Russian Empire

“”The secret of politics? Make a good treaty with Russia.

— Otto von Bismarck

The Russian Empire, also known as Imperial Russia or just Russia, was a giant historical country. His land stretched from the Baltic Sea to Alaska, from Siberia to Manchuria. He even held a small African colony at one point.

The rise of the Russian Empire coincided with the decline of his rivals, which further helped Russia to spread its influence. At its greatest extent, its size was 22.8 million square kilometers, so it is about 33% bigger than its present self.

History

Expansion

In 1721, Tsardom of Russia won against the Swedish Empire, giving Russia access to the Baltic Sea and making him become the Russian Empire. Russia was still continuing on his journey to conquer all of Siberia, genociding natives and building watchtowers. The conquest was completed in 1778.

The outbreak of two Russo-Turkish wars from 1768 to 1792 made the Ottoman Empire no longer a threat to Russia. It also allowed Russia to gain more territory and extend its influence into the Balkans. Russia also took advantage of the decline of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to gain its territory, dividing it into three parts which was shared between him, Prussia, and Austrian Empire.

French Troubles

As a major European country, Russia was inevitably involved in the war with the First French Empire. In June 1812, France led an army of 600,000 to invade Russia, which was more than twice the size of Russia's regular army and was more well-equipped. But France’s army was too big and impossible to keep up the supply lines, and Russia burned his capital, Moscow, so there will be nothing to loot. France encountered the cold winter of Russia, causing France to suffer a catastrophic defeat: less than 30,000 French men returned to their homeland. As the French army retreated, the Russian army advanced into Central and Western Europe, and finally reached the gates of Paris. Russian Empire was called the savior of Europe.

In Asia

Russia forced Qing Dynasty to sign a series of unequal treaties, after that it annexed Outer Manchuria. In 1875, the Empire of Japan and Russia signed the "Sakhalin-Kuril Islands Exchange Treaty (Treaty of Saint Petersburg, 1875). Russia gave the northern part of the Kuril Islands to Japan in exchange for the sovereignty of Sakhalin. At the end of the 19th century, Russia was expanding towards Central Asia. In 1867, Russian America was sold to the United States for a very cheap price. During the Eight-Nation Alliance’s campaigns against Qing, the Russian army obtained a large amount of gold mines, coal mines and forest resources in Northeast China. From 1904 to 1905, the Japanese Empire and Russia competed for influence in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast China. This caused the Russo-Japanese War, which Russia suffered a disastrous defeat in.

Collapse

Russia participated in WW1, fighting against Germany. Germany wanted Russia out of the battlefield so thy secretly shipped Lenin to Russia to cause some turmoil. The bad working conditions and food shortages caused by the war made the workers to go on strike. Russia retreated from fighting in WW1. The workers removed the tsar monarch and replaced it with a short-lived republic.

Relations

Friends

• United States - Good friend. I sold Alaska to it. Shame that my successors hate you so much.

Enemies

• Swedish Empire - My pathetic enemy that I defeated in 1721. XAXAXA you're pathetic and I hope you die.
• Qing Dynasty - Manchuria is mine! 1911 best year!!!