World History Timeline

Timeline

22 events

9th century

  1. c. 862★★★★★

    Rurik comes to rule Novgorod (traditional)

    According to the Primary Chronicle, the Varangian chieftain Rurik was invited to rule Novgorod in 862, traditionally the start of the Rurik dynasty.

    DynastyPolitics· Russia

15th century

  1. 1480★★★★★

    Great Stand on the Ugra River

    Ivan III of Moscow faces down the Great Horde, which withdraws; traditionally seen as the end of Tatar overlordship in Russia.

    WarPolitics· Russia

16th century

  1. 1547★★★★★

    Ivan IV crowned first Tsar of All Russia

    Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) is crowned in Moscow with the title of Tsar, marking the beginning of the Tsardom of Russia.

    DynastyPolitics· Russia

18th century

  1. May 27, 1703★★★★★

    Peter the Great founds Saint Petersburg

    Tsar Peter I lays the foundations of Saint Petersburg at the mouth of the Neva; the city becomes Russia's capital in 1712.

    Politics· Russia
  2. 1721★★★★★

    Russian Empire proclaimed

    After victory in the Great Northern War, confirmed by the Treaty of Nystad, Peter I takes the title of Emperor and Russia becomes the Russian Empire.

    PoliticsTreaty· Russia, Sweden
  3. 1772 – 1795★★★★★

    Partitions of Poland

    Russia, Prussia and Austria carve up the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in three partitions, erasing it from the map of Europe by 1795.

    PoliticsTreaty· Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Germany, Austria

19th century

  1. 1814 – June 9, 1815★★★★★

    Congress of Vienna

    The European powers meet in Vienna to reorder the continent after the Napoleonic Wars, redrawing the map of Europe and establishing a balance of power.

    TreatyPolitics· Austria, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, France
  2. March 3, 1861★★★★★

    Emancipation of the serfs in Russia

    Tsar Alexander II issues the emancipation manifesto, freeing more than 20 million serfs across the Russian Empire.

    PoliticsEconomy· Russia
  3. June 1878 – July 1878★★★★★

    Congress of Berlin

    The European powers reorganise the Balkans after the Russo-Turkish War, recognising the independence of Serbia, Montenegro and Romania.

    TreatyPolitics· Germany, Russia, Turkey, United Kingdom, Austria, Serbia, Romania, Montenegro, Bulgaria
  4. March 13, 1881★★★★★

    Assassination of Tsar Alexander II

    Tsar Alexander II is killed by a bomb thrown by members of the revolutionary group Narodnaya Volya in Saint Petersburg.

    PoliticsDeath· Russia

20th century

  1. January 22, 1905★★★★★

    Bloody Sunday in Saint Petersburg

    Soldiers fire on peaceful workers marching to the Winter Palace, sparking the Russian Revolution of 1905.

    RevolutionPolitics· Russia
  2. December 30, 1922★★★★★

    Founding of the Soviet Union

    The Treaty on the Creation of the USSR unites Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and the Transcaucasian Federation into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

    Politics· Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
  3. January 21, 1924★★★★★

    Death of Lenin

    Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Soviet state, dies after a series of strokes, opening a power struggle won by Stalin.

    DeathPolitics· Russia
  4. February 4, 1945 – February 11, 1945★★★★★

    Yalta Conference

    Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin meet at Yalta to discuss the post-war reorganisation of Europe and the world.

    PoliticsTreaty· Ukraine, United States, United Kingdom, Russia
  5. November 20, 1945 – October 1, 1946★★★★★

    Nuremberg trials

    An international military tribunal tries leading Nazi figures for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    Politics· Germany, United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia
  6. June 24, 1948 – May 12, 1949★★★★★

    Berlin Blockade and Airlift

    The Soviet Union blocks road and rail access to West Berlin; the Western Allies respond by supplying the city through an airlift for almost a year.

    Politics· Germany, Russia, United States, United Kingdom, France
  7. March 5, 1953★★★★★

    Death of Joseph Stalin

    Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union since the mid-1920s, dies near Moscow, opening the way to de-Stalinisation under Khrushchev.

    DeathPolitics· Russia
  8. October 16, 1962 – October 28, 1962★★★★★

    Cuban Missile Crisis

    A 13-day standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union over nuclear missiles in Cuba brings the world closest to nuclear war.

    Politics· Cuba, United States, Russia
  9. January 5, 1968 – August 21, 1968★★★★★

    Prague Spring

    A period of political liberalisation in Czechoslovakia under Alexander Dubček ends when Warsaw Pact armies invade the country.

    PoliticsRevolution· Czechia, Slovakia, Russia
  10. March 11, 1985★★★★★

    Gorbachev becomes Soviet leader

    Mikhail Gorbachev is chosen as General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party and goes on to launch the policies of perestroika and glasnost.

    Politics· Russia
  11. December 26, 1991★★★★★

    Dissolution of the Soviet Union

    The Supreme Soviet formally dissolves the USSR, a day after Gorbachev's resignation.

    Politics· Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan

21st century

  1. March 18, 2014★★★★★

    Russia annexes Crimea

    After seizing the peninsula and holding an internationally unrecognised referendum, Russia annexes Ukraine's Crimea.

    PoliticsWar· Ukraine, Russia
Timeline · World History Timeline