Background
Russia began the 17th century with the Time of Troubles, which lasted from 1598 to 1613. This time marked the end of the Rurik dynasty and the beginning of the Romanov dynasty. Michael Romanov (tsar from 1613 to 1645) and his son Alexis (tsar from 1645 to 1676) both strove to strengthen the power of the tsar in order to stabilize the country after the turmoil of the Time of Troubles. As a result, the Zemsky Sobor and the boyar council, two other bodies of government in Russia, slowly lost influence. The Russian population went from fifteen years of “near anarchy” to the reigns of two strong, centralizing autocrats.
In addition, a deep divide existed between the lower peasant class in Russia and the noble class. Recent changes in the treatment and legal standing of peasants, including the institutionalization of serfdom in the Law Code of 1649 also contributed to the unrest among the peasant class. The Don Cossacks, a lower class group that lived independently near the Don River and whom the tsar’s government supplied in exchange for defending Russia, led Razin’s rebellion. Historian Paul Avrich characterizes Razin’s revolt as a “curious mixture of brigandage and revolt,” similar to other popular uprising of the period. Razin revolted against the “traitor-boyars” rather than the tsar. The Cossacks supported the tsar because they worked for him.
Read more about this topic: Stenka Razin
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