Petersburg, modernizing the military (and founding the Russian navy) and reorganizing the government.

The Romanov dynasty will rule Russia for three centuries.ġ689-1725: Peter the Great rules until his death, building a new capital in St.

He dies of a stroke in 1584.ġ613: After several years of unrest, famine, civil war and invasions, Mikhail Romanov is coronated as czar at age 16, ending a long period of instability. The grandson of Ivan the Great expands the Muscovite territory into Siberia while instituting a reign of terror against nobility using military rule. The Khan of the Golden Horde rules Russia until 1480.ġ480-1505: Ivan III-known as Ivan the Great-rules, freeing Russia from the Mongols, and consolidating Muscovite rule.ġ547-1584: Ivan IV-or Ivan the Terrible-becomes the first czar of Russia.

His son, Yaroslav the Wise, reigns from 1019-1054 as grand prince, establishing a written code of law, and Kiev becomes a center of politics and culture in eastern Europe.ġ237-1240: Mongols invade Kievan Rus, destroying cities including Kiev and Moscow. Kiev becomes the capital 20 years later.ĩ80-1015: Prince Vladimir the Great, who converts from paganism to Orthodox Christianity, rules the Rurik dynasty while spreading his newfound religion. 862: The first major East Slavic state, Kievan Rus, is founded and led by the Viking Oleg of Novgorod (although some historians dispute this account).

Russian modern tank evolution chart