I was digging through my old computer the other day and I hit upon a paper I wrote many years ago for a Russian History class I was taking in college.  I had written a seven-page paper about the drinking habits of Peter the Great, and rereading it reminded me how totally awesome this guy was.  He was not only the dominant ruler of Russia who led his nation on the path to becoming a major European power, but he was also a Master of Disaster and a Crown Prince of Chaos.  He would do all sorts of crazy shit such as show up at the homes of Russian nobles in the middle of the night singing profane Christmas carols, tour Western European powers destroying the homes of the nobles who put him and his friends up and hire bears to serve alcohol at his palace and growl at people who didn't drink it.

I know it's long, but I've cut and pasted my essay below for your perusal.  This is the actual paper I turned in, and I know it's not well-written, but I seriously did the whole thing in like two days.  I got a B on it because I didn't show what relevance Peter being awesome had on Russian society as a whole.  Anyways, here you go.  If any of you college students out there actually use this paper for one of your classes, email me and let me know how it went.

Ben Thompson

Midterm Paper

EUH 3713

Now for Something Completely Different:

The Drinking Habits of Tsar Peter I (the Great)

We already know that many Russians like to drink. This statement was never more true when applied to the autocratic leader of medieval Russia, Tsar Peter the Great. There are different accounts as to how Peter first became associated with drinking. Some say that it was Boris Golitsin who first taught him to drink like a Russian, or his childhood friend Francis Lefort, while others say that it was Peter's childhood tutor Nikita Zotov, the future Prince-Pope of the College of Drunkenness. Regardless of how he developed a taste for the drink, it took a prominent role in his life at a fairly early age, and would remain as such for the rest of his life. (Anderson, Graham, Grey)

His first real drinking buddies were the foreigners Francis Lefort and Patrick Gordon. Lefort was a Swissman, who loved debauchery with his personal dancing-girls, and loved drinking almost as much as Peter did. He and Peter became friends very early on, and would be the best of companions until Lefort's death. Peter and Lefort, along with their "Company" of friends, mostly foreigners, would engage in numerous parties in Moscow's Foreign Quarter, where "they consumed gargantuan portions of food and drink, leaving the table to play ninepins, or bowls, or for archery matches and musket practice, then returning to eat again. More often than not these banquets degenerated into debauchery and drunkenness on a grand scale" (Grey 71). Peter loved Lefort so much that he bought his friend "...a palace with a banqueting hall to hold fifteen hundred people and, although it belonged to Lefort, it becamse a kind of clubhouse where the Company could gather" (71). The Company would meet, and they would all drink and have a good time. Lefort was very close to Peter in the Company, and his influence was rivaled only by that of the General Peter Gordon.

Gordon and Peter became good friends early in Peter's Tsardom and Peter's association with the Western General showed that he had a knack for drinking even at the young age of seventeen. "Gordon and the Tsar dined together in the Kremlin, or at the house of a noble, or at Gordon's house, and let of great quantities of fireworks and singed their faces and got very drunk. The pace the Tsar set was too fast for even a seasoned Scotsman, and Gordon was frequently confined to a bed for a whole day after the feast." (Graham 54). The two would drink all night, and shoot off rockets that Peter made. One such rocket landed on the head of a boyar, killing him. (Grey). The Western General also helped Peter with his play regiments, which would later become his prized guards regiments. Gordon's assistance would be of invaluable help to Peter later on, and would have a part in Peter's eventual Westernization of the Russian military (Lecture), but it all began as a boy and his drinking buddy.

While Peter did remodel the army, his first love was sailing, and particularly in building a navy. While this was a great contribution to the Empire, Peter also found a way to work his love of drinking into his love of sailing. Peter celebrated the consecration of the first boat he constructed himself, the St. Paul, by referring to the "new ship on 11 July blessed in the name of Paul the Apostle and well hallowed with the incense of Mars, at which time Bacchus (the Roman god of wine) was shown worthy respect" (Bogoslovsky 176). When he recieved the Dutch ship the Santa Profeetie, the Russian navy's first man-o-war, he wrote home, "What I have long wished is now being realized. You shall hear more by next post. Now to make merry. It is difficult to write in detail, or rather, it is impossible. On such occasions when one reverences Bacchus, who with his vine-leaves covers up the eyes of those who want to write long letters" (Graham 63). Also, when new ships were launched for the prized Russian Navy, Peter would have wild drinking parties to celebrate(Kliuchevskii 44).

There are many explanations as to why Peter drank so much. The most obvious reason is that he did it to have a good time, especially with his friends, who were friendly and happy when they were drunk, not anti-social and angry as most Muscovites tended to be (Grey 69). Others say that it was of his love of the sea. "The flow underneath must be balanced by the flow up above; the storms of liquid below will have no terrors for those used to storms of liquid in their own bodies" (Graham 146). As a result, his friends all had to be good drinkers as well, "A man who cannot get drunk is no good on the sea" (146). Drinking heavily, however, did not affect Peter very adversely. "The young Tsar had a strong head and an iron constitution. All-night drinking bouts became one of his regular diversions and, while others were deep in drunken slumber after a night's orgy, he would rise at down to work...it did not abate the tremendous energy that erupted from him, nor did it prevent his doing the work of ten men throughout his life. For him, heavy drinking was a form of relaxation from his labours, releasing the great pressure of physical and nervous energy...(it) did not leave him debauched or incapable, bt refreshed him for the next day's work" (Grey 71-72).

When Peter went on the "Grand Embassy" to Europe, he took his show on the road. Peter visited different countries in Europe trying to learn more about shipbuilding and other technologies, staying and partying at various locations in the West. The Baron de Blomberg remarked "I have not yet seen such hard drinkers." and refered to the Russian delegation as "baptized bears." (Grey 101). Peter brought his Company and all of his friends with him, including his favorite pet dwarves, Lefort and his dancing-girls, freaks, jesters and dancing bears (104). Peter tried to travel incognito, but was recieved as a Tsar by his hosts in every country he visited, though he may not have acted like a Tsar.

When the Embassy reached Kšnigsberg, "...there were great drinking bouts. Peter invited the notables to feast with him, and having them all at table, posted sentries at the doors to stop any guests from departing before they had drunk the wine in the great stoups, each contraining the measure of four pots. The Chancellor, who was present, excused himself. Peter, greatly enraged, took him by the arm, led him to a door and thrust him outside, and at once sent a courier to the Elector complaining of the indolence of his Minister. The young Peter, drunk, pop-eyed, making dreadful faces, roaring, slashing about at random with his sword, was a fearful host. Any man he liked he kissed, any woman he unlaced. Anyone who enraged him he struck with a fearful buffet." (Graham 88-9). Over the course of the evening, Peter slashed Lefort with his sword, something he long regreted, though Lefort played it off as nothing (89).

In England, the Russians stayed at the home of Lord John Evelyn, which was subleased to them by Admiral Benbow, and trashed it in successive nights of drunken insanity. "Some notion of the boisterous high jinks that took place may be obtained from considering the damage done. They broke three hundred panes of glass. They had bust or prised open the brass locks of twelve doors. They had blown up the kitchen floor...they cut up the dressers and several doors. They covered the parlour floor with grease and ink; broke walnut tables and stands. They seem to have had wild games in the beds, tearing up the feather beds, ripping the sheets, tearing canopies to pieces and ruining precious silk counterpanes" (Graham 99). With the purse of all Russia, Peter could afford to cause such incredible destruction.

Nothing quite indicates Peter's love of the drink quite like the commissioning of the "Most Drunken Council of Fools and Jesters" in 1695. This was a council formed for the expressed purpose of getting very drunk, and was highly regimented and organized by Peter. "Meetings were held under the presidency of a chief bufoon called the 'Prince-Pope', or the 'Noisiest, all-jesting Patriarch of all Moscow, Kokua, and Yaźza'. There was a college of twelve cardinals, all tipplers and gluttons, who were attended by a large suite of bishops, archmandrites, and other dignitaries, whose coarse and obscene names are too disgusting to print" (Kliuchevskii 46). Peter's tutor Zutov was made the Prince-Pope, and Peter wrote the expansive charter, and made himself a Deacon in the Synod. The Charter stated "the first commandment was that members were to get drunk every day, and might never go sober to bed." (46). Vestments were to be worn, and a liturgy was written for the services. "When the whole company was drunk they parodied the hymns and the prayers and burlesqued the most solemn liturgies and rituals of the Orthodox Church, scattering vodka for Holy Water, exaggerating in buffoonery every characteristic of Holy Russia. (Graham 67). There were rites of initiation for new members, as well as rituals of excommunication for those members caught blasphemously sober. Those who were excommunicated would be banned from all the taverns in all of Russia (Kliuchevskii 47). Peter even named his friend Feodor Romodanovsky "King Caesar", and followed his mock "Imperial Decrees" at the council (Graham 73).

The "All-Jesting, All-Drunken Synod" performed many celebrations throughout Peter's reign. It was Zotov who led the procession back after Peter's military success in the Azov Campaign, and every year the council celebrated the anniversary of the Russian victory at Poltava with a large party at Peter's garden. At these parties Peter would have his guards regiments serve beer and wine, and there would be dancing, drinking, and fireworks "...until the alcohol which had been consumed in such vast quantities at last claimed its many victims who then littered the garden, sunk in profound and drunken sleep" (Grey 441).

Christmas was another rowdy time for the Synod. "Over the holidays, about two hundred men would descend on Moscow or St. Petersburg in sleighs, and spend a night 'celebrating'. The procession was led by the mock Patriarch wearing his regalia and carrying his mitre, followed by a retinue who jigged along in their overcrowded sleighs, singing and whistling... the revelers, wearing their coats inside out, rode on the backs of asses or bullocks, or sat in sleighs drawn by swine, goats, or bears" (Kluichevskii 47). Sometimes, the Company would stop and sing profane christmas carols at the homes of old boyars (Grey 150).

Nothing the Synod did, however, quite compares to the election of the new Prince-Pope after the death of Nikita Zotov in 1718. There was a wild procession led by the College of Cardinals, and comprised of the King-Caesar, Peter, and hundreds of other members dressed as leaders of Europe and wearing tin mitres or cloaks and brandishing pots and pans. It took eight days of drinking to get drunk enough to prepare for the election of the Pope. The cardinals were all brought into a room and given whatever they wanted to drink, but were obligated to drink a tablespoon of vodka every quarter of an hour. Naked serving girls, including the "Princess-Abbess" brought food and liquor, and finally the decision was made, and Peter Buturlin was elected the new Prince-Pope. To demonstrate the importance Peter placed on this position, the Pope was given two houses; one in Petersburg and one in Moscow, and was granted free use of the Tsar's alcohol. (Graham 292-3).

To top this off, there was a rather forced wedding between Zotov's widow and the new Pope Buturlin. For this, the council got everyone incredibly drunk and put the two in a special pyramid-shaped structure with holes cut in it, so that Peter and the Synod could observe the consummation of the Pope's marriage (Anderson).

Not only did Peter love to drink, but he also loved to make other people drink with him. At his parties, Peter would have his guards serve buckets of corn brandy to everyone there, including the women. He had sentries posted at most of his parties to prevent people from leaving without getting drunk (Kliuchevskii 44). One of the principal duties of the Prince-Pope was to strictly enforce the rule that everyone must empty their goblets and get roaring drunk (Grey 73). The council had excommunications for not drinking, and the Chancellor at Kšnigsberg found out the hard way what happens when you defy the Tsar's order to drink. At many of his parties, Peter had trained bears serve alcohol to his guest at his parties, and to growl and harass those who did not partake (Lecture).

Peter also used drinking as a punishment for minor offenses. "No one must quarrel in public; there must be no spiteful gossip. Spies were everywhere watching conduct. The forfeits were of a burlesque character, it is true; the scandalmonger was forced to drink an eagle of wine right off" (Graham 145). Drinking of bottles of liquor as punishment was rather common among Peter's court.

The drink would catch up to Peter in the end, however, and he would suffer because of his wild practices. It affected his health, and was probably the cause for his many serious illnesses which afflicted him throughout his life. It was also his drinking and absence that led to his wife Catherine's affair with William Mons, and Peter's ignorance of it. Peter's debauchery and wild nights made it difficult for him to attend to his wife's needs, and as a result she was open to an affair with someone less rowdy. Peter remained in the dark about the affair as well - everyone in Moscow knew the Empress was running out on him, Peter was too involved with his own drunkenness that he failed to realize this. Perhaps things would have worked out better for his marriage had he not been so drunk all the time (Graham 315, 158).

What really hit home for Peter was the death of his good friend Lefort, as a result of the drink. Lefort had been out on a long night of drinking and debauchery, and when he returned he fell extremely ill and died. This blow struck Peter almost as hard as the death of his mother, and it was as a result of the overdrinking that they were both so accustomed to (Graham 116, Grey 151).

Later in life, Peter tried to cut back on the drinking. His doctors urged temperance, and while he had trouble with it at first, later in life he moderated his drinking habits, "today is the day of their Easter and to celebrate the mystery with greater dignity they are all drunk, except for his Tsarish majesty who, it is said, never drinks to the point of clouding his brain" (Bell 362). It would finally be the downfall of Peter, though, for after party of the consecration of the third Prince-Pope, Peter overdrank and fell very ill, an illness which would end up killing him (Graham 365).

For all of his life, Peter I of Russia had an affinity for the drink. Beginning at age seventeen, he would drink with his friends in the Foreign Quarter, and later he would take these friends on the Grand Embassy, where they would drink and destroy things in other countries. Later, he regimented his drinking habits with his construction of the Drunken Synod, and carried out crazy hijinks under the mantle of that organization. He loved to drink, and he wanted others to drink with him, though eventually this caused major problems for him and his friends; pain, sickness, and even eventually death.

Works Cited

Anderson, M.S. Peter the Great. Thames & Hudson, London, 1978.

Bell, J. Travels from St. Petersburg into Russia to Diverse Parts of Asia. 2 vols. Glasgow, 1763.

Bogoslovsky, M.M. Peter the First: Materials for a Biography. 5 vols. Leningrad, 1940-8

Graham, Stephen. Peter the Great: A Life of Peter I of Russia. Ernest Benn, London, 1929.

Grey, Ian. Peter the Great: Emperor of All Russia. J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia & New York, 1960.

Kliuchevsky, Vasili. Peter the Great. St. Martin's, New York, 1958.