Ivan IV, or Ivan the Terrible, was the first ruler in Russia to call himself czar. He had a "good period" and a "bad period." During Ivan's "bad period," Ivan ruled by terror. After Ivan and his second son, who ruled after Ivan, died, representatives from many Russian cities gathered and chose Michael Rominov as the new czar of Russia. The Rominovs paved the way for Czar Peter I's rule. At first, Peter shared the thrown with his half brother, but eventually, he got to rule on his own. When Peter came to power, Russia greatly contrasted with Europe. In an attempt to modernize Russia, Peter embarked on the "Great Embassy," a long trip to western Europe. When he came back from this journey, Peter was convinced that Russia needed to change. He created many changes to westernize Russia. To promote education, Peter built the city of St. Petersburg, which still exists today.