Peter I Vs Catherine II Essay

During the course of the eighteenth century, both Peter I and Catherine II rose to power as Russian tsars implementing their social and political power upon their kingdom and people. They aimed to westernize Eastern Europe, amassing great power and tracts of land, yet the tactical process in which they did so differed for each individual. Peter I and Catherine the Great made effective changes within the structures of military, nobility, education, and peasantry.
The main driving force behind Peter I’s consolidation of power and reformation of Russia was the goal of ultimately enhancing military efficiency, allowing Russia to become a world power. Throughout his reign, war raged on and became a huge part of daily life. Compulsory lifetime military

service was required of the peasantry as well as the nobility in efforts to expand the military administration. Peter I intended to modernize Russia’s army and navy, giving power not only to his position as supreme ruler, but also to Russia’s political position in aspect to fellow European countries.
Catherine II, while not as war driven as Peter I, posed a powerful threat to European dominances and similarly pushed Russia into the modern and advanced era of time. In contrast to Peter I, Catherine scorned force and sought to pursue individualistic efforts instead. Catherine the Great tended to turn away from the conflict and political schemes of aggressive war, but would not falter to assert her dominance and that of Russia’s as a formidable opponent.
Peter I and Catherine II were also very involved in the the role and responsibilities the nobility could implement within the government and politics. Traditionally, the gentry lived on estates granted to them, but Peter I took it one step farther, intensifying the obligations of the nobility. They were required to accompany regiments to the field and lead them into battle. When they could no longer do so due to age or injury, the nobility were to perform administrative service in the department of state. Peter also reorganized the government with the issuing of the Table of Ranks, an official hierarchy of state that established the social position or rank of individuals: military service, civil service, and owners of landed estates, each consisting of fourteen ranks. This portrayed Peter’s commitment to promotion based on merit rather than birth or background. The Table of Ranks allowed the introduction of new elements into the Russian elite.
Catherine II, on the other hand followed the path of Louis XIV, appeasing the nobility, while abolishing the establishment of the Russian elite that Peter had previously arranged. Catherine reformed the government into fifty provincial districts, each governed by a central official and local noblemen. She consolidated the rights of the nobility when she issued the Charter of Nobility, which acknowledged the privileges of the people, while stating their rights and responsibilities.
Catherine the Great then incorporated the nobility into educational reforms.

She found education as the main source towards the means of success and pursued a people filled with knowledge to progress their nation. Catherine established provincial elementary schools to train the children of the nobility and created teacher colleges to equip state with proper educators. In 1755, the University of Moscow was founded and held a number of European emigrants. Peter I also believed in educating and modernizing his people, so Russia would remain level, if not superior to other countries. He encouraged nobleman to experience Western Europe and learn about technology, economic theory, and political sciences. Peter established military schools and staffed them with foreigners, much like Catherine’s University of Moscow.
A final topic focused and reformed by Catherine II and Peter I was the peasantry. During the time of both rulers, the lower classes did not benefit from their “reforms”. Peter I forced peasants to work on major projects, serve for life to others of higher class, or educate the sons of nobility. While Catherine II advocated the abolition of serfdom and cruel treatment of peasants, she failed to enhance the lives of the people and, instead, gave away thousands of state peasants who became serfs.
Peter I and Catherine II provided Russia with both successes and failures, advancements and setbacks. The Russian tsars were very much involved in each area of political, social,

and economical