Children of Catherine the Great. The reign and personal life of Catherine the Great

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 large quantity all kinds of 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 toilet room where it lingered 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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CATHERINE II the Great(1729-96), Russian empress (since 1762). German Princess Sophia Frederick Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst. From 1744 - in Russia. Since 1745, the wife of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich, the future emperor, whom she overthrew from the throne (1762), relying on the guards (G. G. and A. G. Orlovs and others). She reorganized the Senate (1763), secularized the lands (1763-64), abolished the hetmanship in Ukraine (1764). Headed the Legislative Commission 1767-69. During her time, the Peasants' War of 1773-75 took place. In 1775, she published the Institution for the Administration of the Province, the Letter of Letter to the Nobility in 1785, and the Letter of Letter to the Cities in 1785. Black Sea coast, Crimea, Kuban region. Adopted under Russian citizenship Vost. Georgia (1783). During the reign of Catherine II, sections of the Commonwealth were carried out (1772, 1793, 1795). Corresponded with other figures of the French Enlightenment. Author of many fiction, dramaturgical, journalistic, popular science works, "Notes".

EKATERINA II Alekseevna(nee Sophia Augusta Frederick, Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst), Russian Empress (from 1762-96).

Origin, upbringing and education

Catherine, the daughter of Prince Christian-August of Anhalt-Zerbst, who was in the Prussian service, and Princess Johanna-Elisabeth (nee Princess of Holstein-Gottorp), was related to the royal houses of Sweden, Prussia and England. She was educated at home: she studied German and French, dance, music, the basics of history, geography, and theology. Already in childhood, her independent character, curiosity, perseverance and, at the same time, a penchant for lively, outdoor games, manifested itself. In 1744, Catherine and her mother were summoned to Russia by the Empress, baptized according to Orthodox custom under the name of Catherine Alekseevna and named the bride of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich (future Emperor Peter III), whom she married in 1745.

Life in Russia before accession to the throne

Catherine set herself the goal of winning the favor of the Empress, her husband and the Russian people. However, her personal life was unsuccessful: Peter was infantile, so during the first years of marriage there was no marital relationship between them. Paying tribute to the cheerful life of the court, Catherine turned to reading French enlighteners and works on history, jurisprudence and economics. These books shaped her worldview. Catherine became a consistent supporter of the ideas of the Enlightenment. She was also interested in the history, traditions and customs of Russia. In the early 1750s. Catherine began an affair with the Guards officer S.V. Saltykov, and in 1754 gave birth to a son, the future Emperor Paul I, but the rumors that Saltykov was Paul's father are unfounded. In the second half of the 1750s. Catherine had an affair with the Polish diplomat S. Poniatowski (later King Stanislaw August), and in the early 1760s. with G. G. Orlov, from whom she gave birth in 1762 to a son, Alexei, who received the surname Bobrinsky. The deterioration of relations with her husband led to the fact that she began to fear for her fate if he came to power and began to recruit supporters for herself at court. The ostentatious piety of Catherine, her prudence, sincere love for Russia - all this contrasted sharply with the behavior of Peter and allowed her to gain authority both among the high-society capital society and the general population of St. Petersburg.

Accession to the throne

During the six months of government Peter III Catherine's relationship with her husband (who openly appeared in the company of E. R. Vorontsova's mistress) continued to deteriorate, becoming clearly hostile. There was a threat of her arrest and possible deportation. Catherine carefully prepared a conspiracy, relying on the support of the Orlov brothers, N.I. Panin, E.R. Dashkova and others. On the night of June 28, 1762, when the emperor was in Oranienbaum, Catherine secretly arrived in St. autocratic empress. Soldiers from other regiments soon joined the rebels. 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. To prevent the actions of the deposed emperor, messengers were sent to the army and to Kronstadt. Meanwhile, Peter, having learned about what had happened, began to send proposals for negotiations to Catherine, which were rejected. The empress herself, at the head of the guards regiments, set out for Petersburg and on the way received Peter's written abdication from the throne.

The nature and manner of government

Catherine II was a subtle psychologist and an excellent connoisseur of people, she skillfully selected her assistants, not being afraid of bright and talented people. That is why Catherine's time is marked by the appearance of a whole galaxy of outstanding statesmen, generals, writers, artists, musicians. In dealing with subjects, Catherine was, as a rule, restrained, patient, tactful. She was an excellent conversationalist, able to listen carefully to everyone. By her own admission, she did not have a creative mind, but she was good at capturing any sensible thought and using it for her own purposes. During the entire reign of Catherine, there were practically no noisy resignations, none of the nobles was disgraced, exiled, let alone executed. Therefore, there was an idea of ​​Catherine's reign as the "golden age" of the Russian nobility. At the same time, Catherine was very vain and valued her power more than anything in the world. For the sake of her preservation, she is ready to make any compromises to the detriment of her beliefs.

Attitude towards religion and the peasant question

Catherine was distinguished by ostentatious piety, considered herself the head and defender of the Russian Orthodox Church and skillfully used religion in their political interests. Her faith, apparently, was not too deep. In the spirit of the time, she preached religious tolerance. Under her, the persecution of the Old Believers was stopped, Catholic and Protestant churches, mosques were built, but the transition from Orthodoxy to another faith was still severely punished.

Catherine was a staunch opponent of serfdom, considering it inhumane and contrary to the very nature of man. In her papers, many harsh statements on this subject, as well as discussions about various options for the elimination of serfdom, have been preserved. However, she did not dare to do anything concrete in this area because of the well-founded fear of a noble rebellion and another coup. At the same time, Catherine was convinced of the spiritual underdevelopment of the Russian peasants and therefore was in danger of granting them freedom, believing that the life of the peasants among caring landowners was quite prosperous.

Personal life of Catherine II

At the age of 15 Peter Ulrich arrived in Russia. Here he formally accepted the Orthodox faith and became Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich. Even Elizabeth, who was not distinguished by her education, was struck by the meager knowledge of her nephew. Therefore, they began to teach him again, now in the Russian and Orthodox manner. For this purpose, the professor of "eloquence and poetry", the head of the art department of the Academy of Sciences, Jacob Shtelin, was appointed as the educator of Pyotr Fedorovich. But all the efforts of the teacher did not give any positive results. Pyotr Fedorovich spent his time playing with soldiers, bred his toy soldiers on the parade ground and on guard; early he became addicted to wine and German beer. To reason with the heir, Elizabeth decided to marry him. On the issue of choosing a bride for the Grand Duke, the opinions of the Russian courtiers were divided. Bestuzhev and his supporters wanted to marry Pyotr Fedorovich to the Princess of Saxony, daughter of King Augustus NI. Chief Marshal Krümmer, Lestok and other friends of the French ambassador Schetardy predicted one of the daughters of the French king to be the wife of the Russian heir. But Elizabeth rejected these options and chose for her nephew a person who was not so noble and rich - the princess of Anhalt-Zerbst, born in 1729 and named in honor of her grandmothers Sophia Augusta Frederica. And her parents just called her Fix. Her mother, Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp, in 1727, as a 15-year-old girl, was married off to 42-year-old Major General Christian August of Anhalt-Zerbst. He was the commander of the 8th Anhalt-Zerbst Regiment in the city of Stettin (Pomerania). In the summer of 1742, Friedrich II appointed him governor of Stettin and granted him the rank of lieutenant general. Somewhat later, Christian became duke and co-ruler of Zerbst. On January 1, 1744, Duchess Johanna Elisabeth Fante received a letter from Petersburg. It was addressed to them by Krümmer on behalf of Empress Elizabeth I, containing her highest invitation to come to Russia. The matchmaking of the Russian court was of great legal importance for Prussia, so its ambassador in St. Petersburg, Lardefeld, promptly informed his king about Elizabeth's intentions. Frederick 2, of course, welcomed the forthcoming marriage of Fix with the heir to the Russian throne, hoping in the future to have his agents in St. Petersburg in the person of the "young court". He wished to personally talk with the bride, invited her and her mother to Berlin for a private dinner, during which he became convinced that the 15-year-old Fix was noticeably smarter than her mother.

After a meeting with the king, the duchess with her daughter, under the name of Countess Reinbeck, went to distant, snow-covered Russia; On February 5, they reached Mitava (Jelgava), then Riga, Petersburg were on their way, and finally, on the evening of February 9, they arrived in Moscow at the Annenhof Palace, in which Elizabeth's court was temporarily located in those days. From that evening, a new page began in the life of the previously little-known girl Fix from the German city of Stettin.

In contrast to her future husband, Fix, from the very first days of her stay in Russia, with enviable perseverance and rare diligence, took up the study of the Russian language and Russian customs. With the help of an adjunct and translator of the Academy of Sciences, Vasily Adadurov, she very quickly achieved noticeable success. Already at the end of June in the church during her conversion to the Orthodox faith, she clearly pronounced her confession in pure Russian. What really surprised everyone present. The Empress even shed a tear. Another task, which the young German woman quite consciously solved at that time, was to please the Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich, and the Empress Elizabeth, and all the Russian people.

Later, Catherine II recalled: "... truly, I did not neglect anything in order to achieve this: obsequiousness, humility, respect, desire to please, desire to do the right thing, sincere affection, everything on my part was constantly used from GM4 to 1761. " .

Having converted to Orthodoxy on June 28, Sha, Fike was betrothed the next day to Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich. After that, she received the title of Grand Duchess and a new name - Ekaterina Alekseevna.

In December 1741, on the way from Moscow to St. Petersburg, Pyotr Fedorovich fell ill with smallpox and lay seriously ill in Khotilovo until February. Smallpox disfigured his face. He grew noticeably, but his intellect remained at the same level, and childish amusements, too.

Finally, the most important day for Ekaterina Alekseevna came - the day of her wedding with Pyotr Fedorovich. It took place on August 21 in the capital. Everything was according to Russian custom: a rich bride's outfit with precious jewelry, and a solemn service in the Kazan Church, and a ceremonial dinner in the gallery of the Winter Palace, and a luxurious ball.

It is not enough to call Catherine's marriage unsuccessful or unhappy - for her, as for a woman, it was humiliating and insulting. On the wedding night, Peter avoided marital duties, the subsequent ones were the same. Later, Catherine testified: "... and in this position the matter remained for nine years without the slightest change."

Before the wedding, Catherine hoped for something else. About her attitude towards Peter the groom, she wrote: "... I can’t say that I liked him or didn’t like him; I only knew how to obey. It was my mother’s business to marry me. But, but the truth, I think that the Russian crown is more I liked him more than his person. He was then 16 years old ... he talked to me about toys and soldiers with which he was busy from morning to evening. I listened to him out of courtesy and to please him ... but we never spoke between myself in the language of love: it was not for me to start this conversation ... "Relations between the young spouses did not work out. Catherine finally understood that her husband would always be a stranger to her. And she thought about him now in a different way: “... I had a cruel thought for him in the very first days of my marriage. I said to myself: if you love this person, you will be the most unfortunate creature on earth ... this person he barely looks at you, he talks only about dolls and pays more attention to any other woman than to you; you are too proud to make a fuss about this, therefore ... think of yourself, madam" Not every woman in this musty atmosphere of court intrigues, she could rise above her surroundings, always behave outwardly with dignity and think only about herself, about that still completely obscure prospect that awaited her in the future. And only a combination of an outstanding mind, strong will beyond her years, considerable courage and, of course, cunning, hypocrisy, unlimited ambition and vanity helped Catherine to wage a covert struggle for her place at the Russian court for 18 years and, in the end, achieve the coveted crown. empresses.

After the wedding, Ekaterina Alekseevna's mother left Russia, and she remained completely alone among the Russians. But this did not upset her, she and her mother were never spiritually close people. To top it off, the mother, by rash acts, only prevented her daughter from maintaining her good name at court. Most of all, Ekaterina Alekseevna sought the location of the empress. Despite all the efforts of the Grand Duchess, she always liked everything in everything, the relationship between them was uneven, far from friendly, and sometimes even tense. True, Elizabeth did not skimp on gifts. Before the engagement, Ekaterina Alekseevna received a necklace worth 150 thousand rubles. For petty expenses, she was assigned a maintenance of 30 thousand rubles.

The Empress very soon realized that she was in a hurry with the announcement of Peter Fedorovich as heir to the throne. The behavior of an incompetent nephew often irritated her. Not knowing how to get out of this awkward situation, she involuntarily transferred her dissatisfaction with the heir to the throne to his wife. She was accused of indifference to her husband, that she could not or did not want to influence him in a good way, to captivate him with her feminine charms. Finally, the empress demanded from the young heir. And it has not yet been foreseen.

It should not be forgotten that the life of the "young court" proceeded in front of the servants appointed by Elizabeth herself. To the Grand Duchess, in particular, in 1746, State Dame Maria Semenovna Choglokova, who was especially devoted to the Empress, was assigned as her Chief Chamberlain. This evil and capricious woman, according to Catherine, spied on her and reported everything to Elizabeth. The Empress also replaced the Chamberlain Krummer with Peter Fedorovich by Prince Vasily Anikitich Repnin, and then, in 1747, by chamberlain Nikolai Naumovich Choglokov, husband of Maria Semyonovna. Due to their limited nature, the Choglokov couple could not contribute to the rapprochement between the Grand Duchess and the Empress; on the contrary, they introduced excessive wariness and distrust into their relationship. And apparently, Ekaterina Alekseevna had reason to write: “... it seemed to me that she (Elizaveta. Deg.) was always dissatisfied with me, since it happened very rarely that she did me the honor to enter into a conversation; however, at least and we lived in the same house, and our chambers adjoined both in the Winter and in the Summer Palace, but we did not see her for whole months, and often more. We did not dare to appear in her chambers without a call, and we almost never We were often scolded in the name of Her Majesty for such trifles, regarding which it was impossible to even suspect that they could anger the Empress. For this, she sent to us not only the Choglokovs, but it often happened that she drove to us a maid, an escort or someone "something of this kind to convey to us not only extremely unpleasant things, but even harshness, tantamount to gross insults. At the same time, it was impossible to be more careful than I was in the depths of my soul so as not to violate Her Majesty's due respect and obedience."

At the age of 18, Ekaterina has developed into a beautiful and physically strong woman. The flattery of many around her began to pleasantly spin her head. To give vent to her young energy, she spent a lot of time hunting, boating and famously riding a horse. It was not difficult for her to spend the whole day in the saddle, while she sat equally beautifully and firmly in it both in English (as befits a noble aristocrat) and in Tatar (as is customary among real cavalrymen). Her body was well accustomed to the climate of St. Petersburg, and she now radiated health and feminine dignity, while deeply hiding her offended pride and her secret thoughts.

And the Grand Duke continued to play with dolls and deal with a detachment of Holstein soldiers, whom he specially summoned to Russia, which turned all Russians against him. He placed these Holsteiners in Prussian uniform in Oranienbaum in a special camp, where he often disappeared, endlessly and without special need, building up and setting up guards. Family life was still of little interest to him. And therefore, the French attaché Count d'Allion reported to Versailles: "The Grand Duke still cannot prove to his wife that he is a man."

Elizaveta Petrovna was tired of waiting for the Grand Duke to become a capable husband, and she found it possible to solve the problem of the heir without his participation. For these purposes, two young men were assigned to the court of the Grand Duchess - Sergei Saltykov and Lev Naryshkin. Saltykov was 26 years old, he had been legally married to one of the court ladies-in-waiting for two years. According to Ekaterina Alekseevna, “he was as beautiful as day, and, of course, no one could compare with him ... at court. give great light and court ... in general, both by birth and by many other qualities, he was an outstanding gentleman; he knew how to hide his shortcomings; the biggest of them were a tendency to intrigue and lack of strict rules..." Later, Ekaterina Alekseevna did not speak so enthusiastically about her favorite. But then Saltykov's shortcomings, in particular "lack of strict rules", that is, his weakness for the fair sex, "had not yet turned around before her eyes." Lev Naryshkin was young company is just a kind and cheerful joker who was assigned the role of a cover in the planned "operation".

After Easter 1752, Sergei Saltykov began to stubbornly seek special attention from the Grand Duchess. At first, Ekaterina Alekseevna did not feel completely confident. She certainly liked this persistent admirer, but she could not help but fear the wrath of the empress. Very soon she was rescued by Choglokova. Without embarrassment, this always strict and impeccable lady frankly declared to Catherine that "in the interests of the succession to the throne" she was allowed to choose for herself any of the appointed gentlemen. The former girl Fix did not ask stupid questions. She immediately understood what was expected of her, and with an open heart went towards her first love.

The court of Elizabeth once again moved from St. Petersburg to Moscow on December 14, 1752. Ekaterina Alekseevna was also in the retinue of the Empress, along with the Grand Duke. Then she recalled that she set off "with some slight signs of pregnancy", that "we drove quickly both day and night" and that "at the last station these signs disappeared with strong pains" . It was her first miscarriage.

At the beginning of 1753 Sergei Saltykov arrived in Moscow. Now he met his beloved less often and, in defense, complained to her that he had many enemies, while referring to the supporters of Chancellor Bestuzhev. Then Ekaterina Alekseevna decided that their love would not lose its charms if politics was added to it. To this end, through one of the court officials, she turned to Bestuzhev with a request to consider her among his faithful allies.

Prior to this, relations between the Grand Duchess and the Chancellor were unfriendly. The latter experienced hostile feelings towards Pyotr Fedorovich and at the same time transferred his dislike to his wife. Ekaterina Alekseevna also considered Bestuzhev the main culprit of all the troubles and difficulties that she had to meet at court. However, over time, both sides realized that she was mutually interested in friendship. The insightful Bestuzhev noticed long ago how carefully and cleverly he behaves grand duchess in her difficult relationship with her husband and the empress. Therefore, he willingly accepted her proposal, and soon they really became allies.

After that, the meetings of young lovers continued. But the Grand Duchess was again unlucky. In the summer of 1753, during the stay of the court in Moscow, she danced a lot at her husband's name day, as a result, a second miscarriage occurred. Of course, this could not please the Empress. That's why when next spring Elizabeth was informed about the new pregnancy of the Grand Duchess, she put her in quarantine.

Ekaterina Alekseevna gave birth on September 20, 1754 to a son. They named him Pavel and forever took him from his mother to the chambers of the empress. On the sixth day, the baby was baptized, and the Grand Duchess was awarded the highest reward of 100 thousand rubles. It is interesting that at first Pyotr Fedorovich was not marked by the attention of the Empress, since in reality he had nothing to do with the birth of a child. However, this put him in a ridiculous position at court and gave him a formal reason to express his sharp displeasure. Elizabeth very soon realized her mistake and retroactively ordered that her nephew also be given 100 thousand rubles. As for Sergei Saltykov, the real father of the newborn, his presence at court became not only superfluous, but also very undesirable. Therefore, 17 days after the baby was born, he was sent first to Sweden, and then to Dresden, where he spent time in the company of the fair sex, without making a secret of his adventures for others.

Baby Pavel was shown to his mother only 15 days after birth. Then the empress again took him to her apartments, where she personally took care of him and where, according to Catherine, "there were a lot of old ladies around him, who, by stupid care, completely devoid of common sense, brought him incomparably more bodily and moral suffering than good" . And the lard princess, safely resolved from the burden, Lived now left alone, without any participation and attention. She was unwell, she "could not and did not want to see anyone, because she was in grief." And I read a lot.

Reading was one of Ekaterina Alekseevna's favorite activities - she always had a book with her. At first she was amused by light novels, but very soon she set to serious literature, And according to her Notes, she had the intelligence and patience to overcome the nine-volume History of Germany. Kappa and the multivolume Bayle's Dictionary, Plutarch's Lives of Famous Men and Cicero's Life, Madame de Seville's Letters and Tacitus' Annals, works by Plato, Montesquieu and Voltaire. The historian S.F. Platonov, in particular, wrote about her: "The degree of her theoretical development and education reminds us of the strength of the practical development of Peter the Great. And both of them were self-taught."

It was only in February 1755 that Ekaterina Alekseevna overcame her hypochondria and appeared in society for the first time after giving birth. Pyotr Fedorovich by this time had completely ceased to notice his wife. He matured and began to court women, while showing a rather strange taste: he preferred ugly and narrow-minded girls in their development. At first he became interested in the Princess of Courland, the daughter of the exiled Biron. Ugly, short and slightly hunchbacked, this girl quarreled with her parents, ran away from them from Yaroslavl, converted to the Orthodox faith and, with the permission of the empress, lived at the Russian court. The Grand Duke was impressed by her German origin and knowledge German language. However, the princess turned out to be smarter than her royal admirer and, not agreeing to become his mistress, later married Baron Alexander Ivanovich Cherkasov. Then Pyotr Fedorovich turned his high attention to Elizaveta Vorontsova. The maiden Elizaveta Romanovna was the niece of Vice-Chancellor M. I. Vorontsov. In 1749, at the age of 11, she was appointed maid of honor to Ekaterina Alekseevna. Foreigners wrote about her that "she swore like a soldier, squinted her eyes, smelled bad and spat when talking." In the summer of 1755, the English envoy Genbury Williams arrived in St. Petersburg. In his retinue was 23-year-old Count Stanislav Poniatowski, a man with a beautiful appearance and a superficial education, already quite spoiled by the high society life of Paris, where he had fun since 1753. His father, by the way, in his youth served in the troops of the Austrian Prince Eugene. He supported the Swedish king Charles XII, later became his adjutant, participated in the Battle of Poltava and, together with Charles XII, fled to Turkey, where he defended the interests of the Swedes and contributed to the declaration of war against Russia by the Turks. The son inherited from his father many of the worst features of his character - unscrupulousness in politics, licentiousness in Everyday life and thirst for easy pleasures.

Very soon, Poniatowski became close friends with Lev Naryshkin. And at the beginning of 1756, he brought him together with Ekaterina Alekseevna. Thus began a new fascinating romance of the Grand Duchess. And on December 9, 1758, Ekaterina Alekseevna was allowed to have a second child. The girl was named Anna in honor of her grandmother. And again the empress took the baby from her mother to her chambers. Among his close associates, Pyotr Fedorovich made a statement about this. "God knows, he said, where does my wife get her pregnancy from, I don't really know if this is my child and if I should take it personally." However, when Elizabeth, on the occasion of the birth of a girl, ordered her Cabinet to give her parents 60 thousand rubles each, he accepted this award with great satisfaction.

After the fall of Bestuzhev, relations between the Empress and Ekaterina Alekseevna reached the greatest tension. Instead of the Choglokovs, no one was assigned to the "young court", but the head of the Secret Chancellery Alexander Shuvalov himself with his wife. The Grand Duchess, deprived of any attention after giving birth, was blamed not only for her unfriendly attitude towards her husband, but also for her impartial friendship with Bestuzhev.

In the last days of Shrove Tuesday in 1759, another quarrel arose between the spouses. At the same time, Pyotr Fedorovich, who had already openly declared Elizaveta Vorontsova the mistress of his quarter, began to talk with his wife in the tone of an order. In addition, rumors had already spread among the courtiers that Vorontsova would soon become the wife of the Grand Duke, and the Grand Duchess would be sent to a monastery.

Ekaterina Alekseevna, having soberly assessed the situation, wrote a polite but rather bold letter to the Empress. In it, she thanked Elizabeth for all her favors, admitted that she was unhappy that she had failed to please the Grand Duke and Empress, and therefore asked to be allowed to go back home. She motivated the need for her departure with very weighty arguments: the Grand Duke does not need her at all; since her children were taken from her and their upbringing is in better hands, her departure will not affect their future fate; she is no longer able to remain in that unhealthy situation that has developed around her at court; her departure will calm all her ill-wishers and free the empress from unnecessary trouble.

Of course, Ekaterina Alekseevna was not so naive as to really strive to leave Russia. She knew very well that Elizabeth had long been unable to bear her nephew and that she would never dare to dissolve his marriage for the sake of the stupid girl Vorontsova. By this well-calculated act, the Grand Duchess hoped to consolidate her position at court. And she quite succeeded.

Elizabeth's conversation with Ekaterina Alekseevna took place at three o'clock in the morning in the presence of Pyotr Fedorovich and Alexander Shuvalov. Ivan Shuvalov was also at that time in the chambers of the Empress behind a screen. At first, Elizabeth behaved very strictly - anger and impatience sounded in her voice. But the courteous and at the same time rather bold and precise answers of the interlocutor gradually disarmed her. An unpleasant conversation between the women ended in moved tears. Then the Grand Duchess was told the words of Elizabeth, told by her to her relatives about her daughter-in-law: "She loves truth and justice; she is a very smart woman, but my nephew is a fool."

By the end of the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, her nephew finally lost the respect of many around him and aroused the sharp discontent of the majority of Russians. On the contrary, even her opponents began to respect Ekaterina Alekseevna. A large circle of adherents from Russians formed around her, among whom were not only guards officers and middle-class nobles, but also influential nobles who were close to the empress.

Elizabeth herself understood her mistake with the appointment of a successor to the throne, but she lost time and now, when her health was seriously undermined, she could not solve the problem of succession in a different way. When she died on December 25, 1761 at the age of 52, Pyotr Fedorovich was proclaimed Russian Emperor (1761-1762).

Bibliography:

1) Zaichkin I. A., Pochkaev I. N. - Russian history. I and II books.

2) S. F. Platonov "Lectures on Russian history".

3) Magazine "Rodina" number 1 for 1993.

Doctor of Historical Sciences M. RAKHMATULLIN.

During the long decades of the Soviet era, the history of the reign of Catherine II was presented with a clear bias, and the image of the Empress herself was deliberately distorted. From the pages of a few publications, a cunning and conceited German princess appears, who treacherously seized the Russian throne and is most concerned with satisfying her sensual desires. Such judgments are based either on a frankly politicized motive, or purely emotional memories of her contemporaries, or, finally, the tendentious intent of her enemies (especially from among foreign opponents), who tried to discredit the empress's tough and consistent upholding of Russia's national interests. But Voltaire, in one of his letters to Catherine II, called her "Northern Semiramis", likening the heroine of Greek mythology, whose name is associated with the creation of one of the seven wonders of the world - hanging gardens. Thus, the great philosopher expressed his admiration for the activities of the Empress in the transformation of Russia, her wise rule. In the proposed essay, an attempt was made to impartially tell about the affairs and personality of Catherine II. "I did my job pretty well"

Crowned Catherine II in all the splendor of her coronation attire. The coronation traditionally took place in Moscow on September 22, 1762.

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, who reigned from 1741 to 1761. Portrait of the middle of the XVIII century.

Peter I married his eldest daughter Tsesarevna Anna Petrovna to the Duke of Holstein Karl-Friedrich. Their son became the heir to the Russian throne, Peter Fedorovich.

Catherine II's mother, Johanna-Elizabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst, who secretly tried to intrigue in favor of the Prussian king, secretly from Russia.

The Prussian King Frederick II, whom the young Russian heir tried to imitate in everything.

Science and life // Illustrations

Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna and Grand Duke Pyotr Fedorovich. Their marriage turned out to be extremely unsuccessful.

Count Grigory Orlov is one of the active organizers and executors of the palace coup that elevated Catherine to the throne.

The most ardent part in the coup of June 1762 was taken by the still very young Princess Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova.

Family portrait of the royal couple, made shortly after the accession to the throne of Peter III. Next to his parents is the young heir Pavel in oriental costume.

The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, where dignitaries and nobles took the oath to Empress Catherine II.

The future Russian Empress Catherine II Alekseevna, born Sophia Frederick Augusta, Princess of Anhaltzerbst, was born on April 21 (May 2), 1729 in Stettin (Prussia), which was provincial at that time. Her father, the unremarkable Prince Christian-August, made a good career by devoted service to the Prussian king: regiment commander, commandant of Stettin, governor. In 1727 (he was then 42 years old) he married the 16-year-old Holstein-Gottorp princess Johanna-Elisabeth.

The somewhat eccentric princess, who had an irrepressible addiction to entertainment and short trips to her numerous and, unlike her, rich relatives, put family concerns in the first place. Among the five children, the first-born daughter Fikkhen (that was the name of all the family Sophia Frederic) was not her favorite - they were waiting for a son. “My birth was not particularly joyfully welcomed,” Catherine later wrote in her Notes. The power-hungry and strict parent, out of a desire to "knock out her pride," often rewarded her daughter with slaps in the face for innocent childish pranks and for unchildish stubbornness of character. Little Fikkhen found comfort in a good-natured father. Constantly employed in the service and practically not interfering in the upbringing of children, he nevertheless became for them an example of conscientious service in the state field. “I have never met a more honest person, both in terms of principles and in relation to actions,” Catherine will say about her father at a time when she already knew people well.

Lack of material resources prevented parents from hiring expensive, experienced teachers and governesses. And here fate generously smiled on Sophia Frederica. After the change of several careless governesses, the French emigrant Elisabeth Kardel (nicknamed Babet) became her good mentor. As Catherine II later wrote about her, she "knew almost everything, having learned nothing; she knew all comedies and tragedies like the back of her hand and was very funny." The heartfelt response of the pupil draws Babet "an example of virtue and prudence - she had a naturally elevated soul, a developed mind, an excellent heart; she was patient, meek, cheerful, fair, constant."

Perhaps the main merit of the clever Kardel, who had an exceptionally balanced character, can be called the fact that she attracted the stubborn and secretive at first (the fruits of her previous upbringing) Fikkhen to reading, in which the capricious and wayward princess found true pleasure. A natural consequence of this passion is the soon-to-be developed interest of a girl developed beyond her years in serious works of a philosophical content. It is no coincidence that already in 1744 one of the enlightened friends of the family, the Swedish Count Gyllenborg, jokingly, but not without reason, called Fikchen "a fifteen-year-old philosopher." It is curious that Catherine II herself admitted that the acquisition of "intelligence and virtues" was greatly facilitated by the conviction inspired by her mother, "as if I were completely ugly," which kept the princess from empty social entertainment. Meanwhile, one of her contemporaries recalls: “She was perfectly built, from infancy she was distinguished by a noble posture and was taller than her years. Her facial expression was not beautiful, but very pleasant, and her open look and kind smile made her whole figure very attractive.”

but further fate Sophia (like many later German princesses) was determined not by her personal merits, but by the dynastic situation in Russia. The childless Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, immediately after her accession, began to look for an heir worthy of the Russian throne. The choice fell on the only direct successor of the family of Peter the Great, his grandson - Karl Peter Ulrich. The son of the eldest daughter of Peter I Anna and the Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, Karl Friedrich, was left an orphan at the age of 11. The upbringing of the prince was carried out by pedantic German teachers, led by the pathologically cruel Chamber Marshal Count Otto von Brummer. The ducal offspring, frail from birth, was sometimes kept half-starved, and for any offense they were forced to kneel on peas for hours, often and painfully flogged. “I order you to be whipped so,” Brummer shouted, “that the dogs will lick the blood.” The boy found an outlet in his passion for music, addicted to the pathetically sounding violin. Another passion of his was playing with tin soldiers.

The humiliations to which he was subjected from day to day gave their results: the prince, as contemporaries note, became "hot-tempered, false, loved to brag, learned to lie." He grew up a cowardly, secretive, capricious beyond measure and thought a lot about himself. Here is a laconic portrait of Peter Ulrich, drawn by our brilliant historian V. O. Klyuchevsky: “His way of thinking and acting gave the impression of something surprisingly unthought-out and unfinished. He looked at serious things with a childish look, and treated children’s undertakings with the seriousness of a mature husband. He was like a child who imagined himself to be an adult; in fact, he was an adult who forever remained a child.

Such a "worthy" heir to the Russian throne in January 1742 was hastily (so that he would not be intercepted by the Swedes, whose king he could also become by his pedigree) was taken to St. Petersburg. In November of the same year, against his will, the prince was converted to Orthodoxy and named Peter Fedorovich. But in his heart he always remained a devout German Lutheran, who did not show any desire to master the language of his new homeland tolerably to any extent. In addition, the heir was not lucky with his studies and education in St. Petersburg either. His main mentor, Academician Yakov Shtelin, completely lacked any pedagogical talents, and he, seeing the amazing inability and indifference of the student, preferred to cater to the constant whims of the underage, and not teach him properly to the mind.

Meanwhile, 14-year-old Pyotr Fedorovich has already found a bride. What was the determining factor in the choice of Princess Sophia by the Russian court? The Saxon resident Petzold wrote about this: being, although "from a noble, but such a small family," she would be an obedient wife without any pretensions to participate in big politics. At the same time, Elizabeth Petrovna's elegiac memories of her failed marriage to Sophia's mother's older brother Karl August (shortly before the wedding, he died of smallpox), and the portraits of the pretty princess delivered to the empress, who even then everyone "liked at first sight" (so Catherine II writes in her Notes without false modesty).

At the end of 1743, Princess Sophia was invited (with Russian money) to Petersburg, where she arrived accompanied by her mother in February of the following year. From there they went to Moscow, where at that time the royal court was located, and on the eve of the birthday (February 9) of Peter Fedorovich, a pretty and dressed up (for the same money) bride appeared before the empress and the grand duke. J. Shtelin writes about the sincere delight of Elizabeth Petrovna at the sight of Sophia. And the mature beauty, stature and greatness of the Russian Tsaritsa made an indelible impression on the young provincial princess. As if they liked each other and betrothed. In any case, the mother of the future bride wrote to her husband that "the Grand Duke loves her." Fikkhen herself assessed more and more soberly: “To tell the truth, I liked the Russian crown more than him (the groom. - M. R.) person".

Indeed, the idyll, if it arose at first, did not last long. Further communication between the Grand Duke and the Princess showed a complete dissimilarity in both characters and interests, and outwardly they were strikingly different from each other: the lanky, narrow-shouldered and frail groom lost even more against the background of an unusually attractive bride. When the Grand Duke suffered smallpox, his face was so disfigured by fresh scars that Sophia, seeing the heir, could not restrain herself and was frankly horrified. However, the main thing was different: the amazing infantilism of Pyotr Fedorovich was opposed by the active, purposeful, ambitious nature of the self-aware Princess Sophia Frederica, named in Russia in honor of the mother of Empress Elizabeth Catherine (Alekseevna). This happened with her adoption of Orthodoxy on June 28, 1744. The Empress made noble gifts to the newly converted - a diamond cufflink and a necklace worth 150 thousand rubles. The next day, the official betrothal took place, bringing Catherine the titles of Grand Duchess and Imperial Highness.

Assessing later the situation that arose in the spring of 1744, when Empress Elizabeth, having learned about the frivolous attempts of Sophia's mother, Princess Johanna-Elizabeth, who was prone to intrigues, to act (secretly from the Russian court) in the interests of the Prussian King Frederick II, almost sent her and her daughter back , "to his home" (which the bridegroom, as the bride sensitively caught, would perhaps be glad), Catherine expressed her feelings as follows: "He was almost indifferent to me, but the Russian crown was not indifferent to me."

On August 21, 1745, the wedding ceremonies began, lasting ten days. Lush balls, masquerades, fireworks, a sea of ​​wine and mountains of treats for the common people on St. Petersburg's Admiralteiskaya Square exceeded all expectations. However, the family life of the newlyweds began with disappointments. As Catherine herself writes, her husband, who had had a hearty supper that evening, "lay down beside me, dozed off and slept safely until morning." And so it went on night after night, month after month, year after year. Pyotr Fedorovich, as before the wedding, selflessly played with dolls, trained (or rather, tortured) a pack of his dogs, arranged daily reviews of an amusing company of court cavaliers of his own age, and at night with passion taught his wife "gun exercise", bringing her to complete exhaustion. It was then that he first discovered an excessive addiction to wine and tobacco.

It is not surprising that Catherine began to experience a physical disgust for her nominal husband, finding solace in reading a wide variety of serious books on the subject and in horseback riding (it used to be that she spent up to 13 hours a day on horseback). She recalled that the famous "Annals" of Tacitus had a strong influence on the formation of her personality, and the latest work of the French educator Charles Louis Montesquieu "On the Spirit of the Laws" became her reference book. She was absorbed in the study of the works of French encyclopedists and already at that time intellectually outgrew everyone around her.

Meanwhile, the aging Empress Elizaveta Petrovna was waiting for the heir and blamed Catherine for the fact that he did not appear. In the end, the Empress, at the prompting of trusted persons, arranged a medical examination of the married couple, the results of which we learn from the reports of foreign diplomats: "The Grand Duke was unable to have children from an obstacle removed from the Eastern peoples by circumcision, but which he considered incurable." The news of this plunged Elizabeth Petrovna into shock. "Amazed by this news, like a thunderbolt," writes one of the eyewitnesses, "Elizabeth seemed numb, could not utter a word for a long time, and finally began to sob."

However, the tears did not prevent the empress from agreeing to an immediate operation, and in case of her failure, she ordered to find a suitable "cavalier" for the role of the father of the unborn child. They became the "handsome Serge", 26-year-old chamberlain Sergei Vasilyevich Saltykov. After two miscarriages (in 1752 and 1753), on September 20, 1754, Catherine gave birth to the heir to the throne, named Pavel Petrovich. True, evil tongues at the court almost said aloud that the child should have been called Sergeevich. Pyotr Fedorovich, who had successfully got rid of the illness by that time, also doubted his paternity: “God knows where my wife gets her pregnancy from, I don’t really know if this is my child and should I take it personally?”

Time, meanwhile, showed the unfounded suspicions. Pavel inherited not only the specific features of the appearance of Pyotr Fedorovich, but, more importantly, the features of his character - including mental imbalance, irritability, a tendency to unpredictable actions and an irrepressible love for the senseless drill of soldiers.

Immediately after birth, the heir was excommunicated from his mother and placed under the care of nannies, and Sergei Saltykov was sent from Catherine in love with him to Sweden with an invented diplomatic mission. As for the grand ducal couple, Elizabeth Petrovna, having received the long-awaited heir, lost her former interest in her. With her nephew, because of his obnoxious antics * and foolish antics, she could not stay "even a quarter of an hour, so as not to feel disgust, anger or grief." For example, he drilled holes in the wall of the room where the aunt-empress received her favorite Alexei Razumovsky, and not only watched what was happening there, but also invited "friends" from his entourage to look through the peephole. One can imagine the strength of the anger of Elizabeth Petrovna, who learned about the trick. Aunt Empress from now on in her hearts often calls him either a fool, or a freak, or even a "cursed nephew." In such a situation, Ekaterina Alekseevna, who provided the heir to the throne, could calmly reflect on her future fate.

The twenty-year-old Grand Duchess on August 30, 1756 reports to the British ambassador in Russia to Sir Charles Herbert Williams, with whom she was in secret correspondence, that she decided to "die or reign." The vital attitudes of the young Catherine in Russia are simple: to please the Grand Duke, to please the Empress, to please the people. Recalling this time, she wrote: “Truly, I did not neglect anything in order to achieve this: obsequiousness, humility, respect, desire to please, desire to do what is right, sincere affection - everything on my part was constantly used to that from 1744 to 1761. I confess that when I lost hope of success in the first paragraph, I redoubled my efforts to fulfill the last two, it seemed to me that more than once I had time in the second, and the third succeeded me in its entirety, without any limitation of any time, and, therefore, I think I have fulfilled my task quite well."

The methods by which Ekaterina obtained the “power of attorney of the Russians” did not contain anything original and, in their simplicity, corresponded in the best possible way to the mental mood and the level of enlightenment of the St. Petersburg high society. Let's listen to her herself: "Attribute this to a deep mind and a long study of my position. Not at all! I owe this to Russian old women<...>And in solemn meetings, and at simple gatherings and parties, I approached the old women, sat down beside them, asked about their health, advised them what remedies to use in case of illness, patiently listened to their endless stories about their young years, about the current boredom, about the windiness of young people; she herself asked their advice in various matters and then sincerely thanked them. I knew the names of their pugs, lapdogs, parrots, fools; knew when which of these ladies had a birthday. On this day, my valet came to her, congratulated her on my behalf and brought flowers and fruits from the Oranienbaum greenhouses. In less than two years, the most ardent praise of my mind and heart was heard from all sides and spread throughout Russia. In the simplest and most innocent way, I made myself a loud glory, and when it came to taking the Russian throne, a significant majority ended up on my side.

On December 25, 1761, after a long illness, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna passed away. Senator Trubetskoy, who announced this long-awaited news, immediately proclaimed the accession to the throne of Emperor Peter III. As the remarkable historian S. M. Solovyov writes, “the answer was sobs and groans for the whole palace<...>The majority greeted the new reign gloomily: they knew the character of the new sovereign and did not expect anything good from him. "Ekaterina, if she had the intention, as she herself recalls," to save the state from that death, the danger of which was forced to foresee all the moral and physical qualities of this sovereign " , then, being at that time in the fifth month of pregnancy, she practically could not actively intervene in the course of events.

Perhaps this was for the best for her - for six months of his reign, Peter III managed to turn the capital's society and the nobility as a whole against himself to such an extent that he practically opened the road to power for his wife. Moreover, the attitude towards him was not changed either by the abolition of the hated Secret Chancellery, which caused universal rejoicing, with its dungeons filled with prisoners at the sole infamous cry: "The word and deed of the sovereign!" compulsory civil service and giving them the freedom to choose their place of residence, employment and the right to travel abroad. The last act aroused such a fit of enthusiasm among the nobility that the Senate even set out to erect a monument of pure gold to the benefactor tsar. However, the euphoria did not last long - everything was outweighed by the extremely unpopular actions of the emperor in society, which greatly offended the national dignity of the Russian people.

The adoration of the Prussian king Frederick II, deliberately advertised by Peter III, was subjected to angry condemnation. He loudly proclaimed himself his vassal, for which he received the nickname "Frederick's monkey" among the people. The degree of public discontent jumped especially sharply when Peter III made peace with Prussia and returned to her without any compensation the lands conquered by the blood of Russian soldiers. This step practically nullified all the successes of the Seven Years' War for Russia.

Peter III managed to turn the clergy against himself, because, according to his decree of March 21, 1762, they began to hastily implement the decision made under Elizabeth Petrovna on the secularization of church lands: the treasury, devastated by many years of war, demanded replenishment. Moreover, the new tsar threatened to deprive the clergy of their customary lush vestments, replacing them with black pastoral cassocks, and to shave off the beards of the priests.

Did not add glory to the new emperor and addiction to wine. It did not go unnoticed how extremely cynical he behaved during the days of mournful farewell to the late empress, allowing obscene antics, jokes, loud laughter at her coffin ... According to contemporaries, Peter III did not have in these days "a more cruel enemy than himself, because he neglects nothing that might harm him." This is confirmed by Catherine: her husband "in the whole empire had no more fierce enemy than himself." As you can see, Peter III thoroughly prepared the ground for a coup.

It is difficult to say exactly when the concrete outlines of the conspiracy appeared. With a high degree of probability, its occurrence can be attributed to April 1762, when Catherine, after giving birth, received a physical opportunity for real action. The final decision on the conspiracy, apparently, was approved after a family scandal that happened in early June. At one of the gala dinners, Peter III, in the presence of foreign ambassadors and about 500 guests, publicly called his wife a fool several times in a row. This was followed by an order to the adjutant to arrest his wife. And only the persistent persuasion of Prince George Ludwig of Holstein (he was the uncle of the imperial couple) extinguished the conflict. But they did not change the intention of Peter III to free himself from his wife by any means and to fulfill his long-standing desire - to marry the favorite, Elizabeth Romanovna Vorontsova. According to the reviews of persons close to Peter, she "cursed like a soldier, mowed, smelled bad and spat when talking." Pocked, fat, with an exorbitant bust, she was just the type of woman that Pyotr Fyodorovich liked, during drinking parties he loudly called his girlfriend none other than "Romanova." Catherine, on the other hand, was threatened with inevitable tonsure as a nun.

There was no time left to organize a classic conspiracy with lengthy preparation and thinking through all the details. Everything was decided according to the situation, almost at the level of improvisation, however, compensated by the decisive actions of Ekaterina Alekseevna's supporters. Among them was her secret admirer, the Ukrainian hetman K. G. Razumovsky, at the same time the commander of the Izmailovsky regiment, a favorite of the guards. Ober-Procurator A. I. Glebov, Feldzeugmeister General A. N. Vilboa, Police Director Baron N. A. Korf, and General-in-Chief M. N., who were close to Peter III, also showed obvious sympathy for her. The 18-year-old Princess E. R. Dashkova, unusually energetic and girlishly loyal to Catherine, was also involved in the preparation of the coup (the favorite of Peter III was her sister), who had extensive connections in society due to her proximity to N. I. Panin and the fact that Chancellor M. I. Vorontsov was her own uncle.

It was through the sister of the favorite, who did not arouse any suspicion, that the officers of the Preobrazhensky Regiment - P. B. Passek, S. A. Bredikhin, brothers Alexander and Nikolai Roslavlevs, were attracted to participate in the coup. Through other reliable channels, contacts were established with other energetic young guard officers. All of them paved Catherine a relatively easy path to the throne. Among them, the most active and active - "standing out from the crowd of comrades with beauty, strength, youthfulness, sociability" 27-year-old Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov (who had long been in a love affair with Catherine - the boy born to her in April 1762 was their son Alexei). Ekaterina's favorite was supported in everything by his two equally valiant guard brothers - Alexei and Fedor. It was the three Orlov brothers who were actually the mainspring of the conspiracy.

In the Horse Guards "everything was directed prudently, boldly and actively" the future favorite of Catherine II, 22-year-old non-commissioned officer G. A. Potemkin and his peers F. A. Khitrovo. By the end of June, according to Catherine, her "accomplices" in the guard were up to 40 officers and about 10 thousand privates. One of the main inspirers of the conspiracy was the tutor of Tsarevich Pavel N. I. Panin. True, he pursued goals different from those of Catherine: the removal of Pyotr Fedorovich from power and the establishment of a regency under his pupil, the infant Tsar Pavel Petrovich. Catherine knows about this, and although such a plan is absolutely unacceptable for her, she, not wanting a fragmentation of forces, when talking with Panin, is limited to a non-committal phrase: "I'd rather be a mother than the wife of a ruler."

The case hastened the fall of Peter III: a reckless decision to start a war with Denmark (with a completely empty treasury) and command the troops himself, although the emperor's inability to military affairs was a byword. His interests here were limited to a love of colorful uniforms, to endless drill and the assimilation of rough soldierly manners, which he considered a sign of masculinity. Even the urgent advice of his idol Frederick II - before the coronation not to go to the theater of operations - had no effect on Peter. And now the guards, spoiled under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna by a free capital life, and now, at the whim of the tsar, dressed up in hated Prussian-style uniforms, receive an order to urgently prepare for a campaign that did not at all meet the interests of Russia.

The immediate signal for the beginning of the actions of the conspirators was the accidental arrest on the evening of June 27 of one of the conspirators - Captain Passek. The danger was great. On the night of June 28, Alexei Orlov and Guards Lieutenant Vasily Bibikov hurriedly galloped to Peterhof, where Catherine was. The brothers Grigory and Fyodor, who remained in St. Petersburg, prepared everything for a proper "royal" meeting of her in the capital. At six o'clock in the morning on June 28, Alexei Orlov woke Ekaterina with the words: "It's time to get up: everything is ready for your proclamation." "Like what?" - Ekaterina says awake. "Passek has been arrested," was A. Orlov's reply.

And now the hesitation is discarded, Catherine with the chamber-maid of honor sit in the carriage in which Orlov arrived. V. I. Bibikov and the footman Shkurin are arranged on the backs, Alexei Orlov is on the goats next to the coachman. Grigory Orlov meets them about five miles from the capital. Ekaterina moves into his carriage with fresh horses. In front of the barracks of the Izmaylovsky regiment, the guards enthusiastically take the oath to the new empress. Then the carriage with Catherine and a crowd of soldiers, led by a priest with a cross, are sent to the Semenovsky regiment, which met Catherine with a thunderous "Hurrah!" Accompanied by troops, she goes to the Kazan Cathedral, where a prayer service immediately begins and at litanies "the autocratic Empress Ekaterina Alekseevna and the heir to Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich were proclaimed." From the cathedral, Catherine, already empress, goes to the Winter Palace. Here, a little late and terribly upset by this, the guardsmen of the Preobrazhensky regiment joined the two regiments of the guard. By noon, the army units also pulled up.

Meanwhile, members of the Senate and the Synod, and other high officials of the state, are already crowding in the Winter Palace. Without any delay, they took the oath to the Empress according to the text hastily drawn up by the future Secretary of State of Catherine II, G. N. Teplov. The Manifesto on the accession to the throne of Catherine "at the request of all our subjects" was also published. Residents of the northern capital rejoice, the river flows at public expense wine from the cellars of private wine merchants. Excited by the drunk, the common people rejoice heartily and wait for good deeds from the new queen. But she is not up to them yet. Under the exclamations of "Hurrah!" canceled Danish campaign. To attract the fleet to his side, a reliable person was sent to Kronstadt - Admiral I. L. Talyzin. Decrees on the change of power were prudently sent to the part of the Russian army stationed in Pomerania.

And what about Peter III? Did he suspect the threat of a coup and what happened in his inner circle on the ill-fated day of June 28? The surviving documentary evidence clearly shows that he did not even think about the possibility of a coup, confident in the love of his subjects. Hence his disregard for the earlier, albeit vague, warnings.

After spending a late dinner the day before, Peter arrives at Peterhof by noon on June 28 to celebrate his upcoming name day. And he discovers that Catherine is not in Monplaisir - she unexpectedly left for St. Petersburg. Messengers were urgently sent to the city - N. Yu. Trubetskoy and A. I. Shuvalov (one - Colonel of the Semenovsky, the other - of the Preobrazhensky Regiment). However, neither one nor the other returned, swearing allegiance to Catherine without hesitation. But the disappearance of the messengers did not give decisiveness to Peter, who from the very beginning was morally crushed by the complete, in his opinion, hopelessness of the situation. Finally, a decision was made to move to Kronstadt: according to the report of the commandant of the fortress, P. A. Devier, they were supposedly ready to receive the emperor. But while Peter and his people sailed to Kronstadt, Talyzin had already managed to arrive there and, to the delight of the garrison, took everyone to the oath of allegiance to Empress Catherine II. Therefore, the flotilla of the deposed emperor (one galley and one yacht), which approached the fortress at the first hour of the night, was forced to turn back to Oranienbaum. Peter did not accept the advice of the elderly Count B. Kh. Munnich, returned from exile, to act "royally", without delaying an hour, go to the troops in Revel and move with them to Petersburg.

Meanwhile, Catherine once again demonstrates her determination by ordering up to 14 thousand troops with artillery to be pulled to Peterhof. The task of the conspirators who seized the throne is complex and at the same time simple: to achieve the "voluntary" decent abdication of Peter from the throne. And on June 29, General M. L. Izmailov delivers to Catherine a pitiful message from Peter III asking for forgiveness and renouncing his rights to the throne. He also expressed his readiness (if allowed), together with E. R. Vorontsova, adjutant A. V. Gudovich, a violin and a beloved pug, to go to live in Holstein, if only he was allocated a boarding house sufficient for a comfortable existence. They demanded from Peter "a written and handwritten certificate" of renunciation of the throne "voluntarily and naturally." Peter agreed to everything and dutifully declared in writing "solemnly to the whole world": "I renounce the government of the Russian state for the rest of my life."

By noon, Peter was taken under arrest, taken to Peterhof, and then transferred to Ropsha, a small country palace 27 miles from St. Petersburg. Here he was put "under a strong guard" allegedly until the premises in Shlisselburg were ready. Aleksey Orlov was appointed the main guard. So, the whole coup, which did not shed a single drop of blood, took less than two days - June 28 and 29. Frederick II later, in a conversation with the French envoy in St. Petersburg, Count L.-F. Segurome gave the following review of the events in Russia: "The lack of courage in Peter III ruined him: he allowed himself to be dethroned like a child sent to sleep".

In the current situation, the physical elimination of Peter was the most correct and hassle-free solution to the problem. As ordered, that's exactly what happened. On the seventh day after the coup, under circumstances that have not yet been fully elucidated, Peter III was put to death. The people were officially announced that Pyotr Fedorovich died of hemorrhoidal colic, which happened "by the will of divine Providence."

Naturally, contemporaries, as later historians, were keenly interested in the question of Catherine's involvement in this tragedy. There are different opinions on this matter, but they are all based on conjectures and assumptions, and there are simply no facts that incriminate Catherine in this crime. Apparently, the French envoy Beranger was right when, in the hot pursuit of events, he wrote: “I do not suspect in this princess such a terrible soul as to think that she participated in the death of the king, but since the deepest secret will probably always be hidden from general information real author of this terrible murder, suspicion and infamy will remain on the empress.

A. I. Herzen spoke more definitely: "It is very likely that Catherine did not give orders to kill Peter III. We know from Shakespeare how these orders are given - with a look, a hint, silence." It is important to note here that all participants in the "accidental" (as A. Orlov explained in his penitential note to the Empress) murder of the deposed emperor not only did not suffer any punishment, but were later superbly awarded with money and serf souls. Thus, Catherine, voluntarily or involuntarily, took this grave sin upon herself. Perhaps that is why the empress showed no less mercy towards her recent enemies: practically none of them was not only sent into exile, according to the established Russian tradition, but was not punished at all. Even Petr's master, Elizaveta Vorontsova, was only quietly placed in her father's house. Moreover, later Catherine II became the godmother of her first child. Truly, generosity and forgivingness are the true weapons of the strong, always bringing them glory and loyal admirers.

On July 6, 1762, the Manifesto signed by Catherine on her accession to the throne was announced in the Senate. On September 22, a solemn coronation took place in Moscow, which met her coolly. Thus began the 34-year reign of Catherine II.

Starting to characterize the long reign of Catherine II and her personality, let's pay attention to one paradoxical fact: the illegality of Catherine's accession to the throne had its undoubted advantages, especially in the first years of her reign, when she "had to work hard, great services and donations to atone for what what legitimate kings have without difficulty. This very necessity was partly the spring of her great and brilliant deeds. Not only the well-known writer and memoirist N. I. Grech, who owns the above judgment, thought so. In this case, he only reflected the opinion of the educated part of society. V. O. Klyuchevsky, speaking about the tasks facing Catherine, who took, and did not receive power by law, and noting the extreme complexity of the situation in Russia after the coup, emphasized the same point: "Power seized always has the character of a bill, according to which waiting for payment, and according to the mood of Russian society, Catherine had to justify various and discordant expectations. Looking ahead, let's say that this bill was repaid by her on time.

In the historical literature, the main contradiction of Catherine's "age of Enlightenment" has long been noted (although not shared by all experts): the empress "wanted so much enlightenment and such light so as not to be afraid of its" inevitable consequence. "In other words, Catherine II found herself in an explosive dilemma: education or slavery? And since she never solved this problem, leaving serfdom intact, she seems to have given rise to subsequent bewilderment about why she did not. But the above formula ("enlightenment - slavery") causes natural questions: were there at that time in Russia the appropriate conditions for the abolition of "slavery" and did the then society realize the need for a radical change in social relations in the country?Let's try to answer them.

Setting the course for your domestic policy, Catherine relied primarily on the book knowledge she had acquired. But not only. The transforming ardor of the empress at first was fueled by her initial assessment of Russia as "a country that has not yet been plowed up", where it is best to carry out all sorts of reforms. That is why on August 8, 1762, only in the sixth week of her reign, Catherine II by a special decree confirmed the March decree of Peter III banning the purchase of serfs by industrialists. From now on, the owners of factories and mines must be content with the work of civilian workers paid according to the contract. It seems that she generally had the intention of abolishing forced labor and doing so in order to rid the country of the "shame of slavery", as required by the spirit of Montesquieu's teachings. But this intention was not yet strong enough in her to decide on such a revolutionary step. In addition, Catherine did not yet have any complete idea of ​​\u200b\u200bRussian reality. On the other hand, as one of smartest people of the Pushkin era, Prince P. A. Vyazemsky, when the acts of Catherine II had not yet become "a tradition of deep antiquity", she "loved reforms, but gradual, transformations, but not abrupt", without breaking.

By 1765, Catherine II came to the conclusion that it was necessary to convene the Legislative Commission in order to bring "in a better order" the existing legislation and in order to reliably find out "the needs and sensitive shortcomings of our people." Recall that attempts to convene the current legislative body - the Legislative Commission - have been made more than once before, but all of them, for various reasons, ended in failure. Considering this, Catherine, endowed with a remarkable mind, resorted to an act unprecedented in the history of Russia: she personally compiled a special "Instruction", which is a detailed program of action for the Commission.

As follows from a letter to Voltaire, she believed that the Russian people are "excellent soil in which good seed grows rapidly; but we also need axioms that are undeniably recognized as true." And these axioms are well known - the ideas of the Enlightenment, which she put as the basis of the new Russian legislation. Even V. O. Klyuchevsky specifically singled out the main condition for the implementation of Catherine’s reform plans, which she briefly stated in the “Instruction”: “Russia is a European power; Peter I, introducing European customs and customs among the European people, found such conveniences as I did not expect it myself. The conclusion followed by itself: the axioms, which are the last and best fruit of European thought, will find the same comforts in this people.

In the literature on the "Instruction" for a long time there has been an opinion about the purely compiling nature of this main Catherine's political work. Justifying such judgments, they usually refer to her own words, spoken to the French philosopher and educator D "Alembert: "You will see how there I robbed President Montesquieu for the benefit of my empire, without naming him. " Indeed, from 526 articles of the "Instruction", divided into 20 chapters, 294 go back to the work of the famous French educator Montesquieu "On the Spirit of Laws", and 108 - to the work of the Italian legal scholar Cesare Beccaria "On Crimes and Punishments". Catherine also widely used the works of other European thinkers. However, it was not a simple arrangement of the works of eminent authors into the Russian style, but their creative rethinking, an attempt to apply the ideas embedded in them to Russian reality.

(To be continued.)

Portrait of the future Emperor Peter III by G. K. Groot, 1743

Family tree - proof family ties Peter III and Catherine II

The history of the greatest Russian empress begins in 1729 in Stettin. She was born under the name Sophia Augusta Federica of Anhalt-Zerbst. In 1744, Elizabeth Alekseevna invited Catherine II to St. Petersburg, where she converted to Orthodoxy. She did not agree with her fate, but her upbringing and humility took over. Soon, Grand Duke Peter Ulrich was married to a young lady as a bride. The wedding of Peter III and Catherine II took place on September 1, 1745.

Childhood and education

Mother of Peter III - Anna Petrovna

Father of Peter III - Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp

The husband of Catherine II was born in 1728 in the German town of Kiel. They named him Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp, since childhood he was supposed to inherit the Swedish throne. In 1742, Elizaveta Alekseevna declared Karl the heir to the Russian throne, he remained the only descendant of Peter I the Great. Peter Ulrich arrived in St. Petersburg, where he was christened and given the name Pyotr Fedorovich. The procedure went through with great effort, the young heir opposed Orthodoxy and openly declared his dislike for Russia. Upbringing and education were not given importance, this was reflected in the future views of the emperor.

Tsesarevich Pyotr Fedorovich and Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna, 1740s G.K. Groot

Portrait of Peter III - Antropov A.P. 1762

The strong-willed, ambitious, fair Empress of Russia was not lucky with her husband. The husband of Catherine II was not a worthy person, not too physically and mentally developed. When Peter III and Catherine II first met, she was outraged by his ignorance and lack of education. But the young people had no choice, the future was predetermined by Elizaveta Petrovna. Marriage did not bring Pyotr Fedorovich to his senses, on the contrary, he expanded the circle of his amusements and hobbies. He was a man with strange preferences. The emperor could run around the room for hours with a whip or gather all the lackeys in order to play soldiers. Pyotr Fedorovich had a genuine interest in military service, but only in a playful way, he was not going to seriously engage in this.

Relationships between spouses

The husband of Catherine the Great turned out to be cold, indifferent and even hostile towards her. For example, he could wake her up at night to eat oysters or talk about the lady he liked. Pyotr Fedorovich was tactless, not only to his wife, but also to those around him. Even after the birth of his son Pavel Petrovich in 1754, Peter remained a big child. Catherine all this time was engaged in self-development and education. Even during the reign of Elizabeth, she occupied her worthy niche at court, where she soon found like-minded people and minions. People saw it as the future for Russian Empire, many were close to her liberal views. Her husband's inattention was one of the reasons that pushed the future empress into the arms of her first lovers and favorites.

Ekaterina Alekseevna conducted diplomatic correspondence, interfered in state affairs, tried to influence them. And this did not go unnoticed by Elizabeth Petrovna and the husband of Catherine the Great, in order to avoid exile, she began to play her game secretly, convincing the court of her simplicity and harmlessness. If it were not for the sudden death of Pyotr Fedorovich's aunt, he would not have ascended the throne, because the conspiracy already existed. With the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, the old branch of the Romanov family was interrupted.

Peter III with Catherine II and son - G.K. Groot

Sudden reign

Peter III began his reign with the destruction of the "secret office", gave liberties to the nobles in 1762, pardoned many people. But this did not endear the people to the emperor. His desire to reform the church and the return of all the lands conquered from Prussia in the Seven Years' War made the emperor the subject of popular indignation. Catherine II took advantage of her dislike for her husband, all the while preparing a coup, by the day of which there were 10,000 soldiers and supporters among the nobles behind her, including the Orlov brothers. Which, while the husband of Catherine the Great was in Oranienbaum, secretly brought her to St. Petersburg and proclaimed Empress, and Paul I in the future, heir to the Russian crown on July 9, 1762.

The next day, Peter III abdicated the throne. A letter from Peter III to his wife who overthrew him has been preserved.

Despite this request, during his imprisonment in Ropsha, he died under unclear circumstances, according to one version - from a blow to the head during a drinking bout, according to another - he was poisoned. It was announced to the people that he had died of "hemorrhoidal colic." This was the beginning of the era of the reign of Catherine II the Great.

Coronation of Catherine II in the Assumption Cathedral. 1762. According to the drawing by J.-L. Devilly and M. Makhaeva

Versions of the murder

According to one version, Alexei Orlov was called the killer. Three letters of Alexei to Catherine from Ropsha are known, of which the first two exist in the original.

“Our freak became very ill and an unexpected colic seized him, and I’m dangerous that he doesn’t die tonight, but I’m more afraid that he doesn’t come to life ...”

“I’m afraid of your Majesty’s wrath, so that you didn’t deign to think furiously at us and so that we weren’t the parable of the death of your villain<…>he himself is so sick now that I don’t think that he survived until the evening and is almost completely unconscious, which the whole team here knows and prays to God that he get out of our hands as soon as possible. »

From these two letters, the researchers realized that the abdicated sovereign suddenly fell ill. The guardsmen did not need to forcibly take his life due to the transience of a serious illness.

The third letter speaks of the violent nature of the death of Peter III:

“Mother, he is not in the world, but no one thought of this, and how can we think of raising our hands against the Sovereign. But, madam, a disaster happened: we were drunk, and he too, he argued with Prince Fyodor [Baryatinsky]; we didn’t have time to separate, but he was gone.”

The third letter is the only documentary evidence known to date of the murder of the deposed emperor. This letter has come down to us in a copy made by F. V. Rostopchin. The original letter was allegedly destroyed by Emperor Paul I in the early days of his reign.