Peter Romanov was born in 1672, fourth in line to the Russian tsardom behind his father Alexei and older half-brothers from his father's first marriage. Peter's half-brothers suffered from chronic health issues: three died in infancy and one at the age of 15. When Alexei died in 1676, his son Fyodor became tsar, but died six years later at the age of 20. Peter's only remaining half-brother became Tsar Ivan V, but was so mentally unstable that Peter was made co-ruler with him at the age of 10.
As a boy, Peter liked sailing and playing with toy soldiers, while Russia was ruled by his mother, half-sisters, and military officials. When Peter was 16, he toured England, France, Austria, and the Netherlands "undercover" (he was 6' 8" and didn't fool anyone) with the Russian Grand Embassy. Peter fell in love with Western Europe, and when he returned to Russia, launched a major series of reforms to Westernize the country. His childhood pursuits became realities as he built Russia's first navy in the Black Sea and modernized the army; he implemented the Julian calendar, married members of his family into European royal houses, replaced the boyar duma (council of nobles) with a Senate, and required Russian noblemen to dress in a Western fashion. He even implemented a penalty tax on nobles who refused to shave their beards. Peter dropped the title "tsar" and styled himself "Emperor of Russia." Most significantly, he moved the Russian capital from Moscow to a new city on the North Sea five hundred miles closer to Europe, which the emperor christened Saint Petersburg.
Although Peter himself was not a musician, he embraced the music of the Baroque Period and arranged for many concerts in Saint Petersburg. Italian opera in particular became highly popular in Russia. It would be some time, however, before native-born Russian composers would make a name for themselves internationally.
Peter fought wars against the Ottoman Empire, Sweden, and other neighboring countries, expanding Russia's territory along the Baltic Sea, southwestern Europe, and the Caucasus. From this point forward, Russia would be a force in Europe and one of the world's major powers.
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