In this course we will be covering:

The origins of Russia and the Romanov Dynasty and the reigns of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great, learning how their rule and expansion of Russia set the agenda for the Tsars of the 19th century.

We will then turn to the reign of Nicholas I – to what extent was his rule really about duty and dedication to the Russian people?

We will also be covering Alexander II and Alexander III to explore whether they really can be termed the ‘reformer’ and the ‘peacemaker’.

Lastly we will be exploring the reign of Nicholas II, the Last Tsar.

Throughout the course we will be looking through a lens of political history but will also cover the economic, social and cultural changes of the period. How did the Tsars rule the vast regions of the Russian Empire? How successful were they in political, social and economic improvements, and in building their empire over time? How effective was autocracy in Russia and how did the Romanov dynasty shape the lives of ordinary people?