style="font-size:15px;"> Almost immediately, Menshikov, the «half-sovereign ruler,» betrots him with his 16-year-old daughter Maria.
The capital is transferred back to Moscow. The navy and the army are declining. The boyars and the Supreme Privy Council are ruled, and not capricious, and lazy, prone to wine since childhood, heir. By and large, on the ground and in the center of the state everyone does what comes to their mind.
In 1730, Peter II died of hypothermia and heat, which complicated the disease with smallpox.
Dolgoruky represent on the Privy Council false counterfeit emperor; give the rights to the throne of the second bride of Peter II, Catherine Dolgoruky, but, at the meeting, the powerful Golitsyn simply ridicule them. The empress becomes Anna Ioannovna, the daughter of Brother Peter I, Ivan the Fifth, the widow of Courland (territory of modern Latvia) Duke.
In 1735 the war with Turkey and the Crimean Khanate begins. Captured Azov and Ochakov. With an interval of one or two, three campaigns are made to the Crimea, the army even reaches Bakhchisarai, the capital of the khanate, but each time it comes back because of a lack of provisions and water. Here the general inability of several, as they say, frozen «chicks of Petrov’s nest» (in particular, Kh. A. Minich), to establish at least some kind of trusting relationship with local residents, is affected. The epidemic of cholera that erupted in 1736 reduces a significant part of the army, as well as the entire population of the peninsula. European allies are emerging from the war. According to the Belgrade Peace Treaty of 1737, Russia loses all the gains, except for Azov, on condition that all its fortifications are ripped off. Exit to the Black Sea and trade are allowed only on Turkish ships.
Laughing at the Dolgoruky, trying to make the monarchy manageable, the Golitsyn brothers fall into a stern disgrace on charges of high treason.
In 1740 Anna Ioannovna died of an attack of urolithiasis. Under her will, the emperor becomes the great-grandson of Ivan Fifth, the son of the sisters of the empress, the two-month-old John Antonovich. Formally, with the regency of the mother and the care of Biron, the baby is ruled by a year. Further, on the throne, with the help of the guards of the Preobrazhensky regiment, who do not want to fight in cold Finland against the Swedes, Elizabeth Petrovna, the daughter of Peter the Great, born two years before her marriage, Ekaterina Skavronska, rises. All portraits, church books, passports, other documents, coins depicting a young king are withdrawn. Ivan the Sixth, together with his parents, goes first to Kholmogory, then to the Shlisselburg fortress, where, playing with spiders and rats, is kept in solitary confinement, outside of any communication with people.
In 1741, Sweden, not yet realizing that it had become second-rate militarily European powers, wanting to return its Northern territories, declares war on Russia. The main activities are all in the same Finland. A year after the accession to the throne, Elizabeth inclines to the Russian side the people of these lands (under a rather tough Swedish protectorate) – he is offered the opportunity to create his own state. The forces of the parties are approximately equal. The losses are almost the same: the Russian army has 10,500 people, the Swedish army has 12—13,000. Eventually, the Swedish army surrenders, leaves for the homeland, leaving almost all of its artillery to the Russians.
In 1757, as part of the coalition, Russia began fighting against Prussia. Together with the Austrian troops, during the Battle of Kunersdorf, it is possible to defeat the army of Frederick II – out of 48 thousand, in his own words, there are only 3 thousand. Allies get confused in the orders coming from the capitals and, instead of immediately marching on Berlin, are dispersed. Now we can only assume that such actions are connected with the German Catherine, the future Russian Empress and her approximate commanders – the commander-in-chief Apraksin, Chancellor Bestuzhev, who lead their game at the court of Elizabeth. The second «miracle of the Brandenburg house», which was repeated for the third time by Hitler later, occurs in January 1762 – Peter III, an ethnic German, admirer of Frederick who ascended to the throne, breaks the treaty with Austria and concludes a separate peace.
In 1671, the childless and unmarried Elizabeth dies, from an unidentified illness, after sudden throat bleeding. She is succeeded by the grandson of Peter the Great, the son of his daughter Anna from the second marriage and the duke of Holstein, the Holstein-Gottorp (German) ducal dynasty. Actually, according to the rules of inheritance, Anna completely joins this kind, her children can no longer be «Romanovs», but, under the conditions of a political crisis, they do not pay attention to this «trifle». The main thing now is at least a fraction of the «royal» Russian blood itself.
So, Carl Peter Ulrich, who is also Peter Third Fedorovich, occupies the Russian throne. Health and upbringing is affected by the fact that at one time the prince was seized, kneeled on peas, and subjected to more sophisticated tortures. The young man is inclined to military affairs, but he attaches importance not to military training, maneuvers, material support, but mainly to his external, parade form. At 17, already at the Russian court, Peter is married to Sofia Frederick Augustus, a native of the German (now Polish) city of Stettin, the future Catherine the Second, and even attach new mentors – an exemplary married couple. But, it does not help – instead of fulfilling the duties, in this case, according to the testimony of contemporaries, the prince continues with enthusiasm to play in the tin soldiers. Peter is surprised when, in 1754, Catherine nevertheless gives birth to his son Pavel (the future Russian emperor); however, a certain spiritual connection between the spouses persists.
Under Peter the Third some useful laws are introduced, but these are, rather, house preparations of influential noblemen. The initiative of the unincorporated monarch is a separate peace, the return of East Prussia (now Kaliningrad Oblast) for four years already in the Russian Empire, to its former owner, Friedrich II. Another, not fully implemented idea – the sequestration of the property of the church, the abolition of monastic land ownership, even the banning of icons. The third idea is a dynastic war with Denmark, a long-time ally of Russia, along with Prussia, for the Schleswig (territory in the south of Denmark, now an interstate EU entity) taken away from its German ancestors.
Peter III thinks about his marriage to his favorite, Elizaveta Vorontsova, speaking directly, between us, terrible in appearance. At the same time, of course, relations with his lawful wife, Catherine, are deteriorating. In particular, the emperor considers it possible to call her «fool» in the presence of the court, diplomats and foreign princes, for refusing to listen to the toast while standing.
A palace coup is being prepared. For such things, usually cash in hand is required. Catherine addresses the French and the British. The French try not to understand the subtle hints of the Empress, but reasonable Englishmen easily give the requested amount: 100,000 gold rubles.
Peter somewhat hesitates with a campaign to Denmark, wishing to celebrate his name-day (June 28, 1762) in Peterhof. However, having arrived at the palace, he does not find here the official organizer of the holiday – his wife Catherine. She is already in St. Petersburg, takes the oath at the Synod, the Senate, the Guards regiments and part of the population. Again, disastrously lingering, the monarch rushes on a yacht to Krondstadt, to the forces of the navy, however, the garrison of the fortress island has already sworn allegiance to the Empress Catherine. The last way to save the throne and myself is the army in East Prussia, but, the emperor is already tired of these throwings. Peter lowers his hands, returns to his residence and signs a decree on abdication.
The only royal desire now is that his wife allow her husband to go back to his native Holstein. Theoretically, this is possible. Practically – no longer. The situation requires complete certainty.
Peter the Third is held in the palace of the town of Ropsha (neighborhood of Petersburg), under the supervision of the
