Peter the Great: Rebuilding Russia from the Baltic to the Caspian

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the transformative reign of Peter the Great, focusing on his military campaigns, administrative reforms, and the founding of St. Petersburg. They discuss the Great Northern War against Sweden, the pivotal Battle of Poltava in 1709, and the Treaty of Nystad that secured Russia's Baltic access. Lucas explains Peter's creation of the Table of Ranks to break the power of the old boyar aristocracy, his establishment of the Governing Senate and the Holy Synod to centralize authority, and his cultural reforms like the introduction of Western dress and the Julian calendar. The conversation also covers Peter's less savory policies, such as the brutal construction of St. Petersburg and the tax on beards, as well as his personal life—his relationship with his son Alexei, whom he had executed. Luna prompts Lucas to reflect on Peter's dual legacy as a modernizer and autocrat, drawing parallels to contemporary Russia. The episode provides a nuanced portrait of a ruler who dragged his country into the modern world through sheer will, often at great human cost. #PeterTheGreat #RussianHistory #RomanovDynasty #GreatNorthernWar #BattleOfPoltava #SaintPetersburg #TableOfRanks #GoverningSenate #HolySynod #TsarevichAlexei #TreatyOfNystad #Westernization #Autocracy #18thCentury #EasternEurope #Modernization #History #FexingoHistory #TsarNicholasII #CatherineTheGreat Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo