The seventeenth century was a momentous epoch. While western European countries were busy expanding westward and eastward, Russia, quietly crossed the Ural Mountains, absorbed Siberia and reached as far as Alaska. Russia did not expand toward the East with out opposition from the western European countries. In the last half of the sixteenth century, inspired by the "gorgeous East," the Dutch and the English made many efforts to find a northern passage to China l to attain gold, gems, silks, pearls and spices. They attempted to reach China by land routes but were hindered by continual wars...

The seventeenth century was a momentous epoch. While western European countries were busy expanding westward and eastward, Russia, quietly crossed the Ural Mountains, absorbed Siberia and reached as far as Alaska. Russia did not expand toward the East with out opposition from the western European countries. In the last half of the sixteenth century, inspired by the "gorgeous East," the Dutch and the English made many efforts to find a northern passage to China l to attain gold, gems, silks, pearls and spices. They attempted to reach China by land routes but were hindered by continual wars...