Tsarist system & earlier history!

[lathaneil]

Jon_Boy,
You are correct on all points. His unusual size (6'7") made it impossible for him to be entirely incognito. The best example would be when he was in Holland. He arrived in Zaandam several days before the rest of his embassy. His hope seemed to be that he could pass as an advanced party for the embassy. He enrolled on a carpentry course there but rumor spread about him. Everybody in Zaandam realised who he really was even though it was said that the Tsar was still directing things from Moscow. His mock Tsar was Prince Romodanovsky who sat on the throne whilst peter was away. He was forced to leave Zaandam after a few days as once word spread it became impossible for him to travel the city without being mobbed. He ended up staying in Amsterdam for 4 months studying carpentry. Although his wish not to be recognised was impossible here he worked mainly within the confides of the East India Company docks were barred to the public. This did serve its purpose because although everybody recognised him he was spared from having to sit through lots of ceremony. His intrest in Western culture was well known. He was fascinated with Science and war especially navigational aides and ships. This intrest led to the influx of foreign architects such as Leblond when he was building St Petersburgh. It also led to the abolition of wearing beards ( a source of pride and tradition for Russian men up till this point) in court. And it led to a change in fashion with the use of French dress and wigs within court.

Neil

[lathaneil]

Jon_Boy,
You are correct on all points. His unusual size (6'7") made it impossible for him to be entirely incognito. The best example would be when he was in Holland. He arrived in Zaandam several days before the rest of his embassy. His hope seemed to be that he could pass as an advanced party for the embassy. He enrolled on a carpentry course there but rumor spread about him. Everybody in Zaandam realised who he really was even though it was said that the Tsar was still directing things from Moscow. His mock Tsar was Prince Romodanovsky who sat on the throne whilst peter was away. He was forced to leave Zaandam after a few days as once word spread it became impossible for him to travel the city without being mobbed. He ended up staying in Amsterdam for 4 months studying carpentry. Although his wish not to be recognised was impossible here he worked mainly within the confides of the East India Company docks were barred to the public. This did serve its purpose because although everybody recognised him he was spared from having to sit through lots of ceremony. His intrest in Western culture was well known. He was fascinated with Science and war especially navigational aides and ships. This intrest led to the influx of foreign architects such as Leblond when he was building St Petersburgh. It also led to the abolition of wearing beards ( a source of pride and tradition for Russian men up till this point) in court. And it led to a change in fashion with the use of French dress and wigs within court.
His interest also led him to order many young Russian noblemen to go abroad and learn a trade eg shipbuilding. This was however very unpopular with most families.
Neil

[Sammy]

Rasputin, more than once, said to the Tsar (Nicky) and the Tsarina (Aleks) "As long as I shall live, your regime shall live too". Rasputin was extraordinary and something is true about him. What shall we say about the healings, what shall we say about the wisdom of this semi-literate peasant from Siberia? He was never given a chance!!!

[Somniferous]

lathaneil,

You forgot to mention that Peter the Jack of All Trades also wasn't alien to dentistry.

He loved to attend to his suite's toothache complaints.(They soon stopped complaining, quite naturally).

He acknowledged no anaesthetics (there wasn't any anyway in his times), he would just pull out a tooth or two with a pair of pig-iron tongs that would knock you out at first sight

Visit Kunstkamera in S-t Petersburg (the 1st Russian museum founded by the Tsar himself - of rarities and miscellaneous bizarre stuff he ordered from all over the world) to see some of obviously good teeth he took the liberty to amputate following his own diagnoses.

He indeed was an enlightened Ruler.