The 10 Most Important Russian Czars and Empresses

1. Ivan the Terrible 1547 to 1584 - The first undisputed Russian czar, Ivan the Terrible has gotten a bad rap The modifier in his name, grozny, is better translated into English as formidable or awe-inspiring. Ivan, however, did enough terrible things to merit the faulty translation.

2. Boris Godunov 1598 to 1605 - A bodyguard and functionary of Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov became co-regent in 1584, after Ivans death. He seized the throne in 1598 following the death of Ivans son Feodor. Boris seven-year rule adumbrated the Western-looking policies of Peter the Great. He allowed young Russian nobles to seek their education elsewhere in Europe, imported teachers into his empire, and cozied up to the kingdoms of Scandinavia, hoping for peaceful access to the Baltic Sea.

3. Michael I 1613 to 1645 - A rather colorless figure compared to Ivan the Terrible and Boris Godunov, Michael I is important for being the first Romanov czar. He initiated the dynasty that ended 300 years later with the revolutions of 1917. As a sign of how devastated Russia was after the Time of Troubles, Michael had to wait weeks before a suitably intact palace could be located for him in Moscow.

4. Peter the Great 1682 to 1725 - The grandson of Michael I, Peter the Great is best known for his ruthless attempts to Westernize Russia and import the principles of the Enlightenment into what the rest of Europe still considered a backward and medieval country. He rearranged the Russian military and bureaucracy along Western lines and required his officials to shave their beards and dress in Western clothes.

5. Elizabeth of Russia 1741 to 1762 - The daughter of Peter the Great, Elizabeth of Russia seized power in 1741 in a bloodless coup. She went on to distinguish herself as the only Russian ruler never to execute even a single subject during her reign, although her tenure wasnt peaceful.

6. Catherine the Great 1762 to 1796 - The six-month interval between the death of Elizabeth of Russia and the accession of Catherine the Great witnessed the six-month reign of Catherines husband, Peter III, who was assassinated thanks to his pro-Prussian policies. Ironically, Catherine was herself a Prussian princess who had married into the Romanov dynasty.

7. Alexander I 1801 to 1825 - Alexander I had the misfortune of reigning during the Napoleonic Era when the foreign affairs of Europe were twisted beyond recognition by the military invasions of the French dictator. During the first half of his reign, Alexander was flexible to the point of indecisiveness, aligning with, and then reacting against, the power of France.

8. Nicholas I 1825 to 1855 - One might reasonably claim that the Russian Revolution of 1917 had its roots in the reign of Nicholas I. Nicholas was the classic, hardhearted Russian autocrat. He valued the military above all else, ruthlessly repressed dissent in the populace, and in the course of his reign managed to drive the Russian economy into the ground.

9. Alexander II 1855 to 1881 - Its a little-known fact, at least in the West, that Russia freed its serfs around the same time as U.S. President Abraham Lincoln helped free enslaved people. The individual responsible was Czar Alexander II, also known as Alexander the Liberator.

10. Nicholas II 1894 to 1917 - Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia, experienced a significant trauma at the age of 13 when he witnessed the assassination of his grandfather, Alexander II. This event heavily influenced his adoption of ultra-conservative policies.

11. During Nicholas reign, the House of Romanov faced a series of calamities. The eccentric Russian monk Rasputin gained power and influence, leading to controversy. Russias defeat in the Russo-Japanese War further undermined Nicholas rule. Additionally, the 1905 Revolution resulted in the establishment of the Duma, Russias first democratic body. The downfall of Nicholas and his government came swiftly during the February and October Revolutions of 1917. A small group of Communists, led by Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky, overthrew the czar. Less than a year later, amidst the Russian Civil War, the entire imperial family, including Nicholas 13-year-old son and potential heir, was brutally assassinated in Yekaterinburg. This tragic event marked the definitive and bloody end of the Romanov dynasty.