abolished serfdom in the emancipation reform of 1861, a few years later than Austria and other German states. Scholars have proposed multiple overlapping reasons to account for the abolition, including fear of a large-scale revolt by the serfs, the government's financial needs, changing cultural sensibilities, and the military 's need for soldiers.
Who owned the Serfs?
Only the Russian state and Russian noblemen had the legal right to own serfs, but in practice commercial firms sold Russian serfs as slaves – not only within Russia but even abroad (especially into Persia and the Ottoman Empire) as "students or servants". Those "students and servants" were in fact owned by rich people, sometimes even by rich serfs, who were not noblemen. Emperor Nicholas I banned the trade in African slaves in 1842, though there were almost no Russians who participated in it, but Russian serfs were still sold and bought.
What was the main reason for the Sudebnik of 1550?
The Sudebnik of 1550 increased the amount of pozhiloye and introduced an additional tax called za povoz ( за повоз, or transportation fee), in case a peasant refused to bring the harvest from the fields to his master. A temporary ( Заповедные лета, or forbidden years) and later an open-ended prohibition for peasants to leave their masters was introduced by the ukase of 1597 under the reign of Boris Godunov, which took away the peasants' right to free movement around Yuri's Day, binding the vast majority of the Russian peasantry in full serfdom. These also defined the so-called fixed years ( Урочные лета, urochniye leta ), or the 5-year time frame for search of the runaway peasants. In 1607, a new ukase defined sanctions for hiding and keeping the runaways: the fine had to be paid to the state and pozhiloye – to the previous owner of the peasant.
How many serfs performed Barshchina?
In the black earth region, 70% to 77% of the serfs performed barshchina; the rest paid levies ( obrok ).
What was the period of serfdom?
In the 13th to 15th centuries, feudal dependency applied to a significant number of peasants, but serfdom as we know it was still not a widespread phenomenon. In the mid-15th century the right of certain categories of peasants in some votchinas to leave their master was limited to a period of one week before and after Yuri's Day (November 26). The Sudebnik of 1497 officially confirmed this time limit as universal for everybody and also established the amount of the "break-away" fee called pozhiloye ( пожилое ). The legal code of Ivan III of Russia, Sudebnik (1497), strengthened the dependency of peasants, statewide, and restricted their mobility. The Russians persistently battled against the successor states of the Golden Horde, chiefly the Khanate of Crimea. Annually the Russian population of the borderland suffered from Tatar invasions and slave raids and tens of thousands of noblemen protected the southern borderland (a heavy burden for the state), which slowed its social and economic development and expanded the taxation of peasantry.
When was serfdom abolished in Livonia?
Main articles: Emancipation reform of 1861 and Abolition of serfdom in Livonia. A 1907 painting by Boris Kustodiev depicting Russian serfs listening to the proclamation of the Emancipation Manifesto in 1861. In 1816, 1817, and 1819 serfdom was abolished in Estland, Courland, and Livonia respectively.
Why did Russia support serfdom?
The conscripted serfs dramatically increased the size of the Russian military during the war with Napole on. With a larger military Russia achieved victory in the Napoleonic Wars and Russo-Persian Wars; this did not change the disparity between Russia and Western Europe, who were experiencing agricultural and industrial revolutions. Compared to Western Europe it was clear that Russia was at an economic disadvantage. European philosophers during the Age of Enlightenment criticized serfdom and compared it to medieval labor practices which were almost non-existent in the rest of continent. Most Russian nobles were not interested in change toward western labor practices that Catherine the Great proposed. Instead they preferred to mortgage serfs for profit. Napoleon did not touch serfdom in Russia. What the reaction of the Russian peasantry would have been if he had lived up to the traditions of the French Revolution, bringing liberty to the serfs, is an intriguing question. In 1820, 20% of all serfs were mortgaged to state credit institutions by their owners. This was increased to 66% in 1859.
