num_pages: 914
description: Against the monumental canvas of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Europe and Russia, unfolds the magnificent story of Peter the Great, crowned at the age of 10. A barbarous, volatile feudal tsar with a taste for torture; a progressive and enlightened reformer of government and science; a statesman of vision and colossal significance: Peter the Great embodied the greatest strengths and weaknesses of Russia while being at the very forefront of her development.Robert K. Massie delves deep into the life of this captivating historical figure, chronicling the pivotal events that shaped a boy into a legend - including his 'incognito' travels in Europe, his unquenchable curiosity about Western ways, his obsession with the sea and establishment of the stupendous Russian navy, his creation of an unbeatable army, and his relationships with those he loved most: Catherine, his loving mistress, wife, and successor; and Menshikov, the charming, unscrupulous prince who rose to power through Peter's friendship. Impetuous and stubborn, generous and cruel, a man of enormous energy and complexity, Peter the Great is brought fully to life.
language: English
title: Peter the Great: His Life and World
titlecomplete: Peter the Great: His Life and World
characters: Peter the Great, William of Orange, Louis XIV of France
genres: Historical, Biography, Politics, European History, Nonfiction, World History, Biography Memoir, Russian History, Russia, History
ratings_count: 21723
places: Russia
series: The Romanovs
awards: awardedAt: 347184000000
name: Pulitzer Prize
category: Biography or Autobiography, awardedAt: 378720000000
name: National Book Award Finalist
category: Autobiography/BiographyHardcover (1981) & (Paperback)
publisher: Ballantine Books