Pugachev's Rebellion
Pugachev's Rebellion (Peasants' War 1773-75, Cossack Rebellion) of 1773-75 was the principal revolt in a series of popular rebellions that took place in the Russian Empire after Catherine II seized power in 1762. It began as an organized insurrection of Yaik Cossacks headed by Yemelyan Pugachev, a disaffected ex-lieutenant of the Imperial Russian Army, against a background of profound peasant unrest and war with the Ottoman Empire. After initial success, Pugachev assumed leadership of an alternative government in the name of the assassinated Tsar Peter III and proclaimed an end to serfdom. This organized leadership presented a challenge to the imperial administration of Catherine II.
Astafy Dolgopolov
Then Dolgopolov embarked on a new dangerous enterprise, presenting himself to Catherine II as a Yaik Cossack named Trifonov who allegedly wanted to deliver Pugachev to the government. He invented a conspiration among the Cossacks and composed a whole letter with 300 signatures to the Empress and Grigory Orlov. Received in August in Tsarskoye Selo by Catherine, he received 2000 roubles as a prize and was sent to the Lower Volga in charge of a detachment instructed to find and capture Pugachev. In early September he additionally took another sum of 3000 roubles in golden coins from an officer sent together with him, and fled to Rzhev with all the money, as Pugachev had been already captured before the expedition could ever find his whereabouts.