The elusive empire : Kazan and the creation of Russia, 1552-1671 / / Matthew P. Romaniello

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910970065503321
• Autore: Romaniello Matthew P
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Madison, Wis., : University of Wisconsin Press, c2012
• ISBN: 9786613486196; 9781283486194; 1283486199; 9780299285135; 0299285138
• Edizione: [1st ed.]
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (312 p.)
• Disciplina: 947/.04
• Soggetti: Religion and politics - Russia - History; Soviet Union Foreign relations Kazanskoe khanstvo; Kazanskoe khanstvo Foreign relations Soviet Union; Russia History Period of Consolidation, 1462-1605; Russia History Time of Troubles, 1598-1613
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Intro -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Acknowledgments -- Glossary of Terms -- Introduction -- 1. Imperial Ideas -- 2. Conflicted Authorities -- 3. Foreign Interests -- 4. Loyal Enemies -- 5. Irregular Subjects -- 6. Subdued Rebels -- Afterword -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.
• Sommario/riassunto: In 1552, Muscovite Russia conquered the city of Kazan on the Volga River. It was the first Orthodox Christian victory against Islam since the fall of Constantinople, a turning point that, over the next four years, would complete Moscow's control over the river. This conquest provided a direct trade route with the Middle East and would transform Muscovy into a global power. As Matthew Romaniello shows, however, learning to manage the conquered lands and peoples would take decades. Russia did not succeed in empire-building because of its strength, leadership, or even the weakness of its neighbors, Romaniello contends; it succeeded by managing its failures. Faced with the ; difficulty of assimilating culturally and religiously alien peoples across thousands of miles, the Russian state was forced to compromise in ways that, for a time, permitted local elites of diverse backgrounds to share in governance and to preserve a measure of autonomy. Conscious manipulation of political and religious language proved more vital than sheer military might. For early modern Russia, empire was still elusive-an aspiration to political, economic, and military control challenged by continuing resistance, mismanagement, and tenuous influence over vast expanses of territory.