The Empire of Russia

The Empire of Russia

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Abbott
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Title: The Empire of Russia
Author: John S. C. Abbott
Release Date: March 6, 2005 [eBook #15269]
Language: English
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The Monarchies of Continental Europe
THE EMPIRE OF RUSSIA
From the Remotest Periods to the Present Time
by
JOHN S. C. ABBOTT
BOSTON: GRAVES AND YOUNG, 24 CORNHILL.
1859

[Illustration]

PREFACE.
The world is now too busy to read voluminous history. The
interminable details of battles, and the petty intrigues of courtiers and
mistresses, have lost their interest. In this volume it has been our object
to trace perspicuously the path which Russia has trod from earliest
infancy to the present hour. The career of this empire has been so wild
and wonderful that the historian can have no occasion to call in the aid
of fancy for the embellishment of his narrative.
The author has not deemed it necessary to incumber his pages with
notes to substantiate his statements. The renowned Russian historian,
Karamsin, who wrote under the patronage of Alexander I., gives ample
authentication to all the facts which are stated up to the reign of that
emperor. His voluminous history, in classic beauty, is unsurpassed by
any of the annals of Greece or Rome. It has been admirably translated
into French by Messrs. St. Thomas and Jauffret in eleven imperial
quarto volumes. In the critical citations of this author, the reader,
curious in such researches, will find every fact in the early history of
Russia, here stated, confirmed.
There are but few valuable works upon Russia in the English language.
Nearly all, which can be relied upon as authorities, are written either in
French or German. The writer would refer those who seek a more
minute acquaintance with this empire, now rising so rapidly in
importance, first of all to Karamsin. The "Histoire Philosophique et
Politique de Russie Depuis les Temps les Plus Reculés Jusqu'au Nos
Jours, par J. Esneaux," Paris, five volumes, is a valuable work. The
"Histoire de Russie par Pierre Charles Levesque," eight volumes, is
discriminating and reliable. The various volumes of William Tooke
upon Russian history in general, and upon the reign of Catharine,
contain much information.
It is only since the reign of Peter the Great that Russia has begun to
attract much attention among the enlightened nations of Europe.
Voltaire's life of this most renowned of the Russian sovereigns, at its
first publication, attracted much notice. Since then, many books have
been written upon fragments of Russian history and individual reigns.
From most of these the author has selected such events as have

appeared to him most instructive and best adapted to give the reader a
clear conception of the present condition and future prospects of this
gigantic empire. The path she has trod, since her first emergence into
civilization from the chaos of barbarism, can be very distinctly traced,
and one can easily count the concentric accretions of her growth. This
narrative reveals the mistakes which have overwhelmed her with woe,
and the wisdom which has, at times, secured for Russia peace and
prosperity.
In writing these histories of the monarchies of Continental Europe, the
author has no wish to conceal his abhorrence of aristocratic usurpation.
Believing in the universal brotherhood of man, his sympathies are most
cordially with the oppressed masses. If the people are weak and
debased, the claim is only the more urgent upon the powerful and the
wise to act the part of elder brothers, holding out the helping hand to
those who have fallen. The author feels grateful for the reception which
the first number of this series, the Empire of Austria, has received from
the American public. He hopes that this volume will not prove less
interesting or instructive. In the course of a few months it will be
followed by the History of Italy.

CONTENTS.


CHAPTER I.
PARENTAGE AND BIRTH OF RUSSIA.
From 500 B.C. to A.D. 910.
Primeval Russia.--Explorations of the Greeks.--Scythian
Invasion.--Character of the Scythians.--Sarmatia.--Assaults Upon the
Roman Empire.--Irruption of the Alains.--Conquests of Trajan.--The
Gothic invasion,--The Huns--their Character and Aspect.--The
Devastations of Attila.--The Avars.--Results of Comminglings of these
Tribes.--Normans.--Birth of the Russian Empire--The Three Sovereigns
Ruric, Sineous and Truvor.--Adventures of Ascolod and