Peter I, also known as Peter the Great, transformed the Tsardom of Russia into a major European power through a series of sweeping reforms. Determined to modernize his country, he traveled semi-incognito to Western Europe (the 'Grand Embassy') to study shipbuilding, technology, and government. Upon his return, he enforced Western dress and customs, famously taxing beards to encourage a European appearance. He reorganized the Russian military based on Western models and established the Russian Navy. His most enduring legacy is the city of Saint Petersburg, built on land captured from Sweden as a 'Window to the West.' He moved the capital there from Moscow, signaling Russia's new orientation toward Europe. While his methods were often autocratic and brutal, his reign set Russia on a path toward becoming an industrial and cultural empire.