| Peter I of Russia (1672-1725), commonly known | | | | access to both the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea |
| as Peter the Great, was one of the greatest | | | | and became the dominant power in northern |
| czars (rulers) of Russia. He is famous for | | | | Europe. |
| introducing Western civilization and technology to | | | | Peter undertook a series of administrative, |
| Russia and for making Russia, till then regarded as | | | | financial and cultural reforms, partly with the aim |
| a weak and backward country, into one of the | | | | of producing better trained personnel and better |
| great European powers. | | | | equipment for his army and navy. |
| Early in his life Peter reigned Russia jointly with his | | | | He also introduced a large range of taxes in order |
| sickly half-brother Ivan and then, after Ivan's | | | | to increase the revenue required to maintain his |
| death, he ruled alone. Peter was a supremely | | | | armed forces. |
| energetic man but harsh, even brutal, in his ways, | | | | Under Peter government enterprises became |
| even to family members. He forced his first wife | | | | greatly involved in the fields of mining, smelting |
| to enter a convent (the equivalent of a divorce) | | | | and textiles - again to supply the needs of his |
| and sent his son, Alexis, to jail where he died of | | | | army and navy. The labor force for these |
| torture. | | | | enterprises came from the peasantry with whole |
| During his youth Peter studied practical skills, such | | | | villages being "inscribed" (conscripted) to work in |
| as carpentry, stone masonry, blacksmithing and | | | | nearby mines or factories. |
| printing, along with military science and sailing. | | | | Administration was improved with the assistance |
| In 1697 Peter went to see the countries of | | | | of foreign experts. The civil and military services |
| western Europe. He traveled incognito and spent | | | | were reorganized, with personnel being promoted |
| 13 months in Belgium where he studied shipbuilding. | | | | through a series of grades and becoming |
| Peter decided to undertake a massive | | | | members of the hereditary nobility when they |
| development program to increase Russia's | | | | reached the eighth grade. |
| economic, technological and military strength. So | | | | Education was improved under Peter with schools |
| while overseas, he hired over 700 foreign | | | | for the training of military officers and civil |
| technical specialists - in such fields as | | | | servants being established. The Russian Academy |
| manufacturing, shipping, mining and gunnery - to | | | | of Sciences was set up in 1752 to promote |
| come to Russia and teach their skills there. | | | | science and higher learning. The Russian alphabet |
| He modernized Russia's army and founded a navy | | | | was reformed and Arabic numbers were |
| on Western lines. He then: | | | | introduced. |
| - crushed a rebellion in 1698 | | | | The Russian Orthodox Church, formerly a |
| - fought wars against the Ottoman Turks | | | | powerful player on the political scene, was brought |
| - launched a long war against Sweden | | | | to heel. Peter left the office of the Patriarch |
| (1699-1721), which first resulted in a disastrous | | | | vacant for over 20 years and then abolished it, |
| defeat at Narva (1700) for Russia but then won a | | | | substituting for it the Holy Synod which was led |
| memorable victory for Russia at Poltava (1709) | | | | by a layman chosen by the czar. |
| - signed the Treaty of Nystadt (1721) in which | | | | In 1703 Peter founded a new city, St Petersburg. |
| gained Baltic territories and access to the Baltic | | | | This city replaced Moscow as the capital of |
| Sea. | | | | Russia. |
| As a result of all these wars, Russia gained vital | | | | |