Russian philology
so-called "Grand Embassy". He used a fake name, allowing him to escape social and
diplomatic events, but since he was far taller than most others, he did not fool anyone of
importance. One goal was to seek the aid of European monarchs, but Peter's hopes were
dashed. France was a traditional ally of the Ottoman Sultan, and Austria was eager to maintain
peace in the east while conducting its own wars in the west. Peter, furthermore, had chosen an
inopportune moment: the Europeans at the time were more concerned about the War of
Spanish Succession over who would succeed the childless King Charles II of Spain than about
fighting the Ottoman Sultan.
The "Grand Embassy" continued nevertheless. While visiting the Netherlands, Peter learned
much about life in Western Europe. He studied shipbuilding in Zaandam (the house he lived
in is now a museum, the Czar Peter House) and Amsterdam, where he visited, among others,
the upper-class de Wilde family
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