Interesting stories about Catherine 2. How Catherine the Great is remembered - facts

German-born Empress Catherine II loved order in everything and pedantically followed the hourly schedule of the day, which she established immediately after taking office. Considering work to be a normal state of the body, the ruler did not allow herself to be lazy, and at the age of sixty the famous phrase appeared in her diary: “I work like a horse.”

In order to have time to complete all planned tasks at a measured pace, Catherine II woke up at 05.00 in the morning and began to rule the vast Russian Empire.

Lark

Taking into account that not everyone’s biological clock is set to the “lark” rhythm, Catherine II was lenient about the relatively late awakening of the servants who appeared in her chambers to change the water in the decanter when she had already drunk the coffee she had prepared with her own hands. Turkish.

The Empress did not see anything wrong with doing something herself, according to her own taste.

For example, she drank such coffee that first the footmen, and then the stokers, brewed their drink from the grounds remaining at the bottom. In addition to the strongest morning drink, the proportion of which corresponded to a pound of powder for five cups, she loved to light the fireplace herself.

Letters

From the moment of recharging with invigorating coffee until 08:00 in the morning, Catherine II was busy with personal affairs: she wrote letters to her many philosopher friends and European monarchs, made entries in her diary, and sometimes composed fairy tales, plays, comic stories and even librettos, on the basis of which performances were staged in the yard.

In general, the Empress had a manic passion for writing; she recorded on paper all her thoughts and assignments, government projects and reminders, and believed that a day spent without a pen in hand would be wasted.

Each piece of paper on the ruler’s desk lay strictly in its place, so that she could navigate her workspace with her eyes closed.

State affairs

At 09:00, the civil service began, opening with meetings with ministers, state secretaries and senior officials, each of whom had his own regular days and hours of reception, and in case of not being punctual, could pay with his position. The ceremony of communication with the country's top leadership lasted three hours.

Women's preparations

Having familiarized herself with the latest news and offers, Catherine the Great devoted the afternoon to her toilet.

The empress, who valued naturalness in communication and appearance, did not like voluminous hairstyles, excessive makeup and uncomfortable fashionable outfits.

The hairdresser completed the styling in ten minutes - all he had to do was remove the hair, leaving small curls behind the ears.

Deliberately ignoring fashion trends, Catherine II remained true to herself and, like a real Spartan, did not welcome unnecessary frills. Without wearing jewelry in everyday life, lightly powdering her face and wearing a simple dress, the ruler of Russia went to dinner.

On the way to the dining room, she participated in the “royal exit” ritual, which consisted of talking on her feet with the nobles who were waiting for her, and also made sure to attend church. Before saturating her body with culinary creations, she ate spiritual food.

Lunch – aka breakfast and dinner

Modest in her needs, Catherine sacredly respected the commandment prohibiting gluttony, and therefore her weekday table was never replete with pickles.

Every day she tried only 3-4 dishes, among which she especially liked boiled beef and currant confiture, washed down with a glass of Rheinwine. By the way, this was the empress’s first and last substantial meal, since breakfast consisted of coffee and she did not eat dinner.

At the dinner table, the ruler indulged not only in dishes, but also had intimate, varied conversations.

Afternoon hours

In the first year of her reign, she devoted afternoons to sorting out personal and foreign correspondence and newspapers. Not wanting to let anything slip out of her own control, Catherine II compiled all oral and written reports of the ambassadors. A year later, she entrusted the role of press secretary to the relevant official, and she herself only checked, certified and approved the result of their work.

Thus, Catherine II could spend her free afternoon time on activities pleasing to her heart.

Every day in her spare time she indulged in needlework: knitting or embroidering, engraving or turning. Catherine II had a special love for reading, and she liked both to read herself and to listen to her subjects do it.

The only thing that could upset the ruler in this process was the poorly chosen book, since she was not inspired by overly dramatic and sentimental works. She showed great interest in classical literature.

Walks

Among Catherine II's priority entertainments was spring-autumn leisurely walking, which, in her opinion, calmed the nerves and helped distract from bad thoughts.

She pursued another goal in the summer, when she preferred horse riding and even hunting; the Empress was a master at shooting a gun.

Evening

The evening in the Winter Palace began at 18:00, and on ordinary days it was marked by some kind of theatrical performance, or a dinner party among friends, who, by order of Catherine II, were supposed to forget for a while about their ranks and relax at ease without regard to chain of command. Usually all noisy activities at court died down at 22:00, less often at 23:00, when Catherine the Great went to bed.

Mode Changes

Of the 34 years she spent on the throne, the empress only in her old age allowed herself the freedom to deviate from the established daily routine. First of all, the morning rise time has changed, it has shifted to 07:00, and a two-hour afternoon nap and a segment devoted to raising grandchildren have appeared in the schedule.

Catherine II is probably one of the most outstanding and respected female politicians in all of world history. Opinions about her may vary, but the fact is undeniable that she very skillfully combined the role of a wise ruler and a gentle lover. Our arrows have ripened everywhere.

You can find out how she managed to combine business with pleasure, find time for herself, her interests and ardent gentlemen by looking into her daily routine.

The empress got up at five in the morning. It sounds terrifying, but she handled it one hundred percent without much difficulty, being a morning person by nature.

In order to finally recover from sleep, every morning Catherine drank strong Turkish coffee. Moreover, the strength of the coffee was such that the remaining coffee grounds were enough for several more brews. Catherine herself loved to brew this strong drink for herself, not considering that it in any way belittled her royal dignity.

After a light breakfast the working day began. The Empress loved to write, sometimes going too far with her penchant for graphomania. She loved to compose her own works - mainly plays and poems. Catherine kept diaries with pleasure and wrote her memoirs with her own hand. And only after literary research did I look through government documents and petitions. When she was in the midst of her work, the palace was just waking up. She was condescending towards other people's love for long sleep, realizing that not everyone finds it easy to get up so early.

The paperwork went on until nine in the morning. But with 9 sleepy ministers of the Russian state, they had to overcome their desire to lie in bed longer and appear at the reception of the Empress with ready-made reports. Fortunately for the ministers, the ceremony lasted no more than three hours.

At noon, Catherine began her simple toilette: washing her face, creating a comfortable, simple hairstyle, a light layer of powder to hide the excessive redness of her face, and she was ready to go out. Her Imperial Majesty valued naturalness both in appearance and in her manner of communication.

The next constant item in her schedule was her presence at church services, where Catherine prayed fervently - each time she proved to her people that there was nothing foreign and alien left in her, and that the religion of the Russian people had become the only true one for her.

After the service - reception of foreign ambassadors and ministers.

And only after all these things - a modest lunch. She ate little and preferred boiled beef to other foods, taking care of her well-being and physical fitness. It's not so easy to fit in with young lovers.

Despite her busy schedule, she always found time to relax. Most of all she liked to listen to readings of classical works or watch modern comedies. Catherine could not stand literature that contained excessive drama and sentimentality.

She often went for walks, believing that slow, measured walking helped clear her thoughts and calm her nerves.

The Empress loved horse riding and hunting. She handled these activities as well as any man. But Catherine had more exciting interests. Her main passion was the science of love, and, to a greater extent, physical love. She treated this hobby very carefully: the Empress’s partner could only be a young, healthy man, distinguished not only by his attractive appearance, but also by his outstanding mental abilities. But there were exceptions to this rule, because love, as they say, is evil.

You will learn interesting facts about the life and reign of Catherine 2 in this article.

During the reign of Catherine the Great from 1762 to 1796, the empire's possessions expanded significantly. Of the 50 provinces, 11 were acquired during her reign. The amount of government revenue 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 in the Russian fleet increased from 20 to 67 battleships, not counting other ships. The army and navy won 78 brilliant victories that strengthened Russia's international authority.

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

To its appearance in Russiapaper money(notes) are obliged to Catherine the Second. The Russian Empress completely changed the country's economy beyond recognition. Now the Russians have learned what a state bank and loan offices are.

Another little-known fact concerns the fact that the Russian nobles, as a sign of gratitude for their service, asked the empress to register them as Germans, because they were the ones who enjoyed the most favorable benefits and privileges on Russian soil. The influx of foreigners was so great that soon the border had to be temporarily closed to their entry.

Ekaterina was adherent to a strict daily routine. She always got up early and was completely indifferent to fashionable outfits. She devoted most of her time to government affairs and... writing plays, which she asked Voltaire himself to review.

Catherine was indifferent to fashion. She didn’t notice her, and sometimes quite deliberately ignored her. On weekdays, the Empress wore a simple dress and did not wear jewelry.

Historians call Catherine one of the most humane rulers. During her time on the throne, only one single state execution occurred - that of Emelyan Pugachev, the leader of the popular revolt.

The first Great Empress of Russia voluntarily agreed to be vaccinated against smallpox. So she showed the Russian people that the vaccine, which the doctor Thomas Dimmesdale brought from London, was not at all dangerous and could cure the terrible disease from which, as we know, young Peter the Second died.

Catherine the Second was wonderful needlewoman. She easily took up knitting and embroidered real fabrics. But the empress was not very friendly with the Russian language and could make four mistakes in a three-letter word - the well-known “yet” came out from under her hand as “ischo”.

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

Empress was hot-tempered, but she 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 do her will. Her rule, according to Count Segur, was “to praise out loud and scold quietly.”

Legend has it that the death of the great Catherine occurred after a certain rogue healer advised her to take foot baths with ice water. This caused a severe shock and terrible agony that lasted 36 hours.

During her lifetime, Catherine II was called the Great, and this honorary title was retained by her in the official imperial historiography. The attitude of Russian and European society towards the most extraordinary empress of the 18th century was, however, completely ambiguous. This is quite natural - in Catherine, as well as in the entire appearance of Catherine’s Russia, incompatible traits were combined: sin and virtue, greatness and baseness, subtlety of artistic taste and vulgarity. Empress Catherine II is one of the most striking phenomena in Russian history.

1) During the reign of Catherine the Great from 1762 to 1796, the empire’s possessions expanded significantly.

Of the 50 provinces, 11 were acquired during her reign. The amount of government revenue 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 in the Russian fleet increased from 20 to 67 battleships, not counting other ships. The army and navy won 78 brilliant victories that strengthened Russia's international authority.

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.

During the entire reign of Catherine II (34 years), only two people were publicly executed. Lieutenant Vasily Mirovich tried to free the “born” Tsar Ivan VI from prison. The guards, acting according to instructions, killed the royal prisoner at the beginning of the assault on the prison. After this, Mirovich surrendered and was publicly executed in St. Petersburg “for intent against persons of the imperial house.”

Another executed man, Emelyan Pugachev, was the leader of the rebel peasants and Cossacks. Pugachev believed that the peasants would rather follow the “good” tsar than him, the Yaik Cossack (Bolotnikov and Razin, who carried self-proclaimed tsars with them, also believed). Pugachev named himself after Peter III. Pugachev said that, having signed a decree on the freedom of the nobility, Tsar Peter III also prepared a decree on the freedom of the peasantry, but the nobles did not like it. The nobles plotted to kill Tsar Peter III, but they killed another person, and the real Tsar escaped. Many believed that Pugachev had gathered a large army. The war lasted two years, but the Pugachevites could not stand up against the regular army. Pugachev was publicly executed in Moscow, and many of his supporters were executed in villages and villages - without much publicity.

During her reign from 1762 to 1796, the population of Russia increased from 30 to 44 million.

Under Catherine II, paper money began to be issued for the first time.

Catherine II's foreign policy was aggressive. The Empress believed that Russia should behave as it did during the time of Peter I.

2) The Empress’s daily routine was far from the ordinary people’s idea 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 towards the end of her life at 7 o’clock in the morning. After breakfast, the Empress received high-ranking officials and secretaries of state. The days and hours of reception for each official were constant. The working day ended at four o'clock, and it was time to rest. 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.

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

4) After lunch, the empress began to do needlework, and Ivan Ivanovich Betskoy at this time read aloud to her.
Ekaterina “masterfully sewed on canvas” and knitted. Having finished reading, she went to the Hermitage, where she sharpened bone, wood, amber, engraved, and played billiards.

5) Catherine was indifferent to fashion.
She didn’t notice her, and sometimes quite deliberately ignored her. On weekdays, the Empress wore a simple dress and did not wear jewelry.

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

7) Catherine came up with a special suit for the six-month-old Tsarevich Alexander, the pattern of which was asked from her for her own children by the Prussian prince and the Swedish king.

And for her beloved subjects, the empress came up with the cut of a Russian dress, which they were forced to wear at her court.

8) People who knew Catherine closely note her attractive appearance not only in her youth, but also in her mature years, her exceptionally friendly appearance, and ease of manner.

Baroness Elizabeth Dimmesdale, who was first introduced to her along with her husband in Tsarskoye Selo at the end of August 1781, described Catherine as “a very attractive woman with lovely expressive eyes and an intelligent look.”

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

10) 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 do her will. Her rule, according to Count Segur, was “to praise out loud and scold quietly.”

11) 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 and 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.”

12) Thomas Dimmesdale, an English doctor was called from London to introduce smallpox vaccinations in Russia.
Knowing about society's resistance to innovation, Empress Catherine II decided to set a personal example and became one of Dimmesdale's first patients. In 1768, an Englishman inoculated her and Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich with smallpox. The recovery of the empress and her son became a significant event in the life of the Russian court.

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

14) The Empress read and wrote in German, French and Russian, but made many mistakes.
Catherine was aware of this and once admitted to one of her secretaries that “I 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 “yet,” she wrote “ischo.”

15) Long before her death, Catherine composed an epitaph for her future tombstone: “Here lies Catherine the Second. She arrived in Russia in 1744 to marry Peter III. At the age of fourteen, she made a threefold decision: to please her husband, Elizabeth and the people. She left no stone unturned to achieve success in this regard. Eighteen years of boredom and loneliness prompted 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 easily forgave and did not hate anyone. She was forgiving, loved life, had a cheerful disposition, was a true Republican in her convictions and had a kind heart. She had friends. The work was easy for her. She liked social entertainment and the arts."

More facts:
Under Catherine II, the Bronze Horseman was built. On the stone that served as the basis for the figure of the horseman, the inscription was made: “To Peter the Great, Catherine the Second.”

Tsarina Catherine II made sure that her court was lush. The clothes of the courtiers were covered in diamonds - diamonds were on buttons, on hats, on shoes, on ties. Catherine II even played cards for diamonds (at that time 1 carat cost 100 rubles). In the state rooms of the palaces one could see the bright uniforms of field marshals.

In the life of the empress there were thirteen men, including her husband, relationships with whom are documented.

Besides Pavel, Catherine had a son from Count Orlov, Bobrinsky, Alexey Grigorievich.

Catherine II loved to sniff tobacco; she always did it with her left hand, since her right hand was kissed by her loyal subjects (this was a mandatory ceremony).

Tsarina Catherine II generously gave lands, peasants, money, diamonds to her favorites, as well as to persons whom she considered necessary to reward or encourage. After her death, a national debt was discovered that took three years to cover. 30,000 unresolved cases were also discovered.

Catherine II lived longer than any of the Russian tsars; she died at the age of 67.

The TV series “Catherine” was released, and in connection with this, there is a surge of interest in the controversial figures of Russian history, 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, loved to play toy soldiers and wanted to baptize Russia according to the Protestant rite. His mysterious death led to the emergence of a whole galaxy of impostors.

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

The boy, who was orphaned early, spent his childhood with his uncle, Bishop Adolf of Eitin, where he was instilled with hatred of Russia. He did not know Russian and was baptized according to Protestant custom. True, he also did not know any other languages ​​besides his native German, and 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, no one really needed the sickly young man: neither his aunt-empress, nor his teachers, nor, subsequently, his wife. Everyone was only interested in his origins; 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, primarily toy soldiers. Can we accuse him of being childish? 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, his priorities do not change with age. He continued to play, but secretly. Ekaterina writes: “During the day, his toys were hidden in and under my bed. The Grand Duke went to bed first after dinner and, as soon as we were in bed, Kruse (the maid) locked the door, and then the Grand Duke played until one or two in the morning.”

Over time, toys become larger and more dangerous. Peter is allowed to order 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 were too different in character and interests. The more intelligent and educated Catherine ridicules 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. on the obverse lower left: le .. fevr./ 1746
Madam, this night I ask you not to inconvenience yourself by sleeping with me, since the time to deceive me has passed. After living apart for two weeks, the bed became too narrow. This afternoon. Your most unfortunate husband, whom you will never deign to call Peter.
February 1746, ink on paper

Peter’s marital duty was also not going smoothly, as 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 not born 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 troubles. That’s why Catherine received the ironic nickname “Mistress Help” from her husband.

But it was not only children's games that distracted Peter from his marital 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 Peter III’s beloved.

The future emperor could take any court beauty as his favorite, but his choice fell, nevertheless, on this “fat and awkward” maid of honor. Is love 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 funny. 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, tolerated 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 gave his idol secret documents, information about the number and location of Russian troops! Upon learning of this, Elizabeth was furious, but she forgave her dim-witted nephew a lot for the sake of his mother, her beloved sister.

Why does the heir to the Russian throne so openly help 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 loved him and spoke 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 during the six months of his reign he managed, contrary to everyone’s opinion, to do a lot. Assessments of his reign vary widely: 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 terms unfavorable for Russia. This caused discontent in army circles. But then his “Manifesto on the Liberty of the Nobility” gave the aristocracy enormous privileges. At the same time, he issued laws prohibiting the torture and killing of serfs, and stopped the persecution of 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 absurd fantasies about the baptism of Rus' according to the Protestant model. The Guard, the main support and support of the Russian emperors, took the side of Catherine. In his palace in Orienbaum, Peter signed a renunciation.

Tombs of Peter III and Catherine II in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.
The head slabs of the buried bear 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 for nothing that Emperor Paul compared himself to Hamlet: throughout the entire reign of Catherine II, the shadow of her deceased husband could not find peace. But was the empress guilty of the death of her husband?

According to the official version, Peter III died of illness. He was not in good health, and the unrest associated with the coup and abdication could have killed a stronger person. But the sudden and so quick death of Peter - a week after the overthrow - caused a lot of speculation. For example, there is a legend according to which the emperor’s killer was Catherine’s favorite Alexei Orlov.

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.

During his reign Catherine II Alekseevna the Great(nee Sophia Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst) from 1762 to 1796 the empire's possessions expanded significantly. Of the 50 provinces, 11 were acquired during her reign. The amount of government revenue 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 in the Russian fleet increased from 20 to 67 battleships, not counting other ships. The army and navy won 78 brilliant victories that strengthened Russia's international authority.

Anna Rosina de Gasc (née Lisiewski) Princess Sophia Augusta Friederike, 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. Moreover, during her reign, only one execution was carried out - the leader of the peasant uprising, Emelyan Pugachev.

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

The Empress's daily routine was far from the ordinary people's idea 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 towards the end of her life even at 7 o'clock in the morning. After breakfast, the Empress received high-ranking officials and secretaries of state. The days and hours of reception for each official were constant. The working day ended at four o'clock, and it was time to rest. 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 food for the Empress (for comparison: a soldier’s salary during the reign of Catherine was only 7 rubles a year). The favorite dish was boiled beef with pickles, and currant juice was consumed as a drink. For dessert, preference was given to apples and cherries.

After lunch, the Empress began to do needlework, and Ivan Ivanovich Betskoy read aloud to her at this time. Ekaterina “masterfully sewed on canvas” and knitted. Having finished reading, she went to the Hermitage, where she sharpened bone, wood, amber, engraved, and played billiards.

Artist Ilyas Faizullin. Visit of Catherine II to Kazan

Catherine was indifferent to fashion. She didn’t notice her, and sometimes quite deliberately ignored her. On 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 “review.”

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

Portrait of Alexander Pavlovich, Jean Louis Veil

People who knew Catherine closely note her attractive appearance not only in her youth, but also in her mature years, her exceptionally friendly appearance, and ease of manner. Baroness Elizabeth Dimmesdale, who was first introduced to her along with her husband in Tsarskoe Selo at the end of August 1781, described Catherine as: “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 great sensitivity and appearance, if not beautiful, then at least attractive. I liked it the first time and did not use any art or 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 do her will. Her rule, according to Count Segur, was “to praise out loud and scold quietly.”

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 and 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 Dimmesdale, an English doctor was called from London to introduce smallpox vaccinations in Russia. Knowing about society's resistance to innovation, Empress Catherine II decided to set a personal example and became one of Dimmesdale's first patients. In 1768, an Englishman inoculated her and Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich with smallpox. The recovery of the empress and her son became a significant event in the life of the Russian court.

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

The Empress read and wrote in German, French and Russian, but made many mistakes. Catherine was aware of this and once admitted to one of her secretaries that “I 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 “yet,” she wrote “ischo.”

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

Long before her death, Catherine composed an epitaph for her future tombstone: “Here lies Catherine the Second. She arrived in Russia in 1744 to marry Peter III. At the age of fourteen, she made a threefold decision: to please her husband, Elizabeth and the people. She left no stone unturned to achieve success in this regard. Eighteen years of boredom and loneliness prompted 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 easily forgave and did not hate anyone. She was forgiving, loved life, had a cheerful disposition, was a true Republican in her convictions and had a kind heart. She had friends. The work was easy for her. She liked social entertainment and the arts."