Peter the Great dies. Upon the death of Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia, his wife Catherine ascended the throne. Peter’s reign, having become sole tsar in 1696, was marked by a series of far-reaching military, political, economic, and cultural reforms based on Western models. Major victories against Persia and the Ottoman Empire greatly expanded his empire, and the defeat of Sweden in the Great Northern War secured Russia direct access to the Baltic Sea. Here, Peter founded the new capital, Saint Petersburg, marking Russia’s entry into the ranks of the great European powers—politically, culturally, and geographically. In 1721, Peter replaced the traditional Russian title of tsar with the more European title of emperor. He died four years later.
