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Born
The future Peter the Great was born Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov in Moscow to Alexis I of Russia and his mother Nataliya Naryshkina. Peter was the 14th of Alexis’ 16 children and therefore an unlikely heir to the Russian throne. -
Peter and Ivan get crowned
Ivan, Peters half brother was next in line to take the throne, but he was sickly just like Feodor, in line before Ivan. They were both crowned -
Ivan dies
Ivan eventually dies from his sicknesses and Peter now assumes full rule over Russia. -
Tour of Europe
Peter had dreamt of modernising Russia in line with other countries in Europe and as he travelled with his ‘Grand Embassy’ he hoped to secure help in battling the Grand Ottoman Empire. It was a largely futile quest. -
Great Northern War
After securing peace with the Ottoman Empire, Peter turned his attentions to gaining territory in the Baltic states. Thus began the Great Northern War which was to last for twenty-one years. -
Peter becomes ill
Peter had never enjoyed the best of health and in the winter of 1723 he began to suffer problems with a blocked urinary tract. In an emergency operation, the blockage was cleared and some four pounds of urine were removed but Peter never truly recovered. -
Peter dies
Peter had fallen ill with Uremia at the beginning of 1725 and began to fall into a coma. He passed away on the 08th of February with his autopsy revealing that his bladder was infected with gangrene. It was an unremarkable end to the life of a man who was arguably the greatest of all Russian leaders.