PETER THE GREAT

The third tsar Peter of the dynasty had an outstanding personality; an unusual mixture of characteristics of cruelty, uncontrollable temper and highly intelligent.

In 17^th century Russia was although deeply conservative but not very educated.  All the Russian people no matter which class, were not able to read or write, superstitious and religious. The Central Government was corrupt and therefore weak. The Army of 22,000 men called the steltsy frequently rebelled. The huge nobility was idle and lived of the poor who were overtaxed.

Over this huge country reigned the tsar who had the absolute power of making laws, impose taxes and life and death of every of his subjects, high and low. Any reigning monarch who had the total power is important that he has a strong and good character. When Peter started to reign in 1696 people were scared because of his reputation.

Peter war born in 1692 and a giant. He was over 2m tall with an enormous energy. During the years before his reign he shared tsardom with his brother Ivan. In those days he terrorized Moscow. He was the head of a gang called Drunken Association of Fools. They were nothing but womanising, boozing and ridicule the church.

Peter had a vile temper. He imprisoned his sister and first wife in convents. He also beats this first wife until she confessed to non-existing crimes. He also had his son tortured and executed for treason which he suspected.  He suffered of uncontrollable rages and headaches and only his second wife, Catherine, was able to control.  She strokes his head for hours to calm him down.

Yet, such a terrible character had power of millions of people.

MODERNIZATION

Russia had its own very distinctive culture and people loved their country and were proud of it. Russia is the only country which calls it Mother country; all the other countries call it father country.  However, through travelling and diplomacy they were drawn into more advanced Europe.

Peter’s father and grandfather had adopted already countries ideas of institutions and weaponry. Peter done the same but also used it with his violence. His started major reforms in military, naval, financial, administrative, educational cultural and church matters base on Western style.

He started Russia off as a great power in Western Europe but the cost to his people was terrible. Peter also loved travelling and a great warrior. He made great tours throughout Europe.  He visited Latvia, Germany, Holland, England, France and the Holy Roman Empire.

In Holland, he staid for five months learns how to build ships. He was almost over intelligent. He learned 14 trades. When he came back to Russia he noticed that Russia had not port for a great fleet. He went to war with the Turks and conquering Azov on the Black Sea and he lost again later on. After that he started the Great Northern War.  He made Poland his ally and went against the Finns and Swedes under Charles XII. In winning this campaign Peter gained permanent access to the Baltic Sea at the regions of Ingria, Estonia and Livonia. Then Peter waged war again Persia and captured its western and southern coasts.

Peter brought experts and advisors from all countries. He wanted them to teach and his people all their skills. He employed foreign architects and slaves which he starved to death by the thousands with that he built a great new capital St Petersburg.

PALACE SQUARE

Peter was great in one way in introducing shipbuilding, factories, schools and luxury industries which brought the nobility and church into a higher standard but he did not tax them.  All the expenses of these improvements fell on the peasants. During Peter reigns the peasants became poorer and thousands died of starvation and illnesses.

Peter great effort to educate the Russian people came to a hold because of lack of teachers. His success was in the nobility became interested in arts. His heroic efforts of modernizing the economy failed also because Russia had no capitalist’s middle class. There was nobody to organize trades and industries.

Although Peter’s great energies pushed people into action but it died with him. At the age of 52 he tried to save some drowning sailors and he died in the cold waters of the canal with them.

TEMPLE OF
THE SAVIOUR ON BLOOD

ST PETERSBURG WINTER PALACE