First, Rus' Land (Kievan Rus') was founded by the Varangians (Vikings), and their first monarch was Rurik. However, the Mongols invaded after some time and took over Rus'. After the collapse of the Mongols, Moscovy was established, with Ivan the Terrible as its monarch. After one of Ivan's descendants, Feodor, died without an heir, Russia experienced a time known as Smuta, or Time of Troubles. Eventually, the succession crisis was resolved when Michael Romanov was elected as Russia's new leader. It was around this time when Moscovy became the Tsardom of Russia. When Peter the Great came to the throne though, he changed it into the Russian Empire. It was this way until 1917, when the Russian Revolution took place, and Nicholas ll was forced to abdicate.