Peter the Great
Noun
Meaning
czar of Russia who introduced ideas from western Europe to reform the government; he extended his territories in the Baltic and founded St. Petersburg (1682-1725)
Source: WordNetSynonyms
Examples
It was prince Igor who decided already many years before Peter the Great to cut an opening to Europe. But as he didn't know where Europe was, he cut it in a wrong direction, namely to Asia.
Then came Navy Captain P.W.T. (Paddy) Hanmer, whose reign of almost 20 years had roughly the same effect on Muirfield as Peter the Great did on the Court of the Romanovs.