In 1698, a 6’8” Russian giant went on a bender through an English gentleman’s estate. He trashed portraits, burned furniture and drunkenly rammed wheelbarrows through a prize-winning holly hedge. The giant in question was Peter the Great, and this wasn’t just a royal lads' holiday; it was - ostensibly - statecraft.
In this episode, Dan Snow is joined by historian Daniel Beer to unpack the life of Russia’s most ruthless moderniser - from dodging Kremlin bloodbaths to building a brand new capital atop a mountain of human bones.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.
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