Peter III.2C ruled for six months in 1762 History of Russia (1721–96)

peter iii reigned mere 6 months before wife, catherine ii, led coup against him. born , raised in germany in court of father, duke of holstein-gottorp, , did not come live in russia until fourteen. difficult ascertain character because there exist many contradictory accounts. catherine’s journals describe him incompetent bordering on retarded, yet acts emperor illustrate amount of shrewdness. peter withdrew russia 7 years war salvage remainder of empire’s finances , save beloved prussia complete defeat while depriving russia of territorial advances. instead, threatened war denmark on ancestral claims in schleswig, though overthrown before fighting begin. perhaps notable of reign “manifesto on freedom of nobility” ended compulsory state service nobility. however, during short reign peter managed irritate nobility dramatically decreasing power of senate. angered church liberation of serfs on church land , obvious contempt russian orthodoxy. yet terminated reign passion prussian style military. delight rigid discipline alienated palace guards, , allowed catherine ii, of lover grigori orlov led palace guard regiments, overthrow peter iii on july 9, 1762. peter’s assassination symbolically showed end of era of palace revolutions.