Peter the great.

Essay by jn1009 October 2003

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On June 9, 1672 Peter the Great of Russia was born, the son of Alexis Michailovich Romanov and Natalia Narishkina, in Moscow, Russia . Alexis was delighted, to celebrate "a great gingerbread cake with the double eagle was made, cannons were fired, and bells rang all over the land" . He was not the natural successor to the throne and therefore it was not suspected that he would be the future czar of Russia.

It was not until the death of czar Alexis in 1676, at the age of 47, leaving his son Feodor , who was the son of his first wife, Maria Miloslavsky, the successor to the throne. It was rumored that Feodor was slightly retarded, and therefore unfit to be czar. Rivalries for the throne followed, which lasted for 6 years, between the widow and ex-wife of Alexis. it was only with the death of Feodor 1682 that the rivalry could be put to rest.

However even with Feodor dead Peter was still not sole heir to the throne. It was decided that a deal between Peter and his half-brother Ivan, who was also slightly retarded, would share the throne

Peter spend many of his early years in the Kremlin, which he grew to hate. The dusky rooms, maze like corridors, and the bloody memories of the slaughter of his family had a severe impact upon him. When Peter was only 10 years old the palace guards revolted and murdered the supporters of his mother. Peter witnessed first hand the brutality of the revolt with the murders of Artemon Mateev, and Natalia's brother within the Kremlin. It was obviously not safe for Peter, his two small sisters, and his mother within the Kremlin. They decided to flee to the country house of Czar Alexis in the village...