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Tsar
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{{wiktionary}}
:''For the US community of Czar, see
Czar, West Virginia.''
:''For the rock band, see
Tsar (band)
'''Tsar''' (
Bulgarian language Bulgarian,
Serbian language Serbian and
Macedonian language Macedonian ''цар'',
Russian language Russian {{Audio|ru-tsar.ogg|''царь''}}), often spelled '''Czar''' or '''Tzar''' and sometimes '''Csar''' or '''Zar''' in
English language English, was the official title, either rendered as King (the officially correct equivalent) or (informally customary in the Russian case) Emperor, used for the
autocratic
monarchs in three strong, in the political sense 'imperial', Slavonic states:
*
Bulgaria in
913-
1396/
1422 and
1908-
1946
*
Serbia between
1346 and
1371
* all
Russia from
1547 until
1721, when the higher imperial style was assumed instead, while Tsar was officially maintained only as a multiple subsidiary title of the Russian Autocrat in some of his peripheral realms, notably Georgia, Kazan, Poland and Siberia.
However, the transliteration of this title in foreign languages such as English is commonly used also, in fact chiefly, for all Russian Emperors to
1917, though this usage is technically incorrect.
Even though the word Tsar connoted like
Emperor, it was used indifferently of both emperors and kings, being officially the equivalent of the Slavonic ''krol'', ''kral'' or ''korol'', as well as the Magyar ''kiraly'', all meaning King, which had been adopted through
metathesis (linguistics) metathesis from the name of
Charlemagne (German ''Karl (der Große)'', Latin ''Carolus (Magnus)''). The last Russian ruler formally styled Tsar,
Peter the Great, at the
peace of Nystad (November 1721), assumed the Byzantine styles of
imperator (of Latin origin, somewhat exotic for the
Eastern Orthodox world) and
Autocrat, intended to mark his
empire imperial dignity as the equal of the
Roman Catholic Habsburg Monarchy Habsburg Emperor, as the '
third Rome' (after Byzantium; the
Holy Roman Empire succeeding the original
Rome in the
Western Roman Empire).
Etymology, history and spelling
The word ''tsar'' is derived from the
Greek language Greek form ''Kaisar'' of the Latin title ''
Caesar (title) Caesar'' (which has a complex history starting in the
Roman Empire Roman, ending in utter devaluation in the Byzantine Empire, which forged ever loftier princely styles for the imperial houses in its long history, commonly handed out 'honorary princeships' to 'allies' (and enemies it needed to placate) of ranks no longer high enough to be reserved for the porphyrogenetes) by way of the
Old Church Slavonic ''tsesar'' (''цеÑ?арь''). The word is cognate with
German language German ''
Kaiser'',
Gothic language Gothic ''káisar'',
Dutch language Dutch ''keizer'',
Danish language Danish ''kejser'',
Swedish language Swedish ''kejsare'', and
Norwegian language Norwegian ''keiser''. The contraction of ''цеÑ?арь'' into ''царь'' occurred by the way of shorthand writing of titles in old Slavonic church manuscripts (see
Titlo article). One may see the examples of this are the older copies of the Slavic
Primary Chronicle.
Modern usage seems to have standardized on the use of ''tsar'' to describe former rulers of Russia, while ''czar'' is used to informally describe an expert in charge of implementing policy (especially in the US): ''economics czar'', ''drug czar'', etc.
The Russian pronunciation of ''tsar'' is {{IPA|[tsarʲ]}}, the Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian one {{IPA|[tsar]}} (in
International Phonetic Alphabet IPA notation) though many if not most English-speaking people pronounce it considerably differently: {{IPA|[zɑr]}} or {{IPA|[zɑ:]}}. This is because although English has {{IPA|[ts]}} in words like ''cats'', it is unusual for this sound to start an English word.
The spelling ''tsar'' is the closest possible
transliteration of the original using standard English
spelling. Both ''czar'' and ''tsar'' have been accepted in English for the last century as a correct usage. French adopted the form ''tsar'' during the
19th century, and it became more frequent in English towards the end of that century, following its adoption by ''
The Times'' (see the ''
Oxford English Dictionary'', 2nd edition). The spelling ''tzar'' with 'z' is also very common, and represents an alternative transliteration of the first letter '''
Tse (Cyrillic) ц'''.
The early spelling ''czar'' originated with the
Austrian diplomat Baron
Sigismund von Herberstein, whose ''
Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii'' (
1549), 'Notes on Muscovite Affairs', was the main source of knowledge of Russia in early modern western Europe, while not found in any of the
Slavic languages.
Throughout history, the terms
Emperor ("Imperator") and Tsar were used informally as if interchangeable for the Russian sovereign, and just as incorrectly 'the' Tsar without any specification is used, absolutely, for the Russian Emperor. However, in all official uses, Tsar was merely the equivalent of the lower rank of King, as attested by the non-use of that word in foreign languages and the granting to the 'protected' Georgian vassal.
Meanwhile, ironically, the correct title Tsar for both Balkan rulers of that official style (in Bulgaria and Serbia) was rarely used in informal speech, rather translated to its western equivalent, e.g. ''Roi'' in French (often used in diplomacy at the time) for the Bulgarian Tsar.
Bulgaria
Knyaz Boris I is sometimes referred to as tsar, because at his time
Christianization of Bulgaria Bulgaria was Christianized. However, the title "tsar" was adopted fully and used as the ruler's royal style in
History of Bulgaria Bulgaria by his son
Simeon I of Bulgaria Simeon I, following a decisive victory over the
Byzantine Empire in
913.
It was also used by all of
Simeon I of Bulgaria Simeon I's successors (927-1018 and 1185-1396) until the fall of
Bulgaria under
Ottoman Empire Ottoman rule in
1396. After Bulgaria's liberation from the Ottomans in
1878, its new monarchs adopted the title tsar again and used it between
1908 and
1946, when the monarchy was abolished.
Russia
In
1547,
Ivan IV of Russia Ivan IV of
Russia, of the Moscovian dynasty, changed his title from "
Grand Duke Veliki Kniaz ('Grand Duke') of the whole Rus" to "Tsar of the whole Rus" as a symbol of change in the nature of the Russian state. In
1721 Peter I of Russia Peter I adopted the title Emperor (''Император'', ''Imperator''), by which he and his heirs were recognised, and besides which the former style Tsar continued to be used ''informally'' as a popular (but technically incorrect) synonym.
Actually, the new style was adopted precisely to underline a claim that Russia, by now a rising major power in Europe, invoking a marriage to a Byzantine princess considered heiress to the (since the Ottoman conquest fictitious) imperial crown, was the Orthodox "third Rome", succeeding in every respect to Byzantium, the orthodox "second Rome".
Full style of Russian Sovereigns
The full title of Russian emperors started with '''
By the Grace of God, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias''' (''Божию МилоÑ?тию, Император и Самодержец Ð’Ñ?ероÑ?Ñ?ийÑ?кий'' [''Bozhiyu Milostiyu, Imperator i Samodyerzhets Vserossiysky'']) and went further to list all ruled territories. For example, according to the article 59 of the Russian Constitution of April 23, 1906, "the full title of His Imperial Majesty is as follows: We, ------ by the grace of God,
Emperor and
Autocrat of all the
Russias, of
Moscow,
Kiev,
Vladimir, Russia Vladimir,
Novgorod, Tsar of
Kazan, Tsar of
Astrakhan, Tsar of
Poland, Tsar of
Siberia, Tsar of
Taurida Tauric Khersones, Tsar of
Georgia (country) Georgia,
Lord of
Pskov, and
Grand Duke of
Smolensk,
Lithuania,
Volhynia,
Podolia, and
Finland,
Prince of
Estonia,
Livonia,
Courland and
Semigalia,
Samogitia,
Białystok,
Karelia,
Tver,
Yugra,
Perm,
Vyatka,
Volga Bulgaria Bulgaria, and other territories; Lord and Grand Duke of
Nizhni Novgorod,
Chernigov; Ruler of
Ryazan,
Polotsk,
Rostov,
Yaroslavl,
Beloozero,
Udoria,
Obdoria,
Kondia,
Vitebsk,
Mstislav, and all northern territories ; Ruler of
Caucasian Iberia Iveria,
Kartli Kartalinia, and the
Kabardinian lands and
Armenian territories - hereditary Ruler and Lord of the
Circassia Cherkess and Mountain Princes and others; Lord of
Turkestan, Heir of
Norway, Duke of
Schleswig-Holstein,
Stormarn,
Dithmarschen,
Oldenburg, and so forth, and so forth, and so forth."
For example,
Nicholas II of Russia (1 November 1894 - 15 March 1917) was titled as follows (notice the Cyrillic spelling):
:Божію ПоÑ?пѣшеÑ?твующею МилоÑ?Ñ‚Ñ–ÑŽ МЫ, Ð?ИКОЛÐ?Й ВТОРЫЙ ИМПЕРÐ?ТОРЪ и СÐ?МОДЕРЖЕЦЪ ВСЕРОССІЙСКІЙ
:МоÑ?ковÑ?кий, КіевÑ?кій, ВладимірÑ?кій, Ð?овгородÑ?кій,
:Царь КазанÑ?кій, Царь Ð?Ñ?траханÑ?кій, Царь ПольÑ?кій, Царь СибирÑ?кій, Царь ХерÑ?ониÑ?а ТавричеÑ?каго, Царь ГрузинÑ?кій,
:ГоÑ?ударь ПÑ?ковÑ?кій, и
:Великій КнÑ?зь СмоленÑ?кій, ЛитовÑ?кій, ВолынÑ?кій, ПодольÑ?кій и ФинлÑ?ндÑ?кій;
:КнÑ?зь ÐÑ?тлÑ?ндÑ?кій, ЛифлÑ?ндÑ?кій, КурлÑ?ндÑ?кій и СемигальÑ?кій, СамогитÑ?кій, БѣлоÑ?токÑ?кий, КорельÑ?кій,
:ТверÑ?кій, ЮгорÑ?кій, ПермÑ?кій, Ð’Ñ?Ñ‚Ñ?кій, БолгарÑ?кій и иныхъ;
:ГоÑ?ударь и Великій КнÑ?зь Ð?овагорода низовÑ?кіÑ? земли, ЧерниговÑ?кій, Ð Ñ?занÑ?кій, ПолотÑ?кій,
:РоÑ?товÑ?кій, ЯроÑ?лавÑ?кій, БѣлозерÑ?кій, УдорÑ?кій, ОбдорÑ?кій, КондійÑ?кій, ВитебÑ?кій, ÐœÑ?тиÑ?лавÑ?кій и
:вÑ?еÑ? СѣверныÑ? Ñ?траны Повелитель; и
:ГоÑ?ударь ИверÑ?кіÑ?, КарталинÑ?кіÑ? и КабардинÑ?кіÑ? земли и облаÑ?ти Ð?рменÑ?кіÑ?;
:ЧеркаÑ?Ñ?кихъ и ГорÑ?кихъ КнÑ?зей и иныхъ Ð?аÑ?лѣдный ГоÑ?ударь и Обладатель;
:ГоÑ?ударь ТуркеÑ?танÑ?кій;
:Ð?аÑ?лѣдникъ Ð?орвежÑ?кій,
:Герцогъ Шлезвигъ-ГолÑ?тинÑ?кій, СтормарнÑ?кій, ДитмарÑ?енÑ?кій и ОльденбургÑ?кій, и прочаÑ?, и прочаÑ?, и прочаÑ?.
*The Emperor's subsidiary title of Tsar in chief of ''Kazan'' proclaimed the chief orthodox dynasty as successor in law to the mighty Islamic
khanate of Kazan, not maintaining its 'heathen' title (as the Ottoman Great Sultans did in several cases), but christening it.
*The Emperor's subsidiary title of Tsar in chief of ''Siberia'' is a bizarre forging, almost historical forgery, as there never was such a kingdom, only a very weak Tartar (Islamic)
Khanate of Sibir, easily subdued in the early stages of the exploration and annexation of hugely larger Siberia, most of it before inhabited by nomadic tribal people without a state in the European sense.
*The subsidiary title of Tsar in chief of Transcausasian ''
Georgia (country) Georgia'' is the continuation of a royal style of a native dynasty, that had as such been recognized by Russia.
*The subsidiary title of Tsar of
Poland is not in chief of another 'Russian' realm but of the 20 June 1815 - 5 November 1916 legally separate (actually subordinate) Polish Kingdom, nominally in personal union with Russia, established by the Congress of Vienna (also called "
Congress Poland"), in a sense reviving the royal style of the pre-existent national kingdom of Poland, which however had used as its native royal title ''
Król'' before it was carved up in three successive partitions between Russia, Prussia and Austria.
Titles in the Russian Royal/Imperial family
'''
Tsaritsa''' (царица) is the term used for an
Empress, though in English contexts this seems invariably to be altered to '''tsarina''' (since 1717, from Italian ''czarina'', from German ''Zarin''). In
Imperial Russia, the official title was Empress (Императрица). Tsaritsa (Empress) could be either the ruler herself or the wife (
Empress consort) of tsar.
'''
Tsesarevich''' (ЦеÑ?аревич) (literally, "son of the tsar") is the term for a
male Heir Apparent heir apparent, the full title was '''Heir Tsesarevich''' ("Naslednik Tsesarevich", Ð?аÑ?ледник ЦеÑ?аревич), informally abbreviated in Russia to '''The Heir''' ("Naslednik") (from the capital letter).
'''
Tsarevich''' (царевич) was the term for a son. In older times the term was used in place of "Tsesarevich" (ЦеÑ?аревич). A son who was not a heir was formally called '''Velikii
Kniaz''' (Великий КнÑ?зь) (
Grand Duke). The latter title was also used for grandsons (through male lines).
'''Tsarevna''' (царевна) was the term for a daughter and a granddaughter of a Tsar or Tsaritsa. The official title was '''Velikaya Kniaginya''' (ВеликаÑ? КнÑ?гинÑ?), translated as ''Grand Duchess'' or ''Grand Princess''.
See also
Grand Duchess for more details on the ''Velikaya Kniaginya'' title.
'''Tsesarevna''' (ЦеÑ?аревна) was the wife of the Tsesarevich.
Notes
#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 Mikhail. Mikhail initially considered accepting the throne, conditional upon the people accepting him as their ruler. But a day or two later he decided against this course. He saw no need to formally abdicate a throne he had never formally accepted. He was never proclaimed as "Tsar Mikhail II". Historians and lists of tsars differ as to whether to regard Mikhail or Nicholas II as the last tsar. Nicholas II was undoubtedly the last tsar to ''rule'' Russia and so was the last ''effective'' tsar. Mikhail, if he can be said to have been Tsar at all, exercised no governmental functions and merely ''reigned'' nominally for a very short time. Mikhail, like his brother Nicholas, was
execution (legal) executed by the
Bolsheviks in
1918.
#In
1924 Grand Duke Cyril Romanov proclaimed himself Emperor in exile.
#
Moscow and
Saint-Petersburg are known as the two '''tsar's capitals''', though the latter was precisely founded as the new capital, symbolizing the new empire after Peter had shed the formal style of Tsar.
Georgia
After Russia had established its protectorate over the (also Eastern Orthodox) kingdom of Georgia, the Russian Emperor recognised the following styles and titles as of
24th September 1783 (Old Style)
*for its 'Hereditary Sovereign and Prince' (in fact now a vassal) until the annexation, when he himself added this realm to his full style with the same title of Tsar: ''The Most Serene Tsar'' (reign name), ''by the will of our Lord, Tsar of
Kartli, Tsar of
Kakheti, Hereditary Prince of
Samtzkhé-Saatabago, Ruling Prince of
Kazakh,
Borchalo,
Shamshadilo,
Kak,
Shaki, and
Shirvan, Prince and Lord of
Ganja and
Erivan'', with the style of His Majesty; however these Russian designations were largely ignored in Georgia by the Georgians themselves, who continued to use the ancient styles and titles (varying in time, but here is the latest example): ''The
Mepe-Umaglesi 'Most High King' '' (reign name), ''
by the will of our Lord,
Mepe-Mepeta 'King of Kings' of the Abkhazis, Kartvelians, Ranians, Kakhetians and the Armenians,
Shirvanshah and
Shahanshah (two Persian titles, royal viz. imperial) and Master of all the East and West''.
*All sons of the Georgian Sovereign, including the Heir, were styled: ''Tsarevitch'' 'Prince' (given name) (father's name) ''Grouzinskii'', i.e. Prince of Georgia, with the style of His Highness.
*All legitimate male descendants of Kings
Irakli II and
Giorgi XII, in the male line, were styled:
Kniaz 'Prince' (given name) (father's name) Grouzinskii, i.e. Prince of Georgia, with the style of His Serene Highness.
*More remote princes of the blood or descendants in the natural line, also received the title of ''Kniaz'' (given name) (father's name) ''Bagration'' (the name of the royal dynasty, which has also ruled in Armenia), frequently with a territorial or other designation, e.g. Bagration-Mukhranskii 'Bagration of Mukhrani'.
Serbia
The title Tsar was also used in Serbia, but only by two monarchs —
Stefan Dusan and
Stefan Uroš V in the 14th century. Previous and later medieval Serbian monarchs used the royal title
monarch King (''краљ, kralj'').
However, when Serbia, emerging as a princedom as it threw off Ottoman domination, was again accepted as a kingdom, its ruler, in fact the last
knjaz (prince), adopts another, native royal title, ''kralj'', and so the King's full style was, between
6 March 1882 and
1 December 1918 (New Style): ''Po milosti Božjoj i volji narodnoj kralj Srbije'' "
By the grace of God and the will of the nation, King of Serbia".
Again, when the Serbian dynasty came to rule an enlarged kingdom, including
Croatia and
Slovenia, three peoples on the Balkan peninsula, after a decade generally collectively referred to as ''Yugo''slavs (literally "''Southern'' Slavonic"), its full style remained accordingly:
* 1 December 1918 (New Style) - 3 October 1929: ''Po milosti Božjoj i volji narodnoj kralj Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca'' "
By the Grace of God and will of the people, King of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes";
* 3 October 1929 - 29 November 1945: ''Po milosti Božjoj i volji narodnoj kralj Jugoslavije'' "By the Grace of God and will of the people, King of Yugoslavia".
Several other Serbian rulers are known as Tsars, although they realistically can not be called so:
*
Tsar Lazar
*
Tsar Jovan Nenad
*
Tsar Stephen the Little
Metaphorical uses
Like many lofty titles, e.g.
Mogul, Tsar or Czar has been used as a metaphor for positions of high authority, in English since 1866 (referring to U.S. President Andrew Johnson), with a connotation of dictatorial powers and style, fitting since "Autocrat" was an official title of the Russian Emperor (informally referred to as 'the Czar').
This use is not limited to statesmen, e.g. 'drug tsar' for the head of the
Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. agency against illegal narcotics.
See also
*additional value of the title of Emperor see
imperium maius.
*The following articles list Tsars, among otherwise styled rulers:
**
List of Bulgarian monarchs
**
List of Serbian monarchs
**
List of Russian rulers
*
History of Bulgaria
*
History of Russia
*
History of Belarus
*
History of Finland
*
History of Poland
*
History of Ukraine
*
History of Serbia
*
History of Yugoslavia
*
Lists of incumbents
Sources and references
*[http://37.1911encyclopedia.org/T/TS/TSAR.htm]
-
EtymOnline
-
WorldStatesmen- see each present country
Category:Heads of state
Category:Imperial Russia
Category:Lists of office-holders Russia, Tsar
Category:Monarchy
Category:Noble titles
Category:Russian leaders
Category:Slavic titles
bg:Цар
ca:Tsar
cs:Car
da:Zar
de:Zar
et:Tsaar
es:Zar
eo:Caro
fr:Tsar
id:Tsar
it:Zar
he:צ×?ר
ka:ც�რი
la:Tzar
lt:Caras
nl:Tsaar
ja:ツァーリ
no:Tsar
nn:Tsar
pl:Car
pt:Tsar
ro:Å¢ar
ru:Царь
simple:Tsar
sl:Car
fi:Tsaari
sv:Tsar
tl:Tsar
vi:Sa hoà ng
zh:沙皇
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