The old Russian costumes were abolished by Imperial
decree, and policemen, armed with scissors, watching
all the country roads, changed the long-haired Russian mou-
jiks suddenly into a pleasing imitation of smooth-shaven west.
Europeans.
In religious matters, the Tsar tolerated no division of
power. There must be no chance of a rivalry between an
Emperor and a Pope as had happened in Europe. In the year
1721, Peter made himself head of the Russian Church. The
Patriarchate of Moscow was abolished and the Holy Synod
made its appearance as the highest source of authority in all
matters of the Established Church.
Since, however, these many reforms could not be success-
ful while the old Russian elements had a rallying point in the
town of Moscow, Peter decided to move his government to a
new capital. Amidst the unhealthy marshes of the Baltic Sea
the Tsar built this new city. He began to reclaim the land in
the year 1703. Forty thousand peasants worked for years
to lay the foundations for this Imperial city. The Swedes
attacked Peter and tried to destroy his town and illness and
misery killed tens of thousands of the peasants. But the work
was continued, winter and summer, and the ready-made town
soon began to grow. In the year 1712, it was officially de-
clared to be the ``Imperial Residence.'' A dozen years later
it had 75,000 inhabitants.
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