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Who was Peter the Great?

Peter the Great (Peter I; 1672–1725) was the controversial czar (emperor) of Russia. He was called "the Great" because he introduced European culture to Russia and brought about numerous government reforms. Born Feodor III, Peter became joint czar with his mentally deficient older brother, Ivan V (1666–1696), at the age of ten. With his mother, Sophia Alekseyevna (1657–1704), as regent (one who serves in place of a young monarch), he grew up in isolation in a suburb of Moscow, the capital of Russia. In 1689, when he was seventeen, he succeeded in overthrowing his mother as regent. He then governed with the assistance of advisers until the death of Ivan V in 1696, when he became the sole czar. In 1698, while on a tour of Europe, Peter learned that Sophia was trying to lead a military revolt against him. Returning to Russia, he put down the rebellion and forced his mother into a convent (a house for a...

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