Michel III Romanov
In 1598, the death of Fédor I er, the last son of Ivan the Terrible, inaugurates one period of political and social disorders which misses making sink Russia completely. The extinction of the dynasty involves a confused succession in charge of the State, certain tsars, like Boris Godounov (1598-1605), being elected by a zemski sobor - kind of general states joining together the high clergy, boyards, representatives of the men of service (cossacks) and of the townsmen -, others being usurpers, the such two Dimitri forgeries, who are made pass for one of the sons of Ivan the Terrible, actually dead in exile.
On this bottom of political disorganization, Russia, which knows a terrible famine in 1601-1602 and cholera epidemics in 1602-1603, is shaken country revolts, of which hardest is carried out by the former Bolotnikov serf in 1606-1607. Attacked by Poland and Sweden, the country ends up knowing a patriotic start in 1612-1613: under the direction of Minine and Pojarski, which organize a levy in masse, the Muscovite people drive out the Polish occupant.
The election of Michel III Romanov by the zemski sobor of 1613 signs the end of the disorders, opening one period of relative political stability, and inaugurates the dynasty of Romanov, which will remain in charge of the country until 1917.
While the power of the tsar continues and that its administration develops, the company - including the aristocracy of the boyards - is organized around the service of the State. However, to satisfy the landowners, a new Code of laws (Oulojenie) is promulgated in 1649, by which serfdom is officially instituted; the peasants from now on are attached to a ground, without authorization to escape from it. The only means for them of releasing itself is to flee towards the east (the Ural and Western Siberia) and to adapt grounds which they will be able to freely work by transferring part of their harvests in the State.
A serious religious conflict
With the XVII E century, the Russian company is confronted with a serious religious conflict: the reform implemented by the Nikon patriarch, in 1653, followed of a schism, in 1666. The revision of the holy books, the modification of the sign of cross and certain aspects of the ritual raise the opposition of the traditionalists, or “Old Believers” - part of the clergy gathered around the Avvakoum archpriest, as well as a mass the faithful sensitive ones to a more demanding design of the religion.
In front of the persecutions ordered by the tsar (Avvakoum dies as a martyr in 1682), the Old Believers flee per thousands towards the borders of the country, where they live in a semi-clandestinity. In spite of this rupture, the official Church remains all-powerful; it regulates in a very precise way the daily life of the Russians and censures the literary production.
The reign of Alexis Mikhaïlovitch (1645-1676) marks the apogee of this power of the Church, at the moment when the elites of the country know a certain occidentalization, which will go developing under the reign of Pierre the Large one (1682-1725).