Today in 1682 was the coronation of Peter the Great, Tsar of Russia. At 6’ 8” he stood head and shoulders above his sickly brother Ivan who initially shared the throne after the murders of several relatives until he died in 1696. Despite his size he had disfigurements and is believed to have suffered from petit mal, a form of epilepsy. In spite of his challenges Peter implemented sweeping reforms aimed at modernizing Russia. Western European advisors influenced him to … Continue reading Peter The Great