A Russian statesman and a highly appreciated associate and friend of Tsar Peter the Great. In 1686, a clever boy who saled stuffed buns, Menshikov, was chosen to be the serviceman of Peter the Great in Moscow. Because of this, Menshikov entered the Russian political arena and started his life with good luck. Being extremely intelligent and having great military skills made Menshikov the prime favorite and confidant of Peter. In 1703, Menshikov was in charge of building the magnificent St. Petersburg. During this period, he relied on the trust of Peter the Great and collected a lot of money. However, the wealth couldn't fill the greedy hole in Menshikov's heart. After the death of Peter the Great, Menshikov did his best to gain more power. During the time that Catherine I and Peter II were in control, he became the actual ruler of Russia. When Menshikov reached the peak of his power, he was ambitious, named himself the Generalissimo, and became the first person to be awarded the highest rank of Russia - the Russian Generalissimo!