File:A history of mediæval and modern Europe for secondary schools (1920) (14764108302).jpg

Identifier: historyofmediv00davi (find matches)
Title: A history of mediæval and modern Europe for secondary schools
Year: 1920 (1920s)
Authors: Davis, William Stearns, 1877-1930 McKendrick, Norman Shaw, 1876-
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Publisher: Boston, New York (etc.) Houghton Mifflin company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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s), and fight-ing off its encroaching neighbors. In 1547, the Prince Ivan IV,whose surname, the Terrible, grimly describes his cruel yetmasterful character, took the title of Czari as a token ofabsolute and imperial sovereignty. From this time onward wemay speak of the Empire of Russia. More than a century elapsed after this event before theczars were able to make themselves felt in the West. Theywere really tyrants of the Oriental ty)3e, ruling over a peoplenominally Christian in religion, but exceedingly barbarous incustoms. They were almost isolated from civilized nations. ^ This title is often said to have been derived from Ca;sar, but variousscholars think it derived from an Asiatic word denoting the holder of supremeauthority. Possibly it is akin to shah. Tsar is a variant and possibly morecorrect spelling in English. THE GROWTH OF RUSSIA AND PRUSSIA 337 On the south, their way to the Black Sea was practically barredby the Turks. On the west, they collided with the ill-organized
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RUSSIA IN 1725 but then formidable Kingdom of Poland. Finland and mostof the Baltic lands were held by the Swedes. Only on the WhiteSea of the Far North could the Autocrat of all the Russias, 338 HISTORY OF EUROPE lord of so many leagues of plainland, and of so many myriadsof fierce horsemen, find salt water which he could call his own.Here, indeed, the Arctic winter cut off navigation for manymonths, but a precarious trade in furs was springing up withEngland. In 1689, however, there came to the throne the rulerwho changed Russia from a long stretch of semi-barbarouslands into a mighty nation. 192. Peter the Great (1689-1725). Peter the Great ranksamong the most intelligent despots of history. If any racecould have been lifted from barbarism to civilization by a seriesof imperial edicts ruthlessly enforced, the Russians would havebeen changed beyond recognition. It is a testimony to Petersabilities that, though his methods were those of the remorselesssidtan, he was really able to ac

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