Peter the Great / Smith, Harry

Towering over his countrymen, literally and figuratively, he virtually single-handedly modernized his immense nation. From 1696 to 1725, he ruled Russia with an iron hand, and his life and legacy have captivated generation after generation ever since.

Examines the contradictory life of Peter the Great who brought modernization to Russia while, at the same time, inflicting decades of war on his people.