thousands for execution and used torture as a means of inflicting pain on those who had dishonored him, not only as a means to acquire a confession (Hosking 77). His power was shown even more greatly when he brought his own sister Sophia under questioning and confined her permanently to a convent, held under watch of a hundred guards and allowed no visitors (Massie 257).
             Peter's barbarity towards those who revolted against him allowed him to obtain an even greater amount of power in Russia. His intimidation was only elevated by his appearance. Peter was considered a giant in this time period with a towering height of 6'7. His dark features and massive size were very intimidating and allowed him to easily gain the control of his subordinates (Massie 134). During his many travels to Western Europe his attempts at anonymity were often unsuccessful because of his great height and many companions (Troyat 93). Peter's extraordinary curiosity about western culture brought forth several trips to trips to the countries of Western Europe, often traveling incognito (Rempel 3). He traveled in disguise so that he could learn about the aspects of Western Culture from a different viewpoint and he gained a lot of knowledge from these voyages.
             Peter's frequent travels left Russia unmanned, often for months at a time. His absence often spawned revolts and rebellions among the people (Massie 245). When Peter returned he showed no mercy in putting down the rebellions and asserting his absolute power over the country. This is when Peter's true cruelty was shown, his brutality in sentencing those who rebelled brought out a different man, a man who loved to see people suffer, a man we would see more often as his reign progressed. People who expressed negative thoughts about Peter's decisions were often exe
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