85% done with Peter the Great: His Life and World

At first I thought the death of Charles sounded like something out of a movie, but then I realized the movies have probably been inspired by his death.

Görtz is an interesting, almost modern figure. Conniving and politically clever, he reminds me of a Dick Cheney figure – a necessary evil (scapegoat) for the political powers. His end, however, was quite gruesome and I can’t say I blame Queen Ulrika, herself shrewd