Peter the Great was born on 30 May 1672 in Moscow. A Russian tsar and the first emperor of the Russian Empire, Peter ruled jointly with his half-brother Ivan V from 1682, and alone from 1696. He travelled in disguise in Western Europe on the Grand Embassy, learned shipbuilding in the Netherlands and England, and returned determined to modernise Russia. He reformed the army, created a navy, reorganised the government and the church and encouraged Western dress and education. He defeated Sweden at Poltava in 1709 in the Great Northern War and founded Saint Petersburg in 1703 on the Baltic, which became the capital. He took the title of emperor in 1721.
Before and after
- 1671Construction of Badshahi Mosque
- 25 October 1671Discovery of Iapetus
- from 1672 to 1676Polish–Ottoman War of 1672–1676
- from 6 April 1672 to 17 September 1678Franco-Dutch War
- 30 May 1672Birth of Peter the Great
- from 18 August 1672 to 27 August 1672Siege of Kamenets
- 23 December 1672Discovery of Rhea
- from 1673 to 1681Revolt of the Three Feudatories
- 1673Founding of Worcester
More in Wars, politics & history
- from 1568 to 1918Russo-Turkish Wars
- 1 July 1569Union of Lublin
- 1689Bill of Rights 1689
- 30 August 1721Treaty of Nystad
- 22 February 1732Birth of George Washington
- from 10 October 1733 to 3 October 1735War of the Polish Succession
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 17th century.