The image of Catherine 2 in history. Childhood of the future Great Empress. Sections of speech plugged

The topic of this article is the biography of Catherine Great. From 1762 to 1796, this empress reigned. The era of the board was marked by the reassurance of peasants. Ekaterina Great, biography, photo and activity of which are presented in this article, significantly expanded the privileges of the nobility.

Origin and childhood Catherine

The future empress was born on May 2 (according to a new style - April 21) 1729 in Shatttin. She was a daughter of Prince Anhalt-Crembst, who was in Prussian service, and the princesses of Johann-Elizabeth. The future empress was related to English, Prussian and Swedish royal houses. Education she got home: studied french and german languages, music, theology, geography, history, engaged in dancing. Revealing such a topic as the biography of Catherine Great, we note that the independent nature of the future empress appeared in childhood. She was a persistent, inquisitive child, had a tendency to moving, live games.

Baptism and wedding Catherine

Catherine, together with his mother in 1744, was caused by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna to Russia. Here it was baptized by orthodox custom. Ekaterina Alekseevna became Bride Petra Fedorovich, the Grand Duke (in the future - Emperor Peter III). She married him in 1745.

Hobbies of Empress

Ekaterina wanted to win the location of her husband, empress and the Russian people. Her personal life, nevertheless, was unsuccessful. Since Peter was infantile, for several years the marriage of married relations between them was not. Catherine was fond of reading work on jurisprudence, history and economy, as well as French enlighteners. Her worldview has formed all these books. The future empress has become a supporter of the ideas of enlightenment. She was also interested in traditions, customs and history of Russia.

Personal life Catherine II

Today we know quite a lot about such an important historical person as Catherine Great: Biography, her children, personal life - all this is the object of research of historians and the interest of many of our compatriots. For the first time we get acquainted with this empress even at school. However, what we learn in the lessons of history is far from full information About such an Empress as Catherine Great. Biography (grade 4) from the school textbook lowers, for example, her personal life.

Ekaterina II at the beginning of the 1750s started Roman with S.V. Saltykov, Guards officer. She gave birth to a son in 1754, the future of Emperor Paul I. Nevertheless, rumors that his father was Saltykov, are unreasonable. In Catherine, in the second half of the 1750s, a novel was a novel with S. Pesakovsky, a Polish diplomat, who then became king Stanislav Augustus. Also in the early 1760s - from G.G. Orlov. The Empress gave birth to his son Alexey in 1762, who received the name Bobrinsky. Since the relationship with her husband worsened, Catherine began to fear for their fate and began to recruit at the court of supporters. Sincere love to his homeland, her reasonableness and dismissed piety - all this contrasted with the behavior of her husband, which allowed the future Empress to conquer the authority among the population of St. Petersburg and the Great Metropolitan Society.

The proclamation of Ekaterina Empress

Relationships of Catherine with their spouse for 6 months of his rule continued to worsen, becoming energic. Peter III openly appeared in the society of his mistress E.R. Vorontsova. There was a threat of arrest Catherine and its possible expulsion. The future empress carefully prepared a plot. She was supported by N.I. Panin, E.R. Dashkova, K.G. Razumovsky, the Brothers Orlov, etc. Once at night, from 27 to 28 June 1762, when Peter III was in Oranienbaum, Catherine was secretly arrived in St. Petersburg. It was proclaimed in the barracks of the Izmailovsky regiment by autocratic empress. The rebels soon joined the other shelves. In the city, the news was rapidly spread about the entertainment of the empress for the throne. Petersburgers met her with delight. The deaths in Kronstadt and the army were sent to prevent Peter III actions. He, having learned about what happened, began to send proposals for negotiations to Catherine, but she rejected them. The Empress personally spoke to Petersburg, heading the Guards Shelves, and received on the road a written renunciation of Peter III.

Personality and character of Catherine II

Not only the biography of Catherine is a great, but also her personality and character that imposed a mark on its inner and foreign policy. Catherine II was a subtle psychologist and an excellent connoisseur of people. The Empress skillfully chose assistants, while not afraid of talented and bright personalities. Catherine time therefore was noted by the emergence of many outstanding states, as well as commander, musicians, artists, writers. Catherine was in handling his subjects usually restrained, tactical, patient. She was an excellent interlocutor, could carefully listen to anyone. According to his own recognition of the Empress, she did not possess creative mind, but they caught standing thoughts and knew how to use them for their own purposes.

Almost no noisy resignation during the reign of this empress. Velmazby was not subject to opal, they were not referred to them and did not execute. Because of this, the time of the reign of Catherine is considered the "golden age" of the nobility in Russia. The Empress, at the same time, was very vain and treated most of all in the light of his authority. She was ready to go for her conservation to any compromises, including to the detriment of his own beliefs.

Religiosity of Empress

This empress was different when the piety was different. She considered himself a defender of the Orthodox Church and her head. Ekaterina skillfully used religion in political interests. Apparently, the faith was not very deep. The biography of Catherine Great was noted by the fact that she preached a vers constant in the spirit of time. It was with this empress that the persecution of the Old Believers was stopped. Protestant I. catholic church And mosque. Nevertheless, the transition to another faith from Orthodoxy was still cruel.

Catherine - the opponent of serfdom

Ekaterina Great, whose biography interests us, was an ardent counterpart of serfdom. She considered him contrary to the nature of man and antiguman. A lot of sudden statements on this issue remained in its papers. Also, they can also find its reasoning about how to eliminate serfdom. Nevertheless, the empress was not solved to make anything concrete in this area because of the fear of the next coup and the noble riot. Catherine, at the same time, was convinced that the Russian peasants are spiritually undeveloped, so there is a danger in giving them freedom. According to the Empress, the life of the peasants is quite prosperous in caring landowners.

First reforms

When Catherine entered the throne, she had a rather definite political program. It was founded on the ideas of enlightenment and took into account the features of Russia's development. The sequence, graduality and accounting of public sentiment were the main principles of the implementation of this program. Catherine II in the first years of government conducted the reform of the Senate (in 1763). His work as a result became more efficient. In the following, 1764, carried out the secularization of church lands of Catherine Great. Biography for children of this empress, presented on school textbooks, must introduce schoolchildren with this fact. Secularization significantly replenished the treasury, and also facilitated the position of the set of peasants. Catherine in Ukraine eliminated hetmanism in accordance with the need to unify local government throughout the state. In addition, she invited to the Russian Empire to master the Black Sea and the Volga region of German colonists.

Foundation of educational institutions and a new code

At the same years, a number of educational institutions were founded, including for women (the first in Russia) - Catherine School, Smolny Institute. The empress in 1767 announced that a special commission was convened to create a new deposit. It consisted of elected deputies, representatives of all social groups of society, except for fortress peasants. For the commission, Ekaterina wrote "Okaz", which is, in fact, the liberal program of the rule of this empress. However, appeals were not understood by deputies. According to the smallest issues, they led their disputes. Deep contradictions between social groups were discovered during these discussions, as well as the low level of many deputies of political culture and the conservatism of the majority of them. The laid commission at the end of 1768 was dissolved. Empress estimated this experience as an important lessonwho introduced it to the sentiments of various layers of the state's population.

Development of legislation

After the Russian-Turkish war ended, which lasted from 1768 to 1774, and the Pugachev uprising was suppressed, a new stage of Catherine reforms began. The empress has become the most important legislative acts themselves. In particular, manifest was published in 1775, according to which any industrial enterprises were allowed to start without restrictions. Also this year the provincial reform was carried out, as a result of which the new administrative division of the empire was established. It has been preserved until 1917.

Revealing the topic "Brief biography of Catherine Great", we note that Empress in 1785 issued the most important legislation. These were the humbled diplomas to cities and nobility. A diploma of state peasants was also prepared, but political circumstances did not allow it to introduce it. The main value of the letter of the Merilization was due to the implementation of the main objective of Catherine reforms - the creation in the empire of full-fledged classes according to Western Europe. A lot meant for the Russian nobility to legal consolidation of almost all privileges and rights that had had.

The last and unfulfilled reforms that the Great Catherine proposed

Biography ( summary) The empress of interest is noted by the fact that she spent various reforms before his death. For example, education reform was continued in the 1780s. Catherine Great, whose biography is presented in this article, has created a network based on a system of class-urgent school institutions in cities. Empress B. last years It continued to plan serious transformation. The reform of the central control was scheduled for 1797, as well as the introduction of legislation in the country on the procedure for swallows, the creation of a representative office based on the 3rs of the highest judicial instance. However, it did not have time to complete the extensive reform program of Catherine 2 Great. A brief biography of it, however, would be incomplete if we were not mentioned about all this. In general, all these reforms were a continuation of the transformation initiated by Peter I.

Foreign policy of Catherine

What else is interesting biography of Catherine 2 Great? The Empress, after Peter, believed that Russia should actively act on the world stage, to conduct an offensive policy, even to some extent aggressive. After the edition of the throne, she broke the union contract with Prussia, prisonered by Peter III. Thanks to the efforts of this empress, they managed to restore the Duke of E.I. Biron on the Kourney Throne. Supported by Prussia, in 1763 Russia has achieved election to the Polish throne of Stanislava of August of the Constable, its own gender. This led, in turn, to deterioration of relations with Austria due to the fact that she feared the strengthening of Russia and began to incite the war with her Turkey. In general, for Russia was a successful Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774, but the difficult situation inside the country encouraged her to look for peace. And for this it was necessary to restore the previous relationship with Austria. In the end, the compromise was achieved. Poland fell his victim: its first section was carried out in 1772 Russia, Austria and Prussia.

Kyucchuk-Kainardzhi world with Turkey, which ensured the independence of the Crimea, profitable for Russia. The Empire in the war of England with the colonies of North America occupied neutrality. Catherine refused to help the english king troops. The declaration of armed neutrality, created on the initiative of Panin, joined a number of European states. This contributed to the victory of the colonists. In the following years, it was strengthening the positions of our country in the Caucasus and in the Crimea, which was completed by the inclusion of the latter in the Russian Empire in 1782, as well as by signing next year Georgievsky Treath With Irakli II, Kartil-Kakhetian king. This ensured the presence of Russian troops in Georgia, and then joining its territory to Russia.

Strengthening authority in the international arena

The new foreign policy doctrine of the Russian government was formed in the 1770s. It was a Greek project. Its main purpose was to restore the Byzantine Empire and the announcement by the emperor of Prince Konstantin Pavlovich, who was grandson of Catherine II. Russia in 1779 significantly strengthened his authority in the international arena, participating as a mediator between Prussia and Austria in the Teshensky Congress. Empress Empress's biography can also be supplemented by the fact that it in 1787, accompanied by the courtyard, the Polish king, the Austrian emperor and foreign diplomats, traveled to the Crimea. It has become a demonstration of Russia's military power.

Wars with Turkey and Sweden, further sections of Poland

The biography of Catherine 2 Great continued that she began a new Russian-Turkish war. Russia has now acted already in Union with Austria. Almost at the same time, the War with Sweden began (from 1788 to 1790), which tried to take revenge after the defeat in the Northern War. The Russian Empire managed to cope with both of these opponents. In 1791 he ended with Turkey. The yosh world was signed in 1792. He secured the influence of Russia in Transcaucasia and Bessarabia, as well as joining the Crimea. The 2nd and 3rd sections of Poland occurred in 1793 and 1795, respectively. They put an end to Polish statehood.

Empress Catherine Great short biography With us was considered, died on November 17 (according to the old style - November 6) of 1796 in St. Petersburg. So significant is its contribution to the Russian history that the memory of Catherine II is kept by many works of domestic and world culture, including the creations of such great writers like N.V. Gogol, A.S. Pushkin, B. Show, V. Pikul and others. Life of Catherine Great, her biography inspired many directors - creators of such films, like "Caprice Catherine II", "Tsarist Hunt", "Young Ekaterina", "Dreams about Russia", " Russian riot "and others.

The list of men Catherine II includes men who appeared in the intimate life of Empress Ekaterina Great (1729-1796), including her spouses, official favorites and beloved. Catherine II has to reach the 21st lover, but how can we object to the empress, then of course there were their methods.

1. Even Ekaterina was Peter Fedorovich (Emperor Peter III) (1728-1762). The wedding they had 1745, August 21 (September 1) the end of relations on June 28 (July 9) 1762 - Death of Peter III. His children, according to the tree of Romanov Pavl Petrovich (1754) (according to one of the versions, his father - Sergey Saltykov) and officially the great Princess Anna Petrovna (1757-1759, most likely, the daughter of Stanislav is understood). He suffered, he is the type of impotence, and in the first years he did not exercise marital relations with it. Then this problem was solved with the help of a surgical operation, and to accomplish it, Peter drove away Saltykov.

2. While she was engaged, she also had Roman, Saltykov, Sergey Vasilyevich (1726-1765). In 1752, he was at the small courtyard of the great princes of Catherine and Peter. The beginning of the novel is 1752 years. The end of the relationship was the born baby Paul 1754 October. After that, Saltykov was expelled from St. Petersburg and sent by the Messenger to Sweden.

3. The lover of Catherine was in 1756, Stanislav Augustus was sacrificed (1732-1798). And in 1758, after the fall of Chancellor Bestuzhev, Williams and understood were forced to leave St. Petersburg. After the novel, she was born the daughter of Anna Petrovna (1757-1759) so the Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich himself, who, judging by the "memorization of Catherine,", sentenced: "God knows where my wife will be pregnant from; I do not know if I really have this child and if I should recognize him with my ". In the future, Catherine will make it the king of Polish, and then annexes Poland and will attach it to Russia.

4. Also, Catherine 2 was not frustrated and continued to fall in love further. The next secret lover was Orlov, Grigory Grigorievich (1734-1783). The beginning of the novel in the spring of 1759 in St. Petersburg arrived Count Schwerin, Freedrich II Flegeneant, who was captured in the Tsoreforf battle, to which the guards of Orlov was applied. Orlov acquired fame by beating his mistress in Peter Shuvalov. End of relations 1772 after the death of her husband even she wanted to marry him and then they were dissuaded. Orlova had many mistresses. Also, they were born the son of Bobrinsky, Alexey Grigorievich was born on April 22, 1762, a few months after the death of Elizabeth Petrovna. Generally, that the day she began, her faithful servant Schucharin was acknowledged his home, and Peter was taken away . Orlov and his passionate brothers contributed to the overthrow of Peter and the Etta of Catherine on the throne. Losing the Favor, married his cousin Ekaterina Zinovieva, and after her death went crazy.

5.Vasilchikov, Alexander Semenovich (1746-1803 / 1813) official favorite. Acquaintance in 1772, September. Often stood in the guard in the royal village, got a gold tobacco. Evil's room. 1774, March 20, in connection with the elevation of Potemkin, was sent to Moscow. Catherine considered him boring (14 years of difference). After the resignation settled in Moscow, along with his brother did not marry.

6. Potemkin, Grigory Aleksandrovich (1739-1791) Official favorite, spouse since 1775. In April 1776 went on vacation. Catherine gave birth to Potemkin's daughter - Elizavet Grigorievna Tomkin. Despite the gap in his personal life, thanks to his abilities kept friendship and respect Catherine and for many years remained the second person in the state. He was not married, his personal life consisted of "enlightenment" of his young niecers, including Catherine Engelgart.

7. Zavadovsky, Peter Vasilyevich (1739-1812) Official favorite.
The beginning of the relationship of 1776 November, submitted to Empress as the author, interested in Ekaterina. In 1777, June did not suit Potemkin and was shifted. Just 1777 In May, the acquaintance of Catherine with Zorikh. Jealous Catherine 2, which was damaged. 1777 withdrawn by the Empress back to the capital, 1780 engaged in administrative affairs married to Vera Nikolaevna Apraksina.

8.Sorich, Semen Gavrilovich (1743/1745-1799). In 1777 June, he became a personal guard of Catherine. 1778 June caused inconvenience, expelled from St. Petersburg (for 14 years, the younger empress) was dismissed and sent to resign with a small remuneration. Founded Shklovskaya School. It was confused in debt and was suspected of counterfeit.

9. Rimsky-Korsakov, Ivan Nikolaevich (1754-1831) official favorite. 1778, June. It was noticed by Potemkin, who was looking for a change of Zorich, and differ by him for beauty, as well as ignorance and lack of serious abilities that could make it a political rival. Potemkin presented him with Empress among the three officers. June 1 appointed Flegene Adjutant to Empress.1779, October 10. Deleted from the courtyard, after the empress found him in the arms of the Council of Praskovy Bruce, the sisters of Field Marshal Rumyantsev. This Intrigue Potemkin was aimed at the removal of not Corsakov, but the Bruce itself. On 25 years of the sub-empress; Catherine attracted his announcement "innocence." It was very beautiful and possessed an excellent voice (for the sake of him, Catherine invited musicians with world name to Russia). After the loss of Favor, I first stayed in St. Petersburg and talked about my connection with the Empress, than the pride hurt. In addition, he threw Bruce and tied a novel with Countess Ekaterina Stroganova (she was under her for 10 years). It turned out to be too, and Catherine sent him to Moscow. Stroganova eventually gave a divorce. Korsakov lived with her until the end of her life, they had a son and two daughters.

10 Stakhiev (fears) Start of relationships 1778; 1779, June. End of relations of 1779, October. According to the description of contemporaries, the "jester of the lower parsing". The fears were the Protege of Count N. I. Panin of fears Maybe Ivan Varfolomeevich Strahov (1750-1793), in this case, he was not a lover of the Empress, but a man whom Panin found for the insane, and who, when Catherine once told him that He can ask her some grace, rushed to his knees and asked her hands, after which she began to avoid him.

11 Stoyanov (Become) The beginning of relations 1778. End of relations 1778.Fulvester Potemkin.

12 Rancans (Rontsov), Ivan Romanovich (1755-1791) The beginning of relations 1779. Mentioned among those participating in the "competition", it was not entirely clear whether he managed to visit Alcove Empress. End of relations 1780.Orodi from the extramarital sons of Count R. I. Vorontsova, Dashkova's one-headed brother. A year later he headed the London crowd in unrest, organized by Lord George Gordon.

13 Levashov, Vasily Ivanovich (1740 (?) - 1804). During the relationship of 1779, October. End of relations 1779, October.mior Semenovsky regiment, young man, patronage of Bruce Countess. Was distinguished by wit and fun. Uncle of one of the following Favorites - Yermolov. He was not married, but had 6 "pupils" from the student of the theater school of Akulin Semenovoy, who was granted noble dignity and his last name.

14 Vysotsky, Nikolai Petrovich (1751-1827). The beginning of the relationship is 1780, March. Peremkina nephew. Relations of the relations 1780, March.

15 Lanskaya, Aleksandr Dmitrievich (1758-1784) Official Favorite. The beginning of the relationship 1780 April was represented by Catherine Ober-Politzmeister P. I. Tolstoy, she drew attention to him, but he did not become a favorite. Levashev turned to Potemkin for help, he made it his adjutant and about six months led him to court education, after which in the spring of 1780 recommended him by Empress as a heartfelt friend. Concrete relationships 1784, July 25th. He died after a five-day disease to the toak and a hot. For 29 years under 54-year-old at the time of the beginning of the Empress relationship. The only one of the favorites, who did not interfere in politics and refused influence, ranks, and orders. The interest of Catherine to the sciences and under her leadership learned French, met philosophy. Enjoyed universal sympathy. I sincerely adored the sovereign and struggled to keep the world with Potemkin. If Catherine began to flirt with someone else, Lanskaya "did not jealous, did not change her, did not hesitate, but so touching his [...] dismissed her disjoint and so sincerely suffered that she won her love again."

16.Morvinov. The beginning of relations 1781. May. Lermontov. Probably Mordvinov, Nikolai Semenovich (1754-1845). The son of Admiral, the peer of the Grand Duke Paul, brought up with him. The episode did not affect his biography, usually not mentioned. Became a famous fleet. Relatives Lermontov

17 Yermolov, Alexander Petrovich (1754-1834) 1785 February was specially arranged to introduce to the Empress with Him.1786, June 28. He decided to act against Potemkin (Crimean Khan Sakhib-Garyre was to receive large sums from Potemkin, but they were detained, and Han turned to Yermolov for help), in addition, the empress was cooled to him. He was expelled from St. Petersburg - he was "allowed to leave for three years abroad." In 1767, traveling along the Volga, Catherine stopped in the estate of his father and the 13-year-old took the boy to St. Petersburg. Potemkin took him to his retinue, and almost 20 years later suggested a candidacy as a favorite. There was a high and slim blond, sullen, undiscoverable, honest and too simple. With recommendation letters of Chancellor, Kraf Bezborodko went to Germany and Italy. Everywhere kept himself very modestly. After the resignation settled in Moscow and married Elizabeth Mikhailovna Golitsyn, with whom he had children. The nephew of the previous favorite is Vasily Levashova. Then I went to Austria, where I bought a rich and profitable estate of Frosdorf near Vienna, where he died in 82 years.

18.Dmitriyev-Mamonov, Alexander Matveyevich (1758-1803) In 1786, June is represented by the Empress after the departure of Yermolov. 1789 fell in love with Daria Fedorovna Shcherbatov, was the Don of Hay Catherine. asked for forgiveness, forgivers. After the wedding, I forced to leave Petersburg. Future married in Moscow. Repeatedly asked to return to Petersburg, but received a refusal. His wife gave birth to 4 children, eventually drove.

19.Miloradovich. The beginning of the relationship is 1789. Was among the candidates who were offered after the resignation of Dmitriev. They also included a retired Major Major Major's retired regiment, Baron Mengden - all young beauties, for each of which were influential courtie (Potemkin, Bezborodko, Naryshkin, Vorontsov and Zavadovsky). End of the relationship of 1789.

20.Miklashevsky. The beginning of the relationship is 1787. Continued 1787. Miklashevsky was a candidate, but the favorite did not become. Certainly certificates, during the trip Catherine II in 1787 in the Crimea among candidates for the favorites there was some Micklayshevsky. Perhaps it was Miklashevsky, Mikhail Pavlovich (1756-1847), which was part of Potemkin's retinue as an adjutant (first step to Favor), but it is not clear from which year. In 1798, Mikhail Miklashevsky was appointed by the Malorosi Governor, but soon dismissed. In the biography, an episode with Catherine is usually not mentioned.

21.Zubov, Platon Aleksandrovich (1767-1822) official favorite. The beginning of the relationship is 1789, July. Prince N. I. Saltykova, the head teacher of the grandchildren of Catherine. End of relations 1796, November 6th. Last Favorite Catherine. Relations were interrupted with her death. 22-year-old at the time of the beginning of relations with the 60-year-old Empress. The first official favorite since the time of Potemkin, who was not an adjutant. N. I. Saltykov, and A. N. Naryshkin, stood behind him, also had a peroxychin for him. He enjoyed great influence, practically managed to oust Potemkin, who threatened "to come and snatch the tooth." Later he participated in the murder of Emperor Paul. Shortly before his death, he married young, doubtful and poor beauty-polka and terribly jealously.

Memory Catherine 2. Monuments dedicated to her.

Golden Age, Century Catherine, the Great Kingdom, the heyday of absolutism in Russia - so they denoted and denote historians the time of the Board by Russia by Empress Catherine (1729-1796)

"Her reign was successful. As a bona fide German, Catherine worked diligently for the country, which gave her such a good and profitable position. The happiness of Russia, she naturally seen in the possibly greater expansion of the limits of the Russian state. From nature, she was clever and cunning, perfectly understood in the intrigues of European diplomacy. Cunning and flexibility were the basis of the fact that in Europe, depending on circumstances, was called North Semiramid policies or the crimes of Moscow Messalena " (M. Aldanov "Damn Bridge")

Years of the Board by Russia Catherine Great 1762-1796

Real name of Catherine Second Sofia August Frederic Anhalt Czyrrstsk. She was a daughter of the "side line of one of the eight branches of the Anhard House of the Prince of Anhalt-Curbsta, the commandant of the city of Shttitin, which was in Poria, the region, the subject of the Kingdom of Prussia (today the Polish city of Szczecin).

"In 1742, the Prussian King of Friedrich II, wanting to pump the Saxon yard, who expected to give his princess Maria Anna for the heir to the Russian throne of Peter-Charles Ulrich Golsteinsky, who suddenly became the Grand Prince Petrod Fedorovich, began to rush to look for the Grand Duch of another bride.

There were three German princesses at the Prussian King for this purpose: two Hesse Darmstadt and one Czyrbst. The latter most approached the age, but the bride did not know anything about the fifteen-year-old bride. They said only that her mother, Johann-Elizabeth, led a very frivolous way of life and that it is hardly a small ficker truly daughter of the Czyrecy Prince Christian-August, who occupied the position of the governor in Shtete "

Live, short, but in the end, the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna chose a little ficker as a wife for his nephew Karl-Ulrich, who became Great Prince in Russia by Peter Fedorovich, the future emperor Peter Third.

Biography of Catherine second. Briefly

1729, April 21 (Art. Art.) - Catherine Two
1742, December 27 - On the Council of Friedrich II, the Mother of Princess Fixen (FIK) sent a letter to Elizabeth with congratulations for the new year
1743, January - Response
1743, December 21 - Johann-Elizabeth and Fixen received a letter from the Brucener - the educator of the Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich, with the invitation to come to Russia

"Your Grace," wrote a meaningful Belummer, - too enlightened, so as not to understand the true meaning of that impatience, with which her imperial majesty wishes to see you here, as well as the princess your daughter, about which Solva told us so much good. "

1743, December 21 - on the same day was obtained in Cerbst and a letter from Friedrich II. Prussian king ... persistently advised to go and keep a trip in strict secret (so as not to know the Saxons!
1744, February 3 - German princesses arrived in St. Petersburg
1744, February 9 - Future Catherine Great with her mother came to Moscow, where at that moment was the yard
1744, February 18 - Johanna-Elizabeth sent a letter to her husband with news that their daughter is the bride of the future Russian king
1745, June 28 - Sofia Augustus Frederick adopted Orthodoxy and the new name of Catherine
1745, August 21 - Wedding and Catherine
1754, September 20 - Catherine gave birth to a son, heir to the throne of Paul
1757, 9 December - Ekaterina was born daughter Anna, deceased after 3 months
1761, December 25 - Elizabeth Petrovna died. King was Peter Third

"Peter Third was the son of Peter I's daughter and grandson of sisters Charles XII. Elizabeth, having joined the Russian throne and wanting to provide him with the line of his father, sent Major Corf with the instructions to take her nephew from Kiel and deliver to St. Petersburg. Here, the Holstea Duke Carla Petra-Ulrich was transformed into the Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich and forced to learn Russian and Orthodox Catechism. But nature was not so favorable as fate .... He was born and grew by a sickly child, poorly endowed with abilities. Early becoming a round orphanage, Peter in Holstein received anywhere raising upbringing under the guidance of ignorant court.

The degradable and shy in everything, he learned the bad tastes and habits, became irritable, ruddled, stubborn and fake, acquired a sad tendency to lie .... And in Russia there was a trip more. In Holstech, he was so poorly taught that he came to Russia for 14-year-old roundless and even Empress Elizavet struck with his ignorance. A quick change of the circumstances and programs of upbringing a completely knocked off the already impossible head. Forced to learn, then something else without communication and order, Peter ended in that he did not learn anything, and the misstitution of the Holstet and Russian situation, the sense of the Kielian and St. Petersburg impressions completely studied him to understand the surrounding. ... He was fond of military glory and the strategic genius of Friedrich II ... " (V. O. Klyuchevsky "Course of Russian History")

1761, April 13 - Peter concluded peace with Friedrich. All the land captured by Russia in Prussia during the Germans returned to the Germans
1761, May 29 - the Union Agreement of Prussia and Russia. Russian troops are submitted to Friedrich, which caused a sharp discontent of the guard

(Flag of Guard) "became the Empress. The emperor lived badly with his wife, threatened to divorce her and, even sharpen into the monastery, and put a close to him, the niece of Chancellor Count Vorontsov. Catherine held long aside, patiently transferring its position and not entering direct intercourse with dissatisfied " (Klyuchevsky)

1761, June 9 - on a parade dinner on the occasion of confirmation of this peace treaty, the emperor proclaimed the toast for the imperial surname. Catherine drank her glass sitting. To the question of Peter, why she did not get up, she answered that she did not consider it necessary, since the imperial surname consists of Emperor, from her the most and their son, heir to the throne. "And my uncle, princes of Holstein?" - Peter objected and ordered the Gudovich's adjutant, standing behind his chair, approach Catherine and tell her a branch word. But, fearing, as if Gudovich, during the transfer, did not soften this unacceptable word, Peter himself cried him through the table in all.
The empress burst. In the same evening, it was ordered to arrest her, which, however, was not fulfilled at the request of one of the uncle Peter, the involuntary perpetrators of this scene. From this time, Catherine began to listen carefully to the proposals of his friends, which they were made, starting with the death of Elizabeth. The company sympathized with many persons of the Supreme Petersburg Society, the biggest part of personally offended by Peter
1761, June 28 -. Catherine was proclaimed empress
1761, June 29 - Peter the third renounced the throne
1761, July 6 - killed in prison
1761, September 2 - Catherine Coronation Second in Moscow
1787, 2 Yanavary-July 1 -
1796, November 6 - Death of Catherine Great

Internal Policy Catherine Second

- Changes in central controls: In 1763, streamlining the structure and powers of the Senate
- Elimination of the autonomy of Ukraine: the elimination of hetmanism (1764), the elimination of the Zaporizhzhya Schash (1775), the serfs of the peasantry (1783)
- Further submission to the Church by the state: the secularization of church and monastic lands, 900 thousand church fortress steel by state fortresses (1764)
- Perfection of legislation: Decree of tolerance for Raskolniki (1764), landowners' right to refer peasants to Katorga (1765), the introduction of a noble monopoly on distillation (1765), the prohibition of peasants to file complaints about landowners (1768), the creation of individual ships for the nobles, citizens and peasants (1775), etc.
- Improving the administrative system of Russia: division of Russia by 50 provinces instead of 20, division of the provinces on the counties, separation of power in the provinces on functions (administrative, judicial, financial) (1775);
- Strengthening the position of the nobility (1785):

confirmation of all the estate rights and privileges of the nobility: exemption from the mandatory service, from the pillow, corporal punishment; The right to an unlimited order by estate and earth with peasants;
creating noblest facilities: county and provincial nobility meetings who were going once every three years and chose the county and provincial leaders of the nobility;
assigning a nobility of the title of "noble".

"Catherine The second understood well that she could hold on to the throne, only in every way catering nobility and officers, in order to prevent or even reduce the danger of a new palace conspiracy. This is Catherine and did. All her internal politics came down to ensuring the life of officers at her yard and in the guards parties was perhaps more profitable and pleasant. "

- Economic innovations: Establishment of the Financial Commission for the Unification of Money; Establishment of the Commerce Commission (1763); Manifesto on the conduct of general dressing for fixing land plots; Establishment of free economic society for the help of noble entrepreneurship (1765); Financial reform: Introduction of paper money - appliances (1769), the creation of two appliances banks (1768), the release of the first Russian external loan (1769); Establishment of the postal department (1781); Permission to private individuals typography (1783)

Foreign Policy Catherine Second

1764 - contract with Prussia
1768-1774 - Russian-Turkish War
1778 - Restoration of the Union with Prussia
1780 - Union of Russia, Denmark. and Sweden in order to protect wagons during the war for the independence of the United States
1780 - Defensions of Russia and Austria
1783, March 28 -
1783, August 4 - Establishment of the Russian Protectorate over Georgia
1787-1791 —
1786, December 31 - trade agreement with France
1788 June - August - War with Sweden
1792 - Relief of Relations with France
1793, March 14 - a friendship agreement with England
1772, 1193, 1795 - participation together with Prussia and Austria in the sections of Poland
1796 - War in the Persia in response to the invasion of Persians to Georgia

Personal life of Catherine second. Briefly

"Catherine, by nature, was not evil, nor cruel ... and excessively powerful: all my life was invariably under the influence of the favorites that replacing each other, who were happily inferior to their power, interfering with their orders of the country only when they were very clearly shown their Inexperience, inability or stupidity: she was smarter and more experienced in affairs than all her lovers, with the exception of Prince Potemkin.
In nature, Catherine did not have anything excessive, except for the strange mixture of the coarse and all amplifying with the years of sensuality with a purely German, practical sentimentality. In his sixty-five years, she as a girl fell in love with twenty-year officers and sincerely believed that they were also in love with her. In the seventh dozen years she cried bitter tears when she seemed like a plato of the teeth was with her restrained than usually " (Mark Aldanov)

Years of reign: 1762-1796

1. For the first time since the times Peter I. Submitted to reform the system of government. In culturally Russia finally entered the number of great European powers. Catherine patronized various areas of art: with her, the Hermitage and Public Library appeared in St. Petersburg.

2. Conducted an administrative reformwhich determined the territorial device of the country down until 1917. Forced 29 new provinces and built about 144 cities.

3. Increased the territory of the state through the accession of southern lands - Crimea, The Black Sea and the eastern part of the Commonwealth. In terms of population, Russia has become the largest European country: it accounted for 20% of the population of Europe

4. Brought Russia to first place in the world of cast iron. By the end of the XVIII century, there were 1,200 large enterprises in the country (in 1767 there were only 663).

5. Strengthened the role of Russia in the global economy: The volume of exports increased from 13.9 million rubles in 1760 to 39.6 million rubles in 1790. In large quantities, a sailing canvas, cast iron, iron, as well as bread were exported. The volume of exports of forest rose five times.

6. In Catherine II Russian Academy of Sciences has become one of the leading scientific bases in Europe. Empress paid special attention to the development of women's education: in 1764, the first educational institutions for girls were opened in Russia - Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens and the Educational Society of Noble Maiden.

7. Organized new credit institutions - the State Bank and Loan CassuAnd also expanded the spectrum of banking operations (since 1770, banks began to be deposited by deposits) and for the first time set up the release of paper money - assignments.

8. Gave the fight against epidemics the nature of state events. By introducing compulsory preciseness, I decided to file a personal example of a submitted example: in 1768, the vaccination from smallpox did the Empress itself.

9. Supported Buddhism, in 1764, founding the post of Hambo Lama - the heads of Buddhists of Eastern Siberia and Transbaikalia. Buryat Lama recognized Catherine II by the embodiment of the main goddess White Tara and since then they swore to the loyalty to all Russian rulers.

10 Belonged to those few monarchs that intensively communicated with the subjects of the preparation of manifestos, instructions and laws. He possessed the talent of the writer, leaving behind a large collection of works: notes, translations, fables, fairy tales, comedies and essays.

Catherine Great is one of the most outstanding women in world history. Her life is the rarest example of self-education by deep education and strict discipline.

The epithet "Great" Empress deserves right: her, German and alien, the Russian people called the "native mother." And historians almost unanimously decided that if Peter I wanted to instill in Russia, all German, the Germans of Ekaterina dreamed of reviving precisely Russian traditions. And in many ways it did it very successfully.

The long reign of Catherine is the only transformation transformation in Russian history, which cannot be said to the "Forest of Firing, Slice". The population of the country was halved, while practically absent censored, torture was prohibited, elected organs of the estate self-government were created ... "Solid hand", which allegedly needed the Russian people, this time was not useful at all.

Princess Sofia

Future Empress Ekaterina II Alekseevna, nee Sophia Frederick Augustus, Princess Anhalt-Crebstskaya, was born on April 21, 1729 in anyone not known Shtttytin (Prussia). Father is nothing noticeable prince Christian-August - thanks to the devotion to the Prussian king made a good career: the commander of the regiment, the commandant Shattin, the governor. Constantly engaged in the service, he became for Sofia an example of conscientious ministry at the state field.

Sofia received a home education: she studied German and French, dancing, music, basics of history, geography, theology. Its independent nature and perseverance were already manifested in early childhood. In 1744, together with his mother, it was caused to Russia by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Here, it, before Lutheran, took it in Orthodoxy under the name of Catherine (this name, like the patronymic of Alekseevna, gave her in honor of the mother Elizabeth - Catherine I) and told the bride of the Grand Prince Peter Fedorovich (the future emperor Peter III), with which the princess was married In 1745

Uma Castle

Catherine puts itself a goal to win the arrangement of the Empress, her husband and the Russian people. From the very beginning, her personal life was unsuccessful, but great Princess Reasoned that the Russian crown always liked her more bridegroom, and turned to reading work on history, jurisprudence and economics. It was absorbed by the study of the works of French encyclopedists and already at that time intently granted everyone around everyone.

Catherine really became a patriot of his new homeland: she scrupulously observed the rites of the Orthodox Church, tried to return Russian the National costume In the source of the yard, he was diligently taught Russian. She even was engaged at night and once dangerously fell ill from overwork. The Grand Duchess wrote: "The one who has time in Russia could be confident in success in all of Europe. Nowhere, as in Russia, there are no such masters to notice weaknesses or foreigners; You can be sure that he will not let anything. "

Communication of the Grand Duke and Princess demonstrated a cardinal difference of their characters: Peter's infantality opposed the active, purposeful and ambitious nature of Catherine. She began to fear for her fate in the event of a husband coming to power and began to recruit himself supporters at the court. Justice piety of Catherine, reasonableness and sincere love of Russia contrasted sharply with the behavior of Peter, which allowed her to conquer the authority both among the Great Society and among the simple population of St. Petersburg.

Double grip

After going after the death of Mother for the throne, Emperor Peter III for six months of the board managed to configure the nobility against himself to such an extent that he opened the spouse to power himself. Having barely entered the throne, he concluded the contract unprizable Russia with Prussia, announced the arrest of the property of the Russian Church and the abolition of monastic land tenure. Supporters of the coup accused Peter III in ignorance, dementia and complete inability to government management. Cumbnish, piety and friendly wife looked profitable on his background.

When Ekaterina's relationship with her husband became hostile, twenty-year-old Great Princess decided to "die or reign". Thoroughly prepared a plot, she secretly arrived in St. Petersburg and in the barracks of the Izmailovsky regiment was proclaimed by the autocratic empress. The soldiers of other regiments joined the rebel, who were unquestioned to her loyalty. The news of the Ettility of Catherine on the throne quickly spread around the city and was met by Petersburgers with delight. Over 14,000 people surrounded the palace, welcoming the new government.

Catherine's stranger did not have any rights to power, but the "revolution" committed by it was filed as a national liberation. She faithfully caught a critical moment in the behavior of her husband - his contempt for the country and Orthodoxy. As a result, the grandson of Peter the Great was considered more German than the purebred chummy Catherine. And this is the result of her own efforts: in the eyes of society, she managed to change its nationality and received the right to "release the fatherland" from foreign yoke.

M. V. Lomonosov about Ekaterina Great: "On the throne of Baba - the mind of the Chamber."

Having learned about what happened, Peter began to send proposals on the negotiations, but they were all rejected. Ekaterina herself at the head of the Guards regiments came to meet him and on the way received a written renunciation of the emperor from the throne. Long 34-year-old reign of Catherine II began a solemn coronation in Moscow on September 22, 1762. In essence, she made a double seizure: took power from her husband and did not give her a natural heir to her son.

Epoch Catherine Great

Catherine entered the throne, having a certain political program based on the ideas of enlightenment and at the same time taking into account the features of the historical development of Russia. Already in the first years of the Board, the Empress conducted the reform of the Senate, who made the work of this institution more efficiently, and carried out the secularization of church lands, which replenished the state treasury. At the same time, a number of new educational institutions were founded, including the first educational institutions in Russia for women.

Catherine II was an excellent connoisseur of people, she skillfully selected assistants, not afraid of bright and talented personalities. That is why her time was noted by the appearance of Pleiades of outstanding statesmen, commander, writers, artists and musicians. During this period there were no noisy resignation, none of the items were subjected to opal - which is why the reign of Catherine is called the "golden age" of the Russian nobility. At the same time, the empress was very vain and most in the world treated his authority. For her, she was ready to go to any compromises to the detriment of convictions.

Catherine was distinguished by a swoveling piety, she considered herself the head and defender of the Russian Orthodox Church and skillfully used religion in political interests.

After graduating from the Russian-Turkish war, 1768- 1774 and the suppression of the uprising under the leadership of Emelyan Pugacheva Empress independently developed key legislative acts. The most important of them became the humble diplomas of nobility and cities. Their essential significance is due to the implementation of the strategic goal of Catherine reforms - the creation of full-fledged Western European-type classes in Russia.

Autocracy in the fight for the future

Catherine was the first Russian monarch who saw the personality with his own opinion, character and emotions. She willingly recognized them and the right to make a mistake. From the distant insight, the autocracy of Catherine looked at the bottom of the person and turned him into the territory of his politician - an incredible albit for the Russian despot. The philanthropy, which she made fashionable, will subsequently become the main feature of the high culture of the XIX century.

Catherine demanded from naturalness of naturalness, and therefore it was easy, with a smile and self-irony eliminated any hierarchy. It is known that she, being a paddle to flattery, calmly perceived and criticism. For example, her state secretary and the first major Russian poet Derzhavin often argued with the state officials on administrative issues. Once, their discussion became so hot that the Empress invited another secretary: "Sit here, Vasily Stepanovich. This gentleman, it seems to me that I want to kill me. " No consequences for Derzhavin did not have sharpness.

One of the contemporaries figuratively described the essence of the Catherine rule like this: "Peter the Great created in Russia people, but Catherine II has invested the souls in them."

I can not even believe that two Russian-Turkish wars were stood, the accession of the Crimea and the creation of Novorossia, the construction of the Black Sea Fleet, three sections of Poland, who brought Russia Belarus, Western Ukraine, Lithuania and Kurland, the war with the Persion, the accession of Georgia and the conquest of the future of Azerbaijan , Suppression of Pugachevsky Bunt, War with Sweden, as well as numerous laws that Catherine worked in person personally. In total, it issued 5798 acts, that is, an average of 12 laws per month. Its pedantry and hard work is described in detail by contemporaries.

Revolution femininity

Al long as Catherine II in Russian history, only Ivan III (43 years) and Ivan IV Grozny (37 years) were ruled. More than three decades of its board are almost equal to half of the Soviet period, and it is impossible to ignore this circumstance. Therefore, Catherine has always occupied a special place in the mass historical consciousness. However, the attitude towards it was ambiguous: German blood, the murder of her husband, numerous novels, Voltairishism - all this prevented selflessly admire the empress.

Catherine was the first Russian monarch who saw the personality with his own opinion, character and emotions. From the distant sign of the autocracy, she looked at the bottom of the person and turned him into the territory of his politician - an incredible mulbite for the Russian despoty

Soviet historiography added Catherine class Tumakov: She became a "cruel serpentine" and despot. It came to the point that the "Great" allowed to remain only by Peter, it was also emphasized called the "second". Undoubted victories of Empress, who brought Russia Crimea, Novorossia, Poland and part of the Transcaucasia, were largely usurped by its warlords, which in the struggle for national interests allegedly heroically overcame the yard.

However, the fact that in the mass consciousness, the personal life of the Empress deposited her political activity, testifies to the searches for the descendants of psychological compensation. After all, Catherine broke out one of the most ancient public hierarchies - superiority of a man over a woman. Her stunning successes, and in particular the military, caused bewilderment bordering irritation, and needed some kind of "but". Catherine gave a reason for anger already that, despite the existing order, he herself chose himself. The Empress refused to consider not only his nationality: she tried to overcome and borders of their own gender, capturing a typical male territory.

Control passions

All his life, Catherine learned to cope with his feelings and fermented temperament. Long life In a foreign land, he learned her not to succumb to circumstances, always remain calm and consistent in the actions. Later in his memoirs, the Empress will write: "I came to Russia, I am completely unknown to me, not knowing what will be ahead. Everyone looked at me with annoyance and even contempt: the daughter of Prussian Major General is going to be a Russian empress! " Nevertheless, the main goal of Catherine always remained the love of Russia, which, according to her recognition, "not a country, but the universe."

The ability to plan a day, not to retreat from the conceived, not to succumb to Handre or laziness and at the same time, rationally refer to their body could be written off to German education. However, it seems that the cause of such behavior is deeper: Catherine subjugated its life with an overnight - to justify his own stay on the throne. Klyuchevsky noticed that approval meant for Catherine the same as "applause for debutant". The desire of glory was for the empress in the way to prove the virtue of their intentions to the world. Such life motivation, of course, turned it into Self-Made.

The fact that in the mass consciousness personal life of the Empress departed her political activities, testifies to the searches for the descendants of psychological compensation. After all, Catherine broke out one of the most ancient public hierarchies - superiority of a man over a woman

For the sake of purpose - to rule the country - Catherine, without regrets, overcame the mass of the duties: and its German origin, and confessional belonging, and the notorious weakness of the female, and the monarchical principle of inheritance, which she was dare to remind practically in person. In a word, Catherine decisively went beyond the limits of those constants, in which they tried to put her environment, and he argued with all his successes that "happiness is not so blind, as he is imagined."

Tracting for knowledge and multiplication of experience did not kill in her women, in addition, until recent years, Catherine continued to behave actively and vigorously. In the youth, the future empress recorded in the diary: "It is necessary to create yourself, its own character." She brilliantly coped with this task, putting the knowledge of the life trajectory of knowledge, determination and composure. It was often compared and continue to compare with Peter I, but if he entered the country for Europeanization to "Europeanization" of the country, then she coleko finished hesitated by his idol. One of the contemporaries figuratively described the essence of the Catherine rule like this: "Peter the Great created in Russia people, but Catherine II invested the souls in them."

text Marina Kvash
Source TMNWOMAN № 2/4 | Autumn | 2014.

Under the clue, the biography of Catherine II is a great replete with a large number of events that significantly affected the empress of the Russian Empire.

Origin

The genealogical tree of Romanovs

Related links of Peter III and Catherine II

The hometown of Catherine Great is Shattin (now Szczecin in Poland), which was then the metropolitan city of Pomerania. On May 2, 1729, a girl was born in the castle of the above city, called at the birth of Sofia Frederick August Anhalt-Crebst.

The mother was the cousin of Peter III (the former at that time at the very boys) of Johann Elizabeth, Princess Holstein-Gottorpskaya. The father was the prince of Anhalt Crsbst - Christian Augustus, the former Governor of Shattin. Thus, the future empress was very noble blood, although not from the monarchisa rich family.

Childhood and youth

Francis Bush - Young Catherine Great

Getting home education, Frederick, except the native German, studied Italian, English and French. The basics of geography and theology, music and dancing - the corresponding noble education adjacent to the very moving children's games. The girl was interested in all what was happening around, and despite some discontent of the parents, took part in games with boys on the streets of the hometown.

For the first time, seeing the future husband in 1739, in the castle, Eitin, Frederick did not yet know about the upcoming invitation to Russia. In 1744, she, Fifteen-year-old, and Mother traveled through Riga to Russia at the invitation of Empress Elizabeth. Immediately after arrival, the active learning of the language, traditions, history and religion of the new homeland began. The most prominent teachers of the princess were Vasily Adadurov, who taught the language, Simon Todors engaged in Frederic the lessons of Orthodoxy and Balletmister Lange.

On July 9, Sofia Federic Augustus officially accepted baptism and moved in Orthodoxy to the informed Catherine Alekseevna - it was this name later and glorify.

Marriage

Despite the intrigue of the mother, through which the Prussian King of Friedrich II tried to move the chancellor of Bestuzhev and strengthen the impact on the foreign policy of the Russian Empire, Catherine did not fall into opal and on September 1, 1745, he was married to Peter Fedorovich, who had a secondary brother.

Wedding to the kingdom of Catherine II. September 22, 1762. Miropomania. Engraving A.Ya. Collnikova. Last quarter of the XVIII century.

In view of the categorical inattention on the part of a young spouse, who was interested in exclusively military art and Muster, the future empress dedicted her time to study of literature, art and sciences. At the same time, along with the study of the works of Voltaire, Montesquieu and other enlighteners, the biography of her young years is filled with hunting, a variety of balas and masquerads.

The lack of intimate proximity with the legal spouse could not not affect the appearance of lovers, while Empress Elizabeth was not satisfied with the lack of heirs-grandchildren.

Two unsuccessful pregnancy, Catherine gave birth to Paul, who, according to his personal decree, Elizabeth was excommunicated from the mother and was brought up separately. According to unconfirmed theory, Pavlo's father was S. V. Saltykov, sent out of the capital immediately after the birth of a child. In favor of this statement, it is possible to attribute the fact that after the birth of the son Peter III finally ceased to be interested in his wife and nothing shyly began to start the favorite.

S. Saltykov

Stanislav Augusta understood

However, Catherine herself did not inferior to her husband and thanks to the efforts of the English ambassador Williams, he entered into contact with Stanislav's understood - the future king of Poland (due to the protection of Catherine II). According to some historians, Anna was born, his own paternity of which Peter was questioned.

Williams, for some time he was another and trustee of Catherine, gave her loans, manipulated and received confidential information about Russia's foreign policy plans and the actions of its military units during the seven-year war with Prussia.

The first plans for the overthrow of the spouse, the future of Catherine the Great began to enter and voiced in 1756, in Williams letters. Seeing the painful state of the Empress of Elizabeth, and in no doubt in his own incompetence of Peter, Catherine promised to support Chancellor Bestuzhev. In addition, Catherine attracted English loans for bribers of supporters.

In 1758 Elizabeth began to suspect a plot of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Empire Apraksin and Chancellor Bestumev. The latter managed to avoid opals on time destroying the entire correspondence with Catherine. Former favorites, including Williams, withdrawn to England, were removed from Catherine and she was forced to look for new supporters - they became Dashkov and the Orlov brothers.

English Ambassador H, Williams

Brothers Alexey and Grigory Orlov

On January 5, 1761, Empress Elizabeth died and Peter III closed to the throne on the right of inheritance. The next round began in the biography of Catherine. The new emperor sent his spouse to the other end of the Winter Palace, replacing it on the mistress Elizaveu Vorontsov. In 1762, Catherine's carefully hidden pregnancy from Count Gregory Orlov, with whom she began a relationship back in 1760, could not be explained by relations with a legitimate spouse.

For this reason, to distract attention, April 22, 1762 One of the devotees of Ekaterininsky servants is undergiving its own home - Loving such spectacles Peter III left the palace and Ekaterina quietly gave birth to Alexey Grigorievich Bobrinsky.

Communication organization

From the very beginning of his reign, Peter III caused his subordinate discontent - a union with Prussia, which was defeated in a seven-year war, aggravating relations with Denmark. The secularization of church lands and plans to change religious rites.

Using the unpopularity of her husband among the military, the supporters of Catherine began to actively campaign the Guards Parts to move to the side of the future empress in the event of a coup.

Early morning on July 9, 1762 was the beginning of the overthrow of Peter III. Ekaterina Alekseevna arrived in Petersburg from Peterhof, accompanied by the Orlovy brothers and taking advantage of the lack of her husband took the oath first the Guards Parts, and then other regiments.

Oath of Izmailovsky regiment Catherine II. Unknown artist. The end of XVIII is the first third of the XIX century.

Moving together with the printed troops, the Empress received from Peter first a proposal for the negotiations, and why and the renunciation of the throne.

After conclusion, the Biography of the Emperor was as sad, how foggy. The arrested husband died under arrest in Ropsh, and the circumstances of his death remained to the end not clarified. For a number of sources, it was or poisoned, or died suddenly from an unknown disease.

Having joined the throne, Catherine Great made a manifesto, accusing Peter III in attempts to change the religion and imprisonment of peace with hostile Prussia.

Beginning of the Board

In foreign policy, it was necessary to start creating the so-called northern system, which was to ensure that the northern noncatolic states: Russia, Prussia, England, Sweden, Denmark and Saxony, plus Catholic Poland, united against Austria and France. The first step towards the implementation of the project was the conclusion of a contract with Prussia. Secret articles were applied to the contract for which both ally undertook to act at the same time in Sweden and Poland in order to prevent their strengthening.

Prussian king - Friedrich II Great

The current affairs in Poland especially worried Ekaterina and Friedrich. They agreed to prevent changes in the Polish Constitution, to warn and destroy all the intentions that could be cloned, even resorting to weapons. In a separate article, the allies agreed to patronize Polish dissidents (that is, a noncatolic minority - Orthodox and Protestants) and persuade the Polish king to equalize them as rights with Catholics.

The former King August III died back in 1763. Friedrich and Catherine were set as a challenging task to put on the Polish throne of their protege. The Empress wanted it to be her former lover Count Constratorsky. To seek this, she did not stop neither before bribing the deputies of the Seima, nor before the introduction of Russian troops to Poland.

The whole first half of the year has passed in the active propaganda of the Russian gender. August 26, understood by the Polish king. Catherine was greatly rejoiced by this success and, without postponing, told the understandable question about the rights of dissidents, despite the fact that everyone who knew the state of affairs in Poland, indicated a greater complexity and almost the impossibility of achieving this goal. Schnoovsky wrote to his ambassador in St. Petersburg Rzhevsky:

"Orders, data will repfon (Russian Ambassador in Warsaw), introduce dissidents and the legislative activities of the republic, the essence of thunder strikes and for the country and for me personally. If there is some human opportunity, inspire the Empress that the crown she delivered to me, it will make clothes for me Ness: I will burn in her and my end will be terrible. It is clear to foreseeing a terrible choice for me if the Empress will insist on his orders: or I will have to abandon her friendship, so expensive my heart and so necessary for my reign and for my state, or I will have to come up with my fatherland. "

Russian diplomat N. V. Repnin

Even repinn was horrified by Ekaterina's intentions:
"The commandments, data" on the dissident business, terrible, - he wrote to Panin, - Truly, my hair in my end, when I think about it, without any hope, except for the only force, to fulfill the will of the All-Communications State Drugs regarding civilian disident advantages " .

But Catherine was not terrified and told to respond to understandable, which resolutely does not understand how the dissidents allowed to legislative acts would be more hostile to the state and the government of Polish, which now relate; It can not understand how the king considers himself a traitor to the Fatherland for what the justice requires, which will make it fame and the firm good of the state.
"If the king looks like this thing," Catherine concluded, "then I have eternal and sensitive regret that I could deceive in the friendship of the king, in the image of his thoughts and feelings."

Since the Empress soon expressed his desire so unemployed, repinn in Warsaw was forced to act with all possible hardness. Intrigues, bribing and threats, the introduction of Russian troops in the outskirts of Warsaw and the arrest of the most stubborn opponents repinn achieved his 9 February 1768. Sejm agreed with freedom of religion for dissidents and their political equation with a Catholic gentry.

It seemed that the goal was achieved, but in reality it was only the beginning of a big war. The dissident "The equation lit all Poland. I barely divided the Sejm, who approved the contract on February 13, as a lawyer Plulavsky raised against him a confederation against him. With it light hands In all Poland, antidissident confederations began to flash.

The response of the Orthodox on the Barski Confederation was the Gaidamatsky Bunth of 1768, in which, together with Gaidamaks (Russian fugitives who left in the steppe), Zaporozhzhtsy led by Zheleznyak and the serf peasants with a centurion. At the height of the uprising, one of the Gaidamatsky detachments crossed through the Kolyma border river and loosened the Tatar place GaT. Barely it became known in Istanbul, the 20,000th Turkish case was moved to the borders. On September 25, the Russian ambassador of trigteles was arrested, diplomatic relations were broken - the Russian-Turkish war began. Such an unexpected turnover made a dissident business.

First wars

Having suddenly in his hands two wars, Catherine was not at all embarrassed. On the contrary, threats from the West and from the south just gave her to her zador. She wrote County Chernyshev:
"Turks with the French elevated to wake up a cat who slept; I am this cat who promises to give themselves to know, in order not to disappear soon. I find that we were freed from great gravity, a graceful imagination, when we were unleashed with a peace treaty ... Now I am unleashed, I can do everything that the funds allow me, and in Russia, you know the funds are not small ... And now we will task the ringing, They did not expect, and here the Turks will be broken. "

The inspiration of the Empress passed its surrounding. Already at the first meeting of the Council on November 4, it was decided not to lead the war, but the offensive and first of all try to raise Christians oppressed by Turkey. To this end, on November 12, Grigory Orlov proposed to send an expedition to the Mediterranean Sea in order to contribute to the uprising of the Greeks.

This plan liked Catherine, and she energetically began to implement it. November 16 she wrote Chernyshev:
"I was so shifted by our marine on their craft, that they became fire."

And in a few days:
"I have in the excellent care now the fleet, and I truly use it so if God tells how he has not yet been ..."

Prince A. M. Golitsyn

Military actions began in 1769. The army of General Golitsyn moved through the Dnieper and took Khotin. But Catherine remained unhappy with his slowness and handed over the High Command of Rumyantsev, who soon took possession of Moldova and Valahia, as well as the Azov Sea coast with Azov and Taganrog. Catherine ordered to strengthen these cities and start the flotilla.

She developed an amazing energy this year, he worked as the real chief of the General Staff, was part of the details of military preparations, made plans and instructions. In April, Catherine wrote Chernyshev:
"I am a Turkish empire with four corners; I do not know whether it will burn whether it will burn, but I know that since the start of them was not still used by the contamination of their great hassle and worries ... Many porridges are brewed, someone will be tasty. I have an army in the Kuban, the armies against the brainless Poles, with the Swedes ready to fight, and even three turmoil inpetto, to show not dare ... "

In fact, trouble and worries were a lot. In July 1769, the squadron was selected from Kronstadt under the Spiridov team. Of the 15 large and small vessels, the squadron to the Mediterranean soldered only eight.

With these forces, Alexey Orlov, who was treated in Italy and asked to be the head of the uprising of Turkish Christians, raised the seaside, but could not give the rebels of a solid combat device, and, by the rebels of the ridiculous Turkish troops, threw the Greeks to the mercy of fate, irritated by the fact that he did not find In them feminocals. Catherine approved all his actions.

Connecting with the approaching between the other squadron of Elfingston, the eagles chased over the Turkish fleet and in the Chios Strait near the Cassend Caple Nastig Armadu in terms of the number of ships more than two stronger Russian fleet. After a four-hour battle, the Turks were hidden in the Chesmen Bay (June 24, 1770). A day later, Russians were launched on the lunar night, and the Turkish fleet was burned to the morning in the bay (June 26).

For amazing marine victories, the archipelago followed the same land in Besarabia. Catherine wrote Rumyantsev:
"I hope for the help of your divine and art of yours in a military case, which will not leave this the best way Satisfy and make such cases that will acquire glory and prove, how great your diligence is yours to the Fatherland and to me. Did not ask the Romans when, where there were two or three legions, in the colic number against them, the enemy, but where he; They hit him and hit him, and not many of their troops won the diverse contradictions of their crowd ... "

Inspired by this letter of Rumyantsev in July 1770, twice smashed many times superior to Turkish army on Large and Cagule. At the same time they were taken an important fortress on the days of Bender. In 1771, General of Dolgorukov broke through Perekop to the Crimea and captured the Cafa Fortress, Kerch and Yenikale. Khan Selim-Giren fled to Turkey. New Khan Sanda-Gary has hurried to conclude the world with Russian. On this active actions ended and long-term negotiations on the world ended, again, who returned to Catherine to Polish affairs.

Sturm Bender

Military successes of Russia opened envy and concerns in neighboring countries, primarily in Austria and Prussia. The misunderstandings with Austria have reached the fact that they spoke loud about the possibility of war with her. Friedrich strongly inspired Russian Empress that Russia's desire to join the Crimea and Moldova could lead to a new European war, as Austria will never agree to it. It is much wiser to take part of Polish possessions as compensation. He directly wrote to his ambassador to Solmsus that for Russia anyway, from where she will receive a reward to which it has the right to military losses, and since the war began only because of Poland, Russia has the right to take a reward from the border regions of this republic. Austria had to get his part at the same time - this would take advantage of her hostility. The king also can not do, so as not to acquire part of Poland. This will serve as a remuneration for subsidies and other costs that he suffered during the war.

In St. Petersburg, the thought of Poland liked. On July 25, 1772, an agreement was followed by the Agreement of the Three Power Supplies, according to which Austria received all Galicia, Prussia - Western Prussia, and Russia - Belarus. Having graduated from Poland a contradiction with European neighbors, Catherine could begin to Turkish negotiations.

Rule with Orlov

In early 1772, with the mediation of Austrians, we agreed to start a peaceful congress with Turks in Fokshans in June. Commissioned from the Russian side were appointed Count Gregory Orlov and the former Russian ambassador to Istanbul Rznzkov.

It seemed that nothing foreshadowed the end of the 11-year-old Communication of the Empress with the favorite, and meanwhile, Orlov's star had already rolled out. True, before breaking with him, Catherine suffered from his lover as much as a rare woman is able to transfer and from legitimate husband

Already in 1765, seven years before the final gap between them, Beranta came from St. Petersburg:
"This Russian openly violates the laws of love in relation to the Empress. He has mistresses in the city, who not only do not bring the anger of the public for her foulness Orlov, but, on the contrary, enjoyed it by patronage. Senator Muravyev, who found his wife with him, almost made a scandal, demanding a divorce; But the queen drew him, giving the Earth in Liflandia. "

But apparently, Catherine was actually not at all so indifferent to these treason, as it could seem. There were no two weeks after the departure of Orlov, and the Prussian Messenger Solms has already confessed to Berlin:
"I can not more restrain and do not tell your Majesty about an interesting event, which just happened at the same courtyard. The absence of Count Orlova discovered quite natural, but nevertheless an unexpected circumstance: Her Majesty found it possible to do without it, change his feelings for him and move their location to another subject.

A. S. Vasilchakov

Connogvardeysky cornet of cornflowers, randomly sent with a small detachment to the royal village for carrying a guard, attracted the attention of his sovereign, completely unexpectedly for everyone, because there was nothing special for all, and he himself never tried to nominate and in society very little known . When moving the Tsarskoe yard from the royal village to Peterhof, her majesty for the first time showed him a sign of his location, giving a gold tobacco to a good maintenance of the guard.

This case did not give any importance, however, the frequent visits to St. Peterhof, the cattle with which she was in a hurry to distinguish him from others, the calmer and fun arrangement of her spirit since the removal of Orlov, the displeasure of the relatives and friends of the latter, finally many other small circumstances opened the eyes of the Tsareda .

Although everything still keeps in secret, none of the approximate doubts that cornflowers are already in complete mercy in the Empress; This was convinced of this especially from the day when he was granted to the chamber-junker .. "

Meanwhile, Orlov met in Fokshan insurmountable obstacles to the conclusion of the world. Turks did not want to recognize the independence of the Tatar. On August 18, Orlov interrupted the negotiations and departed in Iasi, at the headquarters of the Russian army. Here and found his news about a sharp change that followed in his life. Orlov threw everything and rushed to St. Petersburg on the postal horses, hoping to returned their former rights. In one hundred versts from the capital, he was stopped by the order of the Empress: Orlov was prescribed to go to their estates and not to travel from there before the expiration of Quarantine (he drove from the territory where the places of plague). Although not immediately the favorite was to accept, in early 1773 he still arrived in St. Petersburg and was consistently met by Empress, but he could no longer be anything about the previous relationship.

"I owe the family of 'Orlovy," Catherine said, "I showered them with wealth and honors; And I will always patronize them, and they can be useful to me; But my decision is invariably: I suffered eleven years; Now I want to live, as I think, and quite independently. As for the prince, he can do completely that he pleases: he is free to travel or stay in the empire, drink, hunt, to make himself mistresses ... He will behave well the honor of him and glory, will behave badly - he is shame ... "
***

1773 and 1774 were distant for Catherine restless: the Poles continued to resist, the Turks did not want to conclude the world. The exhausting state budget of the war continued, and meanwhile the new threat arose in the Urals. In September, Raising Emelyan Pugachev raised. In October, the rebels accumulated forces for the siege of Orenburg and the nobles around the empress frankly panicked.

Cardiga cases in Catherine were also not laid. Later she confessed to Potemkin, meaning his relationship with Vasilchik:
"I was sadder than to say I can, and never more like when other people are satisfied, and all sorts of inclination in me tears were forced, so I think that I didn't cry from the birth of my birth as this year and a half; At first I thought I was accustomed to, but what further, it's worse, for on the other hand (that is, from Vasilchikov) for three months, it became necessary to confess, and it was not necessary to admit that I was never satisfied, as when I was exhausted and left alone, but I caressed his caress for me. "

It is known that in his favorites Ekaterina was looking for not only lovers, but also assistants in the law of government. From Orlovy, she eventually managed to make a non-free state leaders. With Vasilchik, you are less lucky. However, another applicant remained in the reserve, who has long liked Catherine - Grigory Potemkin. Catherine knew and celebrated him for 12 years. In 1762, Potemkin served as a wachmistrome in the Connogvardea Regiment and took the most active part in the coup. In the list of awards after the events of June 28, he was appointed Chin Cornet. Catherine has crossed out this line and wrote with his hand "Captain Lieutenant".

In 1773 he was welcomed in Lentar General. In June of this year, Potemkin was in the battle under the walls of a sylinder. But a few months later, he suddenly asked her vacation and quickly, hastily left the army. The reason for this was an event that resolved his life: he received from Catherine the following letter:
"Mr. Lieutenar General! You, I imagine, are so busy as a sylitude that you have no time to read letters. I don't know if there was a bombardment that was successful, but, despite this, I am sure that - whatever you personally have taken - can not be prescribed a different goal, as your hot zeal for the benefit of me personally and dear homeland, Which you are with love. But, on the other hand, since I wish to keep people of diligent, brave, smart and delometries, I ask you without the need to be not subject to danger. After reading this letter, you may be asked why it is written; I can answer this: to have confidence in how I think about you, just as I wish you good. "

In January 1774, Potemkin was in St. Petersburg, waited for six weeks, proven with the soil, strengthening his chances, and on February 27, the empertress wrote a letter in which he asked graciously to appoint him an adjutant, "if she considered his services worthy." Three days later, he received a favorable answer, and on March 20, the highest command was sent to Moscow. He retired, leaving the place of Potemkin, who was destined to become the most famous and powerful Favorite of Catherine. In the months, he made a dizzying career.

In May, he was introduced into the members of the Council, in June, they regards the graphs, in October, produced in General-Anzhephy, and in November awarded the Order of Andrei First Called. All Friends of Catherine wondered and found the choice of Empress as strange, extravagant, even tasteless, for Potemkin was ugly, a curve on one eye, krivonog, cutting and even rude. Grimm could not hide his amazement.
"Why? - answered Ekaterina. "I bet, because I moved away from a certain excellent, but the too boring Mr., who immediately replaced, herself, right, I don't know how, one greatest thing, the most interesting eccentric, which only can be found in our Iron Age."

She was very pleased with his new acquisition.
"Oh, what the head of this person has," she said, "and this good head is funny as the devil."

Several months passed, and Potemkin became a real mistress, an almighty person, before whom all rivals were knocking and bowed all the heads, starting from Catherine's head. His entry into the Council was equivalent to what he became the first minister. He manages the internal and foreign Policy And forces Chernysheva to give him the place of the chairman of the military college.

On July 10, 1774, negotiations with Turkey ended with the signing of the Küchuk-Kainardzhi peace treaty, according to which:

recognized independence of the Tatars and Crimean Khanate from the Ottoman Empire;
Kerch and Yenikale in the Crimea depart Russia;
Russia leaves Kinburn Castle and Steppe between Dnipro and Bug, Azov, Big and Small Kabarda;
free navigation of commercial ships of the Russian Empire through the Bosphorus Straits and Dardanelles;
Moldova and Valahia received the right to autonomy and switched to Russian patronage;
The Russian Empire received the right to build a Christian church in Constantinople, and the Turkish authorities pledged to provide it with protection
A ban on the oppression of Orthodox in the Transcaucasus, on the recharge of Dani people from Georgia and Mingrelia.
4.5 million rubles Contribution.

The joy of the empress was great - no one expected on such a favorable world. But at the same time more and more disturbing news came from the east. Pugachev has already been broken twice. He fled, but his flight seemed to be invasion. Never, the success of the uprising was not more significant than in the summer of 1774, never rebelliously raised with such power and cruelty.

Perturbation, like a fire, was transmitted from one village to another, from the province to the province. These sad news made a deep impression in St. Petersburg and overshadowed victory sentiment after the end of the Turkish war. Only in August, Pugachev was finally broken and captured. On January 10, 1775, he was executed in Moscow.

As for Polish affairs, on February 16, 1775, the Seimas finally adopted the law on the dissident equations in political rights with Catholics. Thus, despite all obstacles, Catherine brought to the end, this is a hard thing and finished with success three bloody wars - two external and one inner.

Execution of Emelyan Pugacheva

***
Pugachev uprising opened serious disadvantages of the existing regional management: firstly, the former provinces represented too extensive administrative districts, and secondly, these districts were equipped with too insufficient number of institutions with a scanty personnel, thirdly, various departments were mixed in this department: one And the same department led both administrative affairs and finance, and criminal and civil court. In order to eliminate these shortcomings in 1775, Catherine began the provincial reform.

First of all, she introduced a new regional division: instead of 20 extensive provinces, which Russia was divided, now the entire empire was divided into 50 provinces. In the foundation of the provincial division was made exclusively the number of people. The province of Catherine is a district of 300-400 thousand inhabitants. They were subdivided into lents with a population of 20-30 thousand ordinary people. Each province received a monotonous device, administrative and judicial.

The summer of 1775, Ekaterina stayed in Moscow, where the house of Prince Golitsynye was given at her order at the Prechistan Gate. In early July, the winner of the Turk of Field Marshal Count Rumyantsev arrived in Moscow. The news was preserved that Catherine, dressed in Russian Sarafan, met Rumyantsev. On the porch of the Golitsyn house and, hugging, kissed. At the same time, she drew attention to the Zavadovsky, mighty, state and exclusively beautiful man who accompanied Feld Marshal. Noticing a gentle and interested opinion of the Empress, abandoned by her on Zavadovsky, Feldmarshal immediately introduced his handsome Catherine, having praised him about him, as a man perfectly educated, hardworking, honest and brave.

Catherine complained to Zavadovsky diamond ring with his name and appointed his office secretary. Soon he was granted to Majo-General and Adjutant General, began to lead the personal office of the Empress and became one of the most close to her people. At the same time, Potemkin noticed that the charm of his empress was weakened. In April 1776, he went on vacation for revision of the Novgorod province. A few days after his departure, Zavadovsky was cast around in his place.

P. V. Zavadovsky

But, having ceased to be a lover, Potemkin, awarded in 1776 in Princes, retained all his influence and sincere friendship of the sovereign. Almost until his very death, he remained the second person in the state, determined the internal and foreign policy, and none of the subsequent numerous favorites, even to Plato, did not even try to play the role of a state man. All of them were close to Catherine's Potemkin himself, which tried to influence the location of the Empress in this way.

First of all, he tried to remove Zavadovsky. Potemkin had to spend almost a year, and good luck did not come before he opened Zorich's seeds. It was a hero of a cavalidist and a handsome man, by the origin of the Serb. Potemkin took the zorich to himself in the adjutant and almost immediately presented to the appointment by the commander of the Life-Gusarsky squadron. Since Life Gusar was the personal guard of the Empress, the appointment of Zorich to the post was preceded by his presentation Catherine.

S. G. Zorich

In May 1777, Potemkin arranged an audience of the empress with a potential favorite - and not mistaken in the calculation. Zavadovsky suddenly provided a six-month vacation, and Zorich was granted to the colonels, the flagheladanutants and the chiefs of the Leiba Gusar squadron. Zorich was already under forty, and he was full of courageous beauty, however, unlike Zavadovsky, a little educated (later he confessed that from 15 years he went to the war and that to his proximity to the Empress remained completely unacceptable). Catherine tried to instill literary and scientific tastes, but it seems little succeeded in this.

Zorich was stubborn and reluctant to upbringing. In September 1777, he became Major General, and in the fall of 1778 - a graph. But having received this title, he suddenly insulted, as he expected the princely title. Soon after, he came out with a quarrel with Potemkin, barely ended in a duel. Find out about it, Catherine ordered Zorich to go to his estate Shklov.

Even before, Potemkin began to look for a new favorite for his girlfriend. There were several candidates, among which, they say, even some PERS, distinguished by extraordinary physical data. Finally, Potemkin stopped on three officers - Bergman, Rontsov and Ivan Korsakov. Gelbich tells that Catherine entered the reception, the code there were all three appointed to the audience of the applicant. Each of them stood with a bouquet of flowers, and she graciously talked first with Bergman, then with Rontsov and, finally, with Korsakov. The extraordinary beauty and grace of the latter conquered it. Catherine graciously smiled to everyone, but with a bouquet of flowers sent to Potemkin Korsakov, who became the next favorite. From other sources it is known that the korsakov far offended immediately reached the desired position.

In general, in 1778, Catherine experienced a kind of moral dun and fond of several young people. In June, the Englishman Harris marks the elevation of Korsakov, and in August, he already talks about his rivals who try to repel him of the grace of the Empress; They are supported on one side of Potemkin, and with another Panin, along with Orlov; In September, fears, the "jester of the lowest parsing", shelters over all the top, four months later his place is occupied by Major Semenovsky Regiment Levashev, a young man, patronage of Countess Bruce. Then the Korsakov again returns to the previous position, but now fights with some standing favorite Potemkin. In 1779, he finally wins a complete victory over his competitors, becomes a chamber and an adjutant general.

Grimma, who considered the passion of his friend with ordinary whim, Catherine wrote:
"Whim? Whether you know that this is: the expression is completely not suitable in this case, when they talk about Pyrrho, Tsar Epirish (so Catherine called Korsakov), and this is the satellite of all artists and despair of all sculptors. Admiration, enthusiasm, and not a whim, they excite such exemplary creations of nature ... Never Pierre did not make a single non-poor or non-profit gesture or movement ... But all this in general is not a merryness, but, on the contrary, courage, and he whatever you want he was…"

In addition to its amazing appearance, Korsakov fascinated the empress with his wonderful voice. The reign of the new favorite is an era in the history of Russian music. Catherine invited the first artists of Italy to St. Petersburg, so that Korsakov could sing with them. She wrote Grimma:

"I have never met anyone so capable to enjoy the harmonic sounds, like Pierre - Epir's Kinder."

Rimsky-Korsakov I. N.

Unfortunately for himself, Korsakov failed to stay on the height achieved. Once in early 1780, Catherine found a favorite in the arms of his girlfriend and in prison of Bruce Countess. It strongly cooled her dust, and soon Korsakov took the 22-year-old Connogwarders Alexander Lanskaya.

Lanskaya was represented by Catherine Ober-Politzmeister Tolstoy, he liked the Empress at first glance: she complained him to the outgun-adjutant and gave 10,000 rubles to inhibition. But he did not become a favorite. Loan, Lanskaya showed a lot of common sense from the very beginning and appealed to Potemkin's support, who appointed it one of his adjutants and led him to court education about six months.

He opened in his pupil a lot of gradual qualities and in the spring of 1780 with a light heart recommended His Empress as a heartfelt friend. Catherine produced Lansky to Colonels, then in the adjutant general and chamber member, and soon he settled in the palace in the empty apartments of the former favorite.

Of all lovers, Catherine it was, no doubt, the most pleasant and cute. According to the reviews of contemporaries, Lanskaya did not enter into any intrigues, he tried to harm anyone and completely renounced from public affairs, rightly believing that the policy would force him to make her enemies. The only all-consuming passion of Lansky was Catherine, he wanted to reign in her heart solely and did everything to achieve this. In passion for him, 54-year-old empress was something maternal. She caressed and formed him as her beloved child. Catherine wrote Grimma:
"So that you can make yourself a concept about this young man, you need to convey that the prince of Orlov said about him one of his friends:" You will see what person she will do from him! .. "He absorbs with greed! He began with the fact that he swallowed all poets with their poems in one winter; And to another - several historians ... without studying anything, we will have countless knowledge and find pleasure to communicate with everything that is the best and dedicated. In addition, we are building and planted; In addition, we are charitable, cheerful, honest and filled with simplicity. "

Under the leadership of his mention, Lanna studied French, met philosophy and, finally, became interested in the works of art, which the sovereign loved to surround himself. Four years, lived in the Society of Lansky, were, maybe the most calm and happy in the life of Catherine, as evidenced by many contemporaries. However, she always led a very moderate and measured life.
***

Rules for the day of the Empress

Catherine woke up by usually at six o'clock in the morning. At the beginning of the reign, she herself dressed and melted the fireplace. Later, it was pulled in the morning of the chamber of the chamber of Jungfe. Catherine rinsing his mouth with warm water, rubbed the cheek ice and walked into his office. Here she was waiting for the morning very strong coffee, to which usually thick cream and cookies were served. The Empress itself ate a bit, but half a dozen of the left-hander, always separated breakfast with Catherine, devastated the sugar and a basket with a cookie. Having finished with food, the sovereign produced dogs for a walk, and herself sat down for work and wrote up to nine hours.

At nine she returned to the bedroom and took speakers. The first came the Ober-Politzmeister. To read the paper filed for the signature, the empress dressed glasses. Then the secretary was and began working with documents.

As you know, the Empress read and wrote in three languages, but at the same time allowed many syntactic and grammatical errors, and not only in Russian and French, but also in their native German. Errors in Russian, of course, were the annoying all. Catherine was aware of this and once admitted to one of his secretaries:
"You do not laugh at my Russian spelling; I'll tell you why I did not have time to study her well. Upon arrival, my here, I started learning Russian with great adjacent. Aunt Elizabeth Petrovna, having learned about it, said my gofmaceystrche: Full of her to learn, she is already smart. Thus, I could learn Russian only from books without a teacher, and this is the very reason that I know the spelling badly. "

The secretaries had to rewrite with all the drafts of the Empress. But the classes with the secretary were interrupted by the business of the visits of generals, ministers and dignitaries. So it continued until lunch, which was usually an hour or two.

Letting go to the secretary, Catherine went into a small restroom, where it combed her old hairdresser coke. Catherine removed the hood and sharp, dressed in an extremely simple, open and free dress with double sleeves and wide shoes on low heels. On weekdays, the Empress did not wear any jewels. In the parade cases, Catherine dressed an expensive velvet dress, the so-called "Russian style", and the hairstyle decorated the crown. She did not follow the Paris mod and did not encourage this expensive pleasure in their court lanes.

Having finished the toilet, Catherine passed into the official restroom, where she finished wear. It was a small exit time. Here grandsons gathered, favorite and several close friends like Lion Naryshkin. The sovereign was served slicing of ice, and she completely openly rubbed their cheeks. Then the hairstyle was covered with a small tleal precipitator, and the toilet was held on this. The whole ceremony lasted about 10 minutes. After all, everyone went to the table.

Twelve people invited for lunch on the weekdays. Favorite sat down on my right hand. Lunch continued for about an hour and was very simple. Catherine never took care of the sophistication of his table. Her favorite dish was boiled beef with salted cucumbers. As a drink, she used the curor Morse, in recent years of life, the Maders or Rhinewine wrote on the advice of Ekaterina doctors. The dessert was served fruits, most applied apples and cherries.

Among the chefs of Catherine, one cooked bad from the hands. But she did not notice it, and when after many years her attention was finally turned to it, she did not allow him to calculate him, saying that he served too long in her house. She coped only when he will be duty, and, sitting at the table, spoke to guests:
"We are now on a diet, we need to be patient needed, but I will eat well."

After dinner, Catherine talked for a few minutes with the invited, then everyone diverged. Catherine sat down for the chassis - she embroidered very skillfully - and Petsky read it out loud. When the beetty, having made up, began to lose sight, she did not want to replace them with anyone and began to read herself, putting on glasses.

Viewing numerous references to read books scattered in its correspondence, we can safely say that Catherine was aware of all book novelties of his time, and read everything without parsing: from philosophical treatises and historical writings to novels. Of course, she could not assimilate deeply all this huge material, and her erudition remained superficially, and the knowledge of shallow, but in general she could judge the many diverse problems.

The rest lasted for about an hour. Then the Empress reported on the arrival of the secretary: two times a week she disassembled with him foreign mail and made a note on the fields of the Deposte. On other mounted days it was officials with reports or orders.
In moments of a break in the affairs of Catherine, carelessly had fun with children.

In 1776, she wrote to her friend M-Same Belke:
"We must be fun. Only it helps us all overcome and transfer. I tell you this by experience, because I exhibited a lot and moved in life. But I still laughed when I could, and swear to you as currently when I wear all the severity of my position, I play from the soul when the case is in the sick, and very often without it. We come up with a pretext for this, say: "This is useful for health," but, between us will be said, we make it easy to think. "

At four hours, the work day of the Empress ended, and the time of rest and entertainment came. On the long gallery, Catherine passed from the Winter Palace to Hermitage. It was her favorite place of stay. She was accompanied by a favorite. She considered new collections and placed them, played a party to Billiard, and sometimes he was engaged in carvings on ivory. At six o'clock, the Empress returned to the receptions of the Hermitage, which was already filled with persons admitted to the court.

Count chord in his memoirs described the Hermitage:
"He takes the whole wing of the Imperial Palace and consists of a picture gallery, two large rooms For a card game and one more, where you dine on two tables "on family", and next to these rooms is a winter garden, indoor and well lit. There are walking among the trees and numerous pots with flowers. There are flying and sing a variety of birds, mainly canary. The garden heats up underground furnaces; Despite the harsh climate, it always reigns a pleasant temperature.

This adorable apartment becomes even better than the freedom reigning here. Everyone feels at ease: the empress is expelled from here any etiquette. Here walk, play, sing; Everyone does what he likes. Picture gallery is replete with first-class masterpieces ".

Any games enjoyed huge success at these meetings. Catherine first participated in them, excited in all the fun and allowed all kinds of liberty.

At ten o'clock the game ended, and Catherine was removed into domestic chambers. Dinner was served only in the front cases, but then Catherine sat on the table only for sight .. Returning to himself, she went to the bedroom, drank a big glass of boiled water and fell into bed.
Such was private life Catherine for memoirs of contemporaries. Her intimate life is known less, although it is also not a secret. The Empress was a female woman, until the death of retained the ability to get involved in young people.

Its official lovers numbered more than a dozen. With all this, as already mentioned, she was not beautiful at all.
"To say in truth," Catherine herself wrote, "I never considered myself extremely beautiful, but I liked, and I think that this was my power."

All portraits reached us confirm this opinion. But there is no doubt that there was something extremely attractive in this woman who escaped from the brush of all painters and forced many sincerely to admire her appearance. With age, the empress did not lose its attractiveness, although even more fully pulled.

Catherine was not at all wind or depraved. Many bonds lasted it for years, and although the Empress was far from indifferent to sensual pleasures, spiritual communication with a close man remained very important for her. But the truth is that Catherine after Orlovy never raped his heart. If the favorite ceased to interest it, she gave resignation without any ceremony.

At the next evening, the courts have noticed that the Empress looks intently at some unknown lieutenant, represented by her only on the eve or dealt before in a brilliant crowd. Everyone understood what it means. In the afternoon of a young man, a short order was called to the palace and subjected to a multiple test for compliance in the fulfillment of direct intimate duties of the Favorite of the Empress.

A. M. Turgenev so tells about this rite through which all Catherine lovers passed:
"They were sent usually to Anne Stepanovna Protasova on the sample of elected in the favorites of Her Majesty. According to the inspection of the Matushka-sister-sister Lab-Medica Rogerson, and for the certificate submitted to the service-affected health relative to health, transmitted to Anne Stepanovna Protasova for a three-piece test. When the set satisfying the fully demands of Protasovoy, she came the admissions of the adequacy of the tested, and then the first date had been appointed under the head of the yard etiquette or by the charter of the highest to dedicated to the confined.

Perevikhina Marya Savvishna and Verkhar Zakhar Konstantinovich were obliged to dine on the same day together with the chosen one. At 10 o'clock in the evening, when the Empress was already in bed, Poboleychina introduced a recruit into a pious, dressed in Chinese sludge, with a book in his hands, and left him for reading in the chairs a lishannica bed. The next day, the Perevikhina took the dedicated from the fever and passed him to Zakharu Konstantinovich, who led a new-resistant coincided in the draws prepared for him; Here he reported Zakhar already Rabolenpno Favorita that the all-consant post-the Highest sovereign deigned to appoint it at the highest person of his outgun-adjutant, brought him a mundar of the Flegene Adjutant with a diamond aggrave and 100,000 rubles of pocket money.

Before the release of another sovereign, in winter to the Hermitage, and in the summer, in the royal village, to the garden, walk with the new outline-adjutant, to whom she gave her hand to lead her, the front hall of the new favorite was filled with the first state dignitaries, nobles, the boredrals to bring him the diligence Congratulations on obtaining the highest grace. High-eyed shepherd Metropolitan came usually to favorite as another day to initiate him and blessed him with holy water ".

Subsequently, the procedure became more complicated, and after Potemkin, the favorites tested not only the Probe-Freulin Protasov, but also the Countess Bruce, and the Pereksihina, and the clarified.

In June 1784, Lanskaya became serious and dangerously ill - they said that he undermined his health, abusing exciting drugs. Catherine did not leave an hour for an hour, almost ceased to eat, left all things and cared for him as his mother for the only endlessly beloved son. Then she wrote:
"Malignant hack in conjunction with the toad brought him into the grave of five days."

On the evening of June 25, Lanskie died. Mount Catherine was infinitely.
"When I started this letter, I was in happiness and in joy, and my thoughts rushed so quickly that I did not have time to follow them," she did grimme. - Now everything has changed: I'm terribly suffering, and my happiness is no more; I thought that I would not suffer the irrevitable loss, which I was incurred a week ago, when my best friend died. I hoped that he would be a support of my old age: he also sought it, tried to instill, all my tastes. It was a young man who I was brought up, which was grateful, meek, honest, who shared my sorrows when they were, and rejoiced by my joys.

In a word, I, sobbing, I have a misfortune to tell you that General Lansky did not become ... And my room I loved before, I now turned into an empty cave; I barely moving on it as a shadow: On the eve of his death, my throat was sick and the strongest fever began; However, since yesterday, I'm already on my feet, but weak and so suppressed that I can not see the human faces in order not to burst at the first word. I am not able to sleep or eat. Reading it annoys me, Scripture exhibits my strength. I do not know what will come with me now; I only know one thing that I have never been so unhappy in my whole life, as since my best and kind of friend left me. I opened the box, thereby this started list, wrote these lines on it, but I can no longer ... "

"I confess to you that all this time I was not able to write to you, because I knew that it would make us suffer from both. A week after I wrote you the last letter in July, Fedor Orlov and Prince Potemkin arrived to me. Before that minute, I could not see the human faces, but these knew what you need to do: they roared with me, and then I felt easily with them; But I needed a lot of time to recover, and because of the sensitivity to my grief, I became an insensible to all the others; My grief has all increased and remembered every step and at any word.

However, do not think that, as a result of this terrible state, I neglected at least the slightest thing that requires my attention. In the most painful moments came to me for orders, and I gave them intelligently and reasonable; This was particularly struck by General Saltykov. Two months passed so without any relief; Finally the first calm hours came, and then days. In the yard was already autumn, it became raw, I had to stir the palace in the royal village. All my came from it in fury and such a strong that on September 5, not knowing where to bow my head, I ordered to lay a carriage and arrived unexpectedly and so that no one suspected about it, to the city where he stayed in the Hermitage ... "

In the Winter Palace, all the doors were locked. Catherine ordered to knock out the door in the Hermitage and went to bed. But waking up at one o'clock in the morning, she ordered to shoot from the cannons, which was usually given to her arrival, and reassured the whole city. The whole garrison rose to his feet, all courtesy frightened, and even she herself was surprised that she made such a turmoil. But in a few days, giving an audience diplomatic corps, they appeared with their usual face, calm, healthy and fresh, friendly, as before the catastrophe, and smiling as always.

Soon life again entered his rut, and forever in love returned to life. But ten months passed before she wrote to grimme again:
"I will tell you in one word, instead of a hundred that I have a friend, very capable and worthy of this name."

This friend was a brilliant young officer Alexander Yermolov, presented by the same indispensable dotchekin. He moved to the long-empty favorites. Summer 1785 was one of the most fun in the life of Catherine: one noisy pleasure was replaced by another. An aging empress felt a new tide of legislative energy. This year, two famous patched diplomas appeared - nobility and cities. These acts have completed the reform of the local government launched in 1775.

In early 1786, Catherine began to cool down to Yermolov. The resignation of the latter accelerated the fact that he decided to intrigue against Potemkin himself. In June, the Empress asked to convey to the lover that she would leave him for three years abroad.

The successor of Yermolov was the 28-year-old captain Guard Alexander Dmitriev-Mamonov, a distant relative Potemkin and his adjutant. Allowed tors with the previous favorite, Potemkin looked at Mamonov for a long time before recommending it to Catherine. In August 1786, Mamonov was represented by Empress and was soon appointed a flague-adjutant. Contemporaries noted that he could not be called a handsome man.

Mamonov was distinguished by high height and physical strength, had a cheekstone face, a bit of diagonal eyes, which turned his mind, and conversations with him delivered a considerable pleasure. A month later, he became an incorrector of Kavaleargrad and Major General for the army, and in 1788 he was granted to the counts. The first honors did not spoke the head with a new favorite - he showed restraint, tact and won the reputation of a smart, cautious person. Mamonov spoke well in German and english, and French knew perfectly. In addition, he showed himself as a short-lived poem and playwright, which was especially impressed by Catherine.

Thanks to all these qualities, as well as the fact that Mamonov incentively studied, read a lot and tried to seriously delve into state affairs, he became the adviser of the empress.

Catherine wrote Grimma:
"Red caftan (so she called Mamonov) clothes a creature having a wonderful heart and a very sincere soul. The mind for four, the greeliness is inexhaustible, a lot of originality in the understanding of things and the transfer of them, beautiful upbringing, a lot of knowledge capable of gamble by the mind. We hide as a crime inclination to poetry; Music love passionately, everyone understands unusually easily. What only we do not know by heart! We decleate, chatting the tone of the best society; exquisitely polite; We write in Russian and in French, as rarely who, as much in style, as the letter of writing. Our appearance fully complies with our internal qualities: we have wonderful black eyes with eyebrows outlined to rarity; Rising below average, the kind of noble, the gait is free; In a word, we are as reliable in the soul, like the decks, strong and shiny on the outside. "
***

Journey to Crimea

In 1787, Catherine performed one of his longest and famous travel - she went to the Crimea, which from 17.83 years was joined in Russia. Catherine did not have time to return to St. Petersburg, as the news of the gap of relations with Turkey fell about the arrest of the Russian ambassador in Istanbul: the second Turkish war began. To top one's mind, the situation of the 60s repeated) when one war pulled the other.

Barely collected forces to unsubsion in the south, as it became known that the King of Swedish Gustavi III intends to attack the defenseless Petersburg. The king appeared in Finland and sent the Vice-Chancellor Osterman demanding to return Sweden all the land defended by Nesteadt and Abovsky Mira, and port return Crimea.

In July 1788, the Swedish war began. Potemkin was engaged in the south, and all the war of war lay down on the shoulders of Catherine. She entered personally in everything. Cases on the management of the Maritime Agency, ordered, for example, to build several new barracks and hospitals, correct and put the Revili port in order.

A few years later she recalled this era in a letter to grimme: "There is a reason why, it seemed that I did everything so well at this time: I was then alone, almost without assistants, and, afraid to miss anything about ignorance or forgetfulness, I showed the activities to which no one considered me capable; I intervened in incredible details to such an extent that I had turned into an army even in the foreman, but, on the recognition of everyone, the soldiers did not feed better in the country where it was impossible to get any province ... "

On August 3, 1790, the Versailles world was concluded; The boundaries of both states remained the same as they were before the war.

For these troubles in 1789 there was another change of favorites. In June, Catherine learned that Mamonov had an affair with Freilina Darya Shcherbatov. The Empress reacted to treason quite calmly. She was recently 60 years old, besides, a long experience of love relationship taught her condescension. She bought Mammoth several villages, more than 2000 peasants, gave the bride of the jewelry and his own herself. During the years of his Favor, Mamonov had gifts and money from Ekaterina about 900 thousand rubles. For the last one hundred thousand in addition to three thousand peasants, he received leaving his wife to Moscow. At this time, he could already see his successor.

On June 20, Catherine elected a favorite of 22-year-old second-Rothmistra's horse guardian Guard Plato. In July, he was granted to the Colonels and Flygel Adjutants. The surroundings of the Empress initially did not perceive him seriously.

Bezborodko wrote Vorontsov:
"This child is with good manners, but not a long mind; I do not think that he long lasted in his place. "

However, Bezborodko was mistaken. The zuben was destined to become the last favorite of the Great Soviet manner - he retained his position to her very death.

Catherine recognized Potemkin in August of the same year:
"I returned to life like a fly after the winter hibernation ... I am fun and healthy again."

She died with the youth of the tooth and the fact that he cried when he was not allowed to the room of the Empress. Despite its soft idle, the teeth turned out to be an exclusive and clever lover. His influence on the empress over the years has become so great that he managed to achieve almost impossible: there was no charm of Potemkin and completely displaced him from the heart of Catherine. Confavering all the threads of the management to their hands, he in the last years of the life of Catherine gained a huge influence on business.
***
War with Turkey continued. In 1790, Suvorov took Izmail, and Potemkin - Vendors. After that, the port did not remain anything, how to give way. In December 1791, the world was imprisoned in Issa. Russia received Dniester Mezhdra and Bug, where Odessa was built soon; Crimea was recognized as her possession.

Potemkin did not live a little before joyful day. He died on October 5, 1791 on the road from Yass to Nikolaev. Mount Catherine was very large. According to the testimony of the French authorized GEE, "at the same time, she lost her feelings, the blood rushed into her head, and she was forced to open the custody." "Who to replace such a person?" - she repeated her secretary to Katorevitsky. -I and all of us now as snails that are afraid to stick out heads from the shell. "

She wrote Grimma:

"Yesterday I hit me like a outer on my head ... My student, my friend, you can say, idol, Prince Potemkin Tavrichesky died ... Oh, my God! Now I am truly a helper myself. Again, I need to train yourself! .. "
The last wonderful act of Catherine was the section of Poland and the accession to Russia of Western Russian lands. The second and third sections that followed in 1793 and 1795 were a logical continuation of the first. Multi-year anarchy and events of 1772 formed many gentry. The conversion party on a four-year-old Sejm 1788-1791 has developed a new constitution, adopted on May 3, 1791. She installed hereditary royal power with the seimer without a veto, the assumption of deputies from citizens, full of dissident equality, the abolition of confederations. All this was accomplished on the wave of mad anti-Russian performances and in the peak of all the former agreements, according to which Russia guaranteed the Polish Constitution. Catherine was forced to tolerate audacity, but wrote to members of the foreign college:

"... I do not agree on anything from this new order of things, when approving which not only did not pay any attention to Russia, but shoved it with insults, they looked up every minute ..."

And indeed, as soon as the world with Turkey was concluded, Poland was occupied by Russian troops, a Russian garrison was introduced into Warsaw. This served as if the prologue to the section. In November, the Prussian Ambassador in St. Petersburg, Count Golz, presented the map of Poland, where the secession desired by Prussia was outlined. In December, Catherine after a detailed study of the card approved the Russian share of the section. Most of Belarus took place to Russia. After the final collapse of the May constitution, her adherents, as left abroad, and remaining in Warsaw, there was one tool to act in favor of the lost enterprise: to make conspiracies, initiate displeasure and wait for a convenient case to raise the uprising. All this was done.
The center of the speech was to be done Warsaw. A well-prepared uprising began early in the morning of 6 (17) April 1794 and was a surprise for the Russian garrison. Most of the soldiers were interrupted, and only a few parts with severe damage were able to break through from the city. Not trusting the king, patriots proclaimed the Supreme Ruler of General Kostysitko. In September, an agreement on the third section was reached in September in September. Agreement on the third section was achieved between Austria, Prussia and Russia. Krakowskoye and Sandomirovskaya Voivodeships were to move away Austria. The borders of Russia became Bug and Neman. In addition, Kurland and Lithuania went to her. All the rest of Poland with Warsaw was given to Prussia. On November 4, Suvorov took Warsaw. The revolutionary government was destroyed, and the authorities returned to the king. Stanislav-August wrote Catherine:
"The fate of Poland in your hands; Your power and wisdom will decide it; What would not be the fate that you assign me personally, I can't forget my duty to my people, begging for him the generosity of your majesty. "

Catherine answered:
"It was not in my power to prevent the disastrous consequences and fall asleep under the feet of the Polish people the abyss, digsulated by his depravants and in which he was finally passionate about ..."

October 13, 1795 was produced by the third section; Poland disappeared from the map of Europe. Behind this section soon followed the death of the Russian sovereign. The decay of the moral and physical forces of Catherine began from 1792. She was broken and death of Potemkin, and the extraordinary tension that she had to be taken out into the last war. French Messenger Gene wrote:

"Catherine is clearly old, she sees it herself, and Melancholy is seized by her soul."

Catherine complained: "Years are forced to see everything in black". Waterka won the empress. She was harder to walk harder. She stubbornly fought with old age and illness, but in September 1796, after her granddaughter did not take place with the king of Swedish Gustav IV, Catherine broke into bed. She did not leave colic, wounds opened on the legs. Only in late October, the Empress felt better. On November 4, Catherine collected an intimate circle in the Hermitage, was very fun all evening and laughed by Naryshkin's jokes. However, she retired before ordinary, saying that she had a colic from laughing. Another day, Catherine stood up at his usual hour, talked with a favorite, worked with the secretary and, letting him go, ordered him to wait in the hallway. He waited unusually long and began to worry. After half an hour, the faithful teeth decided to look into the bedroom. The empress was not there; There was no and in the toilet room. Teeth anxiety called people; They ran to the restroom and there they saw immovable immigrants with a reddish face, with the foam y of mouth and a hoarse desiccity. Catherine was transferred to the bedroom and laid it on the floor. She resisted the death of about one and a half days, but did not come to himself and died in the morning on November 6th.
Buried in the Petropavlovsky Cathedral in St. Petersburg. This ended the period of the reign of Catherine II Great - one of the most famous Russian women politicians.

Catherine amounted to the following epitaph for his future tombstone:

Ekaterina is resting here. She arrived in Russia in 1744 to marry Peter III. At fourteen, she took a three-way decision: to please her spouse, Elizabeth and the people. She did not miss anything to achieve success in this regard. Eighteen years, filled boredom and loneliness, prompted her to read a lot of books. Going to the Russian throne, she put all the efforts to give his subjects happiness, freedom and material well-being. She easily forgot and did not hate anyone. She was indulgent, loved life, was characterized by the cheerfulness of the Nrava, was the true Republican in his convictions and possessed a kind heart. She had friends. The work was easy to her. She liked secular entertainment and art.