Peter the Great

1. Peter the Great 1682-1725

2. Today we will… • Analyze why Russia was isolated from Western Europe. • What changes Peter the Great brought to Russia.

3. Fascinating Facts • Fascinating Facts about Peter the Great • 6 feet 7 inches in height • Strong – Able to crumple a silver plate in his hand • Drank heavily – Took great pride in out drinking all who challenged him • He enjoyed cruelty (He sometimes liked to visit the state torture chamber) • Whenever he felt threatened, his whole body shook violently • He was afraid of cockroaches • He was an honest man (he meant what he said) • Simple Tastes • Hard worker – rose each morning at 4 am

4. Furthers Autocracy • Peter strengthened absolutism by: • creating a strong, loyal army • ruthlessly crushing the nobles • appointing royal governors to replace local officials • exerting government control over the Russian Orthodox Church

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6. Peter’s Goal for Russia • One of Peter’s major goals was to enable Russia to end its landlocked situation and gain warm-water sea ports on the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. • The Ottoman Empire, which controlled all of the land from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea blocked this goal. • In order to defeat the Turks he would need two things, help from western Europe and a stronger, more efficient Russia.

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8. Foreign Mission • In 1697, Peter disguised himself and went on a foreign mission to western Europe to create an alliance against the Turks • His visit lasted 18 months. • Disguised as a commoner, he visited factories, almshouses for the poor, museums and hospitals, and even learned some skills in dentistry and surgery.

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10. Tries to Westernize Russia • Upon his return, Peter Wanted to model Russia after European culture, rather than Asian or Byzantine culture. • He introduced Western Ideas on science, education, military training, and industry. • He introduced Arabic numerals and simplified the Cyrillic alphabet. • To imitate the west, he ordered his male subjects to shave their beards and discard their long coats.

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12. Gains a Seaport • Peter Sought “windows” to the west to provide his landlocked country with water routes to trade with Europe. • In a long war with Sweden (Great Northern War), he won territories along the Baltic Sea. • Here he built HIS capital St. Petersburg.

13. St. Petersburg – Modern Baroque City • Excellent example of architecture, politics, and urban development. • During the 18th century, St. Petersburg became one of the largest and most influential cities in Europe. • The new city was Baroque in its layout and design. • Broad, straight avenues • Houses were built in a straight line • There were parks, canals, and streetlights • Each social group was to live in a specific section of the city • All groups, especially peasants, bore heavy burdens for its construction.

14. St. Petersburg • Russia’s capital returned to Moscow after the Bolsheviks seized power in 1917. • After Lenin’s death in 1924, the communists renamed the city Leningrad in his honor. • The city’s long history as the imperial capital causes it to remain as the cultural center of Russia today. • With the collapse of communism and the breakup of the Soviet Union, Leningrad became St. Petersburg again in 1991.

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16. Peter’s Legacy • Peter attempted to westernize his country. • His purposes, however, were to strengthen his army and support his autocratic rule. • Peter’s reforms were superficial, affected only a thin top layer of Russian society, and lacked permanence.

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