Peter I of Russia
Biography
Peter toured Europe incognito as a shipwright, returned to drag Russia westward. The beard tax, new calendar, navy built from nothing. He took Azov, then the Great Northern War won Sweden Baltic lands, St Petersburg founded 1703 on Swedish marsh, the window on Europe. Defeated Charles XII at Poltava 1709. Proclaimed Empire, he Imperator. Died of bladder infection, his son Alexis tortured to death before him.
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