Tsar Peter III (1728-1762)
 

How did Peter III have German ancestry? His father was Swedish and his mother was Russian. Also, I'm new around here, and hadn't noticed a thread about Peter IIIv

Peter III was titled Duke of Holshtein-Gottorp(the Oldenburg family).His father was the son of Swedish Princess Hedwiga and The German Duke of Hollshtein-Gottorp,so he had German ancestry through his paternal grandfather.

wasnt he Unstable

Yes,he was mentally unstable.Besides all,his mental illness strenghthened due to additional factors:he lost his mother in very early childhood,he never remembered her,then his father died.As a child he was used in different royal plans:some people wanted to make him the King of Sweden ,as his grandmother was sister of the Swedish king Karl XII.Finally,his mother's sister -Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna,who had no legitimate children,brought him to Russia and made a heir to the Russian throne.He married the Princess of Anhalt(future Catherine II the Great) at 15 years old,besides all he was very childish at the moment.Their son Pavel was born later(1754),after the death of Elizabeth he reigned just a short period,in which the powers of nobility were intensified,he was influenced by different noble councellors.Catherine ,being intelligent,wanted to rule Russia freely and without obstacles,so she turned him down and he was killed.Their son,future Pavel I,never forgave mother for "killing" his father and their relations were very cold.

And Peter was very unpopular because of his strong pro-Prussian stance. This is what happens (sometimes) because Peter was not born in Russia but it also illustrates how out of touch he was with his future throne and his people. Catherine II, his wife, was also from Germany but she knew what the people wanted and how to rule.

Hey, my 700 POST!

I doubt that Peter was his father.

You must be referring to Catherine's son, Paul, when you say you doubt that Peter was his father. Many people share your view. But it is also clear that Paul resented his mother in part because of her treatment and complicity in Peter's death, whom Paul assumed was his father.

Who do you think his father was?

Sergei Saltykov. Peter was infantile, never sired children with his mistresses and was often declare impotent. That being said, short of genetic testing, Paul was a Ramanov

There was a speculation,but Paul didn't resemble at all handsome Sergey Saltykov,he resembled his father Tsar Peter III.It was created a great artificial myth about Paul's paternity.In fact he was his father's son,that's why his mother Catherine the Great rejected.One of Paul's sons,Constantin Pavlovich even inherited some of Peter's bad habits and inclinations.

No one, really, knows for sure. Peter, I beleive, was incapable of having children. Never has another, anywhere. And, as I said, short of genetic testing, no one knows.

Out of his 64 nearest ancestors from his father's side only 2 of them were NOT Germans...those were King Gustaf I Vasa of Sweden and his wife Margaretha Eriksdotter...

The rest 62 nearest ancestors from his fathers side were Germans because Denmark was ruled by German Oldenburg dynasty and always married German princesses and Sweden was ruled by German Zweibrücken-Kleeburg,Hessen-Cassel and Holstein-Gottorp families after Vasa dinasty died out in 17th century and also always married German princesses...

That's why 62 out of 64 nearest ancestors from his father's side were Germans...as well as his wife Sophie von Anhalt-Zerbst was also German...

The thing that I found interesting was from the moment of birth he could have been a duke of holstein king of Sweden or czar of Russia.

The Behaviour of Peter III
http://www.crossfireamersfoort.wordp...-iii-of-russia

Can someone explain to me how Peter ended up being a contender for some many thrones in Europe?

Also I agree Paul was Peter's son.

Peter's father Duke Karl Fredrik of Holstein-Gottorp was raised in Sweden and was as the only grandchild of King Karl XI seen as the heir of his uncle King Karl XII of Sweden. When Karl XII fell in battle in 1718 his sister Ulrika Eleonora and her husband Landgrave Frederik of Hessen - Kassel acted quickly and made a deal with the Privy Council to abolish the absolute monarchy and reintroduce parliamentarism which led to her being elected queen instead of the expected Karl Frederik.
Many believe that had either his mother Duchess Hedig Sofia or his great-grandmother the formidable Dowager Queen Hedwig Eleonora still been alive there wouldn't have been a chance for his aunt to accede the throne.
Disappointed by loosing out on the throne, he was at first seen as the heir of his aunt and uncle but eventually disqualified because of his pro-Russian views, he ended up leaving Sweden to marry Grand duchess Anna Petrovna which in the end led to their son Peter becoming Tsar.