We all know, or think we do, that Russians have ‘empire’ lodged deep in their genes. The Russian Empire is said to have expanded faster and further than any other in history. Russia today may occupy an area smaller than at any time since the 17th century, but many believe that the country, led by Putin, is itching to recover its empire by force, fraud and subversion.
Many of these certainties are little more than myths. Kees Boterbloem’s Russia as Empire musters the facts into a coherent narrative, which is a model of clarity, brevity and cool common sense. He traces Russian history from the founding of Kiev in the ninth century through to the present (Ukrainians claim Kiev for themselves and deny Russians’ right to do the same). Despite its growing pretensions it was not until Peter the Great, at the beginning of the 18th century, successfully forced his neighbours to accept Russia as one of the five Great Powers that it formally became an empire.
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