In 1762, another palace coup took place in Russia, which was so rich in the 18th century. For 37 years after the death of Peter the Great until the accession of Catherine II, the throne was occupied by six monarchs. All of them came to power after palace intrigues or coups, and two of them - Ivan Antonovich (Ivan VI) and Peter III were overthrown and killed ..

Few of the Russian autocrats have earned so many negative and ridiculous assessments in historiography - from "tyrant" and "toon of Frederick II" to "hater of everything Russian" - like Peter III. Domestic historians in their writings did not honor him with a single praise. The authoritative professor Vasily Klyuchevsky wrote: “His development stopped before growth, in the years of courage he remained the same as he was in childhood, he grew up without maturing.”

In the courses of Russian history, a paradoxical thing has developed, the reforms of Peter III - the Manifesto on the Liberty of the Nobility and the liquidation of the sinister Secret Chancellery, which was engaged in political investigation - were all called progressive and timely, and their author - weak-minded and narrow-minded. In the people's memory, he remained a victim of his royal wife, Catherine the Great, and the most formidable rebel, Emelyan Pugachev, who instilled fear in the house of the Romanovs, was named after him.

Relative of three monarchs

Before the adoption of Orthodoxy in Russia, the name of Peter III sounded like Karl Peter Ulrich. By the will of fate, he was the heir to three royal houses at once: Swedish, Russian and Holstein. His mother, the eldest daughter of Peter I, Tsesarevna Anna Petrovna, died three months after the birth of her son, and the boy was brought up by his father, the Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, Karl-Friedrich, until the age of 11.

The father raised his son in a military way, in the Prussian way, and the young man's love for military engineering remained for life. At first, the boy was prepared for the Swedish throne, but in 1741, Elizaveta Petrovna came to power in Russia, who had no children of her own, and she chose her nephew as the future heir to the Russian throne.

After moving to Russia and adopting the Orthodox faith, he was named Peter Fedorovich, and in order to emphasize the continuity of power on the throne, the words “Grandson of Peter the Great” were included in his official title.

Pyotr Fedorovich when he was the Grand Duke. Portrait by G. H. Groot Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Heir of Elizabeth Petrovna

In 1742, during the solemn coronation, Elizaveta Petrovna declared him her heir. Soon a bride was also found - the daughter of an impoverished German prince - Sophia-Frederick-August of Anhalt-Zerbst. The marriage took place on August 21, 1745. The groom was 17 years old, and the bride - 16. The young people were granted the palaces in Oranienbaum near St. Petersburg and Lyubertsy near Moscow. But their family life failed from the first day. Soon both had hobbies on the side. And even the fact that at first both were in Russia in the same position, in a foreign land, forced to change their language (Ekaterina and Peter could not get rid of a strong German accent) and religion, to get used to the orders of the Russian court - all this did not bring them closer.

The wife of Pyotr Fedorovich, who received the name Ekaterina Alekseevna at baptism, was more willing to learn Russian, did a lot of self-education, and, most valuable, she perceived her move to Russia as an incredible fortune, a unique chance that she did not intend to miss. Natural cunning, ingenuity, subtle intuition and determination helped her find allies, attract the sympathy of people much more often than her husband could.

Short reign

Peter and Catherine: a joint portrait by G.K. Groot Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

In 1762, Elizabeth dies and Peter III Fedorovich ascended the throne. Peter Fedorovich waited almost 20 years for his reign, and lasted only 186 days.

Immediately after his ascension, he developed a vigorous legislative activity. During his short reign, almost 200 legislative acts were adopted!

He pardoned many criminals and political exiles (among them Minich and Biron), abolished the Secret Chancellery, which had been operating since the time of Peter I and had been engaged in secret investigation and torture, announced forgiveness to repentant peasants who had previously shown disobedience to their landlords, and forbade the persecution of schismatics. Under him, the State Bank was created, which encouraged commercial and industrial activities. And in March 1762, he issued a decree, which, in theory, was supposed to attract the nobility in Russia to his side - he abolished compulsory military service for the nobles.

In reforms, he tried to imitate his great grandfather - Peter Alekseevich. Today, historians note that in many ways, the reforms of Peter III became the foundation for the future transformations of Catherine II. But it was the wife who became the first source for the unflattering characterization of the personality of the Russian Emperor Peter III. In her notes, and in the memoirs of her closest friend, Princess Ekaterina Dashkova, Pyotr Fedorovich for the first time appears as a stupid and eccentric Prussian who hated Russia.

CONSPIRACY

Despite the active lawmaking, much more than the laws, the emperor was interested in the war. And here the Prussian army was his ideal.

After accession, Peter introduced the Prussian uniform in the Russian army, the strictest discipline and daily training according to the Prussian model. In addition, in April 1762, he concluded with Prussia the unfavorable Petersburg Peace Treaty, according to which Russia withdrew from the Seven Years' War and voluntarily gave Prussia the territory occupied by Russian troops, including East Prussia. But the Russian guards were outraged not only by the unusual Prussian order, but also by the disrespectful attitude towards the officers of the emperor himself, who did not hide his intention to disband the guards regiments, considering them the main culprits of all conspiracies. And in this Emperor Peter was right.

Portrait of Peter III by the artist A. P. Antropov, 1762 Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Most likely, a conspiracy against Pyotr Fedorovich began to take shape long before the death of Elizabeth Petrovna. The hostile relationship between the spouses was no longer a secret to anyone. Peter III openly declared that he was going to divorce his wife in order to marry his favorite Elizaveta Vorontsova.

On the eve of Peter's Day on June 28, Peter III went to Peterhof to participate in large festivities; Ekaterina Alekseevna, the main organizer of this celebration, did not meet him at the residence. The emperor was informed of her escape in the early morning to St. Petersburg with guards officer Alexei Orlov. It became clear that events had taken a critical turn, and suspicions of treason were confirmed.

In St. Petersburg, Catherine was sworn in by the main government institutions - the Senate and the Synod. The Guard also supported Catherine. On the same day, Peter III, who did not dare to take any retaliatory actions, signs a renunciation of Russian throne. He was arrested and sent to Ropsha, where he died a few days later. The circumstances of his death are still unclear.

According to the official version, the cause of death was an attack of "hemorrhoid colic." This version was questioned even during the life of Catherine, suggesting that the emperor was simply strangled. Some scientists believe that death was the result of a massive heart attack. There is no doubt that the living emperor Peter III did not need either the guard or Ekaterina Alekseevna, his wife. According to Catherine's contemporaries, the news of her husband's death shocked her. Despite the steel character, she remained an ordinary person and was afraid of retribution. But the people, the guards and posterity forgave her this crime. In history, she remained, first of all, as an outstanding statesman, unlike her unfortunate husband. After all, history, as you know, is written by the winners.

Peter III Fedorovich (1728-1762) - Russian ruler from 1761 to 1762. He was born in the Duchy of Holstein (Germany). When his aunt Elizaveta Petrovna ascended the Russian throne, he was brought to St. Petersburg in November 1742, at the same time his aunt declared him her heir. Having converted to Orthodoxy, he was named Peter Fedorovich.

He ascended the throne after the death of Elizabeth Petrovna. He was the first representative of the Holstein-Gottorp family of the Romanovs on the Russian throne. Grandson of Peter I and sister of Charles XII, son of Tsarina Anna Petrovna and Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp. At first he was brought up as the heir to the Swedish throne, forcing him to learn Swedish, Lutheran study guide, Latin grammar, but brought up in him hatred for Russia, the old enemy of Sweden.

Peter grew up as a shy, nervous, receptive and not evil child, he loved music, painting and adored everything military, while being afraid of cannon fire. He was often punished (flogged, forced to stand on peas).

Having ascended the Russian throne, Peter Fedorovich began to study Orthodox books and the Russian language, but otherwise Peter received practically no education. Endured constant humiliation, he mastered bad habits, became irritable, absurd, learned to lie, and in Russia also to drink. Daily feasts, surrounded by girls, were his entertainment.

In August 1745 he married Princess Sophia, who later became Catherine II. Their marriage was not successful. They didn't have children for a long time. But in 1754, the son Pavel was born, after 2 years - the daughter Anna. There were various rumors about her paternity. Elizaveta Petrovna herself was engaged in the upbringing of Paul, as an heir, and Peter was not at all interested in his son.

Peter III reigned for only six months and was overthrown as a result of a coup, the soul of which was his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna. As a result of the palace coup, power was in the hands of Catherine II.

Peter abdicated and was exiled to Ropsha, where he was kept under arrest. In the same place, Peter III was killed in July, the 6th of 1762. He was first buried in the church of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. But in 1796 the remains were transferred to the Peter and Paul Cathedral and reburied along with the burial of Catherine II.

In estimates of the reign of Peter III Fedorovich there is no consensus. Much attention is paid to his vices and dislike for Russia. But there are also positive results of his short reign. It is known that Pyotr Fedorovich accepted 192 documents.

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Pyotr Fedorovich and Ekaterina Alekseevna. In 1742, Elizabeth declared her nephew, the natural grandson of Peter the Great (and the grandson of the sister of Charles XII of Sweden), the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein Karl-Peter-Ulrich, to be his heir. For the Russian people, he was the same German prince as those from whom he was freed in 1741 Russian society and which he was so disgusted with. This choice of hers, or, rather, the necessity of this choice, Elizabeth soon began to consider a serious misfortune. The fourteen-year-old orphaned duke was transported from Holstein to Russia, found a second mother in Elizabeth, converted to Orthodoxy and, instead of a German upbringing, began to receive Russian. In 1745 they hurried to marry him. The issue of the bride was discussed at court for a very long time, because marriage was given political significance and they were afraid to make a mistake. Finally, Elizabeth settled on the person pointed out, in contrast to Bestuzhev, by the French-Prussian party, which Friedrich of Prussia also pointed out - Princess Sophia-August-Frederike of Anhalt-Zerbst. Her father was only a general in the Prussian service, commandant of Stetin; mother, in caring for a rather poor household, managed to lose her sense of tact and good character, acquiring a tendency to acquisitions and gossip. The bride and her mother came to Russia, converted to Orthodoxy and was named Ekaterina Alekseevna; On August 25, 1745, the wedding of 17-year-old Peter and 16-year-old Catherine took place. But everyone noticed that the groom was cold to the bride and directly quarreled with the future mother-in-law. However, Catherine's mother showed her quarrelsome character in relation to everyone and therefore was sent from Russia in the same 1745. The young couple remained, as it were, alone in the large Elizabethan palace, being cut off from the German environment, from the atmosphere of their childhood. Both husband and wife had to determine their own personality and their relationships at court.

Grand Duke Pyotr Fedorovich (future Peter III) and Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna (future Catherine II)

Pyotr Fedorovich was a weakly gifted man both physically and mentally, he lost his mother and father early and remained in the hands of Marshal Brummer, who was more a soldier than an educated person, more a groom than a teacher. Peter's childhood passed in such a way that nothing good could remember him. His upbringing was neglected, as was his education. Brummer established such an order of life for his pupil, which could not but upset his health, which was already weak: for example, during long studies, the boy did not have exercise and did not eat until two in the afternoon. And at lunchtime, the sovereign duke often only looked from the corner as his servants ate dinner, which he himself was denied by teachers. Poorly feeding the boy, he was not allowed to develop, which is why he became lethargic and weak. Moral education was neglected: kneeling on peas, decorating with donkey ears, hitting with a whip and even beating with anything were the usual means of pedagogical persuasion. A series of moral humiliations in front of the courtiers, Brummer's rude shouts and his impudent antics, of course, could not develop in the prince either sound moral concepts or a sense of human dignity. Mental education was also bad. Peter studied many languages, many subjects, but they taught him through force, not in accordance with his weak abilities, and he learned little and received an aversion to teaching. Latin, which at that time was obligatory for every educated person, got tired of him to the point that he forbade placing Latin books in his library in St. Petersburg. When he came to Russia and Elizabeth met him, she was surprised at the paucity of his knowledge. They began to teach him again, already in the Orthodox Russian way. But science was hindered by Peter's illness (in 1743-1745 he was seriously ill three times), and then his marriage. Having learned the Orthodox catechism hastily, Peter remained with the views of a German Protestant. Getting acquainted with Russia from the lessons of Academician Shtelin, Peter was not interested in her, he missed his lessons and remained a very ignorant and undeveloped person with German views and habits. He did not like Russia and thought superstitiously that he would be unhappy in Russia. He was only interested in "entertainment": he loved to dance, play pranks like a child and play soldiers. He was interested in military affairs in the highest degree, but he did not study it, but amused himself with it and, like a German, was in awe of King Frederick, whom he wanted to imitate always and in everything and never knew how to do anything.

Marriage did not bring him to reason and could not bring him to reason because he did not feel his oddities and had a very good opinion of himself. He looked down on his wife, who was immeasurably taller than him. Since they stopped teaching him, he considered himself an adult and, of course, did not want to learn from his wife either her tact, or her restraint, or, finally, her efficiency. He did not want to know the cases, on the contrary, he expanded the repertoire of fun and strange antics: either for whole hours he slapped the rooms with a coachman's whip, then he unsuccessfully practiced the violin, then he gathered palace lackeys and played soldiers with them, then he reviewed toy soldiers, arranged toy fortresses, bred guards and did toy military exercises; and once, in the eighth year of his marriage, he judged according to military laws and hanged a rat that ate his starched soldier. All this was done with serious interest, and it was clear from everything that these games of toy soldiers interested him extremely. He woke his wife at night so that she ate oysters with him or stood on the clock at his office. To her, he described in detail the beauty of the woman who had fascinated him and demanded attention to such an insulting conversation for her. Being tactless towards Catherine and insulting her, he had no tact in relation to strangers and allowed himself various vulgarities: for example, in the church during the service, behind his aunt, he mimicked the priests, and when the ladies-in-waiting looked at him, he showed them his tongue , but in such a way that the aunt would not see it: he was still very afraid of his aunt. Sitting at the table, he mocked the servants, poured water on her dresses, pushed dishes on the neighbors and tried to get drunk as soon as possible. So behaved the heir to the throne, an adult and the father of the family (in 1754 his son Pavel was born). "Peter showed all the signs of a stopped spiritual development, - says S. M. Soloviev, - he was an adult child. "Empress Elizabeth understood the properties of Peter and often cried, worrying about the future, but did not dare to change the order of succession, because Peter III was a direct descendant of Peter the Great.

However, they did not lose hope to win over and accustom Peter to business. Shtelin continued to acquaint him with state affairs theoretically, and in 1756 Peter was appointed a member of the Conference, established, as we have seen, for especially important matters. At the same time, as Duke of Holstein, Peter every week "on Monday and Friday, with his Holstein ministers, the council held and managed the affairs of his duchy." All these concerns had some result. Peter became interested in affairs, but not in Russia, but in Holstein. It is unlikely that he knew them well, but he learned Holstein's views, wanting to win the Holstein lands from Denmark and was very busy with the Holstein soldiers and officers, whom he was allowed to bring to Russia from 1755. He lived with them in the summer in the camps at Oranienbaum, adopted their soldierly manners and foppishness, learned from them to smoke, drink like a soldier, and dream of Holstein conquests.

Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. Portrait by V. Eriksen

Over time, Peter's attitude to Russia and Russian affairs was also determined. He told his wife that "he was not born for Russia, that he was unsuitable for the Russians and the Russians were unsuitable for him, and he was convinced that he would perish in Russia." When the Swedish throne was vacated and Peter could not take it, although he had the right, he spoke out loud with malice: “They dragged me into this accursed Russia, where I must consider myself a state prisoner, would sit on the throne of a civilized people." When Peter was present at the Conference, he submitted his opinions and in them revealed a complete ignorance of the political situation in Russia; he talked about Russian interests from the point of view of his love for the Prussian king. Thus, ignorance of Russia, contempt for her, the desire to leave her, Holstein sympathies and the absence of a mature personality distinguished the future Russian emperor. Chancellor Bestuzhev seriously thought about either completely removing Peter from power, or in some other way protecting the interests of Russia from his influence.

A completely different kind of person was Peter's wife, Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna. Growing up in a modest family of an insignificant prince, a strict Protestant father, Catherine received some education, enhanced by her own powers of observation and receptivity. As a child, she traveled a lot in Germany, saw and heard a lot. Even then, with her liveliness and abilities, she attracted the attention of observant persons: in Brunswick, a canon who was engaged in predictions remarked to her mother: "I see at least three crowns on your daughter's forehead." When Catherine and her mother were summoned to Russia, the purpose of the trip was no secret to her, and the lively girl managed to take her first steps at the Russian court with great tact. Her father wrote to her guide a series of rules of prudent restraint and modesty. Catherine added her own tact and remarkable practical instinct to these rules and charmed Elizabeth, won the sympathy of the court, and then the people. No older than 15 years old, she behaved better and smarter than her supervisor mother. When the mother quarreled and gossiped, the daughter tried to acquire a common disposition. She diligently took up the Russian language and Orthodox dogma. Brilliant abilities allowed her to make great progress in a short time, and at the baptismal ceremony she recited the creed so firmly that she surprised everyone. But the news survived that the change of religion for Catherine was not as easy and joyful as she showed the empress and the court. In pious embarrassment before this step, Catherine wept a lot and, they say, sought consolation from the Lutheran pastor. However, the lessons of the Orthodox teacher of the law did not stop there. "Ambition takes its toll," one diplomat remarked on this occasion. And Catherine herself admitted that she was ambitious.

Catherine II after her arrival in Russia. Portrait by L. Caravaca, 1745

Not loving either her husband or Elizabeth, Catherine nevertheless behaved very well towards them. She tried to correct and cover up all the antics of her husband and did not complain about him to anyone. She treated Elizabeth with respect and, as it were, sought her approval. In the court environment, she sought popularity, finding an affectionate word for everyone, trying to adapt to the mores of the court, trying to seem like a purely Russian pious woman. At a time when her husband remained a Holsteiner and despised the Russians, Catherine wished to stop being a German and, after the death of her parents, renounced all rights to her Anhalt-Zerbst. Her mind and practical prudence forced others to see in her great strength, to foresee great court influence behind her. And indeed, over the years, Catherine occupied a prominent position at court; she was well known even among the masses of the people. For everyone, she became more visible and prettier than her husband.

But Catherine's personal life was unenviable. Placed far from work and left for whole days by her husband, Catherine did not know what to do, because she had no company at all: she could not get close to the ladies of the court, because "she dared to see only maids in front of her," in her own words; she could not get close to the circle of court men because it was inconvenient. It remained to read, and Catherine's "reading" continued for the first eight years of her married life. At first she read novels: a casual conversation with the Swedish Count Gyllenborg, whom she knew back in Germany, directed her attention to serious books. She read a lot historical writings, travels, classics and, finally, remarkable writers of French philosophy and publicistic literature of the 18th century. During these years, she received that mass of information that surprised her contemporaries, that philosophical liberal way of thinking that she brought with her to the throne. She considered herself a student of Voltaire, worshiped Montesquieu, studied the Encyclopedia and, thanks to the constant tension of thought, became an exceptional person in the Russian society of her time. The degree of its theoretical development and education reminds us of the strength of the practical development of Peter the Great. And they were both self-taught.

In the second half of Elizabeth's reign, Grand Duchess Catherine was already a well-established and very prominent person at court. A lot of attention has been paid to her by diplomats, because, as they find, "no one has so much firmness and determination" - qualities that give her many opportunities in the future. Catherine is more independent, clearly at odds with her husband, incurring the displeasure of Elizabeth. But the most prominent "seizure" people of Elizabeth, Bestuzhev, Shuvalov, Razumovsky, now do not ignore the Grand Duchess, but, on the contrary, try to establish good, but cautious relations with her. Catherine herself enters into relations with diplomats and Russians government officials , monitors the progress of affairs and even wants to influence them. The reason for this was the morbidity of Elizabeth: one could expect an imminent change on the throne. Everyone understood that Peter could not be a normal ruler and that his wife should play a big role with him. Elizabeth also understood this: fearing from Catherine any step in her favor against Peter, she began to treat her badly and even directly hostile; over time, Peter himself treats his wife in the same way. Surrounded by suspicion and enmity and driven by ambition, Catherine understood the danger of her position and the possibility of tremendous political success. Others also told her about this possibility: one of the envoys (Prussian) vouched for her that she would be empress; The Shuvalovs and Razumovskys considered Catherine a contender for the throne; Bestuzhev, together with her, made plans to change the succession to the throne. Catherine herself had to prepare to act both for her personal protection and to achieve power after the death of Elizabeth. She knew that her husband was attached to another woman (Eliz. Rom. Vorontsova) and wanted to replace her with her wife, in whom she saw a person dangerous to herself. And so, so that the death of Elizabeth does not take her by surprise, does not give her defenseless into the hands of Peter, Catherine seeks to make political friends for herself, to form her own party. She secretly interferes in political and court affairs, and is in correspondence with many prominent persons. The case of Bestuzhev and Apraksin (1757-1758) showed Elizabeth how great the importance of Grand Duchess Catherine was at court. Bestuzhev was accused of excessive respect for Catherine. Apraksin was constantly influenced by her letters. The fall of Bestuzhev was due to his closeness to Catherine, and Catherine herself suffered at that moment the disgrace of the empress. She was afraid that she would be expelled from Russia, and with remarkable dexterity she achieved reconciliation with Elizabeth. She began to ask Elizabeth for an audience in order to clarify her case. And Catherine was given this audience at night. During Catherine's conversation with Elizabeth, Catherine's husband Peter and Ivan Iv were secretly behind the screens in the same room. Shuvalov, and Ekaterina guessed it. The conversation was crucial to her. Under Elizabeth, Catherine began to assert that she was not to blame for anything, and in order to prove that she did not want anything, she asked the empress to let her go to Germany. She asked for it, being sure that they would do just the opposite. The result of the audience was that Catherine remained in Russia, although she was surrounded by surveillance. Now she had to play the game without allies and assistants, but she continued to play it with even more energy. If Elizabeth had not died so unexpectedly soon, then, probably, Peter III would not have had to take the throne, because the conspiracy already existed and a very strong party was already behind Catherine. Catherine could not reconcile with her husband, she could not bear him; he saw in her an evil, too independent and hostile woman. “We need to crush the snake,” said the Holsteiners surrounding Peter, conveying with this expression his thoughts about his wife. During Catherine's illness, he even directly dreamed of her death.

Yes, in last years Elizabeth discovered the complete inability of her heir and great importance and the mind of his wife. The question of the fate of the throne greatly occupied Elizabeth; According to Catherine, the empress "looked with trepidation at the hour of death and at what could happen after it." But she did not dare to dismiss her nephew directly. The court environment also understood that Peter could not be the ruler of the state. Many thought about how to eliminate Peter, and came up with various combinations. It was possible to eliminate it by transferring the rights to the minor Pavel Petrovich, and his mother Ekaterina would have received a big role. It would be possible to put Catherine directly in power. Without it, the issue could not be resolved in any case (then no one thought about the former emperor John). Therefore, Catherine, in addition to her personal qualities and aspirations, gained great importance and was the center of political combinations and the banner of the movement against Peter. We can say that even before the death of Elizabeth, Catherine became a rival to her husband, and a dispute began between them about the Russian crown.

Emperor Peter III Fedorovich at birth was named Karl Peter Ulrich, since the future Russian ruler was born in the port city of Kiel, located in the north of the modern German state. On the Russian throne, Peter III lasted six months (the official years of reign are 1761-1762), after which he became a victim of a palace coup arranged by his wife, who replaced her deceased spouse.

It is noteworthy that in the following centuries, the biography of Peter III was presented exclusively from a pejorative point of view, so his image among people was unambiguously negative. But in Lately historians find evidence that this emperor had quite definite merits to the country, and a longer term of his reign would have brought tangible benefits to the inhabitants Russian Empire.

Childhood and youth

Since the boy was born in the family of Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp, the nephew of the Swedish king Charles XII, and his wife Anna Petrovna, the daughter of the king (that is, Peter III was the grandson of Peter I), his fate was predetermined from infancy. As soon as he was born, the child became the heir to the Swedish throne, and besides, in theory he could claim the Russian throne, although, according to the idea of ​​his grandfather Peter I, this should not have happened.

The childhood of Peter III was not royal at all. The boy lost his mother early, and his father, obsessed with reclaiming the lost Prussian lands, raised his son like a soldier. Already at the age of 10, little Karl Peter was awarded the rank of second lieutenant, and a year later the boy was orphaned.

After the death of Karl Friedrich, his son ended up in the house of Bishop Adolf Eitinsky, his great uncle, where the boy turned into an object for humiliation, cruel jokes and where they regularly flogged. Nobody cared about the education of the crown prince, and by the age of 13 he could barely read. Karl Peter was in poor health, he was a frail and timid teenager, but at the same time kind and simple-hearted. He loved music and painting, although because of the memories of his father, he also adored the "military".

However, it is known that until his death, Emperor Peter III was afraid of the sound of cannon shots and rifle volleys. The chroniclers also noted the young man's strange predilection for fantasies and inventions, which often turned into outright lies. There is also a version that still in adolescence Karl Peter became addicted to alcohol.

The life of the future All-Russian Emperor changed when he was 14 years old. His aunt ascended the Russian throne, who decided to secure the monarchy for the descendants of her father. Since Karl Peter was the only direct heir of Peter the Great, he was summoned to St. Petersburg, where the young Peter the Third, who already bore the title of Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, adopted the Orthodox religion and received the Slavic name Prince Peter Fedorovich.

At the first meeting with her nephew, Elizabeth was amazed at his ignorance and assigned a tutor to the royal heir. The teacher noted the excellent mental abilities of the ward, which debunks one of the myths about Peter III as a "feeble-minded martinet" and "mentally handicapped."

Although there is evidence that the emperor behaved in public in an extremely strange way. Especially in temples. For example, during the service, Peter laughed and spoke loudly. Yes, and with foreign ministers behaved familiarly. Perhaps this behavior gave rise to a rumor about his "inferiority".

Also in his youth, he had been ill with a severe form of smallpox, which could cause developmental disabilities. At the same time, Pyotr Fedorovich understood the exact sciences, geography and fortification, spoke German, French and in Latin. But he practically did not know Russian. But he didn't want to master it either.

By the way, smallpox severely disfigured the face of Peter III. But this defect in appearance is not displayed in any portrait. And then no one thought about the art of photography - the first photo in the world appeared only after more than 60 years. So only his portraits, painted from life, but “embellished” by artists, survived to his contemporaries.

Governing body

After the death of Elizabeth Petrovna on December 25, 1761, Peter Fedorovich ascended the throne. But he was not crowned, it was planned to do this after a military campaign against Denmark. As a result, Peter III was crowned posthumously in 1796.

He spent 186 days on the throne. During this time, Peter the Third signed 192 laws and decrees. And that's not even counting the award nominations. So, despite the myths and rumors around his personality and activities, even for such a short period, he managed to prove himself both in the foreign and domestic policies of the country.

The most important document of the reign of Peter Fedorovich is the “Manifesto on the Liberty of the Nobility”. This piece of legislation exempted nobles from the mandatory 25-year service and even allowed them to travel abroad.

Of the other affairs of the emperor, it is worth noting a number of reforms on the transformation state system. He, being on the throne for only six months, managed to abolish the Secret Chancellery, introduce freedom of religion, abolish church supervision over the personal lives of his subjects, forbid giving away state lands to private ownership, and most importantly, make the court of the Russian Empire open. And he also declared the forest a national wealth, established the State Bank and introduced the first banknotes into circulation. But after the death of Pyotr Fedorovich, all these innovations were destroyed.

Thus, Emperor Peter III intended to make the Russian Empire freer, less totalitarian and more enlightened.

Despite this, most historians consider the short period and results of his reign to be among the worst for Russia. main reason this is the actual annulment of the results of the Seven Years' War. Peter developed a bad relationship with military officers, as he ended the war with Prussia and withdrew Russian troops from Berlin. Some regarded these actions as a betrayal, but in fact the victories of the guards in this war brought glory either to them personally or to Austria and France, whose side was supported by the army. But for the Russian Empire, this war was of no use.

He also decided to introduce the Prussian order into the Russian army - the guards had a new form, and now the punishments were also in the Prussian manner - the cane system. Such changes did not add to his authority, but, on the contrary, gave rise to discontent and uncertainty in tomorrow both in the army and in court circles.

Personal life

When the future ruler was barely 17 years old, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna hurried to marry him. The German princess Sophia Frederica Augusta was chosen as his wife, whom the whole world knows today under the name Catherine II. The wedding of the heir was played on an unprecedented scale. As a gift, Peter and Catherine were presented with the palaces of the count - Oranienbaum near St. Petersburg and Lyubertsy near Moscow.

It is worth noting that Peter III and Catherine II could not stand each other and were considered a married couple only legally. Even when his wife gave Peter the heir of Paul I, and then his daughter Anna, he joked that he did not understand "where she takes these children."

Baby heir, future Russian emperor Paul I, after birth, was taken away from his parents, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna herself immediately took up his upbringing. However, this did not upset Pyotr Fyodorovich at all. He never showed much interest in his son. He saw the boy once a week, this was the permission of the empress. Daughter Anna Petrovna died in infancy.

The difficult relationship between Peter the Third and Catherine II is evidenced by the fact that the ruler repeatedly quarreled publicly with his wife and even threatened to divorce her. Once, after his wife did not support the toast he had uttered at the feast, Peter III ordered the woman to be arrested. Catherine was saved from prison only by the intervention of Peter's uncle, Georg of Holstein-Gottorp. But with all the aggression, anger and, most likely, burning jealousy for his wife, Pyotr Fedorovich had respect for her mind. In difficult situations, more often economic and financial, Catherine's husband often turned to her for help. There is evidence that Peter III called Catherine II "Madame Help".

It is noteworthy that the absence of intimate relations with Catherine did not affect the personal life of Peter III. Pyotr Fedorovich had mistresses, the main of which was the daughter of General Roman Vorontsov. Two of his daughters were presented to the court: Catherine, who would become a friend of the imperial wife, and later Princess Dashkova, and Elizabeth. So she was destined to become the beloved woman and favorite of Peter III. For her sake, he was even ready to terminate the marriage, but this was not destined to happen.

Death

On the royal throne, Peter Fedorovich stayed a little longer than six months. By the summer of 1762, his wife Catherine II inspired her henchman to organize a palace coup, which took place at the end of June. Peter, struck by the betrayal of his environment, abdicated the Russian throne, which he initially did not value and did not want, and intended to return to home country. However, by order of Catherine, the deposed emperor was arrested and placed in a palace in Ropsha near St. Petersburg.

And on July 17, 1762, a week after that, Peter III died. The official cause of death was an "attack of hemorrhoidal colic", aggravated by the abuse of alcoholic beverages. However, the main version of the death of the emperor is considered to be a violent death by hand, the elder brother - the main favorite of Catherine at that time. It is believed that Orlov strangled the prisoner, although neither the later medical examination of the corpse, nor historical facts this is not confirmed. This version is based on the "repentant letter" of Alexei, which has survived in our time in a copy, and modern scholars are sure that this paper is a fake made by Fyodor Rostopchin, the right hand of Paul the First.

After death former emperor there was a misconception about the personality and biography of Peter III, since all conclusions were made on the basis of the memoirs of his wife Catherine II, an active participant in the conspiracy, Princess Dashkova, one of the main ideologists of the conspiracy, Count Nikita Panin, and his brother, Count Peter Panin. That is, based on the opinion of those people who betrayed Pyotr Fedorovich.

It was precisely “thanks to” the notes of Catherine II that the image of Peter III was formed as a drunken husband who hanged a rat. Allegedly, the woman went into the emperor's office and was amazed at what she saw. There was a rat hanging over his desk. Her husband replied that she had committed a criminal offense and, according to military laws, was subjected to the most severe punishment. According to him, she was executed and will hang in front of the public for 3 days. This "story" was repeated by both Vasily Klyuchevsky, describing Peter the Third.

Whether this was in reality, or whether in this way Catherine II created her own positive image against its “unsightly” background, now it is not possible to find out.

Rumors of death have given rise to a considerable number of impostors calling themselves the "surviving king." Similar phenomena have happened before, it is worth remembering at least numerous False Dmitrys. But in terms of the number of people who pretended to be the emperor, Pyotr Fedorovich has no competitors. At least 40 persons turned out to be "False Peters III", among which was Stepan Maly.

Memory

• 1934 - feature film "The Dissolute Empress" (as Peter III - Sam Jaffe)
• 1963 - feature film "Katerina from Russia" (in the role of Peter III - Raul Grassili)
• 1987 - the book "The Legend of the Russian Prince" - Mylnikov A.S.
• 1991 - feature film "Vivat, midshipmen!" (as Peter III -)
• 1991 - the book "The temptation of a miracle. "Russian Prince" and impostors "- Mylnikov A. S.
• 2007 - the book "Catherine II and Peter III: the history of the tragic conflict" - Ivanov O. A.
• 2012 - the book "The Heirs of the Giant" - Eliseeva O.I.
• 2014 - the series "Catherine" (in the role of Peter III -)
• 2014 - a monument to Peter III in the German city of Kiel (sculptor Alexander Taratynov)
• 2015 - series "The Great" (as Peter III -)
• 2018 - series "The Bloody Lady" (as Peter III -)

The reign of Peter 3, if my memory serves me, was the shortest in the history of Russia. Even impostors in Time of Troubles ruled even more! The years of his reign: from December 1761 to June 1762. Nevertheless, under him many innovations were adopted, which went both in line with the policy of his predecessors and not. In this article, we will briefly analyze his reign and characterize the emperor himself.

Peter the Third

About personality

The real name of Peter III Fedorovich is Karl Peter Ulrich. He, like his wife, Sophia Augusta Frederic Anhalt Zerbskaya, is a native of an impoverished North German family. Some people subscribe to newspapers or magazines, but Elizaveta Petrovna subscribed to herself an heir - himself! At that time, Northern Germany "supplied" noble princes to all of Europe!

Karl was crazy about Prussia (Germany), from its emperor Frederick. While he was heirs - all the game of war games, like his grandfather - Peter the Great. Yes Yes! Moreover, Karl Peter was also a relative Charles XII, the Swedish emperor, with whom Peter the Great fought in the years. How did it happen? The fact is that Karl's mother was the daughter of Peter Anna Petrovna, who was married off to the Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. And the husband of Anna Petrovna, Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp, was the nephew of Charles XII. In such an amazing way, two opponents found their continuation in him!

Meanwhile, you can call him a fool. Well, judge for yourself: he forced his wife, Sophia Augusta (the future Catherine the Great), to carry a gun at the ready so that she would guard the castle in his amusing games! Moreover, he told her about all his love affairs - his wife! It is clear that she did not take him seriously, and, in general, predetermined his fate, probably even during the life of Elizabeth Petrovna.

Karl Peter Ulrich (future Peter the Third) with his wife Sophia Augusta Frederika Anhalt of Zerbskaya (future Catherine the Great)

It is precisely because of his eccentricity and tomfoolery that many researchers believe that he was not the initiator of all those decrees, perhaps, except for the first, that followed in his reign.

Board milestones

Summary the reign of Peter III is reduced to the following points.

In the field foreign policy, you should know that Russia under Elizabeth Petrovna fought with Prussia ( Seven Years' War). And since the new emperor was a fan of this country, he himself issued a decree on the immediate cessation of the military conflict. All the lands drenched in blood Russian soldiers, he returned to the German emperor and made an alliance with him against the rest of the world.

It is clear that such news was extremely negatively received by the guard, which, as we remember, became a political force in.

In the field of domestic policy, you need to know the following points:

• Peter III issued a manifesto on the freedom of the nobility. According to one historical myth, this document appeared in the following piquant way. The fact is that the tsar announced to his mistress E.R. Vorontsova, which is locked with D.V. Volkov and will be immersed in state affairs. In fact, Volkov personally wrote the manifesto while the emperor was having fun with his second mistress!
• Under this emperor, the secularization of church lands was prepared. This step was a natural phenomenon of the rise and victory of secular power over church power. By the way, the confrontation between these authorities is an excellent cross-cutting topic, which is analyzed in. By the way, secularization was carried out this way only during the reign of Catherine the Great.
• It was Peter the Third who stopped the persecution of the Old Believers, which had begun since. In general, the emperor's plans were to equalize all confessions. Of course, no one would let him realize this truly revolutionary step.
• It was this emperor who liquidated the Secret Chancellery, which was created during the reign of Anna Ioannovna.

Deposition of Peter

The coup of 1762 can be briefly described as follows. In general, a conspiracy to remove Peter the Third to his wife had been ripe for a long time, since 1758. The founder of the conspiracy was Alexei Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin, chancellor of the empire. However, he fell into disgrace, and Ekaterina Alekseevna herself did not want to go to the monastery, so she did nothing.

However, as soon as Peter reigned, the conspiracy began to mature with renewed vigor. Its organizers were the Orlov brothers, Panin, Razumovsky and others.

The reason was that on June 9 the tsar publicly called his wife a fool, and told everyone that he would divorce her and marry his mistress Vorontsova. The conspirators simply could not allow such an intention to materialize. As a result, on June 28, when the emperor left for Peterhof on the occasion of his namesake, Ekaterina Alekseevna left with Alexei Orlov for Petersburg. There, the Senate, the Synod, the Guards and other state bodies swore allegiance to her.

But Peter the Third was out of work, and was soon arrested and strangled. Of course, everyone was told that the king de died of apoplexy. But we know the truth =)

That's all. Share this article with your friends on in social networks! Write what you think about this emperor in the comments!

Sincerely, Andrey Puchkov