ABSTRACT
Peter, tsar of the Russian Empire, stirred in his sleep, then sat up quickly. Peter the Great was determined to use modern techniques and weapons to strengthen his country and unstintingly applied his considerable energy to this task. Peter's impact was muted for two related reasons. First, unlike the Western European nations, the Russian Empire lacked the resources to move quickly to a basic overhaul of its institutions and way of life. Second, again unlike the West, the Russian Empire lacked many of the institutions and attitudes that could help carry out modernization. Peter's energy, his appetite for food, drink, and work, and his enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity were all virtually boundless. Peter greatly changed imperial Russian society, but not the empire's foreign policy. Peter's highest priority was securing his empire's vulnerable borders, particularly in the south and the west. Peter worked to mobilize the civil government behind the war effort. Peter was an enthusiastic supporter of education.
