I'm going to go. He's a sures, yes,

a ras, it yes shawras.

We're hush a hush. Welcome to the Russian rulers podcast, episode 37. A son and an air, a grave disappointment.

Last week, we recounted how the victory at Poltava launched Russia into the forefront as a world power and how the

proof campaign could have caused everything to be lost. Now Peter had lost some

of his early gains against the Turks but his victories over the Swedes remained in place, largely

to Charles the 12th not being present at the Battle of Proof.

At this point of his life, Peter was not well. He suffered numerous bouts of illness, depression, and seizures.

To combat this, that Tsar would head to Carl's Bad Germany to take in the medicinal baths.

Also on October 14th, 1711, Peter attended the wedding of his son Alexis

to Charlotte Christine of Brunswick Lunberg Wolfenburg,

after which he headed to St. Petersburg, where he ordered all government officials to finish their move from Moscow to the new capital.

Then in February 1712 he married his wife Catherine in a public church wedding.

Things began to change in Europe with Russia's victory at Poltava and the weakening of the

Swedes as now the Danish were back at it against Sweden.

The Prussians and the Hanoverians also joined in. Charles, who was heading

back to Sweden, tried to rally his people to begin a new push against Poland, but they simply didn't have the resources and their enemies were

at the Swedish gates. Soon, territories previously under the flag of Charles the 12th whittled

away. Now Russia, she aimed at the prize of Finland.

Peter started 1714 by capturing Helsinki in the spring. He pitted his navy now led by Admiral

Epraskin against a Swedish one led by Admiral Watrang. The Swedes had a

supposed big advantage as they had far more ships of the line

...