Peter I through the eyes of foreign artists. Peter I: biography in portraits War with Turkey and the end of the Northern War
PETER I
Peter I the Great (1672-1725), founder Russian Empire, occupies a unique place in the history of the country. His deeds, both great and terrible, are well known and there is no point in listing them. I wanted to write about the lifetime images of the first emperor, and which of them can be considered reliable.
First of famous portraits Peter I is placed in the so-called. "Tsar's Titular Book" or "The Root of Russian Sovereigns", a richly illustrated manuscript created by the embassy order as a reference book on history, diplomacy and heraldry and containing many watercolor portraits. Peter is depicted as a child, even before ascending the throne, apparently at the end. 1670s - early 1680s. The history of this portrait and its authenticity are unknown.
Portraits of Peter I by Western European masters:
1685- engraving from an unknown original; created in Paris by Larmessen and depicts Tsars Ivan and Peter Alekseevich. The original was brought from Moscow by ambassadors - Prince. Ya.F. Dolgoruky and Prince. Myshetsky. The only known reliable image of Peter I before the coup of 1689.
1697- Portrait of work Sir Godfrey Kneller (1648-1723), court painter English king, undoubtedly painted from life. The portrait is in the English royal collection of paintings, at Hampton Court Palace. The catalog notes that the background of the painting was painted by Wilhelm van de Velde, a marine painter. According to contemporaries, the portrait was very similar; several copies were made from it; the most famous, the work of A. Belli, is in the Hermitage. This portrait served as the basis for the creation of a huge number of very different images of the king (sometimes faintly similar to the original).
OK. 1697- Portrait of work Pieter van der Werff (1665-1718), the history of its writing is unknown, but most likely it happened during Peter’s first stay in Holland. Purchased by Baron Budberg in Berlin and presented as a gift to Emperor Alexander II. It was located in the Tsarskoye Selo Palace, now in the State Hermitage.
OK. 1700-1704 engraving by Adrian Schonebeck from a portrait by an unknown artist. Original unknown.
1711- Portrait by Johann Kupetsky (1667-1740), painted from life in Carlsbad. According to D. Rovinsky, the original was in the Braunschweig Museum. Vasilchikov writes that the location of the original is unknown. I reproduce the famous engraving from this portrait - the work of Bernard Vogel, 1737.
A reworked version of this type of portrait depicted the king in full height and was in the hall of the General Assembly of the Governing Senate. Now located in the Mikhailovsky Castle in St. Petersburg.
1716- portrait of work Benedicta Cofra, court painter of the Danish king. It was most likely written in the summer or autumn of 1716, when the Tsar was on a long visit to Copenhagen. Peter is depicted wearing St. Andrew's ribbon and the Danish Order of the Elephant around his neck. Until 1917 it was in Peter's Palace in the Summer Garden, now in the Peterhof Palace.
1717- portrait of work Carla Moora, who wrote to the king during his stay in The Hague, where he arrived for treatment. From the correspondence of Peter and his wife Catherine, it is known that the Tsar really liked the portrait of Moor and was bought by the prince. B. Kurakin and sent from France to St. Petersburg. I will reproduce the most famous engraving - the work of Jacob Houbraken. According to some reports, Moore's original is now in a private collection in France.
1717- portrait of work Arnold de Gelder (1685-1727), Dutch artist, student of Rembrandt. Written during Peter's stay in Holland, but there is no information that it was painted from life. The original is in the Amsterdam Museum.
1717- Portrait of work Jean-Marc Nattier (1686-1766), a famous French artist, was written during Peter’s visit to Paris, undoubtedly from life. It was purchased and sent to St. Petersburg, and later hung in the Tsarskoye Selo Palace. Now it is in the Hermitage, however, there is no complete certainty that this is an original painting and not a copy.
At the same time (in 1717 in Paris), the famous portrait painter Hyacinthe Rigaud painted Peter, but this portrait disappeared without a trace.
Portraits of Peter, painted by his court artists:
Johann Gottfried Tannauer (1680-c1737), Saxon, studied painting in Venice, court artist from 1711. According to entries in the "Jurnal" it is known that Peter posed for him in 1714 and 1722.
1714(?) - The original has not survived, only the engraving made by Wortmann exists.
A very similar portrait was recently discovered in the German city of Bad Pyrmont.
L. Markina writes: “The author of these lines introduced into scientific circulation an image of Peter from the collection of the palace in Bad Pyrmont (Germany), which recalls the visit of this resort town by the Russian emperor. Ceremonial portrait, which bore the features of a natural image, was considered the work of an unknown artist XVIII century. At the same time, the expression of the image, the interpretation of details, and the baroque pathos revealed the hand of a skilled craftsman.
Peter I spent June 1716 undergoing hydrotherapy in Bad Pyrmont, which had a beneficial effect on his health. As a token of gratitude, the Russian Tsar presented Prince Anton Ulrich Waldeck-Pyrmont with his portrait, which had been in private possession for a long time. Therefore, the work was not known to Russian specialists. Documentary evidence detailing all the important meetings during the treatment of Peter I in Bad Pyrmont did not mention the fact of his posing for any local or visiting painter. The Russian Tsar's retinue numbered 23 people and was quite representative. However, in the list of persons accompanying Peter, where the confessor and cook were indicated, the Hofmaler was not listed. It is logical to assume that Peter brought with him a finished image that he liked and reflected his idea of the ideal monarch. Comparison of engravings by H.A. Wortman, which was based on the original brush by I.G. Tannauer 1714, allowed us to attribute the portrait from Bad Pyrmont to this German artist. Our attribution was accepted by our German colleagues, and the portrait of Peter the Great as the work of I. G. Tannauer was included in the exhibition catalogue."
1716- The history of creation is unknown. By order of Nicholas I, it was sent from St. Petersburg to Moscow in 1835, and was kept rolled up for a long time. A fragment of Tannauer's signature has survived. Located in the Moscow Kremlin Museum.
1710s Profile portrait, previously mistakenly considered to be the work of Kupetsky. The portrait was damaged by an unsuccessful attempt to renew the eyes. Located in the State Hermitage.
1724(?), Equestrian portrait, called "Peter I in the Battle of Poltava", purchased in the 1860s by Prince. A.B. Lobanov-Rostovsky from the family of the deceased chamber-fourier in a neglected state. After cleaning, Tannauer's signature was discovered. Now located in the State Russian Museum.
Louis Caravaque (1684-1754), a Frenchman, studied painting in Marseille, became a court painter in 1716. According to contemporaries, his portraits were very similar. According to entries in the "Jurnal", Peter painted from life in 1716 and in 1723. Unfortunately, the indisputable original portraits of Peter painted by Caravaque have not survived; only copies and engravings from his works have reached us.
1716- According to some information, it was written during Peter’s stay in Prussia. The original has not survived, but there is an engraving by Afanasyev, from a drawing by F. Kinel.
A not very successful copy from this portrait (added by ships of the allied fleet), created by an unknown person. artist, is now in the collection of the Central Naval Museum of St. Petersburg. (D. Rovinsky considered this painting to be original).
A version of the same portrait, which came to the Hermitage in 1880 from the Velika Remeta monastery in Croatia, probably created by an unknown German artist. The king's face is very similar to that painted by Caravaque, but the costume and pose are different. The origin of this portrait is unknown.
1723- the original has not survived, only an engraving by Soubeyran exists. According to "Jurnal", written during the stay of Peter I in Astrakhan. The last lifetime portrait of the Tsar.
This portrait of Caravacca served as the basis for a painting by Jacopo Amiconi (1675-1758), written around 1733 for the prince. Antioch Cantemir, which is located in the Peter's throne room of the Winter Palace.
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Ivan Nikitich Nikitin (1680-1742), the first Russian portrait painter, studied in Florence, became the tsar's court artist around 1715. There is still no complete certainty about which portraits of Peter were painted by Nikitin. From "Jurnale" it is known that the tsar posed for Nikitin at least twice - in 1715 and 1721.
S. Moiseeva writes: “There was a special order from Peter, which ordered people from the royal entourage to have his portrait by Ivan Nikitin in their house, and to charge the artist one hundred rubles for the execution of the portrait. However, royal portraits that could be compared with the creative handwriting I. Nikitin, almost did not survive. On April 30, 1715, the following was written in the “Journal of Peter”: “His Majesty’s half persona was painted by Ivan Nikitin.” Based on this, art historians were looking for a half-length portrait of Peter I. In the end, it was suggested that this the portrait should be considered “Portrait of Peter against the backdrop of a naval battle" (Tsarskoe Selo Museum-Reserve). For a long time, this work was attributed to either Caravaque or Tannauer. When studying the portrait by A. M. Kuchumov, it turned out that the canvas has three later binders - two above and one below, thanks to which the portrait became generational. A. M. Kuchumov cited the surviving account of the painter I. Ya. Vishnyakov about the addition to the portrait of His Imperial Majesty “against the portrait of Her Imperial Majesty.” Apparently, in the middle of the 18th century, the need arose to rehang the portraits, and I.Ya. Vishnyakov was given the task of increasing the size of the portrait of Peter I in accordance with the size of the portrait of Catherine. “Portrait of Peter I against the backdrop of a naval battle” is stylistically very close - here we can already talk about the iconographic type of I. N. Nikitin - the relatively recently discovered portrait of Peter from a Florentine private collection, painted in 1717. Peter is depicted in the same pose; noteworthy is the similarity in the writing of the folds and the landscape background."
Unfortunately, I could not find a good reproduction of “Peter against the backdrop of a naval battle” from Tsarskoye Selo (before 1917 in the Romanov Gallery of the Winter Palace). I will reproduce what I managed to get. Vasilchikov considered this portrait to be the work of Tannauer.
1717 - Portrait attributed to I. Nikitin and located in the collection of the Financial Department of Florence, Italy.
Portrait presented to Emperor Nicholas I c. S.S. Uvarov, who inherited it from his father-in-law, Gr. A.K. Razumovsky. Vasilchikov writes: “The legend of the Razumovsky family said that while Peter was in Paris, he went into the studio of Rigaud, who was painting a portrait of him, did not find him at home, saw his unfinished portrait, cut out his head from a large canvas with a knife and took it with him. gave it to his daughter Elizaveta Petrovna, and she, in turn, bestowed it on Count Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky.” Some researchers consider this portrait to be the work of I. Nikitin. Until 1917 it was kept in the Romanov Gallery of the Winter Palace; now in the Russian Museum.
Received from the Strogonov collection. In the Hermitage catalogs compiled in the mid-19th century, the authorship of this portrait is attributed to A.M. Matveev (1701-1739), however, he returned to Russia only in 1727 and could not paint Peter from life and, most likely, only made a copy from Moore's original for bar.S.G. Stroganov. Vasilchikov considered this portrait to be Moor’s original. This is contradicted by the fact that according to all surviving engravings from Moora, Peter is depicted in armor. Rovinsky considered this portrait to be Rigaud’s missing work.
References:
V. Stasov "Gallery of Peter the Great" St. Petersburg 1903
D. Rovinsky "Detailed dictionary of Russian engraved portraits" vol. 3 St. Petersburg, 1888
D. Rovinsky “Materials for Russian iconography” vol.1.
A. Vasilchikov "On portraits of Peter the Great" M 1872
S. Moiseev "On the history of the iconography of Peter I" (article).
L. Markin "RUSSIA of Peter's time" (article)
He fearlessly introduced new traditions into Russia, opening a “window” to Europe. But one “tradition” would probably be the envy of all Western autocrats. After all, as you know, “no king can marry for love.” But Peter the Great, the first Russian emperor, was able to challenge society, neglect the brides of the noble family and princesses of Western European countries and marry for love...
Peter was not even 17 years old when his mother decided to marry him. An early marriage, according to Queen Natalya’s calculations, was supposed to significantly change the position of her son, and with him, herself. According to the custom of that time, a young man became an adult after marriage. Consequently, married Peter will no longer need the care of his sister Sophia; the time of his reign will come, he will move from Preobrazhensky to the chambers of the Kremlin.
In addition, by marrying the mother hoped to settle down her son, tie him to the family hearth, distract him from the German settlement, where foreign traders and craftsmen lived, and hobbies that were not characteristic of the tsar's office. With a hasty marriage, they finally tried to protect the interests of Peter’s descendants from the claims of the possible heirs of his co-ruler Ivan, who by this time was already a married man and was waiting for the addition of his family.
Evdokia Lopukhina
Tsarina Natalya herself found a bride for her son - the beautiful Evdokia Lopukhina, according to a contemporary, “a princess with a fair face, only an average mind and a dissimilar disposition to her husband.” The same contemporary noted that “there was a fair amount of love between them, but it only lasted for a year.”
It is possible that the cooling between the spouses began even earlier, because a month after the wedding, Peter left Evdokia and went to Lake Pereyaslavl to engage in sea fun.
Anna Mons
In the German settlement, the tsar met the daughter of a wine merchant, Anna Mons. One contemporary believed that this “girl was pretty and smart,” while another, on the contrary, found that she was “of mediocre sharpness and intelligence.”
It’s hard to say which of them is right, but cheerful, loving, resourceful, always ready to joke, dance or support small talk, Anna Mons was the complete opposite of the Tsar’s wife - a limited beauty, depressing with her slavish obedience and blind adherence to antiquity. Peter gave preference to Mons and free time spent in her company.
Several letters from Evdokia to Peter and not a single answer from the king have been preserved. In 1689, when Peter went to Lake Pereyaslavl, Evdokia addressed him with with gentle words: “Hello, my light, for many years. We ask for mercy, please, sir, come to us without delay. And by my mother’s grace I am alive. Your fiance Dunka hits him with his forehead.”
In another letter addressed to “my sweetheart,” “your fiancé Dunka,” who was not yet aware of the imminent breakup, asked permission to come to her husband on a date. Two letters from Evdokia date back to a later time - 1694, and the last of them is full of sadness and loneliness of a woman who is well aware that she has been abandoned for another.
There was no longer an appeal to “sweetheart” in them, the wife did not hide her bitterness and could not resist reproaches, called herself “merciless”, complained that she did not receive “a single line” in response to her letters. The birth of a son in 1690, named Alexei, did not strengthen family ties.
She retired from the Suzdal monastery, where she spent 18 years. Having gotten rid of his wife, Peter showed no interest in her, and she got the opportunity to live as she wanted. Instead of the meager monastery food, she was served dishes delivered by numerous relatives and friends. About ten years later she took a lover...
Only on March 6, 1711, it was announced that Peter had a new legal wife, Ekaterina Alekseevna.
Ekaterina Alekseevna’s real name is Marta. During the siege of Marienburg by Russian troops in 1702, Martha, Pastor Gluck's servant, was captured. For some time she was the mistress of a non-commissioned officer, Field Marshal Sheremetev noticed her, and Menshikov also liked her.
Menshikov called her Ekaterina Trubcheva, Katerina Vasilevskaya. She received Alekseevna's patronymic in 1708, when at her baptism Tsarevich Alexei acted as godfather.
Ekaterina Alekseevna (Marta Skavronskaya)
Peter met Catherine in 1703 at Menshikov's. Fate prepared for the former maid the role of a concubine, and then the wife of an extraordinary man. Beautiful, charming and courteous, she quickly won Peter's heart.
What happened to Anna Mons? The tsar's relationship with her lasted more than ten years and ended through no fault of his - the favorite took a lover. When Peter became aware of this, he said: “To love the king, you had to have the king in your head,” and ordered her to be kept under house arrest.
The Prussian envoy Keyserling was an admirer of Anna Mons. An interesting description is given of Keyserling’s meeting with Peter and Menshikov, during which the envoy asked permission to marry Mons.
In response to Keyserling’s request, the king said, “that he raised the maiden Mons for himself, with the sincere intention of marrying her, but since she was seduced and corrupted by me, he does not want to hear or know about her or her relatives.” " Menshikov added that “the girl Mons is really vile, a public woman with whom he himself debauched.” Menshikov's servants beat Keyserling and threw him down the stairs.
In 1711, Keyserling still managed to marry Anna Mons, but he died six months later. The former favorite tried to get married again, but death from consumption prevented this.
Secret wedding of Peter the Great and Ekaterina Alekseevna.
Catherine differed from Anna Mons in her heroic health, which allowed her to easily endure the grueling life of a camp and, at the first call of Peter, to overcome many hundreds of miles of off-road terrain. Catherine, in addition, possessed extraordinary physical strength.
Chamberlain Berkholz described how the Tsar once joked with one of his orderlies, young Buturlin, who ordered him to raise his large marshal's baton at arm's length. He couldn't do this. “Then His Majesty, knowing how strong the Empress’s hand was, gave her his staff across the table. She stood up and with extraordinary dexterity lifted it several times above the table with her straight hand, which surprised us all a lot.”
Catherine became necessary for Peter, and the Tsar’s letters to her quite eloquently reflect the growth of his affection and respect. “Come to Kyiv without delay,” the Tsar wrote to Catherine from Zhovkva in January 1707. “For God’s sake, come quickly, and if there’s something you can’t get there soon, write back, because it saddens me that I neither hear nor see you,” he wrote from St. Petersburg.
The Tsar showed concern for Catherine and his illegitimate daughter Anna. “If anything happens to me by the will of God,” he made a written order at the beginning of 1708 before going into the army, “then three thousand rubles, which are now in the courtyard of Mr. Prince Menshikov, should be given to Ekaterina Vasilevskaya and the girl.”
A new stage in the relationship between Peter and Catherine began after she became his wife. In letters after 1711, the familiarly rude “hello, mother!” was replaced by a gentle: “Katerinushka, my friend, hello.”
Not only the form of address changed, but also the tone of the notes: instead of laconic letters of command, similar to an officer’s command to his subordinates, like “when this informer comes to you, come here without delay,” letters began to come expressing tender feelings for a loved one .
In one of his letters, Peter advised to be careful during the trip to him: “For God’s sake, travel carefully and do not go a hundred fathoms away from the battalions.” Her husband brought her joy an expensive gift, or overseas delicacies.
170 letters from Peter to Catherine have survived. Only very few of them are of a business nature. However, in them, the king did not burden his wife with any instructions to carry out anything or check the completion of the task by someone else, nor with a request to give advice, he only informed him about what had happened - about the battles won, about his health.
“I finished the course yesterday, the waters, thank God, worked pretty well; what will happen after? - he wrote from Carlsbad, or: “Katerinushka, my friend, hello! I hear that you are bored, and I am not bored either, but we can reason that there is no need to change things for boredom.”
Empress Ekaterina Alekseevna
In a word, Catherine enjoyed the love and respect of Peter. To marry an unknown captive and neglect the brides of the boyar family or the princesses of Western European countries was a challenge to customs, a rejection of time-honored traditions. But Peter did not allow himself such challenges.
Declaring Catherine as his wife, Peter also thought about the future of his daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, who lived with her: “I am forced to take this unknown path, so that if the orphans remain, they could have their own lives.”
Catherine was endowed with inner tact and a subtle understanding of the character of her hot-tempered husband. When the king was in a state of rage, no one dared to approach him. It seems that she was the only one who knew how to calm the Tsar, to look into his eyes blazing with anger without fear.
The splendor of the court did not overshadow in her memory the memories of her origin.
“The Tsar,” wrote a contemporary, “could not marvel at her ability and ability to transform, as he put it, into an empress, not forgetting that she was not born one. They often traveled together, but always on separate trains, one distinguished by the majesty of its simplicity, the other by its luxury. He loved to see her everywhere.
There was no military review, ship launching, ceremony or holiday at which she did not appear.” Another foreign diplomat also had the opportunity to observe Peter’s display of attentiveness and warmth towards his wife: “After dinner, the Tsar and Tsarina opened a ball, which lasted about three hours; the king often danced with the queen and the little princesses and kissed them many times; on this occasion, he discovered great tenderness for the queen, and it can be said in fairness that, despite the unknown of her family, she is fully worthy of the mercy of such a great monarch.”
This diplomat gave the only description of Catherine’s appearance that has reached us, coinciding with her portrait image: “At the present moment (1715) she has a pleasant plumpness; her complexion is very white with an admixture of natural, somewhat bright blush, her eyes are black and small, her hair of the same color is long and thick, her neck and arms are beautiful, her facial expression is meek and very pleasant.”
Catherine really did not forget about her past. In one of her letters to her husband we read: “Although you have new ports, you don’t forget the old one,” - so she jokingly reminded that at one time she was a laundress. In general, she coped with the role of the king’s wife easily and naturally, as if she had been taught this role since childhood.
“His Majesty loved the female sex,” noted one of his contemporaries. The same contemporary recorded the king’s reasoning: “Forgetting service for the sake of a woman is unforgivable. To be a prisoner of a mistress is worse than to be a prisoner in war; the enemy may sooner have freedom, but the woman’s fetters will last for a long time.”
Catherine was condescending towards her husband’s fleeting connections and even supplied him with “ladies.” Once, while abroad, Peter sent a response to Catherine’s letter, in which she jokingly reproached him for having intimate relationships with other women. “Why joke about fun, we don’t have that, since we are old people and not like that.”
“Because,” the Tsar wrote to his wife in 1717, “the doctor forbids using water while drinking water at home, so for this reason I sent my metres to you.” Catherine’s answer was composed in the same spirit: “And I remember more that you deigned to send her (the little lady) for her illness, in which she still remains, and for treatment she deigned to go to The Hague; and I wouldn’t want, God forbid, for that little lady’s galan to come as healthy as she came.”
Nevertheless, his chosen one had to fight with rivals even after her marriage to Peter and accession to the throne, because even then some of them threatened her position as wife and empress. In 1706, in Hamburg, Peter promised the daughter of a Lutheran pastor to divorce Catherine, since the pastor agreed to give his daughter only to her legal spouse.
Shafirov has already received orders to prepare all the necessary documents. But, unfortunately for herself, the too trusting bride agreed to taste the joys of Hymen before his torch was lit. After this, she was escorted out, paying her a thousand ducats.
Chernysheva Avdotya Ivanovna (Evdokia Rzhevskaya)
The heroine of another, less fleeting hobby was, it is believed, very close to a decisive victory and to a high position. Evdokia Rzhevskaya was the daughter of one of the first adherents of Peter, whose family in antiquity and nobility competed with the Tatishchev family.
As a fifteen-year-old girl, she was abandoned on the tsar’s bed, and at sixteen, Peter married her to officer Chernyshev, who was looking for a promotion, and did not break ties with her. Evdokia had four daughters and three sons from the king; at least he was called the father of these children. But, taking into account Evdokia’s overly frivolous disposition, Peter’s paternal rights were more than doubtful.
This greatly reduced her chances as a favorite. If you believe the scandalous chronicle, she only managed to achieve the famous order: “Go and whip Avdotya.” Such an order was given to her husband by her lover, who fell ill and considered Evdokia to be the culprit of his illness. Peter usually called Chernysheva: “Avdotya boy-baba.” Her mother was the famous “Prince-Abbess”.
The adventure with Evdokia Rzhevskaya would not be of any interest if it were one of a kind. But, unfortunately, her legendary image is very typical, which is the sad interest of this page of history; Evdokia personified an entire era and an entire society.
The illegitimate offspring of Peter are equal in number to the offspring of Louis XIV, although perhaps the legend exaggerates a little. For example, the illegality of the origin of the sons of Mrs. Stroganova, not to mention others, has not been historically verified by anything. It is only known that their mother, née Novosiltseva, was a participant in orgies, had a cheerful disposition and drank bitter drinks.
Maria Hamilton before her execution
The story of another maid of honor, Maria Hamilton, is very interesting. It goes without saying that the sentimental romance created from this story by the imagination of some writers remains fantasy novel. Hamilton was, apparently, a rather vulgar creature, and Peter did not betray himself, showing his love for her in his own way.
As is known, one of the branches of a large Scottish family that competed with the Douglass moved to Russia in the era preceding the great emigrant movement in the 17th century and approaching the time of Ivan the Terrible. This family became related to many Russian families and seemed completely Russified long before the accession of the reformer tsar to the throne. Maria Hamilton was the granddaughter of Natalia Naryshkina's adoptive father, Artamon Matveev. She was not bad-looking and, having been accepted into the court, shared the fate of many like her. She caused only a fleeting flash of passion in Peter.
Having taken possession of her in passing, Peter immediately abandoned her, and she consoled herself with the royal orderlies. Maria Hamilton was pregnant several times, but she tried all sorts of ways to get rid of children. In order to tie one of her casual lovers to herself, young Orlov, a rather insignificant man who treated her rudely and robbed her, she stole money and jewelry from the empress.
All her big and small crimes were discovered completely by accident. A rather important document disappeared from the king's office. Suspicion fell on Orlov, since he knew about this document and spent the night outside the house. Called to the sovereign for questioning, he became frightened and imagined that he was in trouble because of his connection with Hamilton. With a cry of “guilty!” he fell to his knees and repented of everything, telling about the thefts he had taken advantage of and the infanticides known to him. The investigation and trial began.
The unfortunate Maria was accused mainly of making malicious speeches against the empress, whose too good complexion caused her ridicule. Indeed, a serious crime... Whatever they say, this time Catherine showed quite a lot of good nature. She herself interceded on behalf of the criminal and even forced Tsarina Praskovya, who enjoyed great influence, to stand up for her.
The intercession of Queen Praskovya was all the more significant because everyone knew how little she usually was inclined to mercy. According to the concepts of old Rus', there were many mitigating circumstances for such crimes as infanticide, and Tsarina Praskovya was in many respects a real Russian of the old school.
But the sovereign turned out to be inexorable: “He does not want to be either Saul or Ahab, violating the Divine law out of an impulse of kindness.” Did he really respect God's laws that much? Maybe. But he got it into his head that several soldiers had been taken away from him, and this was an unforgivable crime. Maria Hamilton was tortured several times in the presence of the king, but until the very end she refused to give the name of her accomplice. The latter thought only about how to justify himself, and accused her of all sins. It cannot be said that this ancestor of Catherine II’s future favorites behaved like a hero.
On March 14, 1714, Maria Hamilton went to the scaffold, as Scherer said, “in a white dress decorated with black ribbons.” Peter, who was very fond of theatrical effects, could not help but respond to this last trick of dying coquetry. He had the courage to be present at the execution and, since he could never remain a passive spectator, took direct part in it.
He kissed the condemned woman, exhorted her to pray, supported her in his arms when she lost consciousness, and then left. This was the signal. When Maria raised her head, the king had already been replaced by the executioner. Scherer reported stunning details: “When the ax had done its job, the king returned, raised his bloody head, which had fallen into the mud, and calmly began to lecture on anatomy, naming to those present all the organs affected by the ax and insisting on cutting the spine. Having finished, he touched his lips to the pale lips that he had once covered with completely different kisses, threw his head to Mary, crossed himself and left.”
It is highly doubtful that the favorite Peter Menshikov, as some claimed, would have found it appropriate to take part in the trial and condemnation of the unfortunate Hamilton in order to protect the interests of his patron Catherine. This rival was not at all dangerous to her. Some time later, Catherine found reasons for more serious concern. Campredon's dispatch dated June 8, 1722 says: “The queen fears that if the princess gives birth to a son, the king, at the request of the Wallachian ruler, will divorce his wife and marry his mistress.”
It was about Maria Cantemir.
Maria Cantemir
Hospodar Dmitry Cantemir, who was Peter's ally during the unfortunate campaign of 1711, lost his possessions at the conclusion of the Prut Treaty. Having found shelter in St. Petersburg, he languished there awaiting the compensation for losses promised to him. For quite a long time it seemed that his daughter would reward him for what he had lost.
When Peter set off on a campaign against Persia in 1722, his love affair with Maria Cantemir had been dragging on for several years and seemed close to a denouement that would be fatal for Catherine. Both women accompanied the king during the campaign. But Maria was forced to stay in Astrakhan because she was pregnant. This further strengthened the confidence of her followers in her victory.
After the death of little Peter Petrovich, Catherine no longer had a son whom Peter could make his heir. It was assumed that if, upon the king’s return from the campaign, Cantemir gave him a son, then Peter would, without hesitation, get rid of his second wife in the same way as he got rid of his first. According to Scherer, Catherine’s friends found a way to get rid of the danger: when Peter returned, he found his mistress seriously ill after a premature birth; they even feared for her life.
Catherine was triumphant, and the romance, which had almost destroyed her, seemed henceforth doomed to the same vulgar end as all the previous ones. Shortly before the death of the sovereign, one obsequious subject, similar to Chernyshev and Rumyantsev, proposed, “for appearance’s sake,” to marry the princess, still loved by Peter, although she had lost her ambitious hopes.
Fate successfully brought Catherine out of all trials. The ceremonial coronation made her position completely unattainable. The mistress's honor was rehabilitated by marriage, and the position of the wife, vigilantly guarding the family hearth, and the empress, sharing all the honors bestowed upon high rank, elevated her completely and gave her a very special place among the disorderly crowd of women, where the maids from the hotel walked hand in hand with their daughters Scottish lords and with the Moldovan-Wlach princesses. And suddenly, among this entire crowd, a completely unexpected image appeared, the image of a chaste and respected friend.
The noble Polish lady who appeared in this role, Slavic by origin, but who received a Western upbringing, was charming in the full sense of the word. Peter enjoyed the company of Mrs. Senyavskaya in the Yavorov gardens. They spent many hours together building the barge, walking on the water, and talking. It was a real idyll. Elizaveta Senyavskaya,
nee Princess Lubomirska, was the wife of Crown Hetman Sieniawski, a strong supporter of Augustus against Leszczynski. She passed through the rebellious life of a brutal conqueror without being slandered. Peter admired not so much her rather mediocre beauty as her rare intelligence. He enjoyed her company.
He listened to her advice, which sometimes put him in a difficult position, since she supported Leshchinsky, but not the tsar’s protégé and her own husband. When the Tsar informed her of his intention to release all the foreign officers he had invited to serve, she gave him an object lesson by sending away the German who directed the orchestra of Polish musicians; Even the tsar’s little sensitive ear could not bear the discord that began immediately.
When he spoke to her about his project to turn the Russian and Polish regions lying on the way of Charles XII to Moscow into a desert, she interrupted him with a story about a nobleman who, in order to punish his wife, decided to become a eunuch. She was charming, and Peter succumbed to her charm, pacified, ennobled by her presence, as if transformed by contact with this pure and refined nature, at the same time tender and strong...
In 1722, Peter, feeling that his strength was leaving him, published the Charter on the inheritance of the throne. From now on, the appointment of an heir depended on the will of the sovereign. It is likely that the tsar chose Catherine, for only this choice can explain Peter’s intention to proclaim his wife empress and start a magnificent ceremony for her coronation.
It is unlikely that Peter discovered statesmanship in his “heartfelt friend,” as he called Catherine, but she, it seemed to him, had one important advantage: his entourage was at the same time her entourage.
In 1724, Peter was often ill. On November 9, 30-year-old dandy Mons, brother of Peter's former favorite, was arrested. He was accused of relatively minor thefts from the treasury at that time. Less than a week had passed before the executioner cut off his head. However, rumor linked the execution of Mons not with abuses, but with his intimate relationship with the empress. Peter allowed himself to violate marital fidelity, but did not believe that Catherine had the same right. The Empress was 12 years younger than her husband...
Relations between the spouses became strained. Peter never exercised the right to appoint a successor to the throne and did not bring the act of Catherine’s coronation to its logical conclusion.
The illness worsened, and Peter spent most of the last three months of his life in bed. Peter died on January 28, 1725 in terrible agony. Catherine, who was proclaimed empress on the same day, left the body of her deceased husband unburied for forty days and mourned him twice daily. “The courtiers marveled,” a contemporary noted, “where the empress got so many tears from...”
: https://www.oneoflady.com/2013/09/blog-post_4712.html
The most expensive trophy of Peter I in the Northern War was, perhaps, Polonyanka from Marienburg Marta Skavronskaya (nicknamed by the Russians Katerina Trubacheva), whom the tsar first saw in St. Petersburg under construction on Trinity Island in the chambers of Alexander Menshikov at the end of 1703. Peter noticed the charming woman and did not stay for she's indifferent...
Conclusion on succession to the throne, 1717
Grigory MUSIKIYSKY
Before meeting Martha, Peter’s personal life was going very badly: things didn’t work out with his wife, as we know; not only was she old-fashioned, but also stubborn, unable to adapt to her husband’s tastes. Remember their beginning life together Can . Let me just remind you that Queen Evdokia was forcibly taken to the Suzdal Intercession Monastery, in July 1699 she was tonsured under the name of nun Elena and lived there for a long time quite freely with the money of churchmen who were dissatisfied with the policy of the sovereign.
The tsar's long-term romance with the blond beauty Anna Mons, whose vanity was certainly flattered by the tsar's courtship and luxurious gifts, also ended dramatically. But she didn’t love him, she was simply afraid, risking, however, having an affair on the side with the Saxon envoy, for which Peter put his deceiving lover under house arrest for a long time.
Portraits of Peter I
Unknown artists
We will trace more details about the twists and turns of Martha Skavronskaya’s fate during her reign, but here we will dwell only on her relationship with the tsar. So, the tsar drew attention to the pretty, neat and tidy Katerina, and Alexander Danilovich, without much resistance, gave her over to Peter I.
Peter I and Catherine
Dementy SHMARINOV
Peter I takes Catherine from Menshikov
Unknown artist, from the collection of the Yegoryevsk Museum
At first, Katerina was on the staff of numerous mistresses of the loving Russian Tsar, whom he took with him everywhere. But soon, with her kindness, gentleness, and selfless submission, she tamed the distrustful king. She quickly became friends with his beloved sister Natalya Alekseevna and entered her circle, liking all of Peter’s relatives.
Portrait of Princess Natalya Alekseevna
Ivan NIKITIN
Portrait of Catherine I
Ivan NIKITIN
In 1704, Katerina already became Peter’s common-law wife, gave birth to a son, Pavel, and a year later, Peter. The simple woman sensed the tsar’s moods, adapted to his difficult character, endured his oddities and whims, guessed his desires, and quickly responded to everything that interested him, becoming the closest person to Peter. In addition, she was able to create for the sovereign the comfort and warmth of a home, which he never had before. New family became for the king a support and a quiet, welcome haven...
Peter I and Catherine
Boris CHORIKOV
Portrait of Peter the Great
Adrian van der WERFF
Peter I and Catherine riding in a shnyava along the Neva
18th century engraving of NH
Among other things, Catherine had iron health; she rode horses, spent the night in inns, accompanying the king on his travels for months and quite calmly endured the hardships and hardships of the campaign, which were very difficult by our standards. And when it was necessary, she behaved absolutely naturally in the circle of European nobles, turning into a queen... There was no military review, ship launching, ceremony or holiday at which she would not be present.
Portrait of Peter I and Catherine I
Unknown artist
Reception with Countess Skavronskaya
Dementy SHMARINOV
After returning from the Prut campaign, Peter married Catherine in 1712. By that time they already had two daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, the rest of the children died before they were even five years old. They got married in St. Petersburg, the whole ceremony was arranged not as a traditional wedding celebration of a Russian autocrat, but as a modest wedding of Schoutbenacht Peter Mikhailov and his fighting girlfriend (unlike, for example, the magnificent wedding of Peter's niece Anna Ioannovna and Duke of Courland Friedrich Wilhelm in 1710. )
And Catherine, uneducated and without any experience of life at the top, really turned out to be the woman the tsar could not do without. She knew how to get along with Peter, extinguish outbursts of anger, she could calm him down when the king began to have severe migraines or convulsions. Everyone then ran after their “heart friend” Ekaterina. Peter put his head on her lap, she quietly said something to him (her voice seemed to bewitch Peter) and the king fell silent, then fell asleep and a few hours later woke up cheerful, calm and healthy.
Rest of Peter I
Mikhail SHANKOV
Peter, of course, loved Catherine very much, adored his beautiful daughters, Elizabeth and Anna.
Portrait of princesses Anna Petrovna and Elizaveta Petrovna
Louis CARAVACQUE
Alexey Petrovich
And what about Tsarevich Alexei, Peter’s son from his first marriage? The blow to the unloved wife ricocheted into the child. He was separated from his mother and given to be raised by his father's aunts, whom he saw rarely and was afraid of from childhood, feeling unloved. Gradually, a circle of opponents of Peter’s reforms formed around the boy, who instilled in Alexei pre-reform tastes: the desire for external piety, inaction and pleasure. The Tsarevich lived cheerfully in “his company” under the leadership of Yakov Ignatiev, he got used to feasting in Russian, which could not but harm his health, which was not very strong by nature. At first, the prince was taught to read and write by an educated and skilled rhetorician, Nikifor Vyazemsky, and from 1703, Alexei’s teacher was a German, doctor of law Heinrich Huyssen, who compiled an extensive curriculum designed for two years. According to the plan, in addition to studying the French language, geography, cartography, arithmetic, geometry, the prince practiced fencing, dancing, and horse riding.
Johann Paul LUDDEN
It must be said that Tsarevich Alexei was not at all the shaggy, wretched, frail and cowardly hysteric that he was sometimes portrayed as and has been portrayed to this day. He was the son of his father, inherited his will, stubbornness and responded to the king with dull rejection and resistance, which was hidden behind demonstrative obedience and formal veneration. An enemy grew up behind Peter's back, not accepting anything of what his father did or fought for... Attempts to involve him in government affairs were not particularly successful. Alexey Petrovich was in the army, took part in campaigns and battles (in 1704 the prince was in Narva), carried out various state orders of the tsar, but did so formally and reluctantly. Dissatisfied with his son, Peter sent the 19-year-old prince abroad, where he somehow studied for three years, unlike his sparkling parent, preferring peace to everything else. In 1711, almost against his will, he married Wolfenbüttel Crown Princess Charlotte Christina Sophia, sister-in-law of the Austrian Emperor Charles VI, and then returned to Russia.
Charlotte Christina Sophia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich and Charlotte Christina Sophia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Johann-Gottfried TANNAUER Grigory MOLCHANOV
Alexey Petrovich did not love the wife forced on him, but he coveted the serfdom of his teacher Nikifor Vyazemsky, Efrosinya, and dreamed of marrying her. Charlotte Sophia gave birth to his daughter Natalya in 1714, and a year later - a son, named Peter in honor of his grandfather. Nevertheless, until 1715 the relationship between father and son was more or less tolerable. That same year, at his baptism in Orthodox faith The queen was named Ekaterina Alekseevna.
Portrait of the family of Peter I.
Peter I, Ekaterina Alekseevna, eldest son Alexey Petrovich, daughters Elizabeth and Anna, youngest two-year-old son Peter.
Grigory MUSIKIYSKY, Enamel on copper plate
The prince believed in his plan, being convinced that he was the only legitimate heir to the throne and, gritting his teeth, waited in the wings.
Tsarevich Alexey Petrovich
V. GREITBAKH Unknown artist
But soon after giving birth, Charlotte Sophia died, she was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral on October 27, 1915, and on the same day Peter handed Alexei Petrovich a letter Announcement to my son(written, by the way, on October 11), in which he accused the prince of laziness, evil and stubborn disposition and threatened to deprive him of the throne: I will deprive you of your inheritance, I will cut you off like a member of the body affected by gangrene, and do not think that you are my only son and that I am writing this only for warning: truly I will fulfill it, for for my Fatherland and people I did not and do not regret my life, then how Can I feel sorry for you, indecent one?
Portrait of Tsarevich Peter Petrovich in the form of Cupid
Louis CARAVACQUE
On October 28, the Tsar gave birth to his long-awaited son, Pyotr Petrovich, “Shishechka”, “Little Little Gut”, as his parents later lovingly called him in letters. And the claims against the eldest son became more serious, and the accusations became more severe. Many historians believe that such changes were not without influence on Tsar Catherine and Alexander Danilovich Menshikov, who perfectly understood the unenviability of their fate if Alexei Petrovich came to the kingdom. After consulting with close people, Alexey renounced the throne in his letter: “And now, thank God, I have a brother, to whom, God grant him health.”
Portrait of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich
Johann Paul LUDDEN
Further more. In January 1716, Peter wrote a second letter of accusation, “One last reminder,” in which he demanded that the prince be tonsured a monk: And if you don’t do this, then I will treat you like a villain. And the son gave formal consent to this. But Peter understood perfectly well that in the event of his death, a struggle for power would begin, the act of renunciation would become a simple piece of paper, and one could leave the monastery, i.e. In any case, Alexey will remain dangerous for Peter’s children from Catherine. This was a completely real situation; the king could find many examples from the history of other states.
In September 1716, Alexey received a third letter from his father from Copenhagen with an order to immediately come to him. Here the prince’s nerves gave way and in despair he decided to escape... Having passed Danzig, Alexei and Euphrosyne disappeared, arriving in Vienna under the name of the Polish nobleman Kokhanovsky. He turned to his brother-in-law, the Austrian Emperor, with a request for protection: I came here to ask the emperor... to save my life: they want to destroy me, they want to deprive me and my poor children of the throne, ...and if the Tsar hands me over to my father, it’s the same as executing me himself; Yes, even if my father spared me, my stepmother and Menshikov would not rest until they tortured me to death or poisoned me. It seems to me that with such statements the prince himself signed his own death warrant.
Alexey Petrovich, Tsarevich
Engraving 1718
Austrian relatives hid the unfortunate fugitives out of harm's way in the Tyrolean castle of Ehrenberg, and in May 1717 they transported him and Euphrosyne, disguised as a page, to Naples to the castle of San Elmo. With great difficulty, alternating various threats, promises and persuasion, captain Rumyantsev and diplomat Pyotr Tolstoy sent to search, managed to return the prince to his homeland, where in February 1718 he officially abdicated the throne in the presence of senators and reconciled with his father. However, Peter soon opened an investigation, for which the notorious Secret Chancellery was created. As a result of the investigation, several dozen people were captured, severely tortured and executed.
Peter I interrogates Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich in Peterhof
Nikolay GE
Peter I and Tsarevich Alexei
Kuznetsov porcelain
In June, the prince himself ended up in the Peter and Paul Fortress. According to the legal norms of that time, Alexei was certainly perceived as a criminal. Firstly, having gone on the run, the prince could have been accused of treason. In Rus', no one ever had the right to freely travel abroad until 1762, before the appearance of the manifesto on the freedom of the nobility. Moreover, go to a foreign sovereign. This was absolutely out of the question. Secondly, at that time, not only the one who committed something criminal, but also the one who intended this criminal intent was considered a criminal. That is, they were judged not only for deeds, but also for intentions, including intentions, even unspoken ones. It was enough to admit this during the investigation. And any person, a prince or not a prince, who was guilty of something like that was subject to the death penalty.
Interrogation of Tsarevich Alexei
Book illustration
And Alexey Petrovich admitted during interrogations that in different years at different times he and different people had all sorts of conversations in which he criticized his father’s activities in one way or another. There was no obvious intent associated, for example, with a coup d'etat in these speeches. This was precisely criticism. With the exception of one moment, when the prince was asked - if the Viennese emperor went with troops to Russia or gave him, Alexei, troops to achieve the throne and overthrow his father, would he take advantage of this or not? The prince answered positively. The confessional testimony of Tsarevich Euphrosyne’s beloved also added fuel to the fire.
Peter I went to court, emphasizing that this was a fair court, that this was a court of the highest ranks of the state who were solving a state problem. And the king, being a father, does not have the right to make such a decision. He wrote two messages addressed to spiritual hierarchs and secular ranks, in which he seemed to ask for advice: ...I fear God so as not to sin, for it is natural that people see less in their own affairs than others do in theirs. It’s the same with doctors: even if he was the most skilled of all, he would not dare to treat his own illness himself, but calls on others.
The clergy answered evasively: the king must choose: according to the Old Testament, Alexei is worthy of death, according to the New - forgiveness, for Christ forgave the repentant prodigal son... The senators voted for the death penalty; On June 24, 1718, a specially formed Supreme Court pronounced the death sentence. And on June 26, 1718, after further torture under unclear circumstances, Tsarevich Alexei was apparently killed.
Tsarevich Alexey Petrovich
George STEWART
If someone thought that I was trying to justify such a wild and cruel attitude of Peter towards his eldest son, then this is not so. I just want to understand what guided him, taking into account the laws and customs of that era, and not his emotions.
When Alexei Petrovich passed away in 1718, it seemed that the situation with the succession to the throne had been resolved very successfully, the little Tsarevich Pyotr Petrovich, whom the Tsar loved very much, was growing up. But in 1719 the child died. Peter did not have a single direct heir in the male line. Once again this question remained open.
Well, the mother of Peter’s eldest son, Tsarina-nun Evdokia Lopukhina, meanwhile, was still in the Intercession Monastery, where she managed to create a real microcosm of the Moscow queen of the late 17th century, with an organized supply of food and things, preservation of the court rituals of the Moscow empress and ceremonial trips to pilgrimage.
And everything would have been fine, maybe it would have continued like this for a long time, Peter, despite the great battles and accomplishments, had nothing to do with her, but in 1710 our queen managed to fall in love. Not just like that, but, it seems, for real. In Major Stepan Bogdanov Glebov. She achieved a meeting with Glebov, a romance began, which on his part was very superficial, because the major understood that an affair with the queen, even a former one, could have consequences... He gave Evdokia sables, arctic foxes, jewelry, and she wrote letters full of passion : You forgot me so quickly. It’s not enough that your face, and your hands, and all your members, and the joints of your hands and feet are watered with my tears... Oh, my light, how can I live in the world without you? Glebov was frightened by such a waterfall of feelings and soon began to miss dates, and then left Suzdal completely. And Dunya continued to write sad and passionate letters, without fear of any punishment...
Evdokia Fedorovna Lopukhina, first wife of Peter I
Unknown artist
All these passions emerged from the so-called Kikinsky search in the case of Tsarevich Alexei. Monks and nuns of Suzdal monasteries, Krutitsy Metropolitan Ignatius and many others were convicted of sympathy for Evdokia Fedorovna. Among those arrested purely by chance was Stepan Glebov, who was found Love letters queen. Enraged Peter gave the order to the investigators to take a close look at the nun Elena. Glebov very quickly admitted that lived prodigal with the former empress, but denied participation in the conspiracy against the tsar, although he was tortured in a way that no one was tortured even at that cruel time: they were pulled on a rack, burned with fire, then locked in a tiny cell, the floor of which was studded with nails.
In a letter to Peter, Evdokia Fedorovna apologized for everything and asked for forgiveness: Falling at your feet, I ask for mercy, for forgiveness of my crime, so that I do not die a useless death. And I promise to continue to be a monk and to remain in monasticism until my death and I will pray to God for you, Sovereign.
Evdokia Fedorovna Lopukhina (nun Elena)
Unknown artist
Peter brutally executed everyone involved in the case. On March 15, 1718, on Red Square, the barely alive Glebov was impaled and left to die. And so that he would not freeze prematurely in the cold, a sheepskin coat was “carefully” thrown over his shoulders. A priest was on duty nearby, waiting for a confession, but Glebov said nothing. And one more touch to the portrait of Peter. He took revenge on his unlucky lover ex-wife also ordering that the name of Stepan Glebov be included in the list of anathemas, as the queen's lover. On this list, Glebov was in company with the most terrible criminals of Russia: Grishka Otrepiev, Stenka Razin, Vanka Mazepa..., and later Levka Tolstoy also ended up there...
Peter transferred Evdokia that same year to another, the Ladoga Assumption Monastery, where she spent 7 years until his death. There she was kept on bread and water in a cold, windowless cell. All the servants were removed, and only the faithful dwarf Agafya remained with her. The prisoner was so humble that the jailers here treated her with sympathy. In 1725, after the death of Peter I, the queen was transferred to Shlisselburg, where under Catherine I she was kept in strict secret custody. Again there was scanty food and a cramped cell, albeit with a window. But despite all the hardships, Evdokia Lopukhina survived both her crowned husband and his second wife Ekaterina, so we will meet her again...
No less dramatic was the story of Maria Hamilton, who came from an ancient Scottish family and was on Ekaterina Alekseevna’s staff as a maid of honor. Maria, distinguished by her excellent beauty, quickly came to the attention of the monarch, who recognized her as talents that it was impossible not to look at with lust and for some time became his mistress. Possessing an adventurous character and an indomitable desire for luxury, the young Scot was already mentally trying on the royal crown, in the hope of replacing the aging Catherine, but Peter quickly lost interest in the beautiful girl, since there was no one better for him than a wife in the world...
Catherine the First
Maria was not bored for a long time and soon found solace in the arms of the royal orderly Ivan Orlov - a young and handsome guy. They both played with fire, because in order to sleep with the king’s mistress, even an ex-mistress, you really had to be an eagle! By an absurd accident, during the search for Tsarevich Alexei in the case, suspicion of the loss of a denunciation written by Orlov himself fell on him. Not understanding what he was accused of, the orderly fell on his face and confessed to the Tsar that he was cohabiting with Maria Gamonova (as she was called in Russian), saying that she had two children from him who were born dead. During interrogation under the whip, Maria admitted that she poisoned two conceived children with some kind of drug, and immediately drowned the last one that was born in a night boat, and told the maid to throw away the body.
Peter I
Grigory MUSICIYSKY Karel de MOOR
It must be said that before Peter I, the attitude in Rus' towards bastards and their mothers was monstrous. Therefore, in order not to incur anger and troubles on themselves, mothers mercilessly poisoned the fruits of sinful love, and if they were born, they often killed them. different ways. Peter, first of all, caring for the state interests (a great deal... there will be a small soldier over time), in the Decree of 1715 on hospitals, ordered that hospitals be established in the state to maintain shameful babies, whom wives and girls give birth to illegally and, for the sake of shame, are swept away to different places, which is why these babies die uselessly... And then he threateningly decided: And if such illegitimate births appear in the killing of those babies, and for such atrocities they themselves will be executed by death. In all provinces and cities, it was ordered to open houses in hospitals and near churches for the reception of illegitimate children, who at any day could be placed in the window, which was always open for this purpose.
Maria was sentenced to death by beheading. Actually, according to the Code of 1649, a child killer is alive buried in the ground up to their tits, with their hands together and trampled under their feet. It happened that the criminal lived in this situation for a whole month, unless, of course, the relatives did not interfere with feeding the unfortunate woman and did not allow stray dogs to chew her to death. But another death awaited Hamilton. After the verdict was pronounced, many people close to Peter tried to appease him, emphasizing that the girl acted unconsciously, out of fear, she was simply ashamed. Both queens stood up for Maria Hamilton - Ekaterina Alekseevna and the dowager queen Praskovya Fedorovna. But Peter was adamant: the law must be fulfilled, and he is not able to abolish it. Without a doubt, it was also important that the babies killed by Hamilton could have been the children of Peter himself, and it was this, like the betrayal, that the tsar could not forgive his former favorite.
Maria Hamilton before her execution
Pavel SVEDOMSKY
On March 14, 1719, in St. Petersburg, in front of a crowd of people, the Russian Lady Hamilton ascended the scaffold, where the scaffold already stood and the executioner was waiting. Until the last moment, Maria hoped for mercy, dressed up in White dress and when Peter appeared, she knelt before him. The Emperor promised that the executioner’s hand would not touch her: it is known that during the execution the executioner roughly grabbed the executed person, stripped him naked and threw him on the block...
Execution in the presence of Peter the Great
Everyone froze in anticipation of Peter's final decision. He whispered something in the executioner’s ear, and he suddenly swung his wide sword and in the blink of an eye cut off the head of the kneeling woman. So Peter, without breaking his promise to Mary, at the same time tried out the executioner’s sword brought from the West - a new execution weapon for Russia, used for the first time instead of a crude ax. According to the recollections of contemporaries, after the execution, the sovereign raised Mary’s head by her luxurious hair and kissed her lips that were not yet cooled, and then read to all those gathered, frozen in horror, an intelligent lecture on anatomy (about the features of the blood vessels that feed the human brain), in which he a great lover and connoisseur...
After a demonstration lesson in anatomy, Maria’s head was ordered to be preserved in alcohol in the Kunstkamera, where it lay in a jar along with other monsters from the collection of the first Russian museum for almost half a century. Everyone had long since forgotten what kind of head it was, and visitors, ears hanging, listened to the watchman’s tales that once Tsar Peter the Great ordered the head of the most beautiful of his court ladies to be cut off and preserved in alcohol, so that descendants would know what kind of head it was. beautiful women were in those days. While conducting an audit in Peter's Cabinet of Curiosities, Princess Ekaterina Dashkova discovered heads preserved in alcohol next to the freaks in two jars. One of them belonged to Willim Mons (our next hero), the other to Peter’s mistress, maid of honor Hamilton. The Empress ordered them to be buried in peace.
Portrait of Peter I, 1717
Ivan NIKITIN
Last strong love Maria Cantemir, the daughter of the Gospodar of Moldavia Dmitry Cantemir and Cassandra Sherbanovna Cantakuzen, the daughter of the Wallachian Gospodar, became Tsar Peter. Peter knew her as a girl, but she quickly turned from a skinny little girl into one of the most beautiful ladies of the royal court. Maria was very smart, knew several languages, was interested in ancient and Western European literature and history, drawing, music, studied the basics of mathematics, astronomy, rhetoric, philosophy, so it is no wonder that the girl could easily join and support any conversation.
Maria Cantemir
Ivan NIKITIN
The father did not interfere, but, on the contrary, with the support of Peter Tolstoy, helped bring his daughter closer to the tsar. Catherine, who at first turned a blind eye to her husband’s next hobby, became wary when she learned about Maria’s pregnancy. Those around the Tsar seriously said that if she gave birth to a son, then Catherine could repeat the fate of Evdokia Lopukhina... The Tsarina made every effort to ensure that the child was not born (the Greek family doctor Palikula, Maria’s doctor who prepared the potion, was bribed to Pyotr Andreevich Tolstoy promised the title of count).
Portrait of Count Pyotr Andreevich Tolstoy
Georg GZELL Johann Gonfried TANNAUER
During the Prut campaign of 1722, on which the entire court, Catherine and the Kantemirov family went, Maria lost her child. The king visited the woman, blackened with grief and suffering, said a few kind words of consolation and was like that...
Maria Cantemir
Last years life was not easy for Peter I in a personal sense, his youth passed, he was overcome by illness, he entered the age when a person needs close people who would understand him. Having become emperor, Peter I apparently decided to leave the throne to his wife. And that is why in the spring of 1724 he solemnly married Catherine. For the first time in Russian history, the empress was crowned with the imperial crown. Moreover, it is known that Peter personally placed the imperial crown on his wife’s head during the ceremony.
Proclamation of Catherine I as Empress of All Russia
Boris CHORIKOV
Peter I crowns Catherine
NH, from the collection of the Yegoryevsk Museum
Everything seemed to be in order. Ah, no. In the autumn of 1724, this idyll was destroyed by the news that the empress was unfaithful to her husband. She had an affair with Chamberlain Willim Mons. And again, a grimace of history: this is the brother of the same Anna Mons, with whom Peter himself was in love in his youth. Forgetting caution and completely succumbing to her feelings, Catherine brought her favorite as close to her as possible; he accompanied her on all her trips and stayed for a long time in Catherine’s chambers.
Tsar Peter I Alekseevich the Great and Ekaterina Alekseevna
Upon learning of Catherine's infidelity, Peter was furious. For him, the betrayal of his beloved wife was a serious blow. He destroyed the will signed in her name, became gloomy and merciless, practically stopped communicating with Catherine, and from then on access to him became prohibited for her. Mons was arrested, put on trial “for fraud and illegal acts” and interrogated personally by Peter I. Five days after his arrest, he was sentenced to death on charges of bribery. William Mons was executed by beheading on November 16 in St. Petersburg. The body of the chamberlain lay on the scaffold for several days, and his head was preserved in alcohol and kept for a long time in the Kunstkamera.
Portraits of Peter the Great
Trellis. Silk, wool, metal thread, canvas, weaving.
Petersburg Trellis Manufactory
Author of the picturesque original J-M. NATIE
And Peter again began to visit Maria Cantemir. But time passed... Maria, apparently, fell in love with Peter as a child and this passion became fatal and the only one, she accepted Peter as he was, but they missed each other a little in time, the emperor’s life was nearing sunset. She did not forgive the repentant doctor and Count Peter Tolstoy, who were guilty of the death of her son. Maria Cantemir devoted the rest of her life to her brothers, participated in the political life of the court and social intrigues, did charity work, and until the end of her life remained faithful to her first and only love - Peter the Great. At the end of her life, the princess, in the presence of the memoirist Jacob von Stehlin, burned everything that connected her with Peter I: his letters, papers, two portraits, framed precious stones(Peter in armor and his own)...
Maria Cantemir
Book illustration
The consolation of Emperor Peter remained the crown princesses, their beautiful daughters Anna, Elizabeth and Natalya. In November 1924, the emperor agreed to Anna's marriage with Karl Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, who signed a contract for marriage with Anna Petrovna. Daughter Natalya lived longer than the other children of Peter who died in childhood, and only these three girls were alive at the proclamation of the Russian Empire in 1721 and accordingly received the title of crown princess. Natalya Petrovna died in St. Petersburg from measles a little over a month after the death of her father on March 4 (15), 1725.
Portraits of princesses Anna Petrovna and Elizaveta Petrovna
Ivan NIKITIN
Tsesarevna Natalya Petrovna
Louis CARAVACQUE
Portrait of Peter the Great
Sergey KIRILLOV Unknown artist
Peter I never forgave Catherine: after the execution of Mons, he agreed to dine with her only once, at the request of his daughter Elizabeth. Only the death of the emperor in January 1725 reconciled the spouses.
According to various sociological surveys, Peter I remains one of the most popular in our time. historical figures. Sculptors still exalt him, poets compose odes to him, and politicians speak enthusiastically about him.
But did it match a real man Peter Alekseevich Romanov to the image that, through the efforts of writers and filmmakers, was introduced into our consciousness?
Still from the film "Peter the Great" based on the novel by A. N. Tolstoy (Lenfilm, 1937 - 1938, director Vladimir Petrov,
in the role of Peter - Nikolai Simonov, in the role of Menshikov - Mikhail Zharov):
This post is quite lengthy in content. , consisting of several parts, is dedicated to exposing the myths about the first Russian emperor, which still wander from book to book, from textbook to textbook, and from film to film.
Let's start with the fact that the majority imagines Peter I to be absolutely different from what he really was.
According to the films, Peter is a huge man with a heroic physique and the same health.
In fact, with a height of 2 meters 4 centimeters (indeed, huge in those days, and quite impressive in our times), he was incredibly thin, with narrow shoulders and torso, a disproportionately small head and foot size (about size 37, and this is with so tall!), with long arms and spider-like fingers. In general, an absurd, awkward, clumsy figure, a freak of a freak.
The clothes of Peter I, preserved to this day in museums, are so small that there can be no talk of any heroic physique. In addition, Peter suffered from nervous attacks, probably of an epileptic nature, was constantly ill, and never parted with a traveling first aid kit containing many medications that he took daily.
Peter's court portrait painters and sculptors should not be trusted either.
For example, the famous researcher of the Peter I era, historian E. F. Shmurlo
(1853 - 1934) describes his impression of the famous bust of Peter I by B. F. Rastrelli:
“Full of spiritual power, an unyielding will, a commanding gaze, an intense thought, this bust is related to Michelangelo’s Moses. This is a truly formidable king, capable of causing awe, but at the same time majestic and noble.”
This more accurately conveys the appearance of Peter plaster mask taken from his face in 1718 the father of the great architect - B. K. Rastrelli , when the tsar was conducting an investigation into the treason of Tsarevich Alexei.
This is how the artist describes it A. N. Benois (1870 - 1960):“At this time, Peter’s face became gloomy, downright terrifying in its menacingness. One can imagine what impression this terrible head, placed on a gigantic body, must have made, with darting eyes and terrible convulsions that turned this face into a monstrously fantastic image.”
Of course, the real appearance of Peter I was completely different from what appears before us on his ceremonial portraits.
For example, these:
Portrait of Peter I (1698) by a German artist
Gottfried Kneller (1648 - 1723)
Portrait of Peter I with the insignia of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (1717)
works by the French painter Jean-Marc Nattier (1685 - 1766)
Please note that between the painting of this portrait and the making of Peter’s lifetime mask
Rastrelli was only a year old. Are they really similar?
Most popular currently and highly romanticized
in accordance with the time of creation (1838) portrait of Peter I
works by the French artist Paul Delaroche (1797 - 1856)
Trying to be objective, I cannot help but note that monument to Peter I , works of sculptor Mikhail Shemyakin , made by him in the USA and installed in the Peter and Paul Fortress in 1991 , also little corresponds to the real image of the first Russian emperor, although, quite possibly, the sculptor sought to embody that same "monstrously fantastic image" , which Benoit spoke about.
Yes, Peter's face was made from his death wax mask (cast by B.K. Rastrelli). But Mikhail Shemyakin consciously, achieving a certain effect, increased the proportions of the body by almost one and a half times. Therefore, the monument turned out to be grotesque and ambiguous (some people admire it, while others hate it).
However, the figure of Peter I himself is very ambiguous, which is what I want to tell everyone who is interested in Russian history.
At the end of this part about another myth concerning death of Peter I .
Peter did not die from catching a cold while saving a boat with drowning people during a flood in St. Petersburg in November 1724 (although such a case actually happened, and it led to an exacerbation of the Tsar’s chronic illnesses); and not from syphilis (although from his youth Peter was extremely promiscuous in his relationships with women and had a whole bunch of sexually transmitted diseases); and not because he was poisoned with some “specially gifted sweets” - all these are widespread myths.
Doesn't stand up to any criticism official version, announced after the death of the emperor, according to which the cause of his death was pneumonia.
In fact, Peter I had advanced inflammation of the urethra (he suffered from this disease since 1715, according to some sources, even since 1711). The disease worsened in August 1724. The attending physicians, the Englishman Horn and the Italian Lazzaretti, tried unsuccessfully to cope with it. From January 17, 1725, Peter no longer got out of bed; on January 23, he lost consciousness, to which he never returned until his death on January 28.
"Peter on his deathbed"
(artist N. N. Nikitin, 1725)
Doctors performed the operation, but it was too late; 15 hours after the operation, Peter I died without regaining consciousness and without leaving a will.
So, all the stories about how at the last moment the dying emperor tried to write his last will on his will, but only managed to write "Leave everything..." , are also nothing more than a myth, or if you want, a legend.
In the next short part so as not to make you sad, I’ll give you historical anecdote about Peter I , which, however, also refers to the myths about this ambiguous personality.
Thank you for attention.
Sergey Vorobiev.
Lifetime portraits of Peter IPETER I
Peter I the Great (1672-1725), founder of the Russian Empire, occupies a unique place in the history of the country. His deeds, both great and terrible, are well known and there is no point in listing them. I wanted to write about the lifetime images of the first emperor, and which of them can be considered reliable.
The first known portrait of Peter I is placed in the so-called. "Tsar's Titular Book" or "The Root of Russian Sovereigns", a richly illustrated manuscript created by the embassy order as a reference book on history, diplomacy and heraldry and containing many watercolor portraits. Peter is depicted as a child, even before ascending the throne, apparently at the end. 1670s - early 1680s. The history of this portrait and its authenticity are unknown.
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Portraits of Peter I by Western European masters:1685- engraving from an unknown original; created in Paris by Larmessen and depicts Tsars Ivan and Peter Alekseevich. The original was brought from Moscow by ambassadors - Prince. Ya.F. Dolgoruky and Prince. Myshetsky. The only known reliable image of Peter I before the coup of 1689.
1697- Portrait of work Sir Godfrey Kneller (1648-1723), the court painter of the English king, was undoubtedly painted from life. The portrait is in the English royal collection of paintings, at Hampton Court Palace. The catalog notes that the background of the painting was painted by Wilhelm van de Velde, a marine painter. According to contemporaries, the portrait was very similar; several copies were made from it; the most famous, the work of A. Belli, is in the Hermitage. This portrait served as the basis for the creation of a huge number of very different images of the king (sometimes faintly similar to the original).
OK. 1697- Portrait of work Pieter van der Werff (1665-1718), the history of its writing is unknown, but most likely it happened during Peter’s first stay in Holland. Purchased by Baron Budberg in Berlin and presented as a gift to Emperor Alexander II. It was located in the Tsarskoye Selo Palace, now in the State Hermitage.
OK. 1700-1704 engraving by Adrian Schonebeck from a portrait by an unknown artist. Original unknown.
1711- Portrait by Johann Kupetsky (1667-1740), painted from life in Carlsbad. According to D. Rovinsky, the original was in the Braunschweig Museum. Vasilchikov writes that the location of the original is unknown. I reproduce the famous engraving from this portrait - the work of Bernard Vogel, 1737.
A converted version of a portrait of this type depicted the king in full growth and was located in the hall of the General Assembly of the Governing Senate. Now located in the Mikhailovsky Castle in St. Petersburg.
1716- portrait of work Benedicta Cofra, court painter of the Danish king. It was most likely written in the summer or autumn of 1716, when the Tsar was on a long visit to Copenhagen. Peter is depicted wearing St. Andrew's ribbon and the Danish Order of the Elephant around his neck. Until 1917 it was in Peter's Palace in the Summer Garden, now in the Peterhof Palace.
1717- portrait of work Carla Moora, who wrote to the king during his stay in The Hague, where he arrived for treatment. From the correspondence of Peter and his wife Catherine, it is known that the Tsar really liked the portrait of Moor and was bought by the prince. B. Kurakin and sent from France to St. Petersburg. I will reproduce the most famous engraving - the work of Jacob Houbraken. According to some reports, Moore's original is now in a private collection in France.
1717- portrait of work Arnold de Gelder (1685-1727), Dutch artist, student of Rembrandt. Written during Peter's stay in Holland, but there is no information that it was painted from life. The original is in the Amsterdam Museum.
1717 - Portrait of the work Jean-Marc Nattier (1686-1766), a famous French artist, was written during Peter’s visit to Paris, undoubtedly from life. It was purchased and sent to St. Petersburg, and later hung in the Tsarskoye Selo Palace. Now it is in the Hermitage, however, there is no complete certainty that this is an original painting and not a copy.
At the same time (in 1717 in Paris), the famous portrait painter Hyacinthe Rigaud painted Peter, but this portrait disappeared without a trace.
Portraits of Peter, painted by his court artists:
Johann Gottfried Tannauer (1680-c1737), Saxon, studied painting in Venice, court artist from 1711. According to entries in the "Jurnal" it is known that Peter posed for him in 1714 and 1722.
1714(?) - The original has not survived, only the engraving made by Wortmann exists.
A very similar portrait was recently discovered in the German city of Bad Pyrmont.
L. Markina writes: “The author of these lines introduced into scientific circulation an image of Peter from the collection of the palace in Bad Pyrmont (Germany), which recalls the visit of this resort town by the Russian emperor. The ceremonial portrait, which bore the features of a natural image, was considered the work of an unknown artist XVIII century.At the same time, the expression of the image, the interpretation of details, and baroque pathos betrayed the hand of a skilled craftsman.
Peter I spent June 1716 undergoing hydrotherapy in Bad Pyrmont, which had a beneficial effect on his health. As a token of gratitude, the Russian Tsar presented Prince Anton Ulrich Waldeck-Pyrmont with his portrait, which had been in private possession for a long time. Therefore, the work was not known to Russian specialists. Documentary evidence detailing all the important meetings during the treatment of Peter I in Bad Pyrmont did not mention the fact of his posing for any local or visiting painter. The Russian Tsar's retinue numbered 23 people and was quite representative. However, in the list of persons accompanying Peter, where the confessor and cook were indicated, the Hofmaler was not listed. It is logical to assume that Peter brought with him a finished image that he liked and reflected his idea of the ideal monarch. Comparison of engravings by H.A. Wortman, which was based on the original brush by I.G. Tannauer 1714, allowed us to attribute the portrait from Bad Pyrmont to this German artist. Our attribution was accepted by our German colleagues, and the portrait of Peter the Great as the work of I. G. Tannauer was included in the exhibition catalogue."
1716- The history of creation is unknown. By order of Nicholas I, it was sent from St. Petersburg to Moscow in 1835, and was kept rolled up for a long time. A fragment of Tannauer's signature has survived. Located in the Moscow Kremlin Museum.
1710s Profile portrait, previously mistakenly considered to be the work of Kupetsky. The portrait was damaged by an unsuccessful attempt to renew the eyes. Located in the State Hermitage.
1724(?), Equestrian portrait, called "Peter I in the Battle of Poltava", purchased in the 1860s by Prince. A.B. Lobanov-Rostovsky from the family of the deceased chamber-fourier in a neglected state. After cleaning, Tannauer's signature was discovered. Now located in the State Russian Museum.
Louis Caravaque (1684-1754), a Frenchman, studied painting in Marseille, became a court painter in 1716. According to contemporaries, his portraits were very similar. According to entries in the "Jurnal", Peter painted from life in 1716 and in 1723. Unfortunately, the indisputable original portraits of Peter painted by Caravaque have not survived; only copies and engravings from his works have reached us.
1716- According to some information, it was written during Peter’s stay in Prussia. The original has not survived, but there is an engraving by Afanasyev, from a drawing by F. Kinel.
A not very successful copy from this portrait (added by ships of the allied fleet), created by an unknown person. artist, is now in the collection of the Central Naval Museum of St. Petersburg. (D. Rovinsky considered this painting to be original).
A version of the same portrait, which came to the Hermitage in 1880 from the Velika Remeta monastery in Croatia, probably created by an unknown German artist. The king's face is very similar to that painted by Caravaque, but the costume and pose are different. The origin of this portrait is unknown.
1723- the original has not survived, only an engraving by Soubeyran exists. According to "Jurnal", written during the stay of Peter I in Astrakhan. The last lifetime portrait of the Tsar.
This portrait of Caravacca served as the basis for a painting by Jacopo Amiconi (1675-1758), written around 1733 for the prince. Antioch Cantemir, which is located in the Peter's throne room of the Winter Palace.
* * *
Ivan Nikitich Nikitin (1680-1742), the first Russian portrait painter, studied in Florence, became the tsar's court artist around 1715. There is still no complete certainty about which portraits of Peter were painted by Nikitin. From "Jurnale" it is known that the tsar posed for Nikitin at least twice - in 1715 and 1721.
S. Moiseeva writes: “There was a special order from Peter, which ordered people from the royal entourage to have his portrait by Ivan Nikitin in their house, and to charge the artist one hundred rubles for the execution of the portrait. However, royal portraits that could be compared with the creative handwriting I. Nikitin, almost did not survive. On April 30, 1715, the following was written in the “Journal of Peter”: “His Majesty’s half persona was painted by Ivan Nikitin.” Based on this, art historians were looking for a half-length portrait of Peter I. In the end, it was suggested that this the portrait should be considered “Portrait of Peter against the backdrop of a naval battle" (Tsarskoe Selo Museum-Reserve). For a long time, this work was attributed to either Caravaque or Tannauer. When studying the portrait by A. M. Kuchumov, it turned out that the canvas has three later binders - two above and one below, thanks to which the portrait became generational. A. M. Kuchumov cited the surviving account of the painter I. Ya. Vishnyakov about the addition to the portrait of His Imperial Majesty “against the portrait of Her Imperial Majesty.” Apparently, in the middle of the 18th century, the need arose to rehang the portraits, and I.Ya. Vishnyakov was given the task of increasing the size of the portrait of Peter I in accordance with the size of the portrait of Catherine. “Portrait of Peter I against the backdrop of a naval battle” is stylistically very close - here we can already talk about the iconographic type of I. N. Nikitin - the relatively recently discovered portrait of Peter from a Florentine private collection, painted in 1717. Peter is depicted in the same pose; noteworthy is the similarity in the writing of the folds and the landscape background."
Unfortunately, I could not find a good reproduction of “Peter against the backdrop of a naval battle” from Tsarskoye Selo (before 1917 in the Romanov Gallery of the Winter Palace). I will reproduce what I managed to get. Vasilchikov considered this portrait to be the work of Tannauer.
1717 - Portrait attributed to I. Nikitin and located in the collection of the Financial Department of Florence, Italy.
Portrait presented to Emperor Nicholas I c. S.S. Uvarov, who inherited it from his father-in-law, Gr. A.K. Razumovsky. Vasilchikov writes: “The legend of the Razumovsky family said that while Peter was in Paris, he went into the studio of Rigaud, who was painting a portrait of him, did not find him at home, saw his unfinished portrait, cut out his head from a large canvas with a knife and took it with him. gave it to his daughter Elizaveta Petrovna, and she, in turn, bestowed it on Count Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky.” Some researchers consider this portrait to be the work of I. Nikitin. Until 1917 it was kept in the Romanov Gallery of the Winter Palace; now in the Russian Museum.
Received from the Strogonov collection. In the Hermitage catalogs compiled in the mid-19th century, the authorship of this portrait is attributed to A.M. Matveev (1701-1739), however, he returned to Russia only in 1727 and could not paint Peter from life and, most likely, only made a copy from Moore's original for bar.S.G. Stroganov. Vasilchikov considered this portrait to be Moor’s original. This is contradicted by the fact that according to all surviving engravings from Moora, Peter is depicted in armor. Rovinsky considered this portrait to be Rigaud’s missing work.
References:
V. Stasov "Gallery of Peter the Great" St. Petersburg 1903
D. Rovinsky "Detailed dictionary of Russian engraved portraits" vol. 3 St. Petersburg, 1888
D. Rovinsky “Materials for Russian iconography” vol.1.
A. Vasilchikov "On portraits of Peter the Great" M 1872
S. Moiseev "On the history of the iconography of Peter I" (article).
L. Markin "RUSSIA of Peter's time" (article)
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