"The merry queen was Elizabeth"
"Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna" 1757. Tsarskoye Selo
Elizabeth I Petrovna - Russian Empress from the Romanov dynasty from November 25 (December 6), 1741, the youngest daughter of Peter I and Catherine I, born two years before their marriage.
According to contemporaries, Elizaveta Petrovna surprisingly combined new European trends with Moscow antiquity. Passion for entertainment, French dresses, dances, performances coexisted in her character and behavior with piety, strict fasting, and pilgrimage.
Empress Elizaveta Petrovna was born in the Kolomna Palace on December 18, 1709. This day was solemn: Peter I entered Moscow, wishing to celebrate his victory over Charles XII in the capital. The emperor intended to immediately celebrate the Poltava victory, but upon entering the capital he was informed of the birth of his youngest daughter. “Let's postpone the celebration of victory and hasten to congratulate my daughter on the coming into this world!” he said.
Young Princess Elizabeth as Flora, portrait of Caravak from the Tsarskoye Selo Palace
The illegitimate daughter received the name Elizabeth, which had not previously been used by the Romanovs. “The name Elizabeth, in the gallicized form “Lisette”, was especially loved by Peter I. This was the name of the sixteen-gun shnyava, the construction of which was started in 1706 according to the project of Peter himself and the ship's master F. M. Sklyaev (launched on June 14, 1708) . It was one of the first ships of the Russian fleet built at the St. Petersburg shipyard. The same name was given to one of Peter's favorite dogs - the smooth-haired terrier Lisette - and the king's favorite horse, a Persian mare, which he acquired in 1705. The name day fell on September 5 (the namesake saint is the righteous Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist).
Portrait of princesses Anna Petrovna and Elizaveta Petrovna. Louis Caravaque, 1717
Musikisky, Grigory Semenovich Enamel miniature: Portrait of the family of Peter I Russia, 1716/1717
Two years after her birth, Elizabeth was "married", as they said then: her parents entered into a legal marriage. On this occasion, on March 6, 1711, the tsar gave his daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, the title of princess. After Peter I accepted the title of emperor, his daughters Anna, Elizabeth and Natalya received, on December 23, 1721, the title of crown princes, while the tsar's granddaughter Natalya Alekseevna remained Grand Duchess, and the daughters of the late Tsar Ivan Alekseevich (Catherine, Anna and Praskovya) became princesses
I.N. Nikitin Portrait of Elizabeth Petrovna as a child
Being only eight years old, Princess Elizabeth already drew attention to herself with her beauty. In 1712, both daughters met the emperor returning from abroad, dressed in Spanish attire. Then the French ambassador noticed that the youngest daughter of the sovereign seemed unusually beautiful in this outfit.
Portrait of Elizabeth Petrovna in her youth. Unknown artist of the 18th century.
In the following year, 1713, assemblies were introduced, and both princesses appeared there in dresses embroidered with gold and silver, in headdresses that shone with diamonds. Everyone admired the art of Elizabeth in dancing. In addition to ease of movement, she was distinguished by resourcefulness and ingenuity, constantly inventing new figures. The French envoy Levi noticed at the same time that Elizabeth could have been called a perfect beauty, if not for her snub nose and reddish hair.
Elizabeth did not receive a systematic education, and even in adulthood"didn't know Great Britain was an island." Under the guidance of the learned Jew Veselovsky, she thoroughly studied only the French language and at the same time developed a beautiful handwriting. It is from Elizabeth that it is customary to begin the countdown of Russian gallomania. The reason that the training was conducted in French was the desire of the parents to marry Elizabeth to her peer Louis XV, or to the young Duke of Orleans. By the age of 16, Elizaveta Petrovna spoke French as her mother tongue. However, Peter's proposals to intermarry with the French Bourbons were answered with a polite but decisive refusal.
Elizaveta Petrovna is depicted in armor, with the orders of St. Andrew the First-Called (ribbon and star) and St. Catherine the Grand Cross (bow from an order ribbon on her left hand; 1744). On the left is an equestrian group of nobles led by Grand Duke Pyotr Fedorovich, depicted with a ribbon and a star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. On the right is an equestrian group of state ladies, among which grand duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna.
“Messy, whimsical, having no fixed time for sleep or food, hating any serious occupation, extremely familiar and then angry over some trifle, sometimes scolding the courtiers with the most nasty words, but usually very kind and widely hospitable . »
Much changed dramatically with the death of Peter I (1724), and then Empress Catherine I (1727). The emperor in 1727 was 12-year-old Peter II, who was very attached to his aunt. Together they hunted and had fun, Elizabeth reigned at the balls, enchanted the courtiers with her lightness and cheerfulness. Fairy tale ended quickly and unexpectedly: the young king fell ill with smallpox and died. Elizabeth was in a difficult position.
Portrait by Caravaggio
Elizabeth helped her mother after the death of her father, even took part in the implementation of the government: she prepared decrees for signing, followed the mail. Over the next 14 years, Elizabeth appeared in all sorts of marriage combinations, none of which took place. An upbringing focused on marriage to any of the foreign princes, and the years spent after the death of her mother away from serious affairs, left their mark on Elizabeth's inclinations, character and habits - she focused on outfits, favorites, hunting and dancing.
The will of Catherine I of 1727 provided for the rights of Elizabeth and her offspring to the throne after Peter II and Anna Petrovna. In the last year of the reign of Catherine I and at the beginning of the reign of Peter II, there was a lot of talk at court about the possibility of marriage between an aunt and a nephew, who at that time had friendly relations. Long rides on horseback and hunting trips they made together.
"Departure of Emperor Peter II and Tsesarevna Elizaveta Petrovna to hunt", painting by V. Serov
The project of a kindred marriage proposed by Osterman was opposed by Menshikov, who dreamed of marrying his own daughter to the emperor. After that, the portraits of Elizabeth were sent to Moritz of Saxony and Karl-August of Holstein. The latter showed interest and arrived in St. Petersburg, where, before reaching the altar, he died. After this blow, Elizabeth reconciled herself to the prospect of an unmarried life and started the first "galant" - the handsome batman Buturlin.
After the death of Peter II in January 1730, Catherine’s will was forgotten: instead of Elizabeth, the throne was offered to her cousin Anna Ioannovna. She tried to maintain her image, as required by her position: during the wedding of Anna Leopoldovna with Prince Anton-Ulrich, Elizabeth with her her retinue followed in seven carriages, with all the court staff, located in ranks, like the queen, only Elizabeth had fewer of them. At the wedding, Elizabeth was accompanied by Biron's son, Peter of Courland; she was dressed in a pink dress embroidered with silver and richly adorned with precious stones. At the wedding masquerade, Elizabeth danced in the second quadrille with Peter Biron, in a green domino with gold cockades - the whole quadrille was dressed like that. Such a life required costs.
Anna Ioannovna.1730.
During her reign (1730-1740), Princess Elizabeth was in semi-disgrace, wore “simple dresses made of white taffeta lined with black grisette” so as not to go into debt. From her own funds, she paid for the upbringing of her cousins from the Skavronsky family and tried to find them a worthy party . In addition to cousins, Elizabeth's inner circle consisted of the life physician Lestok, chamber junkers Mikhail Vorontsov and Pyotr Shuvalov and his future wife, Mavra Shepelev
Unknown artist of the late 18th century. Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna
But for the time being, Elizabeth lost her brilliant position at the Court and was forced to live almost without a break in her patrimony, Alexandrovskaya Sloboda, among people devoted to her, among whom Aleksey Razumovsky occupied a special place since 1733. Complete indifference to politics and inability to intrigue, while the grandson of Peter the Great, the Prince of Holstein, also existed abroad, saved Elizabeth from tonsure into a monastery and from marriage to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Meiningen, but clashes between her and Empress Anna Ioannovna flared up repeatedly .
Prenner, Georg Kaspar von Portrait of Empress Elisabeth Petrovna Germany, 1750s
Anna Ioannovna throughout the ten years of her reign followed Elizabeth and her friends and lovers. The beauty of Elizabeth irritated Anna, and the Grand Duchess herself was for her a political rival, which had to be reckoned with. Princess Elizabeth had her own special court in St. Petersburg, she lived in a separate palace (on the corner of Bolshaya Millionnaya Street and Tsaritsyna Meadows); she did not make receptions, but often visited the queen at evening meetings and at all ceremonial ceremonies. She lived on the income from the estates bequeathed to her by her mother. Accustomed to luxury, the princess, who loved dresses and pleasures, constantly needed money and borrowed it wherever she could get it.
Various palace groups have always considered Elizabeth as a real contender for the royal throne. After the death of Anna Ioannovna (1740) and the coming to power of Anna Leopoldovna, the attitude towards Elizabeth did not change. The Tsesarevna was surrounded by an atmosphere of distrust and suspicion. Dissatisfied with Anna Ioannovna and Biron, they laid big hopes. However, observers did not consider her special enough active to stand at the head of the conspiracy. English Ambassador Finch, having beaten the words of Caesar in Shakespeare's play, reported to his homeland: "Elizabeth is too fat to be a conspirator."
Idealized ceremonial portrait of Elizabeth Petrovna by Charles van Loo
Taking advantage of the decline in authority and influence of power during the regency of Anna Leopoldovna, on the night of November 25 (December 6), 1741, 31-year-old Elizabeth, accompanied by the initiator of the conspiracy Lestok and her music teacher Schwartz, raised the grenadier company of the Preobrazhensky Regiment.
Everyone moved from the barracks to the Winter Palace. Encountering no resistance, with the help of 308 loyal guardsmen, she proclaimed herself the new empress, ordering the young Ivan VI to be imprisoned in the fortress and the entire Braunschweig family (Anna Ioannovna's relatives, including Ivan VI's regent Anna Leopoldovna) and her followers to be arrested. The favorites of the former Empress Minich, Levenwolde and Osterman were sentenced to death, replaced by exile in Siberia - in order to show Europe the tolerance of the new autocrat.
Ivan Vishnyakov. Portrait of Elizabeth Petrovna (1743).
The coronation celebrations took place in April 1742 and were distinguished by unprecedented pomp. As a reminder of them, the Red Gate was preserved in Moscow until the middle of the 20th century, under which the coronation procession passed. Even then, the empress's love for vivid spectacles and the desire to establish herself in the people's memory were fully manifested. A mass amnesty was announced, in the evening the walls of the Kremlin were shaken by volleys of fireworks, the facades of the surrounding houses were covered with brocade fabric. In memory of the celebrations, the “Coronation Album of Elizabeth Petrovna” was published.
Coronation dress of Elizabeth Petrovna
The cheerful nature of Elizabeth was the best suited to the tastes of the court. In entertainment, she had no equal. A happy childhood left an imprint on her whole life: her grief during the reign of Anna Ioannovna was great, but she did not lose her natural cheerfulness and wit. No matter how fate elevated her later, the old girl always remained in her both in manners and in her far from refined way of expressing her thoughts.
Ruble in gold (1756). The Empress was snub-nosed and insisted that her nose, under pain of punishment, be painted by artists only from the front, from its best side. In profile, there are almost no portraits of Elizabeth, except for an occasional medallion on a bone by Rastrelli.
The era of Empress Elizabeth is, on the whole, one of the most artistic pages of Russian history. Life in all its diverse manifestations was for her a true art.
Portrait by Argunov
The return to the principles of the reign of Sovereign Peter the Great was proclaimed as the main principles of the internal and foreign policy activities of the Empress. Elizaveta Petrovna liquidated the Cabinet of Ministers, created under Anna Ioannovna, restored the role of the Senate, the Berg- and the Manufacture College, and the Chief Magistrate. In connection with Russia's entry into the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763, she established a Conference at the Imperial Court.
By personal decree on December 2, 1742, Elizaveta Petrovna demanded the expulsion of all Jews from both Great Russian and Little Russian cities, villages and villages, with their property. In the future, only those who accepted " Christian faith of the Greek Confession" so that they could never again leave the country.
Groot. Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna on a horse with a black boy. 1743 State Tretyakov Gallery
The following year, informing Elizaveta Petrovna that 142 Jews (of both sexes) had already been deported, the Senate decided to emphasize that the expulsion of Jews would entail a loss for the treasury and asked to allow the latter to temporarily stay for trading purposes. But the Empress upheld her command, putting the famous resolution on the report of the Senate: "I do not want interesting profit from the enemies of Christ."
AT social policy the line of expanding the rights of the nobility continued. In 1746, the right to own land and peasants was assigned to the nobles. In 1760, the landowners received the right to exile peasants to Siberia, counting them instead of recruits. Peasants were forbidden to conduct monetary transactions without the permission of the landowner. In 1755, factory peasants were assigned as permanent (possession) workers at the Ural factories.
The passage of Elizabeth Petrovna past the Shuvalov Palace
For the first time in hundreds of years, the death penalty was not used in Russia under Elizabeth. When in 1743 the court ruled to wheel Natalya Lopukhina (who humiliated Elizabeth in front of the courtiers during the reign of Anna Ioannovna), the empress showed mercy and replaced death penalty to a less severe punishment (“beat with a whip, tear out the tongue, exile to Siberia, confiscate all property”).
Cannons and ramparts of the fortress of St. Elizabeth in modern Kirovograd. The Elizabethan fortress was the main military settlement (headquarters) of the Russian army in the south at that time, later than the Novoslobodsk Cossack and Elizavetgrad pike regiments.
Nevertheless, under Elizabeth, the practice of cruel corporal punishment is spreading both in the army and serfs. Formally not having the right to execute their peasants, the landowners often hacked them to death. The government was extremely reluctant to interfere in the life of the serf estate and turned a blind eye to the egregious crimes of the nobles. The time of Elizabeth is marked by the strengthening of the role of women in society. And Russian landowners, according to contemporaries, are increasingly involved in the management of estates. In cruelty, they sometimes surpassed men. Just at the end of the reign of Elizabeth, Saltychikha did her reprisals against the serfs.
Empress. Portrait of Pferd
As a result, in the last years of the reign of Elizabeth, more than 60 unrest of the monastery peasants were recorded, but her reign began with another uprising of the Bashkirs. In 1754-1764, unrest was observed at 54 factories in the Urals (200 thousand bonded peasants). The Erzya uprising took place in 1743-1745.
The rule of absolute monarchs of the 18th century, including the successors of Peter the Great, is characterized by favoritism. Persons who enjoyed the favor or personal affection of the empress, such as the Shuvalov brothers, Vorontsov, and others, often spent state budget funds on their own interests and needs. In the last period of her reign, Elizabeth dealt less with questions government controlled, entrusting it to Shuvalov and Vorontsov.
Empress Elizaveta Petrovna with a black child. Sculptural group, porcelain figurine. Model I.I. Candler
In general, the domestic policy of Elizabeth Petrovna was distinguished by stability and focus on the growth of authority and power. state power. According to a number of signs, we can say that the course of Elizabeth Petrovna was the first step towards the policy of enlightened absolutism, which was then carried out under Catherine II.
Resurrection maiden Smolny Monastery - a convent that functioned in the east of St. Petersburg in 1744-1764. During these years, the monastery was rebuilt under the personal supervision of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, who wished to retire here at the end of her life. .
With the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, the advent of the Enlightenment era and the reorganization of the military educational institutions. In 1744, a decree was issued to expand the network primary schools. The first gymnasiums were opened: in Moscow (1755) and Kazan (1758). In 1755, on the initiative of the favorite I. I. Shuvalov, Moscow University was founded, and in 1757, the Academy of Arts. Support was provided to MV Lomonosov and other representatives of Russian science and culture. The researches of D. I. Vinogradov made it possible to open in 1744 the Porcelain manufactory near St. Petersburg.
View of the Mariinsky Palace. The palace in the Tsar's Garden was founded by order of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in 1744. The baroque design was designed by her court architect, Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Under the leadership of Muscovite Ivan Michurin, as well as a group of other architects, the palace was built by 1752. The customer did not have time to visit the palace. The first royal person who stopped at the Mariinsky Palace was Catherine II, who visited Kyiv in 1787. Here she hosted on February 14 the Venezuelan politician Francisco Miranda, future liberator from the Spanish colonial system
Portrait by Groot
Huge funds were allocated from the treasury for the arrangement of royal residences. The court architect Rastrelli built the Winter Palace, which has since served as the main residence of Russian monarchs, and the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo. Peter's residences on the coast of the Gulf of Finland - Strelna and Peterhof - were thoroughly rebuilt. The construction of such a scale not only attracted masters from abroad to Russia, but also contributed to the development of local artistic personnel. The magnificent, major style of Rastrelli's polychrome buildings received the name of the Elizabethan Baroque in the history of architecture.
Letter of commendation to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra for estates in different counties
The Empress ordered the transfer of Fyodor Volkov's troupe from Yaroslavl to the capital, and on August 30, 1756 signed a decree on the creation of an imperial theater. She generally liked to dress up others. “In the plays performed at the court by pupils of the cadet corps, the female roles were given to young people, and Elizabeth invented costumes for them. So, in 1750, with her own hands, she dressed the cadet Svistunov, who played the role of Osnelda in the tragedy of Sumarokov, and a little later, the appearance of Beketov as a favorite was explained by a similar kind of acquaintance, ”writes Kazimir Valishevsky
Portrait by Groot
Despite the obvious predominance of the Western vector of foreign policy, under Elizabeth, the expansion of the empire's borders to the east continued. In 1740-1743, the Middle Zhuz voluntarily became part of Russia. The development of lands in the south of the Urals was led by Ivan Neplyuev, who founded the city of Orenburg in 1743. S. P. Krasheninnikov explored Kamchatka, and the second expedition of Bering explored the coast of Alaska.
The military conquests of Elizabeth are the subject of a separate post.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to get a complete picture of the life of Elizabeth and her court in Tsarskoe Selo. The memoir material for this era is too poor and does not have that precious intimate character that allows the historian to get acquainted with the everyday life of the studied time. Meanwhile, Tsarskoye Selo during the life of Empress Elizabeth almost never ceased to be precisely the intimate residence in which the queen rested from the tiring splendor and condescending plurality.
Elizabeth's Pilgrimage to New Jerusalem
In addition, the palace buildings in Tsarskoye Selo almost throughout the entire reign did not stop being built and, in their unfinished form, offered little convenience for arranging large receptions and celebrations. Only the intimate circle of the empress and the so-called "small retinue", and even the heir to the throne, visited Tsarskoye Grand Duke Pyotr Feodorovich visited Tsarskoye only 8 times before accession to the throne.
Two months after her accession to the throne, Elizabeth, as it seems, visited Tsarskoe for the first time, being an empress. It was January 18, 1742. In the morning, at nine o'clock, the Empress "took her way to Tsarskoye Selo, where she was greeted with cannon salutes, first with the 31st shot, and then," as she deigned to sit down to eat at the table, they fired repeatedly.
Bucholz brushes
At eight o'clock in the evening, Elizabeth visited the mansions, which in the garden are called a tavern, where there used to be soap houses (and here she amused herself (played?) Until the tenth hour, "and then, returning to the palace chambers, having a little more fun, she settled down to spend the night there. On the next morning at seven o'clock the empress went hunting. In the retinue were the heroes of the day - the life-companies. She returned by noon, and after that an impromptu ball was arranged with singing and playing cards
Cup with relief profile portrait of Empress Anna Ioannovna with the inscription Vivat Anne Imperatrice de Roussic. Saxony, 18th century. Foot with profile portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Russia, Petersburg glass factory, 18th century.
With the advent of Elizabeth to power in 1741, the beloved Tsarskoye Selo resounded with the noise of construction: according to the project of F.-B. Rastrelli gave the existing building the splendor and luxury of the palace. It was an unusual building: a fabulous spectacle gradually opened before those approaching. Against the backdrop of the greenery of the forest and the vault of heaven, a huge blue palace shone with golden ornaments.
The impression was intensified when the guests entered the building - the golden enfilade of halls staggered the imagination.
Baroque - the Elizabethan style - perfectly suited her tastes and contributed to the outward brilliance that was characteristic of the life of Elizabeth's court. All kinds of festivities and ceremonies were held in magnificent apartments, which, of course, enhanced the impression.
Ceremonial dinners and "evening meals" occupied a significant place in the life of the court of the 18th century. Lasting for five to six hours in a row, they usually took place in a variety of palace interiors. The tables were filled with huge silver vases, pyramids made of confectionery, decorations made of porcelain and sugar, which was then brought from distant countries.
Fountains of wine, colored water and champagne were built in the middle of the table. The number of dishes at the ceremonial dinners of the Elizabethan court reached eighty. Some dishes had strange and pretentious names, for example: "bull's eyes in sauce in the morning waking up", "cheeks of herring", "moose lips", " empress-style roast" and others. For ceremonial dinners, fruits were brought from Astrakhan day and night, crayfish were brought from Ukraine, oysters were delivered from Kronstadt, and fresh pates were sent from Strasbourg every day. project of the architect F.-B. Rastrelli. Great importance given to the decoration of tables
The Amber Room is rightly called one of the wonders of the world. Initially, this interior was created for the Prussian Queen Miria-Charlotte, but in 1716 Frederick William I was presented to Peter the Great, but only under Elizabeth did he find a place in the old Winter Palace. With her, the precious panels on the hands (!) were transferred to Tsarskoye Selo. Rastrelli installed them in the middle tier of the walls, separated by pilasters with mirrors and decorated the room with gilded carvings. Where there was not enough amber, fragments of the walls were covered with canvas and painted “under amber” by the artist Belsky. After the capture of Pushkin by German troops, the panels were taken out by the Kunstkommission team and until 1944 were exhibited in the Königsberg Castle. During the retreat of the Germans, the panels were again dismantled, packed in boxes and taken out in an unknown direction.
The restoration of the room began in 1979. In 2000, a chest of drawers of Russian work of the end of the 18th century discovered in Germany and a Florentine mosaic "Touch and Smell", which were part of the original decoration of the room, returned to the museum. By 2003, the decoration of the hall was completely restored.
Indispensable concluding part of all the festivities there were fireworks and illuminations held at night. It was a true art, almost theatrical action: skillful pyrotechnicians and engineers from white and colored lights created a huge number of moving figures, allegories, groups. These pictures were accompanied by music, fireworks, illuminations and represented a fabulous spectacle; performances on the Big Pond were especially spectacular. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna in Tsarskoe Selo held summer time in accordance with the established tradition: receptions, banquets, holidays were held according to the approved program. During her reign, an extensive palace economy developed in the residence, serving the imperial ensemble. On ordinary days, about a thousand people were in the residence, during receptions - up to 5,000.
The decoration of the palace and the park, the daily life was in charge of the Court office and the Chamber of the Marshals. The services involved in the organization of royal dinners were divided into Tafeldeker (in charge of the dining table and utensils); Mundshenskaya (in charge of drinks); Kofishenskaya (serving coffee, tea); Confectionery (desserts). In addition, there was a pantry and various kitchen services. In the basement of the palace, under the rooms of the empress and her entourage, there were services and servants who served the court at the slightest need.
The entire household and arrangement of holidays in the palace was in charge of the marshal; daily he was responsible for the maintenance of the royal table and the table of court officials and servants, divided into classes. The first class included the marshal, the chamberlains, the heads of the cavalry guard companies, who also had the right to invite guests; to class II - officers, secretaries, adjutants, chamber pages, pages and other persons who served at court; to III class- senior servants of the court.
Cameos depicting the Empress
Since 1749, a young man appeared in the life of the Empress, whose name was Ivan Shuvalov. He began to play a particularly large role at court in the last years of the Empress's life, when she increasingly retired and lived in seclusion in Tsarskoe Selo. The first library, the first museums, the drama theatre, cadet corps for young children of nobles, Moscow University, the Academy of Arts - this is not a complete list of events in Russian culture and science that were discussed within the walls of the Tsarskoye Selo residence. He prepared the texts of the orders: "I have been ordered to write a letter for my own signing, which is now filed." He was an outstanding figure in Russian culture.
Balls, dinners, masquerades, concerts, fireworks and illuminations went on in a continuous series, turning the life of the Empress into an eternal holiday. Among the state decrees signed by Empress Elizabeth, there are also the following: "From now on and next winter at the court of Her Imperial Majesty every week on the following days to be, namely: on Sundays - kurtags, on Mondays - interludes, on Tuesdays - court masquerades , on Thursdays - French comedies ... ".
The masquerades were held according to the scenario created by the mistress of the palace, as evidenced by the entries made in the camera-Fourier magazines of those years: “... to be ladies in a gentleman's dress, gentlemen in a lady's dress, whoever has what: in samaras, caftans or ladies' robes, and the chief chamberlain, Mrs. Golitsyna, was announced to be in a masquerade men's dress: in dominoes, in a wig and in a hat.
Elizabeth was very fond of the theater and was fond of it from her youth. In the 1730s, performances were staged at the court of the princess, in which courtiers and singers acted as actors.
Perhaps that is why, peering into the ceremonial portraits, images of the halls, looking at her face and clothes, hairstyles and jewelry, each time you see the same features reflected in the art of her time. The Empress reflected the opulent beauty of the mid-18th century style.
Armchair of the Empress
Until the end of her days, she was concerned about her own wardrobe, numbering thousands of dresses, chests of shoes and warehouses of fabrics. Having a huge, constantly replenished wardrobe, numbering thousands of dresses, in all ceremonial portraits the Empress is depicted in gray-pearl, shimmering with silver outfits. She was a heroine in a huge theater and lived in the atmosphere of a performance with a system of theatrical receptions - a giant theatrical scenery of the palace, sparkling with golden outfits court actors.
The rules of the feast, etiquette and the eternal holiday were carried out by the Italian painter G. Valeriani (1708-1762). Starting from 1744, "the first theater engineer and painter" devoted all his outstanding talent to organizing official holidays, performances, anniversaries, parades, balls, masquerades, dinners and ceremonies. Thus, the palace was a precious setting for the beautiful empress, who, according to the historian V.O. Klyuchevsky, lived "without taking her eyes off herself."
Country Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna, XVIII-XIX centuries. - Moscow, st. Gastello, 44 building 1.
Since childhood, Elizaveta Petrovna loved the singing of birds, and many of them were kept in cages in her private rooms. She could sleep peacefully under their singing and clicking, thus keeping patriarchal traditions in her life.
Snuffbox
New trends manifested themselves in the ceremonial living rooms: fashionable exotic birds - parrots - sat in large bronze cages at the windows and screamed gutturally, drawing attention to their person. Modest singing forest birds found a place for themselves in cozy sleeping boudoir, of which there were many in the palace.
The 18th century is the century of laughter and play. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna had the rare gift of never being monotonous in anything, starting with appearance. When, by the will of fate, she became an empress, she lived for her own pleasure; the circle of courtiers was mainly close people.
Coach. Presented to Empress Elizabeth Petrovna by the Prussian King Frederick II
Elizabeth allowed herself to be free and do what she liked - for example, she loved to sing and was a pleasant singer, she showed herself in a close circle: all the subtlety and grace of female coquetry, all the charm and tenderness of her flexible voice unfolded. After a walk in the Tsarskoye Selo garden, the Empress with the closest and most pleasant people to her, as a rule, no more than 16 people, usually sat down to dinner in the Hermitage pavilion. The guests entered an exquisitely furnished hall, on the walls of which there were paintings by G. Valeriani, the plots were love scenes and a luxurious feast of the gods on Mount Olympus, but there was not even a hint of dinner in the hall itself.
Portrait of Alexei Razumovsky, with whom the queen was in a secret church marriage
As soon as the empress crossed the threshold, two courtiers approached her and asked for orders about the beginning. The empress nodded her head benevolently - a sign that it was possible to serve; the floor parted and a luxuriously served table rose from below. They ate light, tasty meals, drank fine wines, and carried on cheerful and elegant conversations.
Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov
After dinner, the table was lowered and dancing began. The chamber-fourier journals - a kind of official diary of the Empress' pastime - confirm her frequent presence in the Hermitage pavilion. There are enough reviews about the character of Elizabeth by her contemporaries. The authors of letters and memoirs - people of different characters, opinions, minds, temperaments - agreed on one thing: Elizabeth was charming and unusually attractive in a friendly circle. The pavilion was one of the Empress's favorite resting places, and she often went for walks with foreign diplomats, decorating the reception in the Great Hall of the Hermitage with her own presence.
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Solemn receptions required an appropriate luxurious frame. The gilding of the architectural and sculptural details of the facade of the palace was echoed by the abundance of gold in its interiors. "Golden" was called by contemporaries the front suite of halls on the second floor of the Grand Palace, where not only the walls, but also the doors were decorated with gilded carvings. Connected by carved gilded portals, these rooms formed a long chain of front rooms - going to infinity, sparkling with gold carvings, a suite that boggles the imagination with its length.
The carved decor was most impressive in the rooms intended for waiting for the Empress to come out, the Anti-Chambers, the Church Hall and in various dining rooms - Cavalier, Front, Malaya Belaya, Chinese. When the empress stepped out from behind the open doors, as if from some kind of mirror-like kingdom, she gradually turned from a barely visible point, sparkling with jewels, into a clearly outlined, majestic figure rustling with brocade and silks.
The crowded festivities that took place in the Great Hall and the Anticameras ended with celebrations intended for a narrow circle of guests and close associates, who were received in numerous enfilade halls: Amber room, Crimson and Green pillars and in the Portrait Hall. On Sundays, after mass, the empress received congratulations from her retinue, “complained” to her hand, while the ritual of behavior, as well as the clothes of the courtiers, were strictly regulated, and, as the court journal notes, “the ladies were in frock coats and hats , and gentlemen until noon in orders, and then without orders. In the evenings, in the living rooms of the palace, they played cards and chess, amused themselves by solving charades, and arranged evening music concerts.
By order of Elizaveta Petrovna, a series of jewelry was created - bouquets of gold, silver and precious stones. The most famous of them - the Big Bouquet (1760) - was covered with diamonds and emeralds. The Empress loved to attach this intricate brooch to the bodice of her formal dress.
Elizaveta Petrovna was a passionate lover of jewelry. Among her jewelry were real works of art. For example, earrings and a hat brooch in the form of diamond-sapphire fountains.
The Small White Dining Room in the private chambers of Elizabeth, Catherine II and Alexander I. Its interior was formed after a fire in 1820.
Field Marshal Count Munnich describes the appearance of the Empress as follows: “... Empress Elizabeth had a beautiful appearance and rare spiritual qualities. She had an unusually lively character, was very slender and good-looking, swept away on a horse and on water, and, despite her fullness, she walked so quickly that everyone in general, and the ladies in particular, could hardly keep up with her. Elizabeth loved horseback riding, had rare endurance and was able to spend several hours in the saddle: she was a passionate hunter and rider. Like her father - Peter I - she was easy-going and often traveled. The purpose of her numerous trips were monasteries, pilgrimages, walks and hunts.
A copy of the painting "The Bathing of Venus" by K. Vanloo is installed in the ceiling plafond.
For the plafond, a painting by the 17th-century Italian artist P. da Cortona “Catching Corals”, transferred from the Hermitage funds, was used
The living rooms of Elizabeth Petrovna in the Tsarskoye Selo Palace were located on the garden side in the upper floor of the right wing, adjacent to the palace church. Of these rooms, the most luxurious was the bedroom of the Empress, "decorated with orange damask and silver." In the bedroom there was a bed "damask, blue French damask, newly made in the latest taste."
According to the tradition of that time, this front bed was the most magnificent piece of furniture in the palace, about which even at the beginning of the 20th century “the most detailed ... description was preserved as something outlandish ...”. And, indeed, the simple oak bed frame was lavishly decorated with embroidered draperies, fringe, silver braid and tassels. On the canopy, a crown, a cross and the monogram of the Empress were embroidered with a silver beat and a cantle. The back of the headboard was decorated with the State Emblem embroidered with silk and silver. On three sides, the bed was covered with curtains, also decorated with silver embroidery.
The cavalier's dining room is a small hall, visually enlarged by mirrors and false mirrored windows.
On the tables are objects of the famous "Order" services, decorated with signs and ribbons of Russian orders. The picturesque ceiling in the center of the ceiling is decorated with a painting by an unknown Russian master of the middle of the 18th century on the plot of the ancient myth about the sun god Helios and the goddess of the morning dawn Eos, obtained from the funds of the Russian Museum.
The White Grand Dining Room was intended for ceremonial dinners and "evening meals" of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in a narrow circle of close associates.
The bedroom of Elizabeth Petrovna was inherited for a long twenty years by her successor, Catherine II. Apparently, under Ekaterina Alekseevna, painted Chinese silks, type-setting parquet appeared on the walls of the room, and the E II monogram crowned the alcove niche. This interior became a Bedchamber not only for Catherine II, but also for her grandson Alexander I, who installed his camp folding bed in an elegant baroque niche.
Artist G.Kh. Groot
The decoration of the tables of the time of Elizabeth Petrovna is an independent art. Each service corresponds to a specific glass set for drinks. Compositions of fruits and flowers were made on white linen tablecloths.
The design of the tables in richness, intricacy and variety in decorations was not inferior to the decoration of the halls. Elizaveta Petrovna very often spent time with ladies and gentlemen for “frishtoks” (breakfasts), “ordinary” (everyday) dinners, and evening meals.
She was born before the official marriage between her parents. They named the born girl Elizabeth. The Romanov dynasty had never used such a name before.
In 1711, Peter the Great and Catherine entered into a legal marriage. Accordingly, their daughters, the eldest Anna and the youngest Elizabeth, became princesses. And when in 1721 the Russian tsar proclaimed himself emperor, the girls began to be called princesses.
Artist G. H. Groot, 1744
Contemporaries noted that Elizabeth was unusually beautiful, was fond of dresses, festivities and dances. She avoided any serious occupation and seemed to everyone narrow-minded and frivolous. As a pretender to the throne, few people took into account the young woman.
However, astute people noticed that the princess was not as simple as it seemed at first glance. She was not, but rather played the role of a windy person, since she was comfortable with that. In fact, the young woman had a strong-willed character, an extraordinary mind, ambition and authority.
In the last years of her reign, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna was ill a lot. Endless night festivities, fatty foods, unwillingness to change the way of life and to be treated aged the empress. Approaching old age has become a nightmare for a woman. No decorations and outfits could hide the traces of the turbulently lived years.
The ruler became angry, fell into depression, canceled masquerades and balls, and hid from human eyes in the palace. At that time, only Ivan Shuvalov could get to her. The empress died on December 25, 1761 from throat bleeding.. It was the result of some chronic disease, not established by doctors. The nephew of the late Empress Peter III ascended the Russian throne.
Alexey Starikov
Elizaveta Petrovna Romanova was born on December 18, 1709 in a marriage between and not legalized by the church at that time. Having learned about the birth of his daughter, Peter the 1st canceled the celebrations scheduled for that day on the occasion of the successful end of the Russian-Swedish war. In March 1711, the illegitimate Elizabeth was declared a princess.
Elizabeth was distinguished by her amazing beauty, sharp mind, resourcefulness, love of dancing and riding horses. Elizabeth received her education in Preobrazhensky and Izmailovsky villages, where she studied history, geography and foreign languages.
Numerous attempts by Peter the 1st to marry his daughter to a representative of a noble ruling dynasty were in vain. Menshikov's attempts to find a worthy party for Elizabeth under ended in the same way. Osterman even offered to marry her to Peter Alekseevich, but the princess refused.
In 1730, Peter Alekseevich died, and the question arose of who would take the Russian throne. According to the will of Catherine the 1st, this place was supposed to be Elizabeth. However, the Supreme Privy Council decided that the throne should take - the sister of the princess, with whom they had far from warm relations.
During her reign, Anna managed to significantly reduce the prestige of the country and ruin the state treasury. Ten years later (in 1740) Anna died, leaving the throne to her nephew. He was still small, and Anna Leopoldovna became his regent. Dissatisfied with everything that was happening inside the country, Elizabeth, together with her supporters, decided on and ascended the throne (1741).
Domestic policy of Elizabeth Petrovna
Wanting to bring the country to the state in which it was at the beginning of the reign of Peter the 1st, Queen Elizabeth abolished the death penalty in Russia. Since 1741, internal political transformations began: a higher government agency The Senate drafted a new code of laws. Elizabeth directed her actions also to empower the nobles. The abolished customs duties have made it possible to significantly improve the development of the Russian market.
In 1744-1747. The second population census was carried out in Russia. The head tax was reduced. The country's economy, industry and Agriculture. The cultural and scientific growth of the Russian state began: Moscow University, the Academy of Sciences, many gymnasiums, the First Public Theater and the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg were opened, giving great Russian artists to world culture.
The foreign policy of Empress Elizabeth
Elizabeth's foreign policy was very active. During the years of the beginning of her reign, Russia fought with Sweden, who wanted to avenge the defeat in. However, this war ended for the Swedes with another failure, and part of Finland went to Russia. The victory in this war entailed the desire of many European countries enter into an alliance with Russia. Russia happened to take part in the War of the Austrian Succession.
In 1756, it began, as a result of which Russia, together with its allies, practically destroyed Prussia. However, in December 1761, Elizaveta Petrovna died, and her nephew, whom she appointed as successor, concludes a peace treaty.
The reign of Elizabeth Petrovna can be considered quite favorable for the Russian Empire. The biography of Elizabeth is fascinating and interesting. This is a bright person and a significant historical figure.
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Before taking the throne
Accession to the throne
Reign
Social unrest
Seven Years' War (1756-1763)
Personal life
succession to the throne
Interesting Facts
Literature
Interesting Facts
(December 18 (29), 1709, Kolomenskoye - December 25, 1761 (January 5, 1762), St. Petersburg) - Russian Empress from November 25 (December 6), 1741 from the Romanov dynasty, daughter of Peter I and his mistress Ekaterina Alekseevna (future Empress Catherine I).
Childhood, education and upbringing
Elizabeth was born in the village of Kolomenskoye on December 18, 1709. This day was solemn: Peter I entered Moscow, wishing to celebrate his victory over Charles XII in the old capital; he was followed by Swedish prisoners. The sovereign intended to immediately celebrate the Poltava victory, but upon entering the capital he was informed of the birth of his daughter. “Let's postpone the celebration of victory and hasten to congratulate my daughter on her ascension into the world,” he said. Peter found Catherine and the newborn baby healthy and, in joy, arranged a feast.
Being only eight years old, Princess Elizabeth already drew attention to herself with her beauty. In 1717, both daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, met Peter, returning from abroad, dressed in Spanish attire. Then the French ambassador noticed that the youngest daughter of the sovereign seemed unusually beautiful in this outfit. In the following year, 1718, assemblies were introduced, and both princesses appeared there in dresses of different colors, embroidered with gold and silver, in headdresses that shone with diamonds. Everyone admired the art of Elizabeth in dancing. In addition to ease of movement, she was distinguished by resourcefulness and ingenuity, constantly inventing new figures. The French envoy Levi noticed at the same time that Elizabeth could be called a perfect beauty if her hair were not reddish.
The upbringing of the princess could not be particularly successful, especially since her mother was completely illiterate. But she was taught in French, and Catherine constantly insisted that there were important reasons for her to know French better than other subjects of study. This reason, as you know, was the strong desire of her parents to marry Elizabeth to one of the persons of the French royal blood. However, to all persistent proposals to intermarry with the French Bourbons, they answered with a polite but decisive refusal.
In all other respects, Elizabeth's education was a little burdensome; she never received a decent systematic education. Her time was filled with horseback riding, hunting, rowing and caring for her beauty.
Before taking the throne
After the marriage of her parents, she bore the title of princess. The will of Catherine I in 1727 provided for the rights of Elizabeth and her offspring to the throne after Peter II and Anna Petrovna. In the last year of the reign of Catherine I and at the beginning of the reign of Peter II, there was a lot of talk at court about the possibility of marriage between an aunt and a nephew, who at that time had friendly relations. After the death of Peter II, betrothed to Ekaterina Dolgorukova, from smallpox in January 1730, Elizabeth, despite the will of Catherine I, was not actually considered as one of the contenders for the throne, which was transferred to her cousin Anna Ioannovna. During her reign (1730-1740), Tsesarevna Elizabeth was in disgrace; those dissatisfied with Anna Ioannovna and Biron had high hopes for the daughter of Peter the Great.
Accession to the throne
Taking advantage of the decline in authority and influence of power during the regency of Anna Leopoldovna, on the night of November 25 (December 6), 1741, 32-year-old Elizabeth, accompanied by Count M. I. Vorontsov, the life physician Lestok and her music teacher Schwartz, said “Guys! You know whose daughter I am, follow me! As you served my father, serve me with your fidelity!” raised a grenadier company of the Preobrazhensky Regiment behind her. Encountering no resistance, with the help of 308 loyal guardsmen, she proclaimed herself the new queen, ordering the young Ivan VI to be imprisoned in the fortress and the entire Braunschweig family (Anna Ioannovna's relatives, including the regent of Ivan VI - Anna Leopoldovna) and her adherents to be arrested. The favorites of the former Empress Minich, Levenwolde and Osterman were sentenced to death, replaced by exile in Siberia - in order to show Europe the tolerance of the new autocrat.
Reign
Elizabeth almost did not deal with state affairs, entrusting them to her favorites - the brothers Razumovsky, Shuvalov, Vorontsov, A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin.
Elizabeth proclaimed a return to the Petrine reforms as the main principles of domestic and foreign policy. The role of the Senate, the Berg and Manufacture Colleges, and the Chief Magistrate were restored. The Cabinet of Ministers has been abolished. The Senate received the right of legislative initiative. During the Seven Years' War, a permanent meeting arose, standing above the Senate - the Conference at the highest court. The conference was attended by the heads of the military and diplomatic departments, as well as persons specially invited by the Empress. The activities of the Secret Chancellery became invisible. The significance of the Synod and the clergy increased (the confessor of the Empress Fyodor Dubyansky acquired special influence at court), and schismatics were severely persecuted. The Synod took care of the material support of the clergy, monasteries, distribution spiritual education in the people. During the reign of Elizabeth, work was completed on a new Slavic translation Bible, begun under Peter I in 1712. The Elizabethan Bible, published in 1751, is still used with minor changes in the services of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In 1741, the empress adopted a decree allowing Buddhist lamas to preach their teachings on the territory of the Russian Empire. All lamas who wished to come to Russia were sworn allegiance to the empire. The decree also exempted them from paying taxes. At the same time, on December 2, 1742, a decree was adopted on the expulsion of all citizens of the Jewish faith, with permission to remain only for those who want to convert to Orthodoxy.
In 1744-1747, the second census of the taxable population was carried out.
In the late 1740s - the first half of the 1750s, on the initiative of Pyotr Shuvalov, a number of serious transformations were carried out. In 1754, the Senate adopted a resolution developed by Shuvalov on the abolition of internal customs duties and petty fees. This led to a significant revival of trade relations between the regions. The first Russian banks were founded - Noble (Loan), Merchant and Copper (State).
A tax reform was carried out, which made it possible to improve the country's financial situation: the fees for concluding foreign trade transactions were increased to 13 kopecks from 1 ruble (instead of the previously charged 5 kopecks). The tax on salt and wine was raised.
In 1754, a new commission was created to draw up the Code, which completed its work by the end of the reign of Elizabeth, but the process of transformation was interrupted by the Seven Years' War (1756-1762).
In social policy, the line of expanding the rights of the nobility continued. In 1746, the right to own land and peasants was assigned to the nobles. In 1760, the landlords received the right to exile the peasants to Siberia, counting them instead of recruits. Peasants were forbidden to conduct monetary transactions without the permission of the landowner.
In 1755, factory peasants were assigned as permanent (session) workers at the Ural factories.
The death penalty was abolished (1756), and the mass practice of sophisticated torture was stopped.
Under Elizabeth they were reorganized military educational institutions. In 1744, a decree was issued to expand the network of primary schools. The first gymnasiums were opened: in Moscow (1755) and Kazan (1758). In 1755, on the initiative of I. I. Shuvalov, Moscow University was founded, and in 1760, the Academy of Arts. August 30, 1756 - a decree was signed on the beginning of the creation of the structure of the Imperial Theaters of Russia. Outstanding cultural monuments were created (Catherine's Palace in Tsarskoe Selo, etc.). Support was provided to MV Lomonosov and other representatives of Russian science and culture. In the last period of her reign, Elizabeth was less involved in issues of state administration, entrusting it to P. I. and I. I. Shuvalov, M. I. and R. I. Vorontsov, and others.
In general, the domestic policy of Elizabeth Petrovna was characterized by stability and focus on increasing the authority and power of state power. According to a number of signs, we can say that the course of Elizabeth Petrovna was the first step towards the policy of enlightened absolutism, which was then carried out under Catherine II.
Empress Elizabeth was the last ruler of Russia, who was Romanova "by blood."
Social unrest
At the turn of the 50-60s. 18th century there were more than 60 uprisings of monastic peasants.
In the 30-40s. twice there were uprisings in Bashkiria.
In 1754-1764. unrest was observed at 54 factories in the Urals (200 thousand ascribed peasants).
Foreign policy
Russo-Swedish War (1741-1743)
In 1740, the Prussian king Frederick II decided to take advantage of the death of the Austrian emperor Charles VI to seize Silesia. The War of the Austrian Succession began. Hostile to Austria, Prussia and France tried to persuade Russia to take part in the conflict on their side, but they were also satisfied with non-intervention in the war. Therefore, French diplomacy tried to push Sweden and Russia in order to divert the attention of the latter from European affairs. Sweden declared war on Russia.
Russian troops under the command of General Lassi defeated the Swedes in Finland and occupied its territory. The Abo peace treaty (Abo peace) of 1743 ended the war. The treaty was signed on August 7, 1743 in the city of Abo (now Turku, Finland) on the part of Russia by A. I. Rumyantsev and I. Luberas, on the part of Sweden by G. Zederkreis and E. M. Nolken. During the negotiations, Russia agreed to limit its territorial claims, subject to the election of the Holstein Prince Adolf Fredrik, a cousin of the Russian heir to the Swedish throne, as heir to the Swedish throne. Peter III Fedorovich. On June 23, 1743, Adolf was elected heir to the Swedish throne, which paved the way for a final agreement.
Article 21 of the peace treaty established eternal peace between countries and obligated them not to enter into hostile alliances. The Treaty of Nystad in 1721 was confirmed. The Kymenegorsk province with the cities of Friedrichsgam and Wilmanstrand, part of the Savolak province with the city of Neishlot, departed to Russia. The border runs along the river. Kymmene.
The beginning of the accession of Kazakhstan to Russia
Back in 1731, Anna Ioannovna signed a letter of acceptance of the Junior Kazakh Zhuz into Russia. Khan Zhuz Abulkhair and the foremen swore allegiance to Russia.
In 1740-1743. Russia voluntarily included the Middle Zhuz; Orenburg was built (1743) and a fortress on the river. Yaik.
Seven Years' War (1756-1763)
In 1756-1763 the Anglo-French war for the colonies. Two coalitions participated in the war: Prussia, England and Portugal against France, Spain, Austria, Sweden and Saxony with the participation of Russia.
In 1756 Frederick II attacked Saxony without declaring war. In the summer of that year, he forced her to capitulate. On September 1, 1756, Russia declared war on Prussia. In 1757, Friedrich defeated the Austrian and French troops and sent the main forces against Russia. In the summer of 1757, the Russian army under the command of Apraksin entered East Prussia. On August 19, the Russian army was surrounded at the village. Gross-Egersdorf and only with the support of the reserve brigade P. A. Rumyantsev escaped from the encirclement. The enemy lost 8 thousand people. and stepped back. Apraksin did not organize the persecution, and he himself retreated to Courland. Elizabeth removed him and put him under investigation. The Englishman V. V. Fermor was appointed the new commander.
At the beginning of 1758, Russian troops captured Koenigsberg, then all of East Prussia, whose population even swore allegiance to the empress. East Prussia received the status of a province of Russia. In August 1758, a battle took place near the village of Zondorf, in which the Russians won. Some rulers of Germany often raised a toast to the Germans who won at Zondorf, but these statements were erroneous, because the army that occupied the battlefield after the battle is considered the winner. The battlefield was occupied by the Russian army (this battle is described in detail by Valentin Pikul in the novel "Pen and Sword"). At the beginning of the battle, Fermor, together with the Austrian ambassador to the Russian army, fled from the battlefield. The victory was won by an army without a commander-in-chief. Fermor was subsequently suspended. During the battle, Frederick II said the famous phrases:
The army was headed by P.S. Saltykov. August 1, 1759 58,000 Russian army near the village of Kunersdorf against 48,000 Prussian army gave a pitched battle. The army of Frederick II was destroyed: only 3 thousand soldiers remained. Seydlitz's cavalry was also destroyed. Saltykov, for his defiant attitude towards the Austrian troops and the delay in the advance, is removed and A. B. Buturlin is appointed.
On September 28, 1760, the capture of Berlin took place; it was briefly captured by the corps of General Z. G. Chernyshev, who seized military depots. However, as Frederick approached, the corps retreated.
In December 1761, Elizabeth died of throat bleeding due to a chronic illness unidentified by medicine at that time.
Peter III ascended the throne. The new emperor returned to Frederick all the conquered lands and even offered military assistance. Only a new palace coup and the accession to the throne of Catherine II prevented Russia's military actions against former allies- Austria and Sweden.
Personal life
According to some contemporaries, Elizabeth was in a secret marriage with Alexei Razumovsky. She most likely did not have children, which is why she took under her personal guardianship two sons orphaned in 1743 and the daughter of the chamber junker Grigory Butakov: Peter, Alexei and Praskovya. However, after the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, many impostors appeared who called themselves her children from marriage with Razumovsky. Among them, the most famous figure was the so-called Princess Tarakanova.
The reign of Elizabeth is a period of luxury and excess. At the court, masquerade balls were regularly held, and in the first ten years, so-called "metamorphoses" were also held, when ladies dressed up in men's costumes, and men in women's costumes. Elizaveta Petrovna herself set the tone and was a trendsetter. The Empress' wardrobe included up to 15,000 dresses.
succession to the throne
On November 7 (November 18), 1742, Elizabeth appointed her nephew (Anna's sister's son), the Duke of Holstein Karl-Peter Ulrich (Peter Fedorovich), as the official heir to the throne. His official title included the words "Grandson of Peter the Great".
In the winter of 1747, the Empress issued a decree, referred to in history as the “hair establishment”, commanding all ladies of the court to cut their hair bald, and gave everyone “black disheveled wigs” to wear until they grow their own. City ladies were allowed by decree to leave their hair, but wear the same black wigs on top. The reason for the appearance of the order was that the empress could not remove the powder from her hair and decided to dye it black. However, this did not help and she had to cut her hair completely and wear a black wig.
Memory
Literature
- Klyuchevsky, Vasily Osipovich Course of Russian History (Lectures I-XXXII, rtf)
- V. Pikul "Word and deed"
- Coronation album of Elizabeth Petrovna
- Soboleva I. A. German princesses - Russian fates. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2008. - 413 p.
To the cinema
- "Young Catherine" (" Young Catherine"), (1991). Elizabeth is played by Vanessa Redgrave.
- “Vivat, midshipmen!” (1991), “Midshipmen - III” (1992). In the role of Elizabeth - Natalia Gundareva.
- "Secrets palace coups"(1-5th films, (2000-2003)). In the role of Elizabeth - Ekaterina Nikitina.
- Feather and sword (2008). In the role of Elizabeth - Olga Samoshina.
- In the winter of 1747, the empress issued a decree, referred to in history as the "hair establishment", commanding all ladies of the court to cut their hair bald, and gave everyone "black disheveled wigs" to wear until they grow their own. City ladies were allowed by decree to leave their hair, but wear the same black wigs on top. The reason for the appearance of the order was that the empress could not remove the powder from her hair and decided to dye it black. However, this did not help and she had to cut her hair completely and wear a black wig.
- Elizaveta Petrovna had a snub nose, and this nose (under pain of punishment) was painted by artists only from the front, from its best side. And in profile, there are almost no portraits of Elizabeth, except for a random medallion on the bone by Rastrelli.
- On December 22, 2009, the exhibition “Vivat, Elisabeth” was opened in the Catherine Palace, organized by State Museum- the Tsarskoe Selo reserve, together with the State Museum of Ceramics and the Kuskovo Estate of the 18th century, and timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. One of the most interesting exhibits of the exhibition was a paper sculpture depicting the ceremonial dress of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. The sculpture was made specially for the exhibition by the order of the museum by the world-famous Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave.
Elizaveta Petrovna is the Russian Empress, who became the last representative of the royal Romanov dynasty in the female line. She entered the history of Russia as a cheerful ruler, as she had a pronounced passion for chic balls and various high-society entertainments. The years of her reign were not marked by special pronounced achievements, but she skillfully led her court and maneuvered among political groups, which allowed her to firmly hold on to the throne for two decades. However, Elizabeth I played important role in the development of the culture and economy of the country, and also managed to lead the Russian army to several confident victories in serious wars.
Elizaveta Petrovna was born on December 29, 1709 in the village of Kolomeskoye near Moscow. She became the illegitimate daughter of Tsar Peter I and Marta Skavronskaya (Catherine I), therefore she received the title of princess only two years after birth, when her parents entered into an official church marriage. In 1721, after the ascension of Peter I to the imperial throne, Elizabeth and her sister Anna received the titles of crown princes, which made them legitimate heirs to the royal throne.
Young Elizabeth was the most beloved daughter of Emperor Peter, but she rarely saw her father. Her upbringing was mainly carried out by Princess Natalya Alekseevna (paternal aunt) and the family of Alexander Menshikov, who was an associate of Peter Alekseevich. But they did not particularly burden the future empress with studies - she was thoroughly engaged only in studying French and developing beautiful handwriting. She also gained superficial knowledge about others. foreign languages, geography and history, but they did not interest the princess, so she devoted all her time to caring for her beauty and choosing outfits.
Elizaveta Petrovna was reputed to be the first beauty at court, was fluent in dancing, and was distinguished by her extraordinary resourcefulness and ingenuity. Such qualities made her the "main center" of diplomatic projects - Peter the Great made plans to marry his daughter to Louis XV and the Duke of Orleans, but the French Bourbons politely refused. After that, the portraits of the princesses were sent to minor German princes, but Karl-August Holstein, who showed interest in Elizabeth, died upon arrival in St. Petersburg, never reaching the altar.
After the death of Peter the Great and Ekaterina Alekseevna, the troubles regarding the marriage of Elizabeth completely ceased. Then the princess completely devoted herself to entertainment, hobbies and amusements at court, but when her cousin Anna Ioannovna ascended the throne, she was deprived of her brilliant position and exiled to Alexander's settlement. But the society saw in Elizabeth Petrovna the true heir of Peter the Great, so she began to show power ambitions, and she began to prepare for the fulfillment of her “right” to reign, which, according to the law, was illegitimate, since she was the premarital child of Peter I.
Ascension to the throne
The title of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna received as a result of the most "bloodless" coup d'état of 1741. It happened without a preliminary conspiracy, since the empress did not particularly strive for power and did not show herself to be a strong political figure. At the moment of the coup itself, she had no program, but was seized by the idea of her own accession, which was supported by ordinary citizens and guardsmen, who expressed dissatisfaction with the dominance of foreigners at court, the disgrace of the Russian nobility, the tightening of serfdom and tax legislation.
On the night of November 24-25, 1741, Elizaveta Petrovna, with the support of her confidant and secret adviser Johann Lestok, arrived at the Preobrazhensky barracks and raised a grenadier company. The soldiers unquestioningly agreed to help her overthrow the current government and, consisting of 308 people, went to the Winter Palace, where the princess proclaimed herself empress, usurping the current power: the baby emperor John Antonovich and all his relatives from the Braunschweig family were arrested and imprisoned in the Solovetsky Monastery.
Given the circumstances of the ascension to the throne of Elizabeth I, the first manifesto she signed was a document according to which she is the only legitimate heir to the throne after the death of Peter II. After that, she announced her political course aimed at returning the legacy of Peter the Great. In the same period, she hurried to reward all her associates who helped her ascend the throne: the company of grenadiers of the Preobrazhensky regiment was renamed the life company, and all the soldiers who did not have noble roots were elevated to nobles and promoted in ranks. Also, all of them were awarded lands that were confiscated from foreign landowners.
The coronation of Elizabeth Petrovna took place in April 1742. She passed with special pomp and chic. It was then that the 32-year-old Empress revealed all her love for spectacular spectacles and masquerades. During the celebrations, a mass amnesty was announced, and people on the streets sang salutatory odes to the new ruler, who managed to expel the German rulers and became in their eyes the winner of "foreign elements."
Governing body
Putting on the crown and making sure that society supported and approved the changes that had taken place, Elizabeth I immediately signed her second manifesto after the coronation. In it, the empress, in a rather rude form, outlined the evidence of the illegality of the rights to the throne of Ivan VI and charged the German temporary workers and their Russian friends. As a result, the favorites of the former Empress Levenvold, Munnich, Osterman, Golovkin and Mengden were sentenced to death, but after that the ruler decided to commute their punishment and exiled them to Siberia, which she decided to prove to Europe her own tolerance.
From the first days on the throne, Elizabeth I began to praise "Peter's deeds" - she restored the Senate, the Chief Magistrate, the Provisional College, Manufactory and Berg Colleges. At the head of these departments, she put those members of the public who were in disgrace with the previous government or were ordinary guards officers before the coup d'état. Thus, Pyotr Shuvalov, Mikhail Vorontsov, Alexei Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Alexei Cherkassky, Nikita Trubetskoy, with whom at first Elizaveta Petrovna conducted state affairs hand in hand, became at the helm of the new government of the country.
Elizaveta Petrovna carried out a serious humanization public life, softened a number of paternal decrees providing for harsh punishment for bribery and embezzlement, for the first time in 100 years, abolished the death penalty. In addition, the Empress gave Special attention cultural development - it is her coming to power that historians associate with the beginning of the Enlightenment, since Russia reorganized educational institutions, expanded the network of primary schools, opened the first gymnasiums, founded Moscow University and the Academy of Arts.
Having taken the first steps in ruling the country, the empress devoted herself completely to court life, intrigues and amusements. The management of the empire passed into the hands of its favorites, Alexei Razumovsky and Peter Shuvalov. There is a version that Razumovsky was the secret spouse of Elizabeth Petrovna, but at the same time he was very humble person who tried to stay away from big politics. Therefore, in the 1750s, Shuvalov practically independently ruled the country.
Nevertheless, the achievements of Elizabeth I and the results of her reign cannot be called zero for the country. Thanks to her reforms, carried out at the initiative of the favorites, the internal customs was abolished in the Russian Empire, which accelerated the development of foreign trade and entrepreneurship. She also strengthened the privileges of the nobles, whose children were enrolled in state regiments from birth, and by the time they served in the army they were already officers. At the same time, the Empress granted the rights to the landlords to decide the "fate" of the peasants - they were allowed to sell people at retail, exile them to Siberia. This caused more than 60 peasant uprisings throughout the country, which the empress suppressed very cruelly.
Elizaveta Petrovna, during the years of her reign, created new banks in the country, actively developed manufacturing production, which slowly but surely increased economic growth in Russia. She also pursued a powerful foreign policy - the Empress had two victories in large-scale wars (Russian-Swedish and Seven Years), which restored the undermined authority of the country in Europe.
Personal life
The personal life of Elizabeth Petrovna did not work out from her very youth. After the failed attempts of Peter the Great to “successfully” marry off his daughter, the princess refused official marriage, preferring a wild life and entertainment to him. There is a historical version that the Empress was nevertheless in a secret church marriage with her favorite Alexei Razumovsky, but no documents confirming this union have been preserved.
In the 1750s, the ruler got herself a new favorite. They became a friend of Mikhail Lomonosov, Ivan Shuvalov, who was a very well-read and educated person. It is possible that it was under his influence that Elizaveta Petrovna was engaged in the cultural development of the country. After the death of the ruler, he fell into disgrace to the new government, so during the years of government he was forced to hide abroad.
After the death of the Empress, there were a lot of rumors at court about the secret children of Elizabeth. Society believed that the Empress had an illegitimate son from Razumovsky and a daughter from Shuvalov. This "revived" a mass of impostors who considered themselves royal children, the most famous of which was Princess Tarakanova, who calls herself Elizabeth of Vladimir.
Death
The death of Elizabeth Petrovna came on January 5, 1762. At the age of 53, the Empress died of throat bleeding. Historians note that since 1757, the health of the ruler began to deteriorate before our eyes: she was diagnosed with epilepsy, shortness of breath, frequent nosebleeds, swelling of the lower extremities. In this regard, she had to almost completely reduce her active court life, pushing magnificent balls and receptions into the background.
In early 1761, Elizabeth I suffered a severe bronchopneumonia that confined her to her bed. The last year of her life, the Empress was very ill, she constantly had bouts of catarrhal fever. Before her death, Elizaveta Petrovna had a persistent cough, which led to severe bleeding from her throat. Unable to cope with the disease, the Empress died in her chambers.
On February 5, 1762, the body of Empress Elizabeth was buried with full honors in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
Elizabeth I's heir was her nephew Karl-Peter Ulrich Holstein, who, after his proclamation as emperor, was renamed Peter III Fedorovich. Historians call this transition of power the most painless for all the reigns in the XVIII century.