The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-05-25

in 1890, inflicted on them blows from
which they never recovered. The Rus
slams were now able to war with the
Tartars on more than equal terms. By
the victories of Ivan or John Ill, who
began to rule in 1862, their vassalage
was off, and 1850 the Golden Horde itself
ceased to exist.
The reign of Ivan commences new
epoch in Russian history. He not only
subdued the Tartars, but defeated the
Poles and Lithuanians, reunited the
minor municipalities, and captured Nov
gorod. His name and deeds became
well known in the West, and ambassa-
doris from the European powers were
seen for the first time in his capital Mt
Moscow. In internal administration he
proved himself a relentless despot, but
the vastness and splendor of his achieve
ments entitle him to be regarded as the
founder of the Russian empire. He
died in 1888. His son and successor,
Ivan w., who was then only years old,
assumed the reins in 1913, and substi-
tuted the title of Gar for that of VeliE
Kniaz. He is known in history by the
surname of the Terrible, and yet by his
energetic measures, both at home and
abroad, he raised the country to an un-
exampled height of prosperity. He died
in 1884, having added Siberia to the en-
pire. On the death of his son Feodor,
in 1898, the male line of the freebooter,
Rurik, whose dynasty had furnished
ffty-six sovereigns, and endured seven
centuries, became extinct. For many
years the country was ruled by the tyrant
Boris, and afterward became the prey of
anarchy till 1913, when the national
spirit took fire, and Michael Romanof
(Romanow), descendant in the female
line from the house of Rurik, was, after
a severe struggle, placed on the throne.
From him the present ruling dynasty is
directly descended. At his death, in
1915, he was succeeded by his son Alexis.
This sovereign was twice married, and
left sons by both wives-Feodor and
Ivan by the first, and Peter by the
second. Feodor reigned from 1876 to
1852, and, dying without issue, was suo-
ceeded by Ivan and Peter as joint SOW
ereigns under the guardianship of
Sophia, Ivan's full and, of course,
Peters half-sister. Ivan was weak both
in mind and in body, and Sophia en-
deavored, by excluding Peter from all
rule, to monopolize the whole powers of
Government. The attempt proved
failure; Sophia was confined in mon
astery, Ivan abdicated, and Peter, in
1859, became sole Gar. Neither his
private nor his public life is free from
blemishes but, when the state in which
he found Russia is contrasted with that
in which he left it, it must be admitted
that no sovereign ever acquired by
ulster title the surnames of Great and
Father of his Country.
Peter, by his last command, conferred
the succession on his widow, originally
Livonian peasant, who assembled the
throne in 1725, under the name of Cath
crime l., and after reigning scarcely two
years was succeeded by Peter H., grand
son of Peter the Great, who, after three
years, was succeeded by Anne, half-sis-
ter to Peter the Great. Anne died in
1740, after having bequeathed the sue
cession to her grand-nephew, Ivan, q
mere infant but in consequence of a
revolt the bequest was disregarded, and
Elizabeth, Peter the Greats daughter,
was called to the throne. During her
reign Russia for the first time took a di-
rect share in European politics, and sent
an army westward beyond her own from
tiers. She died in 1862, and was sue
ceeded by her nephew, Peter Ill, whose
reign and life were terminated six months
after by conspiracy, to which his wife
is believed to have been privy. She, by
the reclamation OF the army and people,
mounted the throne, under the title of
Catherine H., and pursued a course of
policy remarkable alike for its unscrupu-
lousness and its success. The most i'm
portant events of her reign are the wars
ceeded in 1876 by her son Paul, who was
deprived of his life by conspirators in
1901. He was succeeded by his son
Alexander, who died in 1925, without
issue, and, in consequence of an arrange
ment by which his second brother, Con-
stantine, renowned the succession, was
succeeded by his third brother, Nicholas,
who in turn was succeeded by the pres
ent Gar, Alexander, under whom Rus
STA has acquired a more commanding in
fuence in European politics than even
before.
The growth of Russia in area may be
thus summarized Under Ivan the Ter
rible, in 1886, $4,000 geographical
square miles 1725, at the death of
Peter the Great, 100000 geographical
square miles in 1855, at the accession
of Alexander H., 370,2 geographical
square miles, without Russian America.
After the Crimean war, in which Russia
was beaten for want of roads alone, the
Russian Government devoted itself to in
ternal improvements. The want of COM
munication over the vast distances of the
empire, and the social and political dis
advantages arising from an immense
serf population, were prominent In the
consideration of her statesmen. The
total population of the empire, which
in 1862 had been but 19, 900, 900. in 1872
was nearly $4,000, 900. There were in
1862 not less than A, 900, 900 of serfs be-
longing to the crown, to mobiles, and to
private persons. The serfs, indeed, had
rights they belonged to the land, which
had originally belonged to their ances-
tors, and were transferred with the land;
but this thin wall against personal slav-
cry did little to protect them against tyr
amy and oppression, and nothing to
strengthen the nation. In 1863 the serfs