During the Great Northern War (1700-21), the Stroganovs rendered great financial aid to Peter I.
- Perhaps, - Ivanov stared at Pavlenkova, - we get the first group of concepts that characterize the history of the Empire:
Independence
Security
Centralization,
Ural,
Siberia,
Initiative commercial, industrial, and free people.
Pavlenkov thoughtfully looked at Ivanova.
Ivanov continued:
- The desire to develop trade and cultural relations with Europe was one of the motives of the beginning of Ivan IV Vasilyevich the Livonian War (1558-1583).
Successful start of the Livonian war showed the importance of positive reform of the army and the state apparatus.
However, there has been a "problem of coalition". Russia had to wage war simultaneously against Lithuania, Poland, Denmark and Sweden. Many forces were distracted by raids of Devlet I Giray, a khan of the Crimean Khanate, on the southern margin of the state. Despite this, Ivan IV rejected the truce in 1566 and continued the fight against the bloc of States in the absence of allies.
In the late 70's-beginning 80-ies the Russian troops were forced to leave all the conquered territory. The Livonian war ended inconclusively. In the end of the Livonian war ended badly for Russia, and Russia's access to the Baltic sea was carried out only in the early 18th century. Under the leadership of Peter the Great. The result of the Great Northern War of 1700-1721.
So, thinking about the Livonian war, we come to another group of concepts, describing the history of the Empire:
- coalition,
- reform of the army (Peter the Great added the task of creating a fleet),
- positive government reform (creation of a professional army by Peter the Great demanded changes in the tax system, improved budgetary process).
- Concisely! - appreciated Pavlenkov. - But - in general - corresponds to the generally accepted historical concepts.
The activities of Peter the Great is a positive and practical development of concepts, describing the history of the Empire, - continued Ivanov.
- First, ensuring state independence, security, the trend for centralization,
Second, the development of the Urals and Siberia, the development of industry in these regions
Third, the coalition. Peter the Great actively sought to act in a "Holy League"of 1684, uniting the Papal States, the Holy Roman Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Venetian Republic, the Tsardom of Russia. "Holy League" against the Ottoman Empire.
Peter the Great contributed to the creation of anti-Swedish coalition (the so-called Northern Alliance). In different periods of the Northern Alliance was composed of Russia, Denmark, Saxony, Poland, Hanover and Prussia.
Peter I managed to achieve a rapprochement with France and sign the Treaty of Amsterdam 1717 of Alliance and friendship between Russia, France and Prussia.
Russia was among the great European powers.
Fourth, the reform of the army and the Navy, a positive reform of the state apparatus belong to the generally recognized achievements of Peter the Great.
Fifth, the reform of the tax system, improve the budget process, has provided funding for the army, Navy and other government spending.
There is an opinion that excessive growth of expenditure for military needs, and the severity of taxation - these are the main features of the state economy under Peter the Great.
The state budget reached at the end of the reign of Peter to 8 and a half million. The new tax replaced the old taxes, and gave significant against the previous surplus (2.8 million). 3/4 of state funds spent on the maintenance of the military Department: the land forces (4.6 million) and Navy (1.4 million). From the rest covered the cost of diplomacy, administration, court, public buildings and so on. It should be noted that the poll tax was established when state-owned costs have increased; all the available funds of Central and local offices were allocated to cover the maintenance of the army and Navy, and the old ways of increasing state revenue were invalid before the formidable fact of the exhaustion of means of payment and reduction of the indigenous population of Russia.
Peter the Great said that the money, collected from people, he must use for the government. He must give an account about this usage to God himself.
Positive changes gave the result: changed the status of the state.
Improvement and professionalization of the state apparatus, creating the new army, the appearance of the fleet, the construction of ports on the Baltic sea, changing the position of the Russian state in the international arena, other progressive phenomenon allowed to declare Russia an Empire. Peter I the Great became the first Russian Emperor.
Ivanov paused and separately added:
Development of initiative of businessmen, industrial and free people, which was manifested in the activities of the Stroganov, Yermak Timofeyevich and other active personalities, it seems, was "to fade". On the contrary, the bureaucracy has come to dominate, to prevail. Clearly positive effects from the domination of the bureaucracy should not wait.
- It's hard to argue with You, Mr. Ivanov, - has responded Pavlenkov. - You know that the books of our series "Life of remarkable people" is designed for a wide range of readers. Each book is approximately 100 pages. It is clear: the brevity and compactness will be necessary.
- Of course, Mr. Pavlenkov, - stated Ivanov, - a wide circle of readers is not planning to purchase scientific historical monographs. To buy and read "thick" books, many readers are not enough funds, not enough time. This series has its own reputation and its own reader. The book of series "Life of remarkable people" will have to balance information about the details of the personal life of Peter the Great and information on the history of the Empire.
Reading compact 100 page book about Peter the Great, the reader should get an idea not only about the history of the Empire, but about his, Peter the Great's, personality, about his biography.
There is an opinion that Peter consciously imitated Ivan IV, whose authority he honored highly.
Probably every Russian reader it is useful to know that Peter eventually acquired the selfeducation is comprehensive and encyclopedic.
With the "art" he is acquainted practically.
He was the master of the fourteen crafts.
Peter became a great military leader, who wanted to, could and was able to do everything himself.
For example, a whole month Peter kept himself on the soldier's rations, performing all the duties of the soldier. A personal experience gave him reliable data to determine the strength and endurance of his army. Training the newly formed regiments is always performed under his direct supervision.
Peter waged war, as a practical sage. He is clearly aware the goals of the war, the necessary forces and means, and he never attempted to achieve the impossible.