The book by the famous historian Nathan Eidelman is dedicated to the internal politics of the Russian Empire at the turn of the 18th–19th centuries. This is one of the most interesting periods of our history, which irreversibly marked the line between Catherine’s “golden age” and the beginning of a new era. The hero of this fascinating story is the most mysterious Russian emperor. The identity of the son of Peter III and Catherine the Great has always raised many questions. He was called the Russian Don Quixote, a romantic and at the same time a tyrant and a “crowned villain.” The tragic death of Paul has become overgrown with many legends and changed the course of our history. Details of the conspiracy and the circumstances of the bloody coup are described in this study.