Peter the Great's Westernization of Russia In 1689, Tsar Peter I forced his way into power in Russia. Better known as Peter the Great, he overthrew his half-sister’s regime and took control of the state. At this time, Russia was dealing with rapid expansion, yet it was still a very backwards country compared to the rest of Europe. Russia was also dealing with economic woes. Peter loathed this backward condition and devised a plan. Within …showed first 75 words of 714 total…

…showed last 75 words of 714 total…one of grand humanity but it led his country into the future. His hard work and stringency created a nation of power and influence out of the backwards and laggard realm that he had acquired. He was a stern man, often overly barbaric, but he achieved many of his “westernization” objectives. Without his rule, Russia may not have become the powerful nation that it needed to be in order to survive in the early-modern era.