What kind of rule was the Romanov dynasty in Russia?

Comments ( 1 )

1. Spellbound says

   All the Tsars were autocrats – they ruled without parliament.
   The monarchy lasted for hundreds of years in Russia and there were many different Tsars, cruel ones, enlightened ones, clever ones, pious ones, stupid ones and despotic ones.

   Some features of life under most of the Tsars:
   The Monarchy was bound up with the Orthodox church.
   The Monarchy was fabulously wealthy, with palaces, a court jeweller and crown jewels.
   Life was cheap – the Tsar n thought nothing of having political rivals exiled or even executed – Ivan IV murdered his own son.
   For the peasants movement was limited, there was an internal passport system, so people could not simply move around if they fancied it.
   A secret police organisation – the Okhrana – was formed in the 1880s
   The poor were exceptionally poor under the Tsars, the peasants were mostly subsistence farmers not wealthy farmers.
   Education under the Tsars was very poor – just 5% were literate.
   Women could not be educated, begin divorce proceedings, stand for political office, have an abortion or had many career opportunities.
   Jews were prevented from living in certain areas, from attending university and were barred from certain jobs.

   Reply