On this day in 1725, Peter the Great, emperor of Russia, died. Peter was a far-sighted and skillful diplomat and a talented military leader. Peter Alexevitch is one of the best known Tsars of Russia.

Modern Times. His attempts to modernize his country ~ albeit by force ~ are famous. He pulled Russia out of her dark feudal past and put her on an equal status with her European neighbors. With his intense curiosity about foreign lands, he opened Russia's window to the West and was the first ruler to journey extensively outside of Russia.

Jack of All Trades. Peter believed in starting from the bottom and working his way up. He learned ship building from Europeans he invited to Russia, and actually built a ship himself, which he then captained. In 1697, he accompanied an embassy to European courts as a carpenter. He also served as seaman, soldier, barber and, to the dismay of his court, as a dentist.

Peter. How Great Was He? During his reign, Peter undertook extensive reforms, based on examples in the western world. He:

• created a regular army and navy
  
• made the church under the control of the state
  
• introduced new administrative and territorial divisions of the country
  
• encouraged the development of science
  
• encouraged smoking, but taxed tobacco.
  
• taxed Russians wearing beards, since European men usually were clean shaven.
  
• modernized the calendar
  
• simplified numerals
  
• encouraged private industry and mining.
  
• managed to modernize Russia without borrowing money for his state. Instead, he taxed his citizens heavily.
  

Bigger and Better. During his rule, Russia won several victories in wars with Persia and the Ottoman Empire. This greatly expanded Peter's empire. His first real battle was against the Turks ~ then the strongest military force in the world. Peter's goal was to take the Sea of Azov at the mouth of the Don River, gaining access to the Black Sea. He built a fleet of ships, and for the first time in Russian history, led an attack from the water. The Turks were defeated and Russia got her first southern outlet to the sea.

A Route to the Baltic. One of the Peter's goals was to regain access to the Baltic Sea and Baltic trade. With that in mind, in 1700 he started the Northern War with Sweden, chasing the Swedes out of the Baltic. He built the first Russian Navy on the Gulf of Finland. By the time Russia won the war, 21 years later, she once again had access to the Baltic Sea, and conquered the vast lands on the Baltic coast. This gave Russia access to European trade. In the course of the war, Peter moved the capital to St. Petersburg, which he built up as a major seaport.

Gettin' European. Under Peter's rule, Russia became a great European nation.