The Romanovs

Short History Of...

Noiser

History

4.8 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 18 May 2025

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Throughout their centuries-long dynasty, the Romanovs oversaw the transformation of Russia from a fragmented medieval state, into a vast empire. Despite their power though, the period of the Romanovs was plagued by violence, assassinations, and the heavy hand of autocratic rule. Then, in 1917, the course of Russian history took an irreversible turn, and the fate of the Romanovs was changed forever. So what do we know of the lives of the Romanov family? Was it possible for monarchs such as Catherine the Great to balance Enlightenment ideals with absolute power? And did any of the family survive the infamous assassination of 1918? This is a Short History Of The Romanovs. A Noiser production, written by Nicola Rayner. With thanks to Russell E. Martin, Distinguished Professor of History at Westminster College, Pennsylvania, and author of The Tsar’s Happy Occasion: Ritual and Dynasty in the Weddings of Russia’s Rulers. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Our sponsor today is Ancestry.
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0:09.4	after almost six years of conflict.
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0:50.3	register at ancestry.co.uk. It is the dead of night on March the 13th, 1613.
1:05.0	Around 200 miles northeast of Moscow, the little town of Kostroma is sleeping.
1:12.7	All is quiet within the walls of the Ipatiav monastery,
1:16.9	a peaceful rural refuge on the banks of the Kostroma River.
1:21.3	But the arrival of some unexpected visitors is about to break the tranquility.
1:32.9	A 16-year-old boy, Michael Romanov, starts up in bed at a sudden knocking at the door. His mother is up before him, rushing to answer it. In the
1:43.0	corridor, a flickering candle lights the anxious face of a monk, who explains that a delegation has arrived from the capital demanding to speak with them.
1:51.0	Michael Cow was behind his mother, the tick in his eye triggered by this sudden disturbance.
1:58.0	She is fiercely protective of her sickly son, who has already lived through so much.
2:05.8	It is a dangerous time to be in line for the throne. Amid never-ending battles over succession,
	...

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