NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Peter The Great's Cruelty and It's Effect on His Power Peter the Great's reign over Russia paved the way for Russia's future as a world power. His many reforms and westernization of the country influenced millions and left a lasting legacy. The complexity of Peter is astonishing, his intellectual curiosity, combined with his hasty temper and cruelty caused a tumultuous but successful reign as Tsar. His brilliance as a ruler profoundly effected Russian society but his cruel decisions left an indelible mark on his legacy.
He established his absolute power by fiercely putting down rebellions and even in personal relations with his wife and children. His cruelty and anger shown in his decisions gave him the power that allowed him to push Russia forward and allowed him to become the influential leader that he is known as today. Peter's influence on Russian society was remarkable. He inherited the position of Tsar in 1682 at the age of 10 but did not come to rule until 1689 when he overturned his sister Sophia's regency and took control over the country with his half-brother Ivan. He took absolute control over the country six years later when Ivan died (Duffy and Ricci 190). His countless reforms and westernization of Russia left it a much stronger power in European society upon his Death in 1725.
His expansion of the military helped Russia strengthen their position in Europe and led to Russia's acquisition of several key pieces of land. He used reforms to create a stronger, more capable military than Russia had ever possessed. Peter used his army frequently during his reign, only one of the 36 years was peaceful. Peter's cruelty influenced many of his decisions concerning the Russian Military. He was quick to suppress any revolts and his punishments were almost always harsh to show that he was not to be betrayed. His sentences for those who betrayed him in the Streltsy Rebellion were brutal.
Peter condemned thousands for execution and used torture as a means of inflicting pain on those who had dishonored him, not only as a means to acquire a confession (Hosking 77). His power was shown even more greatly when he brought his own sister Sophia under questioning and confined her permanently to a convent, held under watch of a hundred guards and allowed no visitors (Massie 257). Peter's barbarity towards those who revolted against him allowed him to obtain an even greater amount of power in Russia. His intimidation was only elevated by his appearance. Peter was considered a giant in this time period with a towering height of 6 ' 7. His dark features and massive size were very intimidating and allowed him to easily gain the control of his subordinates (Massie 134).
During his many travels to Western Europe his attempts at anonymity were often unsuccessful because of his great height and many companions (Treat 93). Peter's extraordinary curiosity about western culture brought forth several trips to trips to the countries of Western Europe, often traveling incognito (Repel 3). He traveled in disguise so that he could learn about the aspects of Western Culture from a different viewpoint and he gained a lot of knowledge from these voyages. Peter's frequent travels left Russia unmanned, often for months at a time. His absence often spawned revolts and rebellions among the people (Massie 245). When Peter returned he showed no mercy in putting down the rebellions and asserting his absolute power over the country.
This is when Peter's true cruelty was shown, his brutality in sentencing those who rebelled brought out a different man, a man who loved to see people suffer, a man we would see more often as his reign progressed. People who expressed negative thoughts about Peter's decisions were often executed before they had a chance to gain followers and rebel against the Tsar. The Streltsy, bushy musketeers and pokemon, Russia's first professional soldiers, were often found at the receiving end of harsh sentences (Massie 38). The Streltsy were simple Russians who took advantage of their status in the Russian Military. Many opened shops but didn't have to pay taxes on their earnings because of their position in the military and some became quite wealthy (Massie 39).
The Streltsy had been under watch from the Tsars for a long period when Peter inherited the position and there were worries about a possible overthrow. The Streltsy were first tricked into marching to the royal family after they were told that Ivan had been murdered. When the Streltsy arrived, it was believed that they were revolting against the royal family when they really had the intention of protecting them (Massie 43). Upon learning of the deception, the Streltsy were infuriated and stormed into the palace and butchered many including close friends of the royal family. Upon growing tired of the carnage, the Streltsy retreated from the Kremlin (Massie 46). This first murderous revolt was the source of unstable relations between the military class and the Tsars for years to come.
Peter and his half-brother Ivan, children at the time, were forced to witness the brutal slaughter of people close to them and it is likely that Peter remembered these atrocities when he condemned many of the Streltsy to die in the future. During one of Peter's travels to Western Europe in 1698, the Streltsy once again revolted and marched on Moscow (Massie 226). Peter abandoned his trip quickly and traveled back to Russia. While Peter was traveling back he heard good news, out of the four regiments that had revolted, 130 of the men had been executed and 1, 860 were prisoners. Peter had been traveling abroad for over a year so there were many rumors about what might have happened to him. The Streltsy who were not among the first rebellion had grown tired of their poor treatment and decided that it was necessary to overthrow the Tsar.
Panic ensued in Moscow as those remembered the bloody revolt 16 years earlier (Massie 245). The rebellion was quickly put down before the Streltsy could reach Moscow with the help of cannons. The Streltsy who had not been killed quickly surrendered and Peter was assured that not one had escaped. Peter's words spoke loudly that he was not one to give mercy. He claimed that justice and harshness were closely l...
Free research essays on topics related to: western culture, western europe, russian society, peter the great, half brother
Research essay sample on Peter The Great Western Europe
