Peter I. Volume 2

The first Petrine reforms prepared the greatness of Russia, but only military victories could elevate it to the ranks of the great powers of Europe. The Russian tsar only decided to cross swords with Sweden—one of the leading states of the time—after securing the support of allies: Denmark and Saxony, the ruler of which was also the king of Poland. However, it soon became clear that the only true allies of Russia, as in all other times, are its army and navy. Readers of the second volume will be able to follow the challenging path alongside Peter I, his friends, associates, and Russian soldiers through the battlefields of the first period of the Great Northern War, from the defeat at Narva in 1700 to the capture of Narva in 1704. The text of the novel is accompanied by thematic illustrations by the great artist I. Y. Bilibin.