Alexis I of Russia vs Gustaf V

Alexis I enacted the Sobornoye Ulozheniye, a comprehensive legal code that consolidated Russian law and strengthened serfdom by making peasants permanently bound to the land. The code also centralized state authority and defined the rights of nobles, clergy, and townspeople.

Alexis I launched a war against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, initially capturing Smolensk and much of eastern Poland. The war, which included the Khmelnytsky Uprising and Swedish intervention, ended with the Truce of Andrusovo, gaining Russia left-bank Ukraine and Kiev.

Alexis I's government brutally suppressed the Copper Riot in Moscow, a protest against the devaluation of copper coins and economic hardship. Thousands of rioters were killed or executed, and the rebellion led to the withdrawal of copper currency, restoring silver coinage.

Alexis I supported the Great Moscow Synod, which condemned the Old Believers and their leader Avvakum for opposing Patriarch Nikon's liturgical reforms. The council excommunicated the dissenters, leading to a schism (Raskol) in the Russian Orthodox Church that persisted for centuries.

Gustaf V became King of Sweden upon the death of his father, Oscar II. His reign spanned both World Wars and the Great Depression, during which he maintained Sweden's neutrality.

Gustaf V presided over Sweden's policy of neutrality during World War I. He convened a meeting of Scandinavian kings to coordinate neutrality policies, helping Sweden avoid involvement in the conflict.

Gustaf V maintained Sweden's neutrality throughout World War II. He faced pressure from Nazi Germany and the Allies but kept Sweden non-belligerent, though he made concessions such as allowing German troop transit.

Gustaf V died after a reign of 43 years, the longest of any Swedish monarch in the modern era. His reign saw the transition from a constitutional monarchy with some royal influence to a purely ceremonial role.