Peter Petrovich
Tsarevich of Russia
Peter Petrovich as Cupid
Born	(1715-11-15)15 November 1715 St. Petersburg, Tsardom of Russia
Died	19 April 1719(1719-04-19) (aged 3) St. Petersburg, Tsardom of Russia
Burial	Annunciation Church of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra
House	Romanov
Father	Peter I of Russia
Mother	Marta Skowrońska (later Catherine I of Russia)

Peter Petrovich (15 November 1715 – 19 April 1719) was a Russian Tsarevich and son of Emperor Peter I and Empress Catherine. Tsarevich Peter became heir to the Russian throne in February 1718 after the Emperor removed his eldest son, Alexis Petrovich, from the succession. The Tsarevich died in 1719 aged 3 before inheriting the throne. His parents were Tsar Peter I and the future Catherine I. In 1732, a pretender emerged claiming to be the dead Tsarevich.

Early life

Peter Petrovich was born on 15 November 1715 in Saint Petersburg as the son of Tsar Peter I and Tsaritsa and future Empress Catherine I. Just over three weeks before his birth, Tsarevich Alexis Petrovich, Peter’s older half brother had a son, Peter Alexeyevich who would later become Peter II. Because Peter Alexeyevich had been born first, it was considered odd that Peter Petrovich was baptized as Peter when his nephew was still alive.

Tsarevich

In 1715, Tsarevich Alexis tried to flee but was brought back in 1718 and investigated, he was tortured and forced to renounce his rights to the Russian throne and recognize Peter Petrovich as the new Tsarevich and heir apparent. By autumn, the new Tsarevich hadn't even spoken or walked yet.

Death

Peter Petrovich died on 19 April 1719 in Saint Petersburg and was firstly buried in the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, in 1723 he was reburied in the Annunciation Church leading to rumors that Tsar Peter had another son named Peter Petrovich born in 1719 but this was later proven false. Peter Petrovich’s death led to succession becoming uncertain due to Peter Alexeyevich becoming the only remaining agnatic Romanov after the tsar, in 1722 Peter I issued a law allowing him to choose his successor, but he never used it.^[1]

Pretender

In 1730, Peter Alexeyevich who was by then Peter II died, he was the last of the agnatic House of Romanov. Two years after Peter II died, a imposter claiming to be Peter Petrovich appeared and was quickly found and executed.^[2]

References