The history of imperial Russia is rich with warfare, class conflict, royal scandal, and the rise and fall of empire. This volume examines czarist Russia through the social and material lens, including changes in court life, serf/peasant life, the Orthodox church, and the effects of emancipation and industrialization, from the birth of Moscow to the rise of Communism.Thematic chapters cover Peter the Great's modernization of Russia, class structure, the role of the church, traditions and rituals, work and labor practices, health, fashion, and military life.