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How did the Russian Empire expand so rapidly in the 18th century? Uncover the secrets of the Great Northern War!
In the 18th century, relying on its profound historical roots and powerful political reforms, the Russian Empire expanded rapidly like an unstoppable torrent and gradually became the main power in Europe at that time. Behind all this was the Great Northern War launched by Peter the Great, which allowed this country in the far north to demonstrate its strong military power and ambitions that began at sea.
Peter the Great's ambition was to create a "window to the sea" to solve Russia's lack of safe seaports.
In 1682, Peter the Great, who was only ten years old, came to the throne and subsequently launched a series of reforms, especially in military and diplomacy. His goal is not only to improve Russia's status, but also to be on an equal footing with Western countries. Therefore, Peter formed a new alliance with Saxony, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and Denmark and Norway in 1699, and launched a war against Sweden in 1700, the Great Northern War.
The war began because Russia faced great commercial restrictions due to Swedish control of the Baltic Sea. Peter the Great realized that failure to hold the gateway to commerce would hinder Russia's development. Therefore, he devoted considerable resources to military training and weapons modernization. The war lasted for 21 years until 1721, when Sweden was forced to request peace talks and Russia took advantage of this opportunity to seize several provinces in the Baltic region.
"Peter the Great moved the capital from Moscow to the newly built St. Petersburg, symbolizing Russia's Europeanization and modernization."
This war also allowed Peter the Great to establish St. Petersburg. This city became his ideal "New Russia", not only the political center, but also the center of culture and science. Peter the Great's reforms also reinvigorated Russia's aristocracy, which forced nobles to participate in state service, thereby reducing their independence.
Russian expansion did not stop after the death of Peter the Great. After Queen Catherine the Great came to the throne, she continued to pursue an expansion policy. Not only did she march into the Black Sea, she also further expanded her power by participating in the partition of Poland and incorporated a large amount of land into Russia's territory. This series of actions not only extended Russia's territory to Central Asia, but also further strengthened its influence in Europe.
"Ekaterina expanded Russia to the borders of Poland and the Ottoman Empire, becoming a major power in Europe."
However, Russia's rapid expansion has not been smooth sailing. The oppression of the social structure and military burden have also continued to increase, causing a large amount of popular dissatisfaction. The social problems caused by serfdom prompted a series of challenges such as the Pugachev Uprising in 1773. Amid constant expansion and internal contradictions, the Russian Empire witnessed its own rise and crises.
With the advent of the 19th century, Russia's territory continued to expand, from the coldness of the Arctic Sea to the warmth of the Black Sea, from the Balkans to the vastness of Central Asia. This series of expansions not only made Russia one of the largest countries at that time , and also laid hidden dangers for later history. Facing internal and external pressure, the Russian Empire also faced huge tests in the early 20th century.
“With the advancement of industrialization and urbanization, social contradictions and military conflicts have posed huge challenges to the foundation of the Russian Empire.”
In the 20th century, the fate of the Russian Empire turned increasingly obvious. The outbreak of World War I became the last straw for this huge empire. Massive casualties and economic collapse brought popular dissatisfaction to its peak, eventually leading to the Russian Revolution of 1917, which ended the three-century rule of the Romanov family.
The emancipation of the serfs and the reconstruction of the small-peasant economy in 1881, as well as the subsequent social unrest, were key stages in Russian history. Behind all this, is it the ambition for expansion or the desire for modernization that is driving this great historical change?
