Chronicle of the Russian Tsars: The Reign-by-Reign Rule of the Rulers of Imperial Russia Book

I read this book because I'd previously read CHRONICLE OF THE ROMAN EMPERORS and CHRONICLE OF THE POPES, both of which are in the same format. I was surprised to discover the book in my local library.

As with those other two books, this work is organised in chronological order, complete with timelines, maps, family trees, images and photos, and sidebars about particular events, opinions or correspondence. I had often heard that Tsar was Russian foe CAESAR and not only was the title borrowed, but the powers that be in Russia considered it to be a successor to the Roman Empire. The accounts in this book support that idea, and it seams the notion of being a Caesar was taken to heart by most of the Tsars and Tsarinas listed in the chronicle.

Certainly both Joseph Stalin's and President Putin's actions and attitudes are put into perspective by this book. Rather than aberrations their behaviour matches an established pattern by previous Tsars/Tsarinas. Repression and secret police have existed in Russia since the first Tsar, under different names at different times, though the function is still the same.

The vast majority of rulers in the narrative of the book are shown to, one way or another to be enamoured of having absolute power, and/or murder or exile rival or , and/or are murdered/exiled themselves. While some die natural deaths, others are assassinated, or victims of their own folly (e.g. having their train driven at a dangerous speed) One recurring element is the appearance of pretenders who claim to be lost heirs to the throne, even ones that couldn't possibly be related (like certain Cossack leaders).

Also, while the names change at the top positions, in general the plight of the serfs (who became the "property" of the Lords) tens to remain the same. The power plays and changes in government are shown to be a matter between the royal families and the nobility, neither of which being serious at improving the serf's conditions. Different ways of organising parts of the empire come and go, but until the position of Tsar/Tsarina remained. Despite or because of this, Russia was overall a backward state, because the reforms that would have changed that would have meant the nobility losing their grip on the general population.

So I learned a lot about the Rulers of the Russian Empire, and East European history from this book. Finally I understand how the Kingdom of Poland was carved up Like the other two books, the information in this one is still just an overview, and start of further reading. Loved it.