Memoirs of the court and reign of Catherine the Second, empress of Russia: with a brief survey of the Romanoff dynasty

Front matter

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Preface

It is universally acknowledged, by those acquainted "with her history, that the Empress Catherine II. was one of the most remarkable women that ever lived. The annals of her Life and Reign are crowded with striking incidents, with novel adventures, with wonderful displays of talent, heroism, and passion ; and yet, there exists no work in our language of an accessible form, in which they may be founds Under these circumstances the author of this work supposed that a useful niche remained unfilled in the historical literature of the day, which might be appropriated to advantage.

In narrating the life and career of this extraordinary woman, it was impossible to refrain from entering into some details, which, while they do not themselves in any way oflfend the most rigid modesty, yet describe vi PEEFACE.

events and incidents which are inconsistent with pure morality. The fault of this peculiarity of the work, if fault it be, does not rest with the historian, who must present a faithful picture of the darker, as well as of the brighter, aspects of his heroine's life. It results alone from the nature of the subject discussed.

The sources from which the following pages have been prepared, are the most valuable and authentic works in European literature which treat of this subject. In the present publication, everything connected with both the public and private life of Catherine II., the truthfulness of which could be relied upon, has been introduced. Nothing of value, which appertains to the history of herself, and of her reign, has been overlooked. It had been easy for the author to introduce much gross and indelicate scandal, such as is to be found in some French works upon the subject ; but as this work pretends to be an authentic and reliable history, such details were necessarily excluded. A rigid adherence to facts has been retained throughout; nor has the colouring of fancy been allowed, in any one instance, to pervert the text from the simple truth, for the purpose of presenting either a more attractive, or a more startling picture.

There are certain particular reasons which strongly

PREFACE. vii

commend the history of Catherine II. to the attention of the reading public, which are applicable to no other case. Her history is highly instructive in one sense, while it is equally dangerous in another. It is instructive, because the theme, the heroine, was a woman of extraordinary genius ; an historic meteor, the splendour of whose glittering transit across the political heavens struck every beholder with awe and wonder. No one can peruse that portion of her life without instruction, pleasure, and profit. On the other hand, this empress was beyond all question, one of the most corrupt, sensual, and licentious of women. There was no depth or excess of impurity which she had not fathomed and exhausted. The life of such a living embodiment of passion must be injurious in its effects upon the reader, unless the narrative is conducted with great prudence and discretion. By using the proper precautions ; by presenting just as much of the more objectionable aspects of her history as is necessary to obtain a proper conception of her character ; by suppressing the rest ; and by dwelling more at length upon those traits which were pre-eminently noble, commendable, and instructive, all the good effects may be attained, and all the evil ones avoided. The brilliant achievements of an unsur- 1*

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PREFACE.

pased genius will thus become more familiar to the world, and secure the praises which they deserve ; while the deformities which, like the spots upon the sun, unhappily deface and mar its splendor, will be allowed to sink harmlessly into that oblivion to which the prudence or the charity of mankind has consigned them.

.ISTor is the interest which attaches to the history of Catherine II. lessened by a contemplation of the career and characters of her successors to the Russian throne. Three of those, Paul, Alexander I., and ISTicholas, have strongly exhibited in their characters and conduct the peculiarities of their descent ; and have each, by their iron wills, their indomitable perseverance, their cruelties, and their crimes, left an ineffaceable impress upon the world's history. Alexander II. has yet to develop his distinctive qualities. He is evidently pursuing, with steady and unyielding purpose, the plan which fired the ambition of Catherine, and which has been perse veringly followed by each of her successors, in appropriating the dominions of the Sultan, and of which the present terrible struggle in

Europe is one of the unfortunate results.

CHAPTER I. PECULIARITIES OF RtJSSIAX HISTORY. — ITS DBVELOPEMENT OP GREAT

CHARACTERS. — BIRTH OF THE PRINCESS SOPHIA OP ANHALT-ZERBST.

INCIDENTS OF HER YOUTH. — A MARRIAGE PROPOSED BETWEEN HER AND PETER FEDOROYITCH, GRAND DUKE OP RUSSIA. — SHE VISITS ST. PETERS- BURG. — THE SIARRIA6E SOLEMNIZED. — CHARACTER OP CATHERINE. — CHARACTER OP PETER, HER HUSBAND * . . . Page 17

Chapter II. Difficulties Commence Between Catherine And Her Husband

SHE RESOLVES TO DETHRONE HIM. HER POLICY PETER'S VICES.

SOLTIKOF. — HIS ATTACHMENT TO CATHERINE. — HER FIRST LOVER. — STANISLAUS PONIATOSKY. — CATHERINE'S AFFECTION FOR HIM. — INCIDENTS OP THEIE INTRIGUB . 23

CHAPTER III. Peter's purpose to repudiate Catherine, and declare her dau&h

TEB illegitimate. — CATHERINE NOW MATURES HER CONSPIRACY.'—

count panin. — gregory orlof. — death op the empress elizabeth. — ^Peter's accession to the throne. — insults offered by peter to his wife. — he determines to declare ivan iii. his successor. — gregory orlof becomes catherine's favourite. — the princess dashkof.-r-od art. -^alexius orlof. — the conspiracy against peter i^rst intended only to dethrone him . . • . pag© 35

X CONTENTS.

Chapter IV

PREMATURE EXPLOSION OF THE PLOT. — ^DESPERATE ENERGY AND DETER- MINATION OP THE CONSPIRATORS.— CATHERINE BROUGHT TO ST. PETERS- BURG. — SHE RECEIVES THfe HOMAGE OP THE TROOPS. — PETER UNINFORMED OF THESE TRANSACTIONS AT PETERHOF, WHERE HE WAS RESIDING. — THE FIRST NEWS OP THE CONSPIRACY. — OVERCOME WITH TERROR. — FLIES TO CRONSTADT. — MARSHAL MUNICH. — PETER GOES TO ORANIENBAUM. — HE WRITES TO CATHERINE. — HE WRITES A SECOND MORE SUPPLIANT LETTER. — HE ABDICATES THE THRONE. — TRIUMPH OF CATHERINE. — REAC- TION OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT. — ^PETER A PRISONER AT ROPSCHA. — HIS VIOLENT DEATH 53

Chapter V

Peter's private funeral. — Catherine recognised as empress by the european powers. — difficulty with the princess dashkop. — catherine displays her statesmanship. — confirms the abolition op the secret inquisition. — immense advantages offered by her to immigration. — project op marrying her favourite, orlof. — ■ conspiracy to assassinate him. — affairs of poland. — catherine succeeds in placing poniatosky on the polish throne. — her tour to courland and esthonia. — conspiracy op mirovitch. — its failure. — death of ivan hi. — personal appearance and qualities op ivan. — trla.l and punishment op mirovitch and his asso- CIATES . 65

Chapter VI

CATHERINE PROMOTES THE INTERESTS OP SCIENCE AND LITERATURE. — CORRESPONDENCE WITH DIDEROT. — AFFAIRS OF GALLANTRY IN HER COURT. — SPLENDID FEATS AND EXHIBITION AT ST. PETERSBURG.— SHE REFORMS THE COMPLICATED JURISPRUDENCE OF RUSSIA. — HER COURT BECOMES THE ASYLUM OF DISTINGUISHED MEN OF LETTERS. — PARTI- TION OF POLAND. — PRINCE HENRY OP PRUSSIA. — HE VISITS CATHERINE. — HER FIRST INVASION OP THE TURKISH DOMINIONS. — ROMANTZOF.- — HK VANQUISHES THE TURKISH ARMY. — BATTLE OF KAGUL.— CONSPIRACY

CONTENTS. xi

AGAINST PONIATOSKY, NOW KING OF POLAND. — ITS FAILURE. — OR- LOF's dismissal as imperial FAVOURITE. — VASSILTCHIKOF BECOMES

FAVOURITE Page 79

Chapter VII

DREADFUL SCOURGE WHICH RAVAGED RUSSIA DURING 1771. — ITS DE- STRUCTIVE EFFECTS AT MOSCOW. — POPULAR FANATICISM. — MEASURES

OF RELIEF TAKEN BY CATHERINE. CONDUCT OF ORLOF. — MURDER OF

ARCHBISHOP AMBROSE. — DECISIVE CONDUCT OF YERAPKIN, THE COM- MANDANT. — Catherine's treatment of the princess tarrakannof. —

INTRIGUE OF ALEXIUS ORLOF. — HER UNHAPPY FATE. — JOURNEY OF THE GRAND DUKE OF RUSSIA TO THE COURT OF BERLIN. — HIS ENGAGE- MENT TO THE PRINCESS OF HESSE-DARMSTADT. — HIS RETURN TO ST. PETERSBURG 95

CHAPTER Vin.

MARRIAGE OF CATHERINE'S SON, THE GRAND DUKE. — DIDEROT VISITS ST. PETERSRURG. — VOLTAIRE DECLINES CATHERINE'S INVITATION. — CATHE- RINE'S INTRIGUES. — HER FEARS OF A CONSPIRACY. — DOWNFALL OF VASSILTCHIKOF. — RETURN OF ORLOF TO THE POSITION OF FAVOURITE.— CATHERINE EMBELLISHES ST. PETERSBURG. — HER DOMESTIC HABITS. — HISTORY OF THE FORMIDABLE CONSPIRACY OP PUGATSCHEF. — ITS OVEB- THSOW ll.S

Chapter IX

POTEMPKIN BECOMES FAVOURITE. — HIS IMPRUDENCE AND DISMISSAL. — THE POSITIO/T OF FAVOURITE PECULIAR TO THE RUSSIAN SOVEREIGNS. — OB- SERVANCES ON THE ELEVATION AND CHOICE OP A FAVOURITE. — HIS HONOURS AND EMOLUMENTS. — MODE OP HIS DISMISSAL. — POTEMPKIN REIN- STATED AS FAVOURITE. — HIS ATTEMPT TO INDUCE CATHERINE TO MARRY HIM. — SHE SUBDIVIDES HER EMPIRE INTO VICE-ROYALTIES. — ZAVADOSKY BECOMES FAVOURITE, AND POTEMPB^N PRIMS MINISTER. — ^ENUMERATION OP CATHERINE'S FAMILY Page 127

^ii CONTENTS.

Chapter X

SPLENDOUR OF THE COURT OF ST. PETERSBURG AT THIS TIME. — VISIT OF

THE CELEBRATED DUCHESS OF KINGSTON TO ST. PETERSBURG. SHE

DECLINES IN CATHERINE'S FAVOUR, AND RETIRES IN DISGUST TO ROME.

— Catherine's literary productions. — zoritch becomes favourite.

he is dismissed. — korsakof succeeds him. — his ignorance and

vanity. — his dismissal. — lanskoi becomes favourite. — journey to

HOHILEF

Chapter XI

CATHERINE'S MEASURES TO PROMOTE THE ADVANCEMENT OF LITERATURE THROUGHOUT HER DOMINIONS. — THE CULTIVATION OF THE NATIONAL LAN- GUAGE. THE STUDY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES. OF ANCIENT LITERA- TURE. — OF BELLES-LETTRES. — WRITINGS OF KNAISHIN — OF DERSCHAVIN — OF KHERASKOF — OF VAN WISIN. — CATHERINE'S GREAT MERITS AS A PATRONESS OF LITERATURE AND SCIENCE 166

Chapter XII

DIPLOMATIC INTERCOURSE OF CATHERINE WITH FREDERIC THE GREAT. — DANTZIC. — WAR BETWEEN AUSTRIA AND THE NETHERLANDS. — PROJECT OF OPENING THE NAVIGATION OP THE SCHELDT. — ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OP THE QUESTION. — BREAKING OUT OP HOSTILITIES. — INTERFERENCE OF OTHER EUROPEAN POWERS. — SETTLEMENT OP THE DISPUTE BY NEGO- TIATION Page 163

CHAPTER Xm.

BOBRINSKY, CATHERINE'S NATURAL SON. — HIS ABANDONED CHARACTER. — THE COLOSSAL STATUE OF PETER THE GREAT AT ST. PETERSBURG. — HISTORY OF ITS ERECTION. — CATHERINE CONQUERS THE CRIMEA. — HER TREATY WITH GUSTAVUS III. OF SWEDEN. — HER WAR WITH THE TURKS. GREGORY ORLOF.- — BEZROBODKO. — LANSKOI. — HIS SUDDEN DEATH. — CATHERINE'S INCONSOLABLE GRIEF. — AFFECTING INCIDENT AFTER HIS DEATH 171

CONTENTS. jjjii

Chapter XIV. Secret Marriage Of Catherine To Potempkin. — Yermolop Becomes

FAVOURITE. HIS INGRATITUDE TO CATHERINE. — YERMOLOF DISMISSED.—

MOMONOF BECOMES FAVOURITE. — CATHERINE PURCHASES VOLTAIRE'S LIBRARY. — HER CELEBRATED JOURNEY TO THE CRIMEA. — THE PRINCE DE LIGNE. — WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND TURKEY. — WAR WITH SWEDEN. — CATHERINE VICTORIOUS AGAINST BOTH . . . . . 184

Chapter XV

THE SIEGE AND CAPTURE OP OTCHAKOF. — SUWARROP AND REPNIN. — 'THE RUSSIANS TAKE TUTUKAY. — ISMAIL. — PRESENTS OF CATHERINE TO HER VICTORIOUS GENERALS. — DISMISSAL OF MOMONOF. — ZUBOP BECOMES FAVOURITE. — HIS FAMILY. — SINGULAR DEATH OF POTEMPKIN . 200

Chapter XVI

THE EMPRESS PROPOSES TO PURCHASE VOLTAIRE's LIBRARY. — SHE OBTAINS IT.— SHE SENDS AN EXPLORING EX^DITION TO THE NORTHERN ARCHI- PELAGO. — ANOTHER TO THE CAUCASUS. — ANOTHER TO JAPAN. — AND AN- OTHER TO CHINA. — HER TRANSACTIONS WITH THE TURKS. — POTEMPKIN AGAIN. — HIS ECCENTRICITIES. — HIS MENTAL QUALITIES. — HIS VAST WEALTH. — HIS ABSOLUTE INFLUENCE OVER CATHERINE. — HIS PHYSICAL APPEAR- AKCP. — ^ADAPTED TO GOVERN NO OTHER COUNTRY BUT RUSSIA Page 211

Chapter XVII

the duchy op courland. — history of the country. — morals of the people.— their mode of government.— catherine determines to

annex the duchy to her dominions. her political intrigues.

she succeeds in her purpose. — catherine's attention to the religious interests of her people. — the improvement op her capital.

inundations op st. petersburg. — her precautionary measures. — Various details op her administration .... 230 xiv CONTENTS.

Chapter XVIII

CATHERINE AS A DIPLOMATIST. — HER RELIGIOUS TOLERATION. — HER MEASTTRES FOB THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION. — SHE ESTABLISHES HER LOAN BANE. — "THE COURT OF CONSCIENCE." — HER IMPROVEMENTS IN RUSSIAN

JURISPRUDENCE. COM. PAUL JONES. — THE GREEK REVOLUTION. — FAILURE

OF THEIR REVOLT 241

Chapter Xix.„

FINAL DISMEMBERMENT OF POLAND RESOLVED UPON BY CATHERINE AND HER COURTIERS. — THE KING OF PRUSSIA UNITES WITH CATHERINE IN THIS PROJECT. — POLISH STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM. — KOSCIUSKO. — HEROIC BUT FUTILE STRUGGLES OP THE POLES. — KOSCIUSKO DEFENDS WARSAW. — HE IS TAKEN PRISONER. — SENT TO ST. PETERSBURG. — ASSASSINATION OP GUS- TAVUS in. OF SWEDEN. — DEATH OF JOSEPH IL OF AUSTRIA. — CATHERINE DETERMINES ON HER FINAL INVASION OF TURKEY AND ASSAULT OF CON- STANTINOPLE. — HER SUDDEN DEATH. — THE GRAND DUKE SUCCEEDS TO THE RUSSIAN THRONE. — EXAMINATION OF CATHERINE'S CHARACTER AND MERITS . 259