Russia’s government before 1917 was a , with the crown being inherited.

Russia’s government before 1917 was a monarchy, with the crown being inherited.  It was the Russian Empire.

Explanation:

The Russian Empire was established by Peter I of Russia in 1721 and lasted until Tsar Nicholas II was overthrown in the Russian Revolution in 1917, and the majority of the empire was followed by the Russian SFSR, which later became the Soviet Union.  

At its greatest, the Russian Empire was the third largest continuous empire in history, surpassed only by the Mongol Empire and the British Empire, stretching from Aland in the west to Russian America (Alaska), which was under Russian control in the years 1744 to 1867. Up until the revolution, it was Europe's last monarchy and, before the outbreak of World War I in 1914, was one of the five great powers in Europe, together with Britain, France, Germany and Austria-Hungary.