PETER THE GREAT

Modern Russia started with the rule of Peter the Great. He realised that Russia should be westernised to ensure its independence. Already fascinating by mechanical inventions, he studied government and business models of the West.

But Peter also believed in starting from the bottom and working his way up. He learned ship building from the Europeans he invited to Russia, and built a ship himself, which he captained as Peter Alekseevich. In 1697, he accompanied an embassy to European courts as a carpenter named Peter Mikhailov. He also served as seaman, soldier, barber and, to the discomfort of his courtiers, as dentist.

Peter sent Russians to be educated in the West, and imported skilled labour, military and administrative experts from abroad. He encouraged smoking, but taxed tobacco. Because European men usually were clean shaven, he taxed Russians wearing beards. He modernised the calendar, simplified numerals, and encouraged private industry and mining. Remarkably, Peter managed to modernise Russia without borrowing money for his state. Instead, he taxed his citizens heavily. To ensure continual contact with the West, Peter captured the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea from the Swedes and built a new capital, St. Petersburg, on its shores.

Peter was a big strong man, 2,04 meters (6' 8'' inches) tall, and unlike previous monarchs, not afraid of physical labour. In November 1724, he dived into the cold northern ocean to assist in a ship rescue. It led to his illness and death.


A servant girl, Martha Scavronsky, made a great career in the Russian court. In her native Lithuania during the war she was taken by the Russian soldier. Then she caught the eye of Prince Boris Sheremetyev, who purchased her for one ruble and made her one of his many mistresses. Prince Alexander Menshikov, tsar's favorite 'borrowed' her for himself. Peter I saw Martha in Menshikov's house and ordered, "When I go to bed, you, beauty, take a candle and light the way." According to the "etiquette" that meant she was obliged to sleep with the tsar. In the morning Peter paid her with a copper coin. Peter had granted himself this modest sum for love expenses when still a young man and all his life he strictly followed the tariff. Later, though, the tsar married Martha and she became Catherine I.