Opposition: the Church; the Streltsy

The idea

Peter I faced significant resistance to his modernising reforms from traditional institutions. The Streltsy, elite musketeer guards, rebelled multiple times, most notably in 1698 while Peter was on his Grand Embassy. Peter brutally suppressed this revolt, executing over a thousand guards and disbanding the regiments to eliminate their political threat. The Orthodox Church opposed his cultural changes, such as the shaving of beards and Western dress, viewing them as heretical. When Patriarch Adrian died in 1700, Peter refused to appoint a successor, instead appointing a temporary Exarch to subordinate the Church to the state, neutralising its ability to oppose his autocratic rule.

What earns the marks

• Explain the causes of the 1698 Streltsy revolt, including grievances over pay, conditions, and opposition to foreign officers.
• Detail Peter's ruthless suppression of the Streltsy, including mass executions and the permanent disbandment of the regiments.
• Analyse the ideological opposition of the Orthodox Church to Peter's Westernisation policies, such as the beard tax and calendar changes.
• Evaluate Peter's structural response to Church opposition, specifically his refusal to replace Patriarch Adrian in 1700 to weaken clerical independence.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Confusing the 1682 Streltsy uprising with the 1698 revolt.

  Put it right: Clearly distinguish the 1698 revolt as the catalyst for Peter's final destruction of the Streltsy as a military and political force.

• Claiming Peter abolished the Orthodox Church.

  Put it right: State that Peter subordinated the Church to the state, initially by leaving the Patriarchate vacant in 1700, rather than abolishing the religion itself.

• Treating the Streltsy and the Church as a unified, coordinated opposition movement.

  Put it right: Analyse them as distinct traditionalist factions that shared a dislike of Westernisation but operated independently.

Exam tips

• Link Peter's suppression of the Streltsy directly to his broader goal of establishing absolute, unchallenged autocratic authority.
• Use specific examples of cultural reforms, such as the beard tax, to illustrate exactly what the Church found objectionable.
• When evaluating opposition, consider how Peter's absence during the Grand Embassy created a power vacuum that the Streltsy attempted to exploit.