Peter the Great (4 Mai 1689 Jahr – 2 Aug 1725 Jahr)

Beschreibung:

A tall and charismatic man, Peter the Great was determined to Westernize Russia. He admired European technology and brought gadgets and technology from Europe to Russia. He went so far as to make Russians shave their beards, and cut their coats at the knees. Women were mixed freely with men in Western courts, and there was no exclusion of upperclass women.

He created a navy, and conscripted peasants for twenty-five year stints of service to build an army of 210000 men. He reorganized the Russian government to resemble more of a Western government, creating a Senate that acted as a ruling council. It was ineffective. Peter instituted the TABLE OF RANKS to create opportunities for nonnobles to join the nobility. Officials were required to begin at "level one" and move up in the ranks. Everyone had opportunity.

He also wanted to maintain control of the Russian Orthodox Church, adn created the "Holy Synod" to make decisions for the church. The procurator stood at the head.