Russian Tsars and Monarchs photograph collection, approximately 1870

According to the 12th-century "Primary Chronicle," Rurik was a Varangian chieftain of the Rus' people who gained control of Ladoga in 862 and built the Holmgard settlement near Novgorod. He was the founder of the Rurik Dynasty and reigned from 862-879.

Also known as Oleg of Novgorod, he was a Varangian prince who seized control of Kiev from Askold, a prince of Kiev, laying the foundation of the powerful state of Kievan Rus'. He reigned from 882-912.

Also known as Igor I, he was a Varangian and the son of Rurik, the first ruler of Rus'. Due to his excesive greed in collecting tributes from the Drevlians, they killed him in 945. There is controversy about when he reigned, some sources citing that he reigned from 913?-945, while others cite from 941-945.

Also known as Saint Olga and Saint Helga, she is known for her obliteration of the Drevlians, a tribe that killed her husband Igor, the Grand Duke of Kiev in 945. Their son, Sviatoslav Igorevich was only 3 years old when his father Igor I died, and she reigned as regent of Kievan Rus' for her son until he was 15 years old from 945 until 960. Her efforts to spread Christianity through the Rus’ earned Olga veneration as a saint. She also changed the system of tribute gathering (poliudie) in the first legal reform recorded in Eastern Europe.

Also known as Sviatoslav I of Kiev, he is famous for his persistent campaigns in the east and south. His efforts precipitated the collapse of two great powers of Eastern Europe: Khazaria and the First Bulgarian Empire; and creating the largest state in Europe. Although he died at age 30, he accomplished much in the last decade of his life. After his death, his conquests were not consolidated into a functioning empire and no stable succession existed, causing a fratricidal feud among his three sons.

Also known as Vladimir the Great and Saint Vladimir, he was the natural and the youngest son of Sviatoslav Igorevich who designated him ruler of Novgorod, and he gave Kiev to Yaropolk, his legitimate son. After Sviatoslav's death, a fratricidal war erupted in 976 between Yaropolk and his younger brother Oleg, ruler of the Drevlians and ultimately, both men were killed, leaving Vladimir ruler of Kievan Rus' from 980 to 1015.

Also know as Iaroslav the Wise, he was grand prince of Novgorod and Kiev three separate times, and united the two principalities for a time. Under Iaroslav, the codification of legal customs and princely enactments had begun, with this work serving as the basis for the legal code called the "Russkaya Pravda." During his reign, from 1016-1018, and then restored from 1019 -1054, Kievan Rus' reached the zenith of its cultural flowering and military power.

Also known as Prince of Turov, he was one of the authors of "Pravda Yaroslavichiv," part of "Russkaya Pravda," the first legal code of Rus'. He is also credited with the foundation of the Kiev Pechersk Monastery, also know as the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, a preeminent center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe.

Also known as Vsevolod I of Kiev. After his father Iziaslav Iaroslavich's death in 1078, he ruled as Grand Prince of Kiev until his death in 1093, uniting the three core principalities—Kiev, Chernigov and Pereyaslavl—into Kievan Rus'.

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Also known as Sviatopolk II Iziaslavich, he was supreme ruler of Kievan Rus' for 20 years, from 1093 to 1113. Not a popular prince, his reign was marked by incessant rivalry.

Also known as Vladimir II Monomakh, he ruled Chernigov from 1078 to 1094, restoring order in family feuds and assuming a leading role among the princes of Rus' at conferences held to avert perpetual warfare among themselves. His "Instruction," also known as his “Testament,” constitutes the earliest known example of Old Russian literature written by a layman. In 1113, he began his reign as Grand Duke of Kiev, ending with his death in 1125. He promulgated a number of reforms to address the social tensions in Kiev. These years saw the last flowering of Kievan Rus', which was torn apart 10 years after his death.

Also known as Mstislav I of Kiev, he was the Grand Prince of Kiev from 1125–1132. His life was spent in constant warfare with the Cumans, the Estonians, the Lithuanians, and the princedom of Polotsk, and was last ruler of a united land of Rus.' During his lifetime, he built numerous churches in both Novgorod and Kiev. Under the name Harald, he appears in the Norse Sagas, alluding to his grandfather, Harold II of England.

Also known as Yaropolk II Vladimirovich, the crown of Kiev was passed on to him following the death of his brother, Mstislav I of Kiev and he reigned from 1132-1139. Although a brave warrior and capable military commander, he was a weak politician who failed to stop the disintegration of the state into separate principalities.

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Also known as Vsevolod II Olgovich, he served as the Grand Prince of Kiev from 1139–1146. Although he had two sons, Vsevolod's chosen successor was his brother Igor. Shortly before his death, he became a monk, taking the name Gavrill.

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Also known as Iziaslav II Mstislavich, he served as Grand Prince of Kiev from 1146–1149 and was restored from 1151–1154. Amidst contentious family feuds, Iziaslav's reign was exceptional. In1147, he ordered a synod of bishops to install Kliment Smolyatich, a native Russian, as metropolitan of Kiev in an attempt to establish the independence of the Russian church. Prior to this, all except one of the 13 metropolitans were Greek.

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Also known as Yuri Dolgorukiy and Yuri the Long Armed, he was a Rurikid prince and founded of the city of Moscow. In 1132, following the death of his elder brother Mstislav the Great, he played a key role in the transition of political power from Kiev to Suzdal . Although interested in fortifying the northern areas, he coveted the throne of Kiev and reigned as Grand Prince of Kiev from 1149 to 1151. He was restored as a tzar of Kiev from 1155 to 1157.

Also known as Andrei I Yurevich, Andrey Bogolyubsky and Andrey the Pious, he was Grand Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal from 1157 to 1174. His reign saw the decline of Kiev's rule over northeastern Russian, the rise of Vladimir as the new capital city, and the development of government and Christianity in the forest region. As his authority grew, so did conflicts with the boyers, resulting in his murder in 1174.

Also know as the Grand Prince of Vladimir and Vsevolod the Big Nest (for his fourteen children), during his long reign from 1176-1212, the city reached the zenith of its' glory.

Also known as George II of Vladimir and Georgy II Vsevolodovich, he presided over Vladimir-Suzdal from 1212-1216 and again from 1218-1238, during the time of the Mongol invasions of Rus'. He was killed in 1238 in the Battle of the Sit River, when vast Mongol hordes defeated the army of Vladimir-Suzdal.

He was the Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1238–1246 and helped to restore the cities of Kievan Rus' including Vladimir-Suzdal after the Mongol invasion of Rus'.

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Also known as St. Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky, he was Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1252-1263. He halted the eastward drive into Rus' of the Germans and Swedes but collaborated with the Mongols in imposing their rule. He was canonized as a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church by Metropolite Macarius in 1547.

Also known as Yaroslav III Yaroslavich or Yaroslav of Tver, he was the first Prince of Tver and the tenth Grand Prince of Vladimir, reigning from 1264 to 1271.

Also known as Vasily of Kostroma, he was a Grand Duke of Vladimir from 1272 to 1276. In 1246, he was given Kostroma by his uncle Svyatoslav III, then in 1272, he took over Vladimir, followed by Novgorod the following year. He was one of the first princes who preferred to stay in Kostroma, although he was the Grand Duke of Vladimir.

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Also known as Dmitry of Pereslavl, he was the second son of St. Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky. He was the Grand Duke of Vladimir-Suzdal from 1277-1281, and again from 1283-1293. During his reigns, the fratricidal hostilities with his younger brother, Andrey Gorodets caused the throne to be fought for between the two.

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Also known as Andrey of Gorodets and the younger brother of Dmitry of Pereslav, he joined the Mongol army in 1281 and expelled his brother from Vladimir that same year. In 1283, this brother, Dmitry of Pereslavl, was reinstated as Grand Duke of Vladimir until 1293, when his younger brother pillaged 14 Russian towns and forced him to abdicate. Andrey III then reigned as Duke of Vladimir from 1293 -1304.

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Also known as Mikhail Yaroslavich and Mikhail of Tver, he ruled as Grand Prince of Vladimir from1304-1314, and again from 1315-1318. He is known for his anti-Mongol Golden Horde policies and his rivalry with Moscow, which eventually cost him his life.

Also known as Ivan I Daniilovich Kalita and Ivan Kalita, he was the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1325-1340 and Grand Duke of Vladimir from 1332-1340. His policies increased Moscow's power and made it the richest principality in northeastern Russia. He acquired a reputation for thrift and financial shrewdness, earning him the nickname of Kalita, or Moneybag.

Also known as Simeon Ivanovich Gordiy and Simeon the Proud, he was the son of Ivan Kalita. He served as Prince of Moscow and Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1340-1353 and continued his father's policies of increasing the power and prestige of the state.

Also known as Ivan II of Moscow and Ivan the Red, he was both the Grand Prince of Moscow and Vladimir beginning in 1353, when he succeeded his brother Simeon the Proud, who died of the Black Death. He reigned until 1359, and annexed areas southwest of Moscow, including Borovsk and Vereya.

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Also known as Dmitry, Demetrius, and Dmitry of the Don, he reigned from 1359-1389. He was the first prince of Moscow to openly challenge Mongol authority in Russia and his nickname, Dmitry of the Don, alludes to his victorious battle against the Tatars on the Don River in 1380.

Also known as Vasily I of Moscow, he reigned between 1389-1395, and again in 1412-1425. The Mongols raided the region in 1395, creating a state of anarchy and threating the independence of Moscow. Through several alliances, he then reinstated himself in 1412.

Photograph identified as Basile II on mounting.

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Also known as Vasily Vasiliyevich, Vasily II the Blind and Vasily the Dark, his long reign from 1425-1462 was plagued by the greatest civil wars of the era. The bitter struggles for power between Vasily II against his uncle and cousins caused him to temporarily lose his throne, as well as being blinded.

Photograph identified as Basile III l'Aveugle on mounting.

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Also known as Ivan III Vasilyevich and Ivan the Great, he was both the Grand Prince of Moscow and the Grand Prince of all Rus. His 43 year reign was one of the longest in Russian history, during which he ended the dominance of Mongols/Tatars over Russia, tripled the territory and laid the foundations of the Russian state.

Also know as Vasili III Ivanovich. Although he reigned as the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1505 to 1533, much of what he did was to continue the policies of his father, Ivan III and consolidate Ivan's gains.

Photograph identified as Basile IV on mounting, although Vasili IV (PH. Coll. 452.38) was also identified as Basile IV.

Also known as Ivan Vasilyevich and Ivan the Terrible, he reigned as Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 until 1547, when he was crowned the Czar of Rus'. During his reign, although he implemented some reforms, he carried out the first mass repressions in Russia and waged many wars to expand the country's territory.

Also known as Fyodor I Ivanovich and Feodor the Bellringer, he was the son of Ivan the Terrible and the last Rurikid Tsar of Russia, ending the Rurikid dynasty. Lacking interest in government affairs, during his reign the country was effectively administered in his name by the de facto regent, Boris Godunov, the brother of his wife Irina.

After serving as the de facto regent from 1585-1598, upon the death Czar Fyodor I Ivanovich, the Zemsky Sobor (the Russian feudal parliament), elected Boris Fyodorovich Godunov the first non-Rurikid tsar in 1598. His reign ended in 1605 and with it, Russia descended into the Time of Troubles.

Also known as Vasily IV, Vasily Ivanovich, Vasily Shuiskii, Vassili Chouisk, and Basil IV, he was the only member of the House of Shuiskii to become Tsar, and the last member of the Rurikid dynasty to rule until end of the monarchy. He reigned from 1606-1610.

Photograph identified as Basile Chouiski on mounting,

Also known as Michael I and Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, he became the first Russian Tsar of the House of Romanov. His reign from 1613-1645 saw the greatest territorial expansion in Russian history.

Also known as Alexis I, and Alexis the Quiet or Peaceful, he reigned from 1645-1676. During his rein, there were wars with Poland and Sweden, a schism in the Russian Orthodox Church and a major Cossack rebellion; yet the territory of Russia continued to expand.

Also known as Feodor III Alexeyevich, he ascended the throne as a young man in poor health, yet during his reign from 1676-1682, he fostered the development of Western culture in Russia. Under his influence, the system by which a noble was appointed to a service position on the basis of family rank was abolished.

Regent of Russia from 1682-1689, she brutally eliminated her opponents and ruled autocratically with her chief counselor and lover, Vasily V. Gallitzin. When it was rumored that she intended to kill Peter I and proclaim herself sole ruler, he summoned the nobles and his loyal guards, overthrew the regency and had Sophia confined in a convent. Her political activities were extraordinary, as Muscovite women usually kept themselves aloof from politics

Also known as Peter the Great and Peter Alexeyevich, he jointly ruled as Tsar with his elder brother Ivan V from 1682 until Ivan V died in1696. He then continued as Tsar until 1721, then becoming Emperor in 1721 until his death in 1725. During his reign, he undertook extensive reforms, overcoming opposition from the country's medieval aristocracy and initiating a series of changes affecting all areas of Russian life.

Also known as Catherine Alexeyevna and Marta Helena Skowrońska, she was the second wife of Peter the Great and became Empress of Russia upon his death in from 1725, reigning until her death in 1727. Catherine I was the first woman to rule Imperial Russia, opening the legal path for a century almost entirely dominated by women, all of whom continued Peter the Great's policies in modernizing Russia.

Also known as Pyotr Alekseyevich, grandson of Peter the Great, he ascended to the throne in 1727 when he was eleven years old, reigning until 1730 when he died. Due in large part to his youth, Peter's short reign was marked by the efforts of various nobles and clans to gain influence over him. With Peter's death, the direct male line of the Romanov Dynasty ended.

Also known as Anna Ioannovna , Anna Ivanovna and sometimes anglicized as Anne, ruled as Empress of Russia from 1730-1740. Much of Anna's administration was influenced by the actions of her uncle, Peter the Great, continuing the move toward Westernization. Measures passed during her reign generally favored the nobility and within Russia, it is often referred to as a "dark era."

Also known as Elizaveta Petrovna, Yelisaveta or Elizaveta, she was the Empress of Russia from 1741 to 1762. Under her reign, the Russian court was considered the most splendid in Europe, displaying her notorious extravagance. She also displayed keen judgement and diplomatic tack, leading the country during two major European conflicts, the War of Austrian Succession (1740–48) and the Seven Years' War (1756–63).

Also known as Pyotr III Fyodorovich and Karl Peter Ulrich of Herzog von Holstein-Gottorp. As an orphan, he was brought to Russia from Germany in 1742 by his aunt, Empress Elizabeth who then declared him her heir. After her death in 1762, he reigned for only 6 months. On July 9, 1762, he was overthrown as result of a conspiracy led by his German wife, Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, who succeeded him to the throne as Catherine II.

Also known as Catherine the Great, she born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbs. She was the Empress of Russia from 1762-1796 and the country's longest ruling female leader. Under her reign, Russia was revitalized, growing larger and stronger, and was recognized as one of the great powers of Europe.

Also known as Pavel Petrovich and Pavel I, he reigned from 1796-1801, ending with his assassination. Although the supposed son of Catherine the Great and Peter III, he was raised by his father's aunt, Empress Elizabeth, creating a difficult familial relationships. During his reign, he overturned many of his mother's policies, provoking the hostility of the nobles and ultimately his assassination.

Also known as Aleksandr Pavlovich and Alexander the Blessed, he reigned from 1801-1825. His greatest achievement was his victory over Napoleon, who unsuccessfuly attacked Russia in 1812. He then played a role in determining the political restructuring of post-Napoleonic Europe.

Also known as Nikolay I Pavlovich, he reigned from 1825-1855. He was considered one of the most reactionary of Russia’s monarchs, a symbol of militancy and oppression. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire had reached its geographical high point, spanning over 20 million square kilometers (7.7 million square miles), but had a desperate need for reform.