Peter III Fedorovich (1728-1762) - Russian ruler from 1761 to 1762. He was born in the Duchy of Holstein (Germany). When his aunt Elizaveta Petrovna ascended the Russian throne, he was brought to St. Petersburg in November 1742, at the same time his aunt declared him her heir. Having converted to Orthodoxy, he was named Peter Fedorovich.

He ascended the throne after the death of Elizabeth Petrovna. He was the first representative of the Holstein-Gottorp family of the Romanovs on the Russian throne. Grandson of Peter I and sister of Charles XII, son of Tsarina Anna Petrovna and Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp. At first he was brought up as the heir to the Swedish throne, forcing him to learn Swedish, Lutheran study guide, Latin grammar, but brought up in him hatred for Russia, the old enemy of Sweden.

Peter grew up as a shy, nervous, receptive and not evil child, he loved music, painting and adored everything military, while being afraid of cannon fire. He was often punished (flogged, forced to stand on peas).

Having ascended the Russian throne, Peter Fedorovich began to study Orthodox books and the Russian language, but otherwise Peter received practically no education. Endured constant humiliation, he mastered bad habits, became irritable, absurd, learned to lie, and in Russia also to drink. Daily feasts, surrounded by girls, were his entertainment.

In August 1745 he married Princess Sophia, who later became Catherine II. Their marriage was not successful. They didn't have children for a long time. But in 1754, the son Pavel was born, after 2 years - the daughter Anna. There were various rumors about her paternity. Elizaveta Petrovna herself was engaged in the upbringing of Paul, as an heir, and Peter was not at all interested in his son.

Peter III reigned for only six months and was overthrown as a result of a coup, the soul of which was his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna. As a result of the palace coup, power was in the hands of Catherine II.

Peter abdicated and was exiled to Ropsha, where he was kept under arrest. In the same place, Peter III was killed in July, the 6th of 1762. He was first buried in the church of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. But in 1796 the remains were transferred to the Peter and Paul Cathedral and reburied along with the burial of Catherine II.

In board estimates Peter III Fedorovich there is no consensus. Much attention is paid to his vices and dislike for Russia. But there are also positive results of his short reign. It is known that Pyotr Fedorovich accepted 192 documents.

Emperor Peter III (1728-1762) ruled the Russian Empire from 1761-1762. The term of his reign was only 186 days. He came to the throne on December 25, 1761, and already on June 28, 1762 he was overthrown by his wife Catherine.

This sovereign was the son of the eldest daughter of Peter I, Anna Petrovna (1708-1728), who was born from the love affair of the emperor-reformer with Marta Skavronskaya (future Empress Catherine I). In 1725, Princess Anna married Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp. In the summer of 1727, the couple left for the capital of Holstein, the city of Kiel, and on February 10, 1728, Anna gave birth to a son, who was named Karl Peter Ulrich. So the future sovereign Peter III was born.

Portrait of Emperor Peter III
Artist L. K. Pfantselt, 1762

The boy's mother died of puerperal fever shortly after the birth. Before her death, she expressed a desire to be buried in St. Petersburg. The last will of the young woman was fulfilled, and she was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The father paid little attention to his son. He gave him into the hands of ignorant and cruel teachers. Those mocked the child more than gave him knowledge. The boy was flogged with rods for the slightest offense, and he turned into a nervous, timid, but at the same time ingenuous and naive young man.

In 1739, the boy's father Karl Friedrich died. The young prince received the title of Duke of Holstein. In 1741, Karl Peter's aunt Elizaveta Petrovna, who was Anna's younger sister, came to power in the Russian Empire. The empress, who ascended the throne, had no children, so she immediately summoned her nephew to her. He was christened according to the Orthodox rite, named Peter Fedorovich and declared the heir to the Russian throne.

At first, the nephew and aunt had a good relationship, but then deteriorated. The young man turned out to be indifferent to everything Russian, since the childhood years of his life were spent in Holstein. Therefore, he behaved in a way that the empress did not like. She saw in her nephew a stubborn, unintelligent person and little capable of governing a vast country. The imperial court also treated the heir to the throne as a stranger.

In 1745, Pyotr Fedorovich was married to the Zerbt princess Sophia Frederica Augusta. She was the groom's second cousin. The bride arrived in Russia with her mother in 1744, converted to Orthodoxy and received the name Ekaterina Alekseevna.

At the time of the marriage, the bride was 16 years old, and the groom was 17. In addition, the young husband continued to be a big child. He played with soldiers and other children's games, not paying any attention to his wife. Only in 1754 was a son Pavel born to the grand ducal couple. The baby was immediately taken away from his parents, and the empress herself was engaged in his upbringing. In 1757, Catherine gave birth to a girl, Anna. But she died of smallpox in 1759.

Portrait of Peter III Fedorovich and his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna

The reign of Peter III (1761-1762)

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna died on December 25, 1761, and on Russian throne Emperor Peter III entered. It should be noted that in the short period of his reign, the new sovereign managed to put into practice many important decisions.

He abolished the Secret Office. Became the initiator of the issue of paper money (banknotes). They appeared in circulation in 1769. Issued a decree on freedom of foreign trade. He put an end to the persecution of the Old Believers. Many legislative acts that were adopted during the reign of Peter III Fedorovich became the foundation on which Catherine II subsequently reigned.

A very important document was adopted - the Manifesto on the Liberty of the Nobles. Under Peter I, the nobles served the state all their lives. Under Anna Ioannovna, the term was reduced to 25 years. Now the nobility received the right not to serve at all. public service. However, in the future, those people who ignored the service were treated quite derisively. They were called undergrowth regardless of age or title. Therefore, as a rule, everyone served.

The sovereign stopped hostilities with Prussia, which were extremely successful for Russia under Elizaveta Petrovna. Peace was made with Frederick II. According to him, all the conquered lands in East Prussia, for which Russian soldiers shed their blood, were returned to the enemy. Thus, Russian empire came out of Seven Years' War with practically nothing.

And although the reforms inside the country were clearly progressive, the emperor turned the guards and the nobility against him. He defiantly neglected the customs and traditions of Russia, introduced the Prussian uniform into the army, and also decided, in alliance with Prussia, to start a war against Denmark. At the same time, it was decided to send a guard to the Danish campaign.

Dissatisfaction with the actions of the emperor grew, and the authority of his wife Ekaterina Alekseevna was strengthened. She got a lot useful links at court, surrounded herself with favorites from the guards and began to seriously think about Russian crown. In a word, a conspiracy arose, headed by the wife of the All-Russian autocrat.

Well-wishers have repeatedly told the sovereign that his overthrow is being prepared. But he brushed aside such messages, and in the summer of June 28, 1762, the coup took place. That day, Catherine left early in the morning from Peterhof, where the emperor was with his court.

At the same time, the Orlov guards, loyal to her, revolted. The troops left the barracks on the streets of the capital and welcomed Ekaterina, who had arrived from Peterhof. Then they swore allegiance to her and, together with the newly-made empress, moved to Peterhof.

Upon learning of this, Emperor Peter III tried to hide in Kronstadt. But he had already sworn allegiance to Catherine. Then the sovereign went to Oranienbaum, where the rebel guardsmen soon appeared. They arrested the autocrat, and he meekly signed the abdication. After that, the deposed sovereign was sent under heavy guard to the Ropsha estate. On the territory of the estate on July 6, 1762, he died. Death was mysterious. It is assumed that Peter III was strangled by the guards.

The body was buried without honors in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. In 1796, when Catherine II died, the ashes of the emperor were transferred to the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Alexey Starikov

Relations between Catherine and Peter III did not work out from the very beginning. The husband not only got himself numerous mistresses, but also openly declared that he intended to divorce his wife for the sake of Elizaveta Vorontsova. There was no need to wait for support from Catherine.

Peter III and Catherine II

A conspiracy against the emperor began to be prepared even before his ascension to the throne. Chancellor Alexei Bestuzhev-Ryumin had the most hostile feelings towards Peter. He was especially annoyed by the fact that the future ruler openly sympathized with the Prussian king. When Empress Elizaveta Petrovna fell seriously ill, the chancellor began to prepare the ground for a palace coup and wrote to Field Marshal Apraksin to return to Russia. Elizaveta Petrovna recovered from her illness and deprived the Chancellor of his ranks. Bestuzhev-Ryumin fell out of favor and did not finish his job.

During the reign of Peter III, Prussian orders were introduced in the army, which could not but arouse the indignation of the officers. It is worth noting that the emperor did not make any attempts to get acquainted with Russian customs and ignored Orthodox rites. The conclusion of peace with Prussia in 1762, according to which Russia voluntarily gave up East Prussia, became another reason for dissatisfaction with Peter III. In addition, the emperor intended to send the guards to the Danish campaign in June 1762, the goals of which were completely incomprehensible to the officers.

Elizabeth Vorontsova

The conspiracy against the emperor was organized by guard officers, including Grigory, Fedor and Alexei Orlov. Due to the controversial foreign policy Peter III, many officials joined the conspiracy. By the way, the ruler received reports of an impending coup, but he did not take them seriously.

Alexey Orlov

On June 28, 1762 (according to the old style), Peter III went to Peterhof, where his wife was to meet him. However, Catherine was not there - in the early morning she left for St. Petersburg with Alexei Orlov. The guards, the senate and the synod swore allegiance to her. In a critical situation, the emperor was confused and did not follow sound advice to flee to the Baltic states, where units loyal to him were stationed. Peter III signed the abdication of the throne and, accompanied by the guards, was taken to Ropsha.

On July 6, 1762 (according to the old style), he died. Historians are unanimous in their opinion that Catherine did not give the order to kill Peter, while experts emphasize that she did not prevent this tragedy. According to the official version, Peter died of an illness - an autopsy allegedly revealed signs of heart dysfunction and apoplexy. But most likely his killer was Alexei Orlov. Peter was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Subsequently, several dozen people pretended to be the surviving emperor, the most famous of them was the leader Peasants' War Emelyan Pugachev.

The Russian emperor Peter III lived only 34 years and had two names - German and Russian. Rarely did contemporaries and descendants give such conflicting assessments to a sovereign. Some said: "stupid martinet", "the lackey of Frederick II", "chronic drunkard". But there is also positive reviews prominent figures of Russian culture and statesmen.

His name was used by the leader of the peasant movement Emelyan Pugachev. But in the people's memory, he remained the victim of his royal wife, Catherine the Great.

The great sovereign and emperor of All Russia Peter III Fedorovich was awarded not only the title of "idiot" and "incapable spouse", that is, "impotent", Catherine II, but, as one of the pre-revolutionary Russian historians noted, this tsar was awarded "some kind of exceptional privilege to senselessness and stupidity."

Ladies and gentlemen, I can assure you, there are no angels or demons. We are all human beings, and Pyotr Fedorovich, born in the Lutheran faith Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp (and in German: Karl Peter Ulrich von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf), was not a fiend. Another victim political intrigues of the court camarilla. Usually, Peter III is considered in the context of domestic Russian politics, most often without touching on international issues. This is important, because people like to accuse Peter of concluding a treacherous separate peace with Prussia, because he was a passionate admirer of Frederick the Great and everything Prussian.

The participants in the conspiracy to overthrow the legitimate monarch diligently fomented anti-German sentiments in society in order to turn the patriots against the emperor. Until now, many Russian historians see Pyotr Fedorovich as a traitor who refused all the brilliant victories of Russian weapons on the battlefields of the Seven Years' War and, having betrayed his allies - Austria and France - concluded a "meaningless" peace. Note that not only a bad peace is better than a good quarrel.

The French king Louis XVI made the following remark about the relationship of Peter III to Frederick II: “Europe, on the contrary, waited with admiration for Peter III to rush to the aid of Prussia, which France and Austria had driven to exhaustion and which had been saved from the worst misfortune by a miracle and friendly support of the emperor. It was just as beneficial for Russia as it is for us now that Prussia and Austria did not merge into one state. Europe wanted Russia to save Prussia from extermination by the combined forces of the two great powers. Strengthened by Prussian possessions, Austria had the opportunity to face off power with Russia, when peace was established thanks to the friendly assistance of Peter III, which proves that this sovereign was a good politician.

In addition, one can agree with the opinion of some Russian historians that in the geopolitical situation mid-eighteenth century, the benefits of Russia's acquisition of East Prussia seemed doubtful. By the way, the prominent Russian historian Vasily Klyuchevsky criticized such a dubious acquisition as Poland - the core of the future revolutionary infection. Unlike the province of Koenigsberg, the Commonwealth had at least a common border with Russia.

If we ignore the propaganda hype of tsarist times and the ideological clichés of Soviet times, it turns out that Catherine the Second signed an alliance treaty with Frederick of Prussia just two years later, a number of articles of which exactly repeated the clauses of the "treacherous" treaty of her late husband Peter III.

The stamped look at Pyotr Fedorovich even in scientific circles reaches unimaginable heights. "A modern art historian, even a qualified one, describing the portrait of Peter III by the remarkable Russian artist of the 18th century A.P. Antropov, will see in the quite ordinary model depicted on canvas "a fat belly on thin legs, a small head on narrow shoulders and long arms, as thin as spider legs. "The spectacle is indeed not their pleasant, although it would seem strange to demand that Apollo certainly sit on the Russian throne," modern Russian historian Alexander Mylnikov is surprised.

The grandson of the Great Peter, Peter III, turned out to be among those historical figures about whom we know more rumors and myths created by their political opponents than real ones. historical facts. Still: one of the main sources of information about him are the memoirs of "Mother Empress Catherine." This most intelligent woman, of course, wanting to justify in the eyes of her subjects and descendants the awkward "elimination" of her husband, made him look like a fool, capable only of non-musical playing the violin and adoring not Russia, but her pipe and maid of honor-lover.

Peter III is far from the only slandered historical figure. And we are not talking about his "posthumous rehabilitation". It's just pointless. And this, to some extent, explains the sad fate of the imperial house of the Romanovs, the last representatives of which were brutally destroyed by the Bolsheviks in the basement of the Ipatiev House. The brutality of those fighting for supremacy gave rise to later atrocities. The forerunners of the communist barbarians were the noble nobles who dealt with Peter III, Paul I and John VI Antonovich.

If we continue the comparison further, then the figure of Stalin will appear, who at the end of the 1930s will brutally end Lenin's comrades-in-arms. However, we digress. While revolutions are still far away, Peter III, trying to imitate his great grandfather-namesake, from the first days of accession to the throne Special attention turned to strengthening order and discipline in the highest government places, to streamlining the competence supreme bodies authorities. Peter the Third was hardly the only monarch after Peter the Great who personally visited the Synod, the highest church department.

Princess Ekaterina Dashkova, who took part in the palace coup led by her namesake, did not feel favoritism towards Peter III, frankly wrote in her memoirs that "Peter III increased the disgust that was felt towards him and aroused deep contempt for himself with his legislative measures." This private opinion of a particular person correctly notices the oppositional attitude towards the Russian monarch of some part of the highest nobility. It was from their midst and Catherine's entourage that many myths about the grandson of Peter the Great went for a walk around the world.

Here is one of them: the courtiers, they say, convinced Peter III to liquidate the Secret Chancellery, about which he waved a manifesto after, having agreed in advance, during a feast, Count K. G. Razumovsky shouted at one of the drinking companions "word and deed" for that he insulted the emperor by not drinking a glass to the bottom for his health. Historians have a reasonable question, why didn’t Razumovsky and his comrades play such a show earlier, under Elizabeth Petrovna? This despite the fact that Kirill Grigorievich was the brother of her longtime favorite and supposedly the morganatic spouse of the Empress Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky.

During his short reign from December 25, 1761 (after the death of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna) to June 29, 1762 (when, arrested, he signed the abdication of the throne, and presumably was killed on July 3), Pyotr Fedorovich signed several important manifestos: "On the granting of liberty and freedom to all Russian nobility", "On the destruction of the Secret Investigative Office" and a series of acts on religious tolerance and the relationship between the state and the Orthodox Church.

The series “Catherine” was released on the screens, in connection with this, there is a surge of interest in the controversial figures in the history of Russia, Emperor Peter III and his wife, who became Empress Catherine II. Therefore, I present a selection of facts about the life and reign of these monarchs of the Russian Empire.

Peter and Catherine: a joint portrait by G.K.Groot

Peter III (Peter Fedorovich, born Karl Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp) was a very extraordinary emperor. He did not know the Russian language, he liked to play with soldiers and wanted to baptize Russia according to the Protestant rite. His mysterious death led to the emergence of a galaxy of impostors.

Already from birth, Peter could claim two imperial titles: Swedish and Russian. On his father's side, he was the great-nephew of the king. Charles XII, who himself was too busy with military campaigns to marry. Peter's grandfather on his mother's side was Karl's main enemy, Russian emperor Peter I.

An early orphaned boy spent his childhood with his uncle, Bishop Adolf of Eitinsky, where he was raised to hate Russia. He did not know the Russian language and was baptized according to the Protestant custom. True, he also did not know other languages ​​\u200b\u200bbesides his native German, he only spoke a little French.

Peter was supposed to take the Swedish throne, but the childless Empress Elizabeth remembered the son of her beloved sister Anna and declared him heir. The boy is brought to Russia to meet the imperial throne and death.

In fact, the sickly young man was not particularly needed by anyone: neither the aunt-empress, nor the educators, nor, subsequently, his wife. Everyone was only interested in his origin, even the cherished words were added to the official title of the heir: "Grandson of Peter I."

And the heir himself was interested in toys, first of all - soldiers. Can we accuse him of infantilism? When Peter was brought to St. Petersburg, he was only 13 years old! Dolls attracted the heir more than state affairs or a young bride.

True, with age, his priorities do not change. He continued to play, but secretly. Ekaterina writes: “During the day, his toys were hidden in my bed and under it. The Grand Duke went to bed first after supper, and as soon as we were in bed, Kruse (maid) locked the door with a key, and then Grand Duke played until one or two in the morning.

Over time, toys become bigger and more dangerous. Peter is allowed to write a regiment of soldiers from Holstein, whom the future emperor enthusiastically drives around the parade ground. Meanwhile, his wife is learning Russian and studying French philosophers...

In 1745, the wedding of the heir Peter Fedorovich and Ekaterina Alekseevna, the future Catherine II, was magnificently celebrated in St. Petersburg. There was no love between the young spouses - they differed too much in character and interests. The more intelligent and educated Catherine makes fun of her husband in her memoirs: “he doesn’t read books, and if he does, it’s either a prayer book or descriptions of torture and executions.”

Letter from the Grand Duke to his wife. obverse, bottom left: le .. fevr./ 1746
Madame, this night I ask you not to inconvenience yourself - to sleep with me, since the time to deceive me has passed. After living apart for two weeks, the bed was too narrow. This afternoon. Your most unfortunate husband, whom you would never deign to call that Peter.
February 1746, ink on paper

With marital duty, Peter also did not have everything going smoothly, this is evidenced by his letters, where he asks his wife not to share the bed with him, which has become “too narrow”. This is where the legend originates that the future Emperor Paul was born not at all from Peter III, but from one of the favorites of the loving Catherine.

However, despite the coldness in the relationship, Peter always trusted his wife. In difficult situations, he turned to her for help, and her tenacious mind found a way out of any trouble. Therefore, Catherine received from her husband the ironic nickname "Lady Help".

But not only children's games distracted Peter from the matrimonial bed. In 1750, two girls were presented to the court: Elizaveta and Ekaterina Vorontsov. Ekaterina Vorontsova will be a faithful companion of her royal namesake, while Elizabeth will take the place of the beloved of Peter III.

The future emperor could take any court beauty as his favorite, but his choice fell, nevertheless, on this “fat and awkward” maid of honor. Love is evil? However, is it worth trusting the description left in the memoirs of a forgotten and abandoned wife.

The sharp-tongued Empress Elizaveta Petrovna found this love triangle very amusing. She even nicknamed the good-natured, but narrow-minded Vorontsova "Russian de Pompadour."

It was love that became one of the reasons for the fall of Peter. At court, they began to say that Peter was going, following the example of his ancestors, to send his wife to a monastery and marry Vorontsova. He allowed himself to insult and bully Catherine, who, apparently, endured all his whims, but in fact cherished plans for revenge and was looking for powerful allies.

During the Seven Years' War, in which Russia took the side of Austria. Peter III openly sympathized with Prussia and personally with Frederick II, which did not add to the popularity of the young heir.

Antropov A.P. Peter III Fedorovich (Karl Peter Ulrich)

But he went even further: the heir passed on to his idol secret documents, information about the number and location of Russian troops! Upon learning of this, Elizabeth was furious, but she forgave a lot of her near-nephew for the sake of his mother, her beloved sister.

Why is the heir to the Russian throne so openly helping Prussia? Like Catherine, Peter is looking for allies, and hopes to find one of them in the person of Frederick II. Chancellor Bestuzhev-Ryumin writes: “The Grand Duke was convinced that Frederick II loves him and speaks with great respect; therefore, he thinks that as soon as he ascends the throne, the Prussian king will seek his friendship and will help him in everything.

After the death of Empress Elizabeth, Peter III was proclaimed emperor, but was not officially crowned. He showed himself to be an energetic ruler, and in the six months of his reign he managed, contrary to popular opinion, to do a lot. Estimates of his reign vary greatly: Catherine and her supporters describe Peter as a weak-minded, ignorant martinet and Russophobe. Modern historians create a more objective image.

First of all, Peter made peace with Prussia on unfavorable terms for Russia. This caused discontent in army circles. But then his "Manifesto on the Liberty of the Nobility" gave the aristocracy huge privileges. At the same time, he issued laws prohibiting the torture and murder of serfs, and stopped the persecution of the Old Believers.

Peter III tried to please everyone, but in the end, all attempts turned against him. The reason for the conspiracy against Peter was his ridiculous fantasies about the baptism of Rus' according to the Protestant model. The guards, the main support and support of the Russian emperors, took the side of Catherine. In his palace in Orienbaum, Peter signed the abdication.

Tombs of Peter III and Catherine II in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.
The headstones of the buried have the same date of burial (December 18, 1796), which gives the impression that Peter III and Catherine II lived together for many years and died on the same day.

Peter's death is one big mystery. It was not in vain that Emperor Paul compared himself with Hamlet: during the entire reign of Catherine II, the shadow of her deceased husband could not find peace. But was the Empress guilty of her husband's death?

According to the official version, Peter III died of an illness. He was no different good health, and the unrest associated with the coup and renunciation could kill a stronger person. But the sudden and so quick death of Peter - a week after the overthrow - caused a lot of talk. For example, there is a legend according to which the favorite of Catherine, Alexei Orlov, was the killer of the emperor.

The illegal overthrow and suspicious death of Peter gave rise to a whole galaxy of impostors. In our country alone, more than forty people tried to impersonate the emperor. The most famous of them was Emelyan Pugachev. Abroad, one of the false Peters even became the king of Montenegro. The last impostor was arrested in 1797, 35 years after the death of Peter, and only after that the shadow of the emperor finally found peace.

Under the reign Catherine II Alekseevna the Great(nee Sophia Augusta Frederick of Anhalt-Zerbst) from 1762 to 1796, the possessions of the empire expanded significantly. Of the 50 provinces, 11 were acquired during the years of her reign. The amount of state revenues increased from 16 to 68 million rubles. 144 new cities were built (more than 4 cities per year throughout the reign). The army almost doubled, the number of ships Russian fleet increased from 20 to 67 battleships apart from other courts. The army and navy scored 78 brilliant victories, which strengthened Russia's international prestige.

Anna Rosina de Gask (née Lisevski) Princess Sophia Augusta Friederike, in the future Catherine II 1742

Access to the Black and Azov Seas was won, Crimea, Ukraine (except for the Lvov region), Belarus, Eastern Poland, and Kabarda were annexed. The annexation of Georgia to Russia began. At the same time, during her reign, only one execution was carried out - the leader peasant uprising Emelyan Pugacheva.

Catherine II on the balcony of the Winter Palace, being greeted by the guards and the people on the day of the coup on June 28, 1762

The daily routine of the Empress was far from the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe inhabitants of royal life. Her day was scheduled by the hour, and its routine remained unchanged throughout her reign. Only the time of sleep changed: if in her mature years Catherine got up at 5, then closer to old age - at 6, and by the end of her life even at 7 in the morning. After breakfast, the empress received high-ranking officials and secretaries of state. Days and hours of each official were constant. The working day ended at four o'clock, and it was time for rest. The hours of work and rest, breakfast, lunch and dinner were also constant. At 10 or 11 pm Catherine finished the day and went to bed.

Every day, 90 rubles were spent on the food of the Empress (for comparison: the salary of a soldier during the reign of Catherine was only 7 rubles a year). Boiled beef with pickles was a favorite dish, and currant juice was used as a drink. For dessert, preference was given to apples and cherries.

After dinner, the empress took up needlework, while Ivan Ivanovich Betskoy read aloud to her at that time. Ekaterina “skillfully sewed on canvas”, knitted on knitting needles. Having finished reading, she moved to the Hermitage, where she sharpened from bone, wood, amber, engraved, played billiards.

Artist Ilyas Faizullin. Visit of Catherine II to Kazan

Catherine was indifferent to fashion. She did not notice her, and sometimes quite deliberately ignored her. IN weekdays the empress wore a simple dress and did not wear jewelry.

By her own admission, she did not have a creative mind, but she wrote plays, and even sent some of them to Voltaire for “reviewing”.

Catherine came up with a special suit for the six-month-old Tsarevich Alexander, the pattern of which was asked from her by the Prussian prince and the Swedish king for their own children. And for her beloved subjects, the empress invented the cut of the Russian dress, which they were forced to wear at her court.

Portrait of Alexander Pavlovich, Jean Louis Veil

People who knew Ekaterina closely note her attractive appearance not only in her youth, but also in her mature years, her exceptionally friendly appearance, and ease of handling. Baroness Elizabeth Dimsdale, who was first introduced to her with her husband in Tsarskoye Selo at the end of August 1781, described Catherine as follows: “a very attractive woman with lovely expressive eyes and an intelligent look”

Catherine was aware that men liked her and she herself was not indifferent to their beauty and masculinity. “I received from nature a great sensitivity and appearance, if not beautiful, then at least attractive. I liked the first time and did not use any art and embellishment for this.

The empress was quick-tempered, but knew how to control herself, and never made decisions in a fit of anger. She was very polite even with the servants, no one heard a rude word from her, she did not order, but asked to fulfill her will. Her rule, according to the testimony of Count Segur, was "to praise out loud, and to scold on the sly."

Rules hung on the walls of the ballrooms under Catherine II: it was forbidden to stand in front of the empress, even if she approached the guest and spoke to him while standing. It was forbidden to be in a gloomy mood, insult each other. And on the shield at the entrance to the Hermitage there was an inscription: "The mistress of these places does not tolerate coercion."

Catherine II and Potemkin

Thomas Dimsdale, an English physician, was called from London to introduce smallpox inoculation into Russia. Knowing about the resistance of society to innovation, Empress Catherine II decided to set a personal example and became one of the first patients of Dimsdale. In 1768, an Englishman vaccinated her and Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich with smallpox. The recovery of the Empress and her son became significant event in the life of the Russian court.

The Empress was a heavy smoker. The cunning Ekaterina, not wanting her snow-white gloves to be saturated with a yellow nicotine coating, ordered to wrap the tip of each cigar with a ribbon of expensive silk.

The Empress read and wrote in German, French and Russian, but made many mistakes. Ekaterina was aware of this and once confessed to one of her secretaries that “she could only learn Russian from books without a teacher,” since “Aunt Elizaveta Petrovna told my chamberlain: it’s enough to teach her, she’s already smart.” As a result, she made four mistakes in a three-letter word: instead of "more", she wrote "ischo".

Johann Baptist Elder Lampi, 1793. Portrait of Empress Catherine II, 1793

Long before her death, Catherine composed an epitaph for her future tombstone:

“Catherine II rests here. She arrived in Russia in 1744 to marry Peter III.

At fourteen, she made a threefold decision: to please her husband, Elizabeth, and the people.

She did not miss anything in order to achieve success in this respect.

Eighteen years of boredom and loneliness led her to read many books.

Having ascended the Russian throne, she made every effort to give her subjects happiness, freedom and material well-being.

She forgave easily and hated no one. She was indulgent, loved life, had a cheerful disposition, was a true republican in her convictions and had a good heart.

She had friends. The job was easy for her. She enjoyed secular entertainment and the arts."