IV. The Early Modern Period, 1500–1800 > B. Early Modern Europe, 1479–1815 > 5. National Patterns, 1648–1815 > j. Russia > 1697–98
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  The Encyclopedia of World History.  2001.
 
 
1697–98
 
Peter's European journey, which he undertook incognito to secure allies in western Europe for a crusade against the Ottoman Empire. Peter was the first Russian sovereign to go abroad, and his travels in France, England, and Holland strengthened his determination to Westernize Russia (but selectively). He returned to Moscow to suppress a revolt of the streltsy (soldiers of the Moscow garrison, among whom there were many Old Believers). He concluded peace with the Ottomans but Russia retained Azov (1700).  1
 
1698
 
Peter forced his first wife, Endoxia Lopukhina, to become a nun.  2
 
1699
 
Peter began a series of municipal reforms by reorganizing towns for better tax collection.  3
 
1700–1721
 
THE GREAT NORTHERN WAR between Sweden and Russia (See 1700–1721).  4
 
1701
 
School of Mathematics and Navigation founded as one of Peter the Great's efforts to introduce cultural reforms patterned on Western models. Peter advocated compulsory education for nobles, Western dress, and Western institutions of learning.  5
 
1703
 
Capital moved to newly founded city of St. Petersburg.  6
 
1710–11
 
War with Ottomans (See 1710–11).  7
 
1711
 
Alexis married to a German princess.  8
 
1711–21
 
Reorganization and centralization of the administration. The old council of the boyars replaced by a Governing Senate (1711), consisting of nine members appointed by the tsar. New government bureaus were set up (1717) under the name of colleges. The nobility was made to serve the state (establishment of a hierarchy of offices) and Peter encouraged trade, industry, and education; government promoted metallurgy, armaments manufacture, and so on. In order to subordinate the Church to state control, Peter abolished the patriarchate and in its place established (1721) a synod composed of bishops but presided over by a layman (the Holy Synod).  9
 
1712
 
Peter the Great married to Catherine.  10
 
1714
 
Russian officials sent to the Ukraine. Peter attempted to unify Russian territories by emulating English examples in Scotland and Wales.  11
 
1714
 
A law of inheritance established the principle of primogeniture (repealed 1731).  12
 
 
 
The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth edition. Peter N. Stearns, general editor. Copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Maps by Mary Reilly, copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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