In 1700 Peter the Great was crushingly defeated under Narva. Almost a half of the Army was lost. All artillery went over to the Swedes. The country needed a prompt industrial reconstruction, new and higher quality guns and canons. The Tsar summoned all armourers and asked who would take it up for a small price, for the treasury was empty. Only one armourer Nikita Demidov volunteered to help, but asked for his pains one small plant in the Urals, where there was the best ironstone. He got the permission, and soon after the Russian Army started getting excellent guns and canons, and the talented armourer became the one of the most powerful Russian manufacturers.