Historical Biographies Russia

Here is the tumultuous, heartrending, true story of the Romanovs - at once an intimate portrait of Russia's last royal family and a gripping account of its undoing. Using captivating photos and compelling first person accounts, award-winning author Candace Fleming (Amelia Lost; The Lincolns) deftly maneuvers between the imperial family’s extravagant lives and the plight of Russia's poor masses, making this an utterly mesmerizing listen as well as a perfect resource for meeting Common Core standards.

Ragnar Lothbrok was a legendary warrior who left a legacy among the Vikings like none other. Today's popular TV show may have popularized Ragnar's story, but the real facts are not very well known. Discover the truth behind this Viking warrior and the rich history of the Vikings.

Prize-winning historian and biographer, Carolly Erickson has created an eminently readable biography that recognizes the humanity of Great Catherine—Empress of Russia—with her majesty and immense capability. Dispelling some of the myths surrounding her voracious sexual appetite, the biographer portrays Catherine as a lonely woman far ahead of her time—achieving greatness in an era when women were executed on a husband’s whim.

Described as the 'most beautiful princess in Europe', and a woman 'capable of arousing profane passion', this is the story of a woman whose life combined privilege and tragedy, love and riches, conviction and courage, humanity and inhumanity.

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Romanov Sisters, Caught in the Revolution is Helen Rappaport's masterful telling of the outbreak of the Russian Revolution through eyewitness accounts left by foreign nationals who saw the drama unfold.

The Kremlin intrigues, the private worlds of the Soviet Empire's ruling class, Radzinsky thrillingly brings them to life. And the riddle of that most cold-blooded of leaders, a man for whom nothing was sacred in his pursuit of absolute might, and perhaps the greatest mass murderer in Western history, is solved.

In this examination of Solzhenitsyn and his work, Lee Congdon explores the consequences of the atheistic socialism that drove the Russian revolutionary movement.

Tsar Nicholas I was the younger brother of his predecessor, Alexander I. He "came to represent autocracy personified: infinitely majestic, determined and powerful, hard as stone, and relentless as fate". He inherited his brother's throne despite a revolt against him, and went on to become the most reactionary of all Russian leaders, leading an agressive policy involving many expensive wars. Discover the life and struggles of this influential ruler through this precise, clear and thorough presentation.

Sixteenth-century Russia remains, for most Western audiences, a dark and terrifying space, wrapped in mystery and myth and isolated from states such as England or France, whose heroes are well-known throughout Europe. The traditional dichotomy between East and West is most apparent in the discussion of the remarkable political figures that defined this century.

A hundred years after his murder, Rasputin continues to excite the popular imagination as the personification of evil. The spectre of the lustful Siberian holy man and peasant still casts its eerie shadow over Russia's bloody 20th century. Numerous biographies, novels, and films recount his mysterious rise to power as Nicholas and Alexandra's confidant and guardian of the sickly heir to the throne.

From the court of Imperial Russia to Foxley Manor in Herefordshire, the story begins with the First World War. Part One takes the listener through the Russian Revolution to the formation of the Second Polish Republic and the Polish-Bolshevik war. Part Two begins at the outset to World War Two with the German invasion on September 1st, 1939, and the subsequent invasion by the Soviet Union on the 17th of the same month. The listener is taken through the early months of soviet occupation and then on to the first wave of Polish deportations to Siberia.

Tsar Alexander I was the grandson of Catherine the Great. He became Tsar after his father Paul I was murdered and ruled Russia during chaotic period of the Napoleonic Wars. In Russian history, he is known as “Alexander the Blessed”. A legendary ruler, he led his country to one of her greatest triumphs, against Napoleon, although he was often viewed as an enigma by his contemporaries. Discover the life and struggles of one of the most influential rulers through this precise, clear and thorough presentation.

امتاز غورباتشوف منذ طفولته بمهاراته التنظيمية العالية وتفانيه الكبير أثناء العمل، وأبدى ميلًا للعمل في المجال السياسي، ومع تقدمه في السن ازداد شغفه بالعمل السياسي وأصبح عضوًا بارزًا في الحزب الشيوعي الأمر الذي يعني انخراطه في المجال السياسي في سنٍّ مبكرة جدًا وسرعان ما ترقى في المسؤوليات الحزبية ليصبح أصغر رؤساء حكومات الأقاليم في البلاد عام 1970.

Catherine the Great was Empress of Russia from 1762 until 1796, the country's longest-ruling female leader. She came to power following a coup d'état when her husband, Peter III, was assassinated. Under her reign, Russia was revitalised; it grew larger and stronger, and was recognised as one of the great powers of Europe. Discover the life and struggles of one of the most influential rulers through this precise, clear and thorough presentation.

Elizabeth Petrovna was the Empress of Russia from 1741 until her death. She led the country during the War of Austrian Succession (1740-48) and the Seven Years' War (1756-63), left her mark on the service of nobility, the establishment of the Univeresidy of Moscow and the Imperial Academy of Arts; she remains one of the most popular Russian monarchs due to her strong opposition to Prussian policies and her decision not to execute a single person during her reign.

With a name like Ivan the Terrible, it comes as no surprise that historians consider this Russian Tsar a psychopath. Yet Ivan’s personality consisted of many dualities. He channeled the Medieval era as he committed mass murder, but he also reformed Russia, centralizing it and bringing it into the Renaissance. He liked to torture animals, but he could also be found in church, banging his head in repentance until it bled. This introduction to his life explores the legacy he was born into and deftly contextualizes his cruelty within the era and culture of his rule.

Alexander II was Emperor of Russia from 2 March 1855 until his assassination on 13 March 1881. He is remembered as Alexander the Liberator, as he led the emancipation of Russia's serfs; during his reign, he kept seeking peace, although the context of the surrounding countries was proving more and more difficult. Although he went down in history as a reformer, his actions were too little too late for the revolutionaries of late imperial Russia, who managed to assassinate him in 1881.

Alexander III was Emperor of Russia from 1881 until his death in 1894. He was highly conservative and reversed some of the liberal reforms of his father, Alexander II. He was a pacifist, focused on the protection of his people; mostly seen as lacking refinement and elegance, he rather relished the idea of being of the same rough texture as some of his subjects. Discover the life and struggles of this influential ruler through this precise, clear and thorough presentation.