Russian philology
served as the link between the ruler and the senate and acted, in Peter own words, as "the
sovereign's eye". Without his signature no Senate decision could go into effect; the Senate
became one of the most important institutions of Imperial Russia.
Peter's northern armies took the Swedish province of Livonia (the northern half of modern
Latvia, and the southern half of modern Estonia), driving the Swedes into Finland. In 1714 the
Russian fleet won the Battle of Gangut. Most of Finland was occupied by the Russians.
In 1716 and 1717, the Tsar revisited the Netherlands and went to see Herman Boerhaave. He
continued his travel to the Austrian Netherlands and France. Peter obtained the assistance of
the Electorate of Hanover and the Kingdom of Prussia.
The Tsar's navy was powerful enough that the Russians could penetrate Sweden. Still, Charles
XII refused to yield, and not until his death in battle in 1718 did peace become feasible. After
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