The Rise of Russia and Prussia: Crash Course European History #17

Summary

In this episode of Crash Course European History, John Green explores the rise of Russia and Prussia during the 17th century. The focus is on Russia's Tsar Peter the Great, who modernized and westernized the country through military reforms, cultural changes, and the founding of St. Petersburg. Meanwhile, Brandenburg-Prussia expanded under the leadership of the Hohenzollern family, particularly Frederick William I, who built a powerful military. Both states centralized power, often at the expense of the peasantry, paving the way for their significant influence in European affairs.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Peter I of Russia, also known as Peter the Great, ruled with widespread public support, despite his autocratic nature.
• 📜 Peter reorganized the military and nobility, introducing a merit-based system and weakening old practices like nepotism.
• 🔧 He was fascinated by Western Europe and embarked on a journey in 1697 to study Western technology and governance, inspiring his modernization of Russia.
• 🏰 Peter built a new city, St. Petersburg, modeled after European cities, using thousands of serfs in harsh conditions.
• 🔬 Peter promoted education and modernization in the sciences, math, and engineering, while reducing the power of the Russian Orthodox Church.
• 🎓 He enforced that sons of the nobility study subjects like math and science to retain their aristocratic status and serve in the military.
• 💂 Prussia also rose as a powerful kingdom, with rulers like Frederick William I focusing on a strong military and consolidating power.
• ⚔️ Both Russia and Prussia used military strength and administrative reforms to solidify their control, often at the expense of the peasantry.
• 🚧 The modernization and state-building in Russia and Prussia led to weakened noble power over peasants, yet further entrenched serfdom.
• 🛡️ Poland-Lithuania, in contrast, failed to modernize and build strong state institutions, leading to its decline as Prussia and Russia rose.

Q & A

Who was Peter I, and what challenges did he face early in life?

Peter I, also known as Peter the Great, was born in 1672 and was not initially first in line for the Russian throne. His half-sister Sophia ruled as regent, but Peter and his supporters later challenged her rule and established him as Tsar.

What role did various interest groups play in Peter's rise to power?

Interest groups such as the Orthodox Church, the army, the aristocracy, and wealthy traders helped shape Peter's ascent to power. These groups negotiated to find a consensus candidate for Tsar, and Peter gained public support, helping solidify his claim.

How did Peter the Great reorganize Russian society and government?

Peter reorganized both the military and the nobility, introducing a meritocratic 'table of ranks' where promotions depended on service to the state. He also diminished the power of the Russian Orthodox Church by leaving the patriarchate vacant and setting up a council to oversee it.

Why did Peter the Great travel to Western Europe, and what did he learn there?

Peter was fascinated by Western Europe’s advancements in areas like canal building, fire control, and trade. His travels to places like the Netherlands inspired him to modernize and westernize Russia upon his return.

What was the significance of Peter's military reforms?

Peter modernized the Russian army, increasing its size to 200,000 recruits and improving weaponry. His military reforms proved essential in Russia’s victory over Sweden during the Great Northern War, securing important territorial gains.

How did the creation of St. Petersburg reflect Peter’s vision for Russia?

St. Petersburg was designed as a modern European-style city with canals and grand buildings, showcasing Peter’s admiration for Western European architecture. It also symbolized his broader push to modernize and westernize Russia.

How did Peter the Great aim to change the role of women in Russian society?

Peter sought to bring women into public life, decreeing an end to the veiling of women and encouraging their participation in social events. He also created schools for women to learn reading, writing, and other skills.

What impact did Peter's reforms have on the Russian aristocracy?

Peter reformed the aristocracy by introducing a merit-based ranking system and requiring noblemen’s sons to study subjects like math, science, or engineering. These changes were meant to modernize the ruling class and integrate them into his vision of a modern state.

How did Peter’s modernization efforts affect the Russian peasantry?

While Peter’s modernization benefited the aristocracy, it often made life harder for peasants. Serfs faced greater restrictions on their mobility and endured harsh working conditions, particularly during the construction of St. Petersburg.

What was the significance of Prussia under the Hohenzollern dynasty during the same period?

Prussia, under the Hohenzollern dynasty, evolved from a small, landlocked state to a powerful kingdom. Leaders like the Great Elector Frederick William and his descendants focused on strengthening the military, which became one of Europe’s most modern armies.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Peter the Great’s Rise to Power

The episode introduces Peter I (Peter the Great) of Russia, who became Tsar in the late 17th century. Despite a challenging start, Peter rose to power through support from key Russian groups, including the Orthodox Church, military, and aristocracy. His reign marked a complex relationship between ruler and people, illustrating that even absolute monarchs required institutional backing to maintain authority. Peter's reforms transformed the military and aristocracy into more merit-based systems, reducing nepotism and favoritism.

05:02

⚔️ Peter’s Military Reforms and Westernization

Peter the Great sought to modernize Russia by adopting Western European practices after his travels. He built alliances and overhauled Russia’s military, which played a key role in defeating Sweden in the Great Northern War. This victory in 1721 marked the decline of Swedish influence and the expansion of Russian territory. Peter also began building St. Petersburg, a European-style city, to solidify his vision of a modernized Russia. His reforms also touched on social structures, including women's roles and educational demands for the aristocracy.

10:03

💈 Social Changes and Paradoxes Under Peter

Peter enforced cultural changes such as banning beards for men and veils for women to push Russia toward Western European norms. Despite promoting modernity, Peter was personally violent and harsh, leading to further oppression of serfs. While the upper class gained new educational opportunities, the serfs faced more brutal conditions under a system that solidified the aristocracy’s power at their expense. The paradox of Peter’s rule is highlighted by the growing divide between progressive reforms for some and increased exploitation for others.

🦅 Rise of Brandenburg-Prussia

The focus shifts to the rise of Brandenburg-Prussia, led by the Hohenzollern family. Frederick William, known as the 'Great Elector,' fortified his territories against external threats, especially Sweden, and laid the foundation for the future Kingdom of Prussia. The title of king passed to his son, Frederick I. Prussia’s rise was characterized by a strong military and weakened representative bodies, with a consolidation of aristocratic power over peasants, similar to Russia’s serfdom. This laid the groundwork for Prussia’s future as a military powerhouse.

👑 Frederick William I and Military Power in Prussia

Frederick William I, grandson of the Great Elector, further solidified Prussia's military dominance by modernizing the army and increasing the state’s capacity to support it. Known for his focus on military strength, Frederick William I established the General Directory, overseeing taxation and recruitment to benefit the military. His preference for tall soldiers became a unique quirk of his rule. This military-first approach led to the phrase ‘a large army with a small state attached,’ showcasing the outsized influence of Prussia's military on its identity.

Keywords

💡Hapsburg Expansion

The Hapsburg expansion refers to the eastward territorial gains made by the Hapsburg dynasty, particularly following victories over the Ottoman Empire in Eastern Europe. This theme underscores the growing influence of the Hapsburgs in European geopolitics during the 17th century, marking their role as a dominant force in shaping the political landscape of the region.

💡Peter the Great

Peter the Great, also known as Peter I of Russia, was a towering figure, both literally and figuratively, who sought to modernize and westernize Russia during his reign. His reforms touched every facet of Russian society, including the military, aristocracy, and even the Orthodox Church. Peter's ambition to align Russia with Western European powers is a central theme in the video, as exemplified by his travels to Europe and subsequent reforms in Russian culture and governance.

💡Autocracy

Autocracy is a form of government where one person holds absolute power. In the context of the video, Peter the Great's reign in Russia is described as autocratic, but it was also reliant on the support of powerful interest groups like the military and the Orthodox Church. The video highlights the complex relationship between autocratic rulers and their need for public and institutional support to maintain control.

💡Westernization

Westernization refers to Peter the Great's efforts to modernize Russia by adopting the customs, technologies, and institutions of Western Europe. The video explains how Peter was inspired by his travels, particularly to the Netherlands, and returned to Russia determined to reform its military, society, and economy. His efforts to impose Western-style clothing, education, and infrastructure (e.g., building St. Petersburg) were part of this broader push to make Russia a more 'modern' state.

💡Streltsy Uprising

The Streltsy Uprising was a rebellion by a group of Russian soldiers against Peter the Great's rule while he was in Western Europe. The uprising was rooted in dissatisfaction with the conditions of the soldiers, but it also reflected opposition to Peter's reforms. When Peter returned, he ruthlessly suppressed the uprising, executing or exiling hundreds of the participants. This event is significant as it solidified Peter's control and paved the way for his military reforms.

💡Table of Ranks

The Table of Ranks was a system implemented by Peter the Great to reorganize the Russian aristocracy. Instead of relying on hereditary titles, promotions within the aristocracy were now based on merit and service to the state. This shift aimed to reduce the influence of nepotism and favoritism, promoting a more structured and meritocratic government. The Table of Ranks exemplified Peter's broader efforts to modernize and centralize control in Russia.

💡Great Northern War

The Great Northern War (1700-1721) was a conflict in which Russia, under Peter the Great, fought against Sweden, led by King Charles XII. The war was crucial for Russia's rise as a European power, as Peter's military reforms allowed Russia to eventually defeat Sweden and gain valuable territory in the Baltic region. This victory is highlighted as a turning point for Russia's influence in European affairs.

💡St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg was a city founded by Peter the Great in 1703 as part of his efforts to create a 'window to the West.' Built on marshland using forced labor, it was designed to be a modern European-style city that would rival other great capitals. The construction of St. Petersburg represents Peter's determination to westernize Russia, though it also came at great human cost, particularly for the serfs who were forced to build it.

💡Prussia

Prussia, led by the Hohenzollern family, was a small Germanic state that grew into a powerful military kingdom in the 17th and 18th centuries. The video focuses on its leaders, particularly Frederick William, the Great Elector, and his successors, who strengthened Prussia through military reforms and political consolidation. Prussia’s rise is significant as it became a major European power, influencing the balance of power in the region.

💡Serfdom

Serfdom was the system of forced labor that bound peasants to the land and the service of noble landowners. In both Russia and Prussia, the lives of serfs became more difficult during the 17th and 18th centuries as monarchs sought to strengthen their control over their kingdoms. In return for aristocratic loyalty, rulers like Peter the Great allowed nobles to tighten their control over serfs. The harsh conditions of serfdom and lack of rights highlight the social inequalities that persisted despite 'modernization' efforts.

Highlights

The Hapsburgs, with the help of Romanians and others, drove the Ottomans out of large parts of Eastern Europe, starting Hapsburg's eastward expansion.

Russia, under Tsar Peter the Great, sought stability after the 'Time of Troubles,' while Prussia, under the Hohenzollerns, expanded and became powerful.

Peter I, also known as Peter the Great, was physically imposing at 6'9” tall, a symbol of his significant rule and transformation of Russia.

Peter the Great reorganized the Russian military and nobility, implementing a meritocratic Table of Ranks, reducing old favoritism and nepotism.

Peter diminished the power of the Orthodox Church by leaving the patriarch position vacant and setting up a council headed by the Tsar.

Peter traveled to Western Europe to learn from the Dutch and other nations about modern innovations, especially in military and infrastructure.

Peter implemented a standing Russian army, growing it to 200,000 recruits, an unprecedented number for the time, and modernized its weaponry.

After early losses to Sweden in the Great Northern War, Peter built alliances with Denmark and Poland, eventually defeating Sweden in 1721 and expanding Russian territory.

Peter built the new European-style city of St. Petersburg, forcing tens of thousands of serfs to work under harsh conditions.

Peter sought to modernize Russian society by changing the roles of women, mandating public appearances and ending the practice of veiling.

Peter required the Russian aristocracy to study math, science, and engineering, linking social standing with intellectual achievements.

Prussia’s rise began with Frederick William, the Great Elector, who fortified borders, built a strong military, and weakened the power of the nobility.

Frederick William I of Prussia developed one of the most modern and powerful armies in Europe, earning Prussia the reputation of being a 'large army with a small state.'

Both Russia and Prussia's modernization efforts gave more power to the aristocracy over serfs, tightening their grip on the peasant population.

While Russia and Prussia succeeded in state-building and military strength, Poland-Lithuania's weak government structure contributed to its decline in the 18th century.

Transcripts

hi I'm John Green and this is Crash

Course European history so in our last

episode we saw the hapsburgs with the

help of Romanians and some others Drive

the Ottomans out of large swaths of

Eastern Europe which started the

hapsburg expansion Eastward but there

were some other important States making

big moves during the 17th century today

we're going to focus on two of them

Russia which sought stability after a

time of troubles and the house of

Brandenburg Prussia a small state that

within two c CES would grow to become

extraordinarily

[Music]

powerful in the huge Russian Empire Zar

Peter I first became an outsized Monarch

literally he was 6' 9 in tall which is

uh like 3 m yeah just say with authority

green he was 3 m tall don't write that

on your tests now early in Peter's life

his future didn't look particular

promising he was born in 1672 and he was

not first in line to the Russian Throne

his half-sister Sophia was ruling Russia

at the time as Regent for the young

Romanov Brothers of whom Peter was the

youngest Sophia wanted to become the

permanent ruler but Peter and his

supporters had other ideas at the time

many interest groups in Russia helped

shape who ended up with political power

including the Orthodox Church the Army

the aristocracy and Wealthy Trader

and as Peter and his brothers came of

age these groups negotiated to arrive at

a consensus candidate for Zar and then

the Russian people had to seal the deal

so to speak via public demonstrations of

Acclaim and approval which developed the

sacred trust between the ruler and the

ruled in short political power in this

monarchy was not as simple as the Zar

has all of it and Peter only became Zar

with the help of his advisers and the

support of powerful interest groups in

Russia he became an autocratic ruler but

the autocracy was intertwined with

widespread if certainly not Universal

public support from the Russian people

what I'm getting at is that the

relationship between the government and

the Govern is always complex and the

example of the Russian monarchy is

important partly because it helps us to

see that even absolutist governments

could only retain their power by having

support from outside institutions and

individuals now Peter tackled every

facet of State Building he reorganized

both the military and the nobility and

in doing so also reorganized who had

political power and how they could wield

it for the nobility he created a precise

table of ranks with each promotion to a

higher rank depending on the Aristocrat

performing service to the state this

reform aimed to end older political

practices based on networking and

nepotism and favoritism and instead make

the aristocracy more of a meritocracy

Peter also eliminated the power of the

patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church

by leaving the post vacant and setting

up a council or Senate of lay people as

overseers headed of course by the Zar

Peter was also curious and adventurous

he liked to Tinker and build focusing on

clocks and Military machinery and the

deployment of his toy soldiers and he

was fascinated by Western Europe in fact

he set off in 1697 to see what western

rulers were up to the Dutch in

particular attract him you may remember

that they were advanced in Canal

building and Fire Control and

architecture and urban lighting and also

had lots of money from Trading and

having seen all these Enterprises in

action Peter returned from Western

Europe full of determination to

modernize and westernize Russia while

Peter was still in Western Europe in the

spring of 1698 the sty a band of

infantry Men first initiated by Ivan the

Terrible awesome rose up against the bad

conditions that they faced they had

hopes of Reviving the administration of

the Regent Sophia who at the time was

imprisoned Peter ordered them crushed

and when he returned to Russia in August

of 1698 he had hundreds of the stry

tortured exiled or executed The Purge of

the stry actually helped clear the way

for the modern fighting force that Peter

envisioned a major Innovation was giving

Russia a standing army that ultimately

included some 200,000 recruits which was

a massive number for Europe at the time

and Syria training of that Army as well

as modernization of Weaponry ultimately

paid off when it came to battling Sweden

at first during an early Battle of the

Great Northern war the ambitious and

land-hungry ruler of Sweden Charles I

12th defeated Russian forces at narva in

1700 hold on a second Sweden had 12

Kings named Charles history never ceases

to surprise my friends right so Swedish

Charles I 12th also defeated Poland in

the war but then Peter fortified his

army even more and formed an important

Alliance he built a coalition of Denmark

and Poland that ultimately conquered

Sweden in 1721 and ended its Continental

influence as a result of this Victory

Russia obtained Sweden's Continental

territory including Estonia and lvia

Sweden had gone from being a rescuer in

the 30 Years War to being almost

entirely stuck in Scandinavia where they

would go on to engage in fewer Wars and

instead build a state with among the

world's lowest poverty rates and highest

life expectancy the fools all right back

to Russia let's go to the thought bubble

during these years Peter was also

building a European style City with an

outlet to the Baltic called you'll never

guess it St Petersburg tens of thousands

of surfs were commandeered from

Aristocrats workforces to build the new

city at a great cost in lives the marshy

site needed to be entirely reclaimed

through the building of canals you'll

remember Peter's admiration for

Amsterdam and he ordered museums and

libraries and universities and stately

government buildings to Adorn the city

his aristocratic subjects were ordered

to build lavish houses and to hold

social events like dances Peter also saw

the city as the backdrop for the reform

of women's role in society they were to

leave seclusion and appear at public

events Peter decreed the end to veiling

for women and an end to dresses or c for

Boyers that is men in the old

aristocracy further reforms aim to

develop his middle and upper class

subjects as modern thinkers especially

in math and the Sciences to remain in

the aristocratic ranks for instance Sons

had to study math science or Engineering

also requirements for serving as

officers in the military Peter founded

schools including military schools to

teach these subjects and additional

schools to teach women reading and

writing and other skills and unlike

earlier Russian rulers Peter embraced

foreigners not just their Canal building

and lamp lighting but also Their Manners

and fashion thanks th bubbles so Peter

also ended the practice of men wearing

beards did the center of the world just

open they weren't easy to see back there

but it's Stan's favorite joke the old

stick on mustache movie Magic how do I

look Stan you would say that I once

tried to uh do this in uh when I was

shaving my beard and I came downstairs

to show my wife and she said and I'm

going to quote her directly no so in

Peter's Russia you had to shave your

beard so that you could be like a modern

proper European person but just as in

Elizabeth I and Henry VII's England you

could pay a tax to keep your beard and

listen I don't like to get political on

this show but if we reinstituted that

tax the cities of New York and Portland

would pay for health care for everyone

so despite his move toward the rational

and refined and clean shaven Peter

himself could be rough crude heartless

and violent that is the complete

opposite of the kind of Citizen he

wanted to populate his kingdom and that

is a lesson we keep learning over and

over in history Paradox Is Not Unusual

as for surfs their lives became more

difficult as new regulations meant to

attract aristocratic loyalty gave them

fewer rights surfs were stripped of the

right to move from the noble estate

where they worked most lived precarious

lives and were subjected to landowners

brutality they had little recourse to

protect themselves from abuse and were

forced to work in extremely difficult

conditions most surfs did manual or

agricultural labor but some became

highly skilled Artisans to embellish

life for the upper classes creating

intricate Cabinetry or music or

paintings some noble families even

rented out their artist surfs or sent

them touring to bring in funds with

their accomplishments these traveling

surfs helped connect far-flung Russians

to one another through paintings of

distant cities or Landscapes or notable

people for example and peasant song also

eventually found its way into Russian

classical music as it developed in the

19th century but to be clear Peter's

modernization did not mean increased

protection or power for the most

vulnerable which raises a question does

modernization generally result in

protection or power for the most

vulnerable should it and can we even

generalize about what it means to be

modern when there is so much variety

just on this one continent or arguably

subcontinent so the time of Zar Peter

had massively different effects

depending on where you stood some people

were learning more about science or art

than they'd ever been able to before

others were bound to land or lost their

lives in the construction of St

Petersburg history is not just about

what happened but also about where you

sit are you a Boyer son learning new

mathematical discoveries or a peasant

born to a fate of hard labor you can

never escape the other Rising Eastern

Kingdom during this time was the house

of Brandenburg Prussia a bird with an

arm Stan informs me that Brandenburg

Prussia was actually headed by the hoen

Allen Family it grew over the centuries

from a tiny holding to an extensive

Kingdom albe at one that was initially

landlocked okay so I'm going to need you

to brace yourselves because many

Fredericks are coming it's going to be a

little confusing but we will get through

this together the first one to know

about is the great elector Frederick

William who was one of the seven

electors of the Holy Roman Empire he

worked to keep his territories together

in the closing days of the 30 Years War

and to protect them from Attack by

Sweden in the 1650s but as Sweden

started to weaken Poland gave its

dependent Prussia the status of kingdom

and the title of king of that new

kingdom went to the aformentioned great

elector Frederick William and then later

to his son Frederick III at that point

Frederick III became known as king

Frederick I of Prussia because you know

it wasn't already confusing enough

anyway as a ruler Frederick the was

something of a Ur of all the fine things

that were coming to characterize

increasingly affluent and worldly

European monarchs while his son King

Frederick William I I wish I was kidding

was quite the opposite the hoen Allen

Kings who like the Roman offs of Russia

ruled into the 20th century created very

strong institutions beginning with the

great elector Frederick William in the

17th century the military was especially

important to prussia's survival and

growth he understood that brandenberg

Russia's lack of natural boundaries made

it really vulnerable to those wanting to

expand their territory which in the 17th

century was everyone so State Building

in Prussia involved fortifying its

borders a strong military isn't the only

way to stabilize power but it certainly

is a way Additionally the great elector

Frederick William weakened the

representative bodies or Estates General

through which the nobility had its say

in the kingdoms running but to make up

for it the monarchs allowed the nobility

to intensify their grip on peasant lives

very similar to what happened in Russia

that by the way is called

reinu which means additional regulations

that tighten surf obligations to their

Lords it happened often and in many

places monarchs would give noble

families greater power over ordinary

people's labor in exchange for the

Nobles giving greater service to the

Kingdom's military and administration

the strategy of power consolidation by

the way still happens the most most

powerful plate the less powerful by

giving them control over the least

powerful the great elector grandson King

Frederick William the first made the

Prussian Army the most modern in Europe

he created a branch of government called

the general directory that oversaw the

operation of the Kingdom to the benefit

of the army raising taxes and recruiting

administrators and soldiers and

Frederick William I first sought a

certain kind of recruit specifically

giant soldiers at least 6 feet in height

from all across Europe he saw sold off

his father's more luxurious possessions

such as silver and works of art to boost

military strength even more Prussia was

called a large army with a small state

attached kind of like Russia today he's

back isn't he he's just he's very subtle

but I can I can feel his presence one of

the weirdnesses of building a state or

an Empire is that in order for it to

work you must convince both those

outside of your borders and those within

them that your state is really real and

also really powerful states do this

partly through treaties partly through

State Building exercises like national

anthems and National histories and

partly by building structures within the

state armies government apparatuses

Statewide laws that strengthen the state

and make it less vulnerable to attack

and the rising monarchies of Russia and

Prussia were very effective at State

Building which would allow them to shape

the future of Europe as a whole and also

Aid in the final demise of Poland

Lithuania over the 18th century Poland

Lithuania failed in part because its

constitutional system failed the

nobility wield and deal instead of

fortifying government institutions like

Russia and Prussia had and because of

the ways Prussia and Russia organized

political power that wasn't as much of a

problem In Their Kingdoms there were

problems of course which would

eventually prove catastrophic and we'll

get there eventually but first things

are about to get a bit brighter around

here because next time we get to turn

our ATT attention to the enlightenment

thanks for watching I'll see you then

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