History of the Romanovs
Three Hundreds Years of Autocracy
The Romanovs ruled Russia for over three hundred years, beginning in 1613 with Michael I. During their reign, Russia became and remained a major power in Europe and expanded its territory extensively.
Initially, the Romanovs followed the traditional pattern of succession where the throne passed to the ruler's eldest male son, but Peter the Great passed a law that allowed the monarch to choose his successor. This enabled women to be chosen, beginning with Peter's wife, Catherine I, who was a Romanov only by marriage, and indeed at one stage, following the death of Elizabeth in 1762, the Romanov name was in danger of dying out. It only survived because the House of Holstein-Gottorp, which ascended to the throne with the coronation of Peter III, elected to conserve the name in order to maintain the dynastic tradition.
The dynasty ended for good with the abdication of Nicholas II in 1917 and the subsequent refusal of his brother, Michael, to take the throne in his place. The execution of Nicholas and his family ended any prospect of the line ever being reinstated.
Initially, the Romanovs followed the traditional pattern of succession where the throne passed to the ruler's eldest male son, but Peter the Great passed a law that allowed the monarch to choose his successor. This enabled women to be chosen, beginning with Peter's wife, Catherine I, who was a Romanov only by marriage, and indeed at one stage, following the death of Elizabeth in 1762, the Romanov name was in danger of dying out. It only survived because the House of Holstein-Gottorp, which ascended to the throne with the coronation of Peter III, elected to conserve the name in order to maintain the dynastic tradition.
The dynasty ended for good with the abdication of Nicholas II in 1917 and the subsequent refusal of his brother, Michael, to take the throne in his place. The execution of Nicholas and his family ended any prospect of the line ever being reinstated.
Source A
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Source B: Anna Yudina, Prominent Russians: the Romanovs
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Source C: The Romanovs (web series)
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References for this Page
Doyle, M. (1986). Empires. London: Cornell University Press.
Star Media. (2015). The Romanovs. Retrieved from http://www.starmediafilm.com/en/historical/romanovi
Yudina, A. (n.d.). Prominent Russians: the Romanovs. Retrieved from http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/the-romanov-dynasty/the-romanovs/
Doyle, M. (1986). Empires. London: Cornell University Press.
Star Media. (2015). The Romanovs. Retrieved from http://www.starmediafilm.com/en/historical/romanovi
Yudina, A. (n.d.). Prominent Russians: the Romanovs. Retrieved from http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/the-romanov-dynasty/the-romanovs/