History UsefulNotes / PeterTheGreat

Peter's reforms after that meant basically the gradual dismantling of the old Muscovite Tsardom and the creation of a new state, the Russian Empire. He introduced a new legal mechanism, the Table of Ranks, that provided a chance for talented and lucky commoners to make it into [[BlueBlood nobility]], created many new noble bloodlines and conducted many other reforms. Most notoriously, he implemented a "beard tax" that required Russian men to either pay an annual fee to keep their beards (which were considered signs of piousness in Russia at the time, but were comparatively unfashionable in Western Europe), or have them shaven off, often by force. Modern Russian culture, economy and politics are full of things introduced by Peter the Great: he invented the modern form of the Cyrillic alphabet, started printing newspapers, built the first heavy industries, taught Russians to drink coffee and smoke tobacco, and many, many more. He also had an attempt at independence by the [[UsefulNotes/{{Cossacks}} Cossack Hetmanate]] led by Hetman Ivan Mazepa bloodily crushed (sacking and razing their then-capital Baturyn and massacring its inhabitants), which has caused him to remain infamous in the collective memory of UsefulNotes/{{Ukrain|e}}ians (UsefulNotes/VladimirPutin even went as far as comparing himself to him during his invasion that started in 2022).

Peter's reforms after that meant basically gradual dismantling of the old Muscovite Tsardom and the creation of a new state, the Russian Empire. He introduced a new legal mechanism, the Table of Ranks, that provided a chance for talented and lucky commoners to make it into [[BlueBlood nobility]], created many new noble bloodlines and conducted many other reforms. Most notoriously, he implemented a "beard tax" that required Russian men to either pay an annual fee to keep their beards (which were considered signs of piousness in Russia at the time, but were comparatively unfashionable in Western Europe), or have them shaven off, often by force. Modern Russian culture, economy and politics are full of things introduced by Peter the Great: he invented the modern form of the Cyrillic alphabet, started printing newspapers, built the first heavy industries, taught Russians to drink coffee and smoke tobacco, and many, many more. He also had an attempt at independence by the [[UsefulNotes/{{Cossacks}} Cossack Hetmanate]] led by Hetman Ivan Mazepa bloodily crushed (sacking and razing their then-capital Baturyn and massacring its inhabitants), which has caused him to remain infamous in the collective memory of UsefulNotes/{{Ukrain|e}}ians (UsefulNotes/VladimirPutin even went as far as comparing himself to him during his invasion that started in 2022).

Peter's reforms after that meant basically gradual dismantling of the old Muscovite Tsardom and the creation of a new state, the Russian Empire. He introduced a new legal mechanism, the Table of Ranks, that provided a chance for talented and lucky commoners to make it into [[BlueBlood nobility]], created many new noble bloodlines and conducted many other reforms. Most notoriously, he implemented a "beard tax" that required Russian men to either pay an annual fee to keep their beards (which were considered signs of piousness in Russia at the time, but were comparatively unfashionable in Western Europe), or have them shaven off, often by force. Modern Russian culture, economy and politics are full of things introduced by Peter the Great: he invented the modern form of the Cyrillic alphabet, started printing newspapers, built the first heavy industries, taught Russians to drink coffee and smoke tobacco, and many, many more. He also had an attempt at independence by the [[UsefulNotes/{{Cossacks}} Cossack Hetmanate]] led by Hetman Ivan Mazepa bloodily crushed (sacking and razing their then-capital Baturyn and massacring its inhabitants), which has caused him to remain infamous in the collective memory of UsefulNotes/{{Ukrain|e}}ians.

Peter's reforms after that meant basically gradual dismantling of the old Muscovite Tsardom and the creation of a new state, the Russian Empire. He introduced a new legal mechanism, the Table of Ranks, that provided a chance for talented and lucky commoners to make it into [[BlueBlood nobility]], created many new noble bloodlines and conducted many other reforms. Most notoriously, he implemented a "beard tax" that required Russian men to either pay an annual fee to keep their beards (which were considered signs of piousness in Russia at the time, but were comparatively unfashionable in Western Europe), or have them shaven off, often by force. Modern Russian culture, economy and politics are full of things introduced by Peter the Great: he invented the modern form of the Cyrillic alphabet, started printing newspapers, built the first heavy industries, taught Russians to drink coffee and smoke tobacco, and many, many more. He also had an attempt at independence by the [[UsefulNotes/{{Cossacks}} Cossack Hetmanate]] led by Hetman Ivan Mazepa bloodily crushed (sacking and razing their then-capital Baturyn and massacring its inhabitants), which is why he's remained infamous in the collective memory of UsefulNotes/{{Ukrain|e}}ians.

Eventually, his claim of imperial status was recognized by foreign powers, and Russia officially became an empire in 1721. He died of cold after rescuing a soldier from one of early St. Petersburg's many deluges caused by tidal activity and unpredictable winds. The Russian Empire founded by him was one of the world's superpowers until UsefulNotes/RedOctober, and he was a cult figure in Russia until the late 19th century, when the more conservative Muscovite-esque political ideas reached dominance.