The History of the House of Romanov

This year marks the four-hundredth anniversary of the coming to power of the Romanovs. The course will offer an in-depth analysis of the role the Romanov family from 1613 to 1917. Students will be challenged to see the world through the eyes of the Romanovs, including how they saw their historic mission; how they brought up their children to be ready for ruling; how they created a special circle around the royal family; and how they interacted with the world around them. The Romanov family’s strict rules of conduct and personal myths, legends, and superstitions will be examined. Foreign relations will also be examined in the context of the international positioning of the ruling house: political alliances, dynastic marriages, and their participation in various international projects. Russian internal attitudes toward the Romanovs and the image of the Romanovs in Russian literature, theatre, visual arts, and movies will also be examined.