Peter I of Russia

Peter I (???? I ?????????? in Russian, or Pyotr I Alexeyevich) (10 June 1672–8 February 1725 [30 May 1672–

Early reign

my name is peter reign, Peter implemented sweeping reforms aimed at modernising Russia. Heavily influenced by his western advisors, Peter reorganized the Russian army along European lines and dreamt of making Russia a maritime power. He faced much opposition to these policies at home, but brutally suppressed any and all rebellions against his authority, including the greatest civil uprising of his reign, the Bulavin Rebellion.

Related Topics:
Power - Bulavin Rebellion

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To improve his nation's position on the seas, Peter sought to gain more maritime outlets. His only outlet at the time was the White Sea. The Baltic Sea was at the time controlled by Sweden. Peter instead attempted to acquire control of the Caspian Sea, but to do so he would have to expel the Tatars from the surrounding areas. He was forced to wage war against the Crimean Khan and against the Khan's overlord, the Ottoman Sultan. Peter's primary objective became the capture of the Ottoman fortress of Azov, near the Don River. In the summer of 1695, Peter organized the Azov campaigns in order to take the fortress, but his attempts ended in failure. Peter returned to Moscow in November of that year, and promptly began building a large navy. He launched about thirty ships against the Ottomans in 1696, capturing Azov in July of that year. On September 12, 1698 Peter The Great officially founded the first Russian Navy base, Taganrog, which was one of the first Russian cities, to be built according to a detailed pre-established plan. The project for planning and building works in the city was established in 1699, basing on the instructions provided by the Emperor.

Related Topics:
White Sea - Baltic Sea - Sweden - Caspian Sea - Tatars - Crimea - Ottoman Sultan - Azov - Don River - 1695 - Azov campaigns - 1696 - September 12 - 1698 - Russian Navy - Taganrog - 1699

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Peter knew that Russia could not face the mighty Ottoman Empire alone. In 1697, he traveled to Europe along with a large delegation of advisors—the "Grand Embassy"—to seek the aid of the European monarchs. Peter's hopes were dashed; France was a traditional ally of the Ottoman Sultan, and Austria was eager to maintain peace in the east whilst conducting its own wars in the west. Peter, furthermore, had chosen the most inopportune moment; the Europeans at the time were more concerned about who would succeed the childless Spanish King Charles II than about fighting the Ottoman Sultan.

Related Topics:
1697 - "Grand Embassy" - France - Austria - Charles II

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The Grand Embassy, although failing to complete the mission of creating an anti-Ottoman alliance, still continued to travel across Europe. In visiting England, the Holy Roman Empire and France, Peter learnt much about Western culture. He studied shipbuilding in Deptford and Amsterdam, and artillery in Königsberg. His visit was cut short in 1698, when he was forced to rush home by a rebellion of the streltsy. The rebellion was, however, easily crushed before Peter returned; of the Tsar's troops, only one was killed. Peter nevertheless acted ruthlessly towards the mutineers. Over 1200 of them were tortured and executed, with Peter acting as one of the executioners. The streltsy were disbanded, and the individual they sought to put on the Throne—Peter's half-sister Sophia—was forced to become a nun.

Related Topics:
England - Holy Roman Empire - Deptford - Amsterdam - Königsberg - 1698 - Rebellion of the ''streltsy'' - Nun

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Also, upon his return from his European tour, Peter sought to end his unhappy marriage. He divorced the Tsaritsa, Eudoxia Lopukhina, whom he had deserted long earlier. The Tsaritsa had borne Peter three children, although only one—the Tsarevich Aleksei—had survived past his childhood.

Related Topics:
Tsaritsa - Tsarevich - Aleksei

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In 1698, Peter sent a delegation to Malta under boyar Boris Petrovich Sheremetyev, to observe the training and abilities of the Knights of Malta and their fleet. Sheremetyev also investigated the possiblity of future joint ventures with the Knights, including action against the Turks and the possibility of a future Russian naval base. http://www2.prestel.co.uk/church/oosj/timeline.htm

Related Topics:
Sheremetyev - Knights of Malta

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Peter's visits to the West impressed upon him the notion that European customs were in several respects superior to Russian traditions. He commanded all of his courtiers and officials to cut off their long beards and wear European clothing. Boyars who sought to retain their beards were required to pay an annual tax of one hundred rubles. In 1699, Peter also abolished the traditional Russian calendar, in which the year began on 1 September, in favor of the Julian calendar, in which the year began on 1 January. Traditionally, the years were reckoned from the purported creation of the World, but after Peter's reforms, they were to be counted from the birth of Christ. Russia moved to Julian calendar just as the rest of the world was moving to the Gregorian calendar. Unwilling to undergo yet another tumultous transition, Russia would stay on the Julian calendar until the October Revolution in 1918.

Related Topics:
Ruble - 1699 - 1 September - Julian calendar - 1 January - Creation of the World - Birth of Christ - Gregorian calendar - October Revolution

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