Plan
Introduction
1 Biography
1.1 Origin
1.2 Metressa
1.3 Second marriage
Bibliography
Introduction
Countess Sofya Stepanovna Razumovskaya, née Ushakova (September 11, 1746 - September 26, 1803) - maid of honor, mistress of Emperor Paul I, from whom she had a son, Semyon, wife of Count P.K. Razumovsky.
1. Biography
1.1. Origin
Sofia Stepanovna was the daughter of the writer Stepan Fedorovich Ushakov, Novgorod, and then St. Petersburg governor and senator, and his wife Anna Semyonovna (maiden name unknown). Anna Semyonovna had a scandalous reputation in the world. She was in her first marriage to Ivan Petrovich Buturlin, and when Ushakov fell in love with her, she left her husband and married her lover, “publicly committing an adulterous and contrary to the church marriage.”
1.2. Metressa
In her first marriage, Sofya Stepanovna was married to Major General Mikhail Petrovich Chertoryzhsky, adjutant of Peter III, and having been widowed early, she had no children from her sick, consumptive husband.
At court, Sophia was known for her panache, her love of light and all kinds of entertainment, and had the reputation of a “little mistress.”
Before the marriage of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, when Catherine II had doubts whether “whether the Tsarevich’s marriage, due to the weakness of his health, would strengthen the order of succession to the throne in the state, Sofia Stepanovna was entrusted with the task of testing the power of her charms over the heart of the Grand Duke.” In 1772, she gave birth to a son, who was named Semyon Afanasyevich the Great and whom the Empress took into her care.
1.3. Second marriage
Soon after the birth of her son, Sophia married for a second time to Count Pyotr Kirillovich Razumovsky, chief chamberlain, second son of the hetman. She was five years older than her husband, and Count Kirill Grigorievich Razumovsky was very dissatisfied with this wedding, he strongly disliked his daughter-in-law, whom he called "cartoise woman" and reproached her for her wastefulness. In this, however, she was quite suitable for her husband, and with her indecisiveness and changeable character she was very similar to him; therefore, the spouses probably loved each other dearly and lived very amicably.
Their marriage was childless; the countess's very poor health and incurable, in the opinion of the old hetman, illness (tapeworm) required constant treatment, and the countess lived with her husband almost continuously abroad: in Italy, Switzerland, Holland, as well as in Paris and the south of France, in Montpellier, a fashionable resort at the time. This, according to the hetman, "gypsy life" caused huge expenses and constant requests to his father and father-in-law for benefits.
By appointment of Count Pyotr Kirillovich, at the accession of Paul I to the throne, present in the Senate, the Razumovskys returned to St. Petersburg and settled on the corner of Naberezhnaya and Gagarinskaya streets, in their house, which was decorated with many valuable things purchased in France during the revolution. It was here that Countess Sofia Stepanovna died, shortly after her arrival in Russia, on September 26, 1803.
From the will she left (dated November 28, 1802) it is clear that although she was a narrow-minded woman, she was simple-minded, kind and religious, and before her death she tried to put her affairs in order, making an inventory of her personal debts and assigning monetary payments to her people, whom she asked her husband to release. At the same time, what is curious is the very distribution of things left behind between her loved ones, “my little treasures,” as she puts it, among which she innocently renames images and “Madonna” by Carlo Dolci.
Countess S.S. Razumovskaya was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, at the Lazarevsky cemetery, where a large sarcophagus made of white marble with the heads of jellyfish and a weeping female figure was erected for her by her husband who mourned her; The epitaph is carved on the monuments:
Bibliography:
1. Edition led. book Nikolai Mikhailovich. Russian portraits of the 18th and 19th centuries. T.3.Issue.3. No. 110
2. Kutuzov Embankment, 21/1
3. A. A. Ivanov. Houses and people. From the history of St. Petersburg mansions, 1997
4. Tombstone of Sofia Ushakova
Usually, when talking about the favorites of Catherine the Great, people first of all remember Grigory Orlov, Grigory Potemkin and Platon Zubov. Sergei Saltykov is mentioned less often. But in fact, Catherine had many more secret lovers and favorites.
I bring to your attention a complete list of them (without those that were rumored and not reliably confirmed) in chronological order.
Empress Catherine the Great with her fifth favorite and de facto co-ruler
Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin
1. The first reliably known secret lover is Sergei Vasilyevich Saltykov (1726 - 1765).
The only one of Catherine's favorites who was older than her. Consisted in connection with the great
princess, wife of the heir to the throne, Peter Fedorovich, from 1752 to 1754.
There is still an assumption that it is Saltykov, and not Peter III, who is
father of Catherine's son Pavel.
At least immediately after the birth of Pavel, Saltykov was sent
he never returned as an envoy to Sweden or Russia.
2. Stanislav August Poniatowski (1732 - 1798) - Catherine’s secret lover from 1756 to 1758.
From the relationship between Catherine and Poniatowski, a daughter was born in 1759, who was named Anna,
of course, Petrovna (died in 1759).
In 1764, already empress, Catherine made her former lover
King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. She also deprived him of the throne, dividing Poland
with Austria and Prussia (finally in 1795).
3. Grigory Grigorievich Orlov (1734 - 1783) - since 1760 - secret lover,
and from 1762 to 1772 - the official favorite of Catherine.
Together with his brothers, he took an active part in the coup of June 28, 1762,
as a result of which Catherine ascended the Russian throne.
Also in 1762, a boy was born from this relationship, who is known as
Count Alexey Grigorievich Bobrinsky.
Grigory Orlov went mad after the death of his young wife and died in 1783.
4. Alexey Semenovich Vasilchikov (1746 - 1813) - official favorite of Catherine in 1772 - 1774.
He was the first of the empress's favorites with whom she had a significant age difference -
he was 14 years younger than Catherine.
5. His Serene Highness Prince Tauride Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin (1739 - 1791) -
Catherine's official favorite from 1774 to 1776 and her morganatic husband from 1775.
From her relationship with Potemkin, Catherine had a daughter, Elizaveta Grigorievna Temkina.
Potemkin is known not only as the empress’s favorite, but also as her de facto co-ruler,
remaining an influential political figure until his death.
In addition, from 1777 to 1789, he supplied Catherine with new favorites, who were his adjutants.
6. Pyotr Vasilyevich Zavadovsky (1739 - 1812) - official favorite of the Empress in 1776 - 1777.
In 1802, he became the first minister of public education in the history of Russia in the government of Alexander I.
7. Semyon Gavrilovich Zorich (1745 - 1799) - hussar of Serbian origin,
Potemkin's adjutant - Catherine's official favorite in 1777 - 1778.
8. Ivan Nikolaevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1754 - 1831) - official favorite of Catherine
in 1778 - 1779, her aide-de-camp.
He was 25 years younger than the empress.
9. Vasily Ivanovich Levashev (1740 - 1804) - major of the Semenovsky regiment
favorite of the Empress in October 1779.
10. Alexander Dmitrievich Lanskoy (1758 - 1784) - another adjutant of Potemkin,
official favorite of Catherine in 1780 - 1784. Lanskoy was weak
health and died at the age of 26 from angina pectoris and fever. Ekaterina is hard
experienced the death of her young lover.
11. Alexander Petrovich Ermolov (1754 - 1834) - Potemkin’s adjutant,
future hero of the Patriotic War of 1812.
He was Catherine's official favorite in 1785 - 1786.
12. Alexander Matveevich Dmitriev-Mamonov (1758 - 1803) - Potemkin’s adjutant,
official favorite of Catherine in 1786 - 1789.
He was 29 years younger than the empress.
13. Platon Alexandrovich Zubov (1767 - 1822) - the last favorite of the Empress
from 1789 until her death on November 6, 1796.
Zubov had the largest age difference with Catherine among all the favorites,
he was 38 years younger than her.
Participant in the assassination of Paul I on March 11, 1801, since after his accession to
the throne of the emperor, Zubov and his relatives were removed from the court.
Platon Zubov’s brother, Nikolai, dealt a fatal blow to Pavel’s temple.
Already to her contemporaries, her accession to the throne seemed like some kind of fairy tale. The princess, with a great title and a tiny territory, found herself in the Russian royal court in the middle of winter. Having married the heir to the throne, she did not share either bed or table with him, and after the death of the queen, she seized power, got rid of her husband and became the ruler, remaining so for 43 years. At the time of her death, Russia was approximately within its current borders and was considered a European power.
Sophia Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst (1729-1796) was the name of the woman who managed to make such a dizzying career. Having accepted the Orthodox faith, she received the name Catherine and became the second queen to bear it. The Legislative Commission she created added the honorary title “Great” to her name. There were not many other women in the world who influenced the course of world history so much.
“Women who made history” (“Frauen, die Geschichte machten”) is the title of a six-part documentary film by ZDF, released on December 1, which is tasked with repeating the success of the series of historical programs “The Germans” (“Die Deutschen”), which were released aired from 2008 to 2010. The show time (Sunday, 19.30) speaks for itself. This time is highly desirable for educational programs. And this time is not available for programs with the number of inclusions below five million. Therefore, over the years, special program formats have been created whose task was to maintain these positions. The transition from educational programs to a continuous stream of simple series, observed in recent years, clearly indicates a change in pedagogical ideas and the level of current television culture.
The head of the main editorial office for cultural, historical and scientific programs at ZDF, Peter Ahrens, chose Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Queen Elizabeth I, Catherine the Great, Louise of Prussia and Sophia Scholl (who had already been played by other actresses) because, in his opinion, in words, are “universal heroines." In the new programs, there is no place left for the voice of an omniscient commentator, quotations from historical sources and speeches of experts - all this is replaced by internal dialogues. This can be called "short dramas" of Arens, but also a rejection of any historical methods.
Because of drunk men
But let's put cultural criticism aside and look at the result. After we were tired of Cleopatra, which opened this cycle, Catherine arrived as a replacement (December 10 on ZDF, November 30 on Arte). Alma Leiberg plays a girl whose first meeting with the country that became her destiny took place in an ordinary tavern. While her mother was indignant at the drunken men, her daughter developed understanding for them, and maybe even some kind of sympathy.
No one explains to the audience whether this and subsequent scenes actually took place. But the princess’s monologue was found in the memoirs that the empress actually left behind: about the lack of love for her husband and his “oddities,” about the unpredictability of her mother-in-law Elizabeth, about mortal boredom at the royal court on the outskirts of Europe. When Catherine talks about the pleasure she received from Diderot's lectures and from the works of the ancient classics, this message to the audience is perhaps more effective than if some boring professor from a university department was talking about it.
Indeed, ZDF's scientific editors succeeded in translating the cold and sometimes apologetic presentation of Catherine's memoirs into the language of a documentary film. She observes, draws conclusions and waits. A hired lover who, on the orders of the queen, must “make” her an heir to the throne, guards officers who end up in the empress’s bed after him, her own husband planning her murder, and the rise to power when she, dressed in uniform, comes out in front of the guards and, being a German-born woman, she ascends to the Romanov throne - all this may have happened exactly as shown in the film. And the viewer watches this with great interest - precisely because there are no sex scenes in the film.
Orgies in the royal palace
Catherine was very loving. She loved Russia, its people and, according to historians, 21 men. Grigory Orlov, who helped get rid of her husband, Emperor Paul, in 1762, was, according to her on-screen alter ego, a magnificent lover. And these words say more about the empress, perhaps, than any examination from past years. Because Catherine simply could not live without men.
Until her very old age, she chose her favorites, forced her ladies-in-waiting to carefully check them for potency and sexually transmitted diseases, and then she herself enjoyed life surrounded by them. The last lover, according to rumors, was 30 years younger than Catherine. Correspondence with Prince Potemkin, whom she allegedly even married, confirms this. She allowed him to power, she did not allow others - but no one hated her when she rejected them, and no one himself exchanged her for a younger woman. She rewarded her favorites and strengthened their positions in society. This is the story that unfolded behind the supposedly violent orgies in the royal palace.
And this is also the story of the documentary, which captures our understanding of this unusual, intelligent, sensual and powerful personality so much that we gladly take it all at face value. Not always, of course, but in this case for sure. Even if cultural pessimists don’t like it. But they don’t like sex.
InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively of foreign media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial staff.
The list of Catherine II's men includes men who figured in the intimate life of Empress Catherine the Great (1729-1796), including her spouses, official favorites and lovers. Catherine II has up to 21 lovers, but how can we object to the empress, then of course they had their own methods.
1. Catherine’s husband was Peter Fedorovich (Emperor Peter III) (1728-1762). They had a wedding in 1745, August 21 (September 1). The end of the relationship was June 28 (July 9), 1762 - death of Peter III. His children, according to the Romanov tree, Pavel Petrovich (1754) (according to one version, his father is Sergei Saltykov) and officially - Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna (1757-1759, most likely the daughter of Stanislav Poniatovsky). He suffered from a form of impotence, and in the first years he did not have marital relations with her. Then this problem was solved with the help of a surgical operation, and in order to perform it, Peter got Saltykov drunk.
2. While she was engaged, she also had an affair, Saltykov, Sergei Vasilyevich (1726-1765). In 1752 he was at the small court of the Grand Dukes Catherine and Peter. The beginning of the novel in 1752. The end of the relationship was the birth of a child, Pavel, in October 1754. After which Saltykov was expelled from St. Petersburg and sent as envoy to Sweden.
3. Catherine's lover was Stanisław August Poniatowski (1732-1798) who fell in love in 1756. And in 1758, after the fall of Chancellor Bestuzhev, Williams and Poniatowski were forced to leave St. Petersburg. After the affair, her daughter Anna Petrovna (1757-1759) was born; Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich himself thought so, who, judging by “Notes of Catherine,” said: “God knows how my wife gets pregnant; I don’t know for sure whether this child is mine and whether I should recognize him as mine.” In the future, Catherine will make him King of Poland, and then annex Poland and annex it to Russia.
4. Likewise, Catherine 2 was not upset and continued to fall in love. Her next secret lover was Orlov, Grigory Grigorievich (1734-1783). The beginning of the novel In the spring of 1759, Count Schwerin, the aide-de-camp of Frederick II, who was captured in the Battle of Zorndorf, arrived in St. Petersburg, to whom Orlov was assigned as a guard. Orlov gained fame by wresting his mistress from Pyotr Shuvalov. The end of the relationship in 1772, after the death of her husband, even she wanted to marry him and then she was dissuaded. Orlov had many mistresses. They also had a son, Bobrinsky, Alexey Grigorievich was born on April 22, 1762, a few months after the death of Elizaveta Petrovna. It is reported that on the day she went into labor, her faithful servant Shkurin set fire to his house, and Peter rushed off to watch the fire . Orlov and his passionate brothers contributed to the overthrow of Peter and the accession of Catherine to the throne. Having lost favor, he married his cousin Ekaterina Zinovieva, and after her death he went crazy.
5. Vasilchikov, Alexander Semyonovich (1746-1803/1813) Official favorite. Acquaintance in 1772, September. He often stood guard in Tsarskoye Selo and received a golden snuffbox. Took Orlov's room. 1774, March 20, in connection with the rise of Potemkin, he was sent to Moscow. Catherine considered him boring (14 years difference). After retirement, he settled in Moscow with his brother and did not marry.
6. Potemkin, Grigory Alexandrovich (1739-1791) Official favorite, husband since 1775. In April 1776 he went on vacation. Catherine gave birth to Potemkin's daughter, Elizaveta Grigorievna Tyomkina. Despite the gap in her personal life, thanks to her abilities, she maintained Catherine's friendship and respect and for many years remained the second person in the state. He was not married, his personal life consisted of “enlightening” his young nieces, including Ekaterina Engelgart.
7. Zavadovsky, Pyotr Vasilyevich (1739-1812) official favorite.
The beginning of the relationship in 1776. November, presented to the empress as an author, interested Catherine. In 1777, June did not suit Potemkin and was removed. Also in May 1777, Catherine met Zorich. He was jealous of Catherine 2, which did the damage. 1777 recalled by the empress back to the capital, 1780 engaged in administrative affairs, married Vera Nikolaevna Apraksina.
8. Zorich, Semyon Gavrilovich (1743/1745-1799). In 1777, June became Catherine's personal guard. 1778 June caused inconvenience, expelled from St. Petersburg (14 years younger than the Empress) Was dismissed and sent into retirement with little remuneration. Founded the Shklov School. Enmeshed in debt and suspected of counterfeiting.
9. Rimsky-Korsakov, Ivan Nikolaevich (1754-1831) Official favorite. 1778, June. Noticed by Potemkin, who was looking to replace Zorich, and distinguished by him due to his beauty, as well as ignorance and lack of serious abilities that could make him a political rival. Potemkin introduced him to the empress among three officers. On June 1, he was appointed aide-de-camp to the Empress. 1779, October 10. Removed from the court after the Empress found him in the arms of Countess Praskovya Bruce, sister of Field Marshal Rumyantsev. This intrigue of Potemkin had as its goal the removal not of Korsakov, but of Bruce herself. 25 years younger than the empress; Catherine was attracted by his announced “innocence.” He was very handsome and had an excellent voice (for his sake, Catherine invited world-famous musicians to Russia). After the loss of favor, he first stayed in St. Petersburg and talked in living rooms about his connection with the empress, which hurt her pride. In addition, he left Bruce and began an affair with Countess Ekaterina Stroganova (he was 10 years younger than her). This turned out to be too much, and Catherine sent him to Moscow. Stroganova’s husband eventually gave her a divorce. Korsakov lived with her until the end of her life, they had a son and two daughters.
10 Stakhiev (Strakhov) Beginning of relations 1778; 1779, June. End of relationship 1779, October. According to the description of contemporaries, “a jester of the lowest order.” Strakhov was a protégé of Count N.I. Panin Strakhov may be Ivan Varfolomeevich Strakhov (1750-1793), in which case he was not the empress’s lover, but a man whom Panin considered insane, and who, when Catherine once told him that he could ask her for some favor, threw himself on his knees and asked for her hand, after which she began to avoid him.
11 Stoyanov (Stanov) Beginning of relations 1778. The end of relations 1778. Potemkin’s protégé.
12 Rantsov (Rontsov), Ivan Romanovich (1755-1791) Beginning of the relationship 1779. Mentioned among those who participated in the “competition”; it is not entirely clear whether he managed to visit the empress’s alcove. End of relationship 1780. One of the illegitimate sons of Count R.I. Vorontsov, half-brother of Dashkova. A year later he led a London mob in riots organized by Lord George Gordon.
13 Levashov, Vasily Ivanovich (1740(?) - 1804). Beginning of relations 1779, October. End of relationship 1779, October. Major of the Semenovsky regiment, a young man protected by Countess Bruce. He was distinguished by his wit and cheerfulness. Uncle of one of the subsequent favorites - Ermolov. He was not married, but had 6 “pupils” from a student of the theater school Akulina Semyonova, who were granted the dignity of nobility and his surname.
14 Vysotsky, Nikolai Petrovich (1751-1827). Beginning of relationship 1780, March. Potemkin's nephew. End of relationship 1780, March.
15 Lanskoy, Alexander Dmitrievich (1758-1784) Official favorite. Beginning of relationship 1780 April He was introduced to Catherine by Chief of Police P.I. Tolstoy, she paid attention to him, but he did not become a favorite. Levashev turned to Potemkin for help, he made him his adjutant and supervised his court education for about six months, after which in the spring of 1780 he recommended him to the empress as a warm friend. The end of the relationship was 1784, July 25. He died after a five-day illness with toad and fever. 29 years younger than the 54-year-old at the time the empress began her relationship. The only one of the favorites who did not interfere in politics and refused influence, ranks, and orders. He shared Catherine’s interest in science and, under her guidance, studied French and became acquainted with philosophy. He enjoyed universal sympathy. He sincerely adored the Empress and tried his best to maintain peace with Potemkin. If Catherine began to flirt with someone else, Lanskoy “wasn’t jealous, didn’t cheat on her, wasn’t insolent, but so touchingly […] lamented her disfavor and suffered so sincerely that he won her love again.”
16. Mordvinov. Beginning of relationship 1781 May. Relative of Lermontov. Probably Mordvinov, Nikolai Semyonovich (1754-1845). The admiral's son, the same age as Grand Duke Paul, was brought up with him. The episode did not affect his biography and is usually not mentioned. He became a famous naval commander. Relative of Lermontov
17 Ermolov, Alexander Petrovich (1754-1834) February 1785, a holiday was specially organized to introduce the Empress to him. 1786, June 28. He decided to act against Potemkin (the Crimean Khan Sahib-Girey was supposed to receive large sums from Potemkin, but they were detained, and the khan turned to Ermolov for help), in addition, the empress also lost interest in him. He was expelled from St. Petersburg - he was “allowed to go abroad for three years.” In 1767, traveling along the Volga, Catherine stopped at his father’s estate and took the 13-year-old boy to St. Petersburg. Potemkin took him into his retinue, and almost 20 years later proposed him as a favorite. He was tall and slender, blond, gloomy, taciturn, honest and too simple. With letters of recommendation from the Chancellor, Count Bezborodko, he left for Germany and Italy. Everywhere he behaved very modestly. After retirement, he settled in Moscow and married Elizaveta Mikhailovna Golitsyna, with whom he had children. Nephew of the previous favorite - Vasily Levashov. Then he left for Austria, where he bought the rich and profitable Frosdorf estate near Vienna, where he died at the age of 82.
18. Dmitriev-Mamonov, Alexander Matveevich (1758-1803) In 1786, June was presented to the empress after the departure of Yermolov. 1789 fell in love with Princess Daria Fedorovna Shcherbatova, Catherine’s understanding was complete. asked for forgiveness, forgiven. After the wedding, he was forced to leave St. Petersburg. Future married people in Moscow. He repeatedly asked to return to St. Petersburg, but was refused. His wife gave birth to 4 children, and eventually they separated.
19.Miloradovich. The relationship began in 1789. He was among the candidates proposed after Dmitriev’s resignation. Their number also included retired second major of the Preobrazhensky regiment Kazarinov, Baron Mengden - all young handsome men, behind each of whom stood influential courtiers (Potemkin, Bezborodko, Naryshkin, Vorontsov and Zavadovsky). End of relationship 1789.
20. Miklashevsky. The beginning of the relationship was 1787. The end was 1787. Miklashevsky was a candidate, but did not become a favorite. According to evidence, during Catherine II’s trip to Crimea in 1787, a certain Miklashevsky was among the candidates for favorites. Perhaps it was Miklashevsky, Mikhail Pavlovich (1756-1847), who was part of Potemkin’s retinue as an adjutant (the first step to favor), but it is unclear from what year. In 1798, Mikhail Miklashevsky was appointed governor of Little Russia, but was soon dismissed. In biography, the episode with Catherine is usually not mentioned.
21. Zubov, Platon Alexandrovich (1767-1822) Official favorite. Beginning of relationship 1789, July. A protege of Field Marshal Prince N.I. Saltykov, the chief educator of Catherine’s grandchildren. End of relationship 1796, November 6. Catherine's last favorite. The relationship ended with her death. The 22-year-old at the time of the start of a relationship with the 60-year-old empress. The first official favorite since Potemkin, who was not his adjutant. N.I. Saltykov and A.N. Naryshkina stood behind him, and Perekusikhina also worked for him. He enjoyed great influence and practically managed to oust Potemkin, who threatened to “come and pull out a tooth.” Later he participated in the assassination of Emperor Paul. Shortly before his death, he married a young, humble and poor Polish beauty and was terribly jealous of her.
Memory of Catherine 2. Monuments dedicated to her.
Catherine II had several favorite friends and confidantes to whom she could entrust her most intimate problems and experiences: Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina, Anna Stepanovna Protasova and Marya Savvishna Perekusikhina. However, there were also favorites to whom she trusted not her intimate experiences, but matters of national importance, and their names were Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova and Alexandra Vasilievna Branitskaya. At court they were not called favorites, but they were precisely favorites: by their position, they constituted the closest circle of Catherine II. The first, favorite confidantes, in addition to intimate problems related to Catherine’s favorites, were also entrusted with matters relating to the career advancement of court officials and various kinds of petitioners, which brought them a good income. In addition, they received from the empress various benefits, advantages and assistance in the form of repayment of debts, money for the purchase or repair of a house and for other needs. Their relatives also received financial assistance (for weddings, christenings, purchasing housing, etc.), as well as those for whom the Empress’s favorite asked.
As already mentioned, among the confidantes and friends of Catherine II, the most trusted were: Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina (1730–1820), Anna Stepanovna Protasova (1745–1826) and Marya Savvishna Perekusikhina (1739–1824). Let's start with the last one.
Marya Savvishna Perekusikhina (1739–1824) was physically the closest and therefore confidant of Catherine II. She first served in the rank of chamber-jungfer in the empress's rooms, and was responsible, like a mother to a child, for dressing her in the morning and putting her to bed in the evening, for introducing favorites into the empress's chambers, and for the most intimate natural procedures. Until the end of Catherine II’s life, she was devoted and faithful to her, and after her death she never revealed the secrets of her former mistress to anyone.
It is known that she was a noblewoman from a very poor family who had a small estate in the Ryazan province. But it is not known exactly how she got into the palace, into the chambers of the empress herself. According to rumors, she received the position of chamberlain-jungfer on the recommendation of Grigory Potemkin, who was then the favorite of Catherine II. Potemkin became the favorite of Catherine II in 1774 and remained so as a lover (and according to one version, husband) until 1776. Following the rumors, we can say that it was during this period that Marya Savvishna appeared in the palace. At that time, she should have been 35 years old, which in itself was already too late for admission to the palace for the position of chamber-jungfer. However, there is news that is more similar to the truth that in the 60s Catherine baptized Maria Savvishna’s niece, Catherine. And this means that the favorite then was indeed Grigory, but not Potemkin, but Orlov, so the Orlovs, apparently, were her patronage. In the 60s, Marya Savvishna was 25–26 years old. She was 10 years younger than Catherine II. It is possible that she appeared in the chambers not of the Empress, but of Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna, and not in the 60s, but in the 50s of the 18th century, when she was still a young girl.
“Savishna,” as the empress called her, remained with the empress all these years, she had only the one granted to her, that is, in modern language, the “exclusive right” to appear in the empress’s bedroom at the first call, to look after her in intimate matters, to help dress her, comb her hair. Over time, others began to do this work, but Savvishna was always present as a manager during the toilet, dressing, combing the empress’s hair, and during morning audiences.
Marya Savvishna's rooms were located in close proximity to the chambers of Catherine II, so that high-ranking officials who came to the audience waited their turn in Marya Savvishna's room, and these were: the Grand Duke's tutor N.I. Panin, the famous poet and State Secretary G.R. Derzhavin, President of the Russian Academy of Sciences E.R. Dashkova, State Secretary A.V. Khrapovitsky, Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod of the National Academy of Sciences. Protasov, honored generals and admirals. They all understood how important Perekusikhina’s word to the empress was for their affairs, and Savvishna constantly accepted gifts from visitors of such a high rank.
Catherine II completely trusted her Savvishna and her personal, including love affairs, consulted with her on everyday issues, found out her opinion regarding this or that court nobleman or candidate favorite.
From the chamber-jungfer, she transferred Perekusikhin to the chamber-lady-in-waiting, but these changes had almost no effect on the position of “Savishna” at court: she continued to remain in the empress’s rooms, faithfully serving her and performing the same duties. In addition to household chores, Perekusikhina accompanied her mistress during her daily walks, on pilgrimages, and long journeys, always being nearby, ready to come to her aid at any moment of the day or night.
Marya Savvishna was a simple, poorly educated, but very intelligent woman, extremely sincere and devoted. She loved her patroness, her empress, her mistress selflessly, completely devoting her life to her and remaining an old maid. One day, Catherine gave Savvishna an expensive ring with her portrait and at the same time said, as if jokingly: “Here is your groom, whom I am sure you will never cheat on.” And from then on she began to call himself her fiancé. And indeed, Perekusikhin never cheated on this “groom”, even after his death.
In the 19th century, many anecdotes were published about Catherine II, characterizing her as a wise ruler of the Russian Empire, as a kind person, intelligent and fair, distinguished by her ease of communication not only with people close to her, but also with strangers. Some anecdotes also mentioned Marya Savvishna Perekusikhina. Here is one of them: “Once Catherine was sitting in the Tsarskoe Selo garden on a bench with her beloved chamberlain-jungfer M.S. Perekusikhina. A St. Petersburg dandy passing by, not recognizing the empress, looked at her rather impudently, did not take off his hat, and continued his walk, whistling.
Do you know,” said the empress, “how annoyed I am with this naughty fellow?” I am able to stop him and soap his head.
After all, he didn’t recognize you, mother,” Perekusikhina objected.
Yes, that’s not what I’m talking about: of course, I didn’t find out; but you and I are dressed decently, also with braid, dapper, so he was obliged to have respect for us, as ladies. However,” Catherine added, laughing, “I must tell the truth, you and I are outdated, Marya Savvishna, and if we were younger, he would have bowed to us too” (Characters of Catherine the Great. St. Petersburg, 1819).
For herself personally, Marya Savvishna never asked Catherine for anything, she was quite happy with her position, but she did not forget her relatives. Her brother, Vasily Savvich Perekusikhin, at her request became a senator, and her niece E.V. Torsukova and her husband received a place at yard and became very rich.
On November 5, 1796, when Catherine had a stroke, Savvishna was the first to find her lying unconscious in the dressing room and the first, after shock, pulled herself together and began to beg the confused Zubov to let her bleed, as had happened before. Perhaps this managed to save the life of the empress at least temporarily. But Zubov did not allow blood to be drawn without Dr. Rogers, who was away somewhere at that time. When Doctor Rogers arrived an hour later and wanted to bleed the Empress, it was already too late: the blood did not flow.
Paul I, who did not like everyone who faithfully served Catherine, including Marya Savvishna, having taken the reins of government into his own hands, first of all dismissed Perekusikhin from the court. However, wanting to show himself honest and fair, he assigned her a good pension from the Cabinet of His Majesty in the amount of 1,200 rubles per year, granted her 4,517 acres of land in the Ryazan province, and in St. Petersburg a house bought by the treasury from the banker Sutherland.
After the death of her beloved empress, Marya Savvishna lived for another 28 years. She died in St. Petersburg on August 8, 1824 at the age of 85 and was buried at the Lazarevskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
The same selflessly devoted favorite of Catherine II was Anna Stepanovna Protasova (1745–1826), daughter of Stepan Fedorovich Protasov, who became a senator in 1763, and his second wife Anisia Nikitichna Orlova, cousin of the Orlov brothers.
Catherine II enrolled the 17-year-old noblewoman Protasova in the court staff as a maid of honor of the Supreme Court on the recommendation of her favorite Grigory Orlov. Apparently, this happened in 1763, when, through the intercession of the same Grigory Orlov, her father Stepan Fedorovich Protasov became a privy councilor and senator.
Anna Protasova, like Marya Savvishna Perekusikhina, devoted her entire life to the Empress, remaining an old maid. She was ugly, even ugly-looking, and besides, she was not rich. She was considered a maiden until the end of her days, although the courtiers of both the large and small courts were well aware of her real participation in the examination of candidates for favorites in terms of their male suitability.
There were cases when court gentlemen began to court her, but, unfortunately, it quickly became clear that the purpose of this courtship was to gain her support at court and take advantage of her closeness to the empress. Anna Stepanovna was 16 years younger than Catherine II, but her external unattractiveness only set off the empress’s charms.
In 1784, when Protasova’s age approached 40, Catherine granted her a maid of honor at the Highest Court with a “richest portrait” of the empress, that is, a portrait abundantly showered with diamonds, which Protasova was very proud of. The appearance of Anna Stepanovna has survived to this day: by order of the Empress, the French artist Jean Louis Voile painted a portrait of Anna Stepanovna Protasova, depicting her, apparently somewhat embellished, but most importantly - with this “richest portrait” pinned to the dress on a blue moire bow on the left side chest, at the shoulder.
As a lady-in-waiting of the Imperial Court, Protasova acquired the right to monitor the behavior of the ladies-in-waiting, give them instructions, and manage an entire staff of page-chambers. She began to receive a higher salary, live in more comfortable apartments located near the empress’s chambers, use the table “from the empress’s kitchen,” dine with the empress almost every day on a “gilded service,” and sometimes serve her in the bedroom.
As the favorite of Catherine II, Anna Protasova had great weight at court: people fawned over her, they sought her support, but they were also afraid of her. However, most often people turned to her for support, especially her relatives, even those who were distantly related. For example, there was this historical anecdote:
“Before the accession of Paul, the Order of Annen, established by the son-in-law of Peter the Great, Duke of Holstein Friedrich-Karl, was not considered among the Russians. Although Pavel Petrovich, when he was the Grand Duke, signed all the documents for the award of the Annen Order as Duke of Holstein, the latter was given only to those persons who were appointed by Empress Catherine II. The Grand Duke really wanted some of his close associates to wear the Annen Cross, but the Empress did not give this order to them.
Finally, the Grand Duke came up with the following trick. Having ordered two small Annen crosses with screws, he called to him two of his favorites, Rostopchin and Svechin, and told them:
I grant you both the Knights of Annen; take these crosses and screw them to the swords, only on the back cup, so that the empress cannot see.
Svechin screwed the cross on with the greatest fear, and Rostopchin considered it more prudent to warn his relative, Anna Stepanovna Protasova, who enjoyed the empress’s special favor, about this.
Protasova promised him to talk to Ekaterina and find out her opinion. Indeed, having chosen a convenient moment, when the empress was in a cheerful mood, she informed her about the heir’s cunning and said that Rostopchin was afraid to wear the order and at the same time was afraid of offending the Grand Duke.
Catherine laughed and said:
Oh, he is a poor hero! And I couldn’t have come up with a better idea! Tell Rostopchin to wear his order and not be afraid: I won’t notice.
After such an answer, Rostopchin boldly screwed the Annen Cross not to the back, but to the front cup of the sword and appeared at the palace.
The Grand Duke, noticing this, approached him with the words:
What are you doing? I told you to screw it to the back cup, and you screwed it to the front. The Empress will see!
Your Highness’s mercy is so precious to me,” answered Rostopchin, “that I do not want to hide it.
Yes, you will destroy yourself!
Ready to destroy myself; but by this I will prove my devotion to your Highness.
The Grand Duke, amazed by such obvious evidence of Rostopchin's devotion, hugged him with tears in his eyes.
This is the origin of the Order of St. Anne of the fourth degree" (M. A. Dmitriev. Little things from the stock of my memory. 2nd ed. M., 1869).
Anna Protasova never betrayed her patron and mistress; in all the unpleasant moments of the empress’s life, Anna Stepanovna was always there, she knew how to patiently listen to Catherine, console her, and persuade her, although it was oh so difficult to calm the stubborn and persistent empress.
Anna Stepanovna was next to her benefactor on November 5, 1796, when Catherine had a stroke. Protasova did not leave her bedside for 24 hours; she was present both during the agony and at the last breath of Catherine the Great.
Having come to power, Paul I did not excommunicate Anna Stepanovna Protasova from the court. She retained her court status as a maid of honor; she retained both the palace chambers and the palace kitchen. This attitude of Pavel towards her was explained by the fact that Anna Stepanovna, through the marriage of her niece, became a relative of the sovereign’s favorite, Count F.V. Rostopchin, who became Governor-General of Moscow during the Patriotic War of 1812. Moreover, Emperor Paul awarded her the Order of St. Catherine of the Lesser Cross, and with it, as expected, the title of “cavalry lady”, assigned her a good pension with the award of 100 souls of peasants in the Voronezh and St. Petersburg provinces.
Emperor Alexander I did not forget the former favorite of his unforgettable grandmother, and on the day of her coronation, when, according to tradition, many people at court received titles, orders, promotions and other awards, Anna Stepanovna was awarded the title of Countess. At her request, this count's dignity was extended to her three unmarried nieces and to her brother, Alexander Stepanovich, with his descendants.
After the death of Paul I, Countess Protasova continued to serve as a senior lady-in-waiting, but not at the High Court, but at the small court of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. At the same time, she managed to win the favor of Empress Elizaveta Alekseevna, wife of Alexander I, and thus get into the intimate circle of courtiers of the Imperial Court.
In old age, Countess Protasova lost her sight, but she continued to go out into the world and appear at court.
The former favorite and senior maid of honor of Catherine II, Countess Anna Stepanovna Protasova, having outlived her patroness Catherine II and the emperors Paul I and Alexander I, died on April 12, 1826 at the age of 81. She served at the Russian court for 46 years and outlived her patron, Catherine the Great, by 30 years.
Along with the previous favorites, near Empress Catherine II there was a third, her special favorite, friend and confidante, Countess Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina(1730–1820), née Rumyantseva, daughter of Major General Count Nikita Ivanovich Rumyantsev and Princess Maria Vasilievna Meshcherskaya.
When Countess Anna Rumyantseva was 20 years old, she married Count Alexander Alexandrovich Naryshkin (1726–1795), chamberlain of the small court of Grand Duke Peter Feodorovich (Peter III) and Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna (Catherine II). The wedding took place on October 8, 1749. By order of the then reigning Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna took the bride to the crown and accompanied the newlyweds to the house prepared for them. From that time on, a friendship began between Catherine and Anna, reinforced by the closeness of Lev Aleksandrovich Naryshkin, the brother of Anna’s husband and her brother-in-law, to Catherine.
Soon, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna appointed Anna's husband, Count Alexander Alexandrovich Naryshkin, chamberlain of the small court of the Imperial Highnesses, which further strengthened Catherine's friendly relationship with the Naryshkins. In her “Notes”, Catherine told how Lev Naryshkin helped her secret meetings with Poniatovsky: in the evening he picked up Catherine in a carriage and took her, wrapped in a dark cloak, to a meeting with her lover at his brother’s house, where he provided them with all the conditions for a meeting his daughter-in-law, Anna Nikitichna, and in the morning, unnoticed by anyone, he brought him back.
The lover Stanislav Poniatowski made his way to Catherine and her rooms in the Grand Duke's palace. But one day, according to his story, he was caught by guards, appeared before the husband of his beloved - the Grand Duke, heir Peter Feodorovich, who, having learned why Poniatovsky ended up on the territory of the small courtyard, invited Poniatovsky to spend time with the four of them: he, the Grand Duke, with his mistress Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova, and Poniatovsky with Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna. First they had dinner together, and then went off in pairs to their rooms. This friendly gesture on the part of the heir turned out to be not at all as broad as it might at first seem. When Catherine became pregnant, Peter Feodorovich renounced his involvement in the unborn child, and Catherine had to send Lev Naryshkin to negotiate with him, who, on behalf of the Grand Duchess, demanded that the heir publicly renounce intimacy with his wife, after which the issue was hushed up.
These were the morals in the spirit of favoritism that flourished in those days under the Russian throne.
Chief Chamberlain of the Court of Their Highnesses Alexander Naryshkin with his wife Anna Nikitichna, his brother Chief Master of Horse Lev Naryshkin (1733–1799), the main favorite of Peter III and “assistant of all his passions”, and under Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna - the main wit and merry fellow, as well as Stanislav Poniatovsky, and after his departure to Poland, the Orlov brothers - this was Catherine’s circle of friends, the germ of the conspiracy that brought her to the throne. Of course, there were also well-wishers who helped her enthronement, such as N.I. Panin, E.R. Dashkova, who also participated in this process. However, in comparison, for example, with Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina, Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova, although she was known as the empress’s favorite, was not in such favor as Anna Nikitichna, who was only one year younger than Ekaterina (in fact, they were the same age) and with whom they were very approached each other, both young and cheerful; the loving Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna with her love affairs and the devoted accomplice of her hobbies, the keeper of her intimate secrets - Anna Naryshkina. Was it possible to compare Anna Nikitichna, the most devoted and best friend, who never condemns or takes offense for anything, but only helps with advice and action, with Ekaterina Romanovna, the bearer of the highest morality, always edifying, dissatisfied and condemning? Therefore, one day (this was in May 1788), Empress Catherine II ordered to prepare rooms for A.N. Naryshkina in the Tsarskoye Selo Palace and arrange them in such a way that there were no rooms left for Princess Dashkova. “...I want to spend time with one, but not with the other; They’re also in a quarrel over a piece of land!” - Catherine added in connection with this order.
Catherine II in her “Notes” wrote about the reasons for her rapprochement with Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina, who had no children: “This marriage had no more consequences than ours; This similarity in Naryshkina’s position and mine greatly contributed to the friendly connection that united us for a long time; my condition has changed after 9 years, counting from the day of my wedding, but she is still in the same situation, and has been married for 24 years.”
On September 15, 1773, Catherine made her friend a lady of state of the Imperial Court, and in 1787 she awarded her the Order of St. Catherine.
Anna Nikitichna did especially a lot for Catherine in those difficult days when the betrayal of the favorite Dmitriev-Mamonov became clear. For the empress, this was an impudent and rude insult; it was a blow to the very heart. Two young impudent people - favorite Alexander Mamonov and maid of honor Daria Shcherbatova - who had been dating and leading her by the nose for almost two years, simply laughed at her, an elderly woman, despising her title of empress and her power. At the same time, the favorite played a comedy, arranging scenes of jealousy for Catherine, monitoring her disposition towards other men. Or he could just talk about his love for his maid of honor Daria. Anna Nikitichna spent all these nightmare days with her patron and mistress, who was literally sobbing and could not calm down. She was shocked by Mamonov’s ingratitude and stupidity, his constant insincere declarations of love, this unjustified lie. Naryshkina was present during Catherine’s explanations with her favorite, and once she scolded him so much that Catherine later wrote: “I have never heard anyone scolded like that before.”
Anna Nikitichna, spending several hours a day alone with the empress, helped her gather her courage, carry out the engagement, and then the wedding of Alexander Dmitriev-Mamonov with Daria Shcherbatova, dress her maid of honor for the wedding and present them with money and valuable gifts. Justice and the greatness of the Empress were preserved and demonstrated before the Russian court, high society and the courts of Western Europe.
State Lady Naryshkina quickly responded to the situation, realizing that “wedge is knocked out with wedge,” and in a matter of days she introduced Catherine to a new favorite - Platon Aleksandrovich Zubov, even more handsome and more obsequious than Mamonov, and many years younger. Revenge was taken, and until the end of his days Mamonov felt like a fool, having exchanged the position of the “Red Kaftan” in the imperial palaces for a reclusive life in Moscow in the company of the narrow-minded, and therefore boring Daria.
After the death of Empress Catherine II, Anna Nikitichna remained at the Imperial Court. A few days after his accession to the throne, Paul I not only did not dismiss his mother’s former favorite, Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina, but on November 12, 1796 (7 days after the death of Catherine I) appointed her chamberlain of the Highest Court.
The Chamberlain of the Highest Court, the cavalry lady Countess Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina, a former friend and confidante of Catherine the Great, her lady of state and main favorite, died on February 2, 1820, just 9 days short of her birthday, when she would have turned 90 years old.
Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova (Vorontsova ) (1744–1810). Countess Ekaterina Romanovna Vorontsova (by her husband Princess Dashkova) was born in St. Petersburg on March 17, 1744 (according to another version - 1743). She herself, in her “Notes of the Princess,” determines the date of her birth as 1744, “approximately around the time when Empress Elizabeth returned from Moscow after her coronation.” The coronation of Elizabeth Petrovna took place in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin on April 25, 1742. The Empress appeared in St. Petersburg in the same year, 1742: on October 24, 1742, by her Decree, she declared her nephew Peter as heir to the Russian throne. Consequently, Ekaterina Vorontsova was lying: she was born in March 1743.
Ekaterina Romanovna was born into the family of senator Count Roman Illarionovich Vorontsov. But from the age of two, after the death of her mother, she was raised in the family of her uncle, Count Mikhail Illarionovich Vorontsov, who during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna was a prominent statesman, diplomat, and state chancellor of the Russian Empire. In her “Notes,” Ekaterina Romanovna gave the following description of her surname and her father: “I will not dwell on my father’s surname. Its antiquity and the brilliant merits of my ancestors place the name of the Vorontsovs in such a prominent place that my family pride has nothing more to desire in this regard. Count Roman, my father, the chancellor's second brother, was a riotous man and lost my mother in his youth. He did little about his own affairs and therefore willingly handed me over to my uncle. This kind relative, grateful to my mother and loving his brother, received me with pleasure.”
Mikhail Illarionovich was married to Anna Karlovna Skavronskaya, Elizaveta Petrovna’s cousin, so the Empress considered the Vorontsov family to be related to her and took part in her family affairs, taking care of Mikhail Illarionovich’s orphan nephews. She easily came to the Vorontsovs and often invited them to visit her, to Tsarskoe Selo. Moreover, Countess Anna Karlovna had the court title of lady of state (1742), and then received the highest court lady title of Chief Chamberlain (1760) and was awarded the Order of St. Catherine, 1st degree (Grand Cross).
Ekaterina Romanovna had two sisters: Maria Romanovna (married Countess Buturlina) and Elizaveta Romanovna, maid of honor, official favorite of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich (Peter III), married Polyanskaya. But the sisters were older than Catherine. After the death of their mother, Elizaveta Petrovna appointed them as maids of honor to the palace, where they lived. Catherine rarely met her sisters and had almost no contact with them at all. She received her upbringing and education together with her uncle’s daughter. At that time, this was an excellent education for court life. As for education, Ekaterina Romanovna considered it insufficient, although she knew four languages, spoke French fluently, danced well and drew well. But she was dissatisfied with the knowledge she had received and asked herself the question: “But what has been done for character education and mental development?” And she answered herself: “Exactly nothing.” Although for court life such education was considered the most brilliant.
Even in her teenage years, Ekaterina Vorontsova showed great curiosity: she asked everyone who visited her uncle’s house, and these were politicians, envoys, writers, artists, “about foreign lands, about forms of government and laws.” Sometimes she received permission from her uncle to review his old diplomatic papers, and this contact with the historical past of Russian diplomacy gave her the greatest pleasure. But most importantly, she passionately loved reading books. She re-read almost all the books from her uncle’s library (and the library consisted of about 900 volumes), bought new items that arrived in bookstores, and enjoyed the courtesy of Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov, Elizaveta Petrovna’s favorite, who gave her all the new book and magazine arrivals from Paris that he had ordered. This self-education already in her youth made Ekaterina Vorontsova one of the most educated women in Russia.
The acquaintance with Prince Mikhail (Kondrat) Dashkov and their mutual affection were approved by Elizaveta Petrovna, and soon, in 1759, Countess Vorontsova became Princess Dashkova and with this name entered the history of Russia.
In the winter of 1759, Ekaterina Romanovna met Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna. In the “Notes of the Princess” this fact was noted in the following way: “In winter, the Grand Duke, later Peter III, and his wife, later Catherine II, also visited and dined with us. Thanks to many of my uncle's visitors, I was already known to the Grand Duchess as a young girl who spends almost all her time studying, and, of course, many other flattering reviews were added. The respect with which she subsequently honored me was the result of this friendly courtesy; I responded to it with complete enthusiasm and devotion, which then threw me into such an unforeseen sphere and had a greater or lesser influence on my whole life. In the era I’m talking about, it can probably be said that in Russia it was impossible to find two women who, like Catherine and me, were seriously engaged in reading; from here, by the way, our mutual affection was born, and since the Grand Duchess had an irresistible charm when she wanted to please, it is easy to imagine how she must have captivated me, a fifteen-year-old and unusually impressionable creature.”
This meeting turned out to be fateful for Dashkova. The Grand Duchess became an object of admiration and heartfelt devotion for the young princess, so Ekaterina Romanovna took part in the coup with the aim of overthrowing Peter III and enthroning his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna.
Despite the fact that Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich (Peter III) was the godfather of Ekaterina Dashkova, she, smart and very observant, realized as a girl that he was stupid and did not love Russia. She saw and understood that Elizaveta Petrovna, already at the end of her life, was very alarmed that she was handing over great Russia to an unworthy heir, albeit the grandson of Peter the Great. However, it was too late to do anything.
On December 25, 1761, on the first day of the Nativity of Christ, Elizaveta Petrovna died, and her uneducated, ill-mannered and stupid nephew, who was contemptuous of Russia and the Russian people, became sovereign emperor of the Russian Empire under the name of Peter III.
When he became emperor, his behavior, his statements finally convinced Dashkova that neither Russia nor its people needed such an emperor, that Empress Ekaterina Alekseevna, intelligent, very educated and well-mannered, loving Russia, deserves to be the ruler of the Russian Empire and has the right to rule at least as the mother of the minor Heir to the Throne Pavel Petrovich. Ekaterina Romanovna knew that not only she, but also many people, both among the courtiers and among high society, but most importantly, among the officers of the most privileged regiments, thought so. Everyone was outraged by the peace concluded by Peter III with Prussia on the most humiliating terms for victorious Russia and the start of the war with Denmark, a war completely unnecessary for Russia.
The humiliation from her husband-emperor, to which Empress Ekaterina Alekseevna began to be subjected at court, and in public, and the public expression of his desire to see his favorite-mistress Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova as empress (whom, by the way, he, as a commoner, simply called “Romanovna”), and the intention to send Ekaterina Alekseevna, whom he hated, to a monastery - all this showed what fate awaited the one whom Dashkova simply adored and, as an honest person, considered it her duty to save. Moreover, many of the “acts” of her godfather Peter III took place before her eyes.
And Dashkova, having decided to carry out, as she said, a “revolution” and overthrow Peter III from the throne, began to look for accomplices in the conspiracy she had conceived to put Empress Ekaterina Alekseevna on the throne. Dashkova described all the measures she took in her “Notes of the Princess”:
“After the separation from my husband, I spared no effort to animate, inspire and strengthen opinions favorable to the implementation of the intended reform. The most trusted and closest people to me were the friends and relatives of Prince Dashkov: Pasek, Bredikhin - captain of the Preobrazhensky regiment, Major Roslavlev and his brother, captain of the Izmailovo Guards. ‹….› As soon as my idea about the means of a well-organized conspiracy was determined and strengthened, I began to think about the result, adding to my plan some of those persons who, with their influence and authority, could give weight to our cause. Between them was Marshal Razumovsky, head of the Izmailovo Guard, very beloved by his corps.” Having heard from the English envoy that “the guards are showing a disposition towards an uprising, especially for the Danish War,” Dashkova spoke with some officers of Razumovsky’s regiment - “with two Roslavlevs and Lasunsky,” then involved Panin, the teacher of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, in the conspiracy, who, however, , was eager to place his pet on the throne, and to assign Ekaterina Alekseevna the role of only the regent, but he completely agreed with the overthrow of Peter III. Having talked with Panin directly, Ekaterina Romanovna revealed to him the participants in the conspiracy, whom she had already involved in the case: two Roslavlevs, Lasunsky, Pasek, Bredikhin, Baskakov, Getrof, princes Baryatinsky and Orlov. “He was surprised and scared when he saw how far I had gone in my assumption and, moreover, without any preliminary negotiations with Catherine.” Dashkova managed to persuade Panin not to advertise his plans for the Heir at this time until real steps were taken.
The Archbishop of Novgorod, “known for his learning, loved by the people and adored by the clergy, of course, had no doubt about what the church could expect from such a ruler as Peter III.” And the young conspirator attracted him to her side, “if not as an active participant, then at least as a zealous patron of our plans.” Prince Volkonsky also joined her plan, who informed her that the spirit of murmuring against the emperor had also appeared among the soldiers: they were unhappy that they were being forced to turn their arms in favor of the Prussian king against Maria Theresa, who had recently been their ally, and the Prussian king enemy.
Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova, working on creating a conspiracy, did not imagine that Ekaterina Alekseevna already held all the threads of it in her hands, had already developed a plan for a coup, relying on the guard and on the high authority of the guardsmen of the Orlov brothers, especially Grigory and Alexei. And she didn’t like these negotiations between Dashkova and everyone, moreover “without preliminary negotiations with Catherine", as Dashkova herself wrote. Ekaterina Alekseevna has already studied the experience of Russian coups with the aim of enthroning Catherine I, Anna Leopoldovna, Elizaveta Petrovna, following whose example she also decided to dress in a man’s military dress in order to appear in such an impressive form at the barracks and take the oath from the guards. She calculated that in Russia military officials faithfully serve, first of all, their lovers, and therefore the main guard authority - Grigory Orlov - became her lover. Catherine wrote to her former lover, the Polish king Stanislav-August Poniatowski, that she secretly supervised the preparation of the coup. , but she did not reveal this secret to her close circle (except for the Orlov brothers). She subsequently wrote about this in her Notes.
And Dashkova had a naive idea that the coup was prepared by her, but it happened as if by itself, by the will of Providence, as she wrote later in her “Notes”: “... without a plan, without sufficient funds, by different people and even opposite beliefs, like their characters, and many of them barely knew each other, had nothing in common with each other, with the exception of one desire, crowned by chance (sic!), but with more complete success than could be expected from the most strict and deeply considered plan..."
Ekaterina Romanovna did not even understand that Alexey Orlov could not have come to Peterhof on his own for Ekaterina and for her; he would not have dared to wake up the empress and, without prior agreement, say the following words: “It’s time to get up, everything is ready to proclaim you.” After all, Dashkova did not prepare all this. She was not involved either in the appearance of the imperial cortege on Nevsky Prospekt, or in the proclamation of her friend in the Kazan Cathedral as “the most autocratic empress of all Russia, Catherine II.”
Dashkova wrote her memoirs in her declining years, for all the years from the age of 18, when these events took place, she had a lot of time to comprehend and understand everything, but at the end of her life she very much appreciated her role in this “revolution”. highly: “As for me, I say, hand on heart, that although I played the first role in this coup - in the overthrow of an incapable monarch, at the same time I am amazed at the fact: neither historical experiences, nor the fiery imagination of eighteen centuries do not provide an example of such an event , which happened before us in a few hours” (emphasis added. - I.V.)
What is the power of delusion of a person who has read a huge number of books, especially on the history of Russia, both in Russian and French publications, including about the accession to the throne of Elizabeth Petrovna, whom Dashkova also knew personally! And for her, the accession to the Russian throne of Elizaveta Petrovna, who was also in a military uniform, also leaning on the guard, just as unexpectedly for everyone and just as quickly was proclaimed Empress of All Russia, was not “an example of such an event”?
Catherine II in her “Notes”, assessing her ascension to the Russian throne, wrote: “Princess Dashkova, the younger sister of Elizabeth Vorontsova, although she wants to take credit for all the honor of this revolution, she did not enjoy much confidence for her relationship; in addition, her nineteen years did not inspire much respect in anyone. She claimed that everything came to me through her hands. However, I had already been corresponding with all the bosses for six months before she learned the first name of one of them. True, she is very smart; but her mind is spoiled by her excessive vanity, and her character is eccentric; she is hated by her bosses and is friendly with flighty heads who told her what they knew, that is, unimportant details. ‹…› I had to hide from Princess Dashkova the ways in which others communicated with me, and for five whole months she knew nothing; the last four weeks, although she was told, but as little as possible. ‹…› Everything was done, I admit, under my special leadership; and, finally, I myself suspended everything, because leaving the city interfered with the execution of our plan; everything was completely ready two weeks ago.”
Catherine gave Dashkova a very accurate description, as we will see later: “She is very smart, but her mind is spoiled by excessive vanity and her character is eccentric.” As for the “bosses,” Dashkova really hated all of Catherine’s lovers: favoritism was alien to her.
For 19-year-old, romantically inclined Dashkova, who spent most of her life in solitude, with books, these events seemed like some kind of mysterious and exciting game to save her beloved friend and eliminate the rude and stupid emperor. She believed that the case had been won, and friendship with the empress, now crowned Catherine II, continued, and she, Dashkova, should be given a leading role at court, and relations with Catherine should remain friendly, as if on equal terms. And she began to behave in accordance with her ideas: showing her displeasure regarding the favored Grigory Orlov, giving orders to guard officers and soldiers, arguing with their commander in front of the soldiers, and so on. Catherine tried to somehow reason with her, but realized that it was useless, that it was better to maintain decent relations.
After her accession, Catherine rewarded everyone who helped her seize the throne. But at court it was proper to consider these awards as ordinary awards before the coronation of the monarch, especially since even those who did not participate in the conspiracy, but whom it was desirable to win over to the side of the new empress, for example, such as the Skavronskys, were noted by the empress's favor.
Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova was not forgotten either. Catherine II elevated her to the rank of lady of state of the highest court, granted her the Order of St. Catherine, 1st degree, with the title “Her Excellency the Cavalry Dame Grand Cross” and a cash prize of 24 thousand rubles. Dashkova had doubts about the prize for a long time and consulted with many: whether to take it or not, because she didn’t try for money, but in the end she took it, and made a lot of noise at court with her reasoning. But such was the character of the princess.
In the very first days after the coup, Catherine invited Dashkova, as her favorite, and Grigory Orlov, as her favorite, to the palace for lunch. When Dashkova came into the hall where the dining table was set, and saw Orlov there, sitting on the sofa with his leg outstretched (he seriously bruised it), and a table was pushed towards him, she realized that there was a conflict between the empress and Orlov. connection, and she did not like this discovery extremely. Catherine II immediately noticed the displeasure on Dashkova’s face and realized that Dashkova was far from her life credo, that with her particularly “honest” understanding of life, no ruler would remain on the throne for more than two months. Dashkova, adhering to Orthodox morality, did not understand what favoritism was, why Catherine, such an intelligent, educated and cultured woman, now the All-Russian Empress, chose as her favorite a rude, ignorant martinet like Grigory Orlov. She did not understand that Catherine ascended the throne on the shoulders of guard soldiers led by the Orlovs, and not thanks to 19-year-old Dashkova, who told six officers, three nobles and Panin about the conspiracy.
Catherine II never broke off relationships with anyone suddenly and rudely, because she knew that every person, especially smart, well-mannered and educated, could always be useful someday. Therefore, in front of the courtiers, she always treated Dashkova as her favorite, but began to avoid friendly meetings with her. Ekaterina Romanovna felt this cooling towards her, but Ekaterina’s always friendly tone when meeting her, invitations to the palace for dinner, to balls, to imperial appearances, simply to live in the palace with her husband, as a favorite - all this did not give Dashkova an official reason to consider herself rejected, but she always felt the chill of the relationship. When one day she wanted to live in the palace next to Catherine, for some reason there was no room for her in the palace: all the rooms were occupied by the Empress’s favorite Anna Nikitichnaya Naryshkina, with whom Dashkova was in conflict “over a piece of land,” as Catherine defined it II. Ekaterina Romanovna did not know that the rooms were not found by order of the Empress, but she felt that this was not without reason.
Catherine Romanovna's husband, Prince Mikhail Dashkov, was the secret confidant of Catherine II, who appointed Prince Dashkov (shortly before his departure to Poland) as the head of a cuirassier regiment, previously headed only by German commanders. Dashkova was proud that her husband, in her opinion, managed to make the cuirassier regiment the best regiment in Russia. (Strange, but in “Notes” she always calls her husband only “Prince Dashkov”, as a stranger, so the reader until the end of her memoirs never learns from her what his name was.)
Catherine II entrusted Prince Dashkov with his cuirassier regiment with the elevation of Poniatowski to the Polish throne. Dashkov, with the support of the Russian troops brought into Poland, had to ensure (sometimes by persuasion, sometimes by bribery, sometimes by hinting at the presence of troops) a positive vote of the Sejm for Poniatowski. Which was done flawlessly. But Dashkov did not return to Russia. He died in Poland from "fever associated with a sore throat." Was it so? In her memoirs, many years later, Dashkova several times mentions his throat illness and, in connection with this, the severe fever to which he was subject. Maybe it was necessary?
The news of the death of Prince Dashkov, who, having completed the task, was already returning home with his cuirassiers, but caught a cold on the way and died, crippled the twenty-year-old widow with two children: son Pavel and daughter Anastasia. She was sick for a long time. According to her, Prince Dashkov left huge debts, the payment of which would put the family on the verge of ruin. But the 24 thousand given to her by Catherine, which she wanted to refuse, completely covered the debts, and the ruin did not take place.
Feeling a chill in relations with Catherine and influential people at court, Dashkova, as a lady of state, citing the difficult financial situation of the family, asked Catherine for leave and left with the children to the village, to her husband’s estate. Life in the village was much cheaper than in the capital, and after 5 years of living in the village, Ekaterina Romanovna managed to save enough money for a long trip around Europe. Under the pretext of the need to give her son Pavel an English education and upbringing after home, which took place according to the method developed by Dashkova, Ekaterina Romanovna, as a lady of state, had to ask the Empress for permission to travel abroad. The two letters she sent to the Empress did not receive an answer, and Dashkova herself went to St. Petersburg for an answer. Catherine II met her very cordially, during the conversation she found out that Dashkova was going to return and would debunk negative myths about Russia abroad, and, of course, gave the go-ahead for her departure . And when Dashkova returned to her estate, the courier brought her 4 thousand rubles as a gift from the empress. Ekaterina Romanovna was indignant at the insignificant amount, in her opinion, and did not want to take it, but then, as she writes in “Notes,” she made a list of necessary things that needed to be bought for the trip, calculated their cost, took exactly this amount, and the rest I returned the money to the courier. She knew that the courier would report to Catherine exactly how Dashkova accepted her gift.
In December 1768, Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova, with her daughter Anastasia and son Pavel, went on a trip to Europe under the pseudonym “Princess Mikhalkova.” Europe already knew the lady of state, the Knight Grand Cross, Princess Dashkova, the favorite of the Russian Empress, the 18-year-old girl who, according to rumors, placed Catherine II on the throne. The invented pseudonym could not hide her secret: many noble and famous people in Europe knew Dashkova by sight, because they had been to Russia and saw her at court next to Catherine. Therefore, she was warmly greeted by many celebrities: the head of the encyclopedists Diderot, and Voltaire, and new acquaintances from high spheres in France, and in Austria, and in Switzerland, and in Germany, and in England.
Dashkova traveled to European cities, got acquainted with their sights, had conversations with important people, and received many in her hotel or in the house she rented. She did not talk with only one person who overtook her at Diderot - Ruliere, who wrote memoirs about the Russian revolution (that is, about the coup). She did not accept Rulière for a conversation at Diderot's insistence. Dashkova had not heard about his “memoirs”, and therefore at first wanted to meet this man, but Diderot warned her: “I will tell you their contents. You are presented in all the beauty of your talents, in the full beauty of your female gender. But the empress is depicted in a completely different light, as is the Polish king, with whom Catherine’s connection is revealed to the last detail. As a result, the Empress instructed Prince Golitsyn to buy up this work. The bargaining, however, was so foolish that Ruliere managed to make three copies of his work and gave one to the Foreign Office, the other to Madame de Gramme’s library, and the third to the Parisian Archbishop. After this failure, Catherine instructed me to conclude a condition with Rulier, but all I could do was to make him promise not to publish these notes during the life of both the author and the empress. Now you see that your reception given to Ruliere would have given authority to his book, which is extremely disgusting to the Empress, especially since it has already been read by Madame Geoffrain, with whom all our celebrities, all remarkable foreigners gather, and, consequently, this book already in full swing. This, however, does not prevent Madame Jofren from being a friend of Poniatowski, whom she showered with all kinds of affection during his stay in Paris and then wrote to him as her beloved son.”
Of course, both Diderot and Voltaire, who were in constant correspondence with Catherine II, and the artists who received financial assistance from Catherine and sold their paintings to her, and Catherine’s agents who followed Dashkova - all spoke of the princess with great reverence, noting her intelligence, education, good manners, delicacy, respect for his empress and love for the Fatherland.
Upon returning to St. Petersburg, Dashkova and her children stayed with her sister Polyanskaya, the former favorite of Peter III, who was now married to Polyansky. This was not accidental: she could have stayed with her father and her uncle’s family, but she needed to check with Catherine whether her favor was strong. Arriving at the court, Ekaterina Romanovna was greeted very kindly by Ekaterina. Dashkova attributed this change in attitude towards her to the resignation of Grigory Orlov, whom she considered her enemy, from whom came the slander against her.
True, Dashkova said that Catherine was always merciful to her, and noted this in her “Notes”: “No matter what people write who, for lack of other authority, use everyday rumor, I must make a reservation that there will never be a complete break between me and Catherine did not have". And she always attributed the empress’s cooling towards her to the negative influence on Catherine of her favorite Grigory Orlov, who did not like Dashkova, seeing that she treated him with contempt, as a second-class person.
In June 1779, with the blessing of Catherine II, who sent Dashkova 60 thousand rubles for the journey, her state lady with her son and daughter set off on a new trip to Europe. The purpose of the trip is to complete the education and upbringing of the son of Prince Pavel Mikhailovich Dashkov abroad. In her memoirs, Dashkova did not say a word about her agreements with Catherine II regarding the program of stay in Western Europe, except for the education of her son and her daughter’s honeymoon, however, from individual references to the activities of Dashkova and her son abroad, we can conclude that the order was from Catherine Dashkova nevertheless received it and strictly followed it, sending reports on the work done to her empress.
It is not difficult to guess what these orders were: this is a quarantine hospital in Livorno, set up by Grand Duke Leopold; hospital plan, maintenance and administration; this is the plan, structure, work of the port of Terracino, which at that time was considered the best and most comfortable in Europe. Dashkova wrote about these objects as if she herself had chosen these objects for the empress, because she knows that Catherine is forced to constantly fight, which puts “us in contact with the southern peoples and, therefore, with epidemic diseases.” Catherine II remembered the plague epidemic and the associated riot in Moscow, where she sent Grigory Orlov to fight the plague and rioters, who was then forced to turn his house into a quarantine hospital. The presence of such a hospital, where everything was thought out and provided for, was very important for both Moscow and St. Petersburg. As for the plan and detailed report on the work of the best port in Europe, Catherine II needed this doubly, because at that time Potemkin was building ports on the Black Sea and for it, the drawings and all the calculations were of great value, and for Catherine II, familiarization with the documents about the port of Terracino was important in order to read Potemkin’s reports on the construction of ports in Crimea with knowledge of the matter. The drawings of the port of Terracino were made by the son of Dashkova, who constantly showed to the empress his knowledge, his skills after completing his upbringing and education according to the system developed personally by Dashkova, in order to announce that her son could be in demand as a specialist both in Russia and abroad. At the same time, in letters to the empress, the vain Dashkova demonstrated both her pedagogical abilities and the advantages of her education system, because Catherine opened an educational home (Smolny Institute) for noble maidens during these years, the education and upbringing system for which was developed by the empress herself with the participation of Betsky, but Dashkova was not involved in this work.
Traveling around Europe with the blessing of Catherine II, as her lady of state, her favorite, and not like on the previous trip, some Princess Mikhalkova “in a black dress and the same shawl, with the most modest hairstyle,” Dashkova was received by the sovereigns different countries and principalities. In Berlin, the King of Prussia, Frederick II, who during these years, together with the Russian Empress and the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, was engaged in the division of Poland, accepted it without any delay. In Paris, Queen Marie Antoinette met with Dashkova in the house of her closest friend and favorite Julie Polignac (which, we note, unfortunately, did not do Dashkova much honor, because not only Paris - all of France already knew what orgies were taking place in this house) . In Rome, in the Vatican, Pope Pius VI, whom Dashkova met in St. Peter's Cathedral, honored her with a conversation and even offered to inform him about her departure to Naples along the old road he had restored in order to prepare horses for her, “because there are no horses there yet.” mail, or other necessary amenities."
In Naples, Dashkova was introduced to the king, and he received her so kindly and hospitably that her son could sometimes participate in the royal hunt. In Vienna, Emperor Joseph II, despite his illness, gave her an audience. At Livorno, Duke Leopold gave her full opportunity to remove the plan and obtain documentation of the quarantine hospital. In London, Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova also received a favorable reception, because there were many high-ranking people familiar with the Vorontsov family. Her elder and beloved brother Alexander Romanovich Vorontsov was the plenipotentiary representative of Russia in London for two years (1761–1763).
Ekaterina Romanovna looked for and bought especially valuable minerals for her collection. And she found a collection of minerals that was being sold inexpensively, which, at her suggestion, was bought by Catherine II for the Imperial Hermitage, which she founded in 1764.
One day, Dashkova, in a dungeon where she was brought in search of minerals, accidentally stumbled upon two large semi-precious stones, even bruising her leg. She bought them and ordered them to be made into decorative tables as a gift for Catherine. But Catherine did not accept such an expensive gift. After the death of Catherine, Dashkova gave them to Alexander I. These tables still adorn the interior of one of the Hermitage halls.
In Naples, Dashkova received a letter from Catherine, in which she very kindly thanked her for the plan for the quarantine hospital, promised upon her return to St. Petersburg to give her son a brilliant career, to appoint him a chamber cadet, which gave the rank of brigadier (V class of the Table of Ranks). This kindness of Catherine, on the one hand, made her very happy, but on the other, excited her. Even on their first trip to Europe, “Princess Mikhalkova” and her son accidentally met Grigory Orlov, who was traveling with his wife. A rude martinet, he directly told them that he regretted that when they returned to St. Petersburg, he would not be there, and he, unfortunately, would not have the honor of recommending Prince Pavel Dashkov to the Empress as a favorite. To Dashkova’s frightened objection that such things should not be said, especially in the presence of a young man, Orlov said; the whole court knows that Dashkova has been giving her son a special upbringing and education for so many years, preparing him to be the empress’s favorite. Of course, listening to this, and even in front of her son, was very unpleasant for Dashkova. That is why the affectionate and benevolent letter received from the Empress with an offer of a career for her son at court, starting with the cadet chamber, was both sweet and alarming to read.
At the beginning of 1782, after Pavel graduated from the university, Catherine II invited Dashkova to return to St. Petersburg. Upon the Dashkovs’ return to their homeland, Catherine treated Ekaterina Romanovna so kindly that the whole court saw: Dashkova, not formally, but in reality, was the empress’s favorite. At the request expressed by Ekaterina Romanovna, Ekaterina invited her and her children to Tsarskoe Selo for lunch. She was met at the palace by His Serene Highness Prince Potemkin, who asked what the princess wanted regarding Prince Dashkov and what his rank was in the army. According to the rules of that time, Dashkov was enlisted in the army as a cadet at a young age, so that he could be promoted in absentia every year. But until the promotions were registered, cadet Dashkov, according to palace rules, did not have the right to sit at the same table with the empress. However, Catherine said loudly so that the entire retinue could hear: “I deliberately wanted to leave your son as a cadet for one more day and in this capacity invited him to dine with me to show my excellent attention with which I place your children above all others.” At dinner, Catherine sat Dashkova next to her and spoke exclusively to her. Princess Dashkova was so happy that she neglected the rheumatism that tormented her and spent the entire evening accompanying the Empress on her evening walk. The next day, Ekaterina Romanovna received a copy of the decree, according to which Prince Dashkov was promoted to captain of the Semenovsky Guards Regiment, which gave him the army rank of lieutenant colonel.
Now the first lady of state, Princess Dashkova, would certainly see her benefactress twice a week. Having learned that Dashkova lived outside the city, in a dacha, where the dampness complicated her rheumatism, Ekaterina gave her a house in St. Petersburg to choose from, which one Dashkova wanted to buy. And after some time, she gave Ekaterina Romanovna the Kruglovo estate.
With the help of Potemkin, whom Dashkova considered her friend, Lieutenant Colonel Pavel Dashkov was sent to the active Southern Army, led by His Serene Highness, to a place that excluded any fear for his life.
How can one explain such mercy to Dashkova by the empress? Well, firstly, Dashkova performed flawlessly abroad before European rulers as a representative of a great power and the great autocrat of Russia, Catherine II. Secondly, Ekaterina, apparently missing communication with a highly educated and intelligent woman who understands the importance for Russia of raising new people, education, the development of science, culture, art, has already realized that the talented Dashkova devoted to her can do a lot for Russia in this area.
Therefore, unexpectedly for her, Dashkova received an offer from the Empress to become director of the Academy of Sciences. Ekaterina Romanovna refused this prestigious, but also very responsible position. Her argument was that she is not engaged in science, has not graduated from the university and does not have a scientific degree or academic title, does not lecture at the university, and besides, she is a woman, and a woman is not supposed to lead learned men. But Catherine firmly insisted on her own, because she knew that in all the necessary parameters (intelligence, conscience, efficiency, knowledge, financial calculation, honesty and scrupulousness in solving any problems) no one was suitable for this position as Princess Dashkova. And despite refusals and assurances of the impossibility of this on the part of Catherine Romanovna, Catherine II issued a decree appointing Dashkova to the post of director of the Academy of Sciences.
What was Princess Dashkova’s contribution to the development of the Academy of Sciences and the creation of the Russian Academy of Sciences?
From the first day of her appointment, Dashkova behaved like an experienced leader. Here’s how Dashkova herself wrote about it: “My first thing after this appointment was to send a copy of the decree to the Academy. I wanted the commission to sit for two more days and immediately bring to my attention a report on various branches of academic activity, on the state of the printing house, along with the names of librarians and caretakers of various offices, so that the heads of each department would present me the next day with a report on their positions and everything , which is subject to their control. At the same time, I asked the commission to tell me everything that it considers most important regarding the duties of the director.” This is how Dashkova managed to, as they say, “take the bull by the horns.”
According to the accepted custom, the courtiers, one after another, began to congratulate Princess Dashkova on the royal favor, and then the professors of the Academy visited her to express their respect. Ekaterina Romanovna promised them that in any case, if necessary, the door of her house would always be open to members of the Academy. In turn, Dashkova began to visit famous academicians to get to know them better, and started with the famous mathematician Leonhard Euler, and then met others: biologist and geographer P. S. Pallas, traveler and naturalist I. I. Lepyokhin, astronomers P. B. Inokhodtsev, A. I. Leksel, S. Ya. Rumovsky. Meetings with professors of color provided her with support in scientific circles.
Even at the first meeting - the introduction to the members of the Academy of the new director, Princess Dashkova - Ekaterina Romanovna came with Euler. In her speech, she testified to her high respect for science and expressed deep respect for Euler, “one of the greatest mathematicians of his age,” as she described him. According to her, “there was not a single professor (except for the “allegorical one”) who did not sympathize with my review and, with tears in his eyes, did not recognize the merits and primacy of this venerable scientist.” This was a subtle calculation: never before had the Academy recognized scientific merits in such a way that it inspired hope for support for scientific research - the most precious thing for a real scientist.
Immediately after the official part, Dashkova went to the office and demanded from the academic officials a list of all the economic affairs of the Academy, that is, she immediately began working as a director. She told them that “behind the walls of the academy there are rumors of great unrest under the last director,” who supposedly “not only ruined the academic treasury, but also put it into debt.” And she proposed to work together to eliminate abuses. The new director, Princess Dashkova, warned her employees about the Academy: “I do not want to enrich myself at its expense and will by no means allow my subordinates to ruin it with bribes. And if I see that your behavior completely corresponds to my desire, I will not hesitate to reward the zealous and worthy with a promotion in rank or an increase in salary.” Please note, dear reader, she did not threaten punishments like this - alas! - is practiced in modern society, but has drawn the prospect of rewarding for decent work and behavior.
Usually, crown officials were sworn in before taking office, and Dashkova also had to go through this ritual. Moreover, Catherine II, answering the question whether Princess Dashkova, in view of her court status, should be sworn in, said: “Without a doubt. I did not secretly appoint Princess Dashkova as director of the academy. Although I do not need new proof of her loyalty to me and the Fatherland, this solemn act is very pleasing to me: it gives publicity and sanction to my determination.”
At a meeting of the Senate, Princess Dashkova took the oath of allegiance to the All-Russian Empress and the Fatherland.
In order not to take on the sins of others (the sources of academic income were depleted, the academy had considerable debts, financial reports were mixed and confused), Dashkova asked the Prosecutor General of the Senate, Prince Vyazemsky, to hand over to her documents indicating academic troubles, especially complaints against the retired director Domashnev, his answers with defense and protests, “to understand his own activities.”
With the greatest difficulty, Ekaterina Romanovna managed to establish two sources of academic income: 1) the “economic amount”, that is, her own source of income from the sale of already published academic works at 30% lower than their usual cost, and 2) money according to the estimate that the academy received from the state Treasury.
From the first source, Dashkova managed to pay off debts to booksellers: Russian, French and Dutch, and after being freed from these debts, save money to replenish the arrears of the state fund. Due to the neglect of the academy building and its services, Dashkova asked the state treasury, which was headed by state treasurer Prince Vyazemsky, for an amount in accordance with the upcoming repair costs, but also to increase wages for both academy members and service personnel.
Ekaterina Romanovna tried with all her might to increase the income from the publication of academic works in order to have money for unforeseen expenses, for awards, and for the purchase of equipment necessary for the research work of scientists. And she succeeded very well, so that at the expense of “economic sums” she managed to increase the number of Academy students receiving education at public expense to 90 people, opened three new departments: mathematics, geometry and natural history - and opened the doors of the Academy to everyone those wishing to attend lectures given in Russian. These actions of the director increased the prestige of the Academy, and with it the Russian language. Dashkova assessed the lectures in this way: “I often listened to them myself and was glad to see that this institution brought great benefit to the sons of poor nobles and lower guards officers.” The professors who gave these lectures received a remuneration of two hundred rubles at the end of the course, which was also provided from an “economic” source, the income of which consisted mainly of the sale of translations of the most interesting European books. It must be said that Catherine II annually released five thousand rubles “from her casket” to pay for translations of books by classical foreign writers. Dashkova gathered under the roof of the Academy the most talented and efficient translators of English, French, German, Dutch and other languages, who translated newly published books of both fiction and scientific literature. They were printed in an academic printing house and successfully sold in shops with which an agreement was concluded. Dashkova sent reports on income from this activity to Catherine I. Thus, Catherine Romanovna put her entrepreneurship at the service of science and education.
Dashkova herself became interested in compiling new and more accurate maps of various areas of Russia. This was necessary in view of the reform of Catherine II in the field of administrative-territorial division of the Russian Empire, which required new maps of each area: establishing new boundaries between regions on them, marking new roads and buildings. Taking advantage of the fact that Catherine II established local self-government, established local administration, local courts, police and noble leadership in each province and in each district, Dashkova contacted the regional governors in order to obtain information from them for mapping. The matter progressed, but with difficulties, because all the documentation was sent through the treasury of Prince Vyazemsky and took a very long time to reach the Academy. The drawing up of new maps has become one of the Academy's activity programs.
The Academy, headed by Princess Dashkova, did not have a philological faculty, or even a department of the Russian language. But Ekaterina Romanovna, traveling abroad, saw in France and other countries national academies engaged in the compilation of national dictionaries and philological research in the field of their national languages. It was clear that the question of creating a similar academy in Russia was already ripe. How this idea originated, according to Dashkova, and how it came to fruition, we will find in her “Notes”: “Once I walked with the Empress in the Tsarskoye Selo Garden. The conversation turned to the beauty and richness of the Russian language. I expressed surprise why the empress, who was able to appreciate his dignity and was a writer herself, had never thought about founding the Russian Academy. I noticed that we only need rules and a good vocabulary to make our language independent from foreign words and expressions that have neither the energy nor the power inherent in our word.
“I myself am surprised,” said Catherine, “why this idea has not yet been implemented. Such an institution for improving the Russian language often occupied me, and I have already given orders regarding it.
“This is truly amazing,” I continued. - Nothing could be easier than to carry out this plan. There are a lot of samples for it, and you just have to choose the best one from them.
Please, present me, princess, with some essay.”
The princess tried to shift this work to the empress's secretaries, but Catherine insisted that this work be carried out by Princess Dashkova and by decree appointed her state lady as president of the future Russian Academy. The Empress knew that Princess Dashkova would successfully open a new academy and would be able to organize work in it as it should be, and perhaps even better.
The Empress was right. Ekaterina Romanovna was a very smart person and a talented leader. Starting her job as President of the Russian Academy, Dashkova first of all bought a house for her, renovated it and furnished it with the necessary furniture. While engaged in the restoration of the first Academy, she gained experience in arranging the necessary premises for the work of academic scientists and their staff, for purchasing the necessary books and all kinds of stationery. Therefore, it was not difficult for her to buy a suitable house, renovate it, and arrange in it premises for the work of scientists, for a lecture hall, for a library and other necessary needs, where the purchased equipment could be placed.
It would seem that the financial side was also secured, because the empress herself took care of her. However, the thrifty Dashkova believed that the Russian Academy should be able to earn money on its own. Ekaterina Romanovna, based on the printing house, expanded her business, which brought in a good income. Again, as in the first Academy, she organized a group of translators, printed classics of French, German and English literature, as well as foreign literary novelties, translated into Russian, entered into agreements with booksellers and successfully sold these books. So the clever leadership of the princess made it possible to establish a new Russian Academy quite quickly.
On October 21, 1783, the grand opening of the Imperial Russian Academy took place in St. Petersburg under the chairmanship of Princess E. R. Dashkova. Poets, playwrights, historians and publicists were invited as members of the Academy: G. R. Derzhavin, M. M. Kheraskov, V. I. Maykov, E. I. Kostrov, I. F. Bogdanovich, I. I. Khemnitser, M. M. Shcherbatov and others. In addition to regular meetings on issues of the Russian language, literature and the principles of creating a dictionary, giving lectures, including public ones, and holding debates on philological topics, the Russian Academy has set its main task to create the first explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. After much debate about the choice of principles for selecting material and its presentation in the dictionary, Dashkova organized a dictionary group of scientists, divided the proposed work alphabetically and distributed the creation of parts of the dictionary by letter among the group members. Ekaterina Romanovna, leading the group as a whole, also took on the task of writing part of the dictionary (two letters). The dictionary had to be explanatory and built according to the root nest principle, that is, like this: a head word was selected, consisting only of the base (for example, “san”, “tree”, etc.), and then all available words were included in the dictionary entry with this root, that is, derivatives from this root: dignified, dignitary, dignitary, posture, and so on. Each word was given its interpretation.
After the opening, the Academy began to work without delay. A month later, on November 18, 1783, at a meeting of the Russian Academy, Dashkova proposed introducing the letter “e” into the Russian alphabet, which was approved by all members of the Academy.
Work on the dictionary continued for eleven years and ended in 1794. The publication of the “Dictionary of the Russian Academy” turned out to be a real sensation for the Russian educated public. It seemed that this was a triumph for Princess Dashkova. However, Catherine II did not like the dictionary because it was built on a nested principle. Dashkova immediately determined that Ekaterina was saying this under the influence of her favorite Zubov, who hated the favorite Princess Ekaterina Romanovna and therefore allowed herself to speak out against everything that Dashkova did. But Dashkova also responded to him with the same “reciprocity.”
And by the way, almost 100 years later, Vladimir Ivanovich Dal published the “Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language”, using the same nesting principle of presenting material. Kazan University professor Baudouin de Courtenay, already at the beginning of the 20th century, having cleared Dalev’s dictionary of purely regional, local words, left the same principle of combining words into a root nest, which, as it were, for the second time, after Dahl, approved the method proposed by Dashkova for creating the first Russian explanatory dictionary .
Some modern authors write that Dashkova “sought with great difficulty the allocation of money for organizing scientific expeditions.” Perhaps Ekaterina Romanovna had plans to organize scientific expeditions, but she did not organize a single expedition. During the reign of Catherine II, they were mainly concerned with annexing new lands to Russia: Crimea, Kuban, Taman, Eastern Georgia and even America. In 1784, the Irkutsk merchant of the 1st guild Grigory Ivanovich Shelikhov, who successfully traded with the American Indians, began the Russian development (settlement) of Alaska and the Pacific coast of California. But such expeditions as, for example, the Great Northern Expedition (Second Kamchatka) of 1733–1743 with the participation of V.I. Bering, S.I. Chelyuskin and the Laptev brothers, which began under Anna Ioannovna and ended under Elizaveta Petrovna, during the reign of Catherine II was not carried out. Most likely, Ekaterina Romanovna, in the conditions of constant wars requiring huge amounts of money, never achieved money for the expedition.
A gymnasium was organized at the academies; in addition, the Smolny Institute and many other educational institutions already existed, and Princess Dashkova, who for many years had been developing education and training programs for her son and daughter, having practical teaching experience, could not refuse to draw up new ones programs for academic gymnasium. These programs and methodological proposals of Dashkova were discussed at meetings of the Academy, which were attended by teachers of institutes, boarding houses for noble maidens and cadet corps, and therefore were partially applied at the Smolny Institute.
The President of the Russian Academy also founded a magazine, the name of which “Interlocutor of Lovers of the Russian Word” showed its direction. The magazine brought together famous writers, poets, playwrights, and journalists; Both Catherine II and Dashkova herself wrote articles for this magazine.
Catherine II, having given the reins of government in many economic and political areas to Platon Zubov, a stupid but cunning, greedy and unkind favorite to people, in her last love completely betrayed both soul and body to the young adventurer and his brother Valerian. Potemkin tried to explain to her that Zubov was pursuing a treacherous policy towards her, trying to establish his service to Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, Catherine did not even listen to him, and he left for his Southern Army to make peace with the Turks with a broken heart and great sadness. On October 5, 1791, His Serene Highness Prince Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin died while rushing to negotiate peace with the Turks. This was the only favorite of the empress who was not Dashkova’s enemy, but, on the contrary, helped her in many ways.
It must be said that Dashkova in court circles was known as someone with an “eccentric character.” She could not stand Catherine's favorites, and with the first of them - Grigory Orlov - she immediately entered into hostile relations, which caused the newly crowned empress to cool off towards her friend. She also had a clash with Lansky. He was affectionate, polite and delicate with everyone, but with Dashkova, in her opinion, he was rude. Alexander Dmitriev-Mamonov was also a favorite-enemy for Dashkova. She hated and considered Zubov her enemy, who more than once arranged vile provocations for her and aroused anger in the empress against her. Even during the last meeting of the Empress with Dashkova during her resignation from the post of President of the two Academies in August 1794, Zubov tried in every possible way to disrupt this meeting, and the Empress, under his influence, did not even want to say goodbye in a friendly manner to her favorite, who had served her faithfully for so many years , like no other state lady at her court.
In her memoirs, Princess Catherine Romanovna wrote: “I always kept myself on guard with Catherine’s lovers; I was not at all on good terms with some of them, which prompted them to put me in an ambiguous position in relation to the empress, to stir up enmity between us, and due to my innate irascibility, I was often forgotten and caused well-deserved indignation on her part.
Among my enemy-favorites was Count Momonov, who, like his predecessors, wanted to quarrel between me and Catherine. Being more cunning than his brothers, he noticed that I would not succumb to an ordinary bait, so he chose the most successful method - to use me and my son for his own purpose. Fortunately, my affection for the Empress was based on respect. Experience proved to me how little I owed to the benevolence of the royal harem. Far from bowing, like the rest of the herd, to lovers when they were in power, I did not want to acknowledge their influence. At the same time, I could clearly see when Catherine acted towards me under the influence of their intrigues, and when she obeyed the suggestions of her own heart.”
Ekaterina did not love Dashkova. Even then, when Dashkova began to act, wanting to elevate her friend (and she believed that this was her closest friend) to the throne, Catherine and her close circle showed great caution towards her: was this “a decoy”? And indeed, Peter III is Dashkova’s godfather, his favorite Elizaveta Romanovna Vorontsova, for whose sake he wants to send his wife to a monastery, is her own (!) sister, and she herself is 19 years old, although well-read, but not understanding of people , not in politics and many people are chattering fools. And Dashkova’s attack against the favorite Grigory Orlov showed that she does not understand politics in general, she cuts everything from the shoulder, cannot understand that Catherine owes the throne to this rude lout and, until she has established herself on the throne, must rely on him, or rather, on his guards bayonets. After the coup, Dashkova began to behave like a mistress: making sarcastic remarks about her favorite, showing her displeasure to the empress. And the main thing is to tell everyone that it was thanks to her efforts that they managed to put Catherine on the throne. All this alienated Dashkova from the Empress for a long time, but by no means completely: Dashkova, matured, intelligent, and having increased her education and maturity of thought with her children abroad, can be useful not in friendly, but in state affairs. So Dashkova again found herself in favor. And she paid a hundredfold for the Empress’s trust with her essentially state affairs, which raised the prestige of Russia in the scientific world, and to a greater extent in the cultural world.
Dashkova was always sincere before the empress and was always faithful to her; she loved Catherine, considered her an extraordinary woman and was happy when it seemed to her that Catherine loved her too.
The death of the Empress found Dashkova in her Troitskoye estate. They did not see Catherine for about two years, so the death of the empress was unexpected for the princess. Knowing Pavel's disposition, Ekaterina Romanovna began to wait for bad news, and it was not slow in coming. Pavel urgently demanded that Dashkova be evicted from Troitsky and sent into exile to a remote village that belonged to her son. He hated Dashkova because she elevated his mother to the throne and was her associate. He did not understand that it was his mother’s elevation to the throne that made him the Heir. After all, if Peter III had exiled Catherine to a monastery and married Elizaveta Vorontsova, then Elizabeth’s son, Pavel, would have become the heir. Dashkova, her daughter Anastasia and her servants spent about a year in exile in difficult, unusual conditions for her. Her friends remained at court and continually worked for her return. At their request, Empress Maria Feodorovna, the wife of Paul I, and his favorite Nelidova joined in these efforts, and they managed to soften Paul’s heart: he allowed Dashkova to return to Troitskoye, but under no circumstances be near the august family.
In 1798, Prince Pavel Dashkov found himself in favor with Emperor Paul. Paul I was attracted by his ability to make strategic drawings and plans. Prince Dashkov also helped remove some of the bonds from his mother. But, as was the custom of a nervous and therefore unpredictable emperor, a year later Prince Dashkov fell out of favor with Paul and was dismissed from his post.
Dashkova lived on her Troitskoye estate, repaired and improved it, planted fruit trees and enjoyed nature. Now it’s hard to imagine, because Troitskoye these days is a scientific town, and not a trace remains of Princess Dashkova’s former life.
As you know, Paul I reigned for only 4 years and less than 5 months, and on the night of March 11-12, 1801, he was strangled in his bedroom by conspirators. The rise to power of Alexander I for Dashkova was marked by the Tsar’s invitation to return to court. Dashkova writes with pride about the coronation of Alexander I, when she rode in the same carriage in the coronation procession with Empress Elizaveta Alekseevna as the senior lady of state of the Imperial Court. But Dashkova could no longer be at court all the time: the atmosphere of the court had completely changed, and she did not want to look alien and old-fashioned, and both age and illness dictated a different, quiet life.
Emperor Alexander, having respect for her great merits, tried to make her life easier and, just like his grandmother Catherine II, helped her financially, for example, repaid the bank loan she had taken out in full.
Dashkova lived in Troitsky, wrote her memoirs, or “Notes of a Princess,” which, as you noticed, dear readers, were quoted in abundance in this book. She was visited by English ladies she knew from her travels, whose friendship she valued very much. In honor of one of them, Lady Hamilton, she even named one of her villages - Hamilton. And to her other English friend, Miss Wilmot, she dedicated her work - “Notes of a Princess” with a letter of dedication.
Of blessed memory, Princess Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova, née Vorontsova, died on January 4, 1810, having outlived her Empress Catherine II by almost 14 years, exactly as much as she was younger than her empress.
Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova, one of the favorites of Catherine the Great, went down in the history of Russia as the most educated, talented woman of her era, who raised the glory of Russia in the eyes of Western Europe and the whole world in the field of education, culture, science and the scientific study of the Russian language.
Alexandra Vasilievna Branitskaya (née Engelhardt)(1754–1838). Alexandra Vasilievna Engelhardt, in her marriage Countess Branitskaya, became the favorite of Catherine II, maid of honor, lady of state, and then chamberlain of the Highest Court thanks to her uncle, the favorite of Empress Catherine II - Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin.
The sister of His Serene Highness Prince G. A. Potemkin, Elena Alexandrovna, was married to the captain of the Smolensk gentry, Vasily Andreevich Engelhardt. Elena Alexandrovna died early, still a young woman, leaving her three daughters - Alexandra, Ekaterina and Varvara - in the care of her mother, who lived in a remote estate in one of the districts of the Smolensk province.
The girls were treated kindly by their grandmother, but, living in the wilderness, they received neither the proper noble upbringing nor the education necessary for noblewomen.
When in 1775 Potemkin, already a favorite, returned to the court of Catherine II after completing his assignment - the capture of Pugachev, he turned to his benefactress with a request to take his three nieces, who by this time had already become girls, to the court. The Empress gave such permission, and three sisters - Alexandra, Catherine and Varvara, summoned by Uncle Gregory to Moscow, where the court was at that time, appeared before the eyes of Empress Catherine II. The Empress liked the Engelhardt sisters, all of them, including Alexandra, received a maid of honor code and together with the court went to St. Petersburg. To serve at the Imperial Court, the newly minted ladies-in-waiting had to fill the gaps in their upbringing and education.
Alexandra, like her sisters, was an uneducated girl, completely unfamiliar with the etiquette of Catherine’s brilliant court, had no idea about its customs and morals, but she was smart, knew how to quickly navigate circumstances and even, as her later life showed, was in talented in many ways.
And here, at court, she turned out to be the most diligent of the sisters. Alexandra seriously and tirelessly engaged in her self-education, carried out the Empress’s instructions with special care and speed, and in the course of self-education - in clothes, in gait, in manner of speaking, in dealing with people, she took an example from the Empress she adored. Alexandra’s diligence and her noticeable successes in education aroused special sympathy from Ekaterina I, who always respected those who strive for culture. Catherine did not abandon her mercy to her two sisters - Catherine and Varvara.
2 years have passed since the arrival of maid of honor Alexandra Engelhardt to the court, and in view of her visible success in this field, on November 24, 1777, she was highest awarded the title of maid of honor with the right to wear it on the left side of the chest, at the shoulder, on a blue moire bow, sprinkled with diamonds portrait of the empress.
The court accepted her promotion favorably, which was facilitated by the merciful attitude of the august benefactress towards her and the presence nearby of her powerful uncle, favorite Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin, who was always on the side of the interests of his nieces, especially Alexandra, and generously gifted them all.
Alexandra fit well into the life of the court. Her regal gait, always friendly expression on her face, affectionate, kind behavior with people, and thanks to her imitation of the empress, her ability to dress impeccably - all this showed that she was fully worthy of the title of maid of honor.
Looking ahead, it must be said that Alexandra Vasilievna went through the entire hierarchical ladder of the Russian imperial court: first with the rank of maid of honor of the Supreme Court (1775), then maid of honor (1777), then lady of state (1781) and, finally, the highest rank - Her Excellency Chief Chamberlain of the Highest Court (1824). She also had the title of “Cavalier Dame Grand Cross,” that is, the 1st degree of the Order of St. Catherine, and she received this order not “in view of the merits of her husband,” as many ladies of large and small courts received, but for her personal merits.
There were rumors in high society that Potemkin made all his nieces his mistresses. Now it is difficult to say whether this was true. But somehow it’s hard to believe that, having an apartment connected to the empress’s apartment in the palace where her ladies-in-waiting also lived, the favorite Potemkin would allow himself such debauchery, which even went beyond the rules of favoritism. It is unlikely that Catherine would have allowed such a loving mixture in front of her and her court.
In those days, the words “favorite” and “favorite” were not yet known, and the word “mistress” was used in the meaning of both “darling” and “mistress”. Perhaps one of the nobles used the expression “favorite nieces,” and evil tongues turned this into “mistress nieces.”
Yes, Potemkin loved his nieces very much, he always felt responsible for them as the orphan daughters of his deceased sister, he took care of them and supported and gifted them in every possible way. But most of all he loved Alexandra, because he was connected with her not only by family ties, but also by business: he collaborated with her as a business partner, both in politics and in commerce. Alexandra was close to Grigory Alexandrovich both in spirit and in her sense of civic duty. Having no parents, she treated him like her own father, always took care of him and his health, especially after he ceased to be a favorite - the lover of Catherine II, but retained the title of favorite and became a statesman, the main assistant to the Empress in management of the Russian Empire. In 1780, he and the Empress resolved Polish affairs, especially the issue of the second partition of Poland. This was a difficult question, which had to be resolved in the conditions of the weak power of the Polish king Augustus-Stanislaus (the former lover of Catherine II, who was placed on the Polish throne by her), serious disagreements in the Sejm and the willfulness of the gentry. At the same time, there was a constant religious struggle for the Catholicization of the population of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Therefore, it was in Russia’s interests to attract as many noble, authoritative nobles as possible to cooperation.
Noticing a special interest in Alexandra Vasilievna Engelhardt on the part of the crown great Polish hetman Count Xavier Petrovich Branitsky, Potemkin, on his own behalf and on behalf of the empress, turned to Alexandra with a request not to reject Branitsky’s advances, but on the contrary, to be especially kind to him. Alexandra Vasilievna understood the political importance of attracting the great crown hetman to the Russian service and, without thinking about her feelings and her personal happiness, accepted Branitsky’s offer and, with the approval of Catherine II, married him. Count Xavier Branitsky was accepted into Russian service with the rank of general-in-chief (And class of the Table of Ranks), Alexandra Vasilievna became Countess Branitskaya. From their marriage was born a daughter, Elizaveta Ksaverevna Branitskaya, by Vorontsov’s husband, the famous love of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, who dedicated five brilliant love poems to her.
On the wedding day of Sashenka Engeldardt, November 12, 1781, Catherine II granted her favorite, now Countess Alexandra Vasilievna Branitskaya, the title of lady of state.
From that time on, Alexandra lived in the summer in the Alexandria estate given to her by her husband or in her husband’s estate Belaya Tserkov, and in the winter - to fulfill her duties as a lady of state - in the St. Petersburg Imperial Palace, where in her absence rooms were always reserved for her next to the empress’s apartments, “ table" (food) and the right to dine at the empress's table. This cost the court office 400 rubles annually.
As a lady of state of the Highest Court, Countess Branitskaya in 1783 accompanied the Empress on her journey along the Dnieper to the Crimea on Potemkin’s Bug galley. She was present at the first meeting of Catherine II with Emperor Joseph II, who took part in a trip to and around the Crimea. And as the wife of the crown great hetman, Count Xavier Branicki, she accompanied her husband to the Polish Sejm, which was of great importance for Russian-Polish relations in the conditions of the Second Partition of Poland.
Count Xavier Branicki, although he was “great and crowned,” was almost ruined. Nevertheless, he gave his young wife an estate near Bila Tserkva, which he named Alexandria in her honor. And in Belaya Tserkov there was an estate that belonged to him - alas! - having considerable debts. Alexandra Vasilyevna, as we know, did not have any education, especially economic, but having taken on the management of the economy of Alexandria and the economy of her husband in Bila Tserkva, she proved herself to be an experienced and talented economist, and, in modern terms, as a successful businesswoman. With her frugality, financial prudence, and businesslike economic foresight, Alexandra Vasilievna more than once saved Count Branitsky from complete ruin. Successfully and with good profit, she also conducted partnerships with Field Marshal General of the Southern Army G. A. Potemkin, who sent her orders for the supply of various types of goods for the active army in the Russian-Turkish War. The goods she supplied arrived on time and were of high quality, which completely satisfied the Field Marshal, who cared about his soldiers and officers, and not just his beloved niece. Countess Branitskaya's financial affairs were going so well that she tripled her husband's fortune and increased her own fortune to 28 million rubles.
The success of the Branitsky estates attracted the owners of neighboring and even distant estates to Alexandra Vasilievna, who wanted her to share her successful experience with them, and the countess willingly shared her economic secrets with them, thereby helping to save their estates from ruin.
Countess Branicka's true passion was growing trees and creating parks. Around her estate Alexandria and on the Belaya Tserkov estate, Alexandra Vasilievna planted magnificent parks with various trees, among which there were many rare species that she ordered from abroad. She took care of the trees herself, planted them, watered them, fed them, saved them from frost, heat and insects.
Alexandria Park, to the delight of botanists, is still alive. With its beauty and splendor it attracts many tourists who admire its park architecture, its centuries-old trees, especially rare trees.
Despite her million-dollar fortune, the countess lived on her estate in a modest wooden house and led a modest and economical lifestyle. Among people, she was known as a hoarder, because few people knew how much money she spent on anonymous charity.
In the fall of 1791, having learned that her beloved uncle had returned from St. Petersburg to his headquarters completely ill, Alexandra Vasilievna hurried to him in Nikolaev to look after him. But he considered it his duty to correct the mistake of N.I. Panin, who did not adequately take into account the interests of Russia in the preliminary peace treaty with the Turks, and to make significant amendments to the final version of the Russian-Turkish peace treaty. Alexandra Vasilievna went with Potemkin to negotiate in Iasi, but on the road, 40 kilometers from Iasi, Potemkin became ill. He was taken out of the carriage and laid on the grass, but he literally died in the arms of his niece. At the site of his death, Alexandra Vasilievna erected a monument in the form of a marble column. She commissioned the painter Francesco Casanova to paint a painting depicting the death of Potemkin. An engraving was made from this painting by the artist Skorodumov. Casanova’s painting has not reached us, so its contents are known only from Skorodumov’s engraving. According to Potemkin's will, Countess Branitskaya inherited most of his estates and estates. In memory of her uncle, His Serene Highness Prince G. A. Potemkin, a great statesman, she established a hospital for all classes, calling it Grigorievskaya in his honor. She donated 200 thousand rubles to ransom poor people and insolvent debtors from prison.
A little over a year after the death of uncle Grigory Alexandrovich, on September 8, 1792, the Branitsky couple gave birth to a daughter, Elizaveta Ksaverevna, who went down in Russian history thanks to A. S. Pushkin’s love for her. Alexandra Vasilievna raised her daughter in strictness and initially gave her a very good, but home education, which took place either in Alexandria or in Bila Tserkva.
Looking ahead, let's say that in 1807, fifteen-year-old Elizabeth was granted a maid of honor in the small court of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. However, in fact, Elizabeth continued to live either on her father’s estate or on her mother’s estate. Alexandra Vasilievna did not want her daughter to be at court before her marriage, in an atmosphere of favoritism, essentially permissiveness. She highly valued and respected Alexander I, but knew well that he was a great conqueror of the hearts of beautiful girls. And her Elizabeth, although not a beauty, was a very attractive girl, captivating with her charming smile and the gentle gaze of her small, honey-colored eyes. “In addition, Polish coquetry made its way in her through the great modesty to which her Russian mother had taught her from an early age, which made her even more attractive.” Therefore, having appointed her daughter as a maid of honor at court, Alexandra Vasilievna immediately procured for her a long leave “to complete her upbringing and education.”
Alexandra Vasilievna also had a son, Alexander Ksaverevich Branitsky, who served at the court from September 15, 1801 as a chamberlain, and from January 1, 1804 was granted full chamberlain status. But already on January 15, 1804, Alexander I “deigned to order, according to the request of the lady of state, Countess Alexandra Vasilievna Branitskaya, to leave her youngest son, the actual chamberlain of Count Alexander Ksaverevich Branitsky, with his parent until he improves in the sciences.”
But let's go back to 1796. Five years after Potemkin’s death, also in the fall, the benefactor of the favorite, State Lady Branitskaya, Empress Catherine II, died. Alexandra Vasilievna experienced her death as deeply as the death of her uncle. She now lost all interest in the imperial court, which had previously been her home. She left in the winter of 1797 for the Belaya Tserkov estate, and in the spring of the following year - for Alexandria, to her parks, to her trees, to their peace and quiet. Communication with the imperial court remained only in correspondence with the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, widow of Paul I, in constant participation in the charitable affairs of the “Institutions of Empress Maria Feodorovna,” and in rare visits by Alexander I to her estate Alexandria.
Knowing about Alexandra Vasilievna’s assistance to the Russian throne in international politics, Emperor Alexander I treated Countess Branitskaya with great respect and every time he visited Alexandria, he invariably called her to return to St. Petersburg.
The invasion of Napoleonic troops was aimed at capturing Moscow, the ancient capital of Russia, and therefore passed away from the Branicki estates. However, General-in-Chief Count Ksaviry Petrovich Branitsky took part in the War of 1812, and then in the Foreign Campaign of 1813–1814, liberating his native Poland from Napoleon. After the liberation of both Russia and Europe from Napoleon, Russia's international prestige increased significantly. At the Congress of Vienna, convened in September 1814 on the initiative of Russia as the main winner in the Napoleonic Wars, Alexander I was recognized as literally a hero. The Congress continued until June 1815, and all this time, in addition to very heated debates over the claims of the powers (England, Austria , Prussia) in the territories, especially Polish ones, nevertheless, time was also spent in balls, concerts, opera and dramatic performances. 216 representatives of all European powers, including Russia, were invited to the congress along with their families. Among others, General-in-Chief Count Ksaviry Petrovich Branitsky with his wife and daughter was invited. There, in Vienna, Elizaveta Ksaveryevna met Count Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov, a hero of the Patriotic War of 1812 and foreign battles of 1813–1814. Elizaveta, who was 23 years old at that time, was fresh and very good-looking. Count Vorontsov, a brilliant young general, was very interested in her, but was in no hurry to offer her his hand and heart: he feared that her connection through her father with Polish magnates could interfere with his future career. The Branitskys returned home without receiving a proposal from their groom.
Years passed, but Alexandra Vasilievna continued to care for the trees, and when Count Branitsky began to get sick, she also looked after her husband. At the beginning of 1819, her husband, the Polish crown hetman Count Xavier Petrovich Branitsky, chief general of the Russian army, died. Elizaveta Ksaveryevna was already 27 years old at that time. And then she received an offer from Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov to marry him. The proposal was accepted, and on April 20, 1819, the wedding took place in Paris. Countess Elizaveta Ksaverevna brought her husband a very large dowry.
There were still Russian troops in France; Count Vorontsov commanded the troops in Paris, so the young couple after the wedding was forced to live in Paris until the order to return. The order came in 1823, and the Vorontsovs returned to their homeland. Count Vorontsov was appointed governor-general of Novorossiya and, in connection with such a high position, received the title of prince, and Elizaveta Vorontsova, who became princess, was granted, in view of her husband’s important merits, a lady of state of the Highest Court with the award of the Order of St. Catherine, II degree, which gave her rank of Dame of the Small Cross.
Five years after the death of her husband, on January 1, 1824, Countess Alexandra Vasilyevna Branitskaya, state lady of the Highest Court, cavalry lady of the Order of St. Catherine, 1st degree of the Grand Cross, having heeded the invitations of the emperor, returned to St. Petersburg to the court. Alexander I granted her the highest court rank of Chief Chamberlain of the Highest Court. But she was a lady of Catherine’s court, and the new order of Empress Elizaveta Alekseevna and the new way of life of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna were alien to her. She continued to imitate her mistress Catherine the Great in her gait, in her clothes, in communicating with courtiers, but a new fashion came in everything, and Alexandra Vasilievna looked very old-fashioned against this background. Chief Chamberlain Branitskaya was no longer young: she was already in her eighties. It was too late to accept new orders, new fashion, new views on the life of the court, and Countess Branitskaya, having finally lost interest in the imperial court, resigned.
For many years, the position of Chief Chamberlain of the Highest Court remained unoccupied. And only on February 2, 1885, Emperor Alexander III granted the rank and position of Chief Chamberlain of the Highest Court to Chamberlain, a cavalry lady, Princess Elena Pavlovna Kochubey, after whose death in 1888 he was no longer in this rank no one was granted.
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