Eleazar de Mauvillon, "Histoire de Pierre surnomme Le Grand, Empereur de Toutes les Russies", Amsterdam-Leipzig, 1742. First and only edition. 4to, pp.492. Complete. Engraved frontispiece with Russian imperial insignia and portrait of Peter the Great, several numismatic and ornamental vignettes and the 4 copper engraved plates including the maps of the famous battles of Poltava and Pruth river. This is one of the very first, almost contemporary with the events, detailed description of the reign of Peter the Great, composed from first hand information, focusing in the expansion of the Russian state towards the Black and Baltic seas areas. After conquering the Azof and defeating Sweden in Poltava, Russia entered in the Balkans making an alliance with the Moldavian Orthodox ruler Cantemir, in order to decidedly defeat Ottomans. This attempt failed in the Pruth river. The book is full of precious contemporary accounts and letters, outlining the framework of Ottoman Russian relations, providing insights on how the Russians used the Orthodox populations of the Ottoman empire in order to fulfil their goals. Contemporary full leather slightly rubbed, some foxing and staining in the text, a very good copy.