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Peter the Great is 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. -
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Peter the Great Life
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Peter and Ivan are crowned
Peter’s half brother Ivan was next in line and was sickly like Feodor but unlike his predecessor, the boy who was to become Ivan V, was also of infirm mind. As a result, he was jointly crowned along with the new Peter I of Russia. The act was to bring an end to the Moscow Uprising and Ivan’s puppet reign served as an appeasement. -
Grand Tour of Europe
Peter the Great embarks on his grand tour of Europe -
The 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. It was a long and bitter conflict but ultimately Russia was successful and established itself as a major European power. Ultimately, this was the defining point of Peter’s reign. -
St Petersburg is founded
Peter captured the Swedish fortress of Nyenskans and subsequently laid down the first stone for a new city.
Work continued until St Petersburg was founded and named in the ruler’s honour. -
Peter Falls 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 the great 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 arguably the greatest of all Russian leaders.