Without exaggeration, the most influential and famous Russian Empress is Catherine II. From 1762 to 1796, she ruled a powerful empire - thanks to her efforts, the country prospered. I wonder what was the personal life of Catherine the Great? Let's find out.
The future Russian Empress was born on April 21, 1729 in Prussia. At birth, she received the name Sophia Frederica Auguste. Her father was the prince of the town of Stettin, in which the empress was born.
Parents, unfortunately, did not pay much attention to the girl. They loved their son Wilhelm more. But Sofia had a warm relationship with her governess.
The Empress of Russia often remembered her when she ascended the throne. The wise nanny taught the girl religion (Lutheranism), history, French and German. In addition, since childhood, Sofia knew Russian and loved music.
Marriage to the heir apparent
At home, the future Empress of Russia was very bored. The small town in which she lived was not at all interesting for a girl with big ambitions. But as soon as she grew up, Sophia's mother decided to find her a rich groom and thus improve the social situation of the family.
When the girl turned fifteen, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna herself invited her to the capital of the Russian Empire. She did this so that Sofia would marry the heir to the Russian throne, Grand Duke Peter. Arriving in a foreign country, Sofia fell ill with pleurisy and almost died. But, thanks to the help of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, she soon managed to overcome a serious illness.
Immediately after her recovery, in 1745, Sophia married the prince, became Orthodox and received a new name. So she became Catherine.
Political marriage was not at all happy for the young princess. The husband did not want to devote his time to her and liked to have fun more. Catherine at this time, read books, studied jurisprudence and history.
You can’t tell briefly about the personal life of Catherine the Great. It is full of intriguing events. There is information that the spouse of the future mistress of the Russian Empire had a girlfriend on the side. In turn, the Princess was seen in close contact with Sergei Saltykov, Grigory Orlov ... She had many favorites.
In 1754 Catherine had a son, Pavel. Of course, the courtiers spread rumors that it was not known who the real father of this child was. Soon the child was given to Elizaveta Petrovna to take care of him. Catherine was practically not allowed to see her son. Of course, she did not like this circumstance at all. Then the idea appeared in the head of the princess that it would be good to ascend the throne herself. Moreover, she was an energetic, interesting person. Catherine continued to read books with enthusiasm, especially in French. In addition, she was actively interested in politics.
Soon the daughter of the Empress Anna was born, who died as a baby. Catherine's husband was not interested in children, he believed that they might not be from him at all.
Of course, the princess tried to dissuade her husband of this, but she tried not to catch his eye - she spent almost all her time in her boudoir.
In 1761, Elizaveta Petrovna left for another world, then Catherine's husband became Emperor, and Catherine herself became Empress. State affairs did not bring the couple closer. In political affairs, Peter the Third preferred to consult with his favorites, and not with his wife. But Catherine the Great dreamed that one day she would rule the great power.
The young empress tried in every possible way to prove to the people that she was devoted to him and the Orthodox faith. Thanks to cunning and intelligence, the girl achieved her goal - the people began to support her in everything. And once, when she proposed to overthrow her husband from the throne, the subjects did just that.
Ruler of the Empire
To implement her plan, Catherine addressed the soldiers in the Izmailovsky regiment. She asked them to protect her from her tyrant husband. Then the guards forced the emperor to abdicate the throne.
Shortly after Peter abdicated, he was strangled. There is no evidence of Catherine's guilt in what happened, but many openly suspect the Empress of this impudent act.
Images from the film "The Great"
In the first years of her reign, Catherine the Great tried in every possible way to prove that she was a wise, just sovereign. She dreamed of getting universal support. In addition, Catherine decided to focus on domestic politics rather than conquest. It was necessary to solve the problems that had accumulated in the country. From the very beginning, the queen knew exactly what she wanted and began to actively implement the political tasks that confronted her.
Personal life of the Empress
Catherine the Great, after the death of her husband, could not remarry. This could negatively affect her power. But many researchers write that the attractive Ekaterina Alekseevna had many favorites. She gave wealth to her close associates, generously distributed honorary titles. Even after the relationship ended, Catherine continued to help the favorites, ensured their future.
The turbulent personal life of Catherine the Great led to the fact that she had children from her lovers. When Peter the Third only ascended the throne, his wife carried a child, Grigory Orlov, under her heart. This baby was born in secret from everyone on April 11, 1762.
Catherine's marriage at that time was almost completely ruined, the emperor was not ashamed to appear with his girls in public. Ekaterina gave the child to be raised by her chamberlain Vasily Shkurin and his wife. But when the empress ascended the throne, the child was returned to the palace.
Ekaterina and Gregory took care of their son, who was named Alexei. And Orlov even decided with the help of this child to become the husband of the Empress. Catherine thought for a long time over Gregory's proposal, but the state was dearer to her. She never got married.
Images from the film "The Great"
Reading about the personal life of Catherine the Great is really interesting. When the son of Catherine and Grigory Orlov grew up, he went abroad. The young man stayed abroad for about ten years, and when he returned, he settled in the estate, donated by the great empress.
The favorites of the empress managed to become outstanding politicians. For example, in 1764 her lover Stanisław Poniatowski became the king of Poland. But none of the men could influence the state policy of Russia. The empress preferred to deal with these matters herself. The exception to this rule was Grigory Potemkin, whom the Empress loved very much. They say that in 1774 a marriage was concluded between them, a secret from everyone.
Catherine devoted almost all her free time to state affairs. She worked hard to remove the accent from her speech, read books about Russian culture with pleasure, listened to customs and, of course, carefully studied historical works.
Catherine the Great was a very educated ruler. The borders of the country, during her reign, increased to the south and west. In the southeastern part of Europe, the Russian Empire has become a real leader. It is no coincidence that many films and series are being shot about Empress Catherine the Great and her personal life.
Thanks to numerous victories, the country stretched to the Black Sea coast. In 1768, the government of the Empire began issuing paper money for the first time.
The empress was engaged not only in her education. She also did a lot to ensure that men and women in the country could study. In addition, the empress carried out many educational reforms, adopting the experience of other countries. Schools were also opened in the Russian provinces.
For a long time, Empress Catherine the Great ruled the country alone, refuting the theory that women could not hold important political posts.
When the time came to transfer power into the hands of his son Paul, he did not want to do this. The empress had a strained relationship with Paul. She decided instead to make Alexander's grandson heir to the throne. Catherine from childhood prepared the child for the ascension to the throne, and made sure that he spent a lot of time studying. In addition, she found a wife for her beloved grandson so that he could become emperor before reaching the age of majority.
But after the death of Catherine, her son Pavel nevertheless took the throne. He ruled after Catherine the Great for five years.
Empress Catherine II the Great (1729-1796) ruled the Russian Empire from 1762-1796. She came to the throne as a result of a palace coup. With the support of the guards, she overthrew her unloved and unpopular husband Peter III in the country and marked the beginning of the Catherine's era, which is also called the "golden age" of the empire.
Portrait of Empress Catherine II
Artist A. Roslin
Before ascending the throne
The All-Russian autocrat belonged to the noble German princely family of Ascania, known since the 11th century. She was born on April 21, 1729 in the German city of Stettin, in the family of Prince Anhalt-Dornburg. At that time, he was the commandant of the Stettin Castle, and soon received the rank of lieutenant general. Mother - Johanna Elizabeth belonged to the German Oldenburg ducal dynasty. The full name of the born baby sounded like Anhalt-Zerbst Sophia Frederick Augustus.
The family did not have a lot of money, so Sophia Frederic Augusta received her education at home. The girl was taught theology, music, dance, history, geography, and also taught French, English and Italian.
The future empress grew up as a playful girl. She spent a lot of time on the city streets, playing with the boys. She was even called "the boy in the skirt". Mother affectionately called her troubled daughter "Fricken".
Alexey Starikov
Years of government: 1762-1796
1. For the first time since Peter I reformed the public administration system. Culturally Russia finally became one of the great European powers. Catherine patronized various fields of art: under her rule, the Hermitage and the Public Library appeared in St. Petersburg.
2. Carried out administrative reform, which determined the territorial structure of the country up to before 1917. Formed 29 new provinces and built about 144 cities.
3. Increased the territory of the state by annexing the southern lands - Crimea, the Black Sea region and the eastern part of the Commonwealth. In terms of population, Russia became the largest European country: it accounted for 20% of the population of Europe
4. Brought Russia to the first place in the world in iron smelting. By the end of the 18th century, there were 1200 large enterprises in the country (in 1767 there were only 663 of them).
5. Strengthened the role of Russia in the global economy: the volume of exports increased from 13.9 million rubles in 1760 to 39.6 million rubles in 1790. Sail cloth, cast iron, iron, and also bread were exported in large quantities. The volume of timber exports increased fivefold.
6. Under Catherine II of Russia Academy of Sciences has become one of the leading scientific bases in Europe. The empress paid special attention to the development of women's education: in 1764, the first educational institutions for girls in Russia were opened - the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens and the Educational Society for Noble Maidens.
7. Organized new credit institutions - a state bank and a loan office, and also expanded the range of banking operations (since 1770, banks began to accept deposits for safekeeping) and for the first time launched the issuance of paper money - banknotes.
8. Gave the character of state measures to the fight against epidemics. Having introduced compulsory smallpox vaccination, she decided to set a personal example for her subjects: in 1768, the empress herself was vaccinated against smallpox.
9. She supported Buddhism, in 1764 establishing the post of Khambo Lama - the head of the Buddhists of Eastern Siberia and Transbaikalia. The Buryat lamas recognized Catherine II as the incarnation of the main goddess of White Tara and since then swore allegiance to all Russian rulers.
10 Belonged to those few monarchs who intensively communicated with subjects by drawing up manifestos, instructions and laws. She had the talent of a writer, leaving behind a large collection of works: notes, translations, fables, fairy tales, comedies and essays.
Catherine the Great is one of the most extraordinary women in world history. Her life is a rare example of self-education through deep education and strict discipline.
The epithet "Great" Empress rightfully deserved: she, a German and a foreigner, the Russian people called her "native mother." And historians almost unanimously decided that if Peter I wanted to instill everything German in Russia, then the German Catherine dreamed of reviving Russian traditions. And in many ways it has been very successful.
The long reign of Catherine is the only period of transformation in Russian history, about which one cannot say “they cut down the forest, the chips fly”. The population of the country doubled, while there was practically no censorship, torture was prohibited, elected bodies of estate self-government were created ... The “firm hand”, which the Russian people allegedly needed so much, was completely useless this time.
Princess Sofia
The future Empress Catherine II Alekseevna, nee Sophia Frederick Augusta, Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst, was born on April 21, 1729 in the unknown Stettin (Prussia). Father - unremarkable Prince Christian-August - thanks to devotion to the Prussian king, he made a good career: regiment commander, commandant of Stettin, governor. Constantly employed in the service, he became for Sofia an example of conscientious service in the public arena.
Sophia was educated at home: she studied German and French, dance, music, the basics of history, geography, and theology. Her independent character and perseverance manifested itself already in early childhood. In 1744, together with her mother, she was summoned to Russia by Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. Here, before that, a Lutheran, she was accepted into Orthodoxy under the name Catherine (this name, like the patronymic Alekseevna, was given to her in honor of Elizabeth's mother, Catherine I) and named the bride of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich (future Emperor Peter III), with whom the princess married in 1745.
Mind Chamber
Catherine set herself the goal of winning the favor of the Empress, her husband and the Russian people. From the very beginning, her personal life was unsuccessful, but the Grand Duchess reasoned that she always liked the Russian crown more than her fiancé, and turned to reading works on history, jurisprudence and economics. She was absorbed in studying the works of French encyclopedists and already at that time intellectually outgrew everyone around her head.
Catherine really became a patriot of her new homeland: she scrupulously observed the rites of the Orthodox Church, tried to return the Russian national costume to the everyday life of the court, diligently studied the Russian language. She even studied at night and one day became dangerously ill from overwork. The Grand Duchess wrote: “Those who succeeded in Russia could be sure of success throughout Europe. Nowhere, as in Russia, are there such masters of noticing the weaknesses or shortcomings of a foreigner; you can be sure that nothing will be let him down.
Communication between the Grand Duke and the princess demonstrated the cardinal difference between their characters: the infantilism of Peter was opposed by the active, purposeful and ambitious nature of Catherine. She began to fear for her fate if her husband came to power and began to recruit supporters for herself at court. Catherine's ostentatious piety, prudence and sincere love for Russia contrasted sharply with Peter's behavior, which allowed her to gain authority both among high society and among the ordinary population of St. Petersburg.
Double grip
Having ascended the throne after the death of his mother, Emperor Peter III managed to turn the nobility against himself to such an extent during the six months of his reign that he himself opened the way to power for his wife. As soon as he ascended the throne, he concluded an unfavorable treaty with Prussia for Russia, announced the arrest of the property of the Russian Church and the abolition of monastic land ownership. Supporters of the coup accused Peter III of ignorance, dementia and complete inability to govern the state. A well-read, pious and benevolent wife looked favorably against his background.
When Catherine's relationship with her husband became hostile, the twenty-year-old Grand Duchess decided to "die or reign." Having carefully prepared a plot, she secretly arrived in St. Petersburg and was proclaimed autocratic empress in the barracks of the Izmailovsky regiment. Soldiers from other regiments joined the rebels, unquestioningly swearing allegiance to her. The news of Catherine's accession to the throne quickly spread throughout the city and was greeted with enthusiasm by the people of St. Petersburg. Over 14,000 people surrounded the palace, welcoming the new ruler.
The foreigner Catherine did not have any rights to power, but the “revolution” she committed was presented as a national liberation one. She correctly captured the critical moment in her husband's behavior - his contempt for the country and Orthodoxy. As a result, the grandson of Peter the Great was considered more German than the purebred German Catherine. And this is the result of her own efforts: in the eyes of society, she managed to change her national identity and received the right to “liberate the fatherland” from a foreign yoke.
M. V. Lomonosov about Catherine the Great: “A woman is on the throne - a chamber of mind.”
Upon learning of what had happened, Peter began to send proposals for negotiations, but they were all rejected. Catherine herself, at the head of the guards regiments, came out to meet him and on the way received a written abdication of the emperor from the throne. The long 34-year reign of Catherine II began with a solemn coronation in Moscow on September 22, 1762. In fact, she made a double capture: she took away power from her husband and did not transfer it to her natural heir - her son.
The era of Catherine the Great
Catherine came to the throne, having a certain political program based on the ideas of the Enlightenment and at the same time taking into account the peculiarities of the historical development of Russia. Already in the first years of her reign, the empress carried out a reform of the Senate, which made the work of this institution more efficient, and carried out the secularization of church lands, which replenished the state treasury. At the same time, a number of new educational institutions were founded, including the first educational institutions for women in Russia.
Catherine II was an excellent connoisseur of people, she skillfully selected her assistants, not being afraid of bright and talented personalities. That is why her time is marked by the appearance of a galaxy of prominent statesmen, generals, writers, artists and musicians. During this period, there were no noisy resignations, none of the nobles fell into disgrace - that is why the reign of Catherine is called the "golden age" of the Russian nobility. At the same time, the empress was very vain and valued her power more than anything else. For her sake, she was ready to make any compromises to the detriment of her convictions.
Catherine was distinguished by ostentatious piety, she considered herself the head and defender of the Russian Orthodox Church and skillfully used religion for political interests.
After the end of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774 and the suppression of the uprising led by Yemelyan Pugachev, the empress independently developed key legislative acts. The most important of them were letters of grant to the nobility and cities. Their main significance is associated with the implementation of the strategic goal of Catherine's reforms - the creation in Russia of full-fledged estates of the Western European type.
Autocracy in the struggle for the future
Catherine was the first Russian monarch who saw in people individuals with their own opinions, character and emotions. She willingly acknowledged their right to make mistakes. From the distant skies of autocracy, Catherine saw the man below and turned him into a measure of her policy - an incredible somersault for the Russian despotism. The philanthropy that she made fashionable would later become the main feature of the high culture of the 19th century.
Catherine demanded naturalness from her subjects, and therefore easily, with a smile and self-irony, eliminated any hierarchy. It is known that she, being greedy for flattery, calmly accepted criticism. For example, her secretary of state and the first major Russian poet Derzhavin often argued with the empress on administrative issues. Once their discussion became so heated that the empress invited another of her secretaries: “Sit here, Vasily Stepanovich. This gentleman, it seems to me, wants to kill me. His sharpness had no consequences for Derzhavin.
One of his contemporaries figuratively described the essence of Catherine's reign as follows: "Peter the Great created people in Russia, but Catherine II put her soul into them"
I can’t even believe that two Russian-Turkish wars, the annexation of Crimea and the creation of Novorossia, the construction of the Black Sea Fleet, the three partitions of Poland, which brought Russia Belarus, Western Ukraine, Lithuania and Courland, the war with Persia, the annexation of Georgia and the conquest of the future Azerbaijan , the suppression of the Pugachev rebellion, the war with Sweden, as well as numerous laws on which Catherine worked personally. In total, she issued 5798 acts, that is, an average of 12 laws per month. Her pedantry and diligence are described in detail by contemporaries.
Femininity revolution
Longer than Catherine II in Russian history, only Ivan III (43 years) and Ivan IV the Terrible (37 years) ruled. More than three decades of her reign is almost equal to half the Soviet period, and it is impossible to ignore this circumstance. Therefore, Catherine has always occupied a special place in the mass historical consciousness. However, the attitude towards her was ambiguous: German blood, the murder of her husband, numerous novels, Voltairianism - all this prevented selflessly admiring the empress.
Catherine was the first Russian monarch who saw in people individuals with their own opinions, character and emotions. From the distant skies of autocracy, she saw a man below and turned him into a measure of her policy - an incredible somersault for Russian despotism
Soviet historiography added class cuffs to Catherine: she became a "cruel serf-owner" and a despot. It got to the point that only Peter was allowed to remain the “Great”, she was emphatically called the “Second”. The undoubted victories of the empress, which brought Russia the Crimea, Novorossia, Poland and part of the Transcaucasus, were largely usurped by her military leaders, who, in the struggle for national interests, allegedly heroically overcame the intrigues of the court.
However, the fact that in the mass consciousness the personal life of the empress obscured her political activity testifies to the search for psychological compensation by the descendants. After all, Catherine violated one of the oldest social hierarchies - the superiority of men over women. Her stunning successes, and especially the military ones, caused bewilderment, bordering on irritation, and needed some kind of “but”. Catherine gave cause for anger already by the fact that, contrary to the existing order, she herself chose men for herself. The empress refused to take for granted not only her nationality: she also tried to overcome the boundaries of her own gender, capturing typically male territory.
Manage passions
Throughout her life, Catherine learned to cope with her feelings and passionate temperament. A long life in a foreign land taught her not to succumb to circumstances, to always remain calm and consistent in her actions. Later, in her memoirs, the empress writes: “I came to Russia, a country completely unknown to me, not knowing what was ahead. Everyone looked at me with annoyance and even contempt: the daughter of a Prussian major general is going to be the Russian empress! Nevertheless, Catherine's main goal has always been the love of Russia, which, according to her own admission, "is not a country, but the Universe."
The ability to plan a day, not to deviate from what was planned, not to succumb to the blues or laziness, and at the same time to treat one's body rationally could be attributed to German upbringing. However, it seems that the reason for this behavior is deeper: Catherine subordinated her life to the most important task - to justify her own stay on the throne. Klyuchevsky noted that approval meant for Catherine the same thing as "applause for a debutant." The desire for glory was a way for the empress to actually prove to the world the goodness of her intentions. Such life motivation, of course, turned her into self-made.
The fact that in the mass consciousness the personal life of the empress obscured her political activity testifies to the search for psychological compensation by the descendants. After all, Catherine violated one of the oldest social hierarchies - the superiority of men over women.
For the sake of the goal - to rule the country - Catherine without regrets overcame a lot of givens: both her German origin, and confessional affiliation, and the notorious weakness of the female sex, and the monarchical principle of inheritance, which they dared to remind her of almost in person. In a word, Catherine decisively went beyond the limits of those constants in which her environment tried to put, and with all her successes she proved that "happiness is not as blind as it is imagined."
The craving for knowledge and the increase of experience did not kill the woman in her, in addition, until the last years, Catherine continued to behave actively and energetically. Even in her youth, the future empress wrote in her diary: "It is necessary to create yourself, your character." She brilliantly coped with this task, putting knowledge, determination and self-control at the basis of her life trajectory. She was often compared and continues to be compared with Peter I, but if he, in order to "Europeanize" the country, made violent changes to the Russian way of life, then she meekly finished what her idol had begun. One of his contemporaries figuratively described the essence of Catherine's reign as follows: "Peter the Great created people in Russia, but Catherine II put her soul into them."
text Marina Kvash
Source tmnWoman #2/4 | autumn | 2014
The life of the Russian Empress Catherine the Great, which has attracted the attention of both ordinary people and creative personalities for more than two centuries, is surrounded by a large number of various myths. AiF.ru recalls the five most common legends about the most famous Russian mistress.
Myth one. “Catherine II gave birth to an heir to the throne not from Peter III”
One of the most persistent myths associated with the Russian Empress concerns who was the father of the heir to the throne, Pavel Petrovich. For Paul I, who ascended the throne, this topic remained painful until the very last days.
The reason for the stability of such rumors lies in the fact that Catherine II herself did not seek to refute them or somehow punish those who spread them.
The relationship between Catherine and her husband, the future Emperor Peter III, really did not differ in warmth. Marital relations in the early years were defective due to Peter's illness, which was subsequently overcome as a result of the operation.
Two years before the birth of Pavel, Catherine had her first favorite, Sergey Saltykov. Relations between him and Catherine ended after the future empress showed signs of pregnancy. Subsequently, Saltykov was sent abroad as a Russian envoy, and practically did not appear in Russia.
There seems to be a lot of grounds for the version of Saltykov's paternity, but they all do not look convincing against the background of an undoubted portrait resemblance between Peter III and Paul I. Contemporaries, guided not by rumors, but by facts, had no doubt that Pavel was the son of Peter Fedorovich.
Myth two. "Catherine II sold Alaska to America"
A persistent myth at the end of the 20th century was reinforced by the song of the Lyube group, after which the status of the “liquidator of Russian America” was finally established for the empress.
In reality, during the reign of Catherine the Great, Russian industrialists were just starting to develop Alaska. The first permanent Russian settlement was established on Kodiak Island in 1784.
The empress was really unenthusiastic about the projects for the development of Alaska submitted to her, but this was caused by who and how intended to develop it.
In 1780, the secretary of the College of Commerce Mikhail Chulkov submitted to the Prosecutor General of the Senate, Prince Vyazemsky, a project to create a company that was supposed to receive a 30-year monopoly on fishing and trade throughout the Pacific North. Catherine II, who was an opponent of monopolies, rejected the project. In 1788, a similar project, which provided for the transfer of the trade and fishing monopoly of monopoly rights to the extraction of furs in the newly discovered territories in the New World, was filed by industrialists Grigory Shelikhov and Ivan Golikov. The project was also rejected. Only after the death of Catherine II, the development of Alaska by a monopoly company was approved by Paul I.
As for the sale of Alaska, a deal with the United States was concluded in March 1867 at the initiative of the great-grandson of Catherine the Great, Emperor Alexander II.
Myth three. "Catherine II had hundreds of lovers"
Rumors about the incredible sexual adventures of the Russian Empress, which have been replicated for the third century, are greatly exaggerated. The list of her hobbies for her whole life contains a little more than 20 surnames - this, of course, is not typical for the Russian court of the pre-Catherine era, but for the mores of Europe at that time the situation was quite normal. With a small clarification - for male monarchs, not for women. But the thing is that there were not so many women who single-handedly ruled states at that time.
Until 1772, Catherine's love list was very short - in addition to her legal spouse Petr Fedorovich, it featured Sergey Saltykov, the future Polish king Stanislav August Poniatowski and Grigory Orlov, a relationship with which lasted about 12 years.
Apparently, the 43-year-old Ekaterina was further affected by the fear of fading her own beauty. In an effort to catch up with youth, she began to change favorites, who were getting younger, and the duration of their stay next to the empress was getting shorter.
The last of the favorites lasted for seven whole years. In 1789, 60-year-old Catherine approached a 22-year-old horse guard Platon Zubov. The aging woman was very attached to Zubov, whose only talent was pulling money from the state treasury. But this sad story definitely has nothing to do with the mythical "hundreds of lovers."
Myth four. “Catherine II spent most of her time at feasts and balls”
The childhood of little Fike was really far from the classical ideas of how a princess should live. The girl even had to learn to darn her own stockings. It would not be surprising if, having arrived in Russia, Catherine would rush to compensate for her “difficult childhood” with a passion for luxury and entertainment.
But in fact, having ascended the throne, Catherine II lived in the harsh rhythm of the head of state. She got up at 5 am, and only in later years this time shifted to 7 am. Immediately after breakfast, the reception of officials began, and the schedule of their reports was clearly scheduled by hours and days of the week, and this order did not change for years. The working day of the empress lasted up to four hours, after which it was time for rest. At 22 o'clock Ekaterina went to bed, because in the morning she had to get up again for work.
Officials who visited the empress on official business outside of solemn and official events saw her in simple dresses without any jewelry - Catherine believed that she did not need to dazzle her subjects on weekdays with her appearance.
Myth five. "Catherine II was killed by a Polish dwarf avenger"
The death of the Empress was also surrounded by many myths. A year before her death, Catherine II was one of the initiators of the Third Partition of Poland, after which the country ceased to exist as an independent state. The Polish throne, on which the former lover of the Empress, King Stanislav August Poniatowski, had previously sat, was sent to St. Petersburg, where, on the orders of the Empress, they allegedly made a “stool” for her dressing room from it.
Of course, the Polish patriots could not endure such a humiliation of their own country and the ancient throne of the Piast dynasty.
The myth says that a certain Pole-dwarf allegedly managed to sneak into Catherine's chambers, ambushed her in the restroom, stabbed her with a dagger and safely disappeared. The courtiers who discovered the Empress were unable to help her, and she soon died.
The only truth in this story is that Catherine was actually found in the lavatory. On the morning of November 16, 1796, the 67-year-old Empress, as usual, got out of bed, drank coffee and went to the dressing room, where she lingered for too long. The valet on duty dared to look there, and found Ekaterina lying on the floor. Her eyes were closed, her complexion was purple, and wheezing came from her throat. The Empress was transferred to the bedchamber. During the fall, Catherine dislocated her leg, her body became so heavy that the servants did not have enough strength to lift him onto the bed. Therefore, a mattress was laid on the floor and the empress laid on it.
All signs indicated that Catherine had an apoplexy - this term then meant a stroke and cerebral hemorrhage. She did not regain consciousness, and the court physicians who assisted her had no doubt that the Empress had only a few hours to live.
According to doctors, death should have occurred at about three o'clock in the afternoon on November 17. The strong body of Catherine made its own adjustments here too - the great empress passed away at 9:45 pm on November 17, 1796.
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Just Fike. How a poor German provincial became Catherine the Great
On February 14, 1744, an event occurred that was extremely important for the subsequent history of Russia. Princess Sophia Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst arrived in St. Petersburg, accompanied by her mother.
From Fike to the Empress of Russia. 10 facts about the early years of Catherine the Great
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Catherine II - a pediatrician on the throne. How the royal children and grandchildren were brought up
Until the age of five, the august child was considered an infant who should only be protected. Catherine was well aware of the viciousness of such a system from a young age.
Imperial trifles: Catherine II introduced the fashion for award watches and a samovar
The “little things” that were invented by Catherine, put into fashion by her and so firmly entered our everyday life that you can’t cut them out with any ax.
Prince Tauride. The genius and vanity of Grigory Potemkin
Even foreigners, who were skeptical of Russia in general and of Potemkin personally, admitted that the volumes of the real arrangement of Novorossia under Catherine's favorite were indeed grandiose.
Poor Lisa. The story of the unrecognized daughter of Catherine the Great
The alleged daughter of the Empress and Grigory Potemkin lived her life away from political passions.
Bastard Bobrinsky. The story of the illegitimate son of Catherine the Great
Why did the son of Grigory Orlov fall into long-term disgrace with his mother?
On February 14, 1744, an event occurred that was extremely important for the subsequent history of Russia. She arrived in St. Petersburg accompanied by her mother Princess Sophie Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst. A high mission was entrusted to the 14-year-old girl - she was to become the wife of the heir to the Russian throne, give birth to her husband's sons and thereby strengthen the ruling dynasty.
court leapfrog
The middle of the 18th century in Russia went down in history as the “epoch of palace coups”. In 1722 Peter I issued a decree on the succession to the throne, according to which the emperor himself could appoint his successor. This decree played a cruel joke on Peter himself, who did not have time to express his will before his death.
There was no obvious and unconditional contender: Peter's sons had died by that time, and all the other candidates did not find universal support.
Most Serene Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov managed to enthrone the wife of Peter I Catherine who became empress under the name Catherine I. Her reign lasted only two years, and after her death, the grandson of Peter the Great, the son of the prince, ascended the throne. Alexei Peter II.
The struggle for influence over the young king ended with the unfortunate teenager catching a cold on one of the many hunts and dying on the eve of his own wedding.
The nobles, who again faced the problem of choosing a monarch, preferred the dowager Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna, daughters Ivan V brother of Peter the Great.
Anna Ioannovna did not have children who could legally take the Russian throne, and appointed her nephew as heir John Antonovich, who by the time of accession to the throne was not even six months old.
In 1741, another coup took place in Russia, as a result of which the daughter of Peter the Great ascended the throne. Elizabeth.
Looking for an heir
Elizaveta Petrovna, 1756. Artist Toque Louis (1696-1772)
Before ascending the throne, Elizabeth Petrovna, who by that time was already 32 years old, immediately raised the question of an heir. The Russian elite did not want a repeat of the Troubles and strove for stability.
The problem was that the officially unmarried Elizaveta Petrovna, just like Anna Ioannovna, could not give the empire, so to speak, a natural heir.
Elizabeth had many favorites, with one of whom, Alexey Razumovsky, she, according to one version, even entered into a secret marriage. Moreover, the empress may even have given birth to children for him.
But in any case, they could not become heirs to the throne.
Therefore, Elizaveta Petrovna and her entourage began to look for a suitable heir. The choice fell on a 13-year-old Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp, son of sister Elizabeth Petrovna Anna and Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Karl Friedrich.
The childhood of Elizabeth's nephew was difficult: his mother died of a cold, which she received during fireworks in honor of the birth of her son. The father did not pay much attention to the upbringing of his son, and the appointed teachers of all pedagogical methods preferred the rod. The boy became very ill when, at the age of 11, his father died and his distant relatives took him in.
At the same time, Karl Peter Ulrich was a great-nephew Charles XII and was a pretender to the Swedish throne.
Nevertheless, the Russian envoys managed to get the boy to move to St. Petersburg.
What did not work for Elizabeth and Catherine?
Pyotr Fedorovich when he was the Grand Duke. Portrait Georg Christopher Groth (1716-1749)
Elizaveta Petrovna, who first saw her nephew alive, was in a slight shock - a thin, sickly-looking teenager with a wild look, spoke French with difficulty, did not know manners, and was not burdened with knowledge at all.
The Empress rather presumptuously decided that in Russia the guy would be quickly re-educated. To begin with, the heir was transferred to Orthodoxy, named Petr Fedorovich and appointed him teachers. But teachers spent time with Petrusha in vain - until the end of his days, Pyotr Fedorovich never mastered the Russian language, and in general he was one of the most poorly educated Russian monarchs.
After they found an heir, it was necessary to find a bride for him. Elizabeth Petrovna generally had far-reaching plans: she was going to get offspring from Pyotr Fedorovich and his wife, and then raise her grandson on her own from birth, so that he would become the successor to the empress. However, in the end, this plan was not destined to come true.
It is curious that Catherine the Great will subsequently try to carry out a similar maneuver, preparing her grandson as heirs, Alexander Pavlovich, and also fail.
Princess as Cinderella
However, back to our story. The main "fair of the royal brides" in the XVIII century was Germany. There was no single state, but there were many principalities and duchies, small and insignificant, but possessing an overabundance of well-born, but poor young girls.
Considering the candidates, Elizaveta Petrovna remembered the Holstein prince, who in her youth was predicted to be her husband. The prince's sister Johanna Elizabeth, a daughter was growing up - Sophia Augusta Frederick. The girl's father was Christian August of Anhalt-Zerbst, a representative of an ancient princely family. However, large incomes were not attached to a big name, because Christian Augustus was in the service of the Prussian king. And although the prince ended his career with the rank of Prussian field marshal, he and his family spent most of his life in poverty.
Sophia Augusta Frederica was educated at home solely because her father could not afford to hire expensive tutors. The girl even had to darn her own stockings, so there was no need to talk about any pampered princess.
At the same time, Fike, as Sophia Augusta Frederic was called at home, was distinguished by curiosity, a craving for study, and also for street games. Fike was a real daredevil and took part in boyish amusements, which did not please her mother too much.
The Tsar's Bride and the Unfortunate Conspirator
The news that the Russian Empress was considering Fike as the bride of the heir to the Russian throne struck the girl's parents. For them, it was a real gift of fate. Fike herself, who had a sharp mind from her youth, understood that this was her chance to escape from a poor parental home into another, brilliant and vibrant life.
Catherine after her arrival in Russia, a portrait by Louis Caravaque.
