House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov

The House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov is an imperial dynasty which ruled Russia briefly in 1762, and again from 1796 until the end of the monarchy in 1917. A cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg, the dynasty was founded by Peter, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp who succeeded to the Russian throne in 1762 as Emperor Peter III of Russia upon the death of his maternal aunt Empress Elizabeth of Russia, the last member of the House of Romanov.

After coming to the Russian throne the Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov's tended to just use the name of Romanov to emphasize their Russianness and matrilineal descent from Peter the Great. The Holstein-Gottorp titles, Heir of Norway, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarn, Dietmarsen, Oldenburg were however included among the full title of the emperors of the Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov line.

The ruling Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov emperors were Peter III (in 1762) Paul (1796–1801), Alexander I (1801–1825), Nicholas I (1825–1855), Alexander II (1855–1881), Alexander III (1881–1894), and Nicholas II (1894–1917).

Since 1992 the headship of the Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov's has been a source of contention within the family. Their is currently competing claims from Alexis Andreievich, Prince of Russia and Maria Vladimirovna, Grand Duchess of Russia.