Vladimir I of Russia

Vladimir I of Russia (Russian: Владимир I Петрович, Vladimir I Petrovich) was the Emperor of Russia from 1742 to 1745, and from 1746 to 1765. He was also King of Poland from 1743 to 1745, and the Grand Prince of Serbia from 1753 to 1765. He is best known for his dramatic social reforms, economic and political advancements, and imperial conquests, for which he has earned the nickname Vladimir the Magnificent.

The youngest son of Peter the Great, Vladimir ascended to the crown after two of his brothers (Peter II, Andrew I) served as emperors. After three years into his reign, he was forced to abdicate during the Spanish Invasion of Russia, but returned to the throne after the Spanish, under King Philip V, were driven out by allied forces. His reign is marked with major social reforms, such as the liberation of serfdom and the grant of religious freedom, as well as major imperial acquisitions. On the eve of his death in 1765, the Russian Empire reached its zenith, being the largest empire in the world. He is also noted for leading Russia through the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War.

Birth and Childhood
By the time of Vladimir's birth on July 22, 1693, his father, Peter I, ruled jointly with his brother Ivan V as Tsar of Russia. Peter was in his first marriage, to Muscovite aristocrat Eudoxia Lopukhina. The two already had two sons: Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich (born February 28, 1690) and Grand Duke Peter Petrovich (October 13, 1691). Vladimir was born on the ninety-seventh birthday of his deceased great-grandfather, Tsar Michael I, who was the first Romanov ruler of Russia.

With the Russian imperial capital in Moscow, Vladimir spent his early years living in the Imperial Palace, part of the Moscow Kremlin. In Tsar Peter's obsession of modernising Russia, Grand Duke Vladimir shared many of his father's interests, especially in the founding of a Russian navy. During Peter's Grand Tour of Europe, six year-old Vladimir begged his father to go with him, but was forced to stay in Moscow. His family briefly moved to a summer palace in Kazan, along the banks of the Volga River.

Education and Early Military Career
From ages six to twelve, Vladimir was personally tutoured by Nikita Zotov, a close friend an ex-tutour of his father. Noted Zotov, the young grand duke excelled in astronomy, geography, history, and languages (he was fluent in French by age sixteen). Zotov also noted Vladimir's keen and strong political, religious, and social opinions, which were reflected in many of his personal writings. For example, in one 1704 journal entry, Vladimir stated that "religion is not a necessary component to life, but nonetheless a marvelous thing to have". Many of his entries also critique and praise many decisions made by his father. These early-developed beliefs, some of which remained constant his entire life, surely played key roles in his many reforms made during his reign.

In 1700, war broke out between Russia and the neighbouring Kingdom of Sweden, in the conflict later to be known as the Great Northern War. Eager to fight for his country, Vladimir in 1705 enlisted at the Russian Imperial Military Academy in Moscow. By 1708, at age fifteen, Vladimir enlisted into the Russian Army, being granted the title of lance corporal, which he held with pride. Obviously interested in military life, Vladimir would often walk around the Imperial Palace entirely in his corporal uniform. He also preferred to eat and train with the regular soldiers, and even sometimes slept in the army barracks. When one day presented with a dish of fine royal cuisine for lunch rather than his usual bread and potato stew, he turned the food down, protesting "it's not what soldiers eat". Despite never being placed on the battlefield or seeing any real action during the war, Vladimir was present at the Battle of Poltava, the climatic battle of the Great Northern War.