Russia & Ukraine (World History)

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Russian Autocratic Leaders

Ivan III (1440-1505)
"The grand prince of Moscow from 1462 to 1505. He is considered Russia's first national leader."

Ivan the Terrible (1533-1584)
The first czar of Russia.

Peter the Great (1672-1725)
"A member of the Romanov dynasty (family of rulers), he ruled first as czar (king) of Russia and later became Russia's first emperor. Peter transformed Russia from an isolated and backward country into a great European power."

Catherine the Great (1729-1796)
"The Russian Empress Catherine II (1729‐1796), known as Catherine the Great, reigned from 1762 to 1796. She expanded the Russian Empire, improved administration, and vigorously pursued the policy of Westernization."

Nicholas I (1796-1855)
"During his 30-year reign as emperor of Russia, Czar Nicholas I ruled with the iron fist of a dictator. A true autocrat, Nicholas's defining characteristics were his distrust of the masses and his obsession with maintaining power at all costs."

Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924)
"Vladimir Lenin was the founder of the Russian Communist Party and the moving force behind the Russian Revolution of 1917."

Joseph Stalin (1879-1953)
"This Soviet statesman was the supreme ruler of the Soviet Union and the leader of world communism for almost thirty years."

Vladimir Putin (1952- )
"A former Soviet intelligence officer and prime minister, Vladimir Putin served as the president of Russia from 2000 to 2008. He was elected again in 2012 and in 2020 announced that he was abolishing presidential term limits, planning to remain in power until at least 2036."