Peter the great believed that it was nessacary to reform Russia and make it a great power. He established or renewed active realationships with Western Europe, a program that had gotten an unsteady start a century and a half earlier by Ivan the Terrible. He visted the western regions himself, imported military leaders, artisans, and scientists, and did much to remodel Russian customs. One illuminateing account of Peter the great was visting to England is given here by the Scottish theologian and historian, Bishop Gilbert Burnet.