Peter the Great: Not So Great At Being “Great”

Peter the Great, born in 1672, was a renowned Russian czar and the founder of the Russian Empire. However, despite his achievements, Peter had one big problem: he was not so great at being “great.”

For starters, Peter was a bit of a mess. When he ascended the throne in 1682 at the age of 10, he was already known for his penchant for drinking, gambling, and partying. His early years as czar were marked by a lack of focus and a tendency to get distracted by his hobbies.

As he grew older, Peter’s leadership skills did improve. He modernized Russia’s government, military, and economy, and he was known for his passion for science and technology. However, there were still some major “oops” moments.

For example, in an effort to make Russia more modern, Peter instituted a law that made men shave their beards. This did not go over well with the Russian Orthodox Church, which had strict rules about facial hair. Peter had to backtrack on the law after a public backlash.

Peter also had a bit of a temper. Legend has it that he once killed his own son in a fit of rage. The official story is that his son was involved in a plot to overthrow Peter, but some historians believe that Peter may have just been angry that his son wasn’t as interested in being “great” as he was.

Despite his flaws, Peter did leave his mark on Russia. He founded the city of St. Petersburg and built a navy that allowed Russia to compete with other European powers. However, it’s hard to deny that he could have been a bit more “great” at the whole “ruling a country” thing.

In conclusion, Peter the Great was an important figure in Russian history, but he was definitely not without his faults. Maybe he should have spent less time partying and more time reading about effective leadership strategies. Just saying.