The main directions of Russian foreign policy in the 17th century. Foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century Main events of foreign policy in the 17th century

XVII century. was very difficult for Russia in terms of foreign policy. Almost all of it went through long wars.

The main directions of Russian foreign policy in the 17th century: 1) providing access to the Baltic and Black Seas; 2) participation in the liberation movement of the Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples; 3) achieving the security of the southern borders from the raids of the Crimean Khan.

Russia was significantly weakened at the beginning of the century by the Polish-Swedish intervention and the socio-political crisis inside the country, so it did not have the opportunity to simultaneously solve all three problems. The primary goal of Moscow in the 17th century. was the return of lands that were torn away from Russia by the Polish-Swedish troops. Particularly important for Russia was the return of Smolensk, which ensured the security of the country's western borders. A favorable situation for the fight against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for the return of Smolensk developed in the 30s. At this time, the Commonwealth was at war with the Ottoman Empire and the Crimea, and the main European powers were drawn into the Thirty Years War.

In 1632, after the death of Sigismund III, the rhetoric began in Rzecz Pospolita. Russia took advantage of the situation and started a war with Poland for the liberation of Smolensk. But at this stage, Smolensk could not be returned. The Russian campaign was extremely slow, as the government feared an attack by the Crimean Khan on the southern districts. The siege of the city was delayed, which allowed the Poles to prepare a rebuff. The attack of the Crimean Tatars on Ryazan and Belevsky districts in 1633 demoralized the government troops, which consisted mostly of poorly trained serfs and peasants mobilized into the army.

Ukrainian and Belarusian lands were under the rule of the Polish state. The Cossacks who inhabited these lands were the main force of the anti-Polish uprisings. Dissatisfied with the domination of the Poles, the Cossacks organized their center - the Zaporozhye Sich.

In 1648-1654. there was a liberation movement of the Ukrainian people under the leadership of B. Khmelnitsky. This movement also developed in Belarus. B. Khmelnitsky pinned great hopes on the help of Russia. But only in 1653 g. The Zemsky Sobor in Moscow decided to include the Ukrainian lands into Russia and declare war on Poland.

In 1654 g. The Ukrainian Rada took the oath of allegiance to the Russian Tsar. The Commonwealth did not accept this. From 1654 to 1657 a new stage of the Russian-Polish war took place. Under a new peace treaty, Left-Bank Ukraine, together with Kiev, went to Russia. Right-bank Ukraine and Belarus were under the rule of Poland.

Russia also received Smolensk, Chernigov, Seversky land. V 1686 g. eternal peace was concluded between Russia and Poland, which consolidated the conquests of Russia.

The end of the war with Poland allowed Russia to repulse the aggressive policy of the Ottoman Empire and its vassal, the Crimean Khanate.

Russian-Turkish War (1677-1681):

1) August 3, 1677 the Ottoman-Crimean troops began a siege of the Chigirin fortress, located in the Right-Bank Ukraine;

2) in the battle at Buzhin, the Russian-Ukrainian troops utterly defeated the Crimean-Ottoman army, the siege of the fortress was lifted;

3) in July 1678 the Ottomans again laid siege to Chigirin. Russian troops resisted desperately. After the siege and capture of the fortress, ruins remained. Russian and Ukrainian troops withdrew to the Dnieper;

4) the campaign of 1677-1678. very much weakened the Ottomans. On January 13, 1681, the Treaty of Bakhchisarai was concluded, who established a 20-year truce.

In the history of Russia, the 17th century is an important moment in its development. Surrounded by numerous enemies, important processes took place inside the country that influenced the further development of the state.

The main tasks of Russian foreign policy in the 17th century

At the beginning of the 17th century, the Time of Troubles began in Russia. The Rurik dynasty was interrupted and the Polish-Swedish intervention began. Only in 1612, the country was able to defend its sovereignty and reassert itself on the world stage, deploying a broad foreign policy activity.

The main task of the new Russian dynasty was the return of Russian territories lost during the Troubles. This also included the local task of getting access to the Baltic Sea, because during the Russian Troubles, these lands were occupied by Sweden.

Rice. 1. Map of Russia at the beginning of the 17th century.

The historical task was to unite the territories of the former Kievan Rus around Moscow. Moreover, it was not only about uniting the people, but also about increasing arable land and the number of taxpayers.

In other words, Russia's foreign policy in the 17th century met the tasks of uniting and restoring the country's integrity.

TOP-4 articleswho read along with this

And, of course, with the destruction of the Siberian Khanate, Russia's road to Siberia was opened. The development of wild but wealthy regions remained a priority for a weakened state.

Rice. 2. Siege of Chigirin.

Table "Foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century"

Many modern European historians consider the development of Siberia to be colonization and Moscow's relationship with the local population as a colony with the metropolis.

It should be noted that the “Caspian issue” has arisen for Russia. The Rurikovichs did not have contact with all the countries in Eurasia. One of these was Persia.

In 1651, the Persian army entered Dagestan and the Caspian lands, wishing to claim their rights to them. As a result, the military campaigns ended in nothing. Alexei Mikhailovich in 1653 managed to preserve the position of the borders before the start of the Persian campaign. However, the struggle for the coast of the Caspian Lake from that moment was just beginning for Russia.

Rice. 3. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.

One of the reasons for the failure to solve most of the problems was the technological backwardness of Russia from European countries. After the Thirty Years' War in Europe, military affairs made great strides forward, but they bypassed Russian military art.

What have we learned?

Speaking briefly about the foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century, it should be noted that Russia was engaged in the restoration of its historical borders and the return of territories lost during the Troubles. Most of the tasks facing it in the 17th century were never solved.

Test by topic

Assessment of the report

Average rating: 4.1. Total ratings received: 668.

Domestic policy of Russia in the 17th century

All R. In the 17th century, during the reign of the second Romanov - Alexei Mikhailovich Tishaishiy, tax oppression increased and the living conditions of peasants and townspeople worsened. This is causing a deep social crisis, which has resulted in numerous riots. In the XVII century. there are more than 20 uprisings, for which it was called the "rebellious" century. The largest uprisings include: "Salt revolt" in 1648, "Copper revolt" in 1662, Solovetsky uprising in 1668-1676, uprising led by S. Razin.

The largest was the uprising of the 17th century. under the leadership of S. Razin (1670-1671). The uprising forced the government to look for ways to strengthen the existing system. The power of the voivods in the localities was strengthened, a reform of the tax system was carried out (a transition to household taxation was made), and the process of spreading serfdom to the southern regions of the country intensified.

There is a further development of the ordering system. The number of orders began to reach 80 (40 of them are permanent).

In the years 1648-1649. is the largest Zemsky Sobor in the history of Russia. It was attended by 340 people, most of whom belonged to the nobility and the top of the posad. The Zemsky Sobor adopted the "Cathedral Code", which regulated the performance of various services, the ransom of prisoners, customs policy, the position of various categories of the population, increased responsibility for speaking out against the tsar, boyars, governors, churches, established an indefinite search for fugitive peasants and prohibited peasant transfers from one owner to another. This meant the legal registration of the serfdom system. Serfdom extended to black-sow and palace peasants. In the cities, "white" settlements were included in the posad, now the entire urban population had to bear the tax on the sovereign. The Sobornoye Ulozhenie was the first Russian legislative act published by typographic method.

Since 1652, Patriarch Nikon has been carrying out a church reform to strengthen order, discipline and moral principles of the clergy, to establish uniformity in church services, and to unify church books. He took the Greek rules and rituals as a model. A split is taking place in the Russian Church. The adherents of the old order - the Old Believers (schismatics) - refused to recognize Nikon's reform and advocated a return to the pre-reform order. Archpriest Avvakum stood at the head of the Old Believers. The split became one of the forms of social protest of the masses. Thousands of peasants and residents of the settlement fled to the outskirts of the country, where they founded Old Believer settlements.

Russian foreign policy in the 17th century

In foreign policy, the main task was to return the Smolensk, Chernigov and Novgorod-Seversky lands lost during the Polish-Swedish intervention. The solution to this problem was aggravated in connection with the struggle of the Ukrainian people against Polonization and Catholicization by Poland. Bohdan Khmelnytsky became the leader of the national liberation movement in Ukraine. In 1654 in the city of Pereyaslavl the Great Rada took place, which made a decision on the reunification of Ukraine with Russia. Ukraine was granted significant autonomy within the Russian state. The Commonwealth did not recognize the reunification of Ukraine with Russia. The Russian-Polish war began (1654-1667). It was marked by the success of the Russian and Ukrainian troops. Russian troops occupied Smolensk, Belarus, Lithuania; Ukrainian troops - Lublin, a number of cities in Galicia and Volyn. However, after the death of B. Khmelnitsky, the frequent change of hetmans led to the fact that Ukraine went over to the side of Poland, then to the side of Russia. These years in Ukraine became a time of ruin and strife. The exhausting Russian-Polish war ended with the signing of the Andrusov armistice, according to which Russia renounced Belarus, but retained Smolensk and the Left-Bank Ukraine with the city of Kiev.

During the Russian-Polish war, Aleksey Mikhailovich fought against Sweden (1656-1658). Russian troops took Dinaburg, Dorpat and laid siege to Riga. But the complicated situation in Ukraine and its transition to the side of Poland under the hetman I. Vyhovsky, forced to conclude peace with Sweden. Russia returned the conquered territories. The Baltic remained with Sweden.

Thus, during the period of the estate-representative monarchy, a significant expansion of the territory of Russia took place. The Lower and Middle Volga regions, as well as Siberia, became part of Russia. The increase in the territory of Russia in the West was due to the annexation of Ukraine.

Socio-economic development of Russia in the 17th century

The population of the country to the end. XVII century. amounted to 10.5 million people. (4th place in Europe). Agriculture remained the leading branch of the economy.

A new development in its development was the strengthening of the connection with the market. Nobles, boyars, and especially monasteries were increasingly involved in trade and fishing activities. In the XVII century. the development of handicrafts into small-scale production was observed. It, in turn, prepared the basis for the emergence of manufactories. In the XVII century. in Russia, there were approx. 30 manufactories, mainly in metallurgy, tanning and salt production. The peculiarity of Russian manufactory was that it was based not on hired labor, as was the case in Europe, but on serf labor (peasants were either bought or attributed to manufactory).

In the XVII century. the all-Russian market begins to form. The constantly gathering fairs acquired great importance: Makaryevskaya, Svenskaya, Irbitskaya, in Arkhangelsk, etc. Foreign trade grew through Arkhangelsk and Astrakhan.

The social structure of Russian society was rather complex. The upper class was the boyars, they served the tsar and held leading positions in the state. The nobles made up the upper layer of the sovereign's service people in the homeland. This layer of feudal lords included persons who served at the royal court (stewards, solicitors, Moscow nobles, etc.). The lower stratum of the service people included service people by the device - archers, gunners, coachmen, etc. The rural peasant population consisted of two categories: owner-owned (belonged to boyars and nobles) and black-nosed peasants who lived on state land and bore taxes in favor of the state. The top of the urban population was made up of merchants. The bulk of the urban population was called the townspeople. Urban artisans united on a professional basis in settlements and hundreds. A significant number of slaves lived in cities and rural areas. A special class was made up of the clergy. There was a category of free and walking people (Cossacks, hired workers, wandering musicians, beggars, vagabonds).

The key tasks for Russian foreign policy in the 17th century are: the return of lands in the west and northwest, which were lost during the Time of Troubles, and the achievement of stable security in the south, since the Crimean khans rampaged in these territories.

Territorial issue

Since 1632, a kinglessness sets in in Poland, and the general international situation favors the struggle of Russia with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for the return of Smolensk. The city was captured by the Russian army, its siege lasted eight months and ended unfavorably.

The new king of Poland, Vladislav IV, entered into a confrontation with the Russian army. In 1634, the Polyanovsk Peace Treaty, determining the further development of events, was concluded, the terms of which were the return of all the cities captured by Russia and Smolensk itself.

In turn, the king of Poland ceased to claim the Moscow throne. The Smolensk war turned out to be a complete failure for Russia.

Military actions of Russia

But in 1654 new and more significant clashes began between the Rzeczpospolita and Russia - Smolensk was taken soon, and then 33 cities located on the territory of Eastern Belarus. The Swedish invasion of Poland also turned out to be an initial success for Russia.

But in 1656, an armistice is concluded between the countries waging a war, and a little later Russia starts a war with Sweden. Military operations take place in the Baltic States, the Russian army reaches Riga and besieges the city. But the siege was extremely unsuccessful, and soon the course of the war changes - Poland resumes hostilities.

An armistice is concluded with Sweden, and already in 1661 the Peace of Kardis was concluded, in which it was indicated that the entire Baltic coast would go to Sweden. And finally the protracted war with Poland ends in 1667 with the signing of the Andrusov armistice for 13.5 years.

The truce said that Smolensk and the entire territory from the Dnieper to the east would be transferred to Russia. An important event for foreign policy was the conclusion of the "Eternal Peace" in 1686, which secured the territory of Kiev for Russia forever.

The long-awaited end of the war with Poland allowed Russia to draw attention to the hostile intentions of the Crimean Khan and the Ottoman Empire. In 1677, the Russian-Ottoman-Crimean war begins, an important date for which is July 1678, when the Ottomans tried to take the Chigirin fortress.

The war ended with the signing of the Bakhchisarai armistice in January 1681, which recognized Russia's right to Kiev for the next 20 years, and declared the territory between the Dnieper and the Bug to be neutral.

Fighting outlet to the Black Sea

Subsequently, signed with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth "Eternal Peace", Russia pledged to oppose the Ottoman Empire in alliance with Poland, Venice and Austria. This was extremely beneficial for Russia, the strengthening of its positions in the Crimea and Turkey provided an access to the Black Sea that was important for the country's economic power.

To achieve this goal, two Crimean campaigns were carried out, and both were extremely unsuccessful for the Russian army. By the end of the 17th century, Russia's foreign policy tasks remained the same, access to the sea and the struggle for it were the most important areas for strengthening the country's external positions.