Peter I, Member of the Paris Royal Academy of Sciences

The article, based on official documents and private correspondence, reconstructs the
history of Peter I's admission to membership in the Paris Royal Academy of Sciences. It is
established that on June 19, 1717, after a series of meetings with renowned scientists and
visits to scientific and educational institutions during his visit to Paris, the Tsar attended a
meeting of the Royal Academy of Sciences. It was then that Peter's request to be admitted
as member of the Academy was submitted to the President of the Academy. This unusual
request was denied. However, after the consultations with the Regent of France and the
subsequent correspondence, the Tsar was elected honorary member of the Academy
“unani mously and without vot ing” on December 22, 1717. His acquaintance with the Paris
Academy strengthened Peter I's intent to create his own Academy modeled after the Paris
one but taking into account the Russian specifics.