When the child was ten years old,
his step-sister Sophia took possession of the Russian throne.
The little boy was allowed to spend his days in the suburbs of
the national capital, where the foreigners lived. Surrounded
by Scotch barkeepers, Dutch traders, Swiss apothecaries, Italian
barbers, French dancing teachers and German school-masters,
the young prince obtained a first but rather extraordinary
impression of that far-away and mysterious Europe where
things were done differently.
When he was seventeen years old, he suddenly pushed
Sister Sophia from the throne. Peter himself became the ruler
of Russia. He was not contented with being the Tsar of a
semi-barbarous and half-Asiatic people. He must be the sovereign
head of a civilised nation. To change Russia overnight
from a Byzantine-Tartar state into a European empire was no
small undertaking. It needed strong hands and a capable
head. Peter possessed both. In the year 1698, the great
operation of grafting Modern Europe upon Ancient Russia was
performed. The patient did not die. But he never got over
the shock, as the events of the last five years have shown very
plainly.
RUSSIA vs. SWEDEN
RUSSIA AND SWEDEN FIGHT MANY WARS TO
DECIDE WHO SHALL BE THE LEADING
POWER OF NORTH-EASTERN EUROPE
IN the year 1698, Tsar Peter set forth upon his first
voyage to western Europe.
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