Tsarist Russia refers to the period of Russian history when the country was ruled by a series of tsars (emperors) from the Romanov dynasty. It lasted from the late 16th century until the Russian Revolution in 1917.
Related terms
Siberia: A vast region in northeastern Asia that was colonized by Tsarist Russia for its natural resources and as a place of exile for political prisoners.
Serfdom: A system where peasants were bound to work on noble estates and were not able to freely move or change their social status. Serfdom was prevalent in Tsarist Russia.
Autocracy: A form of government where an individual ruler has absolute power and authority. The tsars of Tsarist Russia held autocratic rule over their empire.