From the imperial throne to the peasant commune, families and relatives mattered. The Mongols ruled for almost a century in the Middle Ages, then Muscovy expanded its influence to control the area for almost 400 years. Peter the Great created an empire in 1721 and initiated the era of the monarchy. That was overturned by the Russian Revolution of 1917 with its Communist agenda, and now Communism has also failed. The former Soviet Union's demise has once again revealed the differences and exacerbated tensions between the ethnic groups within the borders of the former Soviet Union.
Empires are multinational administrative structures ruled by an emperor.
About half of the book comprises 30 primary documents that support Williams thesis. Williams dedicated this ambitious work to his students, colleagues, and family, because of his conviction that it only came together through a lively exchange of ideas over time. Williams earned his Ph.D. in Russian history from Harvard University. He came to Davidson in 1986 as vice president for academic affairs following teaching and administrative appointments at Williams College and Washington University. He served as Davidson's vice president for academic affairs until 1998, when he joined the full-time faculty in the history department.