Historical Movements and Ideas

Considering both the preceding 'Time of Troubles' after Ivan IV's reign and the philosophical underpinnings of absolute monarchy articulated by Jacques Bossuet, analyze how Peter the Great's Westernization efforts, military reforms, and construction of St. Petersburg simultaneously aimed to modernize Russia and solidify an autocratic system. Discuss the specific challenges Peter faced from entrenched institutions and traditions, such as the Streltsy and the Russian Orthodox Church, and evaluate the extent to which his reforms effectively resolved (or merely suppressed) these internal resistances in the service of an absolute, divinely sanctioned rule.