The Romanovs and the Silk Road's Forgotten Trade

The Romanov Dynasty: Rise, Power, and Bloody End — Fexingo History · Oct 4, 2026 · 6m · transcript

This episode explores the intricate web of commerce that bound the Russian Empire to Central Asia and China, moving beyond the military conquests covered in earlier episodes. We focus on the Treaty of Kyakhta of 1727, which established a regulated trade framework between the Qing Dynasty and Imperial Russia, allowing for the exchange of tea, furs, and silk. The narrative highlights the role of merchants like the Bakhrushin family and the strategic importance of Orenburg as a commercial hub. We also examine how the Trans-Caspian Railway and later Siberian routes transformed these ancient paths…