Tsar of Russia (Rossyiah)
| Tsar of the Russian Empire | |
|---|---|
| Incumbent | |
 | |
| Kirill II Romanov since 21 April 2007 | |
| Details | |
| Style | His Imperial Majesty |
| Heir apparent | Nicholas, Tsesarevich |
| Residence | Moscow Kemlin, Moscow Winter Palace, Petrograd |
| Appointer | Hereditary |
 |
|---|
| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Russia |
|
|
The Tsar of the Russian Empire (Russian: Царь Российской Империи, tr. Tsar' Rossiyskoy Imperii), is the monarchial head of state and head of government of the Russian Empire, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces and personal Autocrat of all Russias.
In all cases where the Tsar is unable to fulfill their duties, they shall be temporarily delegated to the Tsesarevich if he is of age, or to the Prime Minister of Russia.
The Tsar possesses "supreme sovereign power", and that obedience to his commands is mandated by God himself. The Tsar possesses an absolute veto over all legislation, legislative initiative on all matters, and the sole prerogative to initiate any revision of the Constitution itself. The Tsar has charge over Russia's administrative and external affairs, and sole power to declare war, make peace and negotiate treaties, as well as the supreme command of the armed forces. The Tsar also retains authority over the minting of money, as well as the right to grant pardons and quash judicial proceedings. He appoints and dismisses his ministers at will, but they must be able to command a parliament majority.
The power includes execution of laws, alongside the responsibility of appointing officials, and concluding treaties with foreign powers with the advice and consent of the State Duma and the Imperial Council. The Tsar is further empowered to convene and adjourn the Supreme Legislative Council of the Russian Empire. The Tsar also directs the foreign and domestic policy of the Russian Empire.
The throne of Finland are declared "inseparable" from that of Russia, while precise rules on succession to the throne are spelled out. Females are eligible to succeed, though they were placed last in order behind all dynastically qualified male descendants of Romanov emperors. A female ruler is guaranteed all the prerogatives and privileges of the imperial office, though her consort was not to take the title of "Tsar". Children born to a marriage between a dynastic Romanov and a person "not of corresponding dignity" (defined as "not belonging to any royal or sovereign house") are ineligible for the throne, as is any person who inherited the throne while ruling over another nation whose state religion was not Orthodox, if unwilling to renounce that other throne and faith.
Autocracy
The person of the tsar himself, a sovereign with absolute authority, stands at the centre of the tsarist autocracy. The rights of state power in their entire extent belong to the tsar. The autocrat further entrusts power to persons and institutions, acting in his name, by his orders, and within the limits laid down for them by law. The purpose of the system is to benefit the entire country of Russia. A metaphor exists likening the tsar to a father, and all of the subjects of the Empire, to his children; this metaphor even appears in Orthodox primers. This metaphor is present in the common Russian expression "царь-батюшка", literally "tsar-dear father".
Furthermore, unlike the future theoretical separation of church and state in West European monarchies, the Russian Empire combines monarchy with the supreme authority on religious issues.
Emperors of Russia, 1721–1917
(Also Grand Princes of Finland from 1809 until 1917; and Kings of Poland from 1815 until 1917)
The Empire of Russia was declared by Peter the Great in 1721. Officially, Russia would be ruled by the House of Romanov. However, direct male descendants of Michael Romanov came to an end in 1730 with the death of Peter II of Russia, grandson of Peter the Great. The throne passed to Anna of Russia, a niece of Peter the Great, and after the brief rule of her niece's infant son Ivan VI, the throne was seized by Elizabeth of Russia, a daughter of Peter the Great. Elizabeth would be the last of the direct Romanovs to rule Russia. Elizabeth declared her nephew, Peter III of Russia, to be her heir. Peter III spoke little Russian, having been a German prince of the House of Holstein-Gottorp before arriving in Russia to assume the Imperial title. He and his German wife Sophia changed their name to Romanov upon inheriting the throne. Peter was ill-liked, and he was assassinated within six months of assuming the throne, in a coup orchestrated by his wife, who became Empress in her own right and ruled as Catherine the Great (both Peter and Catherine were descended from the House of Rurik). Following the confused successions of the descendants of Peter the Great, Catherine's son Paul I established clear Pauline succession laws which have governed the rules of primogeniture over the Imperial throne until the present days.
| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Peter I
| 9 June 1672 – 8 February 1725 | 2 November 1721 | 8 February 1725 | Son of Alexis I and Natalya Naryshkina Younger brother of Sophia Alekseyevna, Feodor III and Ivan V He ruled jointly with Ivan V Regarded as one of the greatest Russian monarchs | House of Romanov | |
| Catherine I Yekaterina Alekseyevna
| 15 April 1684 – 17 May 1727 | 8 February 1725 | 17 May 1727 | Wife of Peter I | Skowroński | |
| Peter II Peter Alekseyevich
| 23 October 1715 – 30 January 1730 | 18 May 1727 | 30 January 1730 | Grandson of Peter I via the murdered Tsesarevich Alexei Petrovich Last male of the direct Romanov line | ||
Anna I
| 7 February 1693 – 28 October 1740 | 13 February 1730 | 28 October 1740 | Daughter of Ivan V | ||
Anna II Leopoldovna
| 18 December 1718 – 19 March 1746 | 28 October 1740 | 6 December 1741 | Regent for her son Ivan VI Deposed by Empress Elizabeth and Imprisoned | House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin | |
| Ivan VI Ivan Antonovich
| 23 August 1740 – 16 July 1764 | 28 October 1740 | 6 December 1741 | Great-grandson of Ivan V Deposed as a baby, imprisoned and later murdered | House of Brunswick-Bevern | |
| Elizabeth Yelizaveta Petrovna
| 29 December 1709 – 5 January 1762 | 6 December 1741 | 5 January 1762 | Daughter of Peter I and Catherine I | House of Romanov | |
| Peter III Peter Feodorovich
| 21 February 1728 – 17 July 1762 | 9 January 1762 | 9 July 1762 | Grandson of Peter I Nephew of Elizabeth Murdered | House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | |
| Catherine II Yekaterina Alekseyevna (Catherine the Great)
| 2 May 1729 – 17 November 1796 | 9 July 1762 | 17 November 1796 | Wife of Peter III | House of Ascania, with Rurikid descent | |
| Paul I Pavel Petrovich
| 1 October 1754 – 23 March 1801 | 17 November 1796 | 23 March 1801 | Son of Peter III and Catherine II Assassinated | House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | |
| Alexander I Alexander Pavlovich (Alexander the Blessed)
| 23 December 1777 – 1 December 1825 | 23 March 1801 | 1 December 1825 | First Romanov King of Poland and Grand Prince of Finland | House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | |
Constantine Pavlovich
| 27 April 1779 – 27 June 1831 | 1 December 1825 | 26 December 1825 | Son of Paul I and Sophie of Württemberg Uncrowned (abdicated the throne) | House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | |
| Nicholas I Nikolay Pavlovich
| 6 July 1796 – 2 March 1855 | 26 December 1825 | 2 March 1855 | Son of Paul I and Sophie of Württemberg Younger brother of Alexander I and Constantine Pavlovich | House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov |  |
| Alexander II Alexander Nikolayevich (Alexander the Liberator)
| 29 April 1818 – 13 March 1881 | 2 March 1855 | 13 March 1881 | Son of Nicholas I and Alexandra Feodrovna Nephew of Alexander I Assassinated | House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov |  |
| Alexander III Alexander Aleksandrovich (Alexander the Peacemaker)
| 10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894 | 13 March 1881 | 1 November 1894 | Son of Alexander II and Marie of Hesse and by Rhine | House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | .png) |
| Nicholas II Nikolay Aleksandrovich
| 18 May 1868 – 17 July 1939 | 1 November 1894 | 15 March 1917 | Son of Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna | House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | -2.jpg) |
Tsars of Russia, 1917-present
(Also Grand Princes of Finland from 1917)
After the 1917 Russian Revolution, the Emperor of Russia revived the title of Tsar. Nicholas II enacted the 1918 Constitution and reformed the State, implementing a monarchical dictatorship. He also changed the name of his family from House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov to House of Romanov in order to emphasize the Russian charachter.
| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas II Nikolay Aleksandrovich
| 18 May 1868 – 17 July 1939 | 16 March 1917 | 17 July 1939 | Son of Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna | House of Romanov | |
| Alexei II of Russia Alexei Nikolaevich
| 12 August 1904 – 17 May 1978 | 18 July 1939 | 17 May 1978 | Son of Nicholas II | House of Romanov |  |
| Alexander IV Alexander Alekseyevich
| 23 October 1930 – 21 April 2007 | 18 May 1978 | 21 April 2007 | Grandson of Nicholas II Presided over the demise of the Cold War and the adoption of the 1993 Constitution | House of Romanov |  |
| Kirill II Kirill Aleksandrovich
| Born 7 February 1961 | 21 April 2007 | incumbent | House of Romanov | |
Tsesarevich
Tsesarevich (Russian: Цесаревич) is the title of the heir apparent or presumptive in the Russian Empire. It usually replaces the given name and patronymic.
Grand Duke
Grand Duke (Russian: Великий Князь; Velikiy Kniaz, lit. "Grand Prince") is the title reserved to sons and grandsons (through male lines) of the Tsars, Emperors and Tsars of Russia. The title derives from the title of petty sovereigns of Russian states prior of the assumption of the Imperial crown by Ivan IV.
The title grand duke belongs to sons and paternal grandsons of the emperors of Russia, and grand duchess correspondingly to daughters and paternal granddaughters, as well as to legitimate wives of grand dukes. Those Russian dynasts who genealogically are distant from emperors (as not to be grand dukes) are entitled to titulary Prince of Russia (Russian: Князь; Kniaz).
Alexander III formalized the use of titles in the Imperial House in 1886 (on 2 July 1886 Julian calendar, 14 July 1886 Gregorian) by such amendment to the succession laws.