What were Peter the Great's westernization policies and how did they help modernize Russia?

Tsar Peter I, also known as Peter the Great, ruling Russia from 1689 to 1725, implemented major military and domestic reforms that centralized Russia and increased its role in Europe. He centralized his power and revolutionized the role of the servant nobility, creating a vast bureaucracy that would stabilize Russia. He would apply Western principles to his armies and the Russian Cossacks would expand throughout Eurasia. Peter also introduced radical reforms that discouraged the ancient traditions of …

…emersion of a stronger Russia. Russia rose to power in the beginning of the 18th century due to the Tsar's reforms that vastly changed Russia. Peter the Great's absolute rule brought in these significant reforms, thus westernizing Russian society and modernizing the army. His changes allowed for the development of Russian culture and intellectualism. Due to the Tsar's innovative ideas, a western Russia arose into the world political scene with a fresh new Russian image.