The Romanov family ruled Russia from 1613 to 1917. They ascended the throne at the end of one of the most critical periods of Russian history, known as the Time of Troubles (1589 Ü 1613). The last tsar of the previous dynasty, a weak son of Ivan the Terrible, died in 1589.
Writing does not begin and end with the encoding of an idea into a group of symbols. It is practiced by people who have learnt its principles and acquired the tools and skills for doing it, in a particular context that affects what they do and how they do it. Nor are these practices static, as those involved exploit opportunities to adapt old features and develop new ones. The act of writing th…