Russian History

Watched a show about the Russian Czars this weekend.. it was about 4 hours covering from the Vikings in the 9th century up to the slaying of Nicholas II. It is amazing on the way that Russia developed.. such a large county.. that just kept getting bigger and more powerful... I found it really interesting.... both in the Politics.. about every other Czar was murdered.. often by someone close (wife, son etc.) and by the way they dealt with Russia.. So many time they were SOO close to a representative government, but the Czar would not let go...
Things I didnt know about Russian History....
The walled city of the Kermlin dates back to the 10th century (but Keiv is older)
The Mongol horde are the only people to conqure Russia as a whole (in the 11th century)
The Tartar's that still live in Russia are decentants of the Mongol's
Ivan (the terrible) build St Basils Cathedral in Moscow
Peter the great build St Petersburg as his grand city on the Baltic and it was the capital city for the Czars.
Napoleon marched across Russia with little resistance until he reached Moscow. In the first 24 hours for the battle of Moscow 75,000 men were killed. After Russsia lost Moscow, they burned it rather than let Napoleon have it. Denied of his prize Napoleon retreated to France.. his Amry weary and low on food and ammuntion. The winter came early, and hard that year. The Czar called on the Russian people to attack the foreign invaders as they retreated. Which they did with vengence! Of the 500,000 troops that Napoleon led into Russian.. only 25,000 returned alive.
Catherine the Great.... was German by birth