How many men did Catherine 2 have? Personality and character of Catherine II. Lanskoy Alexander Dmitrievich

The topic of this article is the biography of Catherine the Great. This empress reigned from 1762 to 1796. The era of her reign was marked by the enslavement of the peasants. Also, Catherine the Great, whose biography, photos and activities are presented in this article, significantly expanded the privileges of the nobility.

Origin and childhood of Catherine

The future empress was born on May 2 (new style - April 21), 1729 in Stettin. She was the daughter of Prince Anhalt-Zerbst, who was in Prussian service, and Princess Johanna Elisabeth. The future empress was related to the English, Prussian and Swedish royal houses. She received her education at home: she studied French and German languages, music, theology, geography, history, and danced. Expanding on such a topic as the biography of Catherine the Great, we note that the independent character future empress appeared already in childhood. She was a persistent, inquisitive child and had a penchant for active, lively games.

Catherine's baptism and wedding

In 1744, Catherine and her mother were summoned by Empress Elizaveta Petrovna to Russia. Here she was baptized Orthodox custom. Ekaterina Alekseevna became the bride of Peter Fedorovich, the Grand Duke (in the future - Emperor Peter III). She married him in 1745.

Hobbies of the Empress

Catherine wanted to win the favor of her husband, the Empress and the Russian people. Her personal life, however, was unsuccessful. Since Peter was infantile, there was no marital relationship between them for several years of marriage. Catherine was fond of reading works on jurisprudence, history and economics, as well as French educators. Her worldview was shaped by all these books. The future empress became a supporter of the ideas of the Enlightenment. She was also interested in the traditions, customs and history of Russia.

Personal life of Catherine II

Today we know quite a lot about such an important historical figure as Catherine the Great: biography, her children, personal life - all this is the object of study by historians and the interest of many of our compatriots. We first meet this empress at school. However, what we learn in history lessons is far from full information about such an empress as Catherine the Great. The biography (4th grade) from the school textbook omits, for example, her personal life.

Catherine II began an affair with S.V. in the early 1750s. Saltykov, guards officer. She gave birth to a son in 1754, the future Emperor Paul I. However, rumors that his father was Saltykov are unfounded. In the second half of the 1750s, Catherine had an affair with S. Poniatowski, a Polish diplomat who later became King Stanislav August. Also in the early 1760s - with G.G. Orlov. The Empress gave birth to his son Alexei in 1762, who received the surname Bobrinsky. As relations with her husband deteriorated, Catherine began to fear for her fate and began to recruit supporters at court. Her sincere love for her homeland, her prudence and ostentatious piety - all this contrasted with the behavior of her husband, which allowed the future empress to gain authority among the population of St. Petersburg and the high society of the capital.

Proclamation of Catherine as Empress

Catherine's relationship with her husband continued to deteriorate during the 6 months of his reign, eventually becoming hostile. Peter III openly appeared in the company of his mistress E.R. Vorontsova. There was a threat of Catherine's arrest and possible deportation. The future empress carefully prepared the plot. She was supported by N.I. Panin, E.R. Dashkova, K.G. Razumovsky, the Orlov brothers, etc. One night, from June 27 to 28, 1762, when Peter III was in Oranienbaum, Catherine secretly arrived in St. Petersburg. She was proclaimed an autocratic empress in the barracks of the Izmailovsky regiment. Other regiments soon joined the rebels. The news of the empress's accession to the throne quickly spread throughout the city. The residents of St. Petersburg greeted her with delight. Messengers were sent to Kronstadt and the army to prevent the actions of Peter III. Having learned about what had happened, he began to send proposals for negotiations to Catherine, but she rejected them. The Empress personally set out for St. Petersburg, leading the guards regiments, and on the way received a written abdication of the throne by Peter III.

Personality and character of Catherine II

Not only the biography of Catherine the Great is interesting, but also her personality and character, which left an imprint on her domestic and foreign policy. Catherine II was a subtle psychologist and an excellent judge of people. The Empress skillfully chose assistants, while not being afraid of talented and bright personalities. Catherine's time was therefore marked by the appearance of many outstanding statesmen, as well as generals, musicians, artists, and writers. Catherine was usually reserved, tactful, and patient in dealing with her subjects. She was an excellent conversationalist and could listen carefully to anyone. By the empress’s own admission, she did not have a creative mind, but she caught worthwhile thoughts and knew how to use them for her own purposes.

There were almost no noisy resignations during the reign of this empress. The nobles were not subject to disgrace; they were not exiled or executed. Because of this, the reign of Catherine is considered the “golden age” of the nobility in Russia. The Empress, at the same time, was very vain and valued her power more than anything in the world. She was ready to make any compromises to preserve it, including to the detriment of her own convictions.

Religiosity of the Empress

This empress was distinguished by her ostentatious piety. She considered herself a protector Orthodox Church and its head. Catherine skillfully used religion for political interests. Apparently her faith was not very deep. The biography of Catherine the Great is noted for the fact that she preached religious tolerance in the spirit of the times. It was under this empress that the persecution of the Old Believers was stopped. Protestant and Catholic churches and mosques were built. Nevertheless, conversion to another faith from Orthodoxy was still severely punished.

Catherine - opponent of serfdom

Catherine the Great, whose biography interests us, was an ardent opponent of serfdom. She considered it contrary to human nature and inhumane. Many harsh statements on this issue were preserved in her papers. Also in them you can find her thoughts on how serfdom can be eliminated. Nevertheless, the empress did not dare to do anything concrete in this area for fear of another coup and noble rebellion. Catherine, at the same time, was convinced that Russian peasants were spiritually undeveloped, therefore there was a danger in granting them freedom. According to the empress, the life of the peasants is quite prosperous under caring landowners.

First reforms

When Catherine ascended the throne, she already had a fairly definite political program. It was based on the ideas of the Enlightenment and took into account the peculiarities of the development of Russia. Consistency, gradualism and consideration of public sentiment were the main principles of the implementation of this program. In the first years of her reign, Catherine II carried out a reform of the Senate (in 1763). His work became more efficient as a result. The following year, 1764, Catherine the Great carried out the secularization of church lands. The biography for children of this empress, presented on the pages of school textbooks, necessarily introduces schoolchildren to this fact. Secularization significantly replenished the treasury and also alleviated the situation of many peasants. Catherine in Ukraine abolished the hetmanate in accordance with the need to unify local government throughout the state. In addition, she invited German colonists to the Russian Empire to develop the Black Sea and Volga regions.

Foundation of educational institutions and the new Code

During these same years, a number of educational institutions was founded, including for women (the first in Russia) - the Catherine School, the Smolny Institute. In 1767, the Empress announced that a special commission was being convened to create a new Code. It consisted of elected deputies, representatives of all social groups of society, except serfs. For the commission, Catherine wrote “Instructions,” which is, in essence, a liberal program for the reign of this empress. However, her calls were not understood by the deputies. They argued over the smallest issues. Deep contradictions between social groups were revealed during these discussions, as well as the low level of political culture among many deputies and the conservatism of most of them. The established commission was dissolved at the end of 1768. The Empress assessed this experience as an important lesson, which introduced her to the sentiments of various segments of the state's population.

Development of legislative acts

After the Russian-Turkish war, which lasted from 1768 to 1774, ended, and Pugachev’s uprising was suppressed, a new stage of Catherine’s reforms began. The Empress herself began to develop the most important legislative acts. In particular, a manifesto was published in 1775, according to which it was allowed to establish any industrial enterprises. Also this year, a provincial reform was carried out, as a result of which a new Administrative division the empire was established. It survived until 1917.

Revealing the topic " short biography Catherine the Great", we note that the Empress issued the most important legislative acts in 1785. These were charters granted to cities and the nobility. A charter was also prepared for state peasants, but political circumstances did not allow it to be put into effect. The main significance of these charters was associated with the implementation of the main the goals of Catherine’s reforms were to create full-fledged estates in the empire based on the model Western Europe. The diploma meant for the Russian nobility the legal consolidation of almost all the privileges and rights that they had.

The last and unimplemented reforms proposed by Catherine the Great

Biography ( summary) of the empress we are interested in is marked by the fact that she carried out various reforms until her death. For example, education reform continued into the 1780s. Catherine the Great, whose biography is presented in this article, created a network of school institutions in cities based on the classroom system. Empress in last years continued to plan major changes in her life. The reform of the central government was scheduled for 1797, as well as the introduction of legislation in the country on the order of succession to the throne, the creation of a higher court based on representation from the 3 estates. However, Catherine II the Great did not have time to complete the extensive reform program. Her short biography, however, would be incomplete if we did not mention all this. In general, all these reforms were a continuation of the transformations begun by Peter I.

Catherine's foreign policy

What else is interesting about the biography of Catherine 2 the Great? The Empress, following Peter, believed that Russia should be active on the world stage and pursue an offensive policy, even to some extent aggressive. After her accession to the throne, she broke the alliance treaty with Prussia, concluded Peter III. Thanks to the efforts of this empress, it was possible to restore Duke E.I. Biron on the Courland throne. Supported by Prussia, in 1763 Russia achieved the election of Stanislav August Poniatowski, its protege, to the Polish throne. This, in turn, led to a deterioration in relations with Austria due to the fact that it feared the strengthening of Russia and began to incite Turkey to war with it. In general, the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774 was successful for Russia, but the difficult situation within the country prompted it to seek peace. And for this it was necessary to restore previous relations with Austria. Eventually a compromise was reached. Poland fell victim to it: its first division was carried out in 1772 by Russia, Austria and Prussia.

The Kyuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace Treaty was signed with Turkey, which ensured the independence of Crimea, beneficial for Russia. The Empire took neutrality in the war between England and the colonies of North America. Catherine refused to help the English king with troops. A number of European states joined the Declaration of Armed Neutrality, created on Panin’s initiative. This contributed to the victory of the colonists. In subsequent years, our country’s position in the Caucasus and Crimea was strengthened, which ended with the inclusion of the latter in the Russian Empire in 1782, as well as by signing in next year Treaty of Georgievsk with Heraclius II, King of Kartli-Kakheti. This ensured the presence of Russian troops in Georgia, and then the annexation of 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. His main goal was to restore Byzantine Empire and the announcement of Prince Konstantin Pavlovich, who was the grandson of Catherine II, as emperor. In 1779, Russia significantly strengthened its authority in the international arena by participating as a mediator between Prussia and Austria in the Teschen Congress. The biography of Empress Catherine the Great can also be supplemented by the fact that in 1787, accompanied by the court, the Polish king, the Austrian emperor and foreign diplomats, she traveled to Crimea. It became a demonstration of Russia's military power.

Wars with Turkey and Sweden, further divisions of Poland

The biography of Catherine 2 the Great continued with the fact that she started a new Russian-Turkish war. Russia now acted in alliance with Austria. Almost at the same time, the war with Sweden also began (from 1788 to 1790), which tried to take revenge after the defeat in Northern War. The Russian Empire managed to cope with both of these opponents. In 1791 the war with Turkey ended. The Peace of Jassy was signed in 1792. He consolidated Russia's influence in Transcaucasia and Bessarabia, as well as the annexation of Crimea to it. The 2nd and 3rd partitions of Poland took place in 1793 and 1795 respectively. They put an end to Polish statehood.

Empress Catherine the Great, whose brief biography we reviewed, died on November 17 (old style - November 6), 1796 in St. Petersburg. So significant is her contribution to Russian history that the memory of Catherine II is preserved by many works of domestic and world culture, including the works of such great writers as N.V. Gogol, A.S. Pushkin, B. Shaw, V. Pikul and others. The life of Catherine the Great, her biography inspired many directors - creators of such films as “The Caprice of Catherine II”, “The Tsar’s Hunt”, “Young Catherine”, “Dreams of Russia”, “ Russian revolt" and others.

The life of the Russian Empress Catherine the Great, attracting the attention of both ordinary people and creative personalities for more than two centuries, surrounded big amount all kinds of myths. AiF.ru recalls the five most common legends about the most famous Russian ruler.

Myth one. “Catherine II gave birth to an heir to the throne not from Peter III”

One of the most persistent myths associated with the Russian Empress concerns who was the father of the heir to the throne, Pavel Petrovich. For Paul I, who ascended the throne, this topic remained painful until his very last days.

The reason for the persistence of such rumors is that Catherine II herself did not seek to refute them or somehow punish those who spread them.

The relationship between Catherine and her husband, the future Emperor Peter III, was indeed not very warm. The marital relationship in the early years was incomplete due to Peter's illness, which was subsequently overcome as a result of the operation.

Two years before Pavel was born, Catherine had her first favorite, Sergey Saltykov. The relationship between him and Catherine ended after the future empress showed signs of pregnancy. Subsequently, Saltykov was sent abroad as a Russian envoy, and practically did not appear in Russia.

There seem to be many reasons for the version of Saltykov’s paternity, but they all do not look convincing against the backdrop of the undoubted portrait similarity between Peter III and Paul I. Contemporaries, focusing not on rumors, but on facts, had no doubt that Pavel was the son of Peter Fedorovich.

Myth two. “Catherine II sold Alaska to America”

A persistent myth at the end of the 20th century was reinforced by the song of the Lyube group, after which the empress’s status as “liquidator of Russian America” was finally established.

In reality, during the reign of Catherine the Great, Russian industrialists were just beginning to develop Alaska. The first permanent Russian settlement was founded on Kodiak Island in 1784.

The Empress was indeed unenthusiastic about the projects presented to her for the development of Alaska, but this was caused by who intended to develop it and how.

In 1780, secretary of the Commerce Collegium Mikhail Chulkov submitted to the Prosecutor General of the Senate, Prince Vyazemsky, a project for creating a company that was to receive a 30-year monopoly on fishing and trade in the entire Pacific North. Catherine II, who was an opponent of monopolies, rejected the project. In 1788, a similar project, which provided for the transfer of a trade and fishing monopoly of monopoly rights to the extraction of furs in newly discovered territories in the New World, was submitted by industrialists Grigory Shelikhov And Ivan Golikov. The project was also rejected. Only after the death of Catherine II, the development of Alaska by a monopoly company was approved by Paul I.

As for the sale of Alaska, the deal with the United States was concluded in March 1867 on the initiative of the great-grandson of Catherine the Great, Emperor Alexandra II.

Myth three. “Catherine II had hundreds of lovers”

Rumors about the incredible sexual exploits of the Russian Empress, which have been circulating for the third century, are greatly exaggerated. The list of her hobbies throughout her life contains just over 20 names - this, of course, is uncharacteristic for the Russian court of the pre-Catherine era, but for the morals of Europe at that time the situation was quite normal. With a small clarification - for male monarchs, not for women. But the whole point is that there were not so many women who ruled states single-handedly at that time.

Until 1772, Catherine’s love list was very short - in addition to her legal spouse Peter Fedorovich, it featured Sergey Saltykov, future Polish king Stanislav August Poniatowski And Grigory Orlov, the relationship with whom lasted about 12 years.

Apparently, 43-year-old Catherine was further influenced by the fear of her own beauty fading. In an effort to catch up with her youth, she began to change her favorites, who became younger and younger, and the duration of their stay with the empress became shorter and shorter.

The last of the favorites lasted for seven whole years. In 1789, 60-year-old Catherine approached a 22-year-old Horse Guards Platon Zubov. The aging woman was very attached to Zubov, whose only talent was extracting money from the state treasury. But this sad story definitely has nothing to do with the mythical “hundreds of lovers.”

Myth four. “Catherine II spent most of her time at feasts and balls”

Little Fike's childhood was indeed far from the classical ideas of how a princess should live. The girl was even forced to learn how to darn her own stockings. It would not be surprising if, having arrived in Russia, Catherine rushed to compensate for her “difficult childhood” with a passion for luxury and entertainment.

But in fact, having ascended the throne, Catherine II lived in the strict rhythm of the head of state. She got up at 5 am, and only in later years did this time shift to 7 am. Immediately after breakfast, the reception of officials began, and the schedule of their reports was clearly outlined by hours and days of the week, and this order did not change for years. The empress's working day lasted up to four hours, after which it was time to rest. At 10 p.m. Catherine went to bed, because in the morning she had to get up for work again.

Officials who visited the empress on official business outside of solemn and official events saw her in simple dresses without any jewelry - Catherine believed that she did not need to dazzle her subjects with her appearance on weekdays.

Myth fifth. “Catherine II was killed by a Polish dwarf avenger”

The death of the empress was also surrounded by many myths. A year before her death, Catherine II was one of the initiators of the Third Partition of Poland, after which the country ceased to exist as an independent state. The Polish throne, on which the empress's former lover, King Stanisław August Poniatowski, had previously sat, was sent to St. Petersburg, where, on the orders of the empress, it was allegedly made into a “toilet” for her dressing room.

Of course, Polish patriots could not endure such humiliation of their own country and the ancient throne of the Piast dynasty.

The myth says that a certain Pole-dwarf allegedly managed to sneak into Catherine’s chambers, ambushed her in the restroom, stabbed her with a dagger and disappeared safely. The courtiers who discovered the empress could not help her, and she soon died.

The only truth in this story is that Catherine was actually found in the restroom. On the morning of November 16, 1796, the 67-year-old empress, as usual, got out of bed, drank coffee and went to toilet room where I stayed too long. The valet on duty dared to look there and found Catherine lying on the floor. Her eyes were closed, her complexion was purple, and wheezing came from her throat. The Empress was taken to the bedchamber. In the fall, Catherine sprained her leg, her body became so heavy that the servants did not have enough strength to lift him onto the bed. Therefore, they laid a mattress on the floor and laid the empress on it.

All signs indicated that Catherine had suffered an apoplexy - this term then meant a stroke and cerebral hemorrhage. She did not regain consciousness, and the court doctors who assisted her had no doubt that the empress had only a few hours left to live.

According to doctors, death should have occurred around three o'clock in the afternoon on November 17. Catherine’s strong body made its own adjustments here too - the great empress passed away at 9:45 pm on November 17, 1796.

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Just Fike. How a poor German provincial girl became Catherine the Great

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Catherine II is a pediatrician on the throne. How the royal children and grandchildren were raised

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Imperial trifles: Catherine II introduced the fashion for award watches and a samovar

“Little things” that were invented by Catherine, brought into fashion by her and so firmly entered into our daily life, that you can’t cut them out from there with any ax.

Prince Tauride. The genius and vanity of Grigory Potemkin

Even foreigners who were skeptical about Russia in general and Potemkin personally admitted that the volumes real arrangement New Russia under Catherine's favorite was truly grandiose.

Poor Lisa. The story of Catherine the Great's unrecognized daughter

The supposed daughter of the Empress and Grigory Potemkin lived her life away from political passions.

Bastard Bobrinsky. The story of Catherine the Great's illegitimate son

Why did the son of Grigory Orlov fall into disgrace with his mother for many years?

Usually, when talking about the favorites of Catherine the Great, people first of all remember Grigory Orlov, Grigory Potemkin and Platon Zubov. Sergei Saltykov is mentioned less often. But in fact, Catherine had many more secret lovers and favorites.

I present them to your attention full list(without those about which there were rumors that did not find reliable confirmation) in chronological order.

Empress Catherine the Great with her fifth favorite and de facto co-ruler
Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin

1. The first reliably known secret lover is Sergei Vasilyevich Saltykov (1726 - 1765).
The only one of Catherine's favorites who was older than her. Consisted in connection with the great
princess, wife of the heir to the throne, Peter Fedorovich, from 1752 to 1754.
There is still an assumption that it is Saltykov, and not Peter III, who is
father of Catherine's son Pavel.
At least immediately after the birth of Pavel, Saltykov was sent
he never returned as an envoy to Sweden or Russia.

2. Stanislav August Poniatowski (1732 - 1798) - Catherine’s secret lover from 1756 to 1758.
From the relationship between Catherine and Poniatowski, a daughter was born in 1759, who was named Anna,
of course, Petrovna (died in 1759).
In 1764, already empress, Catherine made her former lover
King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. She also deprived him of the throne, dividing Poland
with Austria and Prussia (finally in 1795).

3. Grigory Grigorievich Orlov (1734 - 1783) - since 1760 - secret lover,
and from 1762 to 1772 - the official favorite of Catherine.
Together with his brothers, he took an active part in the coup of June 28, 1762,
as a result of which Catherine ascended the Russian throne.
Also in 1762, a boy was born from this relationship, who is known as
Count Alexey Grigorievich Bobrinsky.
Grigory Orlov went mad after the death of his young wife and died in 1783.

4. Alexey Semenovich Vasilchikov (1746 - 1813) - official favorite of Catherine in 1772 - 1774.
He was the first of the empress's favorites with whom she had a significant age difference -
he was 14 years younger than Catherine.

5. His Serene Highness Prince Tauride Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin (1739 - 1791) -
Catherine's official favorite from 1774 to 1776 and her morganatic husband from 1775.
From her relationship with Potemkin, Catherine had a daughter, Elizaveta Grigorievna Temkina.
Potemkin is known not only as the empress’s favorite, but also as her de facto co-ruler,
remaining an influential political figure until his death.
In addition, from 1777 to 1789, he supplied Catherine with new favorites, who were his adjutants.

6. Pyotr Vasilyevich Zavadovsky (1739 - 1812) - official favorite of the Empress in 1776 - 1777.
In 1802, he became the first minister of public education in the history of Russia in the government of Alexander I.

7. Semyon Gavrilovich Zorich (1745 - 1799) - hussar of Serbian origin,
Potemkin's adjutant - Catherine's official favorite in 1777 - 1778.

8. Ivan Nikolaevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1754 - 1831) - official favorite of Catherine
in 1778 - 1779, her aide-de-camp.
He was 25 years younger than the empress.

9. Vasily Ivanovich Levashev (1740 - 1804) - major of the Semenovsky regiment
favorite of the Empress in October 1779.

10. Alexander Dmitrievich Lanskoy (1758 - 1784) - another adjutant of Potemkin,
official favorite of Catherine in 1780 - 1784. Lanskoy was weak
health and died at the age of 26 from angina pectoris and fever. Ekaterina is hard
experienced the death of her young lover.

11. Alexander Petrovich Ermolov (1754 - 1834) - Potemkin’s adjutant,
future hero Patriotic War 1812.
He was Catherine's official favorite in 1785 - 1786.

12. Alexander Matveevich Dmitriev-Mamonov (1758 - 1803) - Potemkin’s adjutant,
official favorite of Catherine in 1786 - 1789.
He was 29 years younger than the empress.

13. Platon Alexandrovich Zubov (1767 - 1822) - the last favorite of the Empress
from 1789 until her death on November 6, 1796.
Zubov had the largest age difference with Catherine among all the favorites,
he was 38 years younger than her.
Participant in the assassination of Paul I on March 11, 1801, since after his accession to
the throne of the emperor, Zubov and his relatives were removed from the court.
Platon Zubov’s brother, Nikolai, dealt a fatal blow to Pavel’s temple.

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Introduction

Access to the monarch is not always given to people who deserve it. A favorite, a temporary worker, simply a clever and unprincipled person, taking advantage of the trust of the sovereign, begins to announce decrees and resolutions on his behalf. Arbitrariness, covetousness, immorality and servility are flourishing. The favorites do not care about the interests of the state; for them there are only own desires. State affairs are abandoned, the treasury is plundered, unworthy people are appointed to important positions, and those who managed to serve the favorite are appointed. Thus, the monarch is separated from his government...

Catherine's accession to the throne has much in common with Elizabeth's accession to the throne in 1741. Catherine's policy was national and favorable to the nobility. Elizabeth's government was distinguished by its rationality, humanity, and reverence for the memory of Peter the Great, but it did not have its own program and acted according to Peter's principles.

The government of Catherine, an intelligent, talented empress, used old models of government, but also led the state forward along own program, which acquired little by little according to the instructions of practice and abstract theories adopted by the empress. In this, Catherine was the opposite of her predecessor. Under her there was a system in management, and therefore random persons, favorites, had less impact on the course of state affairs than under Elizabeth, although Catherine’s favorites were very noticeable not only by their activity and power of influence, but even by their whims and abuses.

1. Favorites of Catherine II

Here is a list of famous favorites of Catherine II

This list was compiled by the Russian historian, specialist in the Catherine era, Ya. L. Barskov.

1. 1752-1754 S. V. Saltykov. Diplomat. Envoy in Hamburg, Paris, Dresden. S. V. Saltykov’s first assignment was a mission to Stockholm with the news of the birth of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, whose father, according to legend, is himself.

2. 1756-1758 S. Poniatovsky. Polish-Saxon ambassador to Russia. With the help of Catherine and with the support of the Prussian king Frederick II, he became king of Poland in 1764. During all the years of his reign, he focused his policies on Russia. Which was one of the reasons for his abdication from the throne in 1795.

3. 1761-1772 G. G. Orlov was the grandson of the rebel archer, pardoned by Peter the Great for fearlessness. The most active participant in the palace coup in 1762. Grigory Orlov, as a favorite, received the rank of senator, count, and adjutant general. Played a significant role in the creation of Volny economic society. He was its president. In 1771 he led the suppression of the “plague riot” in Moscow. From 1772, he lost his influence at court and retired in 1775. Potemkin handed Orlov an imperial decree, which ordered him to live in Gatchina under guard without a break until special new orders from the empress.

4. 1772-1774 A.S. Vasilchiko. Poor officer. Catherine granted the titles: count, chamberlain. He received the title of Knight of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky and became the owner of huge estates and hundreds of thousands of peasant souls. He was expelled from St. Petersburg to Moscow.

5. 1774-1776 G.A. Potemkin - the son of a Smolensk nobleman, in 1762. among the conspirators, after which he becomes a second lieutenant of the guard. Participates in the Russian-Turkish War (1768-1774) and receives the rank of general. Then vice-president of the Military Collegium, count, field marshal general, chief of regular troops. The empress's closest assistant in pursuing the policy of strengthening the absolutist state and forming the Starodub povet system began his career in the post of the secret "enlightened monarchy." Organizer of the suppression of the Pugachev rebellion and initiator of the liquidation of the Zaporozhye Sich. He had enormous power, being the governor of Novorossiysk, Azov, Astrakhan provinces, prince of the Holy Roman Empire, His Serene Highness Prince of Tauride (he received this title for the annexation of Crimea to Russia in 1783). He contributed to the development of the northern Black Sea region, the construction of Kherson, Nikolaev and Sevastopol, Yekaterinoslav. He was the organizer of the construction of military and merchant fleets on the Black Sea. A major diplomat.

6. 1776-1777 P.V. Zavadovsky. The son of a Cossack of the office at the headquarters of P.A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky during the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774. He was introduced to the empress as the author of dispatches and reports on the affairs of Little Russia. Zavadovsky’s rise went so quickly that he was even seen as Potemkin’s rival. Although he was not a favorite for long, this ensured his high-ranking and bureaucratic career. Zavadovsky managed the Noble and Assignation banks and was the director of the Corps of Pages. And with the establishment of ministries in 1802, he became the Minister of Public Education.

7. 1777-1778 S.G. Zorich Nephew of the midwife who poisoned Catherine's daughter-in-law. He was an empty-headed, flighty spendthrift and gambler. However, he was not faithful to Catherine. He was sent from St. Petersburg to Crimea, to Potemkin.

9. 1780-1784 HELL. Lanskoy. This is the only one of the favorites who did not interfere in politics and refused influence, ranks, and orders, although Catherine forced him to accept from her the title of count, vast lands, tens of thousands of peasants and the rank of adjutant. Catherine wanted to marry him and announced this to Panin and Potemkin. In 1784 he was poisoned by order of Potemkin.

10. 1785-1786 A.P. Ermolov. Officer, Potemkin's adjutant, outbuilding adjutant. He received 100 thousand rubles and was expelled from St. Petersburg, like all temporary favorites.

11. 1786-1789 A.M. Mamonov. Officer, Potemkin's adjutant. Gained enormous influence on domestic and foreign policy. He was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky, showered with hundred-thousand-dollar diamonds, and two highest Polish orders.

12. 1789-1796 P.A. Zubov. The last favorite of Catherine II. He did not show himself in any way in the post of Governor-General of Novorossiya and in the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Black Sea Fleet. The Empress gave him huge estates and granted him the title of His Serene Highness.

From now on, favoritism became a government institution in Russia, as in France under Louis XIV, XV, and the favorites, living with the empress, were recognized as people who served the fatherland and the throne.

Firstly, many of them were capable people, like Panin, Potemkin, Bezborodko, Zorich. Secondly, they delighted their empress’s leisure time, giving her strength for new labors. This is how Catherine herself looked at the matter.

The English envoy Harris and Caster, a famous historian, calculated how much the favorites of Catherine II cost Russia. They received more than 100 million rubles from her in cash. Considering the Russian budget of that time, which did not exceed 80 million a year, this was a huge amount. The cost of the lands belonging to the favorites was no less enormous. In addition, the gifts included peasants, palaces, a lot of jewelry, and dishes.

In general, favoritism in Russia was considered a natural disaster that ruined the entire country and hampered its development. Money that should have gone to the education of the people, the development of art, crafts and industry, to the opening of schools, went to the personal pleasures of the favorites and floated into their bottomless pockets.

2. Historical portrait aboutone of Catherine II's favorites

favorite Ekaterina Panin Potemkin

Count Nikita Ivanovich Panin (1718-1783).

A man of true intelligence and honesty -

Above the morals of this century!

Your services to the Fatherland cannot be forgotten.

D. Fonvizin.

Among famous people, who glorified the “age of Catherine,” one of the first places, of course, belongs to Nikita Ivanovich Panin, a man “outstanding for his abilities and education.” For twenty years he was in charge foreign policy Russia - “the most brilliant side of Catherine’s state activity.”

“There was not a single matter related to the integrity and security of the empire that would have bypassed his proceedings or advice.... In matters concerning the good of the state, neither promises nor threats could shake it,” wrote his colleague and friend, famous writer D.I. Fonvizin, “nothing in the world could force him to offer his opinion, against his inner feelings.”

He believed, and not without reason, that in his knowledge, experience and analytical skills he was superior not only to Catherine II, but also to most of the people from her immediate circle. Naturally, therefore, Panin considered himself entitled to instruct the empress and achieve the realization of his political ideas. This suited her for now - the glory of the transformer would still go to the sovereign!

Panin's authority was so high that many foreign diplomats saw him as one of the leaders of the conspiracy. The Austrian ambassador, Count Mercy d'Argenteau, reported: “The main instrument for the elevation of Catherine to the throne was Panin.” French de Breteuil “Apart from Panin, who rather has the habit of a certain kind of work than great means and knowledge, this empress has no one who would could help her in management and in achieving greatness..."

Panin on October 4, 1763 became a senior member of the Foreign Collegium; in October, after Bestuzhev’s final removal from affairs, management of the board’s affairs was transferred to him. Without being officially appointed chancellor, he was placed, in fact, above the vice-chancellor, Prince D.M. Golitsyn and for almost two decades remained the main adviser to Catherine II and the head of Russian foreign policy. When Panin took office as a senior member of the Collegium of Foreign Affairs, the institution was relatively small. There were about 260 employees, of which 25 were in Moscow. Panin knew his “cadres” very well, valued them and, perhaps, was even proud of them.

In St. Petersburg, foreign policy issues under Panin were resolved according to a well-functioning scheme. Nikita Ivanovich received correspondence from abroad and carefully studied it. Having selected the most important, he wrote his comments and suggestions in the margins and sent it all to the empress. Catherine looked through the papers and immediately approved them. Then the collegium drew up a rescript to send to the ambassador or other official documents, which the empress approved in the same manner. Sometimes Panin, “to gain time,” did not send papers for approval to the Empress again at all. The Empress conducted diplomatic correspondence or negotiations in agreement with Panin.

Panin becomes the empress's chief adviser. Not a single important issue of foreign and domestic policy cannot now be decided without his participation: “Everything is done by the will of the Empress and digested by Mr. Panin,” reports E.R. Dashkova to his brother in Holland. “At this time, Catherine firmly believed in Panin’s diplomatic talents,” testifies V. Klyuchevsky.

One of Panin's contemporaries, observing the state of affairs in Russia, came to a paradoxical conclusion: " Russian state has the advantage over others that it is controlled directly by God himself - otherwise it is impossible to explain to yourself how it can exist." Many people thought about how to correct this situation. Panin also thought about this. And he decided to start with the fact that he It seemed the most important thing was the reorganization of the public administration system.

In the Russian Empire, Panin reasoned, as in any monarchy, legislative power is confined to the person of the sovereign. Subordinate to him is the government (Senate), which governs the state in accordance with existing laws and regulations. Adjacent to the Senate are collegiums in charge of state affairs, each in its own area. Such a system, although it was created by Peter the Great following the example of Sweden, is far from perfect.

The monarch, Panin believed, no matter how intelligent and enlightened he may be, is not able to establish laws and decide other matters alone. If necessary, he will rely on the help of people close to him. This is where all the troubles begin.

And Panin proposes to establish an official and permanent body that would provide assistance to the monarch in legislative activities - the Imperial Council. He developed this idea in detail and even prepared a manifesto on the establishment of the Council - the Empress only had to sign it.

Proving its necessity, Panin bright colors the absence of basic laws in Russia is depicted, where everyone “out of arbitrariness and the credit of intrigue grabbed and appropriated state affairs.”

On December 28, 1762, Catherine II, yielding to Panin’s insistence, signed a manifesto on the creation of the Imperial Council, but the signature under it turned out to be torn, and it did not come into force. Only a decree was signed dividing the Senate into departments.

Having taken foreign policy into his own hands, Nikita Ivanovich quickly became not only its formal, but also its actual leader. Development of foreign policy - studying the situation, thinking about further steps, preparing detailed instructions for Russian representatives abroad - all this was concentrated in the hands of Panin.

First of all, he had to solve the Polish question. After the death of Augustus III, Catherine, in her instructions to her agents, set the task of seeking the election to the Polish throne of Stanislav Poniatowski, a king “who would be useful to the interests of the empire, who, apart from us, could not have any hope of achieving this dignity.” After the Sejm decided to nominate only Poles as candidates, the foreign ambassadors - French, Austrian, Spanish and Saxon - left Warsaw in protest. On August 26, 1764, the Coronation Diet in a calm atmosphere elected the steward of the Lithuanian Count Stanislav Poniatowski as king. Panin had every reason to be pleased. Russia achieved the election of its candidate to the Polish throne, and in such a way that calm was maintained in Poland and other European powers took this event for granted. His, Panin’s, external political system began to take shape. It was based on the idea of creating the Northern Union. Panin believed that the pro-French coalition should have been opposed by an alliance of northern powers: Russia, Prussia, England, Denmark, Sweden and Poland. However, Panin alone cannot be considered the author of this program. In February 1764, Baron Y.A. Korf presented Catherine with a corresponding project on the Northern Union. Panin appreciated these ideas, took them into service, and since then the concept of the Northern Union (Northern System) has been associated mainly with his name. The draft includes the concepts of “active” and “passive” powers (on the part of the “passive” it was supposed to be content with their neutrality; Panin considered “active” powers to be those that could decide to enter into direct open struggle with the countries of the southern union: Panin considered Russia to be among the former, England, Prussia, and partly Denmark; “passive” meant Poland, Sweden and other countries that could be brought into the union).

Nikita Ivanovich Panin hoped, with the help of the Northern system, to strengthen Russia’s influence in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden, as well as in Turkey, and to shift to the allies part of the costs of combating French influence in these countries. Using the words of Panin himself, it was necessary “to once and for all, through a system, take Russia out of constant dependence and place it, through the method of a common Northern Union, at such a level that, just as it has a notable part of the leadership in general affairs, it can also inviolably maintain peace and quiet in the north.” .

Thanks to the idea of the Northern Alliance foreign policy Russia acquired a programmatic character. Actions taken in individual countries, linked into a single whole. The first serious step in creating the Northern System can be considered the conclusion of an alliance treaty between Russia and Prussia in 1764. When Russia needed Prussia's active participation in Polish affairs, the treaty was signed. The alliance with Prussia allowed St. Petersburg to influence Polish affairs, contain Turkey, “take precedence in the north” and “play the first role in Europe ... without great expense on the part of Russia.” Negotiations with Denmark turned out to be relatively easy for Panin. Nikita Ivanovich insisted that in the secret articles of the treaty Denmark undertake to help Russia against Turkey and counter French influence in Sweden. In return, Denmark received the Holstein possessions of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich. In February 1765, the treaty was signed. Then Panin took energetic steps to persuade the London cabinet to sign the union agreement. But he only managed to conclude a trade agreement (1766). To stop the successful activities of Russian diplomacy, Austria and France resorted to the assistance of Turkey.

Türkiye declared war on Russia at the end of 1768. Friendly relations with Prussia, Denmark and England, that is, that part of the Northern System that was created by the beginning of the war, allowed Panin not to worry about the northern borders and concentrate entirely on the Turkish problem. Already in 1770, under the impression of the defeats it had suffered, Turkey turned to Prussia and Austria with a request for mediation in peace negotiations with Russia. In St. Petersburg they wanted to end the war as soon as possible. To successfully end the war, not only military efforts were required, but no less diplomatic ones. The reason for the outbreak of war was the unrest in Poland. Events developed in such a way that Polish affairs were closely intertwined with Turkish affairs, and they had to be resolved comprehensively. After Austria entered into a defensive alliance with Turkey in the summer of 1771, the government of Catherine II was forced to partition Poland. The issue of participation in the division was resolved between Catherine and Panin even before its discussion at the State Council. On May 16, 1771, Nikita Ivanovich “disclosed” the proposal of the Prussian king to the members of the Council. “By agreeing to partition, Russia received a triple win,” says Panin’s biographer A.V. Gavryushkin. “Firstly, a secure border with Poland. Secondly, as Panin said at the council, calming down the “Polish confusion” and, accordingly, the opportunity to withdraw, finally, from this country its troops. And, thirdly, the neutralization of Austria in the issue of the Russian-Turkish war. The Convention on the Polish question between Russia and Prussia was signed on February 6, 1772 and ratified on March 4. Panin proposed putting down other dates: signing - January 4 and ratification - February 4. Thanks to this, in the negotiations that began with the Austrians, the convention could be referred to as a fait accompli and, accordingly, deprive them of the opportunity to propose changes to its content.The trick was a success, because as soon as the discussion of the details of the agreement began , Frederick II and Kaunitz clashed over the size of the territories being captured, and Panin had to constantly urge his partners to show restraint.

In August 1772, a final agreement was already reached, sealed in three bilateral acts between Russia, Austria and Prussia. Russia received the Polish part of Livonia and part of Eastern Belarus, which at one time was torn away from Russian lands by the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. In the war with Turkey, Russian troops and navy won a number of brilliant victories, forcing the Turks to agree to peace, which was formalized in 1774 in Kuchuk-Kaynarji. Russia gained access to the Black Sea... On September 20, 1772, Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich turned 18 years old. Panin's responsibilities as a teacher ended here.

Conclusion

The favorites played an important role in the fate of Russia, influencing empresses and emperors; they skillfully carried out their plans regarding the foreign and domestic policies of the state. Sometimes the emperor's face was just a mask ruling the country favorite.

References

1. Palace coups Russia 1725-1825, Phoenix, 1998

2. History of the Russian State: Lives of the 18th century, M., Book Chamber, 1996

3. Lesin V.I., Rebels and Wars, 1997

4. Obolensky G.L., The Age of Catherine the Great. Russian word, 2001

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Personal life

According to some historians, real love came to the empress's favorite at the end of his life. The nobleman, no longer needed by the queen, was sent to one of his estates, where he improved his health. Sometimes he traveled abroad, but spent most of his time in idleness on the luxurious Otrada estate.

The news that Grigory Orlov married his 18-year-old cousin Ekaterina Zinovieva, an orphan who had previously been in his care for 4 years, caused a lot of noise in St. Petersburg.

The church immediately responded with a categorical condemnation of this marriage to the closest relative. Another would have been threatened with imprisonment in a monastery, but the queen remembered the favorite’s past merits and stood up for him. She even gave his wife the title of lady of state.

The personal life of Grigory Orlov was illuminated with incredible, but short-lived happiness. He forgot about his former love of feasts and parties. He hurried home to his adored young wife Katenka, who, it seemed, also reciprocated his feelings. But suddenly, in the fourth year of their happy life together, Katya was diagnosed with consumption. Her caring husband took her to Switzerland for treatment. But a young 22-year-old woman died suddenly in Lausanne.

Death

The death of his beloved woman in the summer of 1782 became an irreparable tragedy for Grigory Orlov. He could not survive this fatal blow and became mentally deranged from grief.

The brothers transported him to the Neskuchnoye estate in Moscow (later the famous Neskuchny Garden was laid out near it).

Here Grigory Orlov, despite all the efforts of the doctors, slowly faded away into quiet insanity. He died on an April night in 1783.

The former tsar's favorite was buried in the Otrada estate in Semyonovsky, but in 1832 his coffin was transported to Novgorod and reburied near the western wall of St. George's Cathedral, where the bodies of his brothers Alexei and Fedor were already buried. Their burials have not survived to this day.