Tsar Peter III of Russia

Peter III of Russia was one of the most enigmatic figures in Russian history. Officially, he ruled for just six months in 1762 before being overthrown by his wife, Catherine the Great, in a coup. However, his legacy did not end with his mysterious death. Quite the opposite—his shadow loomed large over the Russian Empire for decades. In a strange twist of history, no fewer than five impostors claimed to be Peter III after his supposed demise.

The persistence of these impostors sparked uprisings, religious sects, and dramatic political tensions. Some gained significant power, others inspired literature and folklore, but all of them capitalized on the same lingering doubt: Did Peter III die in 1762?

The Mystery Behind the Death of Peter III of Russia

Born Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp, Peter III of Russia became Emperor in 1762 following the death of his aunt, Empress Elizabeth. However, his reign was short-lived. Just six months after taking the throne, he was deposed by his wife, Catherine II, with the support of the military and nobility. Official accounts say he died shortly after his abdication, allegedly from “hemorrhoidal colic” or possibly assassination.

The secrecy surrounding his death and the sudden rise of Catherine the Great led to rumors that Peter was not dead at all. Many believed he had been imprisoned and would one day return to claim his rightful place as ruler of Russia. This belief created fertile ground for false tsars, individuals who claimed to be the deposed emperor.

Šćepan Mali: The False Tsar of Montenegro

One of the rare portraits of false tsar Scepan the Little.

Perhaps the most unexpected impersonator of Peter III emerged not in Russia but in Montenegro, a mountainous Balkan region fiercely loyal to Russia. There, a local commoner presented himself as the Russian tsar in exile. He took the name Šćepan Mali—translated as Stephen the Little—and claimed he had escaped from captivity and sought refuge among fellow Orthodox Christians.

Remarkably, the people believed him. Despite efforts by the local bishop, Sava Petrović-Njegoš, who conveyed messages from the Russian court exposing the imposter as a fraud, the Montenegrins stood by their new ruler. Šćepan Mali managed to unite the divided Montenegrin tribes and ruled effectively for six years, from 1767 to 1773.

When Bishop Sava opposed him, Šćepan placed him under house arrest in the Stanjevići Monastery. He governed with both fear and admiration, enforcing law and order and even modernizing aspects of Montenegrin society. Even when he confessed to being an impostor, many Montenegrins continued to treat him as their emperor.

His story lived on in literature. The celebrated Montenegrin prince-bishop and poet Petar II Petrović-Njegoš immortalized Šćepan Mali in the epic poem “False Tsar Stephen the Little”. To this day, he remains a fascinating figure in Balkan history.

Yemelyan Pugachev: The Rebel Tsar

Back in Russia, Yemelyan Pugachev became the most infamous of all Peter III impersonators. A Don Cossack and former soldier in the Russian army, Pugachev took advantage of widespread discontent among peasants and Cossacks to stage an uprising. Claiming he was Peter III, he declared his intent to overthrow Catherine the Great and reclaim the throne.

The public execution of Pugacvhev took place in one of the city’s squares in Moscow.

His rebellion, known as the Pugachev Rebellion (1773–1775), quickly gained traction. Pugachev’s charisma and military experience enabled him to capture key fortresses, rally thousands of followers, and spread chaos across southern Russia. Many believed his claims, especially since dissatisfaction with Catherine’s rule was growing.

However, after suffering a major defeat at the Battle of Tsaritsyn, Pugachev’s fortunes declined. He was betrayed by his own Cossack allies, captured, and brought to Moscow for trial. In 1775, he was publicly executed in one of the city’s central squares. His brutal end served as a warning to other would-be pretenders.

Pugachev’s story fascinated later generations. Russian literary titan Alexander Pushkin penned a fictionalized account of the rebellion in his novella “The Captain’s Daughter”, bringing further notoriety to the false tsar.

Kondratiy Selivanov: The Mystical Pretender

Not all impersonators of Peter III were political rebels. One of the strangest figures was Kondratiy Ivanovich Selivanov, a religious zealot who claimed not only to be Peter III of Russia, but also Jesus Christ. He founded a radical sect known as the Skoptsy, whose teachings emphasized extreme bodily purity.

The Skoptsy believed that access to Heaven required castration for men and mastectomy for women, interpreting the biblical “original sin” as rooted in sexuality. Despite—or perhaps because of—this radical doctrine, the movement gained a surprising number of followers. By the early 20th century, the sect reportedly had up to 100,000 adherents across the Russian Empire.

Selivanov’s influence was such that even under persecution by the imperial authorities, his followers remained loyal. He was arrested and exiled multiple times, yet always resurfaced. His dual identity as tsar and messiah made him a dangerous symbol of dissent and religious extremism.

The Skoptsy left a mark on Russian literature as well. In “The Idiot”, Fyodor Dostoevsky includes Skoptsy among the residents of a boarding house, highlighting their presence in Russian urban life. Dostoevsky also references the sect in “Demons”, a novel that explores religious fanaticism and revolutionary ideology.

The French novelist Alexandre Dumas encountered Skoptsy believers during his travels and described them in his 1858 travelogue “Le Caucase, Mémoires d’un Voyage”. Their strange and brutal practices shocked Western readers and added to the mystique of the Peter III impostor phenomenon.

Why So Many Impersonators?

What made Peter III of Russia such a compelling figure for impersonation? Part of the answer lies in his sudden disappearance from the political stage and the mysterious nature of his death. Official narratives were inconsistent, and Catherine the Great had every reason to obscure the truth.

In addition, Peter’s foreign origins—he was born in Kiel, in what is now Germany—meant that few Russians had ever seen him in person. This made it easier for fraudsters to claim his identity, especially in remote areas where imperial propaganda was less effective.

Most importantly, Peter III became a symbol of hope and change. His supporters viewed him as a potential reformer who had been unjustly removed. This perception gave impostors like Pugachev and Šćepan Mali a veneer of legitimacy.

Legacy of the False Tsars

Though none of the impostors succeeded in reclaiming the throne, their impact on Russian history and culture was profound. They exposed cracks in the legitimacy of imperial authority and showed how myths and rumors could shake the foundations of empires.

From armed rebellions to religious cults, the false tsars of Peter III demonstrate the power of belief—and the dangers of political uncertainty. Their stories continue to fascinate historians, novelists, and readers around the world.

If you’re intrigued by the drama and mystery of Peter III of Russia, we invite you to explore our curated collection of rare and antiquarian books on Russian history. Discover forgotten stories, authentic documents, and vintage works that bring this fascinating era to life.