Peter 3 nephew Elizabeth. Brief biography of Peter III

During his short reign, the emperor Peter III managed to develop rapid activities. During the reign, he picked almost 200 decrees! Some of the laws had an extraordinary importance.

Peter III conducted decrees, in general, continued by the whether his predecessors continued, and sometimes he went even further. So, many of the endanorned by the emperor will subsequently realize his spouse - Ekaterina Alekseevna, who took the throne later.

Manifesto on the liberty of the nobility

Decree of secularization

In a serious position were in the 60s. XVIII century Cre-lean church and monastic lands. For 20 years, the number of credential uprisings on monastery lands has increased three times. The peasants demanded to translate them to the state of state. Peter III signed a decree on secularization: the lands were confiscated for the churches and monasteries with the inhabiting peasants and were transferred to the state of the state. This meant the improvement of the pollinity of hundreds of thousands of peasants and strengthening the state treasury.

Pictures (photos, drawings)

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The series "Catherine" was released on the screens, in this regard, there was a surge of interest in ambiguous figures of the history of Russia of Emperor Peter III and his wife, who became Empress Catherine II. Therefore, I imagine a selection of facts about the life and reign of these monarchs Russian Empire.

Peter and Catherine: Joint portrait of work in GROT

Peter III (Petr Fedorovich, nebar Karl Peter Ulrich Golstein-Gottorpsky)he was a very extraordinary emperor. He did not know the Russian language, loved to play the soldiers and wanted to baptize Russia on the Protestant rite. His mysterious death led to the emergence of the whole Pleiada of impostors.

Already from the birth, Peter could claim two imperial titles: Swedish and Russian. On the Father's line, he had to be the grandchildren of King Carlo Xii, who himself was too busy with military campaigns to marry. Sant Peter from the mother was the main enemy of Karl, the Russian Emperor Peter I.

Early orphaned boy spent his childhood from uncle, Bishop Adolf Eitinsky, where he was brought up in Hate in Russia. He did not know the Russian language, was baptized in Protestant custom. True, other languages \u200b\u200bbesides the native German, he also did not know, only a little spoke French.

Peter was supposed to take the Swedish throne, but the childless Empress Elizabeth remembered the son of his beloved Sister Anna and announced his heir. The boy is brought to Russia to meet the imperial throne and death.

In fact, the painful young man was not particularly needed by anyone: neither aunt-Empress, nor caregivers, nor, subsequently, his wife. All of all his origin was interested, even the cherished words were added to the official title of heir: "Petra I's grandson."

And the heir himself was interested in toys, first of all - the soldiers. Can we blame him in infantality? When Peter brought to St. Petersburg, he was only 13 years old! Dolls attracted the heir more than government affairs or young bride.

True, with age, his priorities do not change. He continued to play, but secretly. Catherine writes: "The afternoon of his toys was hiding in my bed and under her. The Grand Prince went to bed first after dinner and, as soon as we were in bed, Cruz (Cameric) locked the door to the key, and then grand Duke He played hour or two nights. "

Over time, toys are becoming more and more dangerous. Peter is allowed to write out the regiment of soldiers from the Holstein, which the future emperor with enthusiasm chases the rain. And at this time, his spouse teaches Russian and stirs the French philosophers ...

In 1745, in St. Petersburg, the wedding of the heir to Peter Fedorovich and Ekaterina Alekseevna, the future Catherine II were magnificently celebrated. There were no love between young spouses - they too differed in character and interests. More intellectual and educated Catherine rises in his husband's memoirs: "He does not read books, and if he reads, then either a prayer room or descriptions of torture and executions."

Letter of the Grand Prince to the spouse. On the front side at the bottom left: le .. fevr./ 1746
Sudarma, I ask you not to induce your inconvenience - to sleep with me, as the time to deceive me passed. After a two-week stay, the bare bed became too narrow. Today afternoon. Your unfortunate husband, whom you never deign Peter so call.
February 1746, ink on paper

With a married duty, Peter was not all smooth, about this testify to his letters, where he asks his wife not to share the bed with him, which became too narrow. From here and takes the beginning of the legend that the future emperor Paul was born at all from Peter III, but from one of the favorites of loving Catherine.

However, despite the coldness in the relationship, Peter always trusted the spouse. In difficult situations, he applied to her for help, and her tenacious mind found a way out of any trouble. Therefore, he received Catherine from her husband an ironic nickname "Mrs. Beat".

But not only children's games distracted Peter from the married bed. In 1750, two girls were presented to the yard: Elizabeth and Ekaterina Vorontsov. Ekaterina Vorontsova will be the faithful companionship of his royal target, Elizabeth will also take the place of his beloved Peter III.

The future emperor could take any court beauty in favorite, but the choice of his fell, nevertheless, on this "fat and incompetent" Freillina. Love evil? However, whether to trust the description left in memoirs forgotten and abandoned his wife.

Acute to the language of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna found this love triangle very funny. She even nicknamed good-natured, but narrowly Vorontsov "Russian de Pompadur".

It was love that became one of the reasons for the fall of Peter. At the courtyard began to happen that Peter was going, following the example of ancestors, send his wife to the monastery and make marriage with Vorontsova. He allowed himself insulting and to crack Catherine, who, in appearance, tolerated all his whims, and actually cherished the plans of revenge and was looking for powerful allies.

During the seven-year war, in which Russia accepted the side of Austria. Peter III openly sympathized with Prussia and personally Friedrich II, which was not added popularity to the young heir.

Antropov A.P. Peter III Fedorovich (Karl Peter Ulrich)

But he went even further: the heir passed the secret documents, information on the number and location of the Russian troops! Having learned about this, Elizabeth was in rage, but she talked a lot to a nearby nephew for his mother, his beloved sister.

Why is the heir of the Russian throne so openly helps Prussia? Like Ekaterina, Peter is looking for allies, and hopes to find one of them in the face of Friedrich II. Chancellor Bestuzhev-Ryumin writes: "The Grand Prince convinced that Friedrich II loves him and responds with great respect; Therefore, he thinks that as soon he will go to the throne, the Prussian king will look for his friendship and will help him in everything. "

After the death of Empress, Elizabeth Peter III was proclaimed by the emperor, but not crowned officially. He showed himself an energetic ruler, and for six months his reign was managed, contrary to the general opinion, to do a lot. The estimates of his rule will highlight: Catherine and its supporters describe Peter as a weak, ignorant soldier and Russophoba. Modern historians create a more objective image.

The first thing Peter concluded the world with Prussia on the conditions unfavorable for Russia. It caused discontent in army circles. But then his "Manifesto on the Worn's Validity" presented the aristocracy of huge privileges. At the same time, he issued laws prohibiting torturing and kill serfs, stopped the persecution of the Old Believers.

Peter III tried to please everyone, but as a result, all attempts turned against him. The reason for the conspiracy against Peter was his ridiculous fantasies about the baptism of Russia along the Protestant sample. Guard, the main support and support of the Russian emperors, spoke on the side of Catherine. In his palace in Orienbaum, Peter signed a renunciation.

Peter III tombs and Catherine II in Petropavlovsky Cathedral.
In the headplane slabs of the buried, the same burial date (December 18, 1796), which makes it necessary to make the impression that Peter III and Catherine II lived together for many years and died in one day.

Peter's death is one big mystery. The emperor Paul did not compare himself with Hamlet: Throughout the Board of Catherine II, the shadow of her deceased husband could not find peace. But was the empress guilty in the death of the spouse?

According to the official version, Peter III died of illness. He did not excel good healthAnd the unrest related to the coup and renunciation could kill a stronger person. But a sudden and so ambulance Death of Peter - a week after overthrow - called a lot of things. For example, there is a legend, according to which the killer of the emperor was the favorite of Catherine Alexey Orlov.

The illegal overthrow and the suspicious death of Peter gave rise to the whole Pleiad of the impostors. Only in our country more than forty people tried to give themselves for the emperor. The most famous of them was Emelyan Pugachev. Abroad, one of the false Petrov became even 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.



Under reignEkaterina II Alekseevna Great (nee Sofia August Frederick Anhalt Church) From 1762 to 1796, the empire has significantly expanded. Of the 50 provinces 11 were acquired during its reign. The amount of government revenues has grown from 16 to 68 million rubles. 144 new cities were built (more than 4 cities per year throughout the reign). Army almost doubled, the number of ships russian fleet Grew from 20 to 67 linear ships, not counting other ships. The army and the fleet were obsessed with 78 brilliant victories that strengthened the international authority of Russia.

Anna Rosina de Gask (nee Lishevski) Princess Sophia Augustus Frederika, in the future Catherine II 1742

Conquered access to black and Azov Mariz, Crimea, Ukraine (except for the Lviv district), Belarus, East Poland, Kabarda. Joining Russia's accession began. At the same time, during her reign, only one execution was made - the leader of the peasant uprising of Emelyan Pugacheva.

Catherine II on the balcony Winter Palace, welcomed by the guard and the people on the day of the coup on June 28, 1762

The daily routine of the Empress was far from the presentation of the ordinary people about royal life. Her day was painted by the clock, and the routine remained unchanged throughout the reign. Only the sleep time changed: if in the ripe years, Catherine got up in 5, then closer to old age - at 6, and by the end of life and at all at 7 am. Breakfast, the sovereign took high-ranking officials and Statis secretaries. Days and hours of reception of each official were constant. The working day ended at four o'clock, and there was a resting time. Opening hours and recreation hours, breakfast, lunch and dinner were also permanent. At 10 or 11 o'clock in the evening, Catherine finished the day and went down to sleep.

90 rubles were spent on food, 90 rubles were spent on food (for comparison: the salary of the soldier in the era of the Board of Catherine was only 7 rubles per year). The favorite dish was boiled beef with salty cucumbers, and currant Morse was used as a drink. For dessert, preference was given to apples and cherries.

After dinner, the empress was taken for her needlework, and Ivan Ivanovich Petskaya at this time read it out loud. Catherine "masterfully sewed on canvas," knitted on the knives. After graduating reading, passed to the Hermitage, where he sharpened from the bone, tree, amber, engraving, played billiards.

Artist Ilyas Faizullin. Visit Catherine II to Kazan

Ekaterina's fashion was indifferent. She did not notice her, and sometimes it was quite consciously ignored. IN weekdays The Empress wore a simple dress and did not wear jewels.

According to her own admission, she did not have a creative mind, but wrote the play, and even sent some of them to the "review" Voltera.

Catherine came up with a special suit, the pattern of which she asked for her own children, the Prussian Prince and the Swedish king, asked for a six-month Cesarevich. And for your favorite subjects, the sovereign came up with a concern of the Russian dress, which was forced to wear with her yard.

Portrait of Alexander Pavlovich, Jean Louis Veil

People who closely knew Catherine, celebrate her attractive appearance not only in the youth, but also in mature years, her extremely friendly appearance, ease of treatment. Baroness Elizabeth Dimsdale, who was first represented by her together with his spouse in the royal village at the end of August 1781, described Catherine as follows: "Very attractive woman with adorable expressive eyes and a smart look"

Catherine consciously, what men like and herself was not indifferent to their beauty and masculinity. "I received a great sensitivity and appearance from nature, if not excellent, then in any case attractive. I liked the first time and did not use any art and glue for this. "

The Empress was quick-tempered, but he knew how to own himself, and never in a rush of anger did not accept decisions. It was very polite even with a servant, no one heard a rude word from her, she did not order, but asked to perform her will. Her rule, according to the testimony of Count Segure, was to "praise out loud, and sfish."

On the walls of ballroom halls under Catherine II, the rules hung: it was forbidden to get up before the sovereign, even if she came to the guest and spoke to standing with him. It was forbidden to be in the gloomy arrangement of the Spirit, insult each other. " And on the shield at the entrance to the Hermitage, the inscription was concerned: "The hostess of local places does not tolerate."

Catherine II and Potemkin

Thomas Dimsdale, the English doctor was called from London to introduce vaccinations from natural smallpox in Russia. Knowing about the resistance of the Company's Company, Empress Ekaterina II decided to file personal example And became one of the first patients of Dimsdale. In 1768, the Englishman instilled in OSPU to her and the Great Prince Paul Petrovich. The recovery of the empress and her son became a significant event in the life of the Russian yard.

The Empress was an avid smokers. Intelligent Catherine, not wanting her snow-white gloves to be impregnated with a yellow nicotine flask, ordered to wrench the tip of each cigar with a ribbon of expensive silk.

The Empress read and wrote in German, French and Russian, but allowed many mistakes. Catherine was aware of this and once confessed to one of his secretaries, which "could learn Russian only from books without a teacher," since "Aunt Elizabeth Petrovna said my gofamysteurship: it is fully teaching her, she is already smart." As a result, she made four mistakes in the word of three letters: instead of "still" she wrote "Ischo".

Johann Baptist Senior Lamp, 1793. Portrait of Empress Catherine II, 1793

Long before the death of Catherine, the epitaph was for his future tombstone: "Catherine is resting here. She arrived in Russia in 1744 to marry Peter III. At fourteen, she took a three-way decision: to please her spouse, Elizabeth and the people. She did not miss anything to achieve success in this regard. Eighteen years, filled boredom and loneliness, prompted her to read a lot of books. Having like russian throneshe put all the efforts to give their subjects happiness, freedom and material well-being. She easily forgot and did not hate anyone. She was indulgent, loved life, was characterized by the cheerfulness of the Nrava, was the true Republican in his convictions and possessed a kind heart. She had friends. The work was easy to her. She liked secular entertainment and art. "

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Peter Fedorovich and Ekaterina Alekseevna. In 1742, Elizaveta declared the heir of his nephew, the native grandson of Peter the Great (and the grandson of the sister Karl XII. Swedish) Duke Schleswig-Holstein Karl-Petra Ulrich. For Russian people, he was the same German Prince, as those from which in 1741 was released russian Society And which he was so pushed. This choice or, it is better to say, the need for this choice of Elizabeth soon began to be considered a serious misfortune. The fourteen-year-old, orphaned duke was transported from Holstein to Russia, found a second mother in Elizabeth, accepted Orthodoxy and instead of German education began to receive Russian. In 1745 he was hurried to marry. The question of the bride was very long discussed at the court, because the marriage was given political importance And they were afraid to make a mistake. Finally, Elizaveta stopped on the face, which pointed out, in contrast to the Bestuzhev, the French-Prussian party, on which Friedrich Prussian pointed, - on the Princess Sofia-August-Frederic Anhalt Cerebst. Her father was only by the General Prussian Service, Shtetina Commeditant; Mother in concerns about a pretty poor farm managed to lose a sense of tact and good character, acquiring an inclination to comprehension and peres. The bride with the mother came to Russia, adopted Orthodoxy and was named Catherine Alekseevna; On August 25, 1745, a wedding of 17-year-old Peter has occurred with 16-year-old Catherine. But everyone noticed that the bride was cold to the bride and straightly quarreled with the future mother-in-law. However, the mother of Catherine showed his unrelative character in relation to everyone and therefore was sent from Russia in the same 1745, young couple remained lonely in the Great Elizabethan Palace, being tearing off from the German environment, from the situation of his childhood. And her husband and his wife had to determine their identity and their relationship with the court.

Great Prince Peter Fedorovich (future Peter III) and great Princess Ekaterina Alekseevna (Future Catherine II)

Peter Fedorovich was a man with her own dedicated and physical forces, and mental, early Mother and Father lost early and remained on the hands of Gofamarshala Bruhmmer, who was more soldier than the educated person, more stronger than the teacher. The childhood of Peter passed so that it could not be remembered. His upbringing was tried, like his education. Belummer established such an order of life for his pupil, who could not fail to upset his health, and without that weak: for example, with long classes, the boy did not have a mice and did not eat until two o'clock in the afternoon. And at an hour of lunch, the dominal duke often only looked from the corner, as his courtyard ate lunch in which he was called teachers. Bad of the boy, he did not allow him to develop, why he became sluggish and weak. Moral education was negligible: standing on his knees on the peas, decoration with donkey ears, blows of a whip and even beating than was the ordinary means of pedagogical belief. A number of moral humiliations before the courtiers, coarse yields of the belly and its arrogant leaving could not, of course, work out in a prince or sensible moral concepts, no sense of human dignity. Mental education was also bad. Peter studied many languages, many objects, but they taught him through force, without considerably with his weak abilities, and he deviated little and received disgust to the teaching. Latin, which at that time was obligatory for each educated person, he was tired of the fact that he forbade Latin books in St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg. When he appeared to Russia and Elizabeth met him, she was surprised by the poverty of his knowledge. He was taken again to learn, already at the Orthodox Russian Federation. But Peter's diseases were prevented by science (in 1743-1745. He was seriously sickly sick), and then marriage. Having having learned the Orthodox Catechisis, Peter remained with the views of the German Protestant. Meeting Russia from the lessons of Academician Schedune, Peter was not interested in her, I missed the lessons and remained a very ignorant and undeveloped person with German views and habits. Russia he did not love and thought superstitly that he could not be overcome in Russia. He was interested in some "envelope": he loved to dance, childishly stitched and playing soldiers. The military business was interested in the highest degree, but he did not study him, but he was amused and, as a German, revealed to the King Friedrich, who he always wanted to imitate and never knew anything in everything.

The marriage did not form him and could not form because he did not feel his strangest and was a very good opinion about himself. His wife, who was immeasurably above him, he looked down. Since it was stopped learning, he considered himself an adult man and, of course, did not want to learn from his wife, neither her clutch, neither her restraint, nor, finally, her businesslikeness. Affairs he did not want to know, on the contrary, expanded the repertoire of the fun and strange tricks: on the whole clock she slammed on the rooms of the Kunket whip, then unsuccessfully practiced on the violin, he collected the palace lackers and played with them to the soldiers, then produced toy soldiers, arranged toy Fortresses, wrecked the guard and made toy military exercises; And once, on the eighth year of his marriage, he judged on military laws and hung the rat, eating his starch soldier. All this was done with serious interest, and it was clear that these games in the soldiers were extremely occupied. He woke his wife at night so that she would eat the oysters with him or became on his clock at his office. He described the beauty of his woman in detail in detail and demanded attention to such an offensive conversation for her. Tactlessly belonging to Catherine and insulting her, he did not have a clock and in relation to unauthorized persons and allowed himself different vulgarity: for example, in the church during service, behind his back, he messed up the priests, and when Freillins watched him, he showed them the language But so that the aunt is not seen: he was still very afraid of his aunt. Sitting at the table, he mocked her servant, poured her dresses, pushed dishes on the neighbors and tried to get drunk as soon as possible. The heir to the throne, an adult and father of the family behaved like this (in 1754 he was born a son Pavel). "Peter discovered all signs of stopped spiritual development, "Says S. M. Soloviev," he was an adult child. "Empress Elizabeth understood the properties of Peter and often cried, worrying for the future, but changed the order of the throne was not solved, because Peter III was a direct descendant of Peter the Great.

They did not lose, however, hopes to potate and teach Peter to affairs. Schlyanin continued to acquaint him with state affairs theoretically, and in 1756 Peter appointed a member of the conference established as we saw for particularly important cases. At the same time, as the Duke of the Golucket Peter every week, "on Monday and Friday, with his Holstea ministers, the Council kept and the affairs of his duchy managed." All these concerns had some result. Peter became interested in affairs, but not Russia, but Holt. It is unlikely that he learned them well, but he learned his Holstet views, wanting to win the Holstetsky lands in Denmark and hung up with Holstein soldiers and officers, whom he was allowed from 1755 to bring to Russia. With them in the summer he lived in the camps in Oranienbaum, hesitated their soldier's manners and fondness, they learned how to smoke, drink a soldamers and dream of the Holstet conquest.

Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. Portrait of V. Erixen

It was determined over time and the relationship of Peter to Russia and Russian cases. He spoke his wife that "not born for Russia, that he is unsuitable for Russian and Russian is unsuitable for him and he is convinced that he will die in Russia." When the Swedish throne was liberated and Peter could not take him, although he had the right, he spoke angrily out loud: "I dragged me into this damn Russia, where I should consider myself to the state arrestant, whereas if I left me in the wild, now I would sit on the throne of the civilized people. " When Peter was present at the conference, he filed his opinions and a complete stranger was discovered in them with the political position of Russia; He argued about Russian interests from the point of view of his love for the Prussian king. So, ignorance of Russia, contempt for her, the desire to leave her, Holstetsky sympathies and the lack of a mature personality distinguished the future of the Russian emperor. Chancellor Bestuzhev seriously thought about or completely eliminating Peter from power, or to protect the interests of Russia in other ways from his influence.

A completely different kind of man was the wife of Peter, the Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna. Growing in a modest family of a minor prince, a strict Protestant and Father, Catherine received some formation, increased its own observation and susceptibility. In childhood, she traveled a lot in Germany, saw a lot and heard. Already then, she has been the attention of observation persons with their lively and abilities: one canonon engaged in Braunschweig, he noticed her mother: "I see at least three crowns on your daughter's forehead." When Catherine and Mother called to Russia, for her there was no secret to the goal of the trip, and a brisk girl managed to make her first steps with a big tact. Her father wrote her to lead a number of rules of prudent restraint and modesty. Catherine to these rules joined his own tact and wonderful practical flair and burned Elizabeth, won the yard sympathy, and then the people. Not older than 15 years, she behaved better and smarter than her leader mother. When the mother quarreled and gossipped, the daughter tried to acquire a common location. She diligently engaged in Russian language and Orthodox fault. Brilliant abilities allowed her to render a short time Big successes, and at the ceremony of baptism, she so firmly read the faith symbol that everyone surprised this. But the news was preserved that the change of religion for Catherine was not so easy and glad, as she showed Empress and the yard. In pious embarrassment before this step, Catherine cried a lot and, they say, looking for comfort from Lutheran pastor. However, the lessons of the Orthodox lawmaker did not stop. "Ambigid takes his", "one diplomat noticed about this. And Catherine herself confessed that she was ambiguous.

Ekaterina II after arriving in Russia. Portrait of L. Karavak, 1745

Not loving either a husband, nor Elizabeth, Catherine nevertheless kept themselves against them very well. She tried to correct and cover all the rest of her husband and did not complain about him. To Elizabeth, she treated respectfully and as if looking for her approval. In court medium, she was looking for popularity, finding any affectionate word, trying to apply to the doors of the courtyard, trying to seem a purely Russian pious woman. At the time when her husband remained a Holfin, and despised the Russians, Catherine wanted to stop being a German and refused after the death of his parents from all right to his anhalt-cersbst. Her mind and practical care forced others to see in her great power, to prevail for her a great court influence. And indeed, Over the years, Catherine took a prominent position at the court; She was known from the good side even in the masse. For all, she became more visible and prettier than her husband.

But the personal life of Catherine was unquest. His husband left and left for whole days, Catherine did not know what to do, because there was no society at all: she could not get closer with the court ladies, because "dare to see only the maids", according to her own words; She could not get closer with the circle of court men, because it was uncomfortable. It remained to read, and the "reading" of Catherine continued the eight first years of her marital life. At first she was reading the novels: a random conversation with a friend more in Germany, a Swedish Graph Gillenborg sent her attention to serious books. She reread a lot of historical writings, travels, classics and, finally, wonderful writers of French philosophy and journalistic literature XVIII century. In this years, she received the mass of information that contemporaries surprised, the philosophical liberal image of thoughts, which brought with him to the throne. She considered himself 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 his time. The degree of its theoretical development and education reminds us practical development Peter the Great. And both of them were self-taught.

In the second half of the reign of Elizabeth, the Grand Duchess of Catherine was already quite a prevailing and very noticeable person at the court. There were a lot of diplomat attention to her, because, as they find, "no one has so much hardness and decisiveness" - the qualities that many opportunities give it in the future. Catherine independent keeps, obviously not in the freaks with his husband, the dissatisfaction of Elizabeth is negotiated. But the most prominent "fading" people of Elizabeth, Bestuzhev, Shuvalov, Razumovsky, now do not bypass the great princess attention, and try, on the contrary, to establish good, but careful relationships. Catherine herself enters intercourse with diplomats and Russian state people, monitors the progress of affairs and even wants to influence them. The reason for this was the soreness of Elizabeth: it was possible to wait for the ambulance on the throne. Everyone understood that Peter could not be a normal ruler and that his wife should play with him a big role. I understood this and Elizabeth: fearing from Catherine of any step in his favor against Peter, she began to treat her badly and even straightly hostile; Over time, the Peter himself also belongs to his wife. Surrounded by suspicion and hostility and prompted by ambition, Catherine understood the danger of his situation and the possibility of enormous political success. Others and others were told about this opportunity: one of the envoys (Prussian) rushed to her that she would be an empress; Shuvalov and Razumovsky considered Catherine to the throne as a contender; Bestuzhev together with her built plans for the change of the throne. Catherine herself was to prepare to act for his personal protection, and to achieve power after the death of Elizabeth. She knew that her husband was tied to another woman (Eliz. Rum. Vorontsova) and wished to replace his wife in which he saw a dangerous man. And so that the death of Elizabeth does not find her surprise, he did not give Peter Defenseless, Ekaterina seeks to acquire political friends to form his party. She secretly interferes with political and courties, conducts correspondence with very many prominent persons. The case of Bestumeva and Apraksin (1757-1758) showed Elizabeth, as Veliko was at the court, the value of the Grand Duchess of Catherine. Bestumev was accused of unnecessary reverence in front of Catherine. Apraksin was constantly influenced by her letters. The fall of Bestumev was due to his proximity to Catherine, and the Most Ekaterina was added to the minute of Opal Empress. She was afraid that she would be sent from Russia, and with a wonderful dexterity reached reconciliation with Elizabeth. She began to ask Elizabeth an audience to find out the case. And Catherine was given this audience at night. During the conversation Catherine with Elizabeth behind the shirms in the same room secretly were the husband of Catherine Peter and Ivan Yves. Shuvalov, and Catherine guessed it. The conversation had for her crucial. When Elizabeth, Catherine began to argue that she was not to blame for anything, and to prove that she didn't want anything, asked the Empress to be released to Germany. She asked about it, being sure that they would come just the opposite. The result of the audience was that Catherine remained in Russia, although surrounded by supervision. Now she had to play the game without allies and assistants, but she continued to lead her even more energy. If Elizabeth did not die so unexpectedly soon, then, probably, Peter III would not have to join the throne, because the conspiracy already existed and there was already a very strong party for Catherine. Catherine could not reconcile with her husband, she could not bear it; He saw in her evil, too independent and a woman hostile to him. "You need to crush the snake," the hands around Peter said, passing his wife about his expression. During Ekaterina's illness, he even just dreamed of her death.

So, B. last years Elizabeth showed a complete inability to her heir and great importance And his wife's mind. The question of the fate of the throne was very occupied by Elizabeth; According to Catherine, the sovereign "with trepidation looked at the death hour and that after it can happen." But she did not decide to remove the nephew straight. The court environment also understood that Peter could not be the ruler of the state. Many wondered how to eliminate Peter, and came to various combinations. It was possible to eliminate the right to pass the right to young Pavel Petrovich, and his mother Catherine would receive a big role. It would be possible to put in power and directly Catherine. Without it, the question could not be resolved in any case (no one thought about the former emperor John then). Therefore, Catherine and besides his personal qualities and the aspirations became of great importance and was the center of political combinations and the sign of movement against Peter. It can be said that even before the death of Elizabeth, Catherine became his husband's opponent, and a dispute between the Russian crown began between them.

Portrait of the future emperor Peter III - G. K. GOOD, 1743

Family tree - Proof of the relationships of Peter III and Catherine II

The history of the greatest Russian empress begins in 1729 in the city of Shttin. She was born under the name of Sophia August Federica Anhalt-Crebst. In 1744, Elizabeth Alekseevna invited Ekaterina II to St. Petersburg, where she accepted Orthodoxy. She did not agree with her destiny, but her upbringing and humility took over. Soon, a great prince Petr Ulrich was sucking young person in the bride. The wedding of Peter III and Catherine II took place in 1745 on September 1.

Childhood and education

Mother Peter III - Anna Petrovna

Father Peter III - Karl Friedrich Golstein-Gottorpsky

Ekaterina II husband was born in 1728 in the German town of Kiel. He was unarked by Karl Peter Ulrich Hollytein-Gottorpsky, since childhood he had to inherit the Swedish throne. In 1742, Elizabeth Alekseevna declared Charles heir to the Russian throne, he remained the only descendant of Peter I Great. Peter Ulrich arrived in St. Petersburg, where he was painted and gave the name Peter Fedorovich. The procedure has passed with great strength, the young heir resisted to Orthodoxy and openly declared dislike for Russia. Education and education did not betrayal, this affected the future views of the emperor.

Cesarevich Petr Fedorovich and the Grand Princess Ekaterina Alekseevna, 1740s Grot

Portrait of Peter III - Antropov A.P. 1762.

The volitional, ambitious, fair Empress of the Russian and his spouse was not lucky. Ekaterina II husband was not a worthy person, not too physically and mentally developed. With the first acquaintance of Peter III and Catherine II, it was outraged by his ignorance and low-education. But the choice of young people was not, the future was predetermined by Elizabeth Petrovna. Marriage was not formed by Peter Fedorovich, on the contrary, he expanded the range of his fun and hobbies. He was a man with strange preferences. The emperor could rush around the room with a whip or collect all the Laces, in order to play soldiers. Petr Fedorovich had a genuine interest in military service, but exclusively in a games form, he was not going to do this seriously.

Relationships between spouses

Catherine's husband was cold to her, indifferent and even hostile. For example, he could wake her at night to eat oysters or tell about the lady like him. Peter Fedorovich was tactless, not only to his wife, but also to others. Even after the appearance of the son of Pavel Petrovich in 1754, Peter remained a big child. Catherine all this time was engaged in self-development and education. Even during the reign of Elizabeth, she took her decent niche at the court, where she soon found like-minded people and minions. People saw in her the future for the Russian Empire, many of her liberal views were close. The neat mind was one of the reasons that pushed the future empress in the embrace of the first lovers and favorites.

Ekaterina Alekseevna led diplomatic correspondence, intervened in the affairs of state, tried to influence them. And it did not remain not seen by Elizabeth Petrovna and her husband Catherine Great to avoid links, she began to play his game secretly, convincing the courtyard in her simplicity and harmlessness. If it were not for the sustainable death of Aunt Peter Fedorovich, he would not climb the throne, because the conspiracy already existed. With the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, the old branch of the genus Romanov was interrupted.

Peter III with Catherine II and Son - G.K. Grot

Minopery Board

Peter III began his Board with the destruction of the "secret office", gave the liberty of the nobles in 1762, pardoned many people. But it did not arrange the people to the emperor. His desire to reform the church and the return of all the land all the land in the Prussia in a seven-year war made the emperor the subject of nationwide resentment. Catherine II used hostility to his spouse, all this time, preparing a coup, for the day of which for her back was 10 thousand. Army soldiers and supporters among the nobles, including the Orlov brothers. Which, while Ekaterina's husband was Great in Oranienbaum, secretly brought it to St. Petersburg and proclaimed the Empress, and Paul I in the future, the heir of the Russian crown on July 9, 1762.

The next day, Peter III renounced the throne. The letter of Peter III has been preserved to his spouse who overthrown him.

Despite this request, during his conclusion in Ropsch, he died with unexplained circumstances, according to one of the versions - from hitting the head during the booze, on the other was poisoned. The people declared that he died from the "hemorrhoidic colic". This was the beginning of the Epoch of the Board of Catherine II Great.

Cathedral of Catherine II in the Assumption Cathedral. 1762 year. Figure J.L. Devili and M. Makhaev

Version of the murder

According to one of the versions, Alexey Orlova called the killer. Three letters of Alexey are known to Catherine from Ropsha, of which the first two exist in the scringers.

"The freak is very zalenor and covered his unexpected colic, and I'm dangerous, Stob he did not die today, and I'm afraid, I can't come to life ..."

"I'm afraid of the wrath of your Majesty, the Stob you did not know how to think on us did not know and stretch, we were not the parable of the death of the villain of your<…> He himself is so sick now, I don't think, I did not think to life until the evening and almost completely in no way, about what the whole team knows and praiths God, it's easier from our hands. "

From these two letters, the researchers realized that the depleted sovereign suddenly Zalemog. For example, the guardsmen were not required for violence in view of heavy disease.

The third letter refers to the violent nature of Peter III death:

"Mother, it is not in the world, but no one thought about this, and how we think to raise your hands on the sovereign. But, the sovereign, the trouble was accomplished: we were drunk, and he, too, he hovered with Prince Fedor [Baryatinsky]; We did not have time to fill, and it was no longer. "

The third letter is the only one who has been known for today's documentary evidence of the murder of the deployed emperor. Before us, this letter came in the copy, removed F. V. Rostopchin. The original letter was allegedly destroyed by Emperor Paul I in the first days of his reign.

Russian Emperor Peter III (Peter Fedorovich, nee Karl Peter Ulrich Golstein Gottorpsky) was born 21 (10 old style) February 1728 in the city of Kiel in the Duchy of Holstein (now - the territory of Germany).

His father - Duke Holstein Gottorpsky Karl Friedrich, nephew swedish king Karl XII, Mother - Anna Petrovna, daughter Peter I. Thus, Peter III accounted for the grandson to two sovereigns and could, under certain conditions, be a contender and to Russian, and the Swedish throne.

In 1741, after the death of Queen Sweden, Ulrika Eleonora, he was elected the successor to her husband Friedrich, who received the Swedish throne. In 1742, Peter was brought to Russia and was declared his aunt's heir to the Russian throne.

Peter III became the first representative of the Golstein-Gottorpian (Oldenburg) branch of the Romanovs in the Russian throne, which was ruled by 1917.

Petra's relationship with his wife did not work out from the very beginning. Everything free time He spent, engaged in military exercises and maneuvers. For the years spent in Russia, Peter never made attempts to learn this country better, her people and history. Elizabeth Petrovna did not allow him to participate in solving political issues and the only position on which he could show himself was the position of director of the Shuttle Corps. Meanwhile, Peter openly criticized the activities of the government, and during the seven-year war publicly expressed sympathy for the Prussian King Friedrich II. All this was widely known not only at the court, but also in broader layers of Russian society, where Peter did not use neither authority, nor of popularity.

The beginning of his reign was marked by numerous milles nobility. From the link returned, the former regent Duke Kurlyandsky and many others. The secret search of the office was destroyed. March 3 (February 18, on the old style) of 1762, the emperor issued a decree on the liberty of the nobility (Manifesto on the gift of liberty and freedom of the whole Russian nobility ").

Material prepared on the basis of information from open sources