Embedded Files
Why Was He Great?
Why Was He Great?
The Russian empire reached its zenith under the Romanovs. The greatest of the Romanovs was Peter the Great (r.1689 – 1725) who made major changes to Russia to decrease Russia’s isolation and increase its size and power. Peter is best remembered for his efforts to "Westernize" Russia, which meant that he began the process of turning Russia away from its Asian influences towards the emerging states of the West. Peter felt that Russia was a stagnant, backwards, landlocked nation. In contrast, he viewed Western Europe as a gleaming beacon of maritime civilization and therefore sought to emulate it. Peter is often hailed as the Russian Czar that began the necessary process of modernizing Russia.
The Russian empire reached its zenith under the Romanovs. The greatest of the Romanovs was Peter the Great (r.1689 – 1725) who made major changes to Russia to decrease Russia’s isolation and increase its size and power. Peter is best remembered for his efforts to "Westernize" Russia, which meant that he began the process of turning Russia away from its Asian influences towards the emerging states of the West. Peter felt that Russia was a stagnant, backwards, landlocked nation. In contrast, he viewed Western Europe as a gleaming beacon of maritime civilization and therefore sought to emulate it. Peter is often hailed as the Russian Czar that began the necessary process of modernizing Russia.
Westernization
Westernization
“The Barber Wants to Cut a Beard of an Old Believer”, an image of Peter the Great cutting off the beard of a Boyar.
As a young man Peter visited the big cities of Western Europe and was wildly impressed. His visits to the West impressed upon him the notion that European customs were in several respects superior to Russian traditions. Heavily influenced by his advisers from Western Europe, he reorganized the Russian army along modern lines and dreamed of making Russia a maritime power. He also commanded all of his courtiers and officials to wear European clothing and cut off their long beards, causing great upset among boyars, or the feudal elites. Those who sought to retain their beards were required to pay an annual beard tax of one hundred rubles.
As a young man Peter visited the big cities of Western Europe and was wildly impressed. His visits to the West impressed upon him the notion that European customs were in several respects superior to Russian traditions. Heavily influenced by his advisers from Western Europe, he reorganized the Russian army along modern lines and dreamed of making Russia a maritime power. He also commanded all of his courtiers and officials to wear European clothing and cut off their long beards, causing great upset among boyars, or the feudal elites. Those who sought to retain their beards were required to pay an annual beard tax of one hundred rubles.
Peter also introduced critical social reform. He sought to end arranged marriages, which were the norm among the Russian nobility, seeing the practice as barbaric and leading to domestic violence. Peter also encouraged public festivities like balls, where women would dawn the latest Western European fashions (including gowns that showed the knees!) and dance freely with men. Peter even did away with the centuries old marriage ceremony in which fathers passed a whip to their son in laws, symbolizing the transference of authority over her.
Peter also introduced critical social reform. He sought to end arranged marriages, which were the norm among the Russian nobility, seeing the practice as barbaric and leading to domestic violence. Peter also encouraged public festivities like balls, where women would dawn the latest Western European fashions (including gowns that showed the knees!) and dance freely with men. Peter even did away with the centuries old marriage ceremony in which fathers passed a whip to their son in laws, symbolizing the transference of authority over her.
Conquest of a Warm Water Port
Conquest of a Warm Water Port
Peter also set out on a new round of imperial expansion. His conquests reflect his fascination with the West: he would not continue pushing eastward as his predecessors did, instead Peter sought a warm water port that would open his landlocked empire to the economic and cultural riches of the West.
Peter also set out on a new round of imperial expansion. His conquests reflect his fascination with the West: he would not continue pushing eastward as his predecessors did, instead Peter sought a warm water port that would open his landlocked empire to the economic and cultural riches of the West.
Peter turned these dreams into reality in the Great Northern War (1700-1721), where Peter’s newly reformed armies defeated the Swedish and offered the Russian empire a warm water port in the Baltic Sea. It is here where Peter would build his new capital: St. Petersburg. Again, St. Petersburg reflected Peter’s fascination with the West as its geographic location “facing the West” reflected his attempts to move Russia into Western Europe’s sphere of influence.
Peter turned these dreams into reality in the Great Northern War (1700-1721), where Peter’s newly reformed armies defeated the Swedish and offered the Russian empire a warm water port in the Baltic Sea. It is here where Peter would build his new capital: St. Petersburg. Again, St. Petersburg reflected Peter’s fascination with the West as its geographic location “facing the West” reflected his attempts to move Russia into Western Europe’s sphere of influence.
Peterhof
Peterhof
In St. Petersburg, Peter built himself a new power in the Baroque style popular in Western Europe. The Peterhof Palace palace and gardens was commissioned by Peter as a direct response to the Palace of Versailles by Louis XIV of France. Peter the Great built the palace as a result of his visit to the French royal court in 1717, inspiring the nickname of "The Russian Versailles".
In St. Petersburg, Peter built himself a new power in the Baroque style popular in Western Europe. The Peterhof Palace palace and gardens was commissioned by Peter as a direct response to the Palace of Versailles by Louis XIV of France. Peter the Great built the palace as a result of his visit to the French royal court in 1717, inspiring the nickname of "The Russian Versailles".
Versailles: Paris, France
Versailles: Paris, France
Peterhof: St. Petersburg, Russia
Peterhof: St. Petersburg, Russia
Importance
Importance
Peter the Great began the long and difficult task of modernizing Russia and making it competitive with Western European states. It is because of Peter the Great that Russia would become a world power in later periods. That being said, like Ivan, Peter killed his son. Unlike Ivan, Peter even had his son tortured before he was killed, but because of his "Great" status, this flaw is rarely discussed.
Peter the Great began the long and difficult task of modernizing Russia and making it competitive with Western European states. It is because of Peter the Great that Russia would become a world power in later periods. That being said, like Ivan, Peter killed his son. Unlike Ivan, Peter even had his son tortured before he was killed, but because of his "Great" status, this flaw is rarely discussed.
Page updated
Report abuse