What Peter could do 1. Ten interesting facts about Peter I. Other biography options
The personality of Peter 1 is associated with many important historical events for our state.
It is not surprising that almost every fact from the life and work of Peter 1 becomes the object of a heated debate among historians: which of the known facts about this extraordinary person is reliable, and which is fiction? Important facts of the biography of Peter 1 have come down to us, they reveal all his positive and negative sides, both the king and the common man. Important facts are the facts of the activities of Peter I, who left a serious mark on the history of the Russian Empire. Interesting facts about Peter 1 made up more than one volume of scientific research and filled the pages of numerous popular publications.
1. The great Russian Tsar, and later the Emperor, Peter 1 ascended the throne on August 18, 1682, and since then his long period of reign begins. Peter I successfully ruled the country for more than 43 years.
2.Peter 1 became Tsar of Russia in 1682. And since 1721 - Great Peter - the first Russian Emperor.
3. There is hardly a more controversial and mysterious figure among the Russian emperors than Peter the Great. This ruler has established himself as a talented, energetic and at the same time ruthless statesman.
4. Having ascended the Russian throne, Peter 1 managed to bring a backward and patriarchal country into the ranks of European leaders. His role in the history of our Motherland is invaluable, and life is full of amazing events.
5. Emperor Peter the Great, who deserved this title due to the outstanding role he played in the history of Russia, was born on May 30 (June 9), 1672. The parents of the future emperor were Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, who ruled in those years, and his second wife, Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina.
6. All the previous children of his father were deprived of health by nature, while Peter grew up strong and never knew illness. This even gave rise to evil tongues to question the paternity of Alexei Mikhailovich.
7. When the boy was 4 years old, his father died, and the empty throne was taken by his elder brother, the son of Alexei Mikhailovich from his first marriage with Maria Ilinichnaya Miloslavskaya ─ Fedor Alekseevich, who went down in national history as the sovereign of All Rus' Fedor III.
Fedor Alekseevich
8. As a result of his accession, Peter's mother largely lost her influence at court and was forced, together with her son, to leave the capital, to go to the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow.
Peter 1 in childhood
9. In Preobrazhensky, the childhood and youth of Peter 1 passed, who, unlike the heirs of European thrones, from an early age surrounded by the most outstanding teachers of his time, was educated by communicating with semi-literate uncles. However, the gap in knowledge, inevitable in such cases, was compensated by the abundance of his innate talents.
10. During this period, the sovereign could not live without noisy games, to which he devoted most of his day. He could get so carried away that he refused to stop for food and drink.
Peter 1 becomes king at the age of 10 - 1682
11. It was in childhood that the king made friends with someone who throughout his life would be his devoted companion and confidant. We are talking about Alexander Menshikov, who participated in all the childish amusements of the future emperor. Interestingly, the ruler was absolutely not embarrassed by the lack of a good education from a statesman.
12. As for his personal life. At the age of 17, Peter, having taken it as a habit to visit the German Quarter, started an affair with Anna Mons, his mother, in order to break the relationship she hated, forcibly married her son to the daughter of the roundabout Evdokia Lopukhina.
13. This marriage, which the young people entered into under duress, turned out to be extremely unhappy, especially for Evdokia, whom Peter eventually ordered to be tonsured as a nun. Perhaps it was precisely the remorse of conscience that forced him to subsequently issue a decree forbidding the marriage of girls without their consent.
14. As you know, the king was married twice. His first wife was a girl of noble birth, while the second was a peasant daughter. Catherine I - the second wife of Peter was of low birth.
15. Empress Catherine was actually called Martha Samuilovna Skavronskaya. The mother and father of the empress were simple Livonian peasants, and she herself managed to work hard as a laundress. Marta was blonde from birth, she dyed her hair dark all her life. Such a low origin of the wife did not matter to the ruler. Catherine I is the first woman whom the Emperor fell in love with. The king often discussed important state affairs with her and listened to her advice.
16. The first who riveted skates to shoes was Peter the Great. The fact is that earlier skates were simply tied to shoes with ropes and straps. And the idea of skates, now familiar to us, attached to the soles of boots, Peter I brought from Holland during his trip to Western countries.
17. In order for the fighters of his troops to distinguish between the right and left sides, the king ordered hay to be tied to their left foot, and straw to their right. The sergeant-major during drill training gave commands: “hay - straw, hay - straw”, then the company printed a step. Meanwhile, among many European peoples, three centuries ago, the concepts of "right" and "left" were distinguished only by educated people. The peasants did not know how.
18. From Holland, Peter I brought many interesting things to Russia. Among them are tulips. The bulbs of these plants appeared in Russia in 1702. The reformer was so fascinated by the plants growing in the palace gardens that he established a "garden office" specifically for extracting overseas flowers.
19. In the time of Peter, counterfeiters worked at the state mints as a punishment. Counterfeiters were calculated by the presence of "up to one ruble five altyns of silver money of one coinage." In those days, even state mints could not issue uniform money. And those who had them were a 100% counterfeiter. Peter decided to use this ability of criminals to produce uniform coins for the good of the state. The unfortunate criminal was sent as a punishment to one of the mints to mint coins there. So, in 1712 alone, thirteen such "craftsmen" were sent to the mints.
20. Peter I is a very interesting and controversial historical figure. By the way, the emphasis, which was made over the following centuries, was precisely on the physical features of the sovereign. It was largely due to the legend about its substitution, which allegedly occurred during a trip abroad to the countries of Western Europe (1697 ─ 1698). In those years, rumors stubbornly circulated, fueled by secret oppositionists, about his substitution during the trip of young Peter with the Great Embassy. So, contemporaries wrote that a young man of twenty-six years old, above average height, dense build, physically healthy, having a mole on his left cheek and wavy hair, well-educated, loving everything Russian, an Orthodox Christian, who knew the Bible by heart, and so on, was leaving with the embassy. . But two years later, a completely different person returned - practically speaking no Russian, hating everything Russian, never learning to write in Russian until the end of his life, forgetting everything he knew before leaving for the Grand Embassy and miraculously acquiring new skills and abilities . And finally, he changed dramatically in appearance. His height increased so much that he had to re-sew his entire wardrobe, and the mole on his left cheek disappeared without a trace. In general, when he returned to Moscow, he looked like a 40-year-old man, although by that time he was barely 28 years old. All this allegedly happened during the two years of Peter's absence in Russia.
21. If historical documents do not lie, the emperor had a height that many modern basketball players can envy - more than 2 meters.
22. With such a high growth, it is all the more surprising that he had a “modest” shoe size: 38th.
23. It is strange that the legendary ruler of the Russian Empire could not boast of a strong physique. As historians managed to find out, Peter 1 wore clothes of the 48th size. The descriptions of the appearance of the autocrat, left by his contemporaries, indicate that he was narrow-shouldered and had a disproportionately small head.
24. Tsar Peter 1 belonged to the number of fierce opponents of alcoholism. In 1714, Vladyka began to fight the drunkenness of his subjects with his usual humor. He came up with the idea of "rewarding" incorrigible alcoholics with medals. Perhaps world history did not know a heavier medal than the one that was invented by the joker emperor. Cast iron was used to create it, even without a chain, such a product weighed about 7 kg or even a little more. The award was presented at the police station where alcoholics were taken. She was hoisted around her neck using chains. Moreover, they were securely fixed, excluding self-removal. The awarded drunkard had to pass in this form for a week.
25. A number of quite obvious facts make us doubt the reliability of the fact that Peter 1 was tall. Having visited the museums of the country, the expositions of which present personal items, clothes (48 sizes!) And the sovereign's shoes, it is easy to make sure that they would be impossible to use if the growth of Peter 1 was really such a significant growth. They would just be small. The same idea is suggested by several of his surviving beds, on which, with a growth exceeding 2 m, one would have to sleep while sitting. By the way, authentic samples of the king's shoes allow us to determine the size of Peter 1's feet with absolute accuracy. So, it has been established that today he would buy shoes for himself ... size 39! Another argument that indirectly refutes the generally accepted idea of the growth of the king, can serve as a stuffed animal of his favorite horse Lisetta, presented in the St. Petersburg Zoological Museum. The horse was rather squat and would have been uncomfortable for a tall rider. And, finally, the last thing: could Peter 1 genetically achieve such a growth, if all of his ancestors, about whom there is fairly complete information, did not differ in special physical parameters?
26. What could give rise to the legend of the unique growth of the king? It has been scientifically proven that in the process of evolution over the past 300 years, people's height has increased by an average of 10-15 cm. This suggests that the sovereign was indeed much taller than those around him and was considered an unusually tall man, but not according to the current, but to those long gone in the past, to the standards, when a height of 155 cm was considered quite normal. Today, the size of the feet of Peter 1, established according to shoe samples, leads to the conclusion that his height hardly exceeded 170-180 cm.
27. Having issued his famous decree “Sea ships to be” in October 1696, he very quickly became convinced that, in addition to enthusiasm and financial investments, knowledge in the field of shipbuilding and navigation is required for the success of the business begun. It was for this reason that, as part of the Russian embassy (but incognito), he went to Holland, which was then one of the leading maritime powers of the world. There, in the small port city of Saardam, Peter 1 took a course in carpentry and shipbuilding, quite reasonably reasoning that before demanding from others, one must learn the secrets of the craft himself.
28. So, in August 1697, at the shipyard, owned by the Dutch shipbuilder Linstr Rogge, a new worker, Pyotr Mikhailov, appeared unusually similar to the Russian Tsar in facial features and valiant posture. However, no one raised suspicions, especially since the Dutch could hardly imagine a monarch in a working apron and with an ax in his hands.
29. This foreign voyage of the sovereign significantly enriched the palette of Russian life, since he tried to transfer much of what he had seen there to Russia. For example, Holland was exactly the country from where Peter 1 brought potatoes. In addition, from this small state, washed by the North Sea, tobacco, coffee, tulip bulbs, as well as a huge set of surgical instruments came to Russia in those years. By the way, the idea to force subjects to shave their beards was also born by the sovereign during a visit to Holland.
30. It should be noted the king's predilection for a number of activities that are not typical for other august persons. Well-known, for example, his passion for turning. Until now, visitors to the St. Petersburg Museum "House of Peter I" can see the machine on which the sovereign himself turned various wooden crafts.
31. An important step towards introducing Russia to the standards adopted in Europe was the introduction of the Julian calendar under Peter 1. The former chronology, originating from the creation of the world, became very inconvenient in the realities of life in the coming 18th century. In this regard, on December 15, 1699, the king issued a Decree, according to which the years began to be counted in accordance with the calendar generally accepted abroad, put into use by the Roman emperor Julius Caesar. Thus, on January 1, Russia, together with the entire civilized world, entered not into the year 7208 from the Creation of the world, but into the year 1700 from the Nativity of Christ.
32. At the same time, the Decree of Peter 1 came out on the celebration of the New Year on the first day of January, and not in September, as it was before. One of the innovations was the custom of decorating houses with Christmas trees.
33. Many interesting facts about Peter 1 are connected with his hobbies, among which there were also very unusual ones. Peter I was fond of medicine. He tried his hand at surgery and actively studied the anatomy of the human body. But most of all, the king was fascinated by dentistry. He liked to pull out bad teeth. It is known that with the help of tools brought from Holland, he often removed the bad teeth of his courtiers. At the same time, the king sometimes got carried away. Then their healthy teeth could also fall under the distribution.
34. The emperor was a perfect master of fourteen trades. However, not all the crafts that Peter tried to master during his long life were submitted to him. At one time, the emperor tried to learn how to weave bast shoes, but nothing came of it. Since then, he respectfully treated the "wise men" who managed to master the science, which seemed to him so difficult.
35. Behavior, appearance, habits of subjects - there is hardly a sphere of human life left that Peter 1 did not touch with his decrees.
36. The greatest indignation of the boyars was caused by his order regarding beards. The ruler, who wanted to establish European order in Russia, categorically ordered that facial hair be shaved off. The protesters were forced to submit over time, because otherwise they would face a huge tax.
37. Issued the most famous king and many other humorous decrees. For example, one of his orders was a ban on appointing people with red hair to government posts.
38. He also managed to become famous as a wrestler with national costumes. Interesting facts from the life of the sovereign confirm that among his decrees there is an order to wear European clothes. It was he who forced the fair sex to put on low-cut dresses instead of sundresses, and men - in camisoles and cropped trousers.
39. Many wonderful things would never have appeared in Russia if it were not for Peter 1. Interesting facts are related to potatoes. The inhabitants of our country were not familiar with this vegetable until the king brought it from Holland. The first attempts to introduce the potato as a daily food proved to be a failure. The peasants tried to eat it raw, not knowing to bake or boil it, and as a result they refused this tasty and nutritious vegetable. Also, during the time of Peter I, rice was first brought to the territory of Russia.
40. Tulips are beautiful flowers, the cultivation of which in the state also began at the request of Peter the Great. The autocrat brought the bulbs of these plants to the country from Holland, where he spent quite a lot of time. The emperor even organized a "garden office", the main purpose of which was the introduction of overseas flowers.
41. The first Museum of the Kunstkamera was founded by Peter, which contains his personal collections brought from different parts of the world. All the tsar's collections were transferred to the Summer Palace in 1714. This is how the Kunstkamera museum was created. Everyone who visited the Kunstkamera received alcohol free of charge.
42. Catherine I had many intrigues and often cheated on the tsar. The lover of the tsar's wife, Willim Mons, was sentenced to death on November 13, 1724 - he was executed by beheading on November 16 in St. Petersburg, and his head was put in alcohol and placed in the queen's bedroom.
43. The king issued a decree: all thieves who stole more than the value of a rope from the state treasury were to be hanged on this rope.
44. Peter 1 at a reception in Germany did not know how to use napkins and ate everything with his hands, which struck the princesses with his clumsiness.
45. Peter managed to make an excellent military career and as a result become an admiral of the Russian, Dutch, English and Danish fleets.
46. Naval and military affairs were the favorite areas of the king. Peter founded a regular fleet and army in Russia. He constantly studied and received new knowledge in these areas. The Naval Academy in Russia was founded by the Tsar in 1714.
47. The king introduced a tax on baths, which were privately owned. At the same time, the development of public baths was encouraged.
48. In 1702, Peter I managed to take powerful Swedish fortresses. In 1705, thanks to the efforts of the Tsar, Russia gained access to the Baltic Sea. In 1709, the legendary Battle of Poltava took place, which brought great glory to Peter 1.
49. Strengthening the military power of the Russian state was the life work of the emperor. During the reign of Peter I, compulsory military service was introduced. To create an army, taxes were collected from local residents. The regular army began to operate in Russia in 1699.
50. The emperor achieved great success in navigation and shipbuilding. He was also an excellent gardener, a bricklayer, he knew how to make watches and draw. Even Peter 1 often surprised everyone with his virtuoso piano playing.
51. The tsar issued a letter, which forbade wives to take drunken men from pubs. In addition, the king was against women on the ship, and they were taken only as a last resort.
52. Under Peter the Great, several successful reforms were carried out in education, medicine, industry and finance. The first gymnasium and many schools for children were opened during the reign of Peter I.
53. Peter was the first to make a long journey to Western European countries. Peter 1 allowed Russia to pursue a full-fledged foreign economic policy in the future thanks to his progressive reforms.
54. One of the activities of Peter I was the creation of a powerful fleet on the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, which he succeeded as a result. Access to the Baltic Sea was specially built for the development of trade. The emperor managed to conquer the coast of the Caspian Sea and annex Kamchatka.
55. The construction of St. Petersburg was started in 1703 by order of the tsar. Only in St. Petersburg it was allowed to build stone houses since 1703. The emperor made a lot of efforts to turn St. Petersburg into the cultural capital of Russia.
56. The king was asked to choose the title "emperor of the East", which he refused.
57. The exact cause of the king's death is not known today. According to one source, Peter suffered from a bladder disease. According to others, he fell ill with severe pneumonia. The king continued to rule the state until the last day, despite a severe illness. Peter 1 died in 1725. He is buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.
58. The tsar did not have time to write a will, while leaving a serious mark on the history of the Russian Empire. Catherine 1 took over the rule of the Russian Empire after the death of Peter. After the death of the king, the era of palace coups began.
59. In many leading countries, monuments to Peter 1 were erected. The Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg is one of the famous monuments to Peter 1.
60. After the death of the king, cities began to be named after him.
photo from internet
Peter 1 ascended the throne on August 18, 1682, and since then his long reign began. Interesting facts from the life of Peter 1 allow you to learn more about his difficult royal path. As you know, Peter I successfully ruled the country for more than 43 years. Important facts from the biography of Peter 1, revealing all his positive and negative sides of both the king and the common man, have come down to us. Further, we will consider in more detail the important facts of the activity of Peter I, who left a serious mark on the history of the Russian Empire.
1. As a child, the future emperor was distinguished by good health compared to his brothers, who were very often sick.
2. There were rumors in the royal court that Peter was not the son of Alexei Romanov.
3. Peter the Great was the first to come up with the idea of attaching skates to shoes.
4. The Emperor wore size 38 shoes.
5. The growth of Peter the Great exceeded two meters, which at that time was considered very strange.
6. The emperor wore clothes in size 48.
7. The second wife of Emperor Catherine I was a commoner by birth.
8. In order for the soldiers to distinguish the left from the right side, straw was tied to the right hand, and hay to the left.
9. Peter was very fond of dentistry and therefore removed bad teeth on his own.
10. Peter came up with the idea of rewarding drunkards with medals weighing more than seven kilograms. It was an effective method of dealing with drunkenness.
11. Tulips were brought to Russia by the king from Holland.
12. The emperor was very fond of growing gardens, so he ordered overseas plants.
13. Counterfeiters worked at the mint as a punishment.
14. Peter often used doubles for business trips abroad.
15. Peter 1 is buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. He died after severe pneumonia in 1725.
16. Peter 1 created the first special agency that dealt with complaints.
17. The Julian calendar was introduced by the king in 1699.
18. The emperor was a perfect master of fourteen trades.
20. The king baptized all his close people in the Caspian Sea.
21. Quite often, Peter himself secretly checked the fulfillment of his duties by the guards.
22. The king could not master the weaving of bast shoes.
23. The emperor achieved great success in navigation and shipbuilding. He was also an excellent gardener, a bricklayer, he knew how to make watches and draw.
25. A decree was also issued on the mandatory shaving of mustaches and beards.
26. In addition, the king was against the women on the ship, and they were taken only as a last resort.
27. During the time of Peter I, rice was first brought to the territory of Russia.
28. The king was asked to choose the title of "emperor of the East", which he ultimately refused.
29. Peter often surprised everyone with his virtuoso piano playing.
30. The tsar issued a charter that forbade wives to take drunken men from pubs.
31. The emperor brought potatoes to Russia, which were distributed throughout the territory.
32. Peter truly loved only Catherine I.
33. The tsar himself selected news for the Vedomosti newspaper.
34. The emperor spent most of his life on campaigns.
35. The king at a reception in Germany did not know how to use napkins and ate everything with his hands, which struck the princesses with his clumsiness.
36. Only in St. Petersburg it was allowed to build stone houses since 1703.
37. All thieves who stole more than the value of a rope from the state treasury were to be hanged on this rope.
38. All the collections of the king were transferred to the Summer Palace in 1714. This is how the Kunstkamera museum was created.
39. The lover of the tsar's wife, Willim Mons, was sentenced to death on November 13, 1724 - he was executed by beheading on November 16 in St. Petersburg, and his head was sealed in alcohol and placed in the queen's bedroom.
40. Peter loved to toast his military art teachers when he won the next battles.
41. An unusual map of Asian Russia hung in the Tsar's Summer Palace.
42. The Tsar used various methods to accustom the Russians to European culture.
43. Everyone who visited the Kunstkamera received free alcohol.
44. In adolescence, the king could play without food and sleep for a whole day.
45. Peter managed to make an excellent military career and as a result become an admiral of the Russian, Dutch, English and Danish fleets.
46. Peter tried his hand at surgery and actively studied the anatomy of the human body.
47. Menshikov, who was a close friend of the tsar, did not know how to write at all.
48. The real name of the emperor's second wife was Martha.
49. The king loved his cook Filt and very often dined in the house, where he always left chervonets.
50. So that no one got into the city in the winter, slingshots were placed on the Neva.
51. The king introduced a tax on baths, which were privately owned. At the same time, the development of public baths was encouraged.
52. Catherine I had many intrigues and often cheated on the tsar.
53. The great growth of the emperor prevented him from doing some things.
54. After the death of the king, the era of palace coups began.
55. Peter founded a regular fleet and army.
56. At first, Peter 1 ruled together with his brother Ivan, who very quickly passed away.
57. Naval and military affairs were the favorite areas of the king. He constantly studied and received new knowledge in these areas.
58. Peter took a course in carpentry and shipbuilding.
59. Strengthening the military power of the Russian state is the life work of the emperor.
60. During the reign of Peter I, compulsory military service was introduced.
61. The regular army began to operate in 1699.
62. In 1702, Peter I managed to take powerful Swedish fortresses.
63. In 1705, thanks to the efforts of the tsar, Russia received access to the Baltic Sea.
64. In 1709, the legendary Battle of Poltava took place, which brought great glory to Peter 1.
65. As a child, Peter was very fond of playing war games with his younger sister Natalya.
66. As a teenager, Peter was hiding in Sergiev Posad during the Rifle Riot.
67. Throughout his life, the king suffered from severe attacks of facial muscle spasms.
68. The king personally resolved many issues, as he was interested in many crafts and industries.
69. Peter was distinguished by incredible speed during the work, as well as perseverance, because he always brought every business to the end.
70. Mother forced Peter to marry his first wife Evdokia Lopukhina.
71. The king issued a decree forbidding girls to marry without the consent of the girls.
72. The exact cause of the king's death is unknown today. According to some reports, the king suffered from a bladder disease.
73. Peter was the first to make a long journey to Western European countries.
74. The Tsar dreamed of writing a book on the history of the Russian Empire.
75. Peter 1 allowed Russia to pursue a full-fledged foreign economic policy in the future thanks to his progressive reforms.
76. The Naval Academy was founded by the Tsar in 1714.
77. Only Catherine could calm the king's frequent fits of rage with her gentle voice and hugs.
78. The young king was fond of many spheres of human life, which in the future allowed him to successfully manage a powerful state.
79. Peter was in good health, so he practically did not get sick and easily coped with all life's difficulties.
80. The king was very fond of having fun, so he often arranged amusing events at the court.
81. One of the activities of Peter I was the creation of a powerful fleet on the Sea of Azov, which he succeeded as a result.
82. The tsar introduced a new chronology and the tradition of celebrating modern New Year holidays in Russia.
83. Access to the Baltic Sea was specially built for the development of trade.
84. The construction of St. Petersburg was started in 1703 by order of the tsar.
85. The emperor managed to conquer the coast of the Caspian Sea and annex Kamchatka.
86. To create an army, taxes were collected from local residents.
87. There have been several successful reforms in education, medicine, industry and finance.
88. During the reign of Peter I, the first gymnasium and many schools for children were opened.
89. Monuments to Peter 1 were erected in many leading countries.
90. In addition, after the death of the king, cities began to be named after him.
91. Catherine 1 passed the rule of the Russian Empire after the death of Peter.
92. Peter heroically helped free the soldiers from the water, which led to a cold and death.
93. The Emperor made a lot of efforts to turn St. Petersburg into the cultural capital of Russia.
94. Peter founded the first Museum of the Kunstkamera, which contains his personal collections brought from different parts of the world.
95. Peter actively fought against drunkenness, using various methods, for example, heavy copper coins.
96. The tsar did not have time to write a will, while leaving a serious mark on himself in the history of the Russian Empire.
97. Peter was respected in the world for his intelligence, education, sense of humor and justice.
98. Peter truly loved only Catherine I, and it was she who had a great influence on him.
99. The king continued to rule the state until the last day, despite his severe illness.
100. The Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg is one of the famous monuments to Peter 1.
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On August 18, 1682, Peter I ascended the throne. The great Russian Tsar, and later the Emperor, ruled the country for 43 years. His personality is associated with many important historical events for the state. We have collected ten interesting facts from the life of Peter the Great.
1. All the children of Tsar Alexei, the father of the future Emperor Peter I, were sickly. However, Peter, according to historical documents, from childhood was distinguished by enviable health. In this regard, there were rumors at the royal court that Tsarina Natalya Naryshkina did not give birth to a son at all from Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov.
2. The first person to rivet skates to shoes was Peter the Great. The fact is that earlier skates were simply tied to shoes with ropes and straps. And Peter I brought the idea of skates, now familiar to us, attached to the soles of boots, from Holland during his trip to Western countries.
3. According to historical documents, Peter I was quite tall, even by today's standards, a man. His height, according to some sources, was more than two meters. But at the same time, he only wore shoes in size 38. With such a high growth, he did not differ in a heroic physique. The surviving clothes of the Emperor are size 48. Peter's arms were also small, and his shoulders were narrow for his height. His head was also small compared to his body.
4. Catherine I - the second wife of Peter was of low birth. Her parents were simple Livonian peasants, and the real name of the Empress was Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya. Marta was blonde from birth, she dyed her hair dark all her life. Catherine I is the first woman whom the Emperor fell in love with. The king often discussed important state affairs with her and listened to her advice.
5. At one time, so that the soldiers could distinguish where it was right and where it was left, Peter I ordered hay to be tied to their left foot, and straw to their right. The sergeant-major during drill training gave commands: “hay - straw, hay - straw”, then the company printed a step. Meanwhile, among many European peoples, three centuries ago, the concepts of "right" and "left" were distinguished only by educated people. The peasants did not know how.
6. Peter I was fond of medicine. And most of all - dentistry. He liked to pull out bad teeth. At the same time, the king sometimes got carried away. Then healthy people could also get under the distribution.
7. As you know, Peter had a negative attitude towards drunkenness. Therefore, in 1714 he figured out how to deal with it. He simply issued medals for drunkenness to inveterate alcoholics. This award, made of cast iron, weighed about seven kilograms and this is without chains. According to some reports, this medal is considered the heaviest in history. This medal was hung around the neck of a drunkard in the police station. And independently "awarded" to remove it was not able. It took a week to wear the insignia.
8. From Holland, Peter I brought many interesting things to Russia. Among them are tulips. The bulbs of these plants appeared in Russia in 1702. The reformer was so fascinated by the plants growing in the palace gardens that he established a "garden office" specifically for extracting overseas flowers.
9. During the time of Peter, counterfeiters worked at the state mints as a form of punishment. Counterfeiters were calculated by the presence of "up to one ruble five altyns of silver money of one coinage." The fact is that in those days even state mints could not issue uniform money. And those. Koto had them - a 100% counterfeiter. Peter decided to use this ability of criminals to produce uniform coins for the good of the state. The unfortunate criminal was sent as a punishment to one of the mints to mint coins there. So, in 1712 alone, thirteen such "craftsmen" were sent to the mints.
10. Peter I is a very interesting and controversial historical figure. Take, for example, the rumors about his substitution during the trip of young Peter with the Great Embassy. So, contemporaries wrote that a young man of twenty-six years old, above average height, dense build, physically healthy, having a mole on his left cheek and wavy hair, well-educated, loving everything Russian, an Orthodox Christian, who knew the Bible by heart, and so on, was leaving with the embassy. . But two years later, a completely different person returned - practically speaking no Russian, hating everything Russian, never learning to write in Russian until the end of his life, forgetting everything he could before leaving for the Grand Embassy and miraculously acquiring new skills and abilities. Moreover, this man was already without a mole on his left cheek, with straight hair, a sickly man who looked forty years old. All this happened during the two years of Peter's absence from Russia.
There is hardly a more controversial and mysterious figure among the Russian emperors than Peter the Great. This ruler took the throne in 1682, reigned for 43 years, establishing himself as a talented, energetic and at the same time ruthless statesman. It is not surprising that almost every interesting fact about Peter 1 becomes the object of heated debate among historians. What is known about this extraordinary person?
An interesting fact about Peter 1: height and physique
If the historical documents are true, the emperor had a height that many modern basketball players can envy. An interesting fact about Peter 1 says that the ruler was over two meters. This is all the more surprising given his "modest" shoe size: 38.
Strange, but the legendary ruler of the Russian Empire could not boast of a strong physique. As historians managed to find out, this man wore clothes of the 48th size. The descriptions of the appearance of the autocrat, left by his contemporaries, testify that he was narrow-shouldered, had a disproportionately small head.
Marriage to a peasant woman
Another interesting fact about concerns his personal life. As you know, the king was married twice. His first wife was a girl of noble birth, while the second was a peasant daughter. Empress Catherine was actually called Martha, the mother and father of the empress were ordinary Livonian peasants, and she herself managed to work hard as a laundress.
This origin of the wife did not matter to the ruler, she was the only love of his life. It is curious that the autocrat was even concerned about the opinion of Catherine-Martha about the events taking place in the state. He not only asked her opinion on important issues, but often followed the advice he received.
The fight against drunkenness
The next interesting fact about Peter 1: the king was one of the fierce opponents of alcoholism. In 1714, Vladyka began to fight the drunkenness of his subjects with his usual humor. He came up with the idea of "rewarding" incorrigible alcoholics with medals.
Perhaps world history did not know a heavier medal than the one that was invented by the joker emperor. Cast iron was used to create it, even without a chain, such a product weighed about 7 kg or even a little more. The award was presented at the police station where alcoholics were taken. She was hoisted around her neck using chains. Moreover, they were securely fixed, excluding self-removal. The awarded drunkard had to pass in this form for a week.
strange hobbies
Many interesting facts about Peter 1 are connected with his hobbies, among which there were some very unusual ones. For example, one of the passions of the autocrat who ruled Russia was medicine. In particular, he was very fascinated by the mysteries of dentistry, the process of pulling out teeth. It's funny, but people who had exceptionally healthy teeth were often forced to become "patients" of this royal dentist.
However, not all the crafts that Peter tried to master during his long life were submitted to him. At one time, the emperor tried to learn, but nothing came of it. Since then, he respectfully treated the "wise men" who managed to master the science, which seemed to him so difficult.
Anecdotal decrees
Behavior, appearance, habits of subjects - there is hardly a sphere of human life that Peter 1 did not affect with his decrees. Interesting facts from the life of the tsar report that the boyars were most indignant at his order regarding beards. The ruler, who wanted to establish European order in Russia, categorically ordered that facial hair be shaved off. The protesters were forced to submit over time, because otherwise they would face a huge tax.
The most famous king issued and many other humorous decrees. For example, one of his orders was a ban on appointing people with red hair to government posts.
Peter 1 also managed to become famous as a wrestler with national costumes. Interesting facts from the life of the sovereign confirm that among his decrees there is an order to wear European clothes. It was he who forced the fair sex to put on low-cut dresses instead of sundresses, and men - in camisoles and cropped trousers.
Rumors of illegitimacy
There were also people in the distant past who doubted whether Tsar Peter 1 had the right to the Russian throne. Interesting facts from the biography of the ruler claim that there were rumors in the state about his illegal origin. The ill-wishers insisted that the empress, who had the honor of becoming the mother of one of the most famous sovereigns of Russia, was cheating on her husband.
The evidence given by the proponents of this theory can hardly be called strong. It turns out that almost all the children who appeared with Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, his official father, were distinguished by fragile health. Peter the Great was the only exception, which gave rise to rumors.
What to tell children
Some details from the life of the sovereign may seem entertaining to the younger generation. Many wonderful things would never have appeared in Russia if it were not for Peter 1. Interesting facts for children are related to potatoes. The inhabitants of our country were not familiar with this vegetable until the king brought it from Holland. The first attempts to introduce the potato as a daily food proved to be a failure. The peasants tried to eat it raw, not knowing to bake or boil it, and as a result they refused this tasty and nutritious vegetable.
Tulips are beautiful flowers, the cultivation of which in the state also began at the request of Peter the Great. The autocrat brought the bulbs of these plants to the country from Holland, where he spent quite a lot of time. The emperor even organized a "garden office", the main purpose of which was the introduction of overseas flowers.
Rumors of a change
The most interesting facts about Peter 1 are not at all connected with potatoes and tulips. They concern a trip he undertook at the age of 26 with the Grand Embassy. Eyewitnesses claim that a young man of dense build, with a mole located on his left cheek, left his native lands. He showed respect for everything related to Russian culture, knew the Bible almost by heart, demonstrated education and erudition.
Why did the people decide that it was not the real tsar who returned to Russia after this trip? Some contemporaries of the sovereign insist that after a two-year absence, he began to understand the Russian language poorly, to have a negative attitude towards everything connected with the original Russian customs. In addition, he acquired many new skills that he physically could not have acquired during the trip. Finally, the mole on his cheek disappeared, outwardly he resembled a 40-year-old man.
Childhood of the king
Fascinating details are known not only about the years of the reign of the famous emperor. Interesting facts from the childhood of Peter 1 are no less interesting for historians studying his personality. It turns out that during this period the sovereign could not live without noisy games, to which he devoted most of his day. He could get so carried away that he refused to stop for food and drink.
It was in childhood that the king made friends with someone who would be his devoted companion and confidant throughout his life. We are talking about Alexander Menshikov, who participated in all the childish amusements of the future emperor. Interestingly, the ruler was absolutely not embarrassed by the lack of a good education from a statesman.
This is how the most fascinating facts from the life of a great ruler look like.
Having ascended the Russian throne in 1682 and remaining on it for 43 years, Peter 1 managed to bring a backward and patriarchal country into the ranks of European leaders. His role in the history of our Motherland is invaluable, and life is full of amazing events. Interesting facts about Peter 1 made up more than one volume of scientific research and filled the pages of numerous popular publications.
Emperor Peter the Great, who deserved this title due to the outstanding role he played in the history of Russia, was born on May 30 (June 9), 1672. The parents of the future emperor were Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who ruled in those years, and his second wife, Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. A very interesting fact about Peter 1 should immediately be noted: nature deprived all the previous children of his father of health, while he grew up strong and never knew illness. This even gave rise to evil tongues to question the paternity of Alexei Mikhailovich.
When the boy was 4 years old, his father died, and the empty throne was taken by his elder brother, the son of Alexei Mikhailovich from his first marriage with Maria Ilyinichnaya Miloslavskaya ─ Fedor Alekseevich, who went down in national history as the sovereign of All Rus' Fedor III.
Unhappy marriage
As a result of his accession, Peter's mother largely lost her influence at court and was forced, together with her son, to leave the capital, to go to the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow. It was there that the childhood and youth of Peter 1 passed, who, unlike the heirs of European thrones, from an early age surrounded by the most outstanding teachers of his time, received his education, communicating with semi-literate uncles. However, the gap in knowledge, inevitable in such cases, was compensated by the abundance of his innate talents.
When, at the age of 17, Peter, having taken it as a habit to visit the German Quarter, started an affair with Anna Mons, his mother, in order to break the relationship she hated, forcibly married her son to the daughter of the devious Evdokia Lopukhina. This marriage, which the young people entered into under duress, turned out to be extremely unhappy, especially for Evdokia, whom Peter eventually ordered to be tonsured as a nun. Perhaps it was precisely the remorse of conscience that forced him to subsequently issue a decree forbidding the marriage of girls without their consent.
Peasant Woman Who Became Empress
Only the second wife of Peter 1, Catherine 1 (Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova), was able to fully reach out to his heart. She began to be called that only after she converted to Orthodoxy in 1707, and from birth she was called Marta Skavronskaya. The empress owes her patronymic to the son of Peter 1 - Tsarevich Alexei, who took on the role of godfather during the sacrament. Peter himself came up with a new surname for her.
The exact place of her birth is not known. According to one version, it was a village on the territory of modern Latvia, according to another - Estonia. But in any case, Martha came from a simple peasant family, and only an unusually lively mind, natural beauty, and even chance allowed her to take a place next to the emperor of one of the most powerful powers in the world.
According to contemporaries, she was the only one who knew how to tenderly subdue the outbursts of her husband's unbridled anger. Moreover, Peter saw in her not only the object of his love desires, but also a wise and efficient assistant who sincerely wanted to come to his rescue in any difficult situation. She was the only woman to whom he turned for advice in solving the most important state affairs.
An image that has become a tradition
With regard to the growth of Peter 1, a certain stereotype was firmly established in our minds: according to generally accepted opinion, the sovereign was unusually tall. However, not everything is so simple, and even this seemingly indisputable statement may raise certain doubts.
According to data published in various popular publications, his height ranged from 204 to 220 cm. This is how he was presented in the famous film directed by Vladimir Petrov, who filmed the novel by the classic of Soviet literature Alexei Tolstoy. From the cinema halls, his image stepped onto the canvases of many artists. Nevertheless, a number of quite obvious facts make one doubt its reliability.
Apparent contradictions
Having visited the museums of the country, the expositions of which present personal items, clothes (48 sizes!) And the sovereign's shoes, it is easy to make sure that they would be impossible to use if the growth of Peter 1 was really so significant. They would just be small. The same idea is suggested by several of his surviving beds, on which, with a growth exceeding 2 m, one would have to sleep while sitting. By the way, authentic samples of the king's shoes allow us to determine the size of Peter 1's feet with absolute accuracy. So, it has been established that today he would buy shoes for himself ... size 39!
Another argument that indirectly refutes the generally accepted idea of the growth of the king, can serve as a stuffed animal of his favorite horse Lisetta, presented in the St. Petersburg Zoological Museum. The horse was rather squat and would have been uncomfortable for a tall rider. And, finally, the last thing: could Peter 1 genetically achieve such a growth, if all of his ancestors, about whom there is fairly complete information, did not differ in special physical parameters?
Evolution and its laws
What gave rise to the legend of his unique growth? It has been scientifically proven that in the process of evolution over the past 300 years, people's height has increased by an average of 10-15 cm. This suggests that the sovereign was indeed much taller than those around him and was considered an unusually tall man, but not according to the current, but to those long gone in the past, to the standards, when a height of 155 cm was considered quite normal. Today, the size of the feet of Peter 1, established according to shoe samples, leads to the conclusion that his height hardly exceeded 170-180 cm.
“But the king is not real!”
By the way, the emphasis that was placed over the following centuries on the physical features of the sovereign was largely due to the legend of his substitution, which allegedly occurred during a trip abroad to the countries of Western Europe (1697 ─ 1698).
In those years, rumors stubbornly circulated, fueled by secret oppositionists, that, going on a trip, the sovereign looked like an ordinary young man of 26 years of age, who had a dense physique and growth slightly above average. A mole on the left cheek was usually mentioned as a special sign. He was also a fully educated person, filled with a truly Russian spirit.
These same witnesses claimed that after the two-year absence of the king (if it was him) it was completely impossible to recognize. He began to speak Russian poorly, and when writing he made gross mistakes. In addition, the former patriotism was replaced in him by contempt for everything Russian. He lost many of the skills he had before, and in return he acquired many new ones.
And finally, he changed dramatically in appearance. His height increased so much that he had to re-sew his entire wardrobe, and the mole on his left cheek disappeared without a trace. In general, when he returned to Moscow, he looked like a 40-year-old man, although by that time he was barely 28 years old.
Studying at the Dutch shipyards
There are many interesting facts about Peter 1 related to his activities in the creation of the Russian fleet. Having issued in October 1696 his famous decree “Sea ships to be”, he very quickly became convinced that, in addition to enthusiasm and financial investments, knowledge in the field of shipbuilding and navigation is required for the success of the business begun.
It was for this reason that, as part of the Russian embassy (but incognito), he went to Holland, which was then one of the leading maritime powers of the world. There, in the small port city of Saardam, Peter 1 took a course in carpentry and shipbuilding, quite reasonably reasoning that before demanding from others, one must learn the secrets of the craft himself.
So, in August 1697, at the shipyard, owned by the Dutch shipbuilder Linstr Rogge, a new worker, Pyotr Mikhailov, appeared unusually similar to the Russian Tsar in facial features and valiant posture. However, in those years, the portraits of the heads of state were not yet replicated in the media, and no one had suspicions, especially since the Dutch could hardly imagine a monarch in a work apron and with an ax in his hands.
Dutch acquisitions
This foreign voyage of the sovereign significantly enriched the palette of Russian life, since he tried to transplant much of what he had seen there on Russian soil. For example, Holland was exactly the country from where Peter 1 brought potatoes.
In addition, from this small state, washed by the North Sea, tobacco, coffee, tulip bulbs, as well as a huge set of surgical instruments came to Russia in those years. By the way, the idea to force subjects to shave their beards was also born by the sovereign during a visit to Holland.
Handyman
Among other interesting facts about Peter 1, it should be noted his addiction to a number of activities that are not typical for other august persons. Well-known, for example, his passion for turning. Until now, visitors to the St. Petersburg Museum "House of Peter I" can see the machine on which the sovereign himself turned various wooden crafts. He was also fond of medicine, showing particular interest in dentistry. It is known that with the help of tools brought from Holland, he often removed the bad teeth of his courtiers.
Hay, straw and a "medal for drunkenness"
A characteristic feature of the sovereign was his ability to make non-standard and sometimes completely unexpected decisions. So, for example, during drill training, it turned out that the soldiers, who came from the common people, did not distinguish “right” from “left” and, accordingly, could not keep up. Peter found a simple and witty way out of the situation: he ordered to tie a bundle of hay to the right leg of each soldier, and straw to the left. Now, instead of the previously incomprehensible command: “Right ─ left!” The sergeant-major shouted: “Hay is straw, hay is straw!” - and the system marched, minting a step in unison.
As you know, Peter 1 loved noisy feasts, but at the same time did not favor drunkards. To prevent this evil, he also found a very original solution. In the police station, everyone who was convicted of excessive drinking was hung around the neck with a special “medal” cast from cast iron and weighing at least 7 kg (and sometimes more). The drunkard had to wear this “award” for a week and could not take it off with his own hand, since it was connected to a metal collar fastened with a rivet in the manner of shackles.
“Hello, we are looking for talent!”
From time immemorial, counterfeiters have not been translated in Rus'. They were caught and punished in the most sophisticated ways, to the point that molten silver was poured into their throats. The sovereign approached this problem with his usual pragmatism. He reasoned very sensibly that if an attacker is so gifted by nature that he is able to secretly mint coins that are indistinguishable from genuine ones, then it is a sin to destroy his talent.
By order of the king, all the counterfeiters caught were no longer killed or maimed, but sent to work at the mint (under escort, of course). Only during 1712, 13 people were “employed” by such craftsmen, which undoubtedly brought great benefits to Russia.
Beginning of a new era
An important step towards introducing Russia to the standards adopted in Europe was the introduction of the Julian calendar under Peter 1. The former chronology, originating from the creation of the world, became very inconvenient in the realities of life in the coming 18th century. In this regard, on December 15, 1699, the king issued a Decree, according to which the years began to be counted in accordance with the calendar generally accepted abroad, put into use by the Roman emperor Julius Caesar.
Thus, on January 1, Russia, together with the entire civilized world, entered not into the year 7208 from the Creation of the world, but into the year 1700 from the Nativity of Christ. At the same time, the Decree of Peter 1 was issued on the celebration of the New Year on the first day of January, and not in September, as it was before. One of the innovations was the custom of decorating houses with Christmas trees.
It is very difficult to talk briefly about Peter 1 and his amazing life. Multi-volume studies have been written about this man, but until now, scientists are discovering more and more new documents that make it possible to more fully present the picture of the legendary era that bears the name of the greatest reformer, who, according to A.S. Pushkin, "raised Russia with an iron bridle."
