List of Russian rulers

This is a list of all reigning monarchs in the history of Russia. It includes titles Prince of Novgorod, Grand Prince of Kiev, Grand Prince of Vladimir, Grand Prince of Moscow, Tsar of All Rus', and Emperor of All Russia. The list started with a semi-legendary Prince of Novgorod Rurik sometime in the mid 9th century (862) and ended with the Emperor of All Russia Nicholas II who abdicated in 1917, and was executed with his family in 1918.

The vast territory known today as Russia covers an area that has been known historically by various names, including Rus', Kievan Rus',^[1][2] the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the Tsardom of Muscovy and the Russian Empire, and the sovereigns of these many nations and throughout their histories have used likewise as wide a range of titles in their positions as chief magistrates of a country. Some of the earliest titles include Kniaz and Velikiy Kniaz, which mean "Prince" and "Great Prince" respectively but are often rendered as "Duke" and "Grand Duke" in Western literature; then the title of Tsar, meaning "Caesar", which was disputed to be the equal of either a king or emperor; finally culminating in the title of Emperor. According to Article 59 of the 1906 Russian Constitution, the Russian Tsar held several dozen titles, each one representing a region which the monarch governed.

The Patriarchs of Moscow, who were the head of Russian Orthodox Church, also have acted as the leaders of Russia from time to time, usually in periods of political upheaval as during the Polish occupation and interregnum of 1610–13.

Princes of Rus', 862–1547

The land that is today known as Russia was populated by various East Slavic peoples from before the 9th century. The first states to exert hegemony over the region were those of the Rus' people, a branch of Nordic Varangians who moved into the region occupied by modern Russia sometime in the ninth century, and set up a series of states starting with the Rus' Khaganate circa 830. Little is known of the Rus' Khaganate beyond its existence, including the extent of its territory or any reliable list of its Khagans (rulers). Traditionally, Russian statehood is traced to Rurik, a Rus' leader of Holmgard (later Novgorod, modern Veliky Novgorod), a different Rus' state. Rurik's successor Oleg moved his capital to Kiev, founding the state of Kievan Rus'. Over the next several centuries, the most important titles were those of the Grand Prince of Kiev and Grand Prince of Novgorod whose holder (often the same person) could claim hegemony. By the early 11th century the Rus' state had fragmented into a series of petty principalities which warred constantly with each other. In 1097, the Council of Liubech formalized the federal nature of the Russian lands. By the 12th century, the Grand Duchy of Vladimir became the dominant principality, adding its name to those of Novgorod and Kiev, culminating with the rule of Alexander Nevsky. After Alexander Nevsky, the region once again broke up into petty states, though the Grand Duchy of Moscow, founded by Alexander Nevsky's youngest son Daniel, began to consolidate control over the entire Russian territory in the 15th century. Following the Mongol conquests of the 13th century, all of the Russian principalities paid tribute to the Golden Horde, effectively operating as vassals of the Mongol state. The Russians began to exert independence from the Mongols, culminating with Ivan the Great of Moscow ceasing tribute to the Horde, effectively declaring his independence. Last Grand Prince of Moscow Ivan the Terrible assumed the title Tsar of All Russias in 1547.

Princes of Novgorod

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Rurik I Рюрик	830 – 879	862	879	Founder of Rurik Dynasty	Rurikids
Oleg of Novgorod Олег	855 – 912	879	882	Relative of Rurik and regent of Rurik's son, Prince Igor of Kiev	Rurikids

Grand Princes of Kiev

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Askold and Dir Haskuldr and Dýri	9th century	842[3][4] or 862	882	Askold and Dir were Rus chieftains and members of Rurik's army Askold was a descendent of the Kyi Dynasty	Kyi Dynasty (Askold)
Oleg of Novgorod Олег	855 – 912	882	Autumn 912	He was successor of Askold and Dir as a regent of Rurik's son	Rurikids
Igor I Игорь	878 – 945	879 (in Novgorod as a heir of Rurik), 913 (as a successor of Rurik after Oleg's regency)	Autumn 945	Son of Rurik	Rurikids
Olga of Kiev Ольга	890 – 969	945	962	Wife of Igor I and regent of Sviatoslav I	Rurikids
Sviatoslav I Свѧтославъ	942 – 972	Autumn 945	March 972	Son of Igor I and Olga of Kiev	Rurikids
Yaropolk I Ярополк I Святославич	950 – 980	March 972	11 June 980	Son of Sviatoslav I and Predslava	Rurikids
Vladimir I Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь	958 – 1015	11 June 980	15 July 1015	Son of Sviatoslav I and Malusha Younger brother of Yaropolk I	Rurikids
Sviatopolk I Свѧтоплъкъ	980 – 1019	15 July 1015	Autumn 1016	Son of Yaropolk I During his reign, Kievan Rus' was conquered by Poland	Rurikids
Yaroslav I Ꙗрославъ Володимировичъ Мѫдрꙑи	978 – 1054	Autumn 1016	Summer 1018	Son of Vladimir I and Rogneda of Polotsk	Rurikids
Sviatopolk I Свѧтоплъкъ	980 – 1019	14 August 1018	27 July 1019	Restored	Rurikids
Yaroslav I Ꙗрославъ Володимировичъ Мѫдрꙑи	978 – 1054	27 July 1019	20 February 1054	Restored	Rurikids
Iziaslav I Ізяслав I Ярославич	1024 – 1078	20 February 1054	15 September 1068	First son of Yaroslav I and Ingegerd Olofsdotter	Rurikids
Vseslav of Polotsk Всеслав Брячиславич	1039 – 1101	15 September 1068	29 April 1069	Great-grandson of Vladimir I Usurped the Kievan Throne	Rurikids
Iziaslav I Ізяслав I Ярославич	1024 – 1078	2 May 1069	22 March 1073	Restored	Rurikids
Sviatoslav II Святослав Ярославович	1027 – 1076	22 March 1073	27 December 1076	Third son of Yaroslav I and Ingegerd Olofsdotter	Rurikids
Vsevolod I Всеволод I Ярославич	1030 – 1093	1 January 1077	15 July 1077	Fourth son of Yaroslav I and Ingegerd Olofsdotter	Rurikids
Iziaslav I Ізяслав I Ярославич	1024 – 1078	15 July 1077	3 October 1078	Restored	Rurikids
Vsevolod I Всеволод I Ярославич	1030 – 1093	3 October 1078	13 April 1093	Restored	Rurikids
Sviatopolk II Святополк Ізяславич	1050 – 1113	24 April 1093	16 April 1113	Son of Iziaslav I	Rurikids
Vladimir II Володимѣръ Мономахъ	1053 – 1125	20 April 1113	19 May 1125	Son of Vsevolod I and Anastasia of Byzantium	Rurikids
Mstislav I Мстислав Володимирович Великий	1076 – 1132	20 May 1125	15 April 1132	Son of Vladimir II and Gytha of Wessex	Rurikids
Yaropolk II Ярополк II Владимирович	1082 – 1139	17 April 1132	18 February 1139	Son of Vladimir II and Gytha of Wessex Younger brother of Mstislav I	Rurikids
Viacheslav I Вячеслав Владимирович	1083 – 2 February 1154	22 February 1139	4 March 1139	Son of Vladimir II and Gytha of Wessex Younger brother of Mstislav I and Yaropolk II	Rurikids
Vsevolod II Всеволод II Ольгович	1084 – 1146	5 March 1139	30 July 1146	Grandson of Sviatoslav II	Rurikids
Igor II Игорь II Ольгович	1096 – 19 September 1146	1 August 1146	13 August 1146	Grandson of Sviatoslav II	Rurikids
Iziaslav II Ізяслав Мстиславич	1097 – 1154	13 August 1146	23 August 1149	Son of Mstislav I and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden	Rurikids
Yuri I Юрий Владимирович	1099 – 1157	28 August 1149	Summer 1150	Son of Vladimir II and Gytha of Wessex Younger brother of Mstislav I, Yaropolk II and Viacheslav I	Rurikids
Viacheslav I Вячеслав Владимирович	1083 – 2 February 1154	Summer 1150	Summer 1150	Restored	Rurikids
Iziaslav II Ізяслав Мстиславич	1097 – 1154	Summer 1150	Summer 1150	Restored	Rurikids
Yuri I Юрий Владимирович	1099 – 1157	August 1150	Winter 1151	Restored	Rurikids
Iziaslav II Ізяслав Мстиславич	1097 – 1154	Winter 1151	13 November 1154	Restored	Rurikids
Viacheslav I Вячеслав Владимирович	1083 – 2 February 1154	Spring 1151	6 February 1154	Restored	Rurikids
Rostislav I Ростислав Мстиславич	1110 – 1167	1154	January 1155	Son of Mstislav I and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden Younger brother of Iziaslav II	Rurikids
Iziaslav III Изяслав III Давидович	12th century	January 1155	1155	Grandson of Sviatoslav II	Rurikids
Yuri I Юрий Владимирович	1099 – 1157	20 March 1155	15 May 1157	Restored	Rurikids
Iziaslav III Изяслав III Давидович	12th century	19 May 1157	December 1158	Restored	Rurikids
Mstislav II Мстислав Изяславич	1125 – 1170	22 December 1158	Spring 1159	Son of Iziaslav III	Rurikids
Rostislav I Ростислав Мстиславич	1110 – 1167	12 April 1159	8 February 1161	Restored	Rurikids
Iziaslav III Изяслав III Давидович	12th century	12 February 1161	6 March 1161	Restored	Rurikids
Rostislav I Ростислав Мстиславич	1110 – 1167	March 1161	14 March 1167	Restored	Rurikids
Vladimir III Владимир III Мстиславич	1132 – 1173	Spring 1167	Spring 1167	Son of Mstislav I Younger brother of Iziaslav II and Rostislav I	Rurikids
Mstislav II Мстислав Изяславич	1125 – 1170	19 May 1167	12 March 1169	Restored	Rurikids

In 1169 Vladimir-Suzdal troops took Kiev. This act underlined the declining importance of that city.

Grand Princes of Vladimir

The state of Vladimir-Suzdal (formally the Grand Duchy of Vladimir) became dominant among the various petty principalities to form from the dissolution of the Kievan Rus' state. The title of Grand Prince of Vladimir became one of the three titles (along with Kiev and Novgorod) possessed by the most important rulers among the Russian nobility. While Vladimir enjoyed hegemony for a time, it too disintegrated into a series of petty states. The most important of these became Grand Duchy of Moscow, which itself eventually evolved into the Tsardom of Russia.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Andrey I Андрей Боголюбский	1110 – 1174	15 May 1157	29 June 1174	Son of Yuri I	Rurikids
Mikhail I Михаил	12th century	1174	September 1174	Son of Yuri I Younger brother of Andrey I	Rurikids
Yaropolk III Ярополк Ростиславич	12th century	1174	15 June 1175	Grandson of Vladimir II	Rurikids
Mikhail I Михаил	12th century	15 June 1175	20 June 1176	Restored	Rurikids
Vsevolod III Все́волод III Ю́рьевич Большо́е Гнездо́	1154 – 1212	June 1176	15 April 1212	Son of Yuri I and Helene Younger brother of Andrey I and Mikhail I	Rurikids
Yuri II Ю́рий II	1189 – 1238	1212	27 April 1216	Son of Vselovod III and Maria Shvarnovna	Rurikids
Konstantin of Rostov Константи́н Все́володович	1186 – 1218	Spring 1216	2 February 1218	Son of Vsevolod III and Maria Shvarnovna Elder brother of Yuri II	Rurikids
Yuri II Ю́рий II	1189 – 1238	February 1218	4 March 1238	Restored	Rurikids
Yaroslav II Яросла́в II Все́володович	1191 – 1246	1238	30 September 1246	Son of Vsevolod III and Maria Shvarnovna Younger brother of Yuri II and Konstantin of Rostov	Rurikids
Sviatoslav III Святослав III Всеволодович	1196 – 3 February 1252	1246	1248	Son of Vsevolod III and Maria Shvarnovna Younger brother of Yuri II, Konstantin of Rostov and Yaroslav II	Rurikids
Mikhail Khorobrit Михайл Ярославич Хоробрит	1229 – 15 January 1248	1248	15 January 1248	Son of Yaroslav II	Rurikids
Sviatoslav III Святослав III Всеволодович	1196 – 3 February 1252	1248	1249	Restored	Rurikids
Andrey II Андрей Ярославич	1221 – 1264	December 1249	24 July 1252	Son of Yaroslav II Elder brother of Mikhail Khorobrit	Rurikids
Alexander Nevsky Алекса́ндр Яросла́вич Не́вский	1220 – 1263	1252	14 November 1263	Son of Yaroslav II and Rostislava Mstislavna, daughter of Kievan Rus' Prince Mstislav Mstislavich the Bold Elder brother of Mikhail Khorobrit and Andrey II	Rurikids
Yaroslav III Ярослав Ярославич	1230 – 1272	1264	1271	Son of Yaroslav II and Fedosia Igorevna Younger brother of Alexander Nevsky, Andrey II and Mikhail Khorobrit	Rurikids
Vasily of Kostroma Василий Ярославич	1241 – 1276	1272	January 1277	Son of Yaroslav II	Rurikids
Dmitry of Pereslavl Дмитрий Александрович	1250 – 1294	1277	1281	Son of Alexander Nevsky	Rurikids
Andrey III Андрей Александрович	1255 – 1304	1281	December 1283	Son of Alexander Nevsky Younger brother of Dmitry of Pereslavl	Rurikids
Dmitry of Pereslavl Дмитрий Александрович	1250 – 1294	December 1283	1293	Restored	Rurikids
Andrey III Андрей Александрович	1255 – 1304	1293	1304	Restored	Rurikids
Michael of Tver Михаил Ярославич	1271 – 1318	Autumn 1304	22 November 1318	Son of Yaroslav III and Xenia of Tarusa	Rurikids
Yuri III Юрий Данилович	1281 – 1325	1318	2 November 1322	Grandson of Alexander Nevsky	Rurikids
Dmitry of Tver Дми́трий Миха́йлович Тверcко́й	1299 – 1326	1322	15 September 1326	Son of Michael of Tver and Anna of Kashin	Rurikids
Alexander of Tver Александр Михайлович Тверской	1281 – 1339	1326	1327	Son of Michale of Tver and Anna of Kashin Elder brother of Dmitry of Tver	Rurikids
Alexander of Suzdal Александр Суздале	14th century	1328	1331	Grandson of Andrey II	Rurikids
Ivan I Ива́н I Дании́лович Калита́	1288 – 1340	1332	31 March 1340	Grandson of Alexander Nevsky Son of Daniel of Moscow	Rurikids

After 1331, the title of the Grand Princes of Vladimir was assigned to the Princes of Moscow.

Grand Princes of Moscow

Alexander Nevsky, Grand Prince of Vladimir, placed his youngest son Daniel in charge of the territory around Moscow, and establishing the state of Muscovy, originally a vassal state to Vladimir-Suzdal. Daniel's son Ivan I assumed the title of Vladimir himself, establishing Muscovy as the premier principality among the various Russian states. Later rulers of Muscovy consolidated power, culminating with Ivan III who threw off the Mongol yoke and conquered most of the other Russian states. His son Vasili III completed the task of uniting all of Russia by eliminating the last few independent states in the 1520s. Vasili's son Ivan the Terrible formalized the situation by assuming the title Tsar of All Russias in 1547.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Daniel of Moscow Даниил Александрович	1261 – 4 March 1303	1283	4 March 1303	Son of Alexander Nevsky and Maria	Rurikids
Yury of Moscow Юрий Данилович	1281 – 21 November 1325	4 March 1303	21 November 1325	Son of Daniel Elder brother of Ivan I	Rurikids
Ivan I Ива́н I Дании́лович Калита́	1288 – 1340	1332	31 March 1340	He was a successor of Alexander of Suzdal as Grand Prince of Vladimir and a successor of Yury of Moscow as Grand Prince of Moscow	Rurikids
Simeon of Moscow Семён Иванович Гордый	7 November 1316 – 27 April 1353	31 March 1340	27 April 1353	Son of Ivan I and Helena	Rurikids
Ivan II Иван II Иванович Красный	30 March 1326 – 13 November 1359	27 April 1353	13 November 1359	Son of Ivan I and Helena Younger brother of Simeon of Moscow	Rurikids
Dmitry of the Don Дми́трий Ива́нович Донско́й	12 October 1350 – 19 May 1389	13 November 1359	19 May 1389	Son of Ivan II and Alexandra Vasilyevna Velyaminova	Rurikids
Vasily I Василий I Дмитриевич	30 December 1371 – 27 February 1425	19 May 1389	27 February 1425	Son of Dmitry I and Eudoxia Dmitriyevna	Rurikids
Vasily II Василий II Васильевич Тёмный	10 March 1415 – 27 March 1462	27 February 1425	30 March 1434	Son of Vasily I and Sophia of Lithuania	Rurikids
Yury of Zvenigorod Ю́рий Дми́триевич	26 November 1374 – 5 June 1434	31 March 1434	5 June 1434	Son of Dmitry I and Eudoxia Dmitriyevna Younger brother of Vasily I	Rurikids
Vasily Kosoy Василий Юрьевич Косой	1421 – 1435	5 June 1434	1435	Son of Yury of Zvenigorod	Rurikids
Vasily II Василий II Васильевич Тёмный	10 March 1415 – 27 March 1462	1435	1446	Restored	Rurikids
Dmitry Shemyaka Дмитрий Юрьевич Шемяка	15th century	1446	26 March 1447	Son of Yury of Zvenigorod	Rurikids
Vasily II Василий II Васильевич Тёмный	10 March 1415 – 27 March 1462	27 February 1447	27 March 1462	Restored	Rurikids
Ivan III Иван III Васильевич	22 January 1440 – 6 November 1505	5 April 1462	6 November 1505	Son of Vasily II and Maria of Borovsk	Rurikids
Vasily III Василий III Иванович	25 March 1479 – 13 December 1533	6 November 1505	13 December 1533	Son of Ivan III and Sophia Paleologue	Rurikids
Ivan IV Ива́н Васи́льевич	25 August 1530 – 28 March 1584	Grand Prince: 13 December 1533 Tsar: 26 January 1547	Grand Prince: 26 January 1547 Tsar: 28 March 1584	Son of Vasily III and Elena Glinskaya	Rurikids

Tsars of Russia, 1547–1721

From the rule of Ivan III, the Grand Duchy of Moscow effectively became the dominant Russian state, overthrowing the Golden Horde, consolidating all remaining Russian principalities under itself, and conquering lands far from its roots in the city of Moscow. While Ivan III became effective ruler over the entirety of Russia, the situation was not formally recognized until his grandson Ivan the IV assumed the title Tsar in 1547, when the state of Russia (apart from its constituent principalities) came into formal being.

Dates are listed in the Old Style, which continued to be used in Russia until the revolution.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Ivan IV Ива́н Васи́льевич Ivan the Terrible	25 August 1530 – 28 March 1584	Grand Prince: 13 December 1533 Tsar: 26 January 1547	Grand Prince: 26 January 1547 Tsar: 28 March 1584	Son of Vasily III and Elena Glinskaya	Rurikids
Simeon Bekbulatovich Симеон Бекбулатович	16th / 17th centuries	1575	1576	Muslim-born Khan of Qasim Khanate Proclaimed Grand Prince of All Rus' in 1575 and abdicated within a year	Qasim
Feodor I Фёдор I Иванович	31 May 1557 – 17 January 1598	28 March 1584	17 January 1598	Son of Ivan IV and Anastasia Romanovna	Rurikids

Time of Troubles

Following the death of the Feodor I, the son of Ivan the Terrible and the last of the Rurik dynasty, Russia fell into a succession crisis known as the Time of Troubles. As Feodor left no male heirs, the Russian Zemsky Sobor (feudal parliament) elected his brother-in-law Boris Godunov to be Tsar. Devastated by famine, rule under Boris descended into anarchy. A series of impostors, known as the False Dmitriys, each claimed to be Feodor's long deceased younger brother; however, only the first impostor ever legitimately held the title of Tsar. A distant Rurikid cousin, Vasili Shuyskiy, also took power for a time. During this period, foreign powers deeply involved themselves in Russian politics, under the leadership of the Vasa monarchs of Sweden and Poland-Lithuania, including Sigismund III Vasa and his son Władysław IV Vasa. As a child, Władysław was even chosen as Tsar by the Seven Boyars, though he was prevented by his father from formally taking the throne. The Time of Troubles is considered to have ended with the election of Michael Romanov to the throne, who established the Romanov dynasty that would rule Russia until the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Boris Godunov Бори́с Фёдорович Годуно́в	ca. 1551 – 13 April 1605	21 February 1598	13 April 1605	Brother-in-law of Feodor I Chosen by Zemsky Sobor	Godunov
Feodor II Фёдор II Борисович	1589 – 20 June 1605	13 April 1605	10 June 1605	Son of Boris Godunov and Maria Grigorievna Skuratova-Belskaya	Godunov
Dmitriy I Дмитрий Иванович	ca. 1581 – 17 May 1606	10 June 1605	17 May 1606	Claimed to be son of Ivan IV Backed by Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth	Rurikids (claimed)
Vasily IV Василий IV Иванович Шуйский	22 September 1552 – 12 September 1612	19 May 1606	17 July 1610 (deposed)	Ninth generation descendant of Andrei II in the male line	Rurikids
Vladislav I Władysław IV Waza	9 June 1595 – 20 May 1648	6 September 1610	November 1612 (deposed) 14 June 1634 (resigned his claim)	King of Poland Son of Sigismund III Vasa and Anne of Austria, Queen of Poland	Vasa

House of Romanov

The Time of Troubles came to a close with the election of Michael Romanov as Tsar in 1613. Michael officially reigned as Tsar, though his father, the Patriarch Philaret (died 1633) initially held the real power. However, Michael's descendents would rule Russia, first as Tsars and later as Emperors, until the Russian Revolution of 1917. Peter the Great (reigned 1682-1725), a grandson of Michael Romanov, reorganized the Russian state along more Western lines, establishing the Russian Empire in 1721.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Michael I Михаи́л Фёдорович Рома́нов	12 July 1596 – 12 July 1645	26 July 1613	12 July 1645	Founder of Romanov Dynasty First cousin once removed of Feodor I	Romanov
Alexis I Алексе́й Миха́йлович	9 May 1629 – 29 January 1676	12 July 1645	29 January 1676	Son of Michael I and Eudoxia Streshneva	Romanov
Feodor III Фёдор III Алексеевич	9 June 1661 – 7 May 1682	29 January 1676	7 May 1682	Son of Alexis I and Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya	Romanov
Sophia Alekseyevna Со́фья Алексе́евна	17 September 1657 – 3 July 1704	17 May 1682	27 August 1689	Daughter of Alexis I and Maria Miloslavskaya Elder sister of Feodor III She ruled as a regent of Ivan V and Peter I	Romanov
Ivan V Иван V Алексеевич	6 September 1666 – 8 February 1696	2 June 1682	8 February 1696	Son of Alexis I and Maria Miloslavskaya Younger brother of Sophia Alekseyevna and Feodor III He ruled jointly with Peter I	Romanov
Peter I Пётр Вели́кий	9 June 1672 – 8 February 1725	Tsar: 2 June 1682 Emperor: 2 November 1721	Tsar: 2 November 1721 Emperor: 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	Romanov

Emperors of Russia, 1721–1917, 1922

(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 Romanov dynasty until the Russian Revolution of 1917. 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, 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, a daughter of Peter the Great. Elizabeth would be the last of the direct Romanovs to rule Russia. Elizabeth declared her nephew, Peter, to be her heir. Peter (who would rule as 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 succession laws which governed the rules of primogeniture over the Imperial throne until the fall of the Empire in 1917.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Peter I Пётр Вели́кий Peter the Great	9 June 1672 – 8 February 1725	Tsar: 2 June 1682 Emperor: 2 November 1721	Tsar: 2 November 1721 Emperor: 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	Romanov
Catherine I Екатери́на I Алексе́евна	15 April 1684 – 17 May 1727	8 February 1725	17 May 1727	Wife of Peter I	Skowroński
Peter II Пётр II Алексеевич	23 October 1715 – 30 January 1730	18 May 1727	30 January 1730	Grandson of Peter I	Romanov
Anna Анна Иоанновна	7 February 1693 – 28 October 1740	13 February 1730	28 October 1740	Daughter of Ivan V	Romanov
Ivan VI Иван VI	23 August 1740 – 16 July 1764	28 October 1740	6 December 1741	Great-grandson of Ivan V Imprisoned and later murdered	Brunswick-Bevern
Elizabeth Елизаве́та	29 December 1709 – 5 January 1762	6 December 1741	5 January 1762	Daughter of Peter I and Catherine I	Romanov
Peter III Пётр III Фëдорович	21 February 1728 – 17 July 1762	9 January 1762	9 July 1762	Grandson of Peter I Murdered	Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
Catherine II Екатерина Алексеевна Catherine the Great	2 May 1729 – 17 November 1796	9 July 1762	17 November 1796	Wife of Peter III	Ascania
Paul I Па́вел I Петро́вич	1 October 1754 – 23 March 1801	17 November 1796	23 March 1801	Son of Peter III and Catherine II Assassinated	Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
Alexander I Александр Павлович	23 December 1777 – 1 December 1825	23 March 1801	1 December 1825	Son of Paul I and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg First Romanov King of Poland and Grand Prince of Finland	Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
Constantine Pavlovich Константи́н Па́влович	27 April 1779 – 27 June 1831	1 December 1825	26 December 1825	Son of Paul I and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg Younger brother of Alexander I Uncrowned (abdicated the throne)	Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
Nicholas I Николай I Павлович	6 July 1796 – 2 March 1855	1 December 1825	2 March 1855	Son of Paul I and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg Younger brother of Alexander I and Constantine Pavlovich	Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
Alexander II Алекса́ндр II Никола́евич	29 April 1818 – 13 March 1881	2 March 1855	13 March 1881	Son of Nicholas I and Alexandra Feodrovna Assassinated	Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
Alexander III Алекса́ндр III	10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894	13 March 1881	1 November 1894	Son of Alexander II and Maria Alexandrovna	Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
Nicholas II Николай II	18 May 1868 – 17 July 1918	1 November 1894	15 March 1917	Son of Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna Abdicated the throne during the February Revolution Executed by Bolsheviks	Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
Nikolai Nikolaevich	6 November 1856 – 5 January 1929	8 August 1922	25 October 1922	Grandson of Nicholas I Proclaimed Emperor of Russia by the Zemsky Sobor of the Provisional Priamurye Government. His nominal rule came to an end when the areas controlled by the Provisional Priamurye Government were overrun by the communists.	Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov

See List of leaders of Russia for the continuation of leadership.

Pretenders to the Russian throne since 1917

See also

• Family tree of the Russian rulers
• List of heads of government of Russia
• List of leaders of the Soviet Union
• List of leaders of the Russian SFSR
• Premier of the Soviet Union
• List of presidents of Russia
• Prime Minister of Russia

References

External links

• Godunov to Nicholas II by Saul Zaklad
• (in Russian) Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal
• Timeline of Russian Emperors and Empresses
• History of Russian imperial titles. Bibliography