He managed to carry out many reforms, thanks to which the Russian Empire reached a new level of development.
The emperor had a sharp mind, insight, courage and great physical strength. Despite his self-confidence, he never considered it shameful to learn from others, adopting experience and knowledge from everyone and everything.
By the way, pay attention to that, and in general, to.
Height and physique
According to historical documents, the height of Peter 1 exceeded 2 m. However, at the same time (it seems simply incredible!) He wore shoes of the 38th size, and clothes of the 48th.
Despite his large stature, his shoulders were narrow, and his head was rather small in relation to his body.
Marriage to a peasant woman
The next interesting fact about Peter 1 concerns his personal life. Officially, the emperor was married twice. His first wife was Evdokia Lopukhina, whose father served at the court of Alexei Mikhailovich.
But the second wife, Catherine, was born in a simple peasant family. Her maiden name was Martha. She spent all her childhood and youth in the countryside, working as a laundress.
When Peter the Great saw the girl, he immediately fell in love with her, despite her low birth. It is interesting that he often discussed various state problems with his wife. There are cases when her advice influenced the royal decisions.
Interesting facts about Peter 1 Drinking medal
Peter 1 was an ardent opponent of alcoholism, although he himself regularly drank alcohol.
To combat this vice, he issued several interesting decrees. One of them is very curious, and even funny.
Possessing a wonderful sense of humor, he ordered that drunkards be awarded special medals. "Awards" poured out of cast iron, and weighed more than 7 kg.
They were handed over to alcoholics right at the police station, and hung around their necks there. A person had to walk with such a medal for a whole week.
The medal for drunkenness was securely fixed, so that it was impossible to remove it, as a result of which the unfortunate man had to wash and sleep with her.
Hobbies of Peter 1
And here are some more interesting facts about Peter 1 related to his hobbies. It is authentically known that the emperor began to study literally everything he came into contact with. was no exception.
There are cases when, trying to master the art of dentistry, he personally engaged in pulling out. Among his patients were often people who had quite healthy teeth.
However, he failed to master one of the most popular professions in Russia. For some time, the autocrat tried to learn how to weave bast shoes.
But with a lot of effort, he was never able to weave even one pair of shoes. Since then, he respected people who mastered this craft, considering them skilled craftsmen.
Wherever Peter 1 went, he always took with him a special machine tool, on which he worked during his leisure hours. After his death, in almost all places where he had ever stopped, many things and objects made by the imperial hand were found.
Decrees of Peter 1
After Peter the Great visited different European states, he was able to see how people live and what they wear. One of his most famous and scandalous decrees concerned the shaving of beards.
This decision of the sovereign caused a lot of indignation among the boyars. However, they had no choice but to obey the will of the emperor, otherwise they would have had to pay large sums invented by Peter to the treasury.
An interesting fact is that, according to one order of the autocrat, red-haired people were forbidden to hold any public office.
The emperor also ordered women to wear low-cut dresses instead of sundresses, and dressed men in camisoles and cropped trousers.
Rumors of illegitimacy
There is a version that Peter 1 illegally ascended the throne, because he did not belong to the royal dynasty. Enemies talked about the fact that his mother, Natalya Naryshkina, repeatedly cheated on her husband.
Consequently, Peter could not be the son of Alexei Mikhailovich. However, there are simply no reliable facts confirming this statement.
What to tell children about Peter 1
Children will be interested to learn about various things that we owe to Peter 1. For example, thanks to him, they learned about the existence of potatoes.
It is curious that when the potato was first grown in Russia, no one appreciated it. And all because of the fact that people ate potatoes raw. For some reason, it never occurred to anyone to boil or fry it on fire.
The emperor also became the initiator of cultivation. While in Holland, he ordered the seeds of these flowers to be sent to his homeland. Subsequently, a "garden office" was even created, dealing with the distribution of plants.
Rumors of a change
There is a legend that Peter 1 was replaced when he traveled to Europe. Some contemporaries claimed that in his youth, Peter 1 had a strong physique and a mole on his left cheek.
It was also well known that he respected Russian culture, knew the Holy Scriptures very well and was a very literate person.
And so, when, at the age of 26, the autocrat went on a two-year trip abroad, everything seemed to change. Upon returning home, he was already a completely different person, both literally and figuratively.
The emperor began to understand his native language poorly and often criticized Russian culture. In the end, his mole disappeared somewhere, and outwardly he looked like a 40-year-old man.
Of course, all this is nothing more than historical tales, since until the end of his days, Peter 1, with all his oddities and eccentricities, loved Russia and did everything to make it become a mighty world power.
The royal house should be higher
The childhood of Peter the Great is also filled with various interesting facts and stories. From an early age, he loved outdoor games, to which he devoted most of his rest. At the same time, he sometimes refused food for a whole day.
It was in childhood that the emperor met Alexander Menshikov, who in the future would become his devoted comrade and confidant for many years.
After Peter 1 built his house, he gave the order that no one dared to build higher than him. However, after he went abroad, upon arrival it turned out that the same Menshikov had built himself a house somewhat higher than the royal one.
Then the emperor ordered to call Alexander, and, grabbing him by the beard, publicly beat him for disobedience.
hay-straw
In the ranks of the Peter's army, there were often uneducated people who did not distinguish the right hand from the left. Therefore, they could not march harmoniously.
Then Peter 1 came up with such a trick: he ordered to tie straw to the left legs of the soldiers, and hay to the right. Further, instead of the commands “Left!” and “Right!”, the words familiar to rural peasants sounded: “Hay!”, “Straw!”.
By the way, the Europeans, in whose armies there were also quite a lot of illiterate commoners, for a long time could not accustom their soldiers to the drill step.
Khvastun and Peter 1
Once, at some holiday, Peter 1 found himself in the company of an artillery officer, who constantly talked about his knowledge, skills and achievements. The tipsy bouncer did not give anyone a word to insert, endlessly extolling himself and exaggerating his merits.
After listening to him for some time, Tsar Peter, who had a sharp temper, got up from his seat, spat in the face of the talker, and silently stepped aside so as not to see the face of the importunate braggart.
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Peter I Alekseevich, who later was nicknamed the Great - the last king of all Russia and the first Emperor of All Russia. Many legends and myths have always circulated around his personality. Strong, energetic, resolute, he turned everything upside down and simply pushed the country onto a new, hitherto unknown path of reforms and transformations. A selection of interesting facts about Peter I will help to open the famous worker who bore the imperial title from an unknown side.
- Contemporaries and historians note that Peter I was tall, more than two meters, beautiful, lively features and noble posture. Despite the formidable dimensions, the king still could not be called a hero - 39 shoe size and 48 clothing size. Such disproportion was observed literally in everything: for his gigantic growth, shoulders, small arms and head were too narrow. His frequent swiftness and fast walking did not save the situation. Those around him did not feel strength and power in him. He conquered others.
- Indefatigable, simply overflowing energy, colossal capacity for work, an extraordinary mind, simplicity of morals, nobility and dignity - these are the main qualities of the Russian Tsar, who were admired by those around him.
- Peter I for all his short life - 52 years, tried to comprehend everything and get ahead of time. So, he mastered 14 specialties. In addition, he personally delved into all issues of government.
- It is known for certain that the first marriage of Peter I was forced. He did not love and did not respect his first wife, Evdokia Lopukhina, and went down the aisle with her solely under the pressure of his mother, Natalya Kirillovna. Later, he issued three decrees, by which he once and for all imposed a ban on the wedding of girls or boys without their consent.
- Along with practical sharpness, cheerful disposition, spiritual openness and directness, there were other, directly opposite qualities in the character of the Russian Tsar - unbridled rage, uncontrollable outbursts of anger and excessive cruelty. So, in 1705, Basilian monks fell under the “hot hand” of Peter I. During the service, one of them mentioned the name of Polotsk Archbishop Iosafat Kuntsevich, who oppressed the Orthodox, as a holy martyr who suffered for his faith. Without thinking twice, Peter ordered the monk to be seized and executed for preaching cruelty and inciting enmity against the Russian population.
- Those around him were horrified not only by the violent nature of the Russian Tsar, but also by sudden facial convulsions - strong twitching of the lips, mouth, lower jaw, forehead, which literally distorted the beautiful features of Peter's face. They were not repeated often, in moments of strong emotional excitement or anger. They said that they appeared for a reason, and, presumably, they were caused by a strong nervous shock, fright received during the Streltsy rebellion, when the young tsar had to flee to Sergiev Posad.
- In the last years of his reign, Peter the Great was very ill. What kind of disease it was is unknown. The historical facts of the biography of the king do not give an exact answer to this question. Presumably, it was a kidney stone disease, which passed into an acute phase after Peter, standing in cold water to the waist, saved a ship with soldiers that had run aground.
- Peter during his reign established a new rule, according to which the emperor himself determines the heir to the throne. However, the great ruler of Russia did not have time to use this law himself.
There is hardly a more controversial and mysterious figure among the Russian emperors than Peter the Great. This ruler took the throne in 1682, reigned for 43 years, establishing himself as a talented, energetic and at the same time ruthless statesman. It is not surprising that almost every interesting fact about Peter 1 becomes the object of heated debate among historians. What is known about this extraordinary person?
An interesting fact about Peter 1: height and physique
If the historical documents are true, the emperor had a height that many modern basketball players can envy. An interesting fact about Peter 1 says that the ruler was over two meters. This is all the more surprising given his "modest" shoe size: 38.
Strange, but the legendary ruler of the Russian Empire could not boast of a strong physique. As historians managed to find out, this man wore clothes of the 48th size. The descriptions of the appearance of the autocrat, left by his contemporaries, testify that he was narrow-shouldered, had a disproportionately small head.
Marriage to a peasant woman
Another interesting fact about concerns his personal life. As you know, the king was married twice. His first wife was a girl of noble birth, while the second was a peasant daughter. Empress Catherine was actually called Martha, the mother and father of the empress were ordinary Livonian peasants, and she herself managed to work hard as a laundress.
This origin of the wife did not matter to the ruler, she was the only love of his life. It is curious that the autocrat was even concerned about the opinion of Catherine-Martha about the events taking place in the state. He not only asked her opinion on important issues, but often followed the advice he received.
The fight against drunkenness
The next interesting fact about Peter 1: the king was one of the fierce opponents of alcoholism. In 1714, Vladyka began to fight the drunkenness of his subjects with his usual humor. He came up with the idea of "rewarding" incorrigible alcoholics with medals.
Perhaps world history did not know a heavier medal than the one that was invented by the joker emperor. Cast iron was used to create it, even without a chain, such a product weighed about 7 kg or even a little more. The award was presented at the police station where alcoholics were taken. She was hoisted around her neck using chains. Moreover, they were securely fixed, excluding self-removal. The awarded drunkard had to pass in this form for a week.
strange hobbies
Many interesting facts about Peter 1 are connected with his hobbies, among which there were some very unusual ones. For example, one of the passions of the autocrat who ruled Russia was medicine. In particular, he was very fascinated by the mysteries of dentistry, the process of pulling out teeth. It's funny, but people who had exceptionally healthy teeth were often forced to become "patients" of this royal dentist.
However, not all the crafts that Peter tried to master during his long life were submitted to him. At one time, the emperor tried to learn, but nothing came of it. Since then, he respectfully treated the "wise men" who managed to master the science, which seemed to him so difficult.
Anecdotal decrees
Behavior, appearance, habits of subjects - there is hardly a sphere of human life that Peter 1 did not affect with his decrees. Interesting facts from the life of the tsar report that the boyars were most indignant at his order regarding beards. The ruler, who wanted to establish European order in Russia, categorically ordered that facial hair be shaved off. The protesters were forced to submit over time, because otherwise they would face a huge tax.
The most famous king issued and many other humorous decrees. For example, one of his orders was a ban on appointing people with red hair to government posts.
Peter 1 also managed to become famous as a wrestler with national costumes. Interesting facts from the life of the sovereign confirm that among his decrees there is an order to wear European clothes. It was he who forced the fair sex to put on low-cut dresses instead of sundresses, and men - in camisoles and cropped trousers.
Rumors of illegitimacy
There were also people in the distant past who doubted whether Tsar Peter 1 had the right to the Russian throne. Interesting facts from the biography of the ruler claim that there were rumors in the state about his illegal origin. The ill-wishers insisted that the empress, who had the honor of becoming the mother of one of the most famous sovereigns of Russia, was cheating on her husband.
The evidence given by the proponents of this theory can hardly be called strong. It turns out that almost all the children who appeared with Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, his official father, were distinguished by fragile health. Peter the Great was the only exception, which gave rise to rumors.
What to tell children
Some details from the life of the sovereign may seem entertaining to the younger generation. Many wonderful things would never have appeared in Russia if it were not for Peter 1. Interesting facts for children are related to potatoes. The inhabitants of our country were not familiar with this vegetable until the king brought it from Holland. The first attempts to introduce the potato as a daily food proved to be a failure. The peasants tried to eat it raw, not knowing to bake or boil it, and as a result they refused this tasty and nutritious vegetable.
Tulips are beautiful flowers, the cultivation of which in the state also began at the request of Peter the Great. The autocrat brought the bulbs of these plants to the country from Holland, where he spent quite a lot of time. The emperor even organized a "garden office", the main purpose of which was the introduction of overseas flowers.
Rumors of a change
The most interesting facts about Peter 1 are not at all connected with potatoes and tulips. They concern a trip he undertook at the age of 26 with the Grand Embassy. Eyewitnesses claim that a young man of dense build, with a mole located on his left cheek, left his native lands. He showed respect for everything related to Russian culture, knew the Bible almost by heart, demonstrated education and erudition.
Why did the people decide that it was not the real tsar who returned to Russia after this trip? Some contemporaries of the sovereign insist that after a two-year absence, he began to understand the Russian language poorly, to have a negative attitude towards everything connected with the original Russian customs. In addition, he acquired many new skills that he physically could not have acquired during the trip. Finally, the mole on his cheek disappeared, outwardly he resembled a 40-year-old man.
Childhood of the king
Fascinating details are known not only about the years of the reign of the famous emperor. Interesting facts from the childhood of Peter 1 are no less interesting for historians studying his personality. It turns out that during this period the sovereign could not live without noisy games, to which he devoted most of his day. He could get so carried away that he refused to stop for food and drink.
It was in childhood that the king made friends with someone who would be his devoted companion and confidant throughout his life. We are talking about Alexander Menshikov, who participated in all the childish amusements of the future emperor. Interestingly, the ruler was absolutely not embarrassed by the lack of a good education from a statesman.
This is how the most fascinating facts from the life of a great ruler look like.
Peter 1 ascended the throne on August 18, 1682, and since then his long reign began. Interesting facts from the life of Peter 1 allow you to learn more about his difficult royal path. As you know, Peter I successfully ruled the country for more than 43 years. Important facts from the biography of Peter 1, revealing all his positive and negative sides of both the king and the common man, have come down to us. Further, we will consider in more detail the important facts of the activity of Peter I, who left a serious mark on the history of the Russian Empire.
1. As a child, the future emperor was distinguished by good health compared to his brothers, who were very often sick.
2. There were rumors in the royal court that Peter was not the son of Alexei Romanov.
3. Peter the Great was the first to come up with the idea of attaching skates to shoes.
4. The Emperor wore size 38 shoes.
5. The growth of Peter the Great exceeded two meters, which at that time was considered very strange.
6. The emperor wore clothes in size 48.
7. The second wife of Emperor Catherine I was a commoner by birth.
8. In order for the soldiers to distinguish the left from the right side, straw was tied to the right hand, and hay to the left.
9. Peter was very fond of dentistry and therefore removed bad teeth on his own.
10. Peter came up with the idea of rewarding drunkards with medals weighing more than seven kilograms. It was an effective method of dealing with drunkenness.
11. Tulips were brought to Russia by the king from Holland.
12. The emperor was very fond of growing gardens, so he ordered overseas plants.
13. Counterfeiters worked at the mint as a punishment.
14. Peter often used doubles for business trips abroad.
15. Peter 1 is buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. He died after severe pneumonia in 1725.
16. Peter 1 created the first special agency that dealt with complaints.
17. The Julian calendar was introduced by the king in 1699.
18. The emperor was a perfect master of fourteen trades.
20. The king baptized all his close people in the Caspian Sea.
21. Quite often, Peter himself secretly checked the fulfillment of his duties by the guards.
22. The king could not master the weaving of bast shoes.
23. The emperor achieved great success in navigation and shipbuilding. He was also an excellent gardener, a bricklayer, he knew how to make watches and draw.
25. A decree was also issued on the mandatory shaving of mustaches and beards.
26. In addition, the king was against the women on the ship, and they took them only as a last resort.
27. During the time of Peter I, rice was first brought to the territory of Russia.
28. The king was asked to choose the title of "emperor of the East", which he ultimately refused.
29. Peter often surprised everyone with his virtuoso piano playing.
30. The tsar issued a charter, which forbade wives to take drunken men from pubs.
31. The emperor brought potatoes to Russia, which were distributed throughout the territory.
32. Peter truly loved only Catherine I.
33. The tsar himself selected news for the Vedomosti newspaper.
34. The emperor spent most of his life on campaigns.
35. The king at a reception in Germany did not know how to use napkins and ate everything with his hands, which struck the princesses with his clumsiness.
36. Only in St. Petersburg it was allowed to build stone houses since 1703.
37. All thieves who stole more than the value of a rope from the state treasury were to be hanged on this rope.
38. All the collections of the king were transferred to the Summer Palace in 1714. This is how the Kunstkamera museum was created.
39. The lover of the tsar's wife, Willim Mons, was sentenced to death on November 13, 1724 - he was executed by beheading on November 16 in St. Petersburg, and his head was sealed in alcohol and placed in the queen's bedroom.
40. Peter loved to toast his military art teachers when he won the next battles.
41. An unusual map of Asian Russia hung in the Tsar's Summer Palace.
42. The Tsar used various methods to accustom the Russians to European culture.
43. Everyone who visited the Kunstkamera received free alcohol.
44. In adolescence, the king could play without food and sleep for a whole day.
45. Peter managed to make an excellent military career and as a result become an admiral of the Russian, Dutch, English and Danish fleets.
46. Peter tried his hand at surgery and actively studied the anatomy of the human body.
47. Menshikov, who was a close friend of the tsar, did not know how to write at all.
48. The real name of the emperor's second wife was Martha.
49. The king loved his cook Filt and very often dined in the house, where he always left chervonets.
50. So that no one got into the city in the winter, slingshots were placed on the Neva.
51. The king introduced a tax on baths, which were privately owned. At the same time, the development of public baths was encouraged.
52. Catherine I had many intrigues and often cheated on the tsar.
53. The great growth of the emperor prevented him from doing some things.
54. After the death of the king, the era of palace coups began.
55. Peter founded a regular fleet and army.
56. At first, Peter 1 ruled together with his brother Ivan, who very quickly passed away.
57. Naval and military affairs were the favorite areas of the king. He constantly studied and received new knowledge in these areas.
58. Peter took a course in carpentry and shipbuilding.
59. Strengthening the military power of the Russian state is the life work of the emperor.
60. During the reign of Peter I, compulsory military service was introduced.
61. The regular army began to operate in 1699.
62. In 1702, Peter I managed to take powerful Swedish fortresses.
63. In 1705, thanks to the efforts of the tsar, Russia received access to the Baltic Sea.
64. In 1709, the legendary Battle of Poltava took place, which brought great glory to Peter 1.
65. As a child, Peter was very fond of playing war games with his younger sister Natalia.
66. As a teenager, Peter was hiding in Sergiev Posad during the Rifle Riot.
67. Throughout his life, the king suffered from severe attacks of facial muscle spasms.
68. The king personally resolved many issues, as he was interested in many crafts and industries.
69. Peter was distinguished by incredible speed during the work, as well as perseverance, because he always brought every business to the end.
70. Mother forced Peter to marry his first wife Evdokia Lopukhina.
71. The king issued a decree forbidding girls to marry without the consent of the girls.
72. The exact cause of the king's death is unknown today. According to some reports, the king suffered from a bladder disease.
73. Peter was the first to make a long journey to Western European countries.
74. The Tsar dreamed of writing a book on the history of the Russian Empire.
75. Peter 1 allowed Russia to pursue a full-fledged foreign economic policy in the future thanks to his progressive reforms.
76. The Naval Academy was founded by the Tsar in 1714.
77. Only Catherine could calm the king's frequent fits of rage with her gentle voice and hugs.
78. The young king was fond of many spheres of human life, which in the future allowed him to successfully manage a powerful state.
79. Peter was in good health, so he practically did not get sick and easily coped with all life's difficulties.
80. The king was very fond of having fun, so he often arranged amusing events at the court.
81. One of the activities of Peter I was the creation of a powerful fleet on the Sea of Azov, which he succeeded as a result.
82. The tsar introduced a new chronology and the tradition of celebrating modern New Year holidays in Russia.
83. Access to the Baltic Sea was specially built for the development of trade.
84. The construction of St. Petersburg was started in 1703 by order of the tsar.
85. The emperor managed to conquer the coast of the Caspian Sea and annex Kamchatka.
86. To create an army, taxes were collected from local residents.
87. There have been several successful reforms in education, medicine, industry and finance.
88. During the reign of Peter I, the first gymnasium and many schools for children were opened.
89. Monuments to Peter 1 were erected in many leading countries.
90. In addition, after the death of the king, cities began to be named after him.
91. Catherine 1 passed the rule of the Russian Empire after the death of Peter.
92. Peter heroically helped free the soldiers from the water, which led to a cold and death.
93. The Emperor made a lot of efforts to turn St. Petersburg into the cultural capital of Russia.
94. Peter founded the first Museum of the Kunstkamera, which contains his personal collections brought from different parts of the world.
95. Peter actively fought against drunkenness, using various methods, for example, heavy copper coins.
96. The tsar did not have time to write a will, while leaving a serious mark on himself in the history of the Russian Empire.
97. Peter was respected in the world for his intelligence, education, sense of humor and justice.
98. Peter truly loved only Catherine I, and it was she who had a great influence on him.
99. The king continued to rule the state until the last day, despite his severe illness.
100. The Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg is one of the famous monuments to Peter 1.
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Peter 1 you will learn interesting facts from the life (biography) of a statesman in this article.
Peter 1 interesting facts
Peter I- the great Russian Tsar, and later the Emperor, ruled the country for 43 years.
1. All the children of Tsar Alexei, the father of the future Emperor Peter I, were sickly. However, Peter, according to historical documents, from childhood was distinguished by enviable health. In this regard, there were rumors at the royal court that Tsarina Natalya Naryshkina did not give birth to a son at all from Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov.
2. Peter the Great is the first riveted skates to shoes. Before that, skates were simply tied to shoes with ropes and straps. And Peter I brought the idea of skates, now familiar to us, attached to the soles of boots, from Holland during his trip to Western countries.
3. According to historical documents, Peter I was high enough(according to some sources, it was more than two meters), but at the same time, he wore shoes only of the 38th size.
4. Catherine I - the second wife of Peter was of low birth. Catherine I is the first woman whom the Emperor fell in love with. The king often discussed important state affairs with her and listened to her advice.
5. At one time, so that the soldiers could distinguish where it was right and where it was left, Peter I ordered hay to be tied to their left foot, and straw to their right. The sergeant-major during drill training gave commands: “hay - straw, hay - straw”, then the company printed a step. Meanwhile, among many European peoples, three centuries ago, the concepts of "right" and "left" were distinguished only by educated people. The peasants did not know how.
6. Peter I was fond of medicine. And most of all - dentistry. He liked to pull out bad teeth. At the same time, the king sometimes got carried away. Then healthy people could also get under the distribution.
7. As you know, Peter had a negative attitude towards drunkenness. Therefore, in 1714 he figured out how to deal with it. He simply issued medals for drunkenness to inveterate alcoholics. This award, made of cast iron, weighed about seven kilograms and this is without chains. According to some reports, this medal is considered the heaviest in history. This medal was hung around the neck of a drunkard in the police station. And independently "awarded" to remove it was not able. It took a week to wear the insignia.
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