Mr.

Spielberger Butch McHardbody

AP European: Position Essay Period 8

From the earliest relics of written history to present-day civilization, there has always been a

single constant factor responsible for shaping the development of human society; the presence

of dynamic and effective leaders. Whether they are considered bloodthirsty despots, benevolent

leaders, or something in between, it is the influence of powerful men that enables communities

of all forms and denominations to thrive and achieve innumerable aims. In fact, one can easily

see a direct correlation between the adeptness of a nation’s leader, and the power, prestige or

wealth this nation is able to achieve. Therefore, it is largely a question of the individual ruler’s

superiority when attempting to gauge a nation’s potential. Consequently, such superiority can

be measured and quantified by examining the level of prosperity and progress that the

sovereign’s state enjoys. Peter I of Russia and Frederick II of Prussia, two of Europe’s most

famously influential monarchs, each led their separate countries through times of

unprecedented reform. However, through close perusal of each country’s progression, one may

easily determine which of the two rulers hold arguable claim to superiority over the other.

Born June 9, 1672, Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov was educated firsthand in the

bewildering, subtle, and often cutthroat nature of monarchial politics. Peter came into life third

in line for the Tsardom of Russia, and following the end of his half-brother Fyodor III’s reign,

Peter found himself seated upon Russia’s throne at the age of ten. His mother acted as regent.

Soon after, a rival to the throne led a rebellion of the Streltsy (the elite of Russia’s military),

which culminated in the slaughter of numerous members of Peter’s family. The uprising led to

Peter and his half-brother Ivan becoming co-rulers. Only following his half-brother Ivan V’s

death in 1696 was Peter finally the sole ruler of Russia

Peter’s immediate interest upon becoming Tsar was the reform and “Westernization” of

Russia. As a means to this end, he first set his sights upon the improvement of Russia’s maritime
standing. At first possessing a single outlet within the White Sea to the North, Peter’s conquests

led him to control ports on the Black Sea, previously controlled by the Ottoman Turks, and to

wrest control of the Baltic Sea from Sweden. In fact, so convinced was Peter in the worth of a

strong naval standing that he built St. Petersburg, the future Russian capital, along the coast of

the Baltic Sea. These conquests overseas led eventually to revisions of Russia’s core culture.

Peter was able to concentrate his efforts wholly on the modernization of his homeland: With the

knowledge he gained from his lengthy journey into Europe, he attempted to have Russia mimic

the West in as many ways as possible. A “beard tax” was instituted, ordering all men not clean-

shaven to pay an annual fee. The first Russian newspaper was published in Moscow under his

rule, and women were allowed to partake in social events. In the vein of political reform, Peter

completely reconstructed the defunct Russian system of territorial government, opting to use

large, subdivided provinces in place of semi-arbitrary city boundaries. Finally, he overhauled

the previous system of Boyars, or noblemen, in Russia. Under the new administration,

government position would be based on merit rather than heredity. These radical reforms set

Russia on a trend of modernization, and Peter I had his legacy set in stone: The upheaval of

centuries of tradition, in the space of a mere quarter century. Peter I died February 8 1725, and

was succeeded by his wife Catherine I.

Frederick II of Prussia (Born January 24, 1712) was, like Peter I, a prominent reformer

in his time. However, the similarities between the two end there, as Frederick’s methods were

much more domestically oriented. In fact, the only notable conquest Frederick II made

throughout his reign was that of Silesia, a rich and prosperous province of Austria. Parallel to

Peter I’s strategies of social reform, Frederick first concentrated heavily upon the economic

well-being of his nation. The province of Silesia provided Prussia with raw materials, and

Frederick profited by setting tariffs and unrestricting trade in the surrounding area. New crops,

such as the potato and turnip, were introduced. Then, pursuing social renovation, Frederick
abolished torture and corporal punishment. He was, however, still religiously prejudiced,

having once said, “We have too many Jews in the towns…[they] become a disadvantage, they

form cliques, they deal in contraband and get up to all manner of rascally tricks.” Frederick was

also a renowned proponent of the arts, music, and education. An octolingual himself, Frederick

heavily funded Prussia’s educational system and encouraged the learning of various languages

among pupils. In addition, he became close friends with the French philosopher Voltaire, and

patronized numerous artists and writers. Finally, Frederick’s legend as a tactical genius is

known to this day. The combination of his sharp observational skills and culturally precocious

usage of flanking tactics enabled him to defend Prussia from countless foreign attacks. From

his rise to power in 1740 until his death on August 17, 1786, Frederick worked towards

transforming Prussia from a European backwater into a force to be reckoned with, politically

and militarily. In this aim, he succeeded mightily. However, his reforms never reached the level

of Peter’s massive campaign of modernization.

Despite the fact that both Frederick II and Peter I were notable for undertaking

campaigns to improve the status and standing of their respective countries, it is Peter the

Great’s campaign of reformation that cements him as the superior monarch. While Frederick

was able to improve his country socially and economically, in addition to minor land

acquisitions, his work is overshadowed by the sheer scale of Peter’s efforts. All across the

massive Russian nation, Peter undertook immense measures, often in violation of Russian

tradition, to form Russia into a modernized contender. In addition to radically improving the

land he held, he also managed to acquire large tracts of land from his enemies, with Russian

dominion stretching as far as Finland and Turkey. It is readily apparent that Peter’s efforts to

Westernize his homeland form a legacy which stretched centuries past his death, and is

immortalized in cities, statues, and the annals of written history.