Which absolute ruler of Russia moved the capital to St. Petersburg and pursued westernization?

• A. Peter the Great
• B. Catherine the Great
• C. Nicholas II
• D. Ivan the Terrible

Answer: (A)

Moving the capital to a western-facing city and adopting European ideas and institutions shows a ruler actively modernizing the state. Peter the Great did both: he moved the capital from Moscow to Saint Petersburg in 1712 to symbolize a break with the past and to have easier access to Europe, especially the Baltic trade routes. He also launched broad reforms aimed at westernizing government, the military, education, industry, and culture—creating a centralized bureaucracy, building a powerful navy, reorganizing the army, introducing new schools and curricula, and encouraging European-style dress and customs (even the beard tax to push toward a more European appearance). Catherine the Great pursued Western ideas as well, but the capital had already moved to Saint Petersburg, and her reign built on Peter’s reforms rather than initiating the capital shift. Ivan the Terrible and Nicholas II did not move the capital to Saint Petersburg; Ivan ruled in the 16th century and Moscow was central, while Nicholas II’s era focused on autocratic rule and later industrial challenges.