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Peter I of Russia is known as Peter the Great. He was born in 1672 inside the Kremlin in Moscow. His father, Alexis I, died in 1676 and Peter's half brother, Feodor III became Czar. Feodor died childless in 1682. Ten year old Peter and his half-brother Ivan V were made joint Czars. Peter's half-sister, Sophia Streltsy, acted as regent. When the two czars were seated on their dual throne, Sophia sat behind them and wielded real power through a hole cut into the back of the throne. In 1689 Peter removed Sophia from power, but continued his joint rule with Ivan V until the latter died in 1696. Peter visited Europe and, on his return, acting autocratically, implemented sweeping reforms throughout Russian society. He used his reorganized army and navy effectively and expanded the territory that he controlled at the expense of neighboring countries. In 1703, Peter founded the city which he regarded as a "window on the west." He named it in honor of his patron saint - Saint Peter the Apostle. St. Petersburg was made the capital of Russia in 1712. He executed his oldest son Alexei for disobedience in 1718. In 1721 he was named Emperor of All Russia. That same year he reorganized the government of the Russian Orthodox Church and forbid men below the age of 50 to become monks. In 1724 he had his second wife, Catherine, crowned Empress, but gave her no political power. He completed Peterhof in 1725 and died that same year.
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