Who ruled after Peter III. Interesting facts from the life of Emperor Peter III and Catherine II

The future Peter III was born in Kiel, in the duchy of Holstein, for the owner of which, Duke Karl Friedrich, was given in 1725 by Peter's eldest daughter, Tsesarevna Anna Petrovna. Immediately after the birth of the boy, named Karl Peter Ulrich, 20-year-old Anna died. The father did not pay attention to his son, completely giving him into the hands of rude and ignorant educators. In 1739 Duke Carl Friedrich died and the young prince became Duke of Holstein. Immediately after coming to power in 1741, Empress Elisabeth, Karl Peter Ulrich's aunt, summoned him to Russia.

Here in 1742 he was baptized according to the Orthodox rite, named Peter Fedorovich and declared heir to the Russian throne. At first, Empress Elizabeth doted on her nephew, but she did not like many features of the young man, and gradually the Empress lost interest in Peter, alienating him from herself.

One of the reasons for the cooling was that the grandson of Peter the Great turned out to be completely indifferent to Russia and to everything Russian. He yearned for Holstein, often acted contrary to and even in spite of his aunt's wishes. From an early age, Peter showed himself as a stubborn, stupid person, little capable of governing the country. Capricious and infantile, Peter was not an evil or cruel person. At the Russian court, he felt like a stranger, he was constantly secretly watched and immediately reported to the empress about all his actions and words.

It is not surprising that the heir to the throne did not like to be at court, but sought to leave for his estate Oranienbaum near St. Petersburg. There he could hide from his aunt's spies and live the way he wanted. In the picturesque park of Oranienbaum, the architect Antonio Rinaldi built a cozy palace for Pyotr Fedorovich. Nearby stood the elegant Chinese Palace and the Rolling Hill Pavilion - a place of winter festivities.

But the true joy of Peter was a special military unit, brought for the heir to the throne directly from Holstein. Its soldiers and officers were housed in the small fortress of Petershants. Only here, behind the earthen fortifications of the fortress, among the Holstein officers, Peter felt safe, in his native environment.

From an early age, Peter III considered the Prussian king Frederick II a role model. During Seven Years' War with Prussia, Peter did not hide his sympathy for the enemy of Russia. And the first thing Peter did when he ascended the Russian throne was to make peace with Frederick and thereby actually save him from being crushed by the allies. Moreover, at the beginning of 1762, Peter III signed a defensive alliance with Frederick and gave the order to prepare the Russian army for a campaign against Denmark, the state, at the beginning of the 18th century. snatched a fair amount of territory from Peter's beloved Holstein.

Preparations for a new, completely unnecessary war for Russia became one of the reasons for the coup, as a result of which Peter III was overthrown.

February 18, 1762 - Manifesto on "granting liberty and freedom to all Russian nobility"

During his short reign, Peter III published several important laws remained in the memory of contemporaries. With one decree, he forbade the use of the expression "Word and deed!", By uttering which scammers drew the attention of the authorities to a committed or planned state crime. This custom terrorized society and spawned false denunciations. The decree says: “The hateful expression, namely“ Word and Deed ”, should not mean anything from now on, and we prohibit the use of it, and if anyone uses it from now on, in drunkenness or in a fight, or avoiding beatings and punishment, they should be immediately punished in the same way as the police punish mischievous and disorderly people.

By another decree, the tsar liquidated the terrible Secret Chancellery - the political police, the place of torture and secret executions. In fact, no one canceled the denunciations, just now they had to be submitted without shouting, in writing, and the functions of the odious Secret Chancellery were transferred to the Secret Expedition of the Senate, to which all the employees of the former Secret Chancellery were transferred. Peter III signed several more important decrees: he forbade the persecution of the Old Believers, abolished a number of monopolies, and established the State Bank. All these measures testified that the new sovereign, despite his extravagance, could become a major statesman. But this was not destined to come true - he was overthrown by his own wife.

But the most important state act of the time of Peter III was the manifesto on "granting liberty and freedom to all Russian nobility." It is possible that it was prepared under Elizabeth. According to the manifesto, the nobles for the first time received freedom from compulsory service, they were given the right to retire, freely travel abroad and even enter the service of other sovereigns. This manifesto began important class reforms, which were continued already in the reign of Catherine II. Their essence is in the liberation of the nobility from the all-pervading power of the autocratic state, the development in the noble environment of a sense of honor, human dignity, freedom of thought and speech.

(born Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp)

Years of life: 1728–1762
Russian Emperor in 1761-1762

The first representative of the Holstein-Gottorp (Oldenburg) branch of the Romanovs on the Russian throne. Sovereign Duke of Holstein (since 1745).

Grandson, son of Tsesarevna Anna Petrovna and Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Karl Friedrich. On his father's side, he was the great-nephew of the Swedish king Charles XII and was initially brought up as the heir to the Swedish throne.

Biography of Peter III

He was born on February 10 (21), 1728 in the Duchy of Holstein (northern Germany). His mother died 1 week after his birth, and in 1739 he lost his father. The child grew up as a timid, nervous, impressionable boy, he loved painting and music, but at the same time he adored everything military (at the same time he was afraid of cannon fire). By nature, the boy was not evil. He was not given a good education, but was often punished (flogging, standing on peas). As the probable heir to the Swedish throne, he was brought up in the Lutheran faith and in hatred of Russia, an old enemy of Sweden.

But when his aunt ascended the Russian throne, the boy was brought to St. Petersburg in early February 1742 and on November 15 (26), 1742 he was declared her heir. Soon he converted to Orthodoxy and received the name of Peter Fedorovich.

In May 1745 he was proclaimed the ruling duke of Holstein. In August 1745
d. married Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst, future. The marriage was unsuccessful, at first there were no children, only in 1754 their son Pavel was born, and in 1756 their daughter Anna, whose paternity was the subject of rumors. The heir-infant Pavel was taken away from his parents immediately after birth, and Empress Elizaveta Petrovna herself was engaged in his upbringing. But Pyotr Fedorovich was never interested in his son.

The future emperor had a connection with the maid of honor E.R. Vorontsova, the niece of Chancellor M.I. Vorontsov. Catherine felt humiliated. In 1756, she had an affair with Stanisław August Poniatowski, the Polish envoy to the Russian court. There is evidence that Peter the Third and his wife often had joint dinners with Poniatowski and Elizaveta Vorontsova.

In the early 1750s. Peter 3 they allowed a small detachment of Holstein soldiers to be discharged and spent all their free time doing military exercises and maneuvers with them. He also loved playing the violin.

During the years spent in Russia, Pyotr Fedorovich never tried to get to know the country, its people, history better, he neglected Russian customs, behaved inappropriately during church service. Elizaveta Petrovna did not allow him to participate in solving political issues and gave him the post of director of the gentry corps. She forgave him a lot as the son of a beloved sister who died early.

Being an admirer of Frederick the Great, Peter Fedorovich publicly expressed during the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. their pro-Prussian sympathies. His open hostility to everything Russian caused concern in Elizabeth and she created a project for the transfer of the crown to the young Pavel during the regency of Catherine or Catherine herself. But she did not dare to change the order of succession to the throne.

After the death of Elizabeth on December 25, 1761 (January 5, 1762), Peter the Third freely ascended the Russian throne.

Emperor Peter III

In evaluating its performance, two different approaches usually collide. The traditional approach is based on the absolutization of his vices, accentuating his dislike for Russia. And the second approach considers the positive results of his reign.

It is noted that Peter III vigorously engaged in public affairs. His policy was quite consistent and progressive.
I.G. Lestok, B.-K. Minich, E.-I. Biron and other disgraced figures of previous reigns were returned from exile.

In domestic policy, he carried out a number of important reforms - he abolished the burdensome salt duty, destroyed the sinister Secret Chancellery (the main body of political investigation), the Manifesto of February 16, 1762, granted the nobility the right to be exempted from service (decree February 18 (March 1), 1762) .

Among the most important cases are the encouragement of commercial and industrial activities through the creation of the State Bank and the issuance of banknotes (Nominal Decree of May 25), the adoption of a decree on freedom foreign trade(Decree of March 28). It also contains a demand for careful attitude to forests as one of the most important wealth of Russia. Among other measures, researchers note a decree that allowed organizing factories for the production of sailing fabric in Siberia and a decree that qualified the murder of peasants by landowners as “tyrannical torment” and provided for life exile. They also stopped the persecution of the Old Believers.

However, these measures did not bring popularity to the emperor; moreover, the introduction of the Prussian order in the army caused severe irritation in the guard, and the policy of religious tolerance pursued by him, restored the clergy against him.

The reign of Peter III was marked by the strengthening of serfdom.

The legislative activity of the government was extraordinary; during his short reign, 192 documents were adopted.

Politics during the reign of Peter III

In his foreign policy he resolutely abandoned the anti-Prussian course of Elizabethan diplomacy. Immediately upon accession to the throne, he stopped the war with Frederick II and concluded an agreement with him on April 24 (May 5), 1762, returning to Prussia all the territories taken from her by the Russian troops, and on June 8 (19) entered into a military-political coalition with him against Russia's former allies (France and Austria); The Russian army, Field Marshal Z.G. Chernyshev, was ordered to begin military operations against the Austrians.

Widespread dissatisfaction with these actions contributed to the start of a military coup, which had long been prepared by Catherine's entourage, whose relationship with her husband was on the verge of breaking; the emperor threatened to imprison her in a monastery and marry his favorite E.R. Vorontsova.

On June 28 (July 9), Catherine, with the support of the guards and her fellow conspirators, the three Orlov brothers, officers of the Izmailovsky regiment, the Roslavlev brothers, Passek and Bredikhin, took possession of the capital and proclaimed herself an autocratic empress. Among the highest dignitaries of the Empire, the most active conspirators were N. I. Panin, the tutor of the young Pavel Petrovich, M. N. Volkonsky and K. G. Razumovsky, the Little Russian hetman, president of the Academy of Sciences, a favorite of his Izmailovsky regiment.

End of the reign of Peter III

In the evening of the same day, the future empress moved with troops to Oranienbaum, where her husband was. Upon learning of this, he made an unsuccessful attempt to occupy Kronstadt. On June 29 (July 10), he returned to Oranienbaum and offered Catherine to share power, but when he was refused, he was forced to abdicate. On the same day he left for Peterhof, where he was arrested and sent to Ropsha.

However, on July 6 (17), having lived in Ropsha for less than a week under the supervision of A.F. Orlov, he died under unclear circumstances. It was announced by the government that he had died from an attack of hemorrhoids. An autopsy revealed that the former emperor had severe heart dysfunction, intestinal inflammation, and signs of apoplexy. However, the common version calls the murderer Alexei Orlov, Catherine's illegitimate son, from Grigory Orlov.

Modern research shows that possible cause death could be a stroke.

Catherine II, from a political point of view, the death of her husband was disadvantageous, because with the full support of the guards, her power was unlimited. Upon learning of the death of her husband, she said: “My glory died! Posterity will never forgive me this involuntary crime.

Initially, the former emperor was buried without any honors in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, since only crowned persons were buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. The full Senate asked the empress not to attend the funeral, but she secretly said goodbye to her husband.

In 1796, immediately after the death of Catherine, by order of Paul I, her remains ex-husband were transferred first to the house church of the Winter Palace, and then to the Peter and Paul Cathedral. He was reburied simultaneously with the burial of Catherine II; At the same time, Emperor Paul himself personally performed the ceremony of crowning the ashes of his father.

During the reign of Catherine, many impostors pretended to be her husband (about 40 cases were recorded), the most famous of which was Emelyan Pugachev.

Pyotr Fedorovich was married once. Wife: Ekaterina Alekseevna (Sophia Frederick Augustus of Anhalt-Zerbst). Children: Pavel, Anna.

Having married the Duke of Holstein, Karl-Friedrich, daughter Anna Petrovna lost her rights to the Russian throne. Her son, who was named Karl-Peter-Ulrich at birth, was more fortunate - he, however, for a very short time, became the Russian emperor under the name Peter III (10.02.1728-06.07.1762). His wife, who overthrew him in 1762, an impostor on the Russian throne, Catherine II, did everything to present her husband as a narrow-minded and petty person, largely slandering his memory.

Biography of Peter III

The boy lost both parents early: his mother died in childbirth, his father when the child was only 11 years old. With caregivers he did not find common language and did not receive formal education. Despite the high origin, the future Russian emperor was subjected to cruel corporal punishment, which, in many ways, shaped his character, in which good nature and gentleness alternated with fits of anger. He was fond of playing the violin and achieved almost perfection in performance. In 1742, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna remembered her nephew and ordered him to be brought to Russia. Shortly after his arrival, he was proclaimed heir to the throne. Elizabeth the young man was obliged and the transition to Orthodox faith under the name of Peter Fedorovich. Soon he was married to Princess Sophia Augusta-Frederick of Angelt-Tserbskaya. This is how the future rulers of Russia, Peter III and Catherine II, met. The marriage cannot be called successful, each in it was on its own. Moreover, Peter was deliberately cold with his wife, and she, in turn, sought solace in the arms of other gentlemen. It is not for nothing that the version is so stubbornly held in Russian historiography that the father of the future Emperor Paul I was not Peter III at all, but Count Alexei Saltykov, one of Catherine's many lovers. However, a simple glance at the portraits of both is enough to easily detect a direct relationship, not to mention similar character traits. Peter became emperor after the death of Elizabeth Petrovna. His short reign left an ambiguous impression on his contemporaries and an ambiguous memory on his descendants. Peter did a lot, if not everything, contrary to, in spite of the memory of the late empress. For too long, his pride and lust for power had been infringed, and now nothing and no one held them back. In the end, Peter restored the guard against himself, which turned out to be like death in the literal sense. The deposed emperor was taken to a hunting lodge in Ropsha, where he was kept under guard. There he was, most likely, killed during lunch by one of the Orlov brothers.

Domestic policy of Peter III

Six months - exactly so much was released to Peter to implement his own plans. However, it is very difficult to say that he had any specific program for the reorganization of Russia. The emperor was in a fever and was thrown from one extreme to another. Among the most significant events of that time, one can single out the granting of liberties to the nobility through the Imperial Manifesto, the weakening of church land tenure, the cessation of persecution for the faith (this was especially true of schismatic Old Believers), as well as the liquidation of the Secret Chancellery hated by many. At the same time, Peter began to zealously rebuild the army in the Prussian manner, which was, in the end, a fatal step for him.

Foreign policy of Peter III

If called internal politics Peter's consistent, as noted above, is difficult, then the external, on the contrary, was quite definite. All the successes of Russia in the seven-year war with Prussia were, in fact, nullified by an alliance with the Prussian Emperor Frederick, Peter's idol from his youth.

• The body of the emperor was originally buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, but the son of Peter, Emperor Paul I, who came to power in 1796, ordered that the remains of both parents rest together in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. In retaliation, Pavel ordered one of the alleged murderers, Count Alexei Orlov, to accompany the coffin of his parent.
• The people did not have time to fall in love or hate Peter III, unlike the guards.
• Some refused to consider him killed, and on this wave of sentiment, such a phenomenon as imposture revived again. The most famous impostor who took the name of Peter III, of course, was the Yaik Cossack Emelyan Pugachev.

Peter III Fedorovich Romanov

Peter III Fedorovich Romanov

Peter III (Pyotr Fyodorovich Romanov, birth nameCarl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp; February 21, 1728, Kiel - July 17, 1762, Ropsha - Russian emperor in 1761-1762, the first representative of the Holstein-Gottorp (or rather: Oldenburg dynasty, Holstein-Gottorp branches, officially bearing the name "Imperial House of the Romanovs") on the Russian throne, husband of Catherine II, father of Paul I

Peter III (in the uniform of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, 1762)

Peter III

The short reign of Peter III lasted less than a year, but during this time the emperor managed to turn against himself almost all the influential forces in Russian noble society: the court, the guards, the army and the clergy.

He was born on February 10 (21), 1728 in Kiel in the Duchy of Holstein (northern Germany). The German prince Karl Peter Ulrich, who received the name Peter Fedorovich after the adoption of Orthodoxy, was the son of Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp and the eldest daughter of Peter I Anna Petrovna.

Karl Friedrich Holstein-Gottorp

Anna Petrovna

Having ascended the throne, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna summoned the son of her beloved sister to Russia and appointed her heir in 1742. Karl Peter Ulrich was brought to St. Petersburg in early February 1742 and on November 15 (26) was declared her heir. Then he converted to Orthodoxy and received the name of Peter Fedorovich

Elizaveta Petrovna

As a teacher, Academician J. Shtelin was assigned to him, who could not achieve any significant success in the education of the prince; he was fascinated only by military affairs and playing the violin.

Pyotr Fedorovich when he was the Grand Duke. Job portrait

In May 1745 the prince was proclaimed the ruling duke of Holstein. In August 1745 he married Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst, the future Catherine II.

Petr Fedorovich ( Grand Duke) and Ekaterina Alekseevna ( grand duchess

Tsarevich Pyotr Fedorovich and Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna. 1740s Hood. G.-K. Groot.

The marriage was unsuccessful, only in 1754 their son Pavel was born, and in 1756 their daughter Anna, who died in 1759. He had a connection with the maid of honor E.R. Vorontsova, niece of Chancellor M.I. Vorontsov. Being an admirer of Frederick the Great, he publicly expressed his pro-Prussian sympathies during the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. Peter's open hostility to everything Russian and his apparent inability to deal with state affairs caused Elizabeth Petrovna to worry. In court circles, projects were put forward to transfer the crown to the young Paul under the regency of Catherine or Catherine herself.

Portrait of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich as a child ( , )

Peter and Catherine were granted the possession of Oranienbaum near St. Petersburg

However, the empress did not dare to change the order of succession to the throne. The former duke, who was trained from birth to occupy the Swedish throne, since he was also the grandson of Charles XII, studied the Swedish language, Swedish law and Swedish history, from childhood he was accustomed to treat Russia with prejudice. A zealous Lutheran, he could not reconcile himself to being forced to change his faith, and at every opportunity tried to emphasize his contempt for Orthodoxy, the customs and traditions of the country that he was to rule. Peter was neither evil nor treacherous; on the contrary, he often showed gentleness and mercy. However, his extreme nervous imbalance made the future sovereign dangerous, as a person who concentrated absolute power over a vast empire in his hands.

Peter III Fedorovich Romanov

Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova, favorite of Peter III

Having become the new emperor after the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, Peter quickly angered the courtiers against himself, attracting public office foreigners, the guards, abolishing Elizabethan liberties, the army, concluding a peace unfavorable for Russia with defeated Prussia, and, finally, the clergy, ordering all icons to be taken out of the churches, except for the most important ones, to shave their beards, take off their vestments and change into frock coats in the likeness of Lutheran pastors.

Empress Catherine the Great with her husband Peter III of Russia and their son, the future Emperor Paul I

On the other hand, the emperor softened the persecution of the Old Believers, signed in 1762 a decree on the freedom of the nobility, abolishing the compulsory service for representatives of the noble class. It seemed that he could count on the support of the nobles. However, his reign ended tragically.

Peter III is depicted on horseback among a group of soldiers. The emperor wears the orders of St. Andrew the First-Called and St. Anne. Snuffbox decorated with miniatures

Many were not happy that the emperor made an alliance with Prussia: shortly before, under the late Elizabeth Petrovna, Russian troops won a number of victories in the war with the Prussians, and the Russian Empire could count on considerable political benefits from the successes achieved on the battlefields. The alliance with Prussia crossed out all such hopes and violated good relations with Russia's former allies - Austria and France. Even more dissatisfaction was caused by the involvement of Peter III in Russian service numerous foreigners. At the Russian court there were no influential forces whose support would ensure the stability of the reign of the new emperor.

Portrait of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich

Unknown Russian artist PORTRAIT OF EMPEROR PETER III Last third of the 18th century.

Taking advantage of this, a strong court party, hostile to Prussia and Peter III, in alliance with a group of guards, carried out a coup.

Pyotr Fedorovich was always afraid of Catherine. When, after the death of Empress Elizabeth, he became the Russian Tsar Peter III, almost nothing connected the crowned spouses, but they shared a lot. Rumors reached Catherine that Peter wanted to get rid of her by imprisoning her in a monastery or depriving her of her life, and declare their son Paul illegitimate. Catherine knew how harshly the Russian autocrats treated hateful wives. But for many years she had been preparing to ascend the throne and was not going to give it up to a man whom everyone did not like and "slandered out loud without trembling."

Georg Christoph Groot. Portrait of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich (later Emperor Peter III

Six months after Peter III ascended the throne on January 5, 1762, a group of conspirators led by Catherine's lover Count G.G. Orlov took advantage of Peter's absence at court and issued a manifesto on behalf of the regiments of the imperial guard, according to which Peter was deprived of the throne, and Catherine was proclaimed empress. She was crowned Bishop of Novgorod, while Peter was imprisoned in Vacation home in Ropsha, where he was killed in July 1762, apparently with the knowledge of Catherine. According to a contemporary of those events, Peter III "allowed himself to be overthrown from the throne, like a child who is sent to sleep." His death soon finally freed Catherine the way to power.

in the Winter Palace, the coffin was placed next to the coffin of Empress Catherine II (the hall was designed by the architect Rinaldi)

After official ceremonies, the ashes of Peter III and Catherine II were transferred from the Winter Palace to the cathedral Peter and Paul Fortress

This allegorical engraving by Nicholas Anselin is dedicated to the exhumation of Peter III

Tombs of Peter III and Catherine II in the Peter and Paul Cathedral

Hat of Emperor Peter III. 1760s

Ruble of Peter III 1762 St. Petersburg silver

Portrait of Emperor Peter III (1728-1762) and a view of the monument to Empress Catherine II in St. Petersburg

Unknown North Russian carver. Plaquette with a portrait of Grand Duke Pyotr Fedorovich. St. Petersburg (?), Ser. 19th century. mammoth tusk, relief carving, engraving, drilling Peter III, his relatives and his entourage ":
Part 1 - Peter III Fedorovich Romanov

Peter III was a very extraordinary emperor. He did not know the Russian language, he liked to play with soldiers and wanted to baptize Russia according to the Protestant rite. His mysterious death led to the emergence of a galaxy of impostors.

Heir to two empires

Already from birth, Peter could claim two imperial titles: Swedish and Russian. On his father's side, he was the great-nephew of King Charles XII, who himself was too busy with military campaigns to marry. Peter's grandfather on his mother's side was the main enemy of Charles, the Russian Emperor Peter I.

An early orphaned boy spent his childhood with his uncle, Bishop Adolf of Eitinsky, where he was raised to hate Russia. He did not know the Russian language and was baptized according to the Protestant tradition. True, he also did not know other languages ​​\u200b\u200bbesides his native German, he only spoke a little French.
Peter was supposed to take the Swedish throne, but the childless Empress Elizabeth remembered the son of her beloved sister Anna and declared him heir. The boy is brought to Russia to meet the imperial throne and death.

Soldier games

In fact, the sickly young man was not particularly needed by anyone: neither the aunt-empress, nor the tutors, nor, subsequently, his wife. Everyone was only interested in his origin, even the cherished words were added to the official title of the heir: "Grandson of Peter I."

And the heir himself was interested in toys, first of all, soldiers. Can we accuse him of infantilism? When Peter was brought to St. Petersburg, he was only 13 years old! Dolls attracted the heir more than state affairs or a young bride.
True, with age, his priorities do not change. He continued to play, but secretly. Ekaterina writes: “During the day, his toys were hidden in my bed and under it. The Grand Duke went to bed first after dinner, and as soon as we were in bed, Kruse (the maid) locked the door with a key, and then the Grand Duke played until one or two in the morning.
Over time, toys become bigger and more dangerous. Peter is allowed to write a regiment of soldiers from Holstein, whom the future emperor enthusiastically drives around the parade ground. Meanwhile, his wife is learning Russian and studying French philosophers...

"Lady Help"

In 1745, the wedding of the heir Peter Fedorovich and Ekaterina Alekseevna, the future Catherine II, was magnificently celebrated in St. Petersburg. There was no love between the young spouses - they differed too much in character and interests. The more intelligent and educated Catherine makes fun of her husband in her memoirs: “he doesn’t read books, and if he does, it’s either a prayer book or descriptions of torture and executions.”

With marital duty, Peter also did not have everything going smoothly, this is evidenced by his letters, where he asks his wife not to share the bed with him, which has become “too narrow”. This is where the legend originates that the future Emperor Paul was born not at all from Peter III, but from one of the favorites of the loving Catherine.
However, despite the coldness in the relationship, Peter always trusted his wife. In difficult situations, he turned to her for help, and her tenacious mind found a way out of any trouble. Therefore, Catherine received from her husband the ironic nickname "Lady Help".

Russian Marchioness Pompadour

But not only children's games distracted Peter from the matrimonial bed. In 1750, two girls were presented to the court: Elizaveta and Ekaterina Vorontsov. Ekaterina Vorontsova will be a faithful companion of her royal namesake, while Elizabeth will take the place of the beloved of Peter III.

The future emperor could take any court beauty as his favorite, but his choice fell, nevertheless, on this “fat and awkward” maid of honor. Love is evil? However, is it worth trusting the description left in the memoirs of a forgotten and abandoned wife.
The sharp-tongued Empress Elizaveta Petrovna found this love triangle very amusing. She even nicknamed the good-natured, but narrow-minded Vorontsova "Russian de Pompadour."
It was love that became one of the reasons for the fall of Peter. At court, they began to say that Peter was going, following the example of his ancestors, to send his wife to a monastery and marry Vorontsova. He allowed himself to insult and bully Catherine, who, apparently, endured all his whims, but in fact cherished plans for revenge and was looking for powerful allies.

Spy in Her Majesty's Service

During the Seven Years' War, in which Russia took the side of Austria. Peter III openly sympathized with Prussia and personally with Frederick II, which did not add to the popularity of the young heir.

But he went even further: the heir handed over to his idol secret documents, information about the number and location of Russian troops! Upon learning of this, Elizabeth was furious, but she forgave a lot of her near-nephew for the sake of his mother, her beloved sister.
Why is the heir to the Russian throne so openly helping Prussia? Like Catherine, Peter is looking for allies, and hopes to find one of them in the person of Frederick II. Chancellor Bestuzhev-Ryumin writes: “The Grand Duke was convinced that Frederick II loves him and speaks with great respect; therefore, he thinks that as soon as he ascends the throne, the Prussian king will seek his friendship and will help him in everything.

186 days of Peter III

After the death of Empress Elizabeth, Peter III was proclaimed emperor, but was not officially crowned. He showed himself to be an energetic ruler, and in the six months of his reign he managed, contrary to popular opinion, to do a lot. Estimates of his reign vary greatly: Catherine and her supporters describe Peter as a weak-minded, ignorant martinet and Russophobe. Modern historians create a more objective image.

First of all, Peter made peace with Prussia on unfavorable terms for Russia. This caused discontent in army circles. But then his "Manifesto on the Liberty of the Nobility" gave the aristocracy huge privileges. At the same time, he issued laws prohibiting the torture and murder of serfs, and stopped the persecution of the Old Believers.
Peter III tried to please everyone, but in the end, all attempts turned against him. The reason for the conspiracy against Peter was his ridiculous fantasies about the baptism of Russia according to the Protestant model. The guards, the main support and support of the Russian emperors, took the side of Catherine. In his palace in Orienbaum, Peter signed the abdication.

Life after death

Peter's death is one big mystery. It was not in vain that Emperor Paul compared himself with Hamlet: during the entire reign of Catherine II, the shadow of her deceased husband could not find peace. But was the Empress guilty of her husband's death?

According to the official version, Peter III died of an illness. He was not in good health, and the unrest associated with the coup and abdication could have killed more strong man. But the sudden and so quick death of Peter - a week after the overthrow - caused a lot of talk. For example, there is a legend according to which the favorite of Catherine, Alexei Orlov, was the killer of the emperor.
The illegal overthrow and suspicious death of Peter gave rise to a whole galaxy of impostors. In our country alone, more than forty people tried to impersonate the emperor. The most famous of them was Emelyan Pugachev. Abroad, one of the false Peters even became the king of Montenegro. The last impostor was arrested in 1797, 35 years after the death of Peter, and only after that the shadow of the emperor finally found peace.