The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-05-24

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 1852, 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 principalities, 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 at
Moscow. In internal administration he
proved himself q r6iiGeinitaiiess Gesp6t1 Int
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 ~, who was then only 4 wears old
assumed the reins in 1913, and substi-
tuted the title of Gear for that of Veiki
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
fifty-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), a 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
1916, 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 1916 to
1852, and, dying without issue, was sue
ceeded by Ivan and Peter as joint SOW
ereigns under the guardianship of
Sophia, Ivan's full and, of course,
Peters haf-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 a
failure; Sophia was confined in a mon
astery, Ivan abdicated, and Peter, in
1859, became sole Gear. 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
iuster title the surnames of Great and
Father of his Country.
Peter, by his last command, conferred
the succession on his widow, originallya
Livonian peasant, who assembled the
throne in 1725, under the name of Gath
crime l., and after reigning scarcely two
years was succeeded by Peter IL, grand
son of Peter the Great, who, after three
years, was succeeded by Anne, half-sis-
ter to Peter the Great. Anne died in
TAO, after having bequeathed the sue
cession to her granddaughter, Ivan, a
mere infant but in consequence of
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 di-
rect share in European politics, and sent
an army westward beyond her own from
tiers. She died in 1852, and was sue
ceeded by her nephew, Peter LII. 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 course of
policy remarkable alike for it's unscrupu-
lousness and it's success. The most I'M
portant events of her reign are the wars
with the Turks. Catherine was sue
ceeded in 1896 by her son Paul, who was
deprived of his life by conspirators in
1901. He was succeeded by his SON
who died in 1926, without
issue, and, in consequence of an arrange
ment by which his second brother, Con-
renowned the succession, was
succeeded by his third brother, Nicholas.
who in turn was succeeded by the pres
ent Gear, Alexander, under whom Rus
STA has acquired more commanding in
fuence in European politics than ever
before.
The growth of Russia in area may be
thus summarized Under Ivan the Ter
rible, in 1886, $4,000 geographical
square miles; 1925, at the death of
Peter the Great, 100000 geographical
square miles; in 1856, at the accession
of Alexander H., 370,24 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
over the vast distances of the
empire, and the social and political dis
arising from an immense
serf population, were prominent in the
consideration Of her statesmen. The
total population of the empire, which
in 1852 had been but 10, 900, 900. in 1872
was nearly 100000. There were in
1862 not less than "A, 100000 of serfs be-
longing to the crown, to mobiles, and to
private persons. The serfs, indeed. had