
Simon Sebag Montefiore
A comprehensive history of the Romanov dynasty’s rise, reign, and fall, revealing the complex interplay of power, personality, and politics in imperial Russia.
The Romanovs ruled Russia for over 300 years, from 1613 to 1918.
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Section 1
10 Sections
Imagine a land torn apart by war, famine, and foreign armies, a place where the very idea of a ruler seemed a distant dream. This was Russia in the early 1600s, a vast realm shattered by the Time of Troubles.
Michael’s journey to Moscow was slow and somber. Villages lay in ruins, streets littered with bodies, and enemies lurked at every border.
The Assembly of the Land, a gathering of nobles, Cossacks, and clergy, sought a ruler who could unify and restore Russia. Their choice was a boy who was neither powerful nor ambitious but connected by blood to the former dynasty and untainted by the intrigues of the past.
Michael’s early reign was overshadowed by his father Filaret’s captivity in Poland, the looming threats from Sweden and Poland, and the monumental task of rebuilding a broken state. The court was a fragile construction of rituals, ceremonies, and alliances, where every gesture mattered and every decision could mean life or death. The brideshows, a peculiar tradition where the tsar chose his bride from hundreds of candidates, exemplified the delicate balance of power and family politics that would shape the Romanovs for centuries.
In this beginning, we see the human face of monarchy — a boy thrust into greatness, a mother’s fierce protection, and a nation yearning for stability. As we move forward, we will witness how this fragile seed grew into a mighty empire, shaped by ambition, reform, and the relentless pursuit of power.
Let us now turn to the next chapter, where the young tsar Alexei begins to forge his path amid the shadows of his father’s legacy and the challenges of a changing Russia.
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