| 1613-1645 |
START OF THE ROMANOV DYNASTY - At age 16 Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov is elected new tsar of Russia on March 14, 1613. In 1619 his father Fyodor becomes Patriarch Filaret and "guides" his son's reign until his death in 1633, after which the tsar is "advised" by his mother's family. |
| 1645-1676 |
Aleksei I, son of Mikhail and father of Peter the Great reigns as tsar. |
| 1649 |
First Russian Law Code is written. |
| 1652 |
Patriarch Nikon's edicts regarding the church are announced. |
| 1660 |
Patriarch Nikon is deposed. |
| 1679-1682 |
Fyodor III rules as tsar. |
| 1682-1689 |
Ivan V, who is feeble minded and his half brother, Peter are proclaimed joint tsars. Sofia, Peter's half sister acts as regent until 1689. For a brief period the Streltsi (marksman) gain control of the government. |
| 1689-1725 |
Peter I, also known as Peter the Great, rules Russia. He adopts the Julian calendar, moves the capital to St. Petersburg, introduces Western culture, builds the first Russian fleet on the Baltic. Peter proclaims himself Emperor of All Russia in 1721. |
| 1725-1727 |
Catherine I, widow of Peter the Great, becomes tsarina with the help of her guard Menshikov.
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| 1727-1730 |
Peter II, grandson of Peter the Great, becomes tsar. |
| 1730-1740 |
Anna Ivanova, daughter of Ivan V and niece of Peter the Great reigns as tsarina.
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| 1740-1741 |
Ivan VI rules as tsar. |
| 1741-1761 |
Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine I, serves as tsarina.
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| 1755 |
The first university founded in Moscow by Lomonosov. |
| 1761-1762 |
Peter III, grandson of Peter the Great serves as tsar. |
| 1762-1796 |
Catherine II (Catherine the Great), German-born wife of Peter III, overthrows her weak husband and becomes tsarina. |
| 177-1775 |
Peasant Revolt is lead by Yemelyan Pugachev. |
| 1783 |
Potemkin annexes Crimea. |
| 1796-1801 |
Paul I, son of Catherine II.
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| 1801-1825 |
Alexander I, son of Paul I. |
| 1812 |
Napoleon enters Moscow, remains five weeks, then flees the burning city. |
| 1825-1855 |
Nicholas I, son of Paul I. |
| 1825 |
December 14, 1825 Decembrists attempt to overthrow the tsar. Bolshoi Theater opens. |
| 1851 |
First railway opens between Moscow and St. Petersburg. |
| 1853-1856 |
Crimean War occurs. |
| 1855-1881 |
Alexander II, son of Nicholas I, reigns as tsar. |
| 1861 |
Decree is signed to emancipate the serfs. |
| 1867 |
Sale of Alaska to the United States occurs. |
| 1877-1878 |
War with Turkey is fought. |
| 1881 |
Alexander II assassinated by members of the Peoples' Will group. |
| 1881-1894 |
Alexander III rules Russia and starts construction of Trans-Siberian Railroad. |
| 1894-1917 |
Nicholas II reigns as tsar. |
| 1895 |
Workers hold public rallies to celebrate May Day and workers solidarity. |
| 1900 |
Russia occupies Manchuria. |
| 1903 |
Social Democratic Party splits into Bolsheviks and Menshiviks. |
| 1904-1905 |
Russo-Japanese War is fought. |
| 1905 |
Bloody Sunday, the first revolution is fought. Some religious freedoms are granted. |
| 1913 |
300th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty is celebrated. |
| 1914 |
World War I begins. |
| 1917 |
February Revolution begins the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
The October Socialist Revolution fighting begins and the Russian Civil War starts. |
