After the victory in the Northern War and the signing of the Peace of Nishtadt, Peter I assumed the title of emperor, and Russia was proclaimed an empire. The country secured access to the Baltic Sea and became an influential European power. Peter the Great continued his reforms aimed at strengthening the central government, developing industry, the army and navy, and creating a new system of government.

Catherine II continued her policy of modernizing and strengthening the empire. She carried out administrative reforms, stimulated the development of the economy and culture, and actively expanded borders. During her reign, three partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place (1772, 1793, 1795), as a result of which Russia annexed the territories of modern Belarus, Lithuania, and western Ukraine. Also in 1783, Russia annexed Crimea.

Napoleonic France invaded Russia, but was defeated during the Patriotic War. The key events were the Battle of Borodino and the fire in Moscow. In 1814, Russian troops entered Paris. The victory over Napoleon consolidated the international status of Russia, which became an important part of the Vienna System and the Holy Alliance in Europe.

Armed action of officers and nobles on December 14, 1825 in St. Petersburg. The Decembrists tried to prevent the accession of Emperor Nicholas I to the throne and advocated the abolition of serfdom and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy or republic in Russia.

Emperor Alexander II carried out large-scale reforms, including the abolition of serfdom. This event liberated more than 20 million peasants and became an important step towards the modernization of Russia. Alexander II also carried out judicial, military, zemstvo and educational reforms, which contributed to the development of the economy and the growth of civil society.

Russia expanded its borders to the south and east, annexing vast territories of Central Asia to the empire. This strengthened Russian influence in the region and created the basis for further expansion towards China and Persia. However, it also increased the tension in relations with the British Empire.

Russia was defeated by Japan in the struggle for control of Manchuria and Korea. The war ended with the signing of the Peace of Portsmouth. This defeat became the catalyst for the 1905 revolution, which led to the creation of the State Duma and the restriction of autocratic power.

Large-scale reforms have caused unrest across the country. Nicholas II issued a Manifesto on October 17, in which he proclaimed the creation of the State Duma and the expansion of civil liberties. However, the emperor continued to retain significant influence on politics, and many reforms were limited in their implementation.

Russia entered the war on the side of the Entente, but faced serious difficulties at the front and in the rear. Huge losses, the economic crisis and discontent with the policy of Nicholas II caused a sharp increase in discontent in society. This led to an aggravation of the political crisis.

The February revolution led to the overthrow of the monarchy in Russia. Nicholas II abdicated the throne, and the Provisional Government came to power. A republic was established in the country, but instability and the ongoing war led to increased tensions.

As a result of the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, overthrew the Provisional Government and seized power in Russia. This event marked the end of the Russian Empire and the beginning of the Soviet period in the country's history. The Bolsheviks proclaimed Soviet power and set a course for the socialist transformation of society.