PETER THE GREAT Peter the Great born on May 30, 1672. He shared power with his brother from 1682, but when Ivan died in 1696, Peter was officially declared Sovereign of all Russia. Peter was important because he wasn’t just any ruler, he created a regular army and navy. During his reign the Russian military increased from around 30, 000 men in 1695, to about 300, 000 men in 1725, and that included the newly formed navy. He completely changed the government into a bureaucratic state with its capital in St. Petersburg.
Peter also changed the calendar to the same style used inmost of Europe. He paid special attention to the development of science. He was a famous and skillful diplomat and a talented military leader. Under Peter’s rule, Russia became a great European nation. In 1721, he proclaimed Russia an Empire and was accorded the title of Emperor of All Russia, Great Father of the Fatherland and ‘the Great.’ Some of his accomplishments are during the Great Northern War with Sweden, which lasted for nearly his entire reign. Russia eventually won the war with the signing of the Treaty of Ny stadt in 1721.
Although Russia had really won the war in 1709 at the battle of Poltava, Sweden continued to fight because of support from France and Britain. The results of the war made Russia the most powerful country in Northern Europe, and the undisputed master of the Baltic Sea. The Great Northern War also, and more importantly, made Peter know throughout Europe as a powerful, successful, and ultimately Western style leader of a respected nation. Peter married twice and had 11 children, many of whom died at birth. The oldest son from his first marriage, Czarevitch Alexei, was accused of disloyalty, by his father and secretly executed in 1718.
The Essay on Peter the Great 3
... war made Russia the most powerful country in Northern Europe, and the undisputed master of the Baltic Sea. The Great Northern War also, and more importantly, made Peter ... revered throughout Europe as a ...
Peter died from a cold on January 28, 1725. He was buried in the Cathedral of the St. Peter and St. Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.
