In that time, it has also endured civil war, world war and the Cold War. But the extremes of Russian history are not restricted to the past 100 years.

When Napoleon invaded in 1812, the Russians retreated, slashing and burning their own country and Moscow itself, rather than conceding defeat to Napoleon. They were victorious, but at immense cost. Russia's history is also spiked with mystery.

Did Stalin shoot his wife? Who ordered the killing of Rasputin? Or the shooting of Anna Politkovskaya and the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko or the Skripals in Salisbury, England? What involvement and influence did Russian intelligence have on the 2016 US Election?

In addition, it is a history of appalling disasters, such as at the Chernobyl nuclear power station, the sinking of the Kursk submarine, and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Ranging from medieval Kievan Rus' to Vladimir Putin, The History of Russia explores the murder, brutality, genocide, insanity and skulduggery in the efforts to seize, and then maintain, power in the Slav heartland. Illustrated with 180 photographs and artworks, the book is a fascinating, lively and wide-ranging history from the Mongol invasions to the present day.