Peter the Great: Tsar of Russia

www.tomrichey.net
Peter the Great ruled Russia at the turn of the eighteenth century and launched several reforms to transform Russia into a modern absolutist state on the European model. As tsar, Peter reformed the military, the calendar, the Russian Orthodox Church, and the civil service system (Table of Ranks). Most of Peter's reforms were targeted toward his two main goals: Westernization and Warm Water Ports. Peter, who spent several months building ships in Amsterdam while on his "European Tour," is known as the "Father of the Russian Navy."
This lecture was intended for my AP European History course, but will also be suitable to Western Civilization and World History courses.
CLICKABLE INDEX:
0:59 The letter W
1:14 Westernization
1:54 Warm water ports
2:57 Military reforms
3:19 Azov campaign
4:50 A national flag
5:28 Peter's european tour
7:41 Cultural revolution
8:37 Beard tax
9:28 Petrine education
10:05 Calendar reforms
11:02 Resistance to Westernization
11:57 The 3 entrenched classes
12:38 The streltsy rebellion & retribution
14:52 The church & reforms
17:32 Christian toleration of foreign religions
18:02 Turning the boyars into a service nobility & the table of ranks
19:06 The great northern war
20:14 Peter and Alexander: a comparison
20:50 St. Petersburg; a window to the west
22:30 Peter the carpenter (a hands on guy)
23:54 Peter's death in 1725, the Russian empire & conclusion
Check out my AP European History Review Playlist:
• The Italian Renaissanc...

[@hognigk96]

Contents of this video 0:59 The letter W 1:14 Westernization 1:54 Warm water ports 2:57 Military reforms 3:19 Azov campaign 4:50 A national flag 5:28 Peter's european tour 7:41 Cultural revolution 8:37 Beard tax 9:28 Petrine education 10:05 Calendar reforms 11:02 Resistance to Westernization 11:57 The 3 entrenched classes 12:38 The streltsy rebellion & retribution 14:52 The church & reforms 17:32 Christian toleration of foreign religions 18:02 Turning the boyars into a service nobility & the table of ranks 19:06 The great northern war 20:14 Peter and Alexander: a comparison 20:50 St. Petersburg; a window to the west 22:30 Peter the carpenter (a hands on guy) 23:54 Peter's death in 1725, the Russian empire & conclusion

[@tomrichey]

Thanks! I've added this to the video description.

[@user-mu5iu3vm8d]

@@tomricheySt.Petersburg more closly translates to saint Peters castle than Peters city . Great work keep it up

[@jasminel9815]

hognigk96 love when people do this. thank you. It really helps

[@dahustle2284]

you bloody fucking legend.

[@miahua9111]

an absolute queen

[@jfox804]

Peter also adopted an African child named Abram ,who later was nicknamed gannibal (hannibal) a very wise engineer and the great grand father of Pushkin .

[@Borderose]

Peter the Great is one of my historical heroes. The story of his "Toy Army" is my favorite part of his biography/legend. He was a man of contrasts: simple, but brilliant; conservative, yet progressive; personable and affable, but also capable of ruthless cruelty. Regardless of how one may want to criticize him--no one can deny that he was, without a doubt, "great".

[@peterromanov5679]

Gracielo Barteza And was also very popular amongst the ladies :D

[@Borderose]

Peter Romanov I know you were, Your Majesty. :)

[@MrVlad1984]

Gracielo Barteza you should say "gosudar" - it was a tradional accost to Russians tzars :)

[@MrVlad1984]

Peter Romanov Государю императору и самодержцу всероссийскому Петру Алексеевичу - слава! Виват!

[@Pilum1000]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWbLf4imdr5ppZo :)

[@andrewfreeman14]

In Russia we call Peter's statue "The Copper Horseman" not bronze

[@000Zritel]

Hi, Tom. I'm from Russia, I just want to thank you for a very informative and interesting video, I not only enjoyed watching, but also learned a lot about Peter and history.

[@Shmalexru]

Why Matt Damon talking abot Russia?

[@grenmoyo3968]

3AHA6NX no its marky mark, mark Wahlberg's brother :p

[@user-qx1zz2jf3f]

Why he can't talking about Russia?

[@kennethhuang3878]

Oh my god, it’s Jason Bourne!

[@hunters4754]

Used this for my Ap European history class n highschool, using this for Asian civilizations in college.

[@JohnSmith-bm6zg]

He is method acting for Bourne 2

[@afterburner7847]

They should call him Peter The Awesome from now on.

[@LeahJade87]

Omg... He is definitely Peter the Awesome to me from here on out. Lmbo

[@banwartchannel]

Can't tell you how informative, entertaining, and inspiring your videos are. I'm a HS early/modern western civ teacher, and these lectures are like a shot in the arm! I love it. Keep up the great work!

[@haraldhonk4650]

Wow, it's friday and almost midnight here in germany and I'm watching a video about Tsar Peter the great. How did I get here? Whatever, now I'm going to photoshop Tom Richey on a horse. Maybe going to take like a week or so if I'm going for a good resolution (= the resolution you use for large pictures with golden frames)

[@celinamontero585]

your videos are amazing!I know that every time i have a quiz/test I HAVE to watch your videos. Very entertaining and the opposite of insipid. Thank you, Mr. Richey.

[@danicakate741]

I would like to say thank you, Tom Richey! I started watching your videos when I learned I'm taking AP European History. Your videos really helped me pass AP Euro. also, I really love them, its very funny, entertaining and educational. once again THANK YOU for making these video lectures. These videos are my Superman/Savior.

[@tomrichey]

Thanks for the kind words! It's an honor to be able to help people pass as well as getting to educate and even entertain a bit.

[@KlayTitan]

This was great, i needed to find a video and share it for my Geography class on Peter the Great and this is more than i could've hoped for.

[@MrBulfur426]

This is great Tom. The best coverage of history on the net. I envy your students, what a great teacher you are.

[@chromelemon]

Tom, I love your videos and commentary style. Keep up the good work! I was actually just looking for a good documentary about Peter the Great. What timing!

[@tomrichey]

chromelemon Glad I could time this so perfectly for you! I often feel like I'm producing videos after my audience needs them - thankful for this exception. :D

[@correiavr]

Your videos are absolutely amazing! Thank you for this, and keep up the great work!

[@jason41a]

Tom. Thanks for this video. It's definitely my favorite!

[@seanphu99]

You're better than my real teacher. XD

[@tomrichey]

Thanks to modern technology, I can be your real teacher... Kind of... In a way.

[@maureenhurt9174]

+Tom Richey I have been to St Petersburg and Moscow and found it so interesting, forget all the bad hype we hear from the newspapers, go there and learn something about this great man and the country. I have just seen the article on Catherine the Great and was disappointed at the program, which was told a lot different from an educated person from Russia, please see it and then make your comment, they rubbish Peter and made him out to be a dolt and he was far from that. The books from Robert K Massie are a must read. Maureen Hurt (a fan of history, the truth that is).

[@Lucas-sp9cj]

Sean p faaaaacts

[@Geminish15]

@@maureenhurt9174 Duh. Those who write the books always bias. Look how they made native Americans look! Meanwhile they couldn't win a fkng war without hiring them lol. They too stupid to hide and track, they just stand together wearing bright colors and face each other.🤣

[@ameighable]

I've been to St. Peterburg. There's a way that most can afford it. There are companies that offer high school (and college) students really REALLY cheap trips with great tours. My 10 day stint in Russia cost $1700 in 1993. It included transportation, lodging, tours, and two meals a day. Tour of the Kremlin (for starters), hotel across the street from Red Square. Fun overnight train trip to St. Petes. Tour of the large (but simple) cabin in the woods. AMAZING fountains. I was invited because my local high school was two people short of qualifying for free tickets for the chaperones. I didn't go as a chaperone, but I accompanied the group on most of its outings. What a trip! Take it off your bucket list by finding those companies that organize these wonderful and affordable tours. I can't remember the name of the company that organized mine, but it isn't the only one.

[@mariosgaroufalis4639]

The double headed eagle is a byzantine emblem

[@tomrichey]

Indeed! The Russians took it over after the fall of the Empire. They have referred to Moscow at times as the Third Rome.

[@lukecage9836]

Awesome video Mr Richey! Wish my history professors were as enthusiastic in their lectures as you are here. Big fan of Peter the Great!

[@tomrichey]

Martin Townes So am I! One of the highlights of my visit to the Netherlands was seeing the Tsar Peter House at Zandam. They've preserved a two room shack where Peter the Great stayed for a week while visiting a carpenter who had worked for him in Russia.

[@bhm1893]

I had to do a project on Peter the Great and this helped immensely. Thanks for the great videos.

[@tomrichey]

Bhm18 I'm glad this helped you! This went on for a little while longer than most of my lectures, but I wanted to create something that was fully comprehensive.

[@snuggz9565]

Thx Tom. My teacher made most of the videos we need created by you to watch during the corona virus school closures. you help me with all of the subjects we go through in history. Im in 7th grade btw.

[@CalicoThat]

He wants to orient Russia towards Europe? Don't you mean he wants to occident Russia towards Europe?

[@sunlitweb]

+Mason Davis Very good.

[@jovannikolic1207]

nice one

[@metarus208]

Too good!!!!!!

[@mer3abec]

No. Russia never had intention to capture Europe. The reason Russia expended is to survive. Gergian King pray and ask Russians to take it land into Russia. And russia did not want to do that. But, finlay agree. Only becouse Gergia could face total extermoination by Osman empire. Gergians are ortodox christians and Russia could not let this to happen. Same story with Armenia. Peter oriented Russia to Europe to modernise it. He understande that it is essential for Russia to survive. And he was Right.

[@kyliephillips7716]

This video helped me so much to understand and remember the rule of Peter the Great. Thank you!!

[@dubov_ski]

thanks tom! if you could by any chance do something on Charles I, Cromwell, and/or Charles II that'd be awesome :) - struggling freshman

[@pamtime22]

I enjoyed this video very much. History presented this way brings these historical figures to life, like entering a time machine.

[@michaelnp2323]

Peter did not bring Patrick Gordon to Russia. Gordon was there already when Peter reached maturity. Patrick Gordon fled from England, served in the Prussian and Swedish armies before joining the Russian army in the times of Peter's father. It is correct that Gordon was a great soldier and Peter indeed wept upon his death and later declared that the catastrophe at Narva would have had another outcome had Gordonhad the command of the Russian troops. In the 17th. century Russian suspicion towards foreigners was great but Gordon was very respected due to his services to the Russian state and thus not only Peter but many other Russians was stricken with grief when that great soldier died. The history of Peter and Russia during this particular period is one of the most interesting periodes of European history in my opinion and I much enjoyed your video though there are some elements in your narrativ that I would have changed IF it was my video. :-)

[@tomrichey]

Thank you for the lesson! One of the best things about making these videos is getting in contact with people who have specialized in some of the periods that I study. I hope to study Peter's reign more in-depth sometime but lessons like this from people like you will do in the meantime!

[@michaelnp2323]

Thank you for the compliments. You yourself know quite a bit about Peter too. It is always pleasant to discuss such interesting topics as Peter the Great. I can highly recommend Robert K. Massies book "Peter the Great. His Life and World" which is a masterpiece on the subject, packed with details like that of Gordon. I've read it twice :-)

[@saipraneethmaddula789]

How did Peter the great deal with the streets rebellion of 1698? Did he have a separate army to put down the rebllion?

[@michaelnp2323]

As I remember it was only a portion of the Streltsy regiments, around 2000 men, who marched on Moscow, but the main army was loyal to the government. As such the rebellion was crushed pretty easy.

[@saipraneethmaddula789]

@@michaelnp2323 Did Peter the greats main army have modern European weapons and cannons to put down the streets revolt of 1698?How many of Peter the great main army was there to crush the rebellion of 1698?Also did Peter the great dissolve the streets after the revolt of 1698?

[@kabwempundu79]

Tom Richey, so far you are the best youtube history tutor.

[@allisonwinter5839]

I love your enthusiasm for Peter! Awesome video.

[@tomrichey]

And I love that you share my enthusiasm for Peter! He was such an interesting guy and I figured I should do a lecture on him since he's kind of a recurring character in my videos. :D

[@JoczProductions]

Super helpful for students at my school! I highly recommend people check out this channel!

[@tomrichey]

Thanks for the shout out, JoczProductions! Glad to know Euro students at your school are watching!

[@emmaf3426]

Jocz the Great

[@Tiisiphone]

I admire Peter a lot. He's the embodiment of the triumph of the will.

[@tomrichey]

Tiisiphone Yeah, I'd say that Nietzsche would have been pretty impressed with Peter!

[@peterromanov5679]

Tom Richey Yea sadly we weren't alive at the same time.. Voltaire DID write about me thought hehe

[@GrishgoL]

Excellent narrative, greetings from Russia.

[@tomrichey]

Bolshoi Spacebo!!!

[@user-si3vc2gm4y]

Tom Richey *Bolshoye spasibo)

[@jamiekunkle5163]

I would love to use this video for my classroom. However, I teach Deaf and hard-of-hearing students and your video has no captions.....

[@themadmannn]

Great content dude. I've been learning a lot from your channel lately.

[@tomrichey]

themadmannn I'm glad to hear it! Hope you'll keep watching and learning1

[@Johndoe-rl1fn]

Thanks Tom this video really helped, keep being awesome!

[@abdulazizjaber7560]

All this praise make it seem as if he was flawless but I won’t argue because I didn’t know much about him before this video. Amazing video! Hope you keep these up. These video are really informative and entertaining.

[@tomrichey]

Yeah, I really like Peter! lol It's just when you look at all that he accomplished that it's just amazing what a determined individual in the right place at the right time can accomplish. Glad to hear these videos are helping you!

[@sean2val]

agree

[@yewmunwong642]

Thanks. I promise to be less sad and more awesome. I'll attribute my success not to Peter the Great but to you too. I'm from Singapore. It's a pity that our History lessons are based so much on Southeast Asia and so little on the World. Thank you, Tom.

[@dennisyoung7363]

My daughter is a Kurakin (Russian Boyar) and is studying Peter the Great. This was a great intro. Thanks

[@bezukaking6860]

Q: how many subs did Peter the Great have? A: the temperature of the water

[@grenmoyo3968]

BezukaKing 273? ;) gotta throw Kelvin to screw your joke

[@istateofmind4511]

Wasn't it Peter who seen his family killed by the Streltsy, thrown from their residence onto spikes below? They spared him because they didn't want to wipe out the Romanov bloodline completely. Think that's why he took a no nonsense approach to their rebellion.

[@tomrichey]

iStateOfMind4 Pretty much! Peter definitely had reasons for acting as he did. He, Louis XIV, and Ivan the Terrible all had bad experiences with entrenched elites as children.

[@aseanrocks]

Charles The XII Of Sweden Please!!

[@lipek1938]

I'm going to pass my economic history exam !!! Thanks !!! It turns to be superb interesting after all :)

[@MatthieuVanHerck]

I wish I had a history teacher like you, Sir.

[@tomrichey]

Matthieu Van Herck Well, thanks to KZbin and the wonders of modern technology, you do!

[@jeanscreen]

Thanks so much! I learned more than I had reading two different AP textbooks on this! :^)

[@tomrichey]

junelawnchaired So glad I could help... and save you from having to read those awful textbooks!

[@daxter10kid]

Mr. Richey you're more helpful than my actual teacher. I love you.

[@tomrichey]

daxter10kid So glad I can help you learn some history! Watch the ads and I'll love you, too! XD

[@sailaciagofren1076]

Кстати, насчет вестернизации. Петр проводил в детстве много времени в немецкой слободе. А кто-то задавался вопросом, откуда эта слобода взялась там, если Россия якобы повернулась лицом к западу только при правлении Петра? Эта слобода там была уже при Иване Грозном, а в Смутное время мы на восток, если кто помнит, вообще не смотрели. Сколько поляков-монархов сменили, а Польша - это явно не восток. Россия всегда была западной цивилизацией, на восток нас крутанули захватчики-монголы, чем обеспечили нам отсталость на всю оставшуюся жизнь.

[@scpmr]

Oli Gofren Западная цивилизация (Запад) - это западная Европа. Русь приняла христианство от восточной римской империи (Византии). А религия в то время очень много значила для самосознания людей. Византия - это не Запад, это другая цивилизация, восточно-христианская, которая тем не менее все равно европейская, а не азиатская. Но это не Запад.

[@sailaciagofren1076]

scpmr Ну пускай пускай. Разница лишь в том, что я разделил мир на Восток и Запад, а вы разделили Запад на Католиков и Православных, Если смотреть относительно Европы - да, безусловно, мы восточней сидим. Но давайте не будем также и забывать, откуда взялась эта Византия, из Римской империи, откуда взялась эта Римская империя - из Др. Греции, т.к. город Рим - обычный эллинистический полис. А уж там и все наши общие корни растут. Западные. Византия даже территориально там, но тут вопрос территорий не имеет значения.

[@punishedpokemonfanboy1032]

You rookies and yer fancy shmancy alphabet

[@punishedpokemonfanboy1032]

+Pokemon Fanboy rooskies

[@DVXDemetrivs]

@@punishedpokemonfanboy1032 typical ignorant ...

[@lydiakarnick1170]

Love the shirt I would love one! Where did you get it?

[@ThomasHarding1990]

Founder of Saint Petersburg.

[@Jozamendo]

Not founder. He built the damn thing...

[@Void_Dweller7]

@@Jozamendo Of the remains of a Swedish Town.

[@alicetivarovsky7730]

Great video! Wish you had mentioned his relationship with his second wife Catherine I, who was, literally, a peasant when he met her. She's one of the coolest historical females in my opinion and they had a beautiful relationship.

[@Pilum1000]

Thank you very much for this panorama :)

[@emilym.5331]

how do you decide in a dbq how to section off the documents? i have a really hard tim doing that

[@n7seeker294]

really helped with my social studies project, thanks!

[@lisarost9953]

Thanks man.. awesome, very helpful and entertaining!!!!!

[@tomrichey]

Glad you liked it! :D

[@MegaAlexc123]

Peter wasn't just awesome, he was Legen...wait for it..DARY! Loving these videos, so helpful!

[@chronic_bronchitis]

Most of the test I just took was on Russia and Peter the Great, which my teacher did not mention was going to be on the test. He told us to focus on absolutism, Louis XIV, and the "mercantile wars" which were barely mentioned. This video could have helped if I knew Peter the Great was going to be on the test *sigh*.

[@tomrichey]

Better late than never!

[@AJ-et3vf]

Great video. Thank you

[@redheadrusskie]

Loved the video, keep the work up!

[@StopFear]

At 23:50 where a painting of deceased Peter is shown he looks just like older Ron Jeremy. Does in other images as well.

[@ozzieman4404]

Awesome video! Thank you! I'm reading a biography about Catherine the Great, and he is continuously being referenced. Superb!

[@tomrichey]

Hard to read about anyone ruling Russia after him with no mention of Peter the Great - guy was a real game changer! Glad you enjoyed the lecture.

[@judomagyar]

Awesome lecture! Thanks!

[@belle3744]

Hehe thanks for this, a great refresher before my 1700 Russian history AS exam tomorrow!!!!

[@emmaf3426]

Belle374 omg i wish my school provided a Russian history class

[@heartolion89]

Fascinating history. Great video.

[@tomrichey]

Kory Mickelson Glad you liked it! Peter fascinates the heck out of me!

[@SlaughterPig09]

Man, I wish I had you as a History teacher.

[@stupidkidteachyouhowtolive9311]

I'm form Russia and when you said about awesomeness of awesome guy Peter the Forth it was just that I feel, he is truly awesome

[@2777davies]

you sir are my new favourite channel

[@VeraNarishkin]

He is my indirect ancestor, my first cousin 7 times removed via my mother, and my fourth cousin 6 times removed via my father.

[@grassywings7095]

I’m related to British royalty via William the conqueror and King Edward the first. Don’t know how that relates me to any other royalty though.

[@jastinamaranjyan]

Hi Mr. Latimer. We love you. You both exude awesomeness

[@1redrider100]

10:55 Was it Orthodox New Years or Catholic New Years? I remember something about Gregorian vs Orthodox.

[@bobsbigboy_]

Hey, Tom! In school we had to pick a historical figure to do a lecture about and i picked Peter the Great!

[@ashleyclifford8143]

Tom Richey,If my method of studying for the AP euro exam is solely watching your videos, will I do well? That and listening to the review sessions in my ap euro class, of course.

[@tomrichey]

+Ashley Clifford I'd like to think so, but I'd definitely recommend also checking out the resources on my website and buying my Romulus Euro app at the App Store!

[@jameskelman9856]

Well done! Thanks Muchacho!

[@jonasandersen7903]

u got skills, thanks for posting this videos.

[@tomrichey]

And you've got mad watching skills if you made it all the way through that!!!

[@kalyanarc4467]

Thank you Petre, for creating a nation that would later defend the world from evil fascists !!!

[@kernelsanderzz]

@@bidenator9760 you'll burn in hell js

[@bidenator9760]

@@kernelsanderzz I feel honoured, thank you.

[@chavaspada]

lol fascism was created to stop the evil and authoritarian communist regimes.

[@algibson0228]

Thanks Tom!

[@gaminggirl7858]

So helpful!

[@connormeeks9066]

i love your videos please make more.

[@tomrichey]

Will do! A pleasure to get the endorsement of a lumberjack - from what I've read, it's the pinnacle of manliness!

[@Vaygor]

So basically Peter made Russia great again... Can we get that on a red MAGA cap?

[@beemccouch]

correction *MRGA*

[@carboy101]

It wasn't great before him.

[@jasminel9815]

Russia was always great and always will be!!!

[@TheManinBlack9054]

He did not make Russian great AGAIN, he just made Russia greater, Russia wasn't as great before him as it was after him. Trump is a retrograde that wants stuff to be like in the old days, hence the slogan "Great Again", Peter The Great wanted Russia to become a major European power so he sought to modernize and reform Russia, so the Trump's slogan of "great again" is completely unattributable to Peter as Peter was a modernizer who looked forward and Trump is a retrograde looking to restore the past, they're completely polar. Peter actually had to fight retrogrades in order to get rid of the old ways.

[@pallaschou2098]

these videos are the best

[@ljuc]

Russia could use some cultural revolution now as well... But take only the best bits. As for Peter, you can say that he was indeed a leader.

[@michaelabraham8921]

How did one advance in the table of ranks, like specific examples?

[@tomrichey]

Pretty much like advancing through the civil service or military today.

[@briangren]

Where did you get your shirt?

[@tomrichey]

+briangren The Internet

[@VeraNarishkin]

Another thing you might not know is that even under Peter the Great, the calendar that was followed and is still followed in Russia in the Russian Orthodox Church is the Julian Calendar and not the Gregorian Calendar which is the one followed in the rest of the world. So, in Russia, the New Year is celebrated on January 15 (and Christmas is celebrated on January 7).

[@StewartMiles1]

Great video!!

[@a_joyful_life]

great video!!

[@matchasketch8224]

YOU ARE AWESOMMMEEEEE - and i'd love to see an equestrian statue of Tom Richey lol

[@ritik_p_]

"LITTLE PEOPLE!"

[@mileseason6020]

Where did you go to university or collage?

[@c0nstantine320]

Your accent makes it worthwhile.... As well as the college credit.

[@mohamadabdou736]

I like your lectures

[@Lioninthenight]

Awesome, Man!

[@jonpato]

First time watching. Awesome!

[@hasos3171]

very helpful and funny, you're in love with Peter haha

[@Just.Sonam.]

6:41 Lmao " Its like WOAH there's that really big dude, LITTLE PEOPLE!"

[@araneida124]

This was great for me to study

[@fnkization]

It is a great lesson on Peter The Great!

[@tomrichey]

Glad you enjoyed it! :D

[@LeahJade87]

You sir are awesome. You made this fun to watch! But I love all history, even the so-called boring stuff lol.

[@michaelfasher]

Brilliant book to read is "Peter the Great" by Robert K Massie.

[@jessmoore7132]

I'm going to use this for my Russian Romanticism course today, since this is how we get a Pushkin and have a movement

[@VeraNarishkin]

What you might not know is that Peter the Great was half Crimean Tatar. Indeed, his mother's family stemmed from a Crimean Tatar Boyar family whose ancestor was Mordko Kubrat Naryshko.

[@youngshilc]

Great lecture!

[@tomrichey]

Glad you liked it! :D