Peter the Great died on 28 January 1725 in Saint Petersburg, aged 52. 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
- 22 January 1724Founding of Saint Petersburg State University
- 22 April 1724Birth of Immanuel Kant
- 24 September 1724Founding of Euronext Paris
- 1725The Four Seasons
- 28 January 1725Death of Peter the Great
- 2 April 1725Birth of Giacomo Casanova
- 28 October 1726Publication of Gulliver's Travels
- 1727Founding of Palmer
- 20 March 1727Death of Isaac Newton
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- from September 1688 to September 1697Nine Years' War
- 1713Peace of Utrecht
- from 28 May 1754 to 7 October 1763French and Indian War
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 18th century.