The Collegia of P eter the Gr eat Specialized Agency Background Guide QMUN 2020

Letters from your Committee Directors

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to Queen’s Model 2020! The history of is riveting and unique, and we hope that you gain a better understanding and appreciation for how a modern day global superpower came to be. As part of the advisory board for , the leader of Russia at that time, you will have the opportunity to change the political, economic, and social landscapes as well as prepare for war. We are incredibly excited to see where you decide to take this journey.

My name is Melissa Cole, and I am your Committee Director for the Peter the Great Specialized Agency! I am a third-year political studies major and history minor here at Queen’s University. Although I am a politics major, I am especially interested in Russian history. I have taken pretty much every Russian history course the department has to offer, from Imperial Russian history to Soviet history. Fun fact, I am part Russian, my family was stationed in when it came under Russian rule after the . But, my great grandfather fled back to Russia in 1918 when the revolted against the Russians and his father was killed. He immigrated to France in 1924 never to return to Russia. 2020 marks my 5th year of involvement in MUN. I grew up in Calgary, where I joined my highschool’s first-ever MUN team in my grade 11 year. Since then, in my first year at Queen’s, I became a member of our MUN team, and I have attended conferences at both the University of Pennsylvania and at Harvard.

I am looking forward to meeting all of you and to hearing your creative ideas for Russia’s domestic development and solutions to the Great Northern War with ! Please feel free to email me any questions, comments, or concerns you may have at [email protected] (Melissa) .

Sincerely,

Melissa Cole, Chair and Committee Director

Hello delegates,

My name is David Hultin, and I will be your vice-chair for this committee on the reforms of Peter the Great! I am from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and I’m currently in my second year here at Queen’s, majoring in political studies with a minor in history. I joined the Queen’s Model United Nations (MUN) Team and the Queen’s International Affairs Association (QIAA) at the start of my first year at Queen’s in September 2018, and this club has given me the opportunity to meet and form many great friendships with so many amazingly intelligent and talented people! In my time as a member of the Queen’s MUN team, I’ve attended conferences at Cornell University, McGill University, and the University of Pennsylvania. I’ve also been involved in the other MUN conferences run by QIAA; as a page at QMUNI 2018 and QNMUN 2019 and co-directing a joint-crisis committee based on the Cuban Missile Crisis at QMUNi 2019.

I’ve always been interested in European history, and military history in particular, so this committee is an exciting opportunity for me to see what kinds of innovative solutions delegates will come up with to solve the problems facing Peter the Great’s Russia at the turn of the 18t h century! Hopefully, you will be able to reform the Russian state into a powerful political, economic, and military force in preparation for the Great Northern War with your bitter Swedish rivals. Peter’s victory in this war marked the emergence of Russia as one of the predominant land powers in , setting the stage for future Tsars and Tsarinas to push Russia into the ranks of the great powers of Europe and dominate the vast expanse of territory from the Vistula river to Sakhalin island. It is now in your hands to see if you can emulate Peter the Great’s success, or perhaps, go even further.

Sincerely,

David Hultin, Vice-Chair

Introduction

Welcome Presidents! It is December 1st, 1700, and Tsar Peter I (Peter the Great) needs your guidance! Russia has just entered into the Great Northern War with Sweden, and Peter’s newly reformed government made up of Colleges, state ministries led by presidents, and the advisory senate is required to hastily reform and westernize Russia. Reform is needed to make Russia's political, social and economic systems more closely resemble a European structure. Peter needs the Russian military to transform into an unstoppable force, which can compete with Europe's great armies, and to do so, Russia needs to implement western military tactics. Your ultimate goal is to revolutionize Russia itself, domestically and militarily, to be able to compete - and ultimately win - against Sweden. War is upon Russia. Is this Peter’s final chance to lead and emerge as a great Western power, or will this be the downfall of Russia?

Historically the colleges acted as an advisory board for Peter, each was a specialized state ministry which would focus on specialized issues. Instead of serving an advisory role for Peter, where he would ultimately decide how to act, for the purposes of this body, any resolutions passed by the colleges will be promptly implemented by Peter.

Resolution Format

QMUN 2020’s simulation of Petrine Russia will include restrictions on the government’s resources. This will affect which resolutions can be passed. Because this body serves at the pleasure of Peter the Great, the chairs will act as the monarch, and guide delegates by informing them of the “cost” of draft resolutions.

Delegates should enter the simulation expecting to discuss priority of proposed reforms, as well as their benefits with respect to their costs. This may manifest as ruling a costly policy dilatory, or informing delegates that a set of resolutions are mutually exclusive.

A useful analogy is shopping: If you only have $4, you must allocate it appropriately between items with different costs and utilities. This practice is unusual for MUN committees, even at the University level, and will be explained by the committee chairs at the beginning of the conference, as well as during a point of parliamentary inquiry

General Overview of Russia 1700

Western Ideologies

Peter the Great became the ruler, or Tsar of Russia in 1682.1 He came to power with a desire to completely revolutionize Russian society. Peter was greatly influenced by Europe, which drove him to both desire and create a more western culture in Russia, including European , military, religion and economic principles.

Political & Social Regimes of Pre-Petrine Russia

An understanding of the political and social landscape that existed in Russia before Peter came to power is crucial for grasping the need for reform in Russia. Pre-Petrine Russia refers to the timeline before Peter the Great became the Tsar.

Political Regimes

Prior to Peter's reign, Russia was divided into districts, uyezds, made up of cities and their surrounding areas.2 Uyezds were not divided based on population, which meant that some were far more populous, making them difficult to manage.3 The Boyar Duma, a royal council of the ruling elite, was another feature of Russia's political system, which lasted from the fifteenth century through to the seventeenth.4 The term consists of the Russian word for "counsel" or "advice," duma, and boyar, the name used for Russia's elite class at the time.5 The Boyar Duma gave political power to individuals based on family status, supporting Mestnichestvo, the system of dynastic politics that Peter hated.6 The , the palace, civil, military, and church authorities was a higher advisory body than the Boyar Duma and was also a Mestnichestvo system. Peter despised ruling families

1 M assie, K. P eter the Great His Life and World. New York, NY: Random House Paperback, 1980, p. 108. 2 T he Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Zemstvo.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., June 18, 2015. 3 Encyclopedia Britannica, June 18, 2019. 4 Ana Siljak, “Peter the Great, Part 2,” lecture, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, September 16, 2019. 5 Ana Siljak, September 16, 2019. 6 Ana Siljak, “Peter the Great: Childhood and Youth,” lecture, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, , 2019.

and wanted to rid them of their power. These systems ruled by dynastic politics would eventually be overturned by Peter and replaced with the Colleges and Senate, respectively. Neither the Boyar Duma nor the Prikaz wrote down what was discussed during their meetings, which has made it difficult for historians to discern their exact function or exactly how much power they had.7 The Russian Orthodox church (which is discussed in greater detail in the social regime section) also held a great deal of political power in Russia and greatly influenced the Tsar.

Social Regimes

Russia’s social system was made up of a hierarchy of social estates or classes in society which were determined by law, for example, the , clergy, and peasants.8 There was no possibility of upward movement because the status of an individual was determined at birth.9 Furthermore, each social estate had specific rights and duties associated with it. Typically, this involved the principle of serfdom, in which the nobility would own land, and serfs, the lowest rank in the peasantry, would be forced to work the land.1 0

Russia's social climate was also largely influenced by the dominant religion, Russian Orthodoxy.1 1 The peasants were deeply religious. Before Peter, Tsars partook in the Orthodox tradition and held the Russian Patriarch (head of the Russian Orthodox church) in close counsel.1 2 Peter, however, saw Orthodoxy as contributing to Russia's "backwardness." In his view, it was a major obstacle in the way of Russia becoming a modern and quasi-European state.1 3

7 Siljak, September 16, 2019. 8 Ana Siljak, “Plight of the Peasants,” lecture, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, September 25, 2019. 9 Ana Siljak, September 25, 2019. 10 Ibid. 11Massie, p. 56. 12Ibid. 13Siljak, September 16, 2019

Figure 1. Map of the , including the territory acquired by Peter the Great

Figure 2. Climates of Russia. Geography and Climate

Russia's climate can be separated into only two seasons: winter and summer. The biting cold leads to extreme winters, which are characterized by harsh frost, blizzards, and snow, which covers the ground for up to 250 days of the year in the Northernmost regions.1 4 The bitter winters have an effect on Russia's resources, movement of military units, economic development and agriculture. Geographically, Russia is also harsh; it is primarily made up of tundras and mountain ranges.1 5 Because

14Raeff, Marc, and Dominic Lieven. “Russia's Climate.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.. 15 Ibid.

Russia's territory is so expansive, it is difficult for a single ruler to control, especially without the advent of modern transportation. This problem is demonstrated in the Russian proverb "God is high above, and the Tsar is far away.” 16

Tsar Peter I of Russia, “Peter the Great” Figure 3. Portrait of Peter the Great.

Peter the Great was born in 1672 and was the son of Tsar Alexis and his second wife, Natalia Naryshkina.1 7 His mother came from one of Russia's ruling families, the Naryskins, a noble boyar family hailing from . During Peter's childhood, the Naryshkins were at odds with another powerful ruling family, the Miloslavskis, the family of Tsar Alexis' first wife.1 8 After Alexis' death in 1676, the two families began to war over who would take the crown, resulting in the deaths of many Narshykins at the hands of the Miloslavskis.1 9 Peter and his mother survived this period of unrest but were sent to live in exile in a predominantly German suburb near Moscow.2 0 This influenced Peter profoundly and is responsible for his fascination with all things European. Peter was particularly taken with European armies and warfare, which is largely due to the men that he interacted with and befriended in the suburb, most of whom were ex-foreign military men.2 1 As a child, Peter would employ these men and local boys to partake in elaborate games of toy army. In reality, there was little "toy" about it; he uniformed his troops and would drill them daily; he even constructed small fortresses to storm, which eventually developed into a "toy" city.2 2

16 Ana Siljak, “Introduction,” lecture, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, September 9, 2019. 17 Massie, p. 26. 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid. 20 Ibid. 21 Siljak, September 9, 2019. 22 James Cracraft, “The Revolution of Peter the Great,” in R ussian and Soviet History, ed. Steven Usitalo and Benton Whisenhunt (Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2008), 23.

Above all else, Peter loved the navy. It was Peter's upbringing, which formed for his worldview, and was a foreign attitude in Russia at the time. It catalyzed his motivation to westernize Russia. At the age of ten, Peter officially became the tsar of Russia.2 3 However, he held the title jointly with his half brother Ivan V. It wasn't until 1696 after Ivan's death and a series of power struggles with the Miloslavskies, namely with his half-sister Sophia, whom he eventually exiled to a monastery, that Peter became the sole monarch.2 4 Peter was the first Russian tsar to travel to Europe in over 100 years alongside his “Grand Embassy” of various officials. What he saw on his trip served as the inspiration for many of his reforms. While in Europe, he spent much of his time gathering information on western militaries. He trained in the craft of shipbuilding and was given access to British naval and military bases by King William III, who eventually commissioned a large portrait of Peter to hang in Kensington Palace in honour of his visit.2 5 Peter reigned continuously after 1696 up until his death in 1725.

23 Massie, p. 108. 24 Siljak, September 11, 2019. 25 Massie, p. 206.

The Governmental Reforms of Peter the Great

Note: In reality, these reforms occurred in 1708, 1722, 1711 and 1717, respectively, after the Great Northern War, however for the purposes of this committee, we are going to deviate slightly from history and consider all the reforms described below as taking place on January 1st, 1700. Peter's reforms were made in an attempt to modernize the Russian state structurally and borrowed from and mimicked European systems.

Administrative Reform

Peter reformed the old uyzeds system replacing them with what were essentially provinces, establishing eight regions: Moscow, Ingermanland, Kiev, , Archangelgorod, , Azov, and Siberia.2 6 A governor, or Guberniias, was appointed by the royal governing body, was to preside over each region. Each Guberniia was given several civil servants to assist them. Peter borrowed the structure from the Prussian provinces and used the German word for governor, G uberniias. 2 7

Figure 4. Map of Russia, 1689.

26 T he Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “The Reign of Peter the Great.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., , 2019. 27 Siljak, September 16, 2019.

Societal Reform

Peter's second reform, the table of ranks, completely revolutionized dynastic politics in Russia. It abolished the tradition of appointing boyars, or members of Russia's ruling elite, to high ranking positions based on family status alone.2 8 The table of ranks is a chart which appoints positions based on loyalty or service to the Tsar rather than heredity.2 9 Social structure in Russia became less rigid with the addition of the table of ranks. Once someone reached the 8th level, they were regarded as nobility regardless of birth.3 0 Peter's passion for the military is evident in the table of ranks; it is based on a structure of military status. It included three distinct classes: civil service, army and navy, with each of the three classes having an independent ranking system.3 1 This new system of appointments left a lot of old noble boyars without positions.3 2

28 B oundless. “Boundless World History.” Lumen. Accessed January 31, 2020. 29 Boundless, J anuary 31, 2020. 30 Ibid. 31 Ibid. 32 Cracraft, p. 24.

Figure 5. Example of the table of ranks for the military class.

Collegia Formation

Peter’s Colleges or Collegia, named for their Swedish counterpart, replaced the old system of .3 3 He established nine colleges, essentially state ministries or departments, for foreign affairs, state income, accounting, war, the navy, commerce, state expenses, mining and manufacturing and justice.3 4 A President and a Vice-President headed each college. The governing process within the colleges was built to be more open than before.3 5 Now all discussion had to be formally recorded, and all dissent noted on the record.3 6

33 Siljak, September 16th, 2019. 34 Cracraft, 24. 35 Siljak, September 16th, 2019. 36 Ibid.

Timeline

1645 – Tsar Alexis, Peter’s father comes to power

1676 – Tsar Alexis dies

1682 – 25th June, Peter and Ivan are joint rulers of Russia

1686 – Russo-Turkish War begins

1696 – 8th of February, Peter becomes the sole ruler of Russia

1696 - Peter established the first

1697 – XII becomes the king of Sweden

1697 – Peter begins his trip to Europe

1698 – Peter returns from Europe

1700 – 1st of January, Assume all above reforms occur.*

1700 – Triple Alliance Forms

1700 – Polish-Lithuanian invasion and defeat of

1700 – Danish invasion and defeat at Schleswig

1700 – Summer: Peter raises an army to march on

1700 – 30t h of November, Charles XII attacks,

1700 - 1st of December: Today

*Directly related to QMUN’s simulation

Topic A: Domestic Development Introduction

Peter the Great desired for Russia to be reformed into a westernized, modern state with both economic and military prowess. To succeed in the Great Northern War against Sweden, he attempted many domestic reforms within Russia. Domestic reforms were needed to establish the economic infrastructure needed in order to militarize.All the reforms mentioned in this guide for the purposes of this committee are said to have been implemented before December 1st, 1700, even if we are deviating from history slightly. Domestic Reformations

Military Reform

Military conquests were vital for Peter they were needed to prove his success as a ruler and to establish Russia's dominance; expanding Russia’s borders to the west. Before any of his reforms were instituted, the Russian military operated in a haphazard manner. Elders with no military knowledge would lead villagers into battle, with Boyars contributing their own personal military forces. In 1699, Peter reorganized the armed forces, establishing a new standing army with a renewed focus on modern , and began to grow a mighty fleet with the hopes of building a navy to compete with Russia’s neighbours. He began with small reforms, such as implementing Germanic-style military’s uniforms and creating two elite guard units - the Preobrazhenskii and Semeovskii.3 7 Most importantly, however, he established conscription. Under this program, nobles and serfs could be conscripted for the duration of their entire lives, becoming full-time professional soldiers.3 8 By 1700, the army consisted of 77,000 soldiers, and in 1696 Peter established a permanent Russian navy.3 9

37 Siljak, September 11, 2019. 38 S haw, Denis J.B. “‘A Strong and Prosperous Condition’ — the Geography of State Building and Social Reform in Peter the Great’s Russia.” P olitical Geography 18, no. 8 (1999): p. 1000. 39 Ibid.

While this is a good start, further expansion is required to recover from losses after the crushing defeat at Narva, and to become truly competitive with other European militaries. A simple solution would be further expanding conscription, although this could definitely be unpopular among peasant communities, who need all the men they can get to work in the fields. Other solutions could include trying to expand and modernize the Russian army’s arsenal, either through improving domestic arms production or importing weapons from western Europe; or adopting various European military tactics and methods of organization. Another necessary course of action is further expanding the navy, as more ships and sailors will be needed to compete with the Swedish fleet in the . When thinking about changes to the military, delegates should also remember the specific geographical and political realities facing Russia; and what may work in western Europe may not be the best course of action on the battlefields of eastern and . Regardless of how the army is reformed, money will be an issue. Thus, efforts need to be made to improve the Russian economy and shore up the state treasury.

Figure 6. A portrayal of Peter the Great and the military.

Economic Reform

In 1700, Russia's economy was relatively weak, which was the fault of poor management that had not allowed for the development of industries. Serfdom was another contributing factor. The feudal system of indebted labour, essentially a

form of slavery, inhibited economic growth in Russia.4 0 In a feudal society, bonded labourers are not incentivized to work hard, making it difficult for Russia to become the economic powerhouse it aims to be. However, delegates need to consider that abolishing serfdom at this time would be near impossible. The elite class of Russian society was deeply attached to serfdom, but more strangely amongst the peasantry, the desire to rise up was absent.4 1 A love for the Tsar and the myth of the batiushka-Tsar (the idea of the benevolent Tsar), helped to perpetuate this.4 2 The peasantry believed that one-day their batiushka-Tsar would come and redistribute all of the land, giving the peasants their fair share.4 3

Ultimately, it is Peter's goal for Russia to become economically integrated with Europe.4 4 Peter's desired projects, such as building a navy, require substantial funds. Thus their success is contingent on the revitalization of the economy, and demands the development of internal industries and external trade. Delegates must grasp the importance of establishing strong foreign trade relationships, especially with Europe. The committee should also attempt to find methods to help bolster Russia's manufacturing industries to become on par with Europe. Effective reforms will help bring prosperity to Russia, and more importantly provide revenue for the state to conduct other expensive modernization projects, such as upgrading the military.

Educational Reform

Peter sought to use education to further his agenda, inspired by institutions he witnessed during his travels in Europe such as the Royal Society of London.4 5 Investing in developing Russia’s domestic educational capacity in fields like the sciences and math could bring European technological advancements to Russian society, and in particular help modernize the Russian military. For example, advancements in chemistry and physics could help improve the heavy weaponry of the army and navy, bringing their firepower up to European standards. Peter has

40 Shaw, p. 1000. 41 Siljak, September 25, 2019. 42 Ibid. 43 Ibid. 44 Massie, p.206.AzsqzS 45 Cracraft, 29.

begun to approach this reform by establishing many schools, including the Schools of Navigation and Maths, Medicine, and Engineering. However, further expansion of these institutions and the creation of new ones would certainly help prepare Russia for continuing the war with Sweden, as well as generally bolster the country’s intellectual, economic, and social development.

Educational reform did not only extend to the sciences and math but also Russian values. Schools could provide the opportunity to spread the western European values that Peter wishes to disseminate among the Russian populace.4 6 However, such a rapid expansion of education will come at a fairly high cost, necessitating economic reforms to foot the bill. Furthermore, the Orthodox church still has significant power over education. Thus, any meaningful education reform - especially when it comes to shifting Russian values - would likely need to be paired with some sort of religious reform.

Societal Reform

In order for Russia to become a Western power, Russian society must become increasingly European. Peter wanted to implement European dress; he had posters printed and hung in Russia's major cities showing examples of German-style clothing.4 7 Beards, which had traditionally been worn by Russian boyars, were unfavourable in Peter's eyes, and he began to require men to shave them. If they did not comply, they would have to pay a beard , which was one of many sources of state revenue Peter introduced.4 8 These reforms were aimed at changing the cultural status quo in favour of a more modern and European lifestyle. They created systemic polarization, which in Peter's eyes seemed to create a more ordered society, however many conservatives opposed him, as his reforms threatened their traditional sources of power and prestige. Some even went so far as to claim he was the "anti-Christ," appealing to the strong Orthodox Christian traditions which permeated Russian society to try and combat Peter’s reforms.4 9

46 Siljak, September 16, 2019 47 S haw, p. 996. 48 Ibid. 49 Ibid.

Taxation Reform

In order to establish such an expansive military, taxation was necessary. Revenue during this period increased threefold, which included direct taxation on households. However, this proved not to be very successful as individuals from different houses would band together under the guise of one household to avoid paying the high tax. Other sources of revenue include taxation on a variety of different things, including beehives, beards, and horse-collars. Royal monopolies, which previously generated a lot of revenue, were broken up and used to raise necessary capital.5 0 However, these current taxation schemes are not quite sufficient to finance the scale of reforms Peter wishes to enact, with his military reforms in particular requiring substantial economic support. Thus, further revenue streams will need to be developed. A potential course of action, but an unpopular one, would be the establishment of a state-wide ; a tax levied on all men. This would be quite lucrative given the size of Russia, although it likely wouldn’t be received well by large portions of the populace. Alternatively, attempts to generally stimulate the Russian economy would naturally lead to greater , as long as and tariffs are maintained on various goods. However, the degree of economic growth needed to match the revenue potential of a poll tax would be quite high, so increases in taxation will likely be required regardless, despite the probable unpopularity of such policies.

Religious Reform

In Russia, the Orthodox church was the only entity capable of rivalling the power of the Tsar; due to its semi-autonomous nature and large body of devout followers. The traditionalist and conservative influence of many powerful members of the church are a roadblock for the westernizing and secularizing reforms Peter wishes to enact. However, recently in October 1700 the most recent Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Adrian, passed away; and Peter has thus far obstructed the appointment of a successor.5 1 This vacuum in Patriarchal

50 Siljak, September 16, 2019. 51 Antoni Mironowicz, “Orthodox Church in Tsar Russia,” E lpis 19, December 1, 2017, 24.

power in the church presents an opportunity for Peter to further his reformative agenda. An easy but effective course of action would be to simply support the nomination of a reform-minded bishop to head the church. Doing so would either turn the church into an ally for Peter, or at the very least sideline those who stubbornly continue to resist his plans for modernization.

However, a more radical choice could be abolishing the position of patriarch entirely. Peter has shown interest in utilizing the substantial revenue streams of the church to help finance the Russian state. Thus, fully subordinating the church under the authority of the state or the Tsar as a governmental department - an “ecclesiastical college” or “Holy Synod”5 2 - is on the table as a potential path for this committee to take regarding the status of the church. Furthermore, this would allow for the state to utilize the church and its institutions such as seminaries or religious schools as a mouthpiece for the state and Tsar, to help build loyalty and public support for Peter and his agenda; helping to facilitate some of Peter’s social reforms like changing Russian values. Also, many church properties contain valuable items like artwork and precious metals, which could be expropriated by the state to help fill its coffers.5 3 However, the various powerful conservative and traditionalist elements in Russian society would likely view such a radical change with hostility, so the committee must be wary if they pursue this latter option or other radical policies regarding the power of the church.

Possible Solutions

The ultimate goal of this committee is to develop the necessary domestic infrastructure and systems needed for Russia to succeed in the Great Northern War against Sweden. The reforms delegates create in this topic should bear in mind the overall goal of consolidating Peter's power and transforming Russia into a European state. Funding for the military is a crucial element that delegates should consider while keeping in mind that incredibly high taxes are highly unpopular. A

52 Cracraft, 24. 53 Siljak, September 16, 2019.

potential solution would be to establish structure within conscription and taxation. This could mean creating age ranges or different criteria for conscription and taxation. However, domestic reforms, such as agriculture, must not be neglected as war requires the use of many resources.

Looking into ways to modernize the army should be considered by this committee, and the features of European armies should be considered. In topic B, you will see that the navy is crucial for war with Sweden and delegates should pass resolutions to build it up during topic A. Another avenue delegates may wish to pursue is establishing reforms in the educational or societal sphere. This would help expand Peter's influence and may westernize Russia, especially in the eyes of other countries.

Guiding Questions

1. How should Peter the Great create reforms that help to westernize Russia? a. What aspects of Russia's Westernization are of the highest importance? b. If you represent a college, what changes should be made under your jurisdiction? 2. How can these reforms help Russia get ready for the Great Northern War? 3. How can Russia create willingness within the general population not only to fight but to increase productivity in other areas as well? 4. How can each of the collegia work together to create these domestic reforms?

Topic B: The Great Northern War Introduction

The Great Northern War asks delegates to put the reforms created in topic A to the test. War with Sweden is upon Russia, and Peter needs the Colleges and Senate to build the military and draw up battle plans. If Russia is successful, it could establish its position as a Western power. War efforts should focus on the Baltic Sea region, or they should look to expand Russia's territory to the West. Delegates should note that Topic A and B work in conjunction and should consider war with Sweden when making domestic reforms. This would include funding the military and making it into a more Western force. Section I - Historical Information

Sweden as a Great European Power

Figure 7. Map of Eastern European territories in 1700

At the dawn of the , Sweden was one of Europe’s great powers. 54 It had gained extensive territory in the mid 17th century under the rule of King .5 5 The extended throughout most of the and included parts of modern-day Norway, Finland, , and Northern .5 6 In 1700, Sweden’s military was amongst the most powerful in Europe. The was well trained and capable of mobilizing both defensive and offensive forces, namely the navy, quickly.5 7 Sweden’s expansive territory and tremendous power made it a common foe in Europe, with many states yearning for its decline.

Charles XII of Sweden

In 1697, at the age of fifteen, Charles XII of Sweden had to take on the burden of absolute kingship after the death of his father, King Charles XI. Charles XII was the first Swedish king born to absolutism.5 8 Charles XII was only eighteen in 1700, at the onset of the Great Northern War. His young age led him to be perceived by some as a childish, but Sweden’s vast military strength persisted, and Charles XII was a threat to be taken seriously.5 9

Figure 8. Charles XII of Sweden.

Strategic Importance of Sweden

In the mid 17th century, Sweden annexed Russia's territory on the Baltic Sea, and by 1700, no Baltic ports remained in Russia's possession.6 0 As the most direct shipping passage between Russia and Europe, the Baltic Sea is an essential trade route. Without it, ships would need to travel around modern-day Finland, Sweden and Norway, through the frigid Barents, Norweigan, and North Seas in

54 Rickard , J. “Great Northern War (1700-1721).” The History of War. Accessed November 27, 2019. 55 Rickard 56 Ibid. 57 Ibid. 58 A llen, David. “Karl XII / Charles XII of Sweden.” Charles XII, Sweden. Accessed December 14, 2020. http://www.pierre-marteau.com/resources/charles-xii-sweden.html. 59 Allen. 60 Massie, p. 286.

order to reach Western Europe.6 1 Trade routes between Russia and Europe were becoming increasingly important, with Peter's goal for Russia to become a European state. Trade is necessary for building relationships and for the transfer of ideas. For Peter, Baltic ports were also militarily significant. He wished to expand Russia to the West, conquering more territory and getting Russia's foot further into Europe's door.6 2 The Baltic Sea would be essential for maintaining a strong Russian navy, which was Peter's dream.

Figure 9. Shipping route between Russia and Western Europe without the use of the Baltic Sea.

A Triple Alliance

In 1700, a secret triple alliance against Sweden formed between , - and Russia.6 3 The Danes, under the rulership of Frederick IV, wanted to regain territory which had been taken by the .6 4 Poland-Lithuania

61 Ibid. 62 Rickard. 63 Siljak, September 11, 2019. 64 Rickard.

joined the alliance because of their King, Augustus II, who was an elected monarch. Augustus II wanted to solidify his power by gaining the status of a hereditary king, which had been offered to him by Livonia, a region within Sweden on the Polish-Lithuanian border.6 5 Livonia vowed to name Augustus II as their hereditary king if he was to liberate them from the Swedes.6 6 Therefore, Augustus II's goal for joining the alliance was to take Livonia and to integrate it into Poland-Lithuania. For Russia, like Denmark, regaining lost territory was their aim.

Start of the Great Northern War

Although Russia was in the secret alliance and had war plans in the midst, Peter continued to pretend to be Sweden's ally.6 7 Russia was still at war with the Ottomans and had been fighting in the Russo-Turkish war since 1686.6 8 Peter wanted to wait until the war with the Ottomans was finished before he engaged in battle with Sweden. If he did not wait, Russia would be unable to afford the cost of two wars, in troops and funds, and would likely lose both. However, in 1700, the Danes and Poland-Lithuania moved ahead without Russia. Poland-Lithuania sent 14000 troops to Livonia, but the attack was a colossal failure, and the Polish-Lithuanian forces were decimated.6 9 Meanwhile, the Danes invaded the Duchy of Schleswig under Swedish control.7 0 They were defeated so badly by a vigorous campaign led by Charles XII himself, that they left the alliance entirely.7 1 In 1700 the Russians made peace with the Ottomans, and the Russo-Turkish war came to a close, giving Russia the resources they needed to enter the Great Northern War.7 2

65 Ibid. 66 Ibid. 67 Ibid. 68 Y oung, William. “War and Diplomacy in the Age of Louis XIV: A Historical Study and Annotated Bibliography Volume II.” U niversity of North Dakota Press, 2000. 69 Rickard. 70 Ibid. 71 Ibid. 72 Young.

The Battle of Narva

In the summer of 1700, Peter raised a massive army of Russian troops, most of whom had just battled in the Russo-Turkish wars.7 3 Capturing Narva, a port city on the (now in modern-day Estonia on the Russian border), was Peter's objective.7 4 Although the army began their advance on Narva in summer, due to Russia's difficult terrain, the army did not arrive until November.7 5 On the 30th of November, Charles XII assembled his forces and launched a defensive attack. At the time of the attack, Peter was no longer with his forces. He was not prepared for Charles XII's immediate attack; he had planned to hold his forces allowing the troops to rest after completing the long journey.7 6 Upon his absence, Peter had left a subordinate in command who did not speak any Russian, and like many other of Peter's military high-ups, he was a foreigner.7 7 Charles' attack completely blindsided the Russians; he ordered the advance during a snowstorm.7 8 The pelting snow and ice had made visibility incredibly poor, allowing the Swedish to advance without being seen by the Russians. Narva was an embarrassing defeat for the Russians, leading Peter to look at what made the Swedish army so successful.7 9 Possible Solutions Thus far, Sweden has had the upper hand in the Great Northern War. One member of the triple alliance has already dropped out, leaving only Russia and Poland-Lithuania, and Peter has begun to look introspectively at the Russian army. He has noticed that the Russian military is not yet a European Army. Delegates should look into the tactics used by Sweden and other European armies of the era and should try to apply them to the Russian military. Standing armies, forces that can be called on at any time made up of professional soldiers, were a common feature of European armies.8 0 Considering that one of the objectives of war with

73 Massie, p. 397. 74 Rickard. 75 Ibid. 76 Ibid. 77 Ibid. 78 Ibid. 79 Siljak, September 11, 2019. 80 Ibid.

Sweden is regaining control in the Baltic Sea, delegates should consider building up the navy and should prepare invasion plans for important coastal cities.

Guiding Questions

1. What made European militaries successful? 2. How can the reforms you came up with in the first topic be helpful now in war? 3. What are Sweden's weak points, and how could they be exploited? 4. What cities would be strategic to invade, and how well are they defended? 5. How can Russia grow the navy? Is this something that should be done in the first topic as preparation?

Section II - Simulation Information

The Committee starts on December 1st, 1700, and this guide is written to reflect this and any alterations to our timeline. All reforms mentioned in Topic A and the introduction, are said to have happened some time before January 1st, 1700. Possible reforms are referred to in the future tense.This is a slight deviation from history in some cases, most notably in the formation of the collegia and senate, which in reality were not formed until 1717 and 1711, respectively.

Character List Presidents of the Colleges

President of the Collegium of Foreign Aairs - F yodor Golovin

The Collegium of Foreign Affairs was responsible for many of the foreign policy initiatives in Russia. Golovin was the last Russian boyar. He was the Chancellor of the Russian Empire and was a general . He was one of the most influential figures in the colleges. With a rife of past military experience, he has fought in places such as the Chinese Qing Empire. It was his to hire foreign individuals as part of the navy and to complete the construction of the fleet. For foreign affairs, he was in charge of conducting treaties and controlling other Russian diplomats.

President of the Collegium of State Income - P rince Dmitry Golitsyn

The Golitsyn family was one of the largest noble houses in Russia, and Prince Dmitry Golitsyn was a Russian aristocrat. He attempted to turn Russia into a constitutional . He was appointed commander of an auxiliary corps in Poland against Charles XII.

President of the Collegium of Accounting - P rince Vasily Dolgorukov

The Collegium of Accounting is plagued by the lack of an accountability system. Dolgorukov was a Russian commander and politician and became a Field Marshal. Despite being favoured by Peter the Great, he disapproved of many of his reforms.

President of the Collegium of War - P rince Alexander Menshikov

The Collegium of War was responsible for the control of the military and ground forces. There were three different sectors within this board: the army, garrison, and and fortification. Its duties include recruitment, repair and training, food and artillery, etc. Menshikov was also a favourite of Peter the Great and was one of his closest friends.

President of the Collegium of the Navy - C ount Fyodor Apraksin

The Collegium of the Navy was the supreme body for the administration of the Imperial Russian Navy. Its duties included constructing military ships, ports, harbours, and canals. It also included naval armaments, equipment, and military training for naval officers.

President of the Collegium of Commerce - C ount Pyotr Tolstoy

The Collegium of Commerce is a government agency created by Peter the Great to facilitate trade for Russia. Its actions included revising customs regulations and determining how to create the most profit in the treasury. It became the head of the entire network of Russian commercial agents in the main areas of world trade, which reported all the information necessary to Russian merchants. Tolstoy was a Russian statesman and diplomat. He was closely associated with the Collegium of War, and its President Alexander Menshikov.

President of the Collegium of State Expenses - C ount Ivan Musin-Pushkin

The Collegium of State Expenses is in charge of income, expenditures, and the revision of college responsibilities. It helps to keep the other colleges in check. Some of the other responsibilities of this institution include the allocation of funds to other state institutions and to other officials. Musin-Puskin was a statesman and a historian.

President of the Collegium of Mining and Manufacturing - J acob Bruce

The Collegium of Mining and Manufacturing is responsible for many of the sectors related to natural resources and the collection of the necessary metals for the military and civil society use. Bruce was a descendant of the kings of Scotland and was a foreign advisor of Peter the Great.

President of the Collegium of Justice - Andrey Matveyev

The Collegium of Justice is responsible for the Russian legal system. Its president, Andrey Matveyev is a close friend to Peter, and helped conduct foreign

affairs for Peter in various western European countries before getting his current position. Dictionary

Batiushka-Tsar: The idea of the benevolent Tsar. The peasantry believed that one-day their batiushka-Tsar would come and redistribute all of the land, giving the peasants their fair share.

Boyar: Russia’s elite class during this time period.

Boyar Duma: Royal council of the ruling elite and gave political power to individuals based on family status.

Duma: Advice.

Guberniia: A governorate/province; a major administrative subdivision in Russia.

Mestnichestvo: Feudal hierarchical system in Russia. It was a system of seniority which dictated which government posts a boyar could obtain.

Pre-Petrine: Refers to the period before Peter the Great became Tsar.

Prikaz: Administrative, judicial, and executive office which acted on behalf of the palace, civil, military, and church authorities.

Serfdom: The status of many peasants leaving them to indentured servitude; a person who required to service the lord.

Table of Ranks: Formal list of positions and ranks in the military, government, and court of Russia.

Tsar: Emperor of Russia.

Ukaz: Decree; a proclamation of the tsar or government that was enforceable by law.

Uyezds: Districts that Russia was divided into, which made up cities and surrounding areas.

Further Reading https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=ekdTC72st9QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA14 &dq=Peter+the+great&ots=gv7HVql2ak&sig=Za_pxO0wu-_KLpIPSnZ8JNFikSA &redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=Uyzeds&f=false

Karabell, Shellie. “Leadership in Russia: The Legacy of Peter the Great.” Forbes. November 5, 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/shelliekarabell/2017/11/05/leadership-in-russia-the-le gacy-of-peter-the-great/#5609b5d84999

Ostrowski, Donald. "Peter's Dragoons: How the Russians Won at ." Harvard Ukrainian Studies 31, no. 1-4 (09, 2010): 81-XII, https://proxy.queensu.ca/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/14710380 59?accountid=6180.

Testard-Vaillant, Phillippe. “Peter the Great, a Tsar who Loved Science.” C NSR News. December 20, 2017. https://news.cnrs.fr/articles/peter-the-great-a-tsar-who-loved-science

Helpful Video, Start of the Great Northern War https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyBPAz1H-lU

Bibliography

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“Boyar Duma.” Encyclopedia of Russian History. Encyclopedia.com, October 25, 2019.

https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transc ripts-and-maps/boyar-duma

Bushkovitch, Paul. Peter the Great. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2016.

Cracraft, James. “The Revolution of Peter the Great.” In R ussian and Soviet History, edited by Steven Usitalo and William Whisenhunt, 21-31. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2008.

“The Early 18th Century: The Age of Peter the Great.” The Guggenheim. Accessed December 12, 2019. https://www.guggenheim.org/arts-curriculum/topic/age-of-peter-the-gr eat

Hatton, Ragnhild Marie, and Sven Nordlund. “Charles XII: King of Sweden.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc., June 13, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-XII

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1, 2017): 21–27. https://doaj.org/article/6505e4a6f9a94cf88d0e43c8ad6fa95a

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“Peter the Great - Military Reforms.” History Learning Site, May 28, 2015. https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/peter-the-great/peter-the-great-military -reforms/

Petit, Bastien. “New Climate Zones for Russia.” Medium. ClimateList, January 26, 2017. https://blog.climatelist.com/new-climate-zones-for-russia-3034d06420 7d

Rickard, J. “Great Northern War (1700-1721).” History of War. Accessed November 27, 2019. http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_greatnorthern.html

Siljak, Ana. “Introduction.” Lecture. Queen’s University. Kingston, ON. September 9,2019. - “Peter the Great: Childhood and Youth.”Lecture. Queen’s University. Kingston, ON. September 11, 2019. - “Peter the Great, Part 2.” Lecture. Queen’sUniversity. Kingston, ON. September 16, 2019. - “The Plight of the People.” Lecture. Queen’s University. Kingston, ON. September 25, 2019.

Simpson, John, and Jennifer Speake, eds. “God Is High Above, and the Tsar Is Far Away.” Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, September 9, 2015. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199539536 .001.0001/acref-9780199539536-e-911

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