Icons and Tsars: Medieval, Early Modern, and Imperial Russia

An introduction to Russian history from Kievan Rus to the mid-19th century. Topics to be covered include the Mongol invasion, the rule of Ivan the Terrible, the Time of Troubles, the role of the Orthodox church, Westernization under Peter the Great and Catherine the Great, the formation and expansion of the Russian Empire, Russia’s role in international relations, the everyday life of serfs and the nobility, and the development of Russian culture. Students will be exposed to a wide range of primary sources, including icons, maps, architecture, etiquette manual, government documents, memoirs, poetry, and fiction. Applebaum