How many children did the Russian Empress Catherine II have? And what were their names? Children of Catherine the Great

16.10.2019

Russian monarchs are credited with a considerable number of illegitimate children, most of whom never really existed. There are very real historical people who were considered imperial children, but who in fact were not.

But there are people over the mystery of whose origin historians are still puzzled. One of these is Elizaveta Grigoryevna Tyomkina.

At Catherine the Great there were many favorites Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin stands alone. He managed to become not only the lover of the Empress, but also her close friend, right hand, assistant in all matters and undertakings.

Changed as favorite Grigory Orlov, his namesake turned out to be wiser, more far-sighted, more active.

Relations between Potemkin and Catherine II in a certain period of time were so close that there was even a version of their secret wedding.

As you know, from Grigory Orlov, Catherine gave birth to a son, Alexei. Considering the empress's affection for Potemkin, the version that Catherine decided to have a child from him looks quite realistic.

Secret childbirth

On July 13, 1775, a girl was secretly born in Moscow, named Elizabeth. baby was taken by Potemkin to his sister Maria Alexandrovna Samoilova, and his nephew was appointed guardian of the girl Alexander Nikolaevich Samoilov.

When the girl grew up, in the 1780s they picked up another guardian for her - they became personal physician Ivan Filippovich Beck who treated the grandchildren of the Empress. In the future, the girl was given for training and education in a boarding school.

The question of Grigory Potemkin's paternity does not arise in this case - direct evidence is the surname "Tyomkina" given to the girl.

According to the then tradition, the surname of the illegitimate offspring of a noble father was formed by removing the first syllable from the parent's surname. So the Betskys, Pnins and Litsyns appeared in Russia - illegitimate descendants of the princes Trubetskoy, Repnin and Golitsyn. So there is no doubt that Liza Tyomkina was the daughter of Grigory Potemkin, no.

But was the Empress her mother?

For some time before and after July 13, 1775, Catherine did not appear in public. According to the official version, Catherine got an upset stomach due to unwashed fruits. During this period, she really was in Moscow, where the celebration of the Kyuchuk-Kaynarji peace treaty, which ended the Russian-Turkish war, took place. That is, Catherine had all the conditions for secretly giving birth to a child.

"Now is the time to have children"

There were many skeptics, however, both then and now. Most of all, the age of Catherine herself caused doubts: by the time of the alleged birth, she was already 46 years old, which is quite a lot in terms of childbearing today, and by the standards of the 18th century, it seemed to be beyond the age.

King of France Louis XVI, the one who was about to lose his head from the guillotine knife, ironically: "Mrs. Potemkina is a good forty-five: it's time to give birth to children."

The second reason for doubt is Catherine's attitude towards Elizabeth Tyomkina. Or rather, the absence of any relationship whatsoever. Against the background of first care, and then anger towards Orlov's son Alexei Bobrinsky, such indifference of the Empress looks strange.

It cannot be said that the father spoiled the girl with attention, although Elizabeth, of course, had everything she needed.

There is an assumption that the mother of Elizabeth could be one of the favorites of Potemkin himself, who, of course, could not compete with the Empress and about whom little is known. However, there is no convincing evidence for this version either.

"The family lived together, cheerfully and noisily"

According to contemporaries, Elizabeth Tyomkina herself knew from childhood that she was the daughter of Grigory Potemkin and Catherine the Great.

After the death of her father, Elizaveta Tyomkina was granted large estates in the Kherson region - a region, the development and arrangement of which gave a lot of effort to the Most Serene Prince.

In 1794, a 19-year-old rich bride was married off as a 28-year-old Second Major Ivan Khristoforovich Kalageorgi.

The son of a Greek nobleman, guardsman-cuirassier Ivan Kalageorgi was a prominent person. From childhood, he was brought up with the Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich and therefore was one of the close associates of the imperial family.

This marriage turned out to be happy - Ivan and Elizabeth had ten children, 4 sons and 6 daughters. Ivan Kalageorgi himself rose to the rank of governor of the Yekaterinoslav province.

The character of Elizabeth Tyomkina was described in different ways - some called her spoiled, self-confident and uncontrollable, others - a modest woman and a good mother.

Great-grandson of Elizabeth Tyomkina, famous literary critic and linguist Dmitry Nikolaevich Ovsyaniko-Kulikovskiy, he described the life of his ancestors in this way: “The family lived together, cheerfully and noisily, but at the same time somehow very restless, expecting at times all sorts of troubles and misfortunes.”

Portrait from the Tretyakov Gallery

After Elizabeth got married, one of her former guardians, Alexander Samoilov, ordered the famous artist Vladimir Borovikovsky her portrait. “What I need most... is to have a portrait of Elizaveta Grigorievna Kalageorgieva... I want the painter Borovikovsky to copy it... let Elizaveta Grigorievna be painted in such a way that her neck was open and her hair, disheveled with curls, lay on it without order.. . ”, Samoilov gave instructions in a letter to his representative.

Portrait of Elizabeth Grigoryevna Tyomkina as Diana. 1798. Photo: Public Domain

The portrait was ready in a year. Borovikovsky also performed his miniature repetition on zinc. On it, Elizabeth was depicted in the image ancient greek goddess Diana, bare-breasted, with a crescent-moon ornament in her hair.

The portrait and miniature were donated to the Calageorgi family.

Elizaveta Grigorievna Tyomkina-Kalageorgi lived a life far from political storms, and died in May 1854, at the age of 78.

In 1884 the son of Elizabeth Konstantin Ivanovich Kalageorgi offered to purchase a portrait of his mother to a collector Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov for 6 thousand rubles.

Tretyakov considered the price too high. Then the grandson of Elizabeth and the son of Constantine, the justice of the peace, joined the bargaining Nikolai Konstantinovich Kalageorgi, who wrote to the collector: “The portrait of my grandmother has triple historical meaning- by the personality of the artist, by the personality of my grandmother and as a type of beauty of the eighteenth century, which constitutes its value quite independently of the fashionable trends of contemporary art.

Tretyakov, however, was not convinced by this argument either. As a result, the portrait remained in the Calageorgi family.

In 1907, the widow of Judge Calageorga sold the portrait to the Moscow collector Tsvetkov. 18 years later, the Tsvetkov collection became part of the State Tretyakov Gallery. The miniature with Elizaveta Tyomkina as Diana was acquired by the Tretyakov Gallery in 1964.

The portrait of the daughter of Grigory Potemkin today can be seen by all visitors to the Tretyakov Gallery. See and try to independently conclude whether she was the daughter of Catherine II. After all, historians did not have one hundred percent evidence of the correctness or fallacy of this version, and still do not.

The golden age, the age of Catherine, the Great Kingdom, the heyday of absolutism in Russia - this is how historians designate and designate the reign of Russia by Empress Catherine II (1729-1796)

“Her reign was successful. As a conscientious German, Catherine worked diligently for the country that gave her such a good and profitable position. She naturally saw the happiness of Russia in the greatest possible expansion of the boundaries of the Russian state. By nature, she was smart and cunning, well versed in the intrigues of European diplomacy. Cunning and flexibility were the basis of what in Europe, depending on the circumstances, was called the policy of Northern Semiramis or the crimes of Moscow Messalina. (M. Aldanov "Devil's Bridge")

Years of reign of Russia by Catherine the Great 1762-1796

The real name of Catherine II was Sophia Augusta Frederick of Anhalt-Zerbstsk. She was the daughter of Prince Anhalt-Zerbst, who represented “a side line of one of the eight branches of the Anhalst house,” the commandant of the city of Stettin, which was in Pomerania, an area subject to the kingdom of Prussia (today the Polish city of Szczecin).

“In 1742, the Prussian king Frederick II, wanting to annoy the Saxon court, who expected to marry his princess Maria Anna to the heir to the Russian throne, Peter Karl Ulrich of Holstein, who suddenly became Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich, began to hastily look for another bride for the Grand Duke.

The Prussian king had three German princesses in mind for this purpose: two of Hesse-Darmstadt and one of Zerbst. The latter was the most suitable for age, but Friedrich knew nothing about the fifteen-year-old bride herself. They only said that her mother, Johanna-Elizabeth, led a very frivolous lifestyle and that little Fike was hardly really the daughter of the Zerbst prince Christian August, who served as governor in Stetin ”

How long, short, but in the end, the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna chose little Fike as a wife for her nephew Karl-Ulrich, who became Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich in Russia, the future Emperor Peter the Third.

Biography of Catherine II. Briefly

1729, April 21 (old style) - Catherine II was born
1742, December 27 - on the advice of Frederick II, the mother of Princess Fikkhen (Fike) sent a letter to Elizabeth with congratulations for the New Year
1743, January - kind letter in return
1743, December 21 - Johanna-Elizabeth and Fikchen received a letter from Brumner, the tutor of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich, with an invitation to come to Russia

“Your Grace,” Brummer wrote pointedly, “are too enlightened not to understand the true meaning of the impatience with which Her Imperial Majesty wishes to see you here as soon as possible, as well as your princess, your daughter, about whom rumor has told us so much good”

December 21, 1743 - on the same day a letter from Frederick II was received in Zerbst. The Prussian king ... strongly advised to go and keep the trip a strict secret (so that the Saxons would not find out ahead of time)
1744, February 3 - German princesses arrived in St. Petersburg
1744, February 9 - the future Catherine the Great and her mother arrived in Moscow, where at that moment there was a courtyard
1744, February 18 - Johanna-Elizabeth sent a letter to her husband with the news that their daughter was the bride of the future Russian Tsar
1745, June 28 - Sophia Augusta Frederica adopted Orthodoxy and the new name Catherine
1745, August 21 - marriage and Catherine
1754, September 20 - Catherine gave birth to a son, heir to the throne of Paul
1757, December 9 - Catherine had a daughter, Anna, who died 3 months later
1761, December 25 - Elizaveta Petrovna died. Peter III became king

“Peter the Third was the son of the daughter of Peter I and the grandson of the sister of Charles XII. Elizabeth, having ascended the Russian throne and wishing to secure it beyond her father's line, sent Major Korf on a mission to take her nephew from Kiel at all costs and bring him to Petersburg. Here the Duke of Holstein, Karl-Peter-Ulrich, was transformed into Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich and forced to study the Russian language and the Orthodox catechism. But nature was not as favorable to him as fate .... He was born and grew up as a frail child, poorly endowed with abilities. Early becoming an orphan, Peter in Holstein received a worthless upbringing under the guidance of an ignorant courtier.

Humiliated and embarrassed in everything, he acquired bad tastes and habits, became irritable, quarrelsome, stubborn and false, acquired a sad tendency to lie ...., and in Russia he also learned to get drunk. In Holstein, he was taught so badly that he came to Russia as a 14-year-old ignoramus and even struck Empress Elizabeth with his ignorance. The rapid change of circumstances and educational programs completely confused his already fragile head. Forced to study this and that without connection and order, Peter ended up not learning anything, and the dissimilarity of the Holstein and Russian situation, the meaninglessness of Kiel and St. Petersburg impressions completely weaned him from understanding his surroundings. ... He was fond of military glory and the strategic genius of Frederick II ... " (V. O. Klyuchevsky "Course of Russian History")

1761, April 13 - Peter made peace with Frederick. All the lands captured by Russia from Prussia in the course were returned to the Germans
1761, May 29 - the union treaty of Prussia and Russia. Russian troops were placed at the disposal of Frederick, which caused sharp discontent among the guards.

(The flag of the guard) “became the empress. The emperor lived badly with his wife, threatened to divorce her and even imprison her in a monastery, and put in her place a person close to him, the niece of Chancellor Count Vorontsov. Catherine kept aloof for a long time, patiently enduring her position and not entering into direct relations with the dissatisfied. (Klyuchevsky)

1761, June 9 - at a ceremonial dinner on the occasion of the confirmation of this peace treaty, the emperor proclaimed a toast to the imperial family. Ekaterina drank her glass while sitting. When asked by Peter why she did not get up, she replied that she did not consider it necessary, since the imperial family consists entirely of the emperor, of herself and their son, the heir to the throne. “And my uncles, the Holstein princes?” - Peter objected and ordered Adjutant General Gudovich, who was standing behind his chair, to approach Catherine and say an abusive word to her. But, fearing that Gudovich would soften this impolite word during the transmission, Pyotr himself shouted it across the table aloud.
The Empress wept. On the same evening she was ordered to arrest her, which, however, was not carried out at the request of one of Peter's uncles, the unwitting culprits of this scene. Since that time, Catherine began to listen more carefully to the proposals of her friends, which were made to her, starting from the very death of Elizabeth. The company was sympathized by many people of high Petersburg society, for the most part personally offended by Peter
1761, June 28 -. Catherine is proclaimed empress
1761, June 29 - Peter the Third abdicated
1761, July 6 - killed in prison
1761, September 2 - Coronation of Catherine II in Moscow
1787, January 2-July 1 -
1796, November 6 - death of Catherine the Great

Domestic policy of Catherine II

- Change central authorities management: in 1763 streamlining the structure and powers of the Senate
- Liquidation of the autonomy of Ukraine: liquidation of the hetmanate (1764), liquidation of the Zaporozhian Sich (1775), serfdom of the peasantry (1783)
- Further subordination of the church to the state: secularization of church and monastery lands, 900 thousand church serfs became state serfs (1764)
- Improving legislation: a decree on tolerance for schismatics (1764), the right of landowners to exile peasants to hard labor (1765), the introduction of a noble monopoly on distillation (1765), a ban on peasants to file complaints against landowners (1768), the creation of separate courts for nobles, townspeople and peasants (1775), etc.
- Improving the administrative system of Russia: the division of Russia into 50 provinces instead of 20, the division of provinces into districts, the division of power in the provinces by function (administrative, judicial, financial) (1775);
- Strengthening the position of the nobility (1785):

confirmation of all class rights and privileges of the nobility: exemption from compulsory service, from poll tax, corporal punishment; the right to unlimited disposal of the estate and land together with the peasants;
the creation of noble class institutions: county and provincial noble assemblies, which met every three years and elected county and provincial marshals of the nobility;
conferring the title of "noble" on the nobility.

“Catherine II was well aware that she could stay on the throne, only in every possible way pleasing the nobility and officers, in order to prevent or at least reduce the danger of a new palace conspiracy. This is what Catherine did. Her whole internal policy was to ensure that the life of officers at her court and in the guards was as profitable and pleasant as possible.

- Economic innovations: the establishment of a financial commission for the unification of money; establishment of a commission on commerce (1763); a manifesto on the conduct of a general demarcation to fix land plots; institution of the Free economic society to help noble entrepreneurship (1765); financial reform: an introduction paper money- banknotes (1769), creation of two banknotes banks (1768), issue of the first Russian external loan(1769); establishment of a postal department (1781); permission to start printing houses for private individuals (1783)

Foreign policy of Catherine II

1764 - Treaty with Prussia
1768-1774 - Russian-Turkish war
1778 - Restoration of the alliance with Prussia
1780 - Union of Russia, Denmark. and Sweden to protect navigation during the American War of Independence
1780 - Defensive alliance of Russia and Austria
1783, April 8 -
1783, August 4 - the establishment of a Russian protectorate over Georgia
1787-1791 —
1786, December 31 - trade agreement with France
1788 June - August - war with Sweden
1792 - rupture of relations with France
1793, March 14 - treaty of friendship with England
1772, 1193, 1795 - participation together with Prussia and Austria in the partitions of Poland
1796 - war in Persia in response to the Persian invasion of Georgia

Personal life of Catherine II. Briefly

“Catherine, by her nature, was neither evil nor cruel ... and excessively power-hungry: all her life she was invariably under the influence of successive favorites, to whom she gladly ceded her power, interfering in their orders with the country only when they very clearly showed their inexperience, inability or stupidity: she was smarter and more experienced in business than all her lovers, with the exception of Prince Potemkin.
There was nothing excessive in Catherine's nature, except for a strange mixture of the most rude and ever-increasing sensuality over the years with purely German, practical sentimentality. At sixty-five, she fell in love like a girl with twenty-year-old officers and sincerely believed that they were also in love with her. In her seventies, she cried bitter tears when it seemed to her that Platon Zubov was more restrained with her than usual.(Mark Aldanov)

How many illegitimate children did Louis XIV, historians cannot accurately calculate so far - the offspring of the “sun king” was too numerous. However, in the Russian kingdom, not everything was so pious: rumor ascribes 7 offspring to Catherine II, 9 to Nicholas I, and 12 to Alexander II, but we suggest recalling only the most notable bastards.

Ivan Musin-Pushkin

As you know, the sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich in two marriages amassed 16 children, three of them - Fedor III, Ivan V and Peter I - reigned. However, there is a version according to which the offspring of the "Quietest" was not limited to this. His illegitimate son could well have been the future associate of Peter the Great, Ivan Musin-Pushkin, and this assumption was first voiced by the famous collector of gossip about representatives of the royal family, Prince Dolgoruky. Ivan's father served as a steward at court, which means that his wife, Ivan's mother, Irina could come into the tsar's field of vision - there were persistent rumors about their connection at court.

Ivan was born in 1661, and at that time the first wife of the tsar, Maria Ilyinichna, was still alive. Could the “Quietest” take on a son on the side when, in 21 years of marriage, he had 13 legitimate children? Unknown. Indirect confirmation of the noble origin of Ivan are the facts: Peter called him "brother", in 1710 he awarded him the title of count, a year later he made him a senator, and from 1725 he entrusted the management of the Mint. There is a legend according to which Peter, during the next feast, in an attempt to figure out whose son he is, pointed to Ivan with the words: “This one knows for sure that he is the son of my father.” Peter himself was unsure, because rumor recorded many in his fathers - from the groom Mishka Dobrov to the patriarch Joachim.

Petr Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky

However, Peter himself did not differ in monastic behavior. Numerous illegitimate children were attributed to him both at home and abroad. The fact that from the 18th century Mikhail Lomonosov was called his son was heard by many, in contrast to the version that Peter's blood also flows in the veins of the commander Peter Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky. In his classical biography Moscow is indicated as the place of birth, but there is an assumption that the future hero of Russia was born in the village of Stroentsy (Transnistria), where his mother, Countess Maria Rumyantseva, was waiting for her husband from a Turkish business trip on the orders of Peter. Allegedly, the boy was named Peter in honor of the noble father.

Whether this is true or not, the Empress Elizaveta Petrovna greatly favored her “half-brother” - for the news of the world of Abo, the empress promoted the young captain immediately to colonel and made him a count. The young man looked like a prospective parent and prowess, leading a wild life both while studying abroad and during his service at home. His father, the outstanding diplomat Alexander Ivanovich Rumyantsev, threatened to renounce the heir and wrote that he would have to “sew up his ears” so as not to hear about his shameful antics.

Alexey Bobrinsky

The question of the paternity of the children of Catherine II still torments historians and bibliographers. In the memoirs of Alexander III there is indirect confirmation of the rumors that Paul I was born to Catherine from Sergei Saltykov. Upon learning of this, Alexander allegedly crossed himself and exclaimed: “Thank God, we are Russians!” However, there are many refutations of this version, and one of the most weighty arguments is that the characteristic Western European genes of Paul's descendants could hardly have been laid down by Saltykov.

Among other children, Alexey Bobrinsky, born in winter palace from Count Orlov. The very sacrament of birth was kept in the strictest confidence, and immediately after the birth, the boy was given up for education to the Empress' wardrobe master, Vasily Shkurin. In 1781, Catherine sent a letter to her son Alexei, in which she pointed out the "vague circumstances" of his birth and the reasons why she was forced to hide this fact: "the strongest enemies" and "the desire to save herself and her eldest son." True, there is a version that the queen deliberately slandered herself, wanting to annoy the eldest.

Meanwhile, the “free brother” Pavel, after accession to the throne, favored his relatives. He canceled the disgrace of Alexei (his mother allowed him to come to St. Petersburg only once - after his marriage), and during a personal meeting he treated his "brother", according to eyewitnesses, with warmth. Bobrinsky received a count with the right to transfer to descendants and the inheritance of his father, Grigory Orlov. Alexei Grigorievich failed to achieve outstanding successes during his service, but he laid the foundation for known kind Bobrinsky, whose representatives were later prominent statesmen.

Nikolay Isakov

AT different time rumor attributed to Alexander I the paternity of 11 children, among which the figure of general and reformer of military education Nikolai Isakov stands out most clearly. Officially, his parents were the court teacher of riding Vasily Isakov and a pupil of the Catherine Institute Maria Karacharova. External similarity Nicholas and the emperor gave birth to a lot of rumors, while even Nicholas I allegedly explained this "similarity" by kinship. There is a legend according to which Nikolai forbade Isakov to take care of his daughter Olga due to the fact that young people were brother and sister.

Nikolai Isakov made brilliant career, not always without the help of all-powerful relatives. Graduated with honors from the Imperial military academy, passed Caucasian war 1846, during the Crimean War he participated in the defense of Sevastopol, rose to the rank of general, and in 1863 carried out the reform military educational institutions. At the request of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, he headed the Red Cross, and on his own initiative he devoted a lot of time to charity.

Fedor Trepov

Persistent rumors regularly turned the St. Petersburg mayor Fedor Trepov into the illegitimate son of Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich - the future Emperor Nicholas I. Gossip was given by the mysterious multi-million dollar fortune of Fedor Fedorovich - allegedly each of his nine children received annually up to 15 thousand income. True, the German emperor Wilhelm I periodically became his other “father”. But these are all rumors, but the fact that the capital’s mayor was given an unthinkable salary at that time is a fact. A year he received more than 18 thousand rubles, while the Minister of War Milyutin was content with only 15.

Did not let envious people sleep peacefully and successful career Trepov. In particular, he reformed the city's police force by recruiting retired military officers, most of whom he made a personal opinion of even during the suppression of the Polish uprising of 1863-64. He first began to fight corruption in the city police. The ban on "holiday offerings" did not cause delight among the townspeople, because "thanking" the police was a common thing. Perhaps this was partly what persuaded the jury to acquit Vera Zasulich, who shot the mayor Trepov.

Alexander Dembovetsky

The date of birth of one of the most progressive governors of Mogilev, Alexander Dembovetsky, was not indicated even in official papers. Today we can only guess about the reasons. However, this was exactly what Alexander Stanislavovich's contemporaries were doing, gossiping about his secret origin and high-ranking patrons. The speculation was fueled by the fact that it was impossible to take the governor's chair at the age of 30 due to one's own talents, moreover, during the entire period of service, Dembovetsky was showered with the "highest favors" of his "parent" - Alexander II.

In favor of the version - one more fact. In 1839, during a trip to Russia, the emperor fell ill and spent a month and a half in Mogilev, and presumably Sasha Dembovetsky was born in 1840. The date of birth helps to establish the Formulary list from the historical archive of St. Petersburg - in the entry from 1893 there is a mention of 53-year-old Alexander Dembovetsky.

The emperor personally admonished the newly elected governor, instructing him to do "everything possible to restore the disordered affairs in the Mogilev province." And illegitimate son he tried with all his might to justify the trust: in the first year of his leadership, he brought the Mogilev region out of the crisis, and then turned the province into one of the most progressive in the empire.

Lev Gumilyov

The thirst for sensation did not spare Nicholas II, who is credited with paternity only son Akhmatova. This version was expressed by well-known St. Petersburg researchers of the biography of the "poet-knight" Vladimir and Natalya Evsevyeva. Their first argument - contemporaries noted the "royal behavior" of Akhmatova, although she herself always said that she was brought up in a "petty-bourgeois" family - she allegedly adopted the manner of keeping from her crowned lover.

Huge bet in evidence base kinship between Lev Gumilyov and the tsar is done on the work of Akhmatova herself. Recall at least the “gray-eyed king” - it was the “gray radiant eyes” that many diplomats who met with Nicholas noted. The Evsevievs also remembered the little-known poem “Confusion” with the lines: “And the looks are like rays. I just shuddered: this one/Can tame me” and “And the mysterious, ancient faces / Eyes looked at me…” According to the researchers, few other than the king could have a “mysterious ancient face”.

Further, the first collections with "helpless", by the author's own admission, poems were accepted by critics (who would scold a woman with such a patron?), But not by her husband - Nikolai Gumilyov, who refused to publish them for a year and a half in the "Poets' Workshop". The Evsevievs argue that Evening and Rosary were successful largely due to the fact that they came out in the midst of relations between Akhmatova and the tsar, while the collection " white flock» 1917 was not noticed, as well as two subsequent books.

If Anna Andreevna categorically denied the connection with Blok, then never rumors about relations with the tsar. At the same time, it is known that married life Akhmatova and Gumilyov did not work out, and Akhmatova wrote that after the birth of her son, the spouses, with tacit consent, gave each other absolute freedom.

Where could Nikolai and Akhmatova meet? And the Evsevyovs have an answer to this question: from the windows of her house, the poetess could see the tsar walking in the Alexander Park, and since the residence was open to the public, Anna Andreevna could well approach him and speak.

Indirect confirmation of Nikolai's paternity was also found by Emma Gerstein, a well-known literary critic who lived at the same time as the poetess. In Notes on Anna Akhmatova, she wrote that she hated her "Grey-eyed King" because "her son was from the King, and not from her husband." What caused such a statement is unknown, but a researcher with such authority could hardly afford groundless statements. At the same time, not a single historical document was presented confirming the royal origin of Lev Gumilyov.

Without exaggeration, the most influential and famous Russian Empress is Catherine II. From 1762 to 1796 she ruled mighty empire Thanks to her efforts, the country prospered. I wonder what was the personal life of Catherine the Great? Let's find out.

The future Russian Empress was born on April 21, 1729 in Prussia. At birth, she received the name Sophia Frederica Auguste. Her father was the prince of the town of Stettin, in which the empress was born.

Parents, unfortunately, did not pay much attention to the girl. They loved their son Wilhelm more. But Sofia had a warm relationship with her governess.

The Empress of Russia often remembered her when she ascended the throne. The wise nanny taught the girl religion (Lutheranism), history, French and German. In addition, since childhood, Sofia knew Russian and loved music.

Marriage to the heir apparent

At home, the future Empress of Russia was very bored. Small town, in which she lived, was not at all interesting for a girl with great ambitions. But as soon as she grew up, Sophia's mother decided to find her a rich groom and thus improve social status families.

When the girl turned fifteen, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna herself invited her to the capital of the Russian Empire. She did this so that Sofia would marry the heir to the Russian throne, Grand Duke Peter. Arriving in a foreign country, Sofia fell ill with pleurisy and almost died. But, thanks to the help of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, she soon managed to overcome a serious illness.

Immediately after her recovery, in 1745, Sophia married the prince, became Orthodox and received a new name. So she became Catherine.

Political marriage was not at all happy for the young princess. The husband did not want to devote his time to her and liked to have fun more. Catherine at this time, read books, studied jurisprudence and history.

You can’t tell briefly about the personal life of Catherine the Great. It is full of intriguing events. There is information that the spouse of the future mistress of the Russian Empire had a girlfriend on the side. In turn, the Princess was seen in close contact with Sergei Saltykov, Grigory Orlov ... She had many favorites.

In 1754 Catherine had a son, Pavel. Of course, the courtiers spread rumors that it was not known who real father this child. Soon the child was given to Elizaveta Petrovna to take care of him. Catherine was practically not allowed to see her son. Of course, she did not like this circumstance at all. Then the idea appeared in the head of the princess that it would be good to ascend the throne herself. Moreover, she was an energetic, interesting person. Catherine continued to read books with enthusiasm, especially in French. In addition, she was actively interested in politics.

Soon the daughter of the Empress Anna was born, who died as a baby. Catherine's husband was not interested in children, he believed that they might not be from him at all.

Of course, the princess tried to dissuade her husband of this, but she tried not to catch his eye - she spent almost all her time in her boudoir.

In 1761, Elizaveta Petrovna left for another world, then Catherine's husband became Emperor, and Catherine herself became Empress. State affairs did not bring the couple closer. AT political affairs Peter the Third preferred to consult with his favorites, and not with his wife. But Catherine the Great dreamed that one day she would rule the great power.

The young empress tried in every possible way to prove to the people that she was devoted to him and Orthodox faith. Thanks to cunning and intelligence, the girl achieved her goal - the people began to support her in everything. And once, when she proposed to overthrow her husband from the throne, the subjects did just that.

Ruler of the Empire

To implement her plan, Catherine addressed the soldiers in the Izmailovsky regiment. She asked them to protect her from her tyrant husband. Then the guards forced the emperor to abdicate the throne.

Shortly after Peter abdicated, he was strangled. There is no evidence of Catherine's guilt in what happened, but many openly suspect the Empress of this impudent act.

Images from the film "The Great"

In the first years of her reign, Catherine the Great tried in every possible way to prove that she was a wise, just sovereign. She dreamed of getting universal support. In addition, Catherine decided to give Special attention domestic politics and not conquest. It was necessary to solve the problems that had accumulated in the country. From the very beginning, the queen knew exactly what she wanted and began to actively implement the political tasks that confronted her.

Personal life of the Empress

Catherine the Great, after the death of her husband, could not remarry. This could negatively affect her power. But many researchers write that the attractive Ekaterina Alekseevna had many favorites. She gave wealth to her close associates, generously distributed honorary titles. Even after the relationship ended, Catherine continued to help the favorites, ensured their future.

The turbulent personal life of Catherine the Great led to the fact that she had children from her lovers. When Peter the Third only ascended the throne, his wife carried a child, Grigory Orlov, under her heart. This baby was born in secret from everyone on April 11, 1762.

Catherine's marriage at that time was almost completely ruined, the emperor was not ashamed to appear with his girls in public. Ekaterina gave the child to be raised by her chamberlain Vasily Shkurin and his wife. But when the empress ascended the throne, the child was returned to the palace.

Ekaterina and Gregory took care of their son, who was named Alexei. And Orlov even decided with the help of this child to become the husband of the Empress. Catherine thought for a long time over Gregory's proposal, but the state was dearer to her. She never got married.

Images from the film "The Great"

Reading about the personal life of Catherine the Great is really interesting. When the son of Catherine and Grigory Orlov grew up, he went abroad. The young man stayed abroad for about ten years, and when he returned, he settled in the estate, donated by the great empress.

The favorites of the empress managed to become outstanding politicians. For example, in 1764 her lover Stanisław Poniatowski became the king of Poland. But on public policy None of the men could influence Russia. The empress preferred to deal with these matters herself. The exception to this rule was Grigory Potemkin, whom the Empress loved very much. They say that in 1774 a marriage was concluded between them, a secret from everyone.

Catherine devoted almost everything to state affairs. free time. She worked hard to remove the accent from her speech, read books about Russian culture with pleasure, listened to customs and, of course, carefully studied historical works.

Catherine the Great was a very educated ruler. The borders of the country, during her reign, increased to the south and west. In southeastern Europe, Russian empire became a true leader. It is no coincidence that many films and series are being shot about Empress Catherine the Great and her personal life.

Thanks to numerous victories, the country stretched to Black Sea coast. In 1768, the government of the Empire began issuing paper money for the first time.

The empress was engaged not only in her education. She also did a lot to ensure that men and women in the country could study. In addition, the empress carried out many educational reforms, adopting the experience of other countries. Schools were also opened in the Russian provinces.

For a long time, Empress Catherine the Great ruled the country alone, refuting the theory that women could not hold important political posts.

When the time came to transfer power into the hands of his son Paul, he did not want to do this. The empress had a strained relationship with Paul. She decided instead to make Alexander's grandson heir to the throne. Catherine from childhood prepared the child for the ascension to the throne, and made sure that he spent a lot of time studying. In addition, she found a wife for her beloved grandson so that he could become emperor before reaching the age of majority.

But after the death of Catherine, her son Pavel nevertheless took the throne. He ruled after Catherine the Great for five years.

The Russian Empress Catherine II the Great was born on May 2 (Old Style April 21), 1729 in the city of Stettin in Prussia (now the city of Szczecin in Poland), died on November 17 (Old Style November 6), 1796 in St. Petersburg (Russia). The reign of Catherine II lasted more than three and a half decades, from 1762 to 1796. It was filled with many events in internal and external affairs, the implementation of plans that continued what was being done during. The period of her reign is often called the "golden age" of the Russian Empire.

By her own admission, Catherine II, she did not have a creative mind, but she was good at capturing any sensible thought and using it for her own purposes. She skillfully selected her assistants, not being afraid of bright and talented people. That is why Catherine's time is marked by the appearance of a whole galaxy of outstanding statesmen, generals, writers, artists, musicians. Among them are the great Russian commander, Field Marshal Pyotr Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, satirist writer Denis Fonvizin, the outstanding Russian poet, Pushkin's predecessor Gavriil Derzhavin, Russian historiographer, writer, creator of the "History of the Russian State" Nikolai Karamzin, writer, philosopher, poet Alexander Radishchev , outstanding Russian violinist and composer, founder of Russian violin culture Ivan Khandoshkin, conductor, teacher, violinist, singer, one of the founders of the Russian national opera Vasily Pashkevich, composer of secular and church music, conductor, teacher Dmitry Bortyansky.

In her memoirs, Catherine II characterized the state of Russia at the beginning of her reign as follows:

Finances were depleted. The army did not receive a salary for 3 months. Trade was in decline, for many of its branches were given over to a monopoly. There was no correct system in the state economy. The War Department was plunged into debt; the marine was barely holding on, being in utter neglect. The clergy were dissatisfied with the taking away of his lands. Justice was sold at a bargain, and the laws were governed only in cases where they favored the strong person.

The Empress formulated the tasks facing Russian monarch:

“We need to educate the nation that we have to govern.

- It is necessary to introduce good order in the state, to support society and force it to comply with the laws.

- It is necessary to establish a good and accurate police in the state.

- It is necessary to promote the flowering of the state and make it abundant.

“We need to make the state formidable in itself and inspire respect for its neighbors.

Based on the tasks set, Catherine II carried out active reformatory activities. Her reforms affected almost all spheres of life.

Convinced of the unsuitable system of government, Catherine II in 1763 carried out a Senate reform. The Senate was divided into 6 departments, losing the importance of the body that manages the state apparatus, and became the highest administrative and judicial institution.

Faced with financial difficulties, Catherine II in 1763-1764 carried out the secularization (conversion to secular property) of church lands. 500 monasteries were abolished, 1 million souls of peasants passed to the treasury. Due to this, the state treasury was significantly replenished. This made it possible to weaken financial crisis in the country, to pay off the army, which has not received a salary for a long time. The influence of the Church on the life of society has been significantly reduced.

From the very beginning of her reign, Catherine II began to strive to achieve the internal order of the state. She believed that injustices in the state could be eradicated with the help of good laws. And she conceived the idea of adopting new legislation instead of Cathedral Code Alexei Mikhailovich in 1649, which would take into account the interests of all classes. For this purpose, in 1767, the Legislative Commission was convened. 572 deputies represented the nobility, merchants, Cossacks. In the new legislation, Catherine tried to carry out the ideas of Western European thinkers about a just society. Having reworked their works, she compiled the famous "Order of Empress Catherine" for the Commission. "Instruction" consisted of 20 chapters, divided into 526 articles. It is about the need for a strong autocratic power in Russia and the class structure of Russian society, about legality, about the relationship between law and morality, about the dangers of torture and corporal punishment. The commission worked for more than two years, but its work was not crowned with success, since the nobility and the deputies themselves from other classes stood guard only for their rights and privileges.

In 1775, Catherine II carried out a clearer territorial division of the empire. The territory began to be divided into administrative units with a certain number of taxable (who paid taxes) population. The country was divided into 50 provinces with a population of 300-400 thousand in each, provinces into counties of 20-30 thousand inhabitants. The city was an independent administrative unit. Elected courts and "judicial chambers" were introduced to deal with criminal and civil cases. Finally, "conscientious" courts for minors and the sick.

In 1785, the "Letter of Letters to the Cities" was published. It determined the rights and obligations of the urban population, the system of governance in cities. Residents of the city every 3 years elected a self-government body - the General City Duma, the mayor and judges.

Since the time of Peter the Great, when all the nobility was obliged to lifelong service to the state, and the peasantry to the same service to the nobility, gradual changes have taken place. Catherine the Great, among other reforms, also wanted to bring harmony into the life of the estates. In 1785, the Letter of Complaint to the Nobility was published, which was a set, a collection of noble privileges, formalized by law. From now on, the nobility was sharply separated from other classes. The freedom of the nobility from paying taxes, from compulsory service was confirmed. Nobles could only be judged by a noble court. Only nobles had the right to own land and serfs. Catherine forbade exposing the nobles corporal punishment. She believed that this would help the Russian nobility to get rid of the slave psychology and acquire personal dignity.

These charters have been sorted social structure Russian society, divided into five classes: the nobility, the clergy, the merchants, the bourgeoisie ("the middle class of people") and the serfs.

As a result of the education reform in Russia during the reign of Catherine II, a system of secondary education was created. In Russia, closed schools, educational homes, institutes for girls, nobles, townspeople were created, in which experienced teachers were engaged in the education and upbringing of boys and girls. A network of non-estate two-class schools in the counties and four-class schools in provincial towns was created in the provinces. A class lesson system was introduced in schools (uniform dates for the beginning and end of classes), methods of teaching disciplines and educational literature, unified educational plans. By the end of the XVIII century in Russia there were 550 educational institutions with total number 60-70 thousand people.

Under Catherine, the systemic development of women's education began, in 1764 Smolny Institute Noble Maidens, Educational Society for Noble Maidens. The Academy of Sciences has become one of the leading in Europe scientific bases. An observatory was founded physical cabinet, anatomical theater, botanical garden, instrumental workshops, printing house, library, archive. The Russian Academy was founded in 1783.

Under Catherine II, the population of Russia increased significantly, hundreds of new cities were built, the treasury quadrupled, industry and Agriculture- Russia for the first time began to export bread.

Under her, paper money was introduced for the first time in Russia. On her initiative, the first vaccination against smallpox was carried out in Russia (she herself set an example, became the first to be vaccinated).

Under Catherine II, as a result of the Russian-Turkish wars (1768-1774, 1787-1791), Russia finally gained a foothold in the Black Sea, the lands were annexed, which were called Novorossia: the Northern Black Sea region, Crimea, the Kuban region. She took Eastern Georgia under Russian citizenship (1783). During the reign of Catherine II, as a result of the so-called partitions of Poland (1772, 1793, 1795), Russia returned the Western Russian lands torn away by the Poles.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources