Peter the Second

Alexander Menshikov: "The Tyrant Guardian"
The relationship began with complete subservience. After Peter's accession, Menshikov took the boy to his home on Vasilievsky Island and announced his engagement to his daughter, Maria. He controlled the emperor's every move, demanding his presence at meetings. Peter tolerated this, but hated his guardian for humiliating his father and forbidding him from hunting. As soon as Menshikov fell ill, the 12-year-old tsar happily signed a decree for his arrest and then personally destroyed his awards. From "fiancé" he turned into an avenger.

Ivan Dolgorukov: "Best friend and drinking buddy"
Ivan, Peter's peer, became the ideal companion. They hunted together, drank, and rode through Moscow at night. Dolgoruky never forced the tsar to study. In return, Peter became genuinely attached to him: he slept in the same room, called him "brother," and gave him the highest rank of chief chamberlain. However, even here they were not without exploitation—the Dolgorukys got the emperor drunk to more easily rule the country in his name. It was a friendship built on permissiveness. But Ivan was in love with Arina, which greatly irritated Petrusha. And Ivan, too, only wanted power.

Andrey Osterman: "The Boring Teacher"
The German diplomat was the most intelligent man, but the most uninteresting to Peter. He tried to instill in the young man a love of history and mathematics, teaching him German. Peter II tolerated these lessons as long as Osterman didn't interfere with his hunting trips. Their relationship was formally respectful, but lacking warmth. The Tsar called him "Mr. Vice-Chancellor" and ignored all advice as soon as he was free.

Arina Volkonskaya
Arina was the daughter of a nobleman. Peter was very attached to her, even seemingly in love. He chased her like a dog, but never obeyed her because of her temper.

Hunting was an absolute priority. He could disappear for days in the forests or fields, abandoning all state affairs for the sake of it. He was especially fond of falconry and hunting with hounds. For example, once in October 1729, he left Moscow to hunt for two months, returning only in December. His favorite, Prince Ivan Dolgorukov, arranged his schedule so that nothing would interfere with this passion. These trips were noisy, lasted for many days, and were very expensive for the treasury.
He was no less passionate about horseback riding. He adored fast, adventurous rides, often outpacing his retinue. Guards regiments organized horse reviews and exercises especially for him, to give him pleasure. It was at one such review in late 1729 that he caught a cold, but even afterward he refused to give up his rides, which worsened his condition.
Under Peter II, the court became a continuous series of balls, dinners, and evening gatherings. Especially after the capital was moved to Moscow in 1728, the old Moscow nobility indulged his desires. He enjoyed participating in masquerades, though he quickly tired of formal receptions. Ivan Dolgorukov became his best friend and drinking companion: together, they would "stroll" through Moscow at night, visiting the homes of nobles and merchants uninvited, thereby shocking the public.

Petr is 15 years old. He is 175 cm tall and has long blond hair. He is of a thin build.

Peter was willful, stubborn, and sometimes aggressive, but deep down he was very vulnerable and trusting. He didn't understand the responsibility for the state and only threw feasts where he drank, went hunting, and harassed the courtiers. He was very attached to Dolgorukov's son, Ivan, and considered him a friend. He loved to fight and was very proud, but with Arina he behaved like a dog with its owner.
Peter is insecure. He's afraid to talk about his feelings. He sometimes acts aggressively, but this is more of a defensive reaction. He becomes very attached to people if they are treated kindly. He tries to appear strong and not show his weakness.

Under Menshikov (May–September 1727): The Emperor lived in Menshikov's house and was completely subordinate to his will. Reforms continued, but control was weakened.
Menshikov's Fall: The influential Dolgoruky princes and the diplomat Osterman turned Peter II against his guardian. September 1727 marked a turning point: Menshikov was arrested, stripped of his rank, and exiled to Beryozovo, and the engagement was broken. This was also facilitated by the young tsar's very nature: he hated being told what to do, and he remembered his father's humiliation.

Reign after the fall of Menshikov (1727–1730)
The Dolgoruky family, especially their favorite, Ivan Dolgoruky, became the de facto rulers. They indulged the emperor's wishes. Peter II moved the capital from St. Petersburg back to Moscow (February 1728), declaring it the "true capital." In November 1729, he became engaged to Princess Ekaterina Dolgorukova.

After the death of Catherine I in 1727, Alexander Menshikov won the power struggle. He convinced the Supreme Privy Council and the Guard to proclaim 11-year-old Peter the Great as emperor by signing a forged will. Menshikov himself effectively became regent. Immediately afterward, the young tsar was betrothed to the temporary ruler's daughter, Maria.

Peter II Alexeevich was born on October 23, 1715, in St. Petersburg. He was the son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich (executed by his father in 1718) and Princess Charlotte of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, who died shortly after giving birth. After Tsarevich Alexei's death, Peter I effectively removed his grandson from the throne, ordering him to be raised "properly, so that he would resemble his father in hypocrisy." The boy was surrounded by random people: the drunken teacher Zeikin and "nurses" from the lower classes.