Tsar Peter III Born: Doomed Husband of Catherine the Great

Peter III ruled Russia for exactly six months, from January 5 to July 9, 1762, before his wife Catherine organized the coup that removed him from power. He was born Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp in 1728, a German prince who was heir to both the Russian and Swedish thrones simultaneously. He chose Russia. His aunt, Empress Elizabeth, brought him to St. Petersburg, arranged his marriage to the German princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst (who would become Catherine the Great), and attempted to mold him into a suitable heir. He was not moldable. He spent his time playing with toy soldiers, drilling his servants in Prussian military formations, and expressing open admiration for Frederick the Great of Prussia at a time when Russia was fighting Prussia in the Seven Years' War. When he became tsar, he immediately withdrew Russia from the war and returned all conquered Prussian territory, infuriating the military establishment that had spent years fighting for it. He also abolished the secret police and freed the nobility from compulsory state service, reforms that Catherine would retain and build upon. But his pro-Prussian policies and his personal erratic behavior alienated the powerful court factions. Catherine conspired with the Orlov brothers and elements of the Imperial Guard. On July 9, 1762, she was proclaimed Empress. Peter was arrested and confined to a palace at Ropsha. Eight days later, he was dead. The official cause was hemorrhoidal colic. Nobody believed it.