Peter III, Emperor of Russia: The Story of a Crisis and a Crime (Classic Reprint)
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Peter III, Emperor of Russia: The Story of a Crisis and a Crime (Classic Reprint)
Sale price
$25.99
Regular price $31.99
UanON The present volume is an attempt to construct an authentic and impartial biography of the Russian Emperor, Peter III. Biographies of that unfortunate Prince abound, I know; many of these biographies in various languages I have made it my business to read: yet I think I may safely say that while not one of them can be regarded as authoritative or even satisfactory, most of them are obviously fictitious. The reason of this is not far to seek. First, the memory of Peter has been so absolutely eclipsed by the brilliance of the extraordinary woman who superseded or, rather, suppressed him, that to many people he is only interesting as tiie husband, the murdered husband of Catherine. His short life is a mere episode in her turbulent and dramatic career. In the second place, most of the memoirs relating toP eter are frankly polemical either lampoons or apologies. While the friends of Catherine are obviously interested in representing Catherine sdetested husband as a brutal, vicious, irresponsible despot, the friends of Peter, exaggerating his many amiable personal qualities and extenuating his undeniable absurdities, picture him, as simply and solely the victim of an ambitious consort and an ungratefid people. As usual the truth lies midway between these two extremes. Peter was notoriously unfit for ruling anE mpire, but he would have made a good average eighteenth century junker or squire. His heart was good if his head was weak; although anything but a hero himself, he was capable of an exalted hero-worship; and a Prince who could conduct an orchestra and plan a library, should not in fairness be stigmatized as a mere idiot.
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.
Forgotten Books' Cla
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.
Forgotten Books' Cla