At the start of the seventeenth century, the Russian state found itself in
dire straits. During a period known as the Time of Troubles ( 1598-1613),
Russia lacked stable leadership, suffered invasion and defeat at the
hands of the Poles, and experienced widespread social chaos. Some sense
of order returned only in 1613 with the selection of Michael Romanov
as tsar, or ruler. The Romanov dynasty founded at that time ruled Russia
until its overthrow in 1917.

Throughout the remainder of the seventeenth century, Russia gradu-
ally recovered. However, it remained a semi-Asiatic state far removed
from the European mainstream. It looked to the East rather than the
West, and it reflected Eastern values and traditions in its style of dress
and in its attitudes and practices, such as the seclusion of women. Nev-
ertheless, Western influences managed to seep into Russia. Trade with
the West increased, and a number of foreigners, especially Germans and
Dutch, resided in the capital, Moscow.

The man who decisively turned Russia westward, Peter the Great, was
born in 1672. Tall, strong, and physically imposing, the young Peter dis-
played boundless energy and insatiable curiosity. He was particularly
attracted to military matters, organizing a miniature army of his own

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