Peter I the Great introduced autocracy in Russia and played a major role in introducing his country to the European state system. His visits to the West impressed upon him the notion that European customs were in several respects superior to Russian traditions.
Heavily influenced by his advisers from Western Europe, he reorganized the Russian army along modern lines and dreamed of making Russia a maritime power. He also commanded all of his courtiers and officials to wear European clothing and cut off their long beards, causing great upset among boyars , or the feudal elites. Those who sought to retain their beards were required to pay an annual beard tax of one hundred rubles.
Peter also introduced critical social reform. He sought to end arranged marriages, which were the norm among the Russian nobility, seeing the practice as barbaric and leading to domestic violence. In , he changed the date of the celebration of the new year from September 1 to January 1. Thus, in the year of the old Russian calendar, Peter proclaimed that the Julian Calendar was in effect and the year was While their clout had declined since the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the Boyar Duma, an advisory council to the tsar, still wielded considerable political power.
Peter saw them as backwards and as obstacles standing in the way of Europeanization and reform. He specifically targeted boyars with numerous taxes and obligatory services. The state was divided into uyezds, which mostly consisted of cities and their immediate surrounding areas. In , Peter abolished these old national subdivisions and established in their place eight governorates.
In , a new state body was established: the Governing Senate. All its members were appointed by the tsar from among his own associates, and it originally consisted of ten people. All appointments and resignations of senators occurred by personal imperial decrees.
The senate did not interrupt the activity and was the permanent operating state body. The new provinces were modeled on the Swedish system, in which larger, more politically important areas received more political autonomy, while smaller, more rural areas were controlled more directly by the state. Previously, high-ranking state positions were hereditary, but with the establishment of the Table of Ranks, anyone, including a commoner, could work their way up the bureaucratic hierarchy with sufficient hard work and skill.
A new generation of technocrats soon supplanted the old boyar class and dominated the civil service in Russia. Peter thought intoxication was a reasonable vacation from reality.
He had taken upon himself all the burdens of the state, and the far greater task of transforming an Oriental people into Western Civilization; festive drinking with his friends seemed a merited relief from these undertakings. The ability to hold liquor was one of his measures of a man. Sources: Robert K. How did others perceive him? Which qualities do you believe benefited his ability to lead his country?
Which might have made it difficult? Any other thoughts? He embarked on the Great Embassy beginning in where he traveled incognito to learn more about culture and technology of different European nations so he could bring new ideas back to his home in Russia. The upper dress shall be of French of Saxon cut, and the lower dress and underwear—[including] waistcoat, trousers, boots, shoes, and hats—shall be of the German type.
They shall also ride German saddles. From now on no one [of the above-mentioned] is to wear Russian dress or Circassian coats, sheepskin coats, or Russian peasant coats, trousers, boots, and shoes. It is also forbidden to ride Russian saddles, and the craftsmen shall not manufacture them or sell them at the marketplaces. But, if it happens that some of them do not wish to shave their beards and moustaches, let a year tax be collected from such persons….
The tsar labored at the reform of fashions, or, more properly speaking, of dress. Great and informative article! Peter the Great was interesting to learn about. He helped expand Russia and create new relationships with foreign countries. He earned the title of tsar at a young age and shared it with his brother until it got split for him to rule.
He made changes to his country after exploring European customs to implement on Russia. Most men had their lifestyles changed. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Mary's University. See all results. Mario Sosa. Tags from the story. Peter the Great , Russia. Share this post. Share on facebook. Share on google. Share on twitter.
Share on linkedin. Share on pinterest. Share on print. Share on email. From prestigious noble to child serial killer: Gilles de Rais With so many serial killers sprouting during the twentieth century, the name Gilles de Rais. Luddites: Victims of the Industrial Revolution The early nineteenth century brought drastic change to manufacturing.
0コメント