Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 9,001
Putsch at Saint Petersburg!
The wife of the Russian tsar, Ekaterina Alexejewna ...
... is proclaimed sole tsarina on July 9, 1762 after a coup by the guard regiments stationed in Saint Petersburg.
The rightful tsar, Petr III, Jekatarina's husband, is simultaneously declared deposed ...:
Ekaterina is actually called Sophie Auguste Friederike von Anhalt-Zerbst and was married to the Russian heir to the throne Grand Duke Petr Fjodorowitsch on September 1, 1745 (all dates according to our era!) ...
... who on January 5, 1762 after the death of Jelisaweta (Elizabeth) I as Tsar Petr III. had ascended the throne.
One day before the wedding she had converted to the Russian Orthodox faith (to marry a Grand Duke you HAVE to be Russian Orthodox!) and had adopted her new name.
On October 1, 1754, after nine years of marriage, Ekatarina gave birth to a son, whom her husband recognized as his own, but who in all likelihood together with Ekatharina's lover, Prince Grigorij Orlow ...
was conceived.
It is also Grigorij Orlow who, together with his brothers Aleksej ...
...Iwan...
...Fjodor...
and Wladimir...
... organized and led the coup.
Since all five are officers in the Guard, this is not particularly difficult!
Officially one takes action against the emperor because he put an end to the Seven Years' War with Prussia for Russia and one has concluded a separate peace.
However, I ask (as the Russian people probably asked themselves): What is wrong with "making peace" after seven years of slaughter?
Another reason is said to have been that the tsar sought the friendship of the Prussian king.
And thirdly: The peace with Prussia is said to have brought Russia "disadvantages" - claims Eekatarina, the Orlows claims to the guardsmen.
Well - in truth it will have been about power and the greed for power.
And about thwarting an enlightened reform program that the now deposed tsar was about to lay down and that threatened to disturb a lot of high-ranking people, especially large landowners (such as the Orlows).
When I read all of this, it is hard to believe that Petr III. is said to have been a drunk, half-mad and sadist, as his wife, who is now in a coup, has handed him down to posterity in many written testimonies.
And the testimony handed down by a neutral contemporary does not fit either!
The Swedish historian Magnus Jacob von Crusenstolpe (1795–1865)...
... described Petr III. when taking office as follows:
“… The Grand Duke was known to be inconsistent and bizarre, but the Emperor was fair, patient, agreeable and enlightened. All higher civil servants retained their offices. He forgave his enemies, even if they behaved very unworthily towards him ... "
Anyway:
The Orlows have the Preobrazhenskij ...
...und Semjonowskij Guard regiments...
... won for Ekaterina, now the task is to get hold of the deposed Tsar as quickly as possible!
**continued next post**
The wife of the Russian tsar, Ekaterina Alexejewna ...
... is proclaimed sole tsarina on July 9, 1762 after a coup by the guard regiments stationed in Saint Petersburg.
The rightful tsar, Petr III, Jekatarina's husband, is simultaneously declared deposed ...:
Ekaterina is actually called Sophie Auguste Friederike von Anhalt-Zerbst and was married to the Russian heir to the throne Grand Duke Petr Fjodorowitsch on September 1, 1745 (all dates according to our era!) ...
... who on January 5, 1762 after the death of Jelisaweta (Elizabeth) I as Tsar Petr III. had ascended the throne.
One day before the wedding she had converted to the Russian Orthodox faith (to marry a Grand Duke you HAVE to be Russian Orthodox!) and had adopted her new name.
On October 1, 1754, after nine years of marriage, Ekatarina gave birth to a son, whom her husband recognized as his own, but who in all likelihood together with Ekatharina's lover, Prince Grigorij Orlow ...
was conceived.
It is also Grigorij Orlow who, together with his brothers Aleksej ...
...Iwan...
...Fjodor...
and Wladimir...
... organized and led the coup.
Since all five are officers in the Guard, this is not particularly difficult!
Officially one takes action against the emperor because he put an end to the Seven Years' War with Prussia for Russia and one has concluded a separate peace.
However, I ask (as the Russian people probably asked themselves): What is wrong with "making peace" after seven years of slaughter?
Another reason is said to have been that the tsar sought the friendship of the Prussian king.
And thirdly: The peace with Prussia is said to have brought Russia "disadvantages" - claims Eekatarina, the Orlows claims to the guardsmen.
Well - in truth it will have been about power and the greed for power.
And about thwarting an enlightened reform program that the now deposed tsar was about to lay down and that threatened to disturb a lot of high-ranking people, especially large landowners (such as the Orlows).
When I read all of this, it is hard to believe that Petr III. is said to have been a drunk, half-mad and sadist, as his wife, who is now in a coup, has handed him down to posterity in many written testimonies.
And the testimony handed down by a neutral contemporary does not fit either!
The Swedish historian Magnus Jacob von Crusenstolpe (1795–1865)...
... described Petr III. when taking office as follows:
“… The Grand Duke was known to be inconsistent and bizarre, but the Emperor was fair, patient, agreeable and enlightened. All higher civil servants retained their offices. He forgave his enemies, even if they behaved very unworthily towards him ... "
Anyway:
The Orlows have the Preobrazhenskij ...
...und Semjonowskij Guard regiments...
... won for Ekaterina, now the task is to get hold of the deposed Tsar as quickly as possible!
**continued next post**
