Peter the Great

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 in

most 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 Nystadt 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.