Peter the Great - Childhood - Games

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Peter the Great – Moscow - Parents – Birth - Staroveri

Birth

Peter the Great (PETER ALEXEEVICH) was born in Moscow in 1672.

After the death of the first wife Maria Miloslavkaya, Czar Alexei married young woman Nataliya Narigkina. She was a young attractive brunette with some Tartar blood. Czar was 42 years old and had two sons and six daughters from the first marriage. One son was in poor health and the other was retarded. At that time royal daughters were never wed, aged as old spinsters or went to the monastery. After the day of St. Peter Nataliya gave birth to the son. He was named after the saint and later became the first Emperor of Russia. For the first time a royal prince was non-traditional name and Miloslavski clan started talking about evil omen connected to it. But the boy was big, healthy and active.

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Surrounding

The eldest daughter of czar – Sophia was smart and accustomed to the power. But according to the customs she would never rule the country. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church at that time was patriarch Nikon. He was born as a peasant and was known as reader. He was fond of putting the land and church into an order. However, Russians did not like new policies and new orders. The people who refused to follow new church order were called Staroveri (Old believers). They were convinced that in old prayers and customs there is an old truth. As Nikon tried to force the new order the resistance increased.

Czar Alexei liked foreigners living in Moscow but they were never appointed to the official positions. They lived in isolation. At the time when in Europe the development of the culture and science was in full swing the Moscovia (that old name for Russia) was the same as 200 years ago. Alexei was convinced that Russians have to learn from foreigners and encouraged that. He wanted Peter to be educated in European style as well as Peter’s younger sister. Unfortunately, czar died in 1676 when his son was nine.

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