Peter II of Russia
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Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg | |
Religion | Russian Orthodox |
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Peter II Alexeyevich
Early life
Peter was born in Saint Petersburg on 23 (O.S. 12) October 1715. His father was the only living son of Peter the Great. His mother was well-connected to European royalty, and through her, Peter was a first cousin of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.
Peter's mother died when he was only ten days old. His father, the tsarevich Alexei, accused of treason by his own father,
Peter the Great died in 1725 and was succeeded by his second wife, Catherine I, a woman of low birth. The powerful minister Aleksander Danilovich Menshikov, who had aided in Catherine's accession, replaced the boy's teachers with the vice-chancellor, Count Ostermann. The program of education that Ostermann compiled included history, geography, mathematics, and foreign languages, but the overall education of the future emperor remained shallow and left much to be desired.[citation needed] Peter himself did not display much interest in study; his favorite occupations were hunting and feasting.
By the time Catherine I died in 1727, it had become clear to those in power that the only grandson of Peter the Great could not be kept from his inheritance much longer. The majority of Russians and three-quarters of the nobility (especially the old-established nobility) were on his side, while the Holy Roman Emperor
Reign
After Catherine's death in May 1727 and the proclamation of the 11-year-old Peter II as emperor, Menshikov took the young autocrat into his own house on
The senate, the privy council and the guards took the oath of allegiance forthwith. At this time, German mathematician Christian Goldbach was appointed tutor to the young Peter II to take over from Andrey Osterman, whom Menshikov had appointed.
Peter II was quick-witted, but apparently a stubborn and wayward boy, much like his grandfather. Despite these similarities, the emperor had no desire to learn to rule, unlike Peter the Great. His young age meant that he could not adequately manage public affairs, and he almost never appeared at the Supreme Privy Council. This led to frustration among his subjects and in the imperial administration – officials did not dare to assume responsibility for important decisions. The Russian fleet became neglected, but Peter II showed no interest in the matter. Peter tightened serfdom by banning serfs from volunteering for military service and thus escaping their status.[2][need quotation to verify]
With the fall of Menshikov and related court intrigues, the Emperor's main favorites became Prince Aleksey Dolgorukov and his son Ivan, who maintained great influence over the Emperor's decisions. According to contemporaries, Ivan Dolgorukov lived a reckless and profligate lifestyle, leading Peter II to spend much time feasting, playing cards and enjoying the company of women. He soon became addicted to alcohol.
The coronation of Peter II took place in Moscow on 9 January 1728, with the Emperor and a huge entourage. Still, he was disengaged from the affairs of state. Foreign witnesses proclaimed: "All of Russia is in terrible disorder ... money is not paid to anyone. God knows what will happen with finances. Everyone steals, as much as he can."[citation needed] Moving the court and several other institutions from St. Petersburg back to Moscow (1728) was painful for the "Northern Capital", as well as for the nobility forced to move with it, as Peter the Great had put much effort into developing St. Petersburg into a large and lively city.
Peter II returned to St. Petersburg from time to time, but continued to lead an aimless life full of entertainment and distraction. He gradually fell under the thorough-going influence of the Dolgorukovs, and became smitten with the 18-year-old beauty
"Peter II has not reached the age when a person's personality has already shaped," historian Mykola Kostomarov wrote.
"While contemporaries praised his natural intelligence and good heart, they only hoped for that good to happen in the future. However, his behavior did not give chances to hope that he would be a good ruler. He hated learning and thinking about national affairs. He was totally engrossed in amusements, and was kept under someone else's influence."[citation needed]
In late December 1729 Peter II fell dangerously ill. His condition deteriorated sharply after the frosty
Emperor Peter II died as dawn broke on 30 January 1730 – the day scheduled for his marriage to Ekaterina Dolgorukova. He is buried in the
With Peter's death, the direct male line of the
Ancestry
Ancestors of Peter II of Russia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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See also
- Tsars of Russia family tree
Notes
- ^ Son of Peter the Great by his first wife, Eudoxia Lopukhina.
References
- ^ Zékány János - Offices. Sándor Takáts: Z. J. Bpesti Hírlap, 1902. 332.
- ^
ISBN 9780195121797.
public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Peter II.". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in theFurther reading
- Konstantin Arseniev (1839) (in Russian) The reign of Peter II (Царствование Петра II) at formats
External links
- Romanovs. The fourth film; Peter Alexeevich; Anna Leopoldovna; Elizabeth Petrovna on YouTube– Historical reconstruction "The Romanovs". StarMedia. Babich-Design(Russia, 2013)