struction for all.

[Transcriber's note: In the original book, each page had a header
summarizing the contents of that page. These headers have been
collected into introductory paragraphs at the start of each chapter.
The headers also contain the year in which the events on the page took
place. These dates have been placed between the chapter title and the
introductory paragraph, in the form of a date range, e.g., for Chapter
I, "1676-1684."]

CONTENTS.

Chapter

I. THE PRINCESS SOPHIA
II. THE PRINCESS'S DOWNFALL
III. THE CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH OF PETER
IV. LE FORT AND MENZIKOFF
V. COMMENCEMENT OF THE REIGN
VI. THE EMPEROR'S TOUR
VII. CONCLUSION OF THE TOUR
VIII. THE REBELLION
IX. REFORMS
X. THE BATTLE OF NARVA
XI. THE BUILDING OF ST. PETERSBURG
XII. THE REVOLT OF MAZEPPA
XIII. THE BATTLE OF PULTOWA
XIV. THE EMPRESS CATHARINE
XV. THE PRINCE ALEXIS
XVI. THE FLIGHT OF ALEXIS
XVII. THE TRIAL
XVIII. THE CONDEMNATION AND DEATH OF ALEXIS
XIX. CONCLUSION

ENGRAVINGS.

PORTRAIT OF PETER . . . . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_.

THE ESCAPE

MENZIKOFF SELLING HIS CAKES

PETER AMONG THE SHIPPING

PETER TURNING EXECUTIONER

MAP OF THE RUSSIAN AND SWEDISH FRONTIER

STRATAGEMS OF THE SWEDES

SITUATION OF ST. PETERSBURG

FLIGHT OF THE KING OF SWEDEN

THE EMPRESS CATHARINE

THE CZAR'S VISIT TO ALEXIS IN PRISON

PETER THE GREAT.

CHAPTER I.

THE PRINCESS SOPHIA.

1676-1684

Parentage of Peter--His father's double marriage--Death of his
father--The princesses--Their places of seclusion--Theodore and
John--Sophia uneasy in the convent--Her request--Her probable
motives--Her success--Increase of her influence--Jealousies--Parties
formed--The imperial guards--Their character and
influence--Dangers--Sophia and the soldiers--Sophia's continued
success--Death of Theodore--Peter proclaimed--Plots formed by
Sophia--Revolution--Means of exciting the people--Poisoning--Effect of
the stories that were circulating--Peter and his mother--The Monastery of
the Trinity--Natalia's flight--Narrow escape of Peter--Commotion in the
city--Sophia is unsuccessful--Couvansky's schemes--Sophia's attempt to
appease the soldiers--No effect produced--Couvansky's views--His plan of
a marriage for his son--Indignation of Sophia--A stratagem--Couvansky
falls into the snare--Excitement produced by his
deat