Russian history is loaded with outlandish and often unbelievable stories. From the man-sized frying pans of Ivan the Terrible, to the rumors of Catherine the Great’s equine sexcapades. Yet, the story of Peter III’s treasonous rat stands out as a legend all its own.
Because he was the grandson of Peter the Great, Peter III – despite being crude, immature, and supremely unskilled at anything unrelated to playing with toys or dressing his servants up in military gear – was in line for the throne. Peter III is most well-known for being the bat**** crazy husband of Catherine the Great.
Their marriage was doomed from “I do” [it was probably more of an “I have to?” for Catherine…just saying]. She was an educated and practical princess from Germany, and he was neither educated nor practical…but loved Germany, and princesses, so it should’ve worked, right?
Catherine’s legend and legacy stands all on its own, though it’s often forgotten that Catherine eventually became ‘the Great’ as a result of her personally plotting the coup that overthrew Peter and put herself in power, her accomplices all the more willing to assist as a result of incidents like the execution of the treasonous rat.
The Crime
Peter had an obsession with playing with toys, usually of the military variety. He kept a large box of them under his bed that he would bust out when Catherine would leave for a while or after she had gone to sleep. He’d set up elaborate military formations and battle scenes, playing soldier the best way he knew how; by not actually being a soldier.
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