5463–5481 AM · 1703 CE — 1721 CE · world history
Peter the Great and the Russian Empire
Russia builds a new capital on a marsh, defeats Sweden and joins the European powers.
Peter travelled Europe as a shipyard apprentice and returned determined to remake his country: a western-style army and navy, new taxes, a new calendar, shaved beards and a reformed alphabet. In 1703 he founds St Petersburg at enormous human cost. Victory over Charles XII at Poltava turns Muscovy into an empire.