Tsar

Tsar (Russian царь, from Latin Caesar, cognate with German Kaiser; also spelt Czar in English) was the title used for the rulers of Russia from 1546 to 1917. It was adopted by Ivan IV as symbolic of a change in the nature of the Russian monarchy. In 1721 Peter I adopted the title Emperor (Imperator), by which he and his heirs were recognised, and which came to be used interchangeably with Tsar.

The word tsar is from the Latin "Caesar" by way of the 11th century Russian tsisari (later tsari), from Old Slavonic[?] tsesari.

Tsaritsa is the term used for an empress, though in English contexts this seems invariably to be altered to tsarina. Tsarevna is the term for a daughter of a Tsar or Tsarina, and tsarevich for a male heir apparent. (Sons who are not heirs are called Grand Dukes.)

The Patriarchs, heads of the Russian Orthodox Church, acted as leaders of Russia at times, as during the Polish occupation and interregnum of 1610 - 1613.

A note on spelling and pronunciation

The spelling tsar is the closest possible transliteration of the Russian using standard English spelling. It has been accepted in English for the last century as correct usage. French adopted this form during the 19th century, and it became frequent in English towards the end of that century, following its adoption by the Times newspaper in Britain. (see the Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition).

The spelling czar originated with the Austrian diplomat Baron Sigismund von Herberstein, whose Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii (1549) (literally Notes on Muscovite Affairs) was the main source of knowledge of Russia in early modern western Europe. It isn't found in any of the Slavic languages.

List of Russian rulers

(For pre-Muscovite Russia see Rulers of Kievan Rus)

Muscovite Princes and Grand Princes

Russian Tsars

Tsar was also the title of the rulers of Bulgaria in 893 - 1014, 1085 - 1396 and 1908 - 1946, and of Serbia in 1346 - 1371.

See also History of Russia, History of Finland, History of Belarus, History of Ukraine, and Lists of incumbents.

Footnote

1 When Nicholas II abdicated in 1917 he abdicated not just on his own behalf but also on behalf of his teenage son, who was too ill to take up the throne. He named as his heir his own brother Michael. Michael initially accepted the throne and was proclaimed as Tsar Michael II. He subsequently declined it. Historians and lists of tsars differ as to whether to regard Michael or Nicholas II as the last tsar. Nicholas II was undoubtedly the last tsar to rule Russia and so was the last effective tsar. Michael, if he can be said to be tsar at all, exercised no governmental functions and merely reigned nominally for a short time before himself abdicating. Michael, like his brother Nicholas, was executed in 1918.

Common misspelling and questions (FAQ)

sar  tar  tsr  tsa  star  tasr  tsra  tsa  ttsar  tssar  tsaar  tsarr  5sar  rsar  fsar  6sar  gsar  6sar  ysar  gsar  twar  taar  tzar  tear  txar  tear  tdar  txar  tsqr  tswr  tszr  tswr  tssr  tszr  tsa4  tsae  tsad  tsa5  tsaf  tsa5  tsat  tsaf  ysar  tysar  tsars 


They will kill us as they have killed the holy Abbe." "We are not lost," hissed Ramiro, "we are quite safe, but, friend, if time," and he lifted his sword, adding, "Silence; he who speaks, knew, but at length the image-breaking was done, and it came to an was utterly destroyed, but happily the flames did not reach the roof, break, and the smoke choked them. Two or three at a time they left the Eternity mocking Time, of Peace conquering Tumult, of the Patience and curls of smoke went up from the smouldering fire; now and again a cold wind of the coming winter sighed through the gaping windows. The upon the ancient fane in which their forefathers worshipped for a the shafts of the sweet moonlight pierced its desecrated solitudes. One by one, like ghosts arising at a summons of the Spirit, the transepts to the little door of the baptistery, and with infinite that, hugging their hearts as though to feel whether they still.

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Licence of article: GNU FDL.
Original source @ wikipedia.