City of Potemkin. Magnificent Prince of Taurida

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Potemkin Grigory Alexandrovich (1739-1791), Russian statesman and military leader, His Serene Highness Prince Tauride (1783), morganatic husband of Catherine II.

Born on September 24, 1739 in the village of Chizhov, Smolensk province, in the family of an army officer. After studying at the gymnasium of Moscow University, he was enrolled in the Horse Guards; participated in the palace coup in June 1762, as a result of which Catherine II ascended the throne.

Needing reliable assistants, Catherine appreciated the energy and organizational skills of Potemkin. Immediately after the coup, she sent him on a diplomatic mission to Sweden. Then Grigory Alexandrovich took part in the secularization of church lands (1764); as a trustee of deputies from non-Russian nationalities, he worked in the Legislative Commission (1767).

After the start of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774. Potemkin went to the theater of military operations as a volunteer - a volunteer. Commanding the cavalry, he distinguished himself in all the major battles of the campaign and earned praise from Field Marshal P. A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky.

In 1774, Potemkin, called by Catherine from the front, became the favorite of the Empress. He was showered with favors and took the post of vice-president of the Military Collegium. According to some reports, the Empress and Potemkin were secretly married at the beginning of 1775.

For the next 17 years, Potemkin was the most powerful man in Russia. He carried out a number of reforms in the army: he introduced a new uniform, changed the recruitment, achieved a more humane treatment of officers with soldiers, and actually abolished corporal punishment (restored by Paul I).

Potemkin achieved the accession of the Crimea to Russia (1783), for which he received the title of His Serene Highness Prince of Tauride. Started building the Black Sea Fleet. Since 1775, being the governor-general of the lands of the Northern Black Sea region newly annexed to the state, Potemkin achieved notable success in their economic development. Under him, the cities of Sevastopol, Kherson, Yekaterinoslav, Nikolaev were built, many other settlements, shipyards, plants and factories were laid. There was a mass migration of people to the southern lands.

As governor-general, Potemkin forbade the extradition of fugitives from the territory of his governorship, where all settlers had the status of free state peasants. After the start of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791. commanded the Russian army, besieged and took the fortress of Ochakov.

Potemkin's opponents at court spread rumors about his slowness and timidity as a commander. Later, military historians appreciated the innovations that the Most Serene Prince brought to command and control - in particular, he was the first Russian commander who led military operations on several fronts at once.

As a commander, Potemkin patronized A. V. Suvorov and F. F. Ushakov.

He died on October 16, 1791 near the city of Iasi in Moldova, where he represented Russia in negotiations with the Turks.

Potemkin Grigory Alexandrovich (1739 - 1791), Russian statesman and military leader, His Serene Highness Prince Tauride (1783), morganatic husband of Catherine II.

As a commander, Potemkin patronized A. V. Suvorov and F. F. Ushakov.

He died on October 16, 1791 near the city of Iasi in Moldova, where he represented Russia in negotiations with the Turks.

Graph
G. Potemkin-Tavrichesky

Grigory Potemkin is a multifaceted, interesting and, no doubt, controversial personality. Many, speaking of Grigory Alexandrovich, immediately recall the "Potemkin villages", others note the importance of his role in politics and public life of Catherine's times, there are also negative reviews about the character and pride of Prince Tauride. There were no indifferent among contemporaries. The empress herself highly appreciated Gregory and spoke of him extremely flatteringly, both during his life and after his death.

So Catherine II wrote to the German publicist critic and diplomat Grimm about the death of the Prince of Tauride, which, in her opinion, Gregory "did not fulfill even half of what he was able to do." In the same letter, the Russian Empress spoke of Potemkin as a responsible and consistent person - "he scolded and got angry when he believed that the matter had not been done the way it should have." Prince Gregory was zealously devoted to the empress. He became her not only a favorite, lover, adviser and student, but also a friend. Catherine wrote that Potemkin had an important and rare quality among people - “he had courage in his heart, courage in his mind, courage in his soul. Thanks to this, we always understood each other and did not pay attention to the talk of those who understood less than us.

The fame of Grigory Potemkin of Tauride spread throughout the world: the monarchs of such states as Austria, Denmark, Prussia, and Sweden treated the prince with great respect; even ill-wishers and skeptics recognized the significance of Gregory's contribution to the development of Novorossia. Contemporaries often said that Potemkin did more for Russia in the south than Peter I did in the north.

The poet Derzhavin wrote about Potemkin in the solemn Choirs:

He plays chess with one hand.
With the other hand he conquers the nations.
With one foot he strikes friend and foe,
With another he tramples the shores of the universe.

Mother's chores

Grigory Potemkin and Catherine II would never have met, if not for the natural curiosity of the future prince. Gregory's childhood was by no means simple, perhaps because the Prince of Taurida so boldly faced danger throughout his life.

Participant of the Poltava battle, second-major, Petrovsky staff officer Alexander Vasilyevich Potemkin, calling himself a widower, at the age of 50, married the widow Skuratova (nee Kondyreva). In his first marriage, Alexander Vasilyevich had no children, and the young wife, already carrying her first child under her heart, persuaded her first wife to go to a monastery to prevent a scandal. On September 13 (24), 1739, Grigory Potemkin, the future favorite of Catherine II, was born in the village of Chizhovo in the Smolensk region. The father, a retired major, a drunkard and a violent old warrior, brought up his heir, for the most part, by the method of assault. For this reason, little Grisha was brought up by Grigory Matveyevich Kislovsky, the president of the Chamber College and the uncle of the future prince. Alexander Vasilyevich died when Grigory was 5 years old, in 1746, then the orphaned family moved to Moscow.

Daria Vasilievna, who, in addition to Gregory, raised five more children, treated her firstborn with great trepidation. Moving to Moscow offered Potemkin the chance to receive the best possible education. It should be noted that the prince did not forget the aspirations and troubles of his mother. Potemkin, becoming a favorite of Catherine II, helped to improve her position at court, achieving for her the position of a lady of state.

Brilliant man and negligent student

Even in his student years, while studying first at the Litken private school, and then at the gymnasium at Moscow University, Potemkin showed himself as a man of unique talents and abilities. Phenomenal memory, sharp mind and natural curiosity provided Gregory with the glory of almost "luminaries of science." Potemkin quickly "lit up" with the idea, but just as quickly interest faded away. After a year of study at the university, in 1755, Grisha was awarded a gold medal for successful studies. A year later, Potemkin was introduced to Empress Elizabeth as one of the 12 most promising students. And a year later, Grigory "lazy and not attending classes" was expelled from the university. The reason for this behavior was the loss of interest in the sciences: the lack of authoritative personalities within the walls of the university, able to discern Potemkin's talents and develop them, led to apathy and laziness. Disillusioned with science, Gregory decided to make a military career.

Guardsman and conspirator

Young Grigory Potemkin

Potemkin and Catherine II knew each other long before Grigory became her favorite. Having the rank of commander of the Horse Guards, a former student in 1761 stays in St. Petersburg. Despite the fact that Gregory did not serve for more than a day, the young man enters the disposal of His Highness Prince Georg Ludwig, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Colonel of the Horse Guards Field Marshal General. The prince did not impress Potemkin, after which the young man and his comrades from the regiment joined the conspiracy against Peter III.

On the day of the palace coup, June 28, 1762, Grigory Potemkin and Catherine II met for the first time. The young Gregory liked the new empress, because the young man received 10 thousand rubles, 400 serfs and the rank of second lieutenant, while his friends-wahmisters were content with only the title of cornets.

When Grigory Potemkin and Catherine II met for the first time, the young man was only 22 years old. The young man could not hide his admiring glances, which, however, did not escape the attention of the Orlov brothers. The love story of Potemkin and Empress Catherine II will begin much later, at the same time, the attention of the empress was completely turned to another Grigory - Orlov.

Young Count Grigory Orlov

From second lieutenant to major general in 7 years

After the meeting and personal acquaintance of Potemkin and Catherine II, the young man's career developed rapidly. Grigory performed various assignments and successfully coped with all duties while serving in the Horse Guards Regiment. By the personal order of Catherine II, the chamber junker Grigory Potemkin was to be present in the Synod "continuously with current affairs, especially at meetings." For some time, young Potemkin worked closely with the Orlov brothers. Grigory Orlov and Grigory Potemkin - the current and future favorites of Catherine II, did not get along very well with each other. The ardor of the Orlov brothers is by no means a myth, therefore, when Potemkin lost his eye, according to one version, this happened precisely through the fault of the jealous favorite. According to another version, Potemkin fell ill and sought treatment from a healer who used dangerous herbs and drugs. In the course of medical procedures, one eye lost his sight, after which Grigory Alexandrovich began to wear a black bandage on his face, closing his blind eye, for which he received the insulting nickname "Cyclops" from the mockers of the Orlovs.

In 1767, both Grigory - Orlov and Potemkin took part in the work of the legislative commission. The future prince takes upon himself the solution of all problems of a religious nature, as well as questions of foreigners. For diligence in work and outstanding successes, Catherine II transfers Potemkin to court, dismissing him from the Horse Guards Regiment and granting him the rank of chamberlain in 1768.

After losing an eye, Gregory was seized by a spleen. Out of desperation, he even left for a year and a half in the village. Sometimes, he spoke about the desire to take the veil as a monk, talked for a long time with the ministers of the church, striking the latter with deep knowledge of theology. After returning to the court, he was openly bored. Awards, regalia and money no longer brought him pleasure. Young Potemkin wanted something "more". Salvation was the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war in 1768 - Grigory served as a volunteer and managed to gain fame in battle.

Colleagues and officers celebrate his prowess at the forefront on 19 June. In the Battle of Khotyn, a horse fell in an equestrian battle near Potemkin. By decree of the Empress, Gregory receives the rank of major general for "the shown courage and experience in military affairs." According to General-in-Chief Golitsyn, commander of the First Army, under the leadership of Grigory Potemkin, the Russian cavalry army acted so harmoniously and courageously for the first time in his memory. I was imbued with sympathy for the young general and Rumyantsev, allowing him to prove himself in the battles of Focsani, Cahul and Larga. It was Gregory who first broke into the suburbs of Chilia, repelled the attack of the Turks in 1771 on Craiov, and later defeated them in Tsimbre. The future favorite of the empress also played an important role in the defeat of Osman Pasha in Silistria. The war changed Gregory, and the empress noted this change: Potemkin was no longer an enthusiastic curious youth, he became a mature man who had experienced a lot and looked at the world in a completely different way. The appearance of a military hero also made an impression - huge growth, a mop of unkempt hair and a proud expression on his face. .

In just a few years, Grigory Potemkin, by the grace of Catherine II and his courage, won the favor of not only the Empress, but also many military leaders of those years. As a reward, the young officer received the Order of St. Anne, the Order of St. George 3rd degree and the rank of lieutenant general. It was under Gregory in 1770 that the first, and later traditional, feast of the Knights of St. George was held. Military successes became one of the reasons for Potemkin's popularity at court, so Panin openly sympathized with Grigory, while the Orlov brothers caused him obvious indignation. In 1773, by decree of the Empress, Grigory Potemkin arrived in St. Petersburg, where Catherine II immediately appointed him lieutenant colonel of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment.

Grigory Potemkin - favorite of Catherine II

The love story of Catherine II and Grigory Potemkin began in 1774. This year became a landmark for Grigory in several directions at once: the former favorite lost his influence on the empress, and Catherine II brought Potemkin closer to her, granting him the rank of general-in-chief, appointing him vice-president of the Military Collegium and bestowing the title of count. The new favorite made a lot of noise - all the ambassadors and representatives of other powers began to scribble letters and reports to their monarchs about the new "case" of Catherine the Great. So the German Solms noted in correspondence that, in his opinion, Count Potemkin, thanks to his intelligence and insight, would be able to take a place in the heart of the Empress and completely replace Orlov. The Englishman Gunning described Gregory as follows: “His figure is huge and disproportionate, and his appearance is by no means attractive. At the same time, he knows people very well and is more insightful than his compatriots.

On May 30, 1774, Count Potemkin moved to the Winter Palace, and occupied the chambers adjacent to the rooms of the Empress. Potemkin got into the boudoir of Catherine II by going through a spiral staircase. In the Tsarskoye Selo Palace, Gregory was also given private rooms, but in order to get to the empress's chambers, it was necessary to pass a long cold corridor. Catherine warned her favorite: “Do not run barefoot forward up the stairs, and if you want to get rid of a cold as soon as possible, sniff some tobacco.” The favorite received the title of count on July 10, 1774, at the end of the year Potemkin was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.

The count did not rest on his laurels - two years later, in 1776, Catherine II appointed Potemkin as governor of Novorossia. He is also appointed responsible for the colonization and development of Azov and Astrakhan.

Gregory supported the project of Catherine II to seize Turkey and revive Byzantium. According to the far-reaching and ambitious plans of the empress (which, however, were not destined to come true), in the revived Byzantium, her protege (at a later time, the grandson of the empress) was to rule. In the seizure of territories and the founding of cities, Potemkin was guided by geopolitics - each settlement that appeared on the map, be it a city or a village, served to protect the borders of the empire. Nomads, Turks, Tatars - all of them were both familiar and annoying enemies of the Russian Empire. To strengthen the southern positions and access to the Black Sea, Count Potemkin and Catherine II carried out a project to capture and annex the Crimea.

Rumors and myths about Grigory Potemkin

The whole court was occupied with only one thought: how did Grigory Potemkin conquer the Empress Catherine II? Some said that Gregory helps the Empress to distract herself from difficult thoughts and state affairs, amuses her and in every possible way cheers up. Others gossiped about his remarkable male strength and special passion for carnal pleasures. It was even rumored that the favorite Potemkin wielded black magic, so he drugged the Empress Catherine II and took possession of her heart and mind through a love potion.

The love story of Catherine II and Grigory Potemkin is shrouded in a large number of secrets, conjectures and rumors. It is not known for certain what their relationship led to. There is a version about the secret wedding of the empress and the favorite, but there is no evidence of a morganatic marriage. Grigory Alexandrovich was known as an unbearable jealous man, the Empress often justified herself before him: “No, Grishenka, it cannot happen that I change for you. Give justice to yourself: after you, can anyone be loved? I don't think you have anything like it." Perhaps that is why the Empress took a risky step by marrying Potemkin on June 8, 1774. According to the existing version, a modest wedding took place in the Vyborg side, the tiny church of Sampson the Hospitable. The ceremony was attended by trusted representatives of the Empress - Chertkov and Perekusikhina. No documents confirming the conclusion of the marriage have been preserved, but in the correspondence Catherine II began to call Potemkin "dear husband", she called herself "faithful wife".

There is also a version about the daughter of Count Potemkin and Catherine II. On July 12, 1775, the Empress left the festivities, citing pain in her stomach. The empress returned a few days later, built and cheered up. Presumably, it was in these few days that the queen was resolved from pregnancy, giving birth to a girl named Elizabeth. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, Grigory Alexandrovich was interested in the girl, often visited her. The empress herself paid much more attention to her son from Grigory Orlov - Bobrinsky.

In the Tretyakov Gallery you can see a portrait of Elizaveta Grigorievna Tyomkina, the alleged daughter of the Empress from Grigory.

All illegitimate children at that time were transferred to other families for upbringing, while the surname changed - it became shorter by the first syllable, hence "Tyomkina". The very fact of the existence of this woman is not in doubt, but it is not known for certain whether Empress Catherine was her mother. Based on age, the alleged daughter of Grigory Potemkin and Catherine II was born when the Empress was 45 years old, which is quite late for childbearing, especially at that time. The debate about whether Elizaveta Grigorievna Tyomkina was the daughter of the Empress and favorite does not subside to this day. Presumably, the daughter was brought up in the family of Grigory Alexandrovich's nephew, who also witnessed the wedding of the empress and favorite.

Portrait of the daughter of His Serene Highness Prince Grigory Potemkin-Tauride

Weaknesses of a strong man

Grigory Potemkin was distinguished by his eccentricity in everyday life. Those who entered the empress’s chambers often blushed when they met Grigory Alexandrovich there, because the favorite allowed himself to walk around the palace in a fur coat over his naked body or in a dressing gown, slippers and a pink nightcap. According to the courtiers, Potemkin ate something all the time: an apple, a pie, a turnip; I threw the half-eaten food right on the floor, completely forgetting about it. The young favorite allowed himself to bite his nails or pick his teeth when discussing important issues. Ambassadors, ministers and statesmen were deeply shocked and offended by such behavior, while Catherine was touched, calling the favorite "the first nail-biter of the empire."

The Empress repeatedly tried to reason with her sloppy lover, she even composed rules of conduct at court, after which she hung them up for viewing. Especially for Potemkin, there was a clause forbidding anything to gnaw, eat or spoil. Grigory Alexandrovich constantly scattered his belongings, and not only in his chambers, but also in the rooms of the Empress. Catherine complained: “How long will it be that you leave your belongings with me. I humbly ask, in the Turkish custom, not to throw scarves.

Despite all the shortcomings of the favorite, Catherine II dearly loved Potemkin, often going against her character and habits. So the empress could wait for several hours for the return of her lover in the evenings, since without him she could not sleep. Once the empress spent more than two hours in a draft under the doors of the favorite's chambers, waiting for him to finish playing cards and dismiss the people. Gregory often broke into the chambers of the queen, guided by personal interests, Catherine II, brought up in strictness, could not afford this. With all the seriousness of her temper, the empress found her lover's jokes cute and funny: “Darling, what nonsense you spoke yesterday. I still laugh at your speeches today. What happy hours I spend with you!

Catherine II was surprised at herself, realizing that she was behaving inappropriately for a queen: “Oh, Mr. Potemkin, what a strange miracle you have done, upsetting a head that has hitherto been reputed to be one of the best in Europe? It’s a shame, bad, a sin, to allow Catherine II to rule over herself with insane passion!

Despite all his desperation in battle, passion in love and sharpness of mind, Count Potemkin had his weaknesses. It is worth noting that the empress herself developed this very weakness in her beloved man: such is the royal love story - Catherine II always generously presented Grigory Potemkin (as well as other favorites). Titles, regalia, jewels, lands, lands, serfs - the young count accepted gifts with great admiration. It is no wonder that during the implementation of the Crimean project, the governor of Novorossiya did not deny anything not only to himself, but also to his "brainchildren" - the cities he founded.

According to rumors of those times, Potemkin's hat was so richly decorated that it was impossible to wear it, because the adjutant wore a headdress behind the count. In the presence of Empress Catherine II, Count Potemkin always flaunted in a skillfully embroidered camisole and with orders. With what ardor the governor chose jewelry for himself, with the same he made plans for the development of Yekaterinoslav (Dnepropetrovsk), Kherson, Nikolaev, etc. Unfortunately, only a few of the plans were realized.

Ekaterina's personal correspondenceII and Grigory Potemkin

The correspondence of the favorite Grigory Potemkin with Catherine II was not only businesslike. The lovers wrote notes to each other several times a day, if they could not meet because of state affairs. Many letters have been preserved, all of them were included in a separate volume of Literary Monuments. The Empress addressed her beloved affectionately and passionately, inventing funny and cute nicknames for him. So Catherine II called Grigory Potemkin a treasure, a wolf or a golden pheasant, sometimes she addressed him as “Grishefishenka” or “my dear toy”. Potemkin was more restrained, and his correspondence with the empress retained only the addresses "mother" or "empress".

After June 1774, in personal correspondence, Catherine II addressed her favorite as “dear husband”, while the empress called herself “faithful wife”.

Court activities of Count Potemkin

Grigory Potemkin for a long time became the Empress not only a lover, friend, but also an adviser. Leading the military collegium, Potemkin was in charge of all appointments in the army - he distributed ranks, promoted him in rank, put him on a reward or punishment, and also solved everyday issues like sending soldiers and officers on vacation or retirement. As an adviser to the empress, the count took part in council meetings, considered the most important state affairs, and resolved issues of domestic and foreign policy of the state. If it was necessary to leave Count Potemkin, Empress Catherine II had a connection with him through correspondence, which did not stop even during periods of long absence of Grigory Alexandrovich at court.

The liquidation of the Zaporizhzhya Sich in 1775 was carried out on the initiative and direct participation of Grigory Potemkin, he also founded the Zaporizhzhya Cossack army, subject to the empress. In the same year, after the suppression of the Yemelyan Pugachev uprising, the Empress and her favorite went on a long trip to Moscow. The celebration turned out to be truly grandiose. Is it worth saying that Potemkin was in charge of its arrangement? A park for festivities was laid out on the Khodynka field: they imitated river floods by laying the Dnieper and Don streams, built minarets and fortresses, equipped fountains with wine, served bulls and rams roasted on skewers as treats. In the evening, fireworks were arranged, writing out the monogram of the Empress in the night sky.

Despite the touching and tender relationship, Catherine II and Grigory Potemkin were pragmatic people, their love story stretched out for years, but did not correspond to the canons. The complex, and at times, unbearable character of the favorite, saddened the empress, while Gregory himself, like any man, longed for activity. Therefore, in December 1775, Grigory Alexandrovich left the palace, but left as a consolation his successor, completely devoted to the prince - Peter Zavadovsky.

P. Zavadovsky

For active participation in state affairs and successes at court, the queen showered Gregory with gifts, ranks and awards: in 1776, Potemkin became the Most Serene Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, for concluding an alliance with Austria. At the solemn ceremony, Catherine II publicly declared Potemkin the smartest person, saying that "in Russia there is no better head than his." The Empress made sure that the favorite received all possible awards from friendly countries, she even planned to make him the Duke of Courland, but Gregory refused.

Despite the obvious disagreements between the favorite of the empress and her military leaders, including Suvorov, Count Potemkin did a lot for the army. In addition to the constant demonstration of personal courage and courage, Gregory reformed the army rear: he significantly improved the uniform of the soldiers - camisoles became lighter and more comfortable, canceled all cosmetic and fashionable excesses for the military - powder, curls, pigtails and wigs were no longer a duty for soldiers and officers. The count also monitored the supply of the army both in wartime and in peacetime - food, ammunition and all the necessary provisions were supplied regularly and without delay. A significant part of the military reforms of the times of Catherine II are associated precisely with his name.

Attacks of jealousy were replaced by blues. Grigory Alexandrovich either demanded that Zavadovsky be sent away from the court, or he fussed for his presence there. According to informers, Potemkin embarked on “unheard of debauchery,” while the prince himself, in correspondence with Catherine II, complained about their forced separation: “If it is determined for me to be expelled from you, then it’s better not to let it be in public. I will not hesitate to leave, although this is on a par with life for me. The Empress decided to divert her Serene Highness from woeful thoughts and appointed him governor-general of the Novorossiysk, Astrakhan and Azov provinces in 1776.

Potemkin - Governor-General of Novorossiya

G. Potemkin-Tavrichesky

Despite the difficult economic situation of the Russian Empire, Potemkin insisted on the need to conquer the Crimea. He explained this by the integrity of the territories and geopolitical ideas. Prince Potemkin in correspondence with Catherine II noted: “Crimea is tearing our borders apart with its position... Suppose now that Crimea is yours and that there is no longer this wart on the nose - all of a sudden, the position of the borders is beautiful ... There are no powers in Europe that would not divide Asia, Africa, America among themselves. The acquisition of the Crimea can neither strengthen nor enrich you, but only bring peace..

Going to Novorossia, to explore the desert lands, the prince left the court for a long time - for several years he simply did not appear in St. Petersburg. In addition to the laying and construction of new cities, Grigory Alexandrovich carried out a number of economic reforms: at the behest of the Most Serene Prince, a number of taxes were abolished, which became the reason for the popularity of these lands not only for Russians and Ukrainians, but also for Bulgarians, Greeks and Serbs. Grigory Potemkin intended to finally destroy the traces of the Ottoman Empire in the lands of New Russia by building the Greek Empire. According to the plans of the empress and favorite, after the conquest of the Crimea and the return of Constantinople, the grandson of Catherine II, Konstantin Pavlovich, was to head the new empire. During the years of the Russian-Turkish wars, as the lands were annexed, new cities were founded, built and settled, which became the centers of shipbuilding - Odessa and Nikolaev. It was here that the Russian Black Sea Fleet was born. Until the 1991s, Nikolaev retained the glory of the city, where the Russian, and then the Soviet fleet was laid down and built. The wild steppes were also mastered: Yekaterinoslav, Kherson, Mariupol - these cities were also founded by His Serene Highness Prince Grigory Potemkin. A maritime school was opened in Kherson. It was also planned to open a conservatory, a university and factories in Novorossiya. Along with the development of previously empty lands, all the time suffering from nomad raids, in correspondence, Potemkin continued to persuade Catherine II to occupy the Crimea.

In 1781, the prince became governor of four provinces: Saratov was founded. In 1782, the Crimea passed to Russia - the Empress signed a manifesto, after which Potemkin immediately began the construction of Sevastopol, which was assigned the role of a military port. The idea of Grigory Alexandrovich was a complete success - Sevastopol remained the main military base on the Black Sea for several centuries. The last Crimean khan Shahin Giray lost power in 1783, and the Crimea was declared a province of Taurida. The same prefix was added to the name of Potemkin. In 1786, His Serene Highness Prince Grigory Potemkin-Tauride concluded a trade agreement with France. Also, the favorite returned to theological projects, starting to work on the project of joining the Old Believers to the Russian Church.

The port and fortress in the Crimea were named Sevastopol

Tauride voyage of Catherine II

Journey of Catherine II in her state. 1787

Despite the absence at court, the prince did not lose his influence on the empress. It is noteworthy that all the favorites who visited the chambers of the Empress during the development of Novorossia and the Crimea were personally chosen by Grigory Alexandrovich. This happened as follows: the prince received information from trusted persons, selected young officers who met his requirements, and then ordered portraits of candidates, which he sent for consideration to the empress. The secret of this selection was revealed by the secretary of Prince Saint-Jean. Thus, the following were chosen for the empress: Yermolov, Zorich, Lanskoy.

In the spring of 1787, Catherine II, surrounded by a large retinue and a company of foreign guests, among whom was the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Joseph II, went to the Crimea - to inspect new territories, evaluate the successes of her beloved Grigory Alexandrovich and demonstrate to enemies and allies the strengthened position of the empire. The spectacle amazed both the empress herself and her many guests: villages were formed on the site of bare steppes, instead of dilapidated villages, cities with stone buildings and developed trade relations flaunted.

Crimean notes: "Potemkin villages"

Often, recalling the trip of Catherine II to the Crimea and the development of the peninsula by Count Potemkin, sooner or later the notorious “Potemkin villages” are mentioned. There is an opinion that to heighten the effect, Grigory Alexandrovich built fake buildings and settlements, creating ostentatious well-being in order to curry favor with the empress and exaggerate his own successes. Some historians claim that all this is the slander of enemies and the count did not allow himself such a thing. Be that as it may, the concept itself appeared much later than Catherine II and Joseph II visited the Crimea, and besides, not in Russia, but in Hamburg. And this is how it happened.

Saxon diplomat Georg Adolf von Gelbig, who openly expressed his dislike for the Empress and her favorite, after the death of Grigory Potemkin in 1797-1800. published a series of articles on the count in the journal Minerva. According to the testimony of professor-historian Alexander Brikner, the hostility between the empress and the diplomat was mutual: Catherine II even intended to remove Gelbig, who was objectionable to her, from Russia. The articles published in the journal formed the basis of the Saxon's book about the affairs of Count Potemkin in Russia and the Crimea, in particular. The book was very popular and was translated into many European languages: English, Dutch, German, French and even Russian. Despite the ban on the book in Russia, it was widely distributed underground in the form of manuscripts. Georg Adolf von Gelbig described all the deeds of Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin from the negative side, blackening the person of the count as much as possible. This is where the myth about fake settlements for “window dressing” came from.

What the diplomat described in the book has many refutations and testimonies, both from Russians and from foreign contemporaries. For example, Joseph II, who traveled with the empress, wrote: “Here, human life and labor are not valued. We, in Germany and France, would not dare to undertake what is being done here ... roads, harbors, fortresses, palaces in the marshes are built here; forests are planted in the deserts without pay for the workers, who, without complaining, are deprived of everything. Alan Fitz-Herbert, an English diplomat who also accompanied the Empress, in correspondence with London, indicated that Catherine II was undoubtedly pleased with the trip and the results of the work of Count Potemkin, and the welfare of this region is truly amazing, given that just a few years ago there was lifeless desert.

Count Razumovsky, in his private correspondence, also admired the work of Grigory Alexandrovich. It is noteworthy that five years earlier, in 1782, Razumovsky visited the Crimea and was more than anyone else aware of the state of this region. After the development of the peninsula by Potemkin, Razumovsky wrote about his extreme surprise: in the previously deserted steppe, where it was not always possible to find scattered huts, now, starting from Kremenchug, along the entire Kherson route, there are full-fledged villages; in addition to residential buildings, there are fortresses and stone buildings, as well as an admiralty with ships ready and under construction. Razumovsky also pointed out the barracks for at least 10,000 soldiers and Greek merchant ships in the harbor.

Crimean Notes: "Amazon Company"

Count Potemkin, in order to impress Catherine II, who came to the Crimea to inspect new lands, gathered the "Amazon Company", into which girls of the noble class were specially selected. The reason for the creation of such an unusual "company" was the conversation between the favorite and the empress, which took place in the spring of 1787. The history of Crimea is rich in myths and legends about the courageous struggle of the Greeks against the Turks, the desperation of the Greek warriors and the courage of their wives. Count Potemkin narrated to Catherine II about the ancient battles with such passion that the empress wondered if Grigory could prove "their lauded courage." The favorite promised to demonstrate the answer in the Crimea.

In March 1787, Chaponi, the prime minister of the Balaklava Greek regiment, received an order from Potemkin to assemble an “Amazonian company”. This comic detachment was headed by 19-year-old Elena Ivanovna Sarandova, the young wife of Captain Sarandov. The company was assembled from the daughters and wives of the Balaklava Greeks of the noble class. For the amusement of the empress, the warriors were given uniforms: green velvet jackets and crimson skirts with gold braid; white turbans adorned with ostrich feathers and gilded sequins. Each young lady from the amusing company was armed with guns and three cartridges per fighter.

Amazon company meets Catherine II

The favorite of the Empress Grigory Potemkin did everything to delight Catherine II. The "Amazon Company" met the Empress near Balaklava in the village of Kadykovka. The Roman emperor Joseph II, who traveled with the empress, completely lost his head from the company captain Elena Ivanovna. The hot kiss of the enthusiastic emperor aroused indignation and anger among the rest of the girls of the company. Elena reasoned with her friends, for which she received a personal gratitude from the Empress and a diamond ring worth 1,800 rubles. Catherine also did not forget about the rest of the girls for the pleasure she brought, the Empress transferred for all 100 young ladies an unthinkable amount at that time - 10,000 rubles. After the departure of the empress, the company was disbanded.

Crimean notes: the first Crimean fleet of the empire

Black Sea Fleet of Catherine II

Count Potemkin managed to build a fleet for the arrival of Catherine II. Of course, the ships were built hastily, often sacrificing quality. When the squadron, which came from nowhere, consisting of 15 large and 20 small ships, fired a salute from the Sevastopol raid, the foreign guests were dumbfounded.

It is important that the Potemkin fleet, despite all its shortcomings, showed itself perfectly in the next Russian-Turkish war. After Catherine's trip to the Crimea, Grigory Potemkin received even greater fame, the rank of field marshal and the honorary postscript "Tauride".

Participation of the Black Sea Fleet in the Russo-Turkish War

The success of Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin, no matter how ironic it may be, was the beginning of his disgrace at court. When it became clear that a new Russian-Turkish war was inevitable, the prince again became depressed: he complained about the lack of supplies and troops, said that the war had been lost in advance and it was better to return the Crimea to the Turks.

Assault on Ochakov

Nevertheless, the military glory of the favorite Grigory Potemkin was supplemented by several more victories. In the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791. the prince commanded the Black Sea Fleet and the first Yekaterinoslav army. Field Marshal Rumyantsev received a second Ukrainian army at his disposal. In the summer of 1788, several months were spent on the siege of the fortress in Ochakovo - the bombardment and blockade did not give results. With the onset of winter, a decision was made to storm the fortress, in the positive outcome of which the commander did not doubt at all. Six days later, Ochakov was taken, among the trophies were: 300 guns and mortars, 180 banners and a large number of prisoners. The empress encouraged Potemkin's success by awarding him the Order of St. George, 1st degree, and the empress also ordered a gold medal to be cast in honor of the hero.

Medal named after Count G. Potemkin-Tauride

With the consent of Rumyantsev, Prince Potemkin led both armies. In 1789, Repnin defeated the Turks at Salcha, and Suvorov became famous in the battles of Foshan and Rybnik. Grigory Alexandrovich took Bendery. A year later, in 1790, the prince was given the title of hetman of the Cossack Yekaterinoslav and Black Sea troops. The headquarters of the commander Potemkin moved to Iasi. From there, His Serene Highness directed the theater of operations. In the same year, Suvorov conquered Izmail, Gudovich conquered Kiliya, and Ushakov defeated the Turkish squadron near Kerch.

In many ways, Suvorov owes his military glory to Grigory Alexandrovich - Potemkin in every possible way singled out the general among others, it was he who entrusted the most important battles, relying on Suvorov's wisdom and ingenuity and providing complete freedom of action. Also, the prince spared no rewards for his pet. In the memoirs of Suvorov, there are notes about Potemkin: "he is an honest man, he is a kind man, he is a great man: my happiness is to die for him."

On the Dnieper estuary, Prince Potemkin also distinguished himself, after which he received a sword, decorated with diamonds and sent on a golden platter, as a gift from Catherine II. The inscription on the dish read: "To the Commander of the Ekaterinoslav land and sea forces, as a builder of military ships."

The return of the hero to Petersburg was celebrated with great pomp. In addition to a rich reception, Potemkin received from the hands of the empress a laurel wreath, a richly decorated field marshal's baton and the Order of Alexander Nevsky. The Tauride Palace was also given as a gift to the most illustrious. Previously, the building already belonged to Grigory Alexandrovich, but was purchased by the treasury for 460,000 rubles. In addition, Potemkin received 200,000 rubles in cash and a field marshal's uniform.

Disgraced favorite

Portrait of Prince Platon Alexandrovich Zubov by I. B. Lampi 1802

A magnificent reception awaited Prince Potemkin at court, but not in the chambers of the empress. A new favorite of twenty-two years old, Platon Zubov, settled there. The Empress at that time was already 60, and the fading woman was ready for any concessions in order to keep the youngster by her side. One of these concessions was the removal of Grigory Potemkin from the court. The young favorite was not distinguished by his intelligence or talents in solving state affairs, therefore he could strengthen his position in only one way - to ridicule and denigrate the image of the most serene prince in the eyes of the empress.

Potemkin was reminded of everything: failures in military campaigns, wastefulness, the difficult situation of Novorossia, the plundering of the state treasury by him and his henchmen. Of course, among the accusations made were fair ones. Already at that time, bribery flourished, and funds from the treasury now and then went to satisfy the whims of private individuals. The prince's craving for a luxurious life sometimes looked frankly defiant. One day General Lanzheron visited his Serene Highness in Bendery. The following record has been preserved about the military’s impressions: “Gold and silver sparkled wherever you looked. On a sofa, upholstered in pink and silver, framed with silver fringe and adorned with ribbons and flowers, the prince sat in an exquisite home dress next to the object of his worship, among several women who seemed even more beautiful from their dresses. And in front of him perfumes were smoking in golden censers. The middle of the room was occupied by supper served on golden dishes.

the wife of the magician Cagliostro - Lorenz Serafina

Potemkin himself led a free, reckless life, and sometimes with an admixture of excitement. So, according to rumors, the Most Serene Prince seduced the wife of the magician Cagliostro. The designated lady was famous for her impregnability and fidelity to her husband. The Italian magician stayed in St. Petersburg for only a week, during which time Potemkin persuaded the lady to carnal pleasures on a dare. Also in the mistresses of Prince Potemkin were: the wife of the Polish general Sophia de Witt (the future Countess Pototskaya), the daughter of Admiral Senyavin and his own nieces.

Portrait of Countess Ekaterina Skavronskaya - Potemkin's niece

Varvara Vasilievna Golitsyna - Potemkin's niece

Gregory, after the death of his sister, took to his upbringing her five daughters. The girls were distinguished by their rare beauty and intelligence. The prince undertook to teach languages and sciences to the daughters of Captain Engelhardt. According to rumors, the training course also included lessons in close communication with the opposite sex. Gossip in secular society on this topic was innumerable. Each of the girls was given in marriage when the time came, providing a rich dowry. While the girls were growing up, the prince's bedroom was not empty.

Not the last, but the "only" favorite of the Empress

If the secret wedding took place, then it did not calm the souls of Grigory Alexandrovich. It seemed that Potemkin lost his purpose and no longer saw the meaning of his existence. Increasingly, he fell into despondency, and there were outbreaks of aggression. Empress Catherine did not understand the reasons for such behavior, she tried her best to cheer him up - either with gifts, or with flattery, or with affection. Sometimes she scolded strictly, everything was the same - the count was inconsolable.

It happened that the favorite spent evenings and nights playing cards. Meetings with the queen happened less and less, the conversations of the favorite became more and more impudent and sharp. There were rumors at court about Potemkin's favorites and his passion for various ladies. At dinner, Potemkin complained to his nephew Engelhardt: “Can a person be happier than me? All wishes. All my dreams came true as if by magic. I wanted to hold high positions - I got them; to have orders - I have everything: I loved to play - I can lose without counting; ... I loved jewelry - no one has such rare, such beautiful ones. In a word, the minion of fate, ”after which Grigory smashed a plate of the“ precious service ”on the floor and locked himself in his chambers alone.

After lengthy attempts to return the old relationship, Catherine II announced to Potemkin that their love story was over and they should leave. When parting with Grigory Potemkin, Empress Catherine II told him that he did not become the last man for her, but forever remains "the only one." In many ways, the count really became a unique favorite: unlike the others, after parting with the empress, Gregory did not lose his positions, the empress, as before, listened to his advice and appreciated the count as a statesman.

Reception of Catherine II at the Potemkin Palace

Meanwhile, the prince did not give up - he decided to return the favor of the empress with wide and very generous gestures. So in the spring of 1791, the prince organized a solemn reception in the Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg. Empress Catherine II and three thousand of her subjects were invited. The rich decoration of the palace, with the use of precious stones and skillful decoration, captivated the queen. Catherine II saw her favorite favorite in the prince, who had lost the luster of youth, and changed her anger to mercy.

Despite all the shortcomings of Grigory Alexandrovich, Potemkin was necessary for Catherine II, as before, because she did not have a wiser and more experienced assistant in state affairs and will not happen again. Having removed the disgrace, the empress immediately sent the favorite to Iasi. It was in this Romanian town that peace was to be made with the Turks.

Death of Prince Potemkin-Tauride

Portrait of Potemkin shortly before his death

Having returned the favor of the empress, wanting to keep it and increase it, the prince hastened to fulfill the order. Repnin won a victory at Machin on July 28 and began negotiations for a peace. On the 31st, preliminary agreements were signed. On August 1, Potemkin arrived for negotiations. Of course, His Serene Highness was not pleased, and not only that the discussion of the peace treaty took place without him, Grigory Alexandrovich was much more annoyed that Repnin stipulated the points of the future peace treaty, not knowing the latest news, and therefore, missing out on the opportunity for much more profitable agreements. . There was even a public quarrel, at which Prince Potemkin, in front of everyone, expressed claims to Repnin: “You should have found out in what position our Black Sea fleet is, and about the Gudovich expedition; waiting for their report and learning from them that Vice-Admiral Ushakov defeated the enemy fleet and his shots were already heard in Constantinople itself, and General Gudovich took Anapa, then you could make incomparably more favorable conditions. All accusations were true. Then in society they said that Repnin preferred the interests of the state to his own, therefore he sought to personally finish the negotiations and not allow Potemkin to them. Some time later, the disputants reconciled, and Prince Grigory Alexandrovich even visited Repnin as a guest.

During dinner, Potemkin suddenly became sad and gloomy, which caused considerable surprise to the owner of the house. Repnin inquired about the reason for the prince's bad mood, to which he replied that melancholy and melancholy take possession of him suddenly and there is no definite reason for them. Also, Grigory Potemkin once again expressed a desire to become a monk and end his life in a monastery. To which Repnin replied: “Well, your grace, this is not a bad thing either. Today a hieromonk, a day later an archimandrite, a week later a bishop, then a white klobuk. You will bless us both, and we will kiss your right hand.”

With each passing day, Potemkin's condition worsened. On the way to Iasi, he caught a cold and the disease did not recede. Despite his deteriorating health, the prince continued negotiations. In many ways, it was the tense negotiations that contributed to the disease. At some moments, Grigory Alexandrovich thought that the negotiations would fail and there would be no peace at all. The Most Serene Prince demanded independence for Moldavia and easing the situation in Wallachia. At the same time, the Turks, numbering at least 180 thousand soldiers, stood on the right bank of the Danube. Potemkin dismissed any proposals of the vizier without even considering. The prince was ill, complained of a headache and foresaw a quick death.

A record has been preserved of an unusual incident that happened to Grigory Potemkin, shortly before his arrival in Iasi. Grigory Alexandrovich visited Galati, at the funeral of the Prince of Wirtemberg, brother of Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna. Leaving the church, after the funeral service, the prince was waiting for his carriage, but instead of it, coffin drogues were brought up, which caused Potemkin horror and shock. Grigory Alexandrovich was distinguished by excessive impressionability and suspiciousness.

Death of the Most Serene Prince G.A. Potemkin-Tauride in the Bessarabian steppes

Death overtook Potemkin on the way, far from St. Petersburg and Empress Catherine II. Moving from one place to another, it was decided to stop for the night and continue the journey in the early morning. The lodging for the night was supposed to be organized by the commander of the Tauride Grenadier Regiment Knorring. The procession arrived at seven o'clock in the evening. The prince was expected, a solemn reception and a rich dinner were being prepared for his arrival. Already at the entrance to the place, the prince became worse, he complained about the heat and closeness. Entering the house, Potemkin ordered all the windows to be opened immediately to let in fresh air and continued to complain about the stuffiness in the room.

The last meal of the prince was plentiful, Grigory Alexandrovich, as a great lover of life and its pleasures, sought to prove to himself and others that he would still fight for his life. For dinner, the brightest ate a large piece of ham, several chickens and a whole goose, washed it down with honey, kvass and wine. Then he went to sleep. The weather that night was good, the air was fresh and clean, but the prince, as before, complained about the heat. Whatever they did to cool the room - all to no avail. At ten o'clock, according to the doctor, Grigory Alexandrovich calmed down and almost fell asleep. The departure was scheduled between 7 and 8 o'clock in the morning, but the prince ordered to leave already between 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning. We left in a hurry, the procession moved slowly - at a pace. Potemkin's condition worsened at dawn. He pressed the icon to himself, which he always carried with him, sobbed and, shedding tears, kept repeating: “My God, my God!”.

After that he announced: “It will be. Now there's nowhere to go: I'm dying. Take me out of the carriage: I want to die in the field." And so they did: they spread a carpet, brought a leather pillow, laid Prince Grigory Potemkin-Tavrichesky in the fresh air under the open sky. The Most Serene One groaned, sighed deeply, then, suddenly, stretched out. Those around him knew about his illness, but it never occurred to anyone present that death was approaching the prince. Only one Cossack from the escort realized that Grigory Alexandrovich was leaving, said that he had to close his eyes. All that hour they began to look for golden imperials in their pockets. All the same Cossack found a copper penny - they closed their eyes.

Empress Catherine II, having received the news of the death of her favorite Grigory Potemkin, was broken. The empress's secretary noted in her diary: tears and despair. Also, according to Khrapovitsky's notes, the Empress kept crying, did not receive anyone and did not appear in public herself. Platon Zubov, many years later, said: “Although I defeated him by half, I could not completely eliminate him from my path. And it was necessary to eliminate it, because the Empress herself always went to meet his desires and was simply afraid of him, like a demanding spouse. She only loved me and often pointed to Potemkin so that I could take an example from him.

His Serene Highness Prince Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin-Tavrichesky died on October 16, 1791, at the age of 52, in the Principality of Moldavia on the way from Iasi to Nikolaev. The ashes of the prince are buried in the Cathedral of St. Catherine, located in the Kherson fortress and built on the orders of Potemkin himself. Catherine II wrote about Potemkin: “He was my dearest friend… a man of genius. I have no one to replace him!” Empress Catherine II survived Grigory Potemkin by 5 years, and this is how their love story ended.

In 1798, when Emperor Paul I, the son of Catherine II and Peter III, ascended the throne, the grave of Grigory Alexandrovich was devastated. The new emperor for many years accumulated anger at his mother's favorite, therefore he tried with all his might to denigrate the memory of that and erase all traces of his glory. The crypt was destroyed and covered up, there were rumors that the ashes were buried somewhere in a moat near the fortress. However, on July 4, 1818, Archbishop Job, with the testimony of several confessors, dug up the vault of the crypt and found a coffin in which, upon opening, the remains of the Most Serene Prince were found. Decades later, in 1859, a skull and several bones were removed from the filled-in crypt, transferred to a special box and left there. Much later, the Odessa Society of History and Antiquities began to investigate the grave of Grigory Potemkin. In 1873-1874. the commission carried out excavations and removed from the crypt: a box with a skull and bones, parts of a wooden and lead coffin, pieces of zloty decorations, silver staples, stars of the 1st degree of Saints Andrew, Vladimir and George.

Full title of Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin:

“Mr. Field Marshal, Commander-in-Chief of the Yekaterinoslav and Ukrainian Army, all regular and irregular light cavalry, the Black Sea Fleet and many other land and sea military forces, Senator, President of the State Military Collegium, Yekaterinoslav, Tauride and Kharkov Governor-General, Her Imperial Majesty General Adjutant, Troops Inspector General, Acting Chamberlain, Lieutenant Colonel of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, Corps of the Cavalry Guards, Yekaterinoslav Cuirassier, Smolensk Dragoon and Yekaterinoslav Grenadier Regiments Chief, Chief of the Armory Workshop, and Orders of the Russian Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, St. Alexander Nevsky and the military holy great martyr and victorious George, and the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir of the first degrees, foreign royal Prussian black eagle, Dacian elephant, Swedish seraphim, Polish white eagle, St. Stanislav and Grand Duke Golstinsky of St. Anne Cavalier, Count Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin Prince of Tauride of the Holy Roman Empire. (the spelling of the 18th century has been preserved).
It was the longest title in Russia in the 18th century. after the imperial

Potemkin-Tavrichesky, Prince Grigory Alexandrovich

28th General Field Marshal.

Prince Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin-Tavrichesky, the son of a retired major who served in a garrison regiment, was born in the Smolensk province, Dukhovshchinsky district, in the small village of his father, Chizhov, in September 1736. He came from an ancient noble family that moved from Poland to Russia and was quite famous in the childhood of Peter the Great. [Among the ancestors of Prince Grigory Alexandrovich was the roundabout Petr Ivanovich Potemkin, known for his embassies to Spain, France (1668 and 1680), England (1681) and Denmark. See about him in the fourth part of my Dictionary of Memorable People of the Russian Land, pp. 186-192.] Appointed to the clergy, Potemkin studied first at the Smolensk seminary, then sent to Moscow University. Here he attended with great diligence the lectures of professors, made rapid progress in the sciences, wishing - as he told his comrades - be by all means a bishop or minister; received a gold medal (1756) and soon became bored with uniform teaching, stopped going to the university, turned out of it dropped out of university for not walking, name Grigory Potemkin. - "Do you remember, - then the Prince of Taurida said to Professor Barsov during his glory and power, - how did you drop me from university?" - "Your Grace then deserved this," answered his former mentor], treated some monks, talking in Zaikonospassky and Greek monasteries about the dogmas of faith. It seemed that a young man gifted by nature with colossal growth, courageous beauty, a fluent mind, extraordinary, prepared himself to wear a miter: it turned out the opposite.His ambitious disposition could not be content with the rank of pastor of the Church, wanted to command many, pursued glory and inspired him with a happy thought to get closer to the Court by military service.Amvrosy Zertis was among the spiritual ones visited by Potemkin -Kamensky, who was then the Archbishop of Krutitsy and Mozhaisk: he approved his intention and gave him five hundred rubles for the journey.[This was handed to me by my late parent, a nephew of St. Ambrose. Potemkin later recalled this money several times, saying, what he owes him;but will try to pay with interest. My parent did not ask him for anything: that was the end of the promises.] From the monastery cell, Potemkin was transported to the banks of the Neva and was soon accepted into the Horse Guards; studied French in his spare time. He was the sergeant-major of this regiment when Catherine II came to the throne (1762), was in Her retinue and, having heard that the Empress wanted to have a lanyard on her sword, tore off his own, rode up to the Empress and dared to offer it. Potyomkin's zealous horse, accustomed to squadron exercises, caught up with the Empress's horse and, despite his best efforts, persisted in leaving. Catherine smiled, looked at the brave rider, asked about his last name, and the next day (June 29) made Potemkin an officer of the guard, then a second lieutenant and a chamber junker, ordering him to give him two thousand rubles. He was sent to Stockholm to our minister at the Swedish court, Count Osterman, with notification of the subsequent change in government.

Returning to St. Petersburg, Potemkin tried to get close to the Orlovs, who were in all their strength; . In 1768, he already had the rank of real chamberlain and second captain of the Horse Guards. Then Potemkin began to think over the plan of his exaltation and power, not content with the awards received; wished for more and, feeling his advantages over others, he was sure of success.

In 1769 war broke out with Turkey. Potemkin took advantage of this opportunity to retire from the capital for a while; first served under the banner of General-General Prince Golitsyn, then in the army of Field Marshal Count Rumyantsev: on June 19, he participated in the defeat of the 20,000-strong Turkish army by Major General Prince Prozorovsky, who crossed from Khotyn to the left bank of the Dniester and wanted to get to Kamenetz-Podolsky; in possession, on July 2, of the Turkish fortifications near Khotyn; promoted to major general for bravery and experience in military affairs; leading a detachment of cavalry, he distinguished himself in the battle on August 29, in which the supreme vizier Moldovanzhi Pasha and the Crimean Khan were completely defeated and put to flight.

Count Rumyantsev, having assumed command of the army after Prince Golitsyn, and guessing what fate awaited Potemkin, gave him occasions to reap laurels; he crowned himself with new glory, at the beginning of January 1770, in the vicinity of Focsani, he overturned (on the 4th day) across the Milka River, together with Major General Count Podgorichani, a Turkish corps of ten thousand, led by Suliman Pasha and Seraskir Rumeli-Valasi; put a thousand people on the spot, took away five guns, two banners and five wagons with gunpowder; assisted (February 4) Lieutenant-General Shtofeln in mastering Zhurzhey; pursued the enemy, put to flight by Rumyantsev, on June 17, near the Ryaba Mogila; participated in the battles of Larga (July 7) and Cahul (July 21); reflected on the latter the Crimean Khan, who intended to strike at the rear of the Russian army; awarded the orders of St. Anna and St. George, third class; took an active part in the occupation of Ishmael by Lieutenant-General Prince Repnin; the first entered the suburb of Chilia when it was in flames; successfully repulsed (1771) attacks of the Turks on Kranov; drove them out of Cimbra; freed the Christians in that city; burned several enemy ships on the Danube and four stores filled with flour and biscuits; put to flight a Turkish detachment of four thousand (May 17) on a campaign to the Olta River; kept the Turnu fortress under siege, together with Major General Gudovich; leading a small flotilla (in October), he made searches on the right bank of the Danube, approached Silistria. Peace was being negotiated in 1772, and Potemkin spent most of that time in a dressing gown or lying on a sofa, immersed in thought. Meanwhile, he was promoted to lieutenant general for his past service.

With the resumption of hostilities (1773), Potemkin again drew his sword: he crossed the Danube in view of the numerous enemy, on June 7 he participated in the defeat of Osman Pasha near Silistria, in capturing his camp. These feats of Potemkin were not rewarded. The offended commander, always enterprising, went to St. Petersburg and decided to write the following letter to the Empress: “Most Gracious Empress! long, I never thought about my condition, and if I saw that my zeal corresponded to Your Imperial Majesty's will, I considered myself already awarded. : in which I refer to the commander of the army and to the Turks themselves. I am by no means motivated by envy of those who are younger than me, but have received extra signs of the Highest mercy, and for that I am only offended that I am not less worthy in the thoughts of Your Majesty? being tormented, I took boldness, falling at the sacred feet of Your Imperial Majesty, to ask if my service is worthy Your benevolence, and when generosity and the High Monarch's mercy towards me do not fail, resolve this doubt of mine by granting me to the Adjutant General of Your Imperial Majesty. This will not offend anyone, and I will take it as the height of my happiness, all the more so that, being under the special patronage of Your Imperial Majesty, I will be honored to accept Your wise commands and, delving into them, I will become more capable of serving Your Imperial Majesty and the Fatherland. The next day, Potemkin was honored to receive the following handwritten rescript: "Mr. Lieutenant General! Mr. Strekalov handed over your letter to me this morning and I found your request so moderate in the discussion of your merits, done to me and the Fatherland, that I ordered a decree to be made to award you to the adjutant general. I confess that even this I am very pleased that your power of attorney to Me was such that you addressed your request directly by letter to Me, and did not seek it by side roads. However, I am visiting you, the benevolent Catherine.

Following that, Potemkin received the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (1774); began to visit, as before, the society of the Empress; he was cheerful, occupied others with himself; then he became cloudy, thoughtful, left the Court completely, withdrew to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery; announced that he wanted to get a haircut, studied the church charter there, grew a beard, wore a monastic dress. So this extraordinary man paved the way to his exaltation! His spiritual grief and despondency did not remain hidden from the Court, aroused its curiosity and pity, and soon the temporary hermit threw off his black clothes and appeared among the astonished courtiers in all the splendor of a favorite of happiness. In the same year, he was granted General-in-Chief, Vice President of the Military Collegium, Lieutenant Colonel of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment and (December 25) Knight of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. The following year (1775) he received the Order of St. George, second class, for his feats of arms against the Turks in the past campaign; appointed governor-general of the Novorossiysk, Azov and Astrakhan provinces, with the power and advantages of the royal governor, and upon the conclusion of peace with the Ottoman Port, he was awarded (July 10): for hastening to it with good advice Count dignity of the Russian Empire; for brave and tireless labors a sword studded with diamonds, and as a sign of the Monarch's favor for that portrait of the Empress to wear on the chest.

At first, Potemkin did not have much influence on state affairs, although he enjoyed Catherine's perfect power of attorney, he lived in the Palace, where daily admirers fawned before him, while he, lying on the sofa, did not pay attention to them. In 1776, the Empress granted him a lieutenant of the Cavalier Guard Corps and requested him the Princely dignity of the Roman Empire with the title His Serene Highness. Meanwhile, the growing power of Potemkin forced other sovereigns to look in him: the King of Poland sent him the Orders of the White Eagle and St. Stanislav; Frederick the Great instructed his brother, Prince Henry, to lay on him the ribbon of the Black Eagle; The Danish king sent the Order of the Elephant, the Swedish - the Order of the Seraphim.

Having become indispensable for Catherine the Great, the proud nobleman, confident in his strength, went (1777) to the vicegerency subordinate to him to improve his deranged health. The courtiers, Potemkin's enemies, rejoiced at his removal; but this journey was based on a refined policy: he deviated for a while, only in order to achieve later a more accurately assumed goal. On the road, triumphal gates were built everywhere in his honor, greeting speeches were said to him, holidays were given. Catherine gave him the Anichkov Palace and granted him eighty thousand rubles to fix the furniture; but Potemkin, returning to the capital, stayed as before in the Winter Palace and then moved to the adjacent one, which belonged to the Hermitage (1777). Here he embarked on a plan he had long considered for the expulsion of the Turks and Tatars from Europe, the restoration of the Greek Empire. They say that Potemkin intended to establish an independent state there. It was necessary first to take possession of the Crimea: Catherine with an armed hand approved (1777) the Khan of Shagin-Girey, despite the threats of the Porte. Many families of Greeks and Armenians were resettled from Taurida to Russia. At the mouth of the Dnieper, Potemkin founded Kherson with a ship harbor (1778). In vain did Frederick the Great try to persuade the Empress to establish a defensive alliance with Turkey, flattering Potemkin's ambition with the Duchy of Courland; he did not change his mindset and knew how to win Emperor Joseph II over to his side when he was in Russia (1780). Equally unsuccessful were the efforts of the British Ministry to divert the Russian Court, through Potemkin, from armed neutrality: the faithful executor of Catherine's great intentions did not sacrifice the benefits of the Fatherland for his own. In 1782, according to him as the Governor-General of Yekaterinoslav, many deserts of Novorossiysk were inhabited by people who came from various other regions of the Empire. Then Catherine II established the Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and conferred it on Potemkin. Soon the Crimean affairs recalled him to Kherson. While negotiations were taking place with the khan and the supreme leaders of the peoples of the Kuban, Potemkin traveled to St. Petersburg several times; finally, with caress, persuasion, gold and formidable weapons, he was able to persuade Shagin Giray to cede the peninsula to Russia. [Shagin-Giray retired to Russia, where he received a pension from the Empress; then, bored, he went to Turkey and was strangled by order of the Sultan.] This important feat, to the immortal glory of Potemkin, was accomplished (1783. ) without any bloodshed. Taman and the entire Kuban country are also attached to our Empire. The firmness and activity of Bulgakov [Yakov Ivanovich Bulgakov, Potemkin's comrade at the university, was then an extraordinary envoy and minister plenipotentiary in Constantinople. On December 28, he signed an act with the Turkish plenipotentiaries: on the cession of the Crimean peninsula to Russia by Turkey. “You attribute this to me,” wrote Potemkin to Bulgakov, “and your merits increase even more! Everything is from God; but Russia and the Turks themselves are indebted to you: your firmness, activity and mind averted the war. The Turks would have been defeated; but Russian blood also would have flowed!"] strengthened these acquisitions for Russia for all eternity.

At the beginning of 1784 (February 2), Catherine, grateful to the merits, granted Potemkin the President of the Military Collegium with the rank of Field Marshal, Yekaterinoslav and Tauride Governor-General and Chief of the Cavalier Guard Regiment. Then a new field was opened for his selective mind: he issued (1786) a charter in which the expenses of each regiment were indicated with great accuracy; changed the unprofitable clothes of the Russian troops, ordered to cut off the braids, throw in the powder; dressed the soldier in a jacket, late bloomers, half boots and a comfortable, beautiful helmet; he constantly moved regiments from one place to another, so that in peacetime they would not become accustomed to bliss. In Taurida, entrusted to his care, the wild steppes turned into fruitful fields, where numerous beautiful herds were visible everywhere, blessed fields, rich villages, populous cities towered. In order to cover the borders from enemy attacks and to keep the Tatars and other predatory peoples in fear, he extended a chain of troops on the banks of the Kuban; Sevastopol and Kherson were filled with fleets; the Russian flag fluttered freely on the Black Sea.

The year 1787 is memorable in the life of Potemkin: Catherine made Kherson and Taurida happy with her visit. Then the great roads and the ridges of the mountains were illuminated with colored lights; The Dnieper is covered with magnificent galleys; palaces have been built everywhere; forests have been turned into English gardens. “The journey of the Empress,” describes Prince de Ligne, who accompanied her, “can be called magic. At almost every step we met the unexpected, the unexpected. Everywhere Catherine was crowned with celebrations, expressions of gratitude, reverence and delight. The following inscription, composed by Potemkin, was depicted on the gates in Perekop: " Foreshadowed fear and brought peace(1787.)"; in Kremenchug: " Reviver of these countries". On the journey through the Tauride region, the Empress's companion was Joseph, who arrived under the name of Count Falkenstein. Returning to St. Petersburg, Catherine ordered the ruling Senate to prepare a letter of commendation with the meaning of the exploits of Field Marshal Prince Potemkin: in joining Taurida to the Russian Empire, in the successful the establishment of the economic part and the population of the province of Yekaterinoslav, in the structure of cities and in the multiplication of naval forces on the Black Sea, with the addition of a name to it Tauride. That year England and Prussia armed the Ottoman Port against Russia: in Constantinople they demanded the return of the Crimea from our envoy Bulgakov, they imprisoned him in a seven-towered castle. On September 9, a manifesto about the war with the Turks was published. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky and Potemkin-Tavrichesky were appointed leaders of the troops. The first was entrusted with the Ukrainian army; the second - Yekaterinoslavskaya.

On June 28 (1788) Potemkin appeared near Ochakov and, in view of this city, took up his camp at the Dnieper mouth. On July 25, he surveyed the redoubt being built to the Black Sea coast for a cannon shot from the enemy. Cannonballs rained down from the fortress from all sides; Major General Sinelnikov and a Cossack, who were in the retinue of the commander-in-chief, were mortally wounded; the latter let out a pitiful cry. " What are you screaming?" - Potemkin told him with firmness of mind and coolly disposed of the work. Treasuring the blood of his own kind, he did not want to sacrifice human life out of ambitious views and decided to force the Turks to surrender by a close siege. In the middle of August our batteries were finished. The Ochakovo garrison defended itself desperately, repeating its sorties. On September 7, Potemkin opened heavy fire with all his batteries to prevent the besieged from repairing the damaged fortifications. Meanwhile, the Turkish fleet suffered a severe defeat on the Liman; separate detachments of Potemkin inflicted fear and devastation beyond the Kuban and on the banks of the Anatolian; Berezansky island with a fortress is occupied by the brave Black Sea Cossacks (November 7). In his magnificent dugout, under the thunder of cannons, among the movements of the military, the prince of Taurida found time to talk with the muses, wrote poetry, translated the Church history of the abbot Fleury. A severe cold set in, accompanied by heavy snow. The enemy made a sortie from Ochakovo (November 11), but was repulsed. The position of the troops became incessantly more difficult. Increasing diseases abducted many people every day. The soldiers asked their commander to lead them against wicked city, which they wanted to turn into a coffin for the enemies of Christianity. The ice that covered Liman offered the convenience of attacking Ochakov from that side, which was less fortified than the others. Potemkin decided to take the fortress by storm, appointed for this day St. Nicholas and on the eve several times examined the enemy retreats, under the very cannons; encouraged the soldiers: he promised them to give the city to its full will, if only they would take it. All preparations for the attack were made. It was supposed to attack at the same time the mountain retrenchment, the Gassan-Pashinsky castle and the fortress itself. Potemkin divided the army into six columns: four, led by Prince Repnin, were to operate on the right wing; two, under the command of General of Artillery Meller [Ivan Ivanovich Meller, General of Artillery, holder of the orders of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, St. George of the second class and St. Vladimir of the first degree, was erected, in honor of excellent merit, to the Baronial dignity of the Russian Empire, with the name Meller-Zakomelsky(1789). He died from a wound he received near Kiliya on October 10, 1790] on the left; turned the rest of the regiments into two reserves; ordered the cavalry to be with them, and light troops to observe from the Dniester. The fateful day came (December 6): the commander-in-chief repeated the order that the troops assigned to the attack, without engaging in a shootout, act with bayonets with all possible speed; a prayer service was performed, and at seven o'clock in the morning the attack began. The enemy defended himself desperately; but the fire of his guns, the depth of the ditches, the high ramparts and the front garden, the hellish mouth of the blown up tunnels did not stop the Russian soldiers: they went forward over the piles of enemy bodies and over the corpses of their brothers, overturned everything that came across to them - and Ochakov was conquered! - Potemkin remained during the attack on one battery and, propping his head on his hand, repeated incessantly: " God, have mercy". He was forced to keep his fatal word: he allowed the fierce army to rob the captured city for three days ... In addition to rich booty, three hundred and ten cannons and mortars, one hundred and eighty banners and many weapons went to the winners. Among the prisoners were: the chief commander of the fortress, the three-bunch pasha Hussen and three chektyr-beys, who commanded the galleys and had the dignity of two-bunch pashas.The cruel winter did not allow all the corpses to be buried in the ground: the field marshal ordered the dead enemies to be thrown onto the ice, so that they sail to the Turkish shores. Many of them served as food for hungry wolves and birds of prey. For the capture of Ochakov, he received the Order of St. George of the first degree and one hundred thousand rubles he had long desired; and for victories on Liman - a sword of twenty thousand, sprinkled with diamonds and decorated with laurels, with the inscription: " ,crowned with success". She was sent to him on a golden platter, on which was carved: Commander of the Yekaterinoslav land and sea forces,like a builder of warships".

Inspecting the Ochakov steppe at the beginning of 1789, Prince Tauride paid special attention to the convenience of the place where the Ingul River flows into the Bug, and proceeded to lay a shipyard at it. The place was named by Potemkin Nikolaev, wishing to pay a debt of gratitude to the patron saint of Russian weapons, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Soon he received permission to appear in St. Petersburg, where he was expected to receive a brilliant reception. A few days before the arrival of the conqueror Ochakov, the road leading to the capital was illuminated every night, at a distance of twenty miles. The empress warned him with her visit and then announced at a court ball, that came from Prince Potemkin. So Catherine knew how to reward the merits of her subjects! The courtiers gave him holidays, trying vying to surpass each other in splendor and splendor. Before leaving St. Petersburg, Potemkin received from the Empress one hundred thousand rubles, a field marshal's baton adorned with diamonds and entwined with a rich laurel wreath, the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky to be worn on his chest, strengthened to a precious tapeworm worth one hundred thousand rubles [This order was assigned by the Empress on Potemkin in the Court Church after matins on St. Chr. Sunday. He has been a cavalier of it since 1774] and six million to continue the hostilities.

Then Selim III, the nephew of Abdul-Hamid, reigned in Turkey, a sovereign young in years, but brave. Spending gold to spare human blood, Potemkin knew how to win over the sultan Valida and the captain Pasha, who later assisted in the killing of the supreme vizier, a clear enemy of Russia. Victories at Galati by General Derfelden; at Focsani and near Rymnik Suvorov; on the Salcha River Repnina and the surrender of Bendery (November 5th) to the Prince of Tauride - marked the campaign of 1789. It is curious that during the siege of this fortress, Potemkin examined the work in the field marshal's uniform and orders: the cannonballs whistled around him; one fell a few paces away and covered him with earth. " Turks are aiming at me, - the hero said with a calm look, - but God is my protector:he parried this blow"Then, without leaving his seat, he sat on a horse and continued to survey the work being done. Three hundred guns, twenty-five mortars, several thousand pounds of gunpowder, many bombs, cannonballs, grenades, rifles, sabers, twenty-two thousand pounds of crackers and twenty-four thousand quarters of flour. The Empress sent the conqueror one hundred thousand rubles, a laurel wreath strewn with emeralds and diamonds worth one and a half hundred thousand, and a gold medal knocked out in his honor [The same medal was knocked out in honor of Potemkin for the conquest of Ochakov]. The capture of Bendery completed the conquest Moldavia and a large part of Bessarabia.Having placed his troops in winter quarters, Potemkin went to Iasi, where he negotiated with Constantinople.

On February 9, 1790, the life of a faithful ally of Catherine II, Emperor Joseph, ended. Potemkin, elevated to the rank of Grand Hetman of the Cossack Ekaterinoslav and Black Sea troops, opened military operations within Turkey in May: Rear Admiral Ushakov defeated the Ottomans on the waters of the Black Sea; Major General German defeated the glorious seraskir Batal Pasha in the Kuban and took him prisoner; general Gudovich took possession of Chilia; Rear Admiral Ribas - Tulcea; his brother to Isacchaea; Suvorov - Ishmael. Potemkin spent this time in Iasi with splendor and pomp, peculiar to him alone, but among various amusements, the Tauride prince was gloomy, thoughtful, looking for scattering, and everywhere despondency, sadness pursued him. For sixteen years he excelled in Russia, not fearing his co-workers: Zubov appeared [Zubov Platon Alexandrovich, being the staff captain of the Life Guards Horse Regiment, was granted a colonel and adjutant wing (1789) and soon a major general, cornet of the Cavalier Guard Corps, cavalier orders: St. Anna, both Polish and St. Alexander Nevsky, in the twenty-third year from birth (1790); three years later he received the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (1793); the rank of general feldzekhmeister, a portrait of the Empress, the Order of St. Vladimir of the first degree (1795) and, before the death of Catherine II, the dignity of the Most Serene Prince of the Roman Empire; died in 1822] and with his power awakened the sweet slumber of a presumptuous nobleman. “Mother, Most Merciful Sovereign!” Potemkin wrote to the Empress then. “Dear mother! Under circumstances that burden you, do not leave me without notice. Do you really not know the measure of my affection, which is special from everyone? What is it like for me to hear ridiculous news from all sides and not know: whether to believe or not? Care in such uncertainty plunged me into unspeakable weakness. Deprived of sleep and food, I am worse than a baby. Everyone sees my exhaustion. To go to Kherson no matter how necessary, I can’t move. If my life is something if it’s worth it, then in such circumstances just say that you are healthy and so on.” [Signature on this letter (copied by me from the original): "While alive, the most faithful and grateful subject."] He went to St. Petersburg in February 1791, was received with excellent respect by the Empress, received from her a palace, known under the name Tauride; a dress adorned with diamonds and expensive stones, two hundred thousand rubles.

Everyone continued to fawn before Potemkin, and with all that, deep sadness did not leave him: he missed honors, caresses; was dissatisfied with everyone, even with himself; complained to those close to the pain of the tooth, said, that will leave from.-Petersburg then only,how to pull it out, and, indulging in woeful forebodings, arranged a brilliant holiday for Catherine in his Tauride Palace. Particular attention deserved two huge halls, separated from one another by eighteen columns. The first of them was appointed for dancing: colossal pillars surrounded it in two rows; between them were lodges, decorated with garlands and inside with rich damasks; huge balls hung on the vault, which served instead of chandeliers; their brilliance was reflected in countless mirrors; Carrara marble vases of extraordinary size and stoves of azure stone decorated this room. In the other was a conservatory filled with laurel, orange, and myrtle trees; sandy winding paths, green hills and transparent pools in which gold and silver fish frolicked; pleasant smell of plants; delightful birdsong; a grotto decorated with mirrors with a marble bath inside; a through altar towering on the steps with eight columns supporting its vault; jasper bowls, lamps, wreaths and chains of flowers that adorned it; placed among the columns on a porphyry base with a golden inscription: " Mother of the Fatherland and to me most merciful", a statue of the Empress of Parian marble; a labyrinth that surrounded the altar with altars of gratitude and zeal, idols of glorious men in antiquity, precious vessels, and on a green meadow a high pyramid, dressed in gold, with faceted chains and crowns, from various transparent stones, with the radiant name of Catherine: all this was reminiscent of magical castles, amazing eyes with a charming combination of different climates and seasons.

Three thousand people of both sexes were invited to this holiday by the Prince of Taurida (April 28). All were in fancy dresses. Potemkin appeared in a scarlet caftan and a rich long coat of black lace. His clothes shone with precious stones, and there were so many of them on his hat that one adjutant carried one. After six o'clock the Court arrived there. When the carriage of the Empress drove up to the porch, there was a sound in the air: " Hooray!" Trumpets blared in the amphitheater built opposite the palace, and a folk festival began. hall, Catherine ascended to the place prepared for her, surrounded by transparent paintings and inscriptions. The whole assembly dispersed under the columns and in the boxes. The solemn sounds of vocal and instrumental music [the orchestra consisted of three hundred musicians and singers] resounded under the arches of the hall. Twenty-four pairs of the most noble ladies and cavaliers began to dance a ballet invented by the master himself. The Grand Dukes Alexander and Konstantin Pavlovichi, by their participation, gave more brilliance to this charming troupe. The dancers were in white dresses adorned with diamonds worth ten million rubles. At the end of the ballet, the glorious Le Pic appeared. The Empress then retired to another hall, where rich carpets and tapestries paid attention to visit lei. In the near room stood an artificial golden elephant, on which hung pearl fringes and many diamonds, emeralds and rubies. He tossed his trunk, and the Persian sitting on it, magnificently dressed, struck the bell. Then Potemkin led his distinguished visitors and other guests to the theater. The curtain rose: a radiant sun appeared, in the middle of which the monogram name of Catherine II shone in the green laurels. The peasants and peasant women, raising their hands to the beneficent luminary, showed their most zealous feelings with their movements. This was followed by a comedy, and after that a ballet, representing a Smyrna merchant trading in slaves of all peoples, among whom there was, however, not a single Russian. From the theatre, the assembly returned to the great hall and the conservatory: a hundred thousand lights illuminated the inside of the house. Cornices, windows, piers were strewn with crystal balls filled with wax. Huge chandeliers and lanterns multiplied the brilliance. Everywhere sparkled bright stars or beautiful rainbows of rubies, emeralds, yachts and topazes. Countless mirrors and crystal pyramids reflected this magical sight. " Are we there,where they were before?" - asked the Empress Potemkin in surprise. Meanwhile, in the choirs, decorated with precious Chinese vessels and two gilded organs, Polskaya began to play with the thunder of timpani, singing and cannon shots:

"Thunder of victory resound!
Have fun, brave Ross!
Decorate yourself with resounding glory:
Mohammed you shook.

Hail to this, Catherine!
Hail, tender mother to us!

The fast waters of the Danube
Already in our hands now;
Honoring the courage of the Russians,
Taurus below us and the Caucasus.

Hail to this, Catherine!
Hail, tender mother to us! etc."
[Words by Derzhavin; music by Kozlovsky.]

During the ball, the Empress played cards with Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna. Music, dances, dances (including Russian and Little Russian ones), swings located inside the chambers, and various other amusements occupied the guests. Amusement fires are lit in the outer garden, filled with crowds of curious people; the ponds were covered with a flotilla, beautifully illuminated; groves and alleys are also dotted with lanterns. The voices of songwriters and the sound of horns resounded through the trees. At the sign given by the owner, the theater suddenly disappeared, and in its place, and in several more rooms, tables laid for six hundred people appeared. They were located in such a way that the eyes of all turned to the face of the Empress. Other guests dined standing up, for which many tables were set up against the walls. At the end of the hall, at the very height, shone glass vessels of different fires. The service was gold and silver. Meals and drinks corresponded to the magnificent decoration of the palace, the rich clothes of the servants. Potemkin himself served the Empress; but she invited him to sit down. After dinner, the ball continued until morning. The empress with the August surname left at eleven o'clock. No one remembered her staying anywhere at the ball for so long. It seemed that Catherine, by her removal, was afraid to disturb the bliss of the owner. When she was already leaving the hall, suddenly there was a gentle singing with a quiet sound of organs, descending from the choirs, which were closed with multi-colored glass vessels illuminated by a bright fire. All were silent and listened to the pleasant harmony:

"The kingdom is here of pleasure;
The dominion of thy bounties;
Here water, earth and air
Everything breathes with your soul;
I am only your blessing
And I live and I'm happy.

What is in wealth and honor?
What is in my greatness,
If the thought does not see you,
The spirit is terrifying.

Stop and do not fly, you time!
And do not deprive our blessings.
Our life is a path of sorrows:
Let the flowers bloom in it."
[This choir, taken from an Italian opera, is sung in Italian.]

The Empress expressed her gratitude to Potemkin, who reverently fell on his knees in front of her, grabbed her hand, watered it with tears, held it for several minutes with special spiritual tenderness ...

So Potemkin surprised the inhabitants of the banks of the Neva with his splendor; meanwhile, the banks of the Danube were stained with the blood of Christians and Ottomans. He put off leaving for the army, sacrificed his fame and wasted only time without profit. On June 28, Repnin utterly defeated the Supreme Vizier Yusuf Pasha under Machin, signed preliminary peace articles with the Turkish plenipotentiaries on July 31, when Prince Tauride finally arrived in Galatz. Annoyed at the brave commander who stole his victory, Potemkin destroyed the treaty he had decreed, considering it inconsistent with the dignity of the Empire. Prescribing the painful conditions of Turkey, he was preparing for a new battle, while death hovered invisibly over his head and its harbingers, exhaustion of strength, longing, increased mental suffering! In Galati, the Prince of Wirtemberg died: leaving the church on August 12, upset, upset Potemkin sat down instead of his droshky on the droshky prepared for the dead body ... In Iasi, he suffered a fever: the art of doctors Timan and Massot remained invalid. Potemkin, wayward, accustomed to sumptuous meals, gave food to his illness. Meanwhile, his activity did not weaken: he continued to conduct extensive correspondence; couriers flew to all parts of Europe more often than usual; Polish nobles, dissatisfied with the new changes that followed in their homeland, and Moldavian boyars sought his patronage. But inner grief did not give him rest; he felt the approach of his death; communed the Holy Mysteries on August 19 and September 27 ["Both times when I communed the Holy Mysteries of the deceased," the confessor of Prince Potemkin wrote to my parent, "until now I have never seen such living signs of faith in anyone"]; said goodbye to those around him, and a few days later expressed a desire to leave Jassy, saying: " At least, I will die in my Nikolaev".

On October 4, 1791, at 8 o'clock in the morning, Potemkin was put into a carriage. He drove off that day no more than twenty-five versts; was quite cheerful; consoled himself with the thought that he left his coffin[So Potemkin called Yasy]. Night fell: the disease intensified. Potemkin kept asking: Will it dawn soon"?" At six o'clock (October 5) he ordered to carry himself into a carriage; they drove further: mortal anguish continued to bother him; he ordered to stop, asked: " Is there a village near?" - ordered to go faster and at the thirty-eighth verst from Yass at twelve o'clock in the afternoon, with intensified tormenting anxiety and languor, said in a weak voice: " Will be.Now there's nowhere to go:I'm dying.Take me out of the carriage,I want to die on the field"They fulfilled his will: they laid the dying man on a spread cloak near the road. Here he lay for three quarters of an hour, turning a touching look alternately at the sky and at those who were coming, and at twelve o'clock he quietly rested in the arms of his beloved niece, Countess Branitskaya, in the strength of courage, having only fifty-five years of age. [Derzhavin beautifully described in his " waterfall"Potemkin and his death:
"Whose bed is earth; blood is blue air,
Halls - around the desert views?
Are you not happiness, glory son,
The magnificent prince of Taurida?
Are you not from the height of honor
Suddenly fell among the steppes?" etc.]

At night they took him back to Iasi in the same carriage, surrounded by torches.

Catherine mourned the death of Potemkin, commanded on the day of a peaceful celebration with the Ottoman Port (1793): " To prepare a letter in his memory, with the registration in it of the fortresses he conquered in the last war and various land and sea victories,conquered by his troops;keep this letter in the Cathedral Church of the city of Kherson,where to build a marble monument to the Tauride,and in the arsenal of that city, place his image and knock out a medal in honor of him".

Potemkin's tomb is placed on a hearse in a crypt upholstered in black velvet and located under the altar of the Cathedral Church of Kherson erected by him. [The entrance to this crypt was made during the reign of Emperor Paul I. They assure that the remains of Potemkin were transferred from there to another place.] Now a colossal monument has been erected to him in this city, sculpted by our glorious artist Martos.

Prince Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin-Tavrichesky had a beautiful, courageous appearance, a strong body build, and majestic growth. At a young age, he injured one eye, but this did not diminish the beauty of his face. He came out of the circle of ordinary people of his age, distinguished by striking opposites: he loved simplicity and pomp; was proud and courteous; cunning and trusting; secretive and frank; wasteful and often stingy; with cruelty he combined compassion, timidity with courage. Nothing could equal the activity of his imagination and his bodily indolence. In his affairs, pleasures, disposition, gait - some kind of disorder was noticeable. Sometimes he dreamed of the duchy of Courland, the crown of Poland; at other times he wished to be a bishop, a simple monk; he built splendid palaces and, without finishing, he sold them; he sent couriers to the most distant places for certain needs for his table, and often, before the messengers returned, he lost the desire to taste what they brought. [He even sent couriers for sour cabbage soup and cranberries.] Either he was engaged in one war, surrounded by officers, Cossacks and Tatars, or politics: he wanted to divide the Ottoman Empire, conquer Persia, stir up the European Cabinets; at other times he spent a whole month of evenings at a party, apparently forgetting all his business. He overshadowed the courtiers with his brilliant clothes, orders of different powers, diamonds of extraordinary size; gave charming holidays for no reason - and after several weeks in a row he remained at home, in the circle of relatives and friends, lying on the sofa in a dressing gown, with bare feet, bare neck, with a frown on his brow, drooping eyebrows and silently played chess or cards. He liked to make promises, but he didn't always keep his word. Nobody read less than him; but not many could equal him in his studies. They were superficial, but very extensive. In conversations, he amazed the writer, artist, theologian. His style was abrupt and strong. “Despise the intrigues of the French,” he wrote (1783) to Constantinople to our envoy, Ya. I. Bulgakov, “believe that everything will turn to their shame and death. Loving ardently the Fatherland, he gave full justice to the merits of Suvorov, wrote to him: "Believe me, my friend, that I find my glory in yours." He valued the soldiers: "They are not so cheap," he mentioned in one letter to the same commander, "to lose them over trifles." Empress Catherine II honored Potemkin with an unlimited power of attorney, granted him, in addition to significant sums and gifts, many villages. They assure that in ten years (from 1774 to 1784) he received eighteen million rubles in cash and precious things. He had forms from the Empress, and could, moreover, apply to the state chambers with his demands. At the beginning of 1791, he determined to multiply the capital of Moscow University, where he studied, income from his Achuevskaya dacha. [It was only after Potemkin's death that the university found out about this donation, having received in 1796 seven thousand four hundred and sixty-eight rubles from the ataman of the Donskoy army, lieutenant general Alexei Ivanovich Ilovaisky, who was in charge of this dacha.]

“Potemkin was my pupil,” said Empress Catherine II. “I promoted him to all ranks: from a non-commissioned officer to a field marshal. He had an extraordinary mind, a hot temper, a kind heart; he looked like a wolf and therefore was not loved; but, giving clicks, he did good even to his enemies. He could not be bribed; it is difficult to find another like him. " [Cm. Memoirs A.AT.Khrapovitsky placed in Domestic Notes P. P. Svinina.]

The Empress also spoke of Potemkin that he passionately loved Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich and called him an angel,incarnated for the bliss of the Empire;le prince de son coeur.

Suvorov said that Potemkin was great man and great man;great in mind,big and tall;did not look like that high French ambassador in London,about which Chancellor Bacon said,that the attic is usually poorly furnished. [From See what "Potemkin-Tauride, Prince Grigory Alexandrovich" is in other dictionaries:

Potemkin

Grigory Alexandrovich

Battles and victories

G.A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky - an outstanding Russian statesman and military leader, His Serene Highness Prince, organizer of New Russia, founder of cities, favorite of Catherine II, Field Marshal General.

The great Suvorov wrote about his commander Potemkin in 1789: "He is an honest man, he is a kind man, he is a great man: my happiness is to die for him."

Catherine II spoke about Potemkin:
He was my dearest friend... a man of genius. I have no one to replace him!

Some believed that Grigory Potemkin did more for Russia in the south than Peter I did in the north. He was respected and awarded by the monarchs of Prussia, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Poland. The poet Derzhavin wrote about Potemkin in the solemn Choirs: “He plays chess with one hand. With the other hand he conquers the nations. With one foot he smashes friend and foe, with the other he tramples the shores of the universe.

Coming from a family of small-scale nobles, Grigory Alexandrovich studied at the Smolensk Theological Seminary, then entered the gymnasium of Moscow University, showed his abilities, but soon dropped out of school because of its "monotonity". Energy and ambition pushed him to change the place and fate in general. Without thinking for a long time about choosing a further occupation, Grigory Alexandrovich decided to decide on military service. Having gone to Petersburg, he entered the Horse Guards, and soon became a sergeant-major. Among the guardsmen who participated in the coup of 1762, which made Catherine II empress, he was noticed and awarded by her. She granted him a second lieutenant of the guard and gave 400 souls of serfs. Trying to make his way in life, for a long time he unsuccessfully tried to get close to the Orlov brothers, who then formed the support of Catherine, and held various minor positions at court.

Having failed to get closer to the Empress, the young ambitious officer went to the Russian-Turkish war in 1769, fought in the ranks of the 1st Army General-General A. Golitsyn, distinguished himself in the defeat of the troops of Moldavanchi Pasha and the occupation of Khotyn, for which he was awarded the rank major general.

Golitsyn noted:
Until now, the Russian cavalry has not yet acted with such harmony and courage as under the command of Major General Potemkin.

P. Rumyantsev, who replaced Golitsyn as commander, saw in Potemkin a promising and efficient person. He gave him the opportunity to prove himself in military campaigns. The young general acted valiantly at Focsani, participated in the famous battles at Larga and Cahul. He was the first to break into the suburbs of Chilia, distinguished himself by bravery in battles with the enemy near Craiova and Tsimbry, and participated in the defeat of the troops of Osman Pasha near Silistria. His awards for valor in battle were the rank of lieutenant general, the Order of St. Anna and St. George, 3rd degree.

With his exploits and letters to Catherine, Potemkin attracted her attention. The Empress, in correspondence with him, insisted that he should not risk his life in vain, and a month after receiving this letter, Potemkin was already in St. , became "the most influential person in Russia."

Receiving the support of the empress in everything, Grigory Alexandrovich actually became her co-ruler, the closest assistant in all state affairs. He immediately took care of suppressing the uprising of E. Pugachev, organizing military operations against the rebels. Without staying too long in the capital, Potemkin set about a plan for the economic development and military fortification of southern Russia. In a short time he was promoted to general-in-chief and appointed vice-president of the Military Collegium, became a member of the State Council, a count, was awarded the orders of St. Andrew the First-Called and St. George 2nd degree, granted the princely dignity of the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1775, Potemkin liquidated the Zaporizhzhya Sich with decisive actions and laid the foundation for the Zaporizhzhya Cossack army, completely subject to the Russian crown. In 1776 he became the governor-general of the Novorossiysk, Azov and Astrakhan provinces. The ruler of the south was considering a plan to fight Turkey up to the destruction of the Turkish state and the restoration of Byzantium. At the mouth of the Dnieper, Potemkin founded Kherson with a shipyard, supervised the construction of Yekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk), the development of the Kuban, and the actions of Russian troops in the Caucasus. In his hands was concentrated the management of all southern Russia from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea.

From the huge number of business papers and letters from Potemkin's office, one can see how diverse and continuous his activity in managing South Russia was. Although in all undertakings one feels feverish haste, self-delusion, boasting and striving for excessively difficult goals. As if on purpose, he overestimated the bar for himself and tried to step over human capabilities. The invitation of colonists, the laying of cities, the cultivation of forests and vineyards, the encouragement of sericulture, the establishment of schools, factories, printing houses, shipyards - all this was undertaken extremely sweepingly, on a large scale, sparing neither money, nor labor, nor people. Much was started and abandoned - the rest remained on paper from the very beginning. Only the most insignificant part of the bold projects of Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin was realized. But she was impressive too!

Potemkin was the first to understand the significance of annexing Crimea to Russia. He wrote to Catherine:
Crimea is tearing our borders apart with its position... Assume now that Crimea is yours and that this wart on your nose is no longer there - all of a sudden, the position of the borders is wonderful... There are no powers in Europe that would not divide Asia, Africa, America among themselves. The acquisition of the Crimea cannot strengthen or enrich you, but only bring peace.

On April 8, 1783, the Empress signed a manifesto, definitively securing the Crimea for Russia. Potemkin's first steps towards the realization of this manifesto were the construction of Sevastopol as a military and sea port of Russia and the creation of the Black Sea Fleet, both military and commercial.

In 1784, Catherine promoted Potemkin to field marshal general, appointed him president of the Military Collegium and governor-general of the Crimea, which was named the Tauride Region. As president of the Military Collegium, Potemkin took care of the development and strengthening of the Russian army, carried out a number of transformations in military service and equipment of personnel (abolished pigtails and curls, introduced comfortable uniforms and shoes for soldiers, etc.).

In 1787, Catherine II undertook her famous journey to the Crimea. Potemkin equipped the entire route of the Empress, who saw the newly created villages and cities. Kherson surprised even the foreigners who accompanied Catherine, and the view of the Sevastopol raid with a military squadron was truly amazing. For these merits, Potemkin received the honorary title of Tauride.

Fireworks in honor of Catherine during her trip to the Crimea

Unknown artist. End of the 18th century

There is an opinion that during this trip Potemkin was cunning and staged the results of his activities - he showed not reality, but dummies - the so-called. Potemkin villages. However, according to researcher A.M. Panchenko, it was a "Potemkin myth" of a special kind. At that time, it was customary to lavishly decorate all court events. But the luxurious appearance of the settlements and the well-groomedness of their inhabitants were so amazing that they gave rise to doubts about the authenticity of the presented picture. However, the fact remains that cities and towns were built, the population settled down, and the borders of Russia were strengthened. In addition, it was a serious diplomatic step. It was necessary to show foreign guests (including the Austrian emperor Joseph II) that Russia had a firm foot on the newly acquired lands and intended to support them in the best possible way.

In 1787, the war with Turkey began, partly caused by the activities of Potemkin. The organizer of Novorossia had to take on the role of a commander. The lack of readiness of the troops affected from the very beginning and Potemkin, on whom hopes were pinned that he would destroy Turkey, became very discouraged and even thought about concessions. The Empress, in letters, had to repeatedly support his cheerfulness. Only after the successful defense of Kinburn by Suvorov, Potemkin began to act more decisively, and on December 1, the commander gave the order to prepare for the assault on the fortress.

In the order, Potemkin wrote:
Imagining the courage and fearlessness of the Russian army ... I expect with full hope a prosperous success.

G.A. Potemkin. Engraving

On December 6, the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Potemkin took Ochakov by storm, receiving trophies - three hundred cannons and mortars, 180 banners and many prisoners. For this success, he was awarded the Order of St. George, 1st class; in honor of Potemkin, the empress ordered to knock out a gold medal. For victories on the Dnieper estuary, he was also awarded a sword decorated with diamonds, which was sent to him on a golden platter with the inscription: "To the commander of the Yekaterinoslav land and sea forces, like a builder of military ships."

After the capture of Ochakov, Potemkin left the theater of operations for some time in order to receive awards and glory, to establish himself in his position under the empress. Returning, he took care of replenishing the troops and slowly advanced with the main mass of troops to the Dniester. The Bendery besieged by him surrendered to him without bloodshed. In 1790, Potemkin received the title of hetman of the Cossack Ekaterinoslav and Black Sea troops.

Being an active and enterprising man, Potemkin discerned great talent and ability in Suvorov, who under his leadership stood out clearly among the entire Russian generals. In carrying out his war plan, Potemkin gave Suvorov complete independence in choosing methods of action. The commander-in-chief did not forget about rewarding the ambitious commander with awards.

Suvorov wrote about him in 1789:
He is an honest man, he is a good man, he is a great man: it is my happiness to die for him.

At the end of February 1791, Potemkin arrived in St. Petersburg to resist the intrigues of another favorite of Platon Zubov, who frightened Catherine II with the omnipotence of the most illustrious prince. But he failed to achieve due success. The empress called the magnificent celebration hosted by Potemkin in the Tauride Palace a "farewell evening", making it clear to her former favorite that his further presence at court was undesirable. Potemkin returned to Iasi, where he dealt with the problem of peace negotiations with the Turks. But Grigory Alekseevich failed to bring them to the end. On October 5, in the steppe, on the way to Nikolaev, he died.

With great solemnity, Potemkin was buried in the Kherson he had built.

Potemkin's death made a huge impression in Europe and the Ottoman Empire. A wave of new anti-Russian sentiments arose. The British Parliament interrupted its meetings, and the Supreme Vizier Yusuf Pasha, who had recently apologized humbly to the Most Serene Prince, suggested that Sultan Selim III break the peace conditions and start the war again. The country has lost an outstanding statesman and capable administrator.

Today, a lot is known about Potemkin, but not the main thing. The “general idea” to which he subordinated his life remains a mystery behind seven seals. This general idea is by no means exhausted by lust for power and voluptuousness. Only eccentricities remained in the memory of contemporaries and descendants from a man whom Empress Catherine, stingy with compliments, considered great and brilliant: diamond buttons on a camisole, a hat so burdened with jewelry that an adjutant wore it behind Potemkin, inexplicable bouts of melancholy, half-childish love for luxury...

But after all, there was something else: Khotyn, Fokshany, Larga, Gagul and Tsybry, where Potemkin fought with the Turks and captured Turkish ships, then - the plan for capturing the Crimea, which the prince turned into reality, the governor-general in Novorossia, the construction of cities in a deserted steppes and, of course, the "Greek project".

This project was to, having mastered the Crimea and the Northern Black Sea region, destroy Turkey and place the crown of the revived Byzantium on the head of one of Catherine's grandsons - Tsarevich Konstantin. Catherine chose the name for her grandson, mindful of Potemkin's Byzantine plans, and the prince himself, quite unexpectedly for the empress, chose the capital for the future revived Byzantium. And not Constantinople, but Nikolaev, founded by him on the land of ancient Olbia.

Potemkin showed progressive views on national issues, rare for that time. “Almost unique among Russian military and statesmen, Potemkin was more than just tolerant of Jews: he studied their culture, enjoyed the company of their rabbis, and became their patron.” This conclusion was made by the modern Cambridge historian S. Montefiore, as well as a number of other historians.

There is a legend that has the qualities of reliability, according to which G.A. Potemkin blessed M. B. Barclay de Tolly. As presented by A.L. Mayer, once G. A. Potemkin saw through the window of his carriage that a child had fallen out of a passing carriage. He ordered the coachman to stop, hurried out and ran to the baby. Taking him in his arms, he fortunately found that everything went off without any consequences - the boy (the future commander-in-chief Barclay) was completely unharmed. Grigory Alexandrovich, like all those present, was surprised at this, raised him high, proclaiming: "This will be a great man." At that time, the future commander was three years old.

Grigory Alexandrovich was tall, had a stately figure and a handsome face, which was little spoiled by an eye damaged in his youth. He achieved all the ranks and wealth thanks to tireless work for the benefit of the fatherland and the empress. He had a contradictory nature: he was arrogant and courteous, generous and stingy, he loved both simplicity and luxury. Rumyantsev and Suvorov, with whom he argued with fame, paid tribute to his mind, energy and statesmanship.

Surzhik D.V., Institute of World History of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Literature

Shikman A.P. Figures of national history. Biographical guide. M., 1997

Kovalevsky N.F. History of Russian Goverment. Biographies of famous military leaders of the 18th - early 20th centuries. M., 1997

Military Encyclopedic Dictionary. M., 1986

Eliseeva O.I. Grigory Potemkin. M., 2006

Solovyov B.I. Field Marshals of Russia. Rostov-on-Don, 2000

Internet

Dovator Lev Mikhailovich

Soviet military leader, major general, Hero of the Soviet Union. Known for successful operations to destroy German troops during the Great Patriotic War. The German command appointed a large reward for the head of Dovator.
Together with the 8th Guards Division named after Major General I.V. Panfilov, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade of General M.E. Katukov and other troops of the 16th Army, his corps defended the approaches to Moscow in the Volokolamsk direction.

Gorbaty-Shuisky Alexander Borisovich

Hero of the Kazan War, the first governor of Kazan

Pokryshkin Alexander Ivanovich

Air Marshal of the USSR, the first three times Hero of the Soviet Union, a symbol of victory over the Nazi Wehrmacht in the air, one of the most successful fighter pilots of the Great Patriotic War (WWII).

Participating in air battles of the Great Patriotic War, he developed and "tested" in battles a new tactic of air combat, which made it possible to seize the initiative in the air and eventually defeat the fascist Luftwaffe. In fact, he created a whole school of aces of the Second World War. Commanding the 9th Guards Air Division, he continued to personally participate in air battles, scoring 65 air victories over the entire period of the war.

Stalin (Dzhugashvili) Joseph Vissarionovich

Romodanovsky Grigory Grigorievich

An outstanding military leader of the 17th century, prince and governor. In 1655, he won his first victory over the Polish hetman S. Pototsky near Gorodok in Galicia. Later, being the commander of the army of the Belgorod category (military administrative district), he played a major role in organizing the defense of the southern border of Russia. In 1662, he won the biggest victory in the Russian-Polish war for Ukraine in the battle of Kaniv, defeating the traitorous hetman Y. Khmelnitsky and the Poles who helped him. In 1664, near Voronezh, he forced the famous Polish commander Stefan Czarnecki to flee, forcing the army of King Jan Casimir to retreat. Repeatedly beat the Crimean Tatars. In 1677 he defeated the 100,000th Turkish army of Ibrahim Pasha near Buzhin, in 1678 he defeated the Turkish corps of Kaplan Pasha near Chigirin. Thanks to his military talents, Ukraine did not become another Ottoman province and the Turks did not take Kyiv.

Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich

Soldier, several wars (including World War I and World War II). passed the way to Marshal of the USSR and Poland. Military intellectual. not resorting to "obscene leadership." he knew tactics in military affairs to the subtleties. practice, strategy and operational art.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

He personally took part in the planning and implementation of ALL offensive and defensive operations of the Red Army in the period 1941-1945.

Saltykov Pyotr Semyonovich

The commander-in-chief of the Russian army in the Seven Years' War, was the main architect of the key victories of the Russian troops.

Gagen Nikolai Alexandrovich

On June 22, trains with units of the 153rd Infantry Division arrived in Vitebsk. Covering the city from the west, the Hagen division (together with the heavy artillery regiment attached to the division) occupied a 40 km long defense zone, it was opposed by the 39th German motorized corps.

After 7 days of fierce fighting, the battle formations of the division were not broken through. The Germans no longer contacted the division, bypassed it and continued the offensive. The division flashed in the message of the German radio as destroyed. Meanwhile, the 153rd Rifle Division, without ammunition and fuel, began to break through the ring. Hagen led the division out of the encirclement with heavy weapons.

For the steadfastness and heroism shown during the Yelninskaya operation on September 18, 1941, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 308, the division received the honorary name "Guards".
From 01/31/1942 to 09/12/1942 and from 10/21/1942 to 04/25/1943 - commander of the 4th Guards Rifle Corps,
from May 1943 to October 1944 - commander of the 57th Army,
from January 1945 - the 26th Army.

The troops under the leadership of N. A. Hagen participated in the Sinyavino operation (moreover, the general managed to break out of the encirclement for the second time with weapons in his hands), the Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, battles in the Left-Bank and Right-Bank Ukraine, in the liberation of Bulgaria, in Iasi-Kishinev, Belgrade, Budapest, Balaton and Vienna operations. Member of the Victory Parade.

Slashchev-Krymsky Yakov Alexandrovich

Defense of the Crimea in 1919-20 “The Reds are my enemies, but they did the main thing - my business: they revived great Russia!” (General Slashchev-Krymsky).

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War. Under his leadership, the Red Army crushed fascism.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich

Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky (September 18 (30), 1895 - December 5, 1977) - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1943), chief of the General Staff, member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. During the Great Patriotic War, as Chief of the General Staff (1942-1945), he took an active part in the development and implementation of almost all major operations on the Soviet-German front. From February 1945 he commanded the 3rd Belorussian Front, led the assault on Königsberg. In 1945, he was commander-in-chief of the Soviet troops in the Far East in the war with Japan. One of the greatest commanders of World War II.
In 1949-1953 - Minister of the Armed Forces and Minister of War of the USSR. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945), holder of two Orders of Victory (1944, 1945).

Istomin Vladimir Ivanovich

Istomin, Lazarev, Nakhimov, Kornilov - Great people who served and fought in the city of Russian glory - Sevastopol!

Ermolov Alexey Petrovich

Hero of the Napoleonic Wars and the Patriotic War of 1812. Conqueror of the Caucasus. Smart strategist and tactician, strong-willed and brave warrior.

Yudenich Nikolai Nikolaevich

The best Russian commander during the First World War. An ardent patriot of his Motherland.

Alekseev Mikhail Vasilievich

An outstanding member of the Russian Academy of the General Staff. The developer and executor of the Galician operation - the first brilliant victory of the Russian army in the Great War.
Saved from the encirclement of the troops of the North-Western Front during the "Great Retreat" of 1915.
Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in 1916-1917
Supreme Commander of the Russian Army in 1917
Developed and implemented strategic plans for offensive operations in 1916-1917.
He continued to defend the need to preserve the Eastern Front after 1917 (the Volunteer Army is the basis of the new Eastern Front in the ongoing Great War).
Slandered and slandered in relation to various so-called. "Masonic military lodges", "conspiracy of generals against the Sovereign", etc., etc. - in terms of emigrant and modern historical journalism.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

A commander who has not lost a single battle in his career. He took the impregnable fortress of Ishmael, the first time.

Kotlyarevsky Petr Stepanovich

Hero of the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813
"General Meteor" and "Caucasian Suvorov".
He fought not in numbers, but in skill - first, 450 Russian soldiers attacked 1,200 Persian sardars in the Migri fortress and took it, then 500 of our soldiers and Cossacks attacked 5,000 askers at the crossing over the Araks. More than 700 enemies were exterminated, only 2,500 Persian fighters managed to escape from ours.
In both cases, our losses are less than 50 killed and up to 100 wounded.
Further, in the war against the Turks, with a swift attack, 1000 Russian soldiers defeated the 2000th garrison of the Akhalkalaki fortress.
Then, again in the Persian direction, he cleared Karabakh of the enemy, and then, with 2,200 soldiers, defeated Abbas-Mirza with a 30,000-strong army near Aslanduz, a village near the Araks River. In two battles, he destroyed more than 10,000 enemies, including English advisers and artillerymen.
As usual, Russian losses were 30 killed and 100 wounded.
Kotlyarevsky won most of his victories in night assaults on fortresses and enemy camps, preventing the enemies from coming to their senses.
The last campaign - 2000 Russians against 7000 Persians to the fortress of Lankaran, where Kotlyarevsky almost died during the assault, fainted at times from blood loss and pain from wounds, but still, until the final victory, he commanded the troops as soon as he regained consciousness, and after that he was forced to be treated for a long time and move away from military affairs.
His exploits for the glory of Russia are much cooler than the "300 Spartans" - for our commanders and warriors more than once beat the 10-fold superior enemy, and suffered minimal losses, saving Russian lives.

Svyatoslav Igorevich

Grand Duke of Novgorod, from 945 Kyiv. Son of Grand Duke Igor Rurikovich and Princess Olga. Svyatoslav became famous as a great commander, whom N.M. Karamzin called "Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history."

After the military campaigns of Svyatoslav Igorevich (965-972), the territory of the Russian land increased from the Volga region to the Caspian Sea, from the North Caucasus to the Black Sea, from the Balkan Mountains to Byzantium. Defeated Khazaria and Volga Bulgaria, weakened and frightened the Byzantine Empire, opened the way for trade between Russia and Eastern countries

Momyshuly Bauyrzhan

Fidel Castro called him a hero of World War II.
He brilliantly put into practice the tactics developed by Major General I.V. Panfilov of combat tactics with small forces against an enemy many times superior in strength, which later received the name "Momyshuly's spiral".

Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich

After Zhukov, who took Berlin, the brilliant strategist Kutuzov, who drove the French out of Russia, should be second.

Shein Mikhail Borisovich

Governor Shein - the hero and leader of the unprecedented defense of Smolensk in 1609-16011. This fortress decided a lot in the fate of Russia!

Nevsky Alexander Yaroslavich

He defeated the Swedish detachment on July 15, 1240 on the Neva and the Teutonic Order, the Danes in the Battle of the Ice on April 5, 1242. All his life he "won, but was invincible." He played an exceptional role in Russian history in that dramatic period when Russia was hit from three sides - the Catholic West, Lithuania and the Golden Horde. He defended Orthodoxy from Catholic expansion. He is revered as a holy saint. http://www.pravoslavie.ru/put/39091.htm

Kolovrat Evpaty Lvovich

Ryazan boyar and governor. During the Batu invasion of Ryazan, he was in Chernigov. Having learned about the invasion of the Mongols, he hastily moved to the city. Having caught Ryazan all incinerated, Evpaty Kolovrat with a detachment of 1700 people began to catch up with Batu's army. Having overtaken them, he destroyed their rearguard. He also killed the strong heroes of the Batyevs. He died on January 11, 1238.

Peter the Great

Because he not only won the lands of his fathers, but also approved the status of Russia as a power!

Bennigsen Leonty Leontievich

Surprisingly, a Russian general who did not speak Russian, who made up the glory of Russian weapons at the beginning of the 19th century.

He made a significant contribution to the suppression of the Polish uprising.

Commander-in-Chief in the Battle of Tarutino.

He made a significant contribution to the campaign of 1813 (Dresden and Leipzig).

Paskevich Ivan Fyodorovich

The armies under his command defeated Persia in the war of 1826-1828 and completely defeated the Turkish troops in Transcaucasia in the war of 1828-1829.

Awarded all 4 degrees of the Order of St. George and the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called with diamonds.

Saltykov Petr Semenovich

One of those commanders who managed to exemplary defeat one of the best commanders of Europe in the 18th century - Frederick II of Prussia

Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich

Commander-in-Chief during the Patriotic War of 1812. One of the most famous and beloved by the people of military heroes!

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

He led the armed struggle of the Soviet people in the war against Germany and its allies and satellites, as well as in the war against Japan.
He led the Red Army to Berlin and Port Arthur.

Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich

In the conditions of the decomposition of the Russian state during the Time of Troubles, with minimal material and human resources, he created an army that defeated the Polish-Lithuanian interventionists and liberated most of the Russian state.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

according to the only criterion - invincibility.

Drozdovsky Mikhail Gordeevich

Markov Sergey Leonidovich

One of the main characters of the early stage of the Russian-Soviet war.
Veteran of Russian-Japanese, World War I and Civil War. Cavalier of the Order of St. George 4th class, Orders of St. Vladimir 3rd class and 4th class with swords and bow, Orders of St. Anna 2nd, 3rd and 4th class, Orders of St. Stanislaus 2nd and 3rd th degrees. The owner of the St. George's weapon. Outstanding military theorist. Member of the Ice Campaign. Son of an officer. Hereditary nobleman of the Moscow province. He graduated from the Academy of the General Staff, served in the Life Guards of the 2nd Artillery Brigade. One of the commanders of the Volunteer Army at the first stage. Died a heroic death.

Grand Duke of Russia Mikhail Nikolaevich

Feldzeugmeister General (Commander-in-Chief of the Artillery of the Russian Army), the youngest son of Emperor Nicholas I, Viceroy in the Caucasus since 1864. Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army in the Caucasus in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 Under his command, the fortresses of Kars, Ardagan, and Bayazet were taken.

Izylmetiev Ivan Nikolaevich

Commanded the frigate "Aurora". He made the transition from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka in a record time for those times in 66 days. In the bay, Callao eluded the Anglo-French squadron. Arriving in Petropavlovsk, together with the governor of the Kamchatka Territory, Zavoyko V. organized the defense of the city, during which the sailors from the Aurora, together with the local residents, threw into the sea an outnumbering Anglo-French landing force. Then he took the Aurora to the Amur Estuary, hiding it there .After these events, the British public demanded trial of the admirals who lost the Russian frigate.

Baklanov Yakov Petrovich

The Cossack general, the "thunderstorm of the Caucasus", Yakov Petrovich Baklanov, one of the most colorful heroes of the endless Caucasian war of the century before last, fits perfectly into the image of Russia familiar to the West. A gloomy two-meter hero, a tireless persecutor of mountaineers and Poles, an enemy of political correctness and democracy in all their manifestations. But it was precisely such people who obtained the most difficult victory for the empire in a long-term confrontation with the inhabitants of the North Caucasus and the unkind local nature.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

The largest figure in world history, whose life and state activity left the deepest mark not only in the fate of the Soviet people, but also of all mankind, will be the subject of careful study by historians for more than one century. The historical and biographical feature of this personality is that it will never be forgotten.
During Stalin's tenure as Supreme Commander-in-Chief and Chairman of the State Defense Committee, our country was marked by victory in the Great Patriotic War, massive labor and front-line heroism, the transformation of the USSR into a superpower with significant scientific, military and industrial potential, and the strengthening of our country's geopolitical influence in the world.
Ten Stalinist strikes - the common name for a number of major offensive strategic operations in the Great Patriotic War, carried out in 1944 by the armed forces of the USSR. Along with other offensive operations, they made a decisive contribution to the victory of the countries of the Anti-Hitler coalition over Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II.

Vorotynsky Mikhail Ivanovich

“The compiler of the charter of the guard and border service” is, of course, good. For some reason, we have forgotten the battle of YOUTH from July 29 to August 2, 1572. But it was precisely from this victory that Moscow's right to a lot was recognized. The Ottomans were recaptured a lot of things, they were very sobered by the thousands of destroyed Janissaries, and unfortunately they helped Europe with this. The Battle of YOUTH is very difficult to overestimate

Rumyantsev Petr Alexandrovich

Russian military and statesman, during the entire reign of Catherine II (1761-96) who ruled Little Russia. During the Seven Years' War he commanded the capture of Kolberg. For the victories over the Turks at Larga, Kagul and others, which led to the conclusion of the Kyuchuk-Kainarji peace, he was awarded the title of "Transdanubian". In 1770 he received the rank of Field Marshal. Cavalier of the orders of the Russian St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Alexander Nevsky, St. George 1st class and St. Vladimir I degree, the Prussian Black Eagle and St. Anna I degree

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

He was the Supreme Commander during the Great Patriotic War, in which our country won, and made all strategic decisions.

Ivan the Terrible

He conquered the Astrakhan kingdom, to which Russia paid tribute. Destroyed the Livonian Order. Expanded the borders of Russia far beyond the Urals.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, Generalissimo of the Soviet Union, Supreme Commander. Brilliant military leadership of the USSR in World War II.

Romanov Petr Alekseevich

Behind the endless discussions about Peter I as a politician and reformer, it is unfairly forgotten that he was the greatest commander of his time. He was not only an excellent rear organizer. In the two most important battles of the Northern War (the battles of Lesnaya and Poltava), he not only developed battle plans himself, but also personally led the troops, being in the most important, responsible areas.
The only commander I know of was equally talented in both land and sea battles.
The main thing is that Peter I created a national military school. If all the great commanders of Russia are the heirs of Suvorov, then Suvorov himself is the heir of Peter.
The Battle of Poltava was one of the greatest (if not the greatest) victory in Russian history. In all other great predatory invasions of Russia, the general battle did not have a decisive outcome, and the struggle dragged on, went to exhaustion. And only in the Northern War did the general battle radically change the state of affairs, and from the attacking side the Swedes became the defender, decisively losing the initiative.
I think that Peter I deserves to be in the top three in the list of the best commanders of Russia.

Prince Svyatoslav

Chichagov Vasily Yakovlevich

He excellently commanded the Baltic Fleet in the campaigns of 1789 and 1790. He won victories in the battle of Eland (15/07/1789), in Revel (02/05/1790) and Vyborg (06/22/1790) battles. After the last two defeats, which were of strategic importance, the dominance of the Baltic Fleet became unconditional, and this forced the Swedes to make peace. There are few such examples in the history of Russia when victories at sea led to victory in the war. And by the way, the battle of Vyborg was one of the largest in world history in terms of the number of ships and people.

Peter I the Great

Emperor of All Russia (1721-1725), before that, Tsar of All Russia. He won the Great Northern War (1700-1721). This victory finally opened free access to the Baltic Sea. Under his rule, Russia (the Russian Empire) became a Great Power.

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

Participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-91 and the Russian-Swedish war of 1788-90. He distinguished himself during the war with France in 1806-07 at Preussisch-Eylau, from 1807 he commanded a division. During the Russo-Swedish War of 1808-09 he commanded a corps; led a successful crossing through the Kvarken Strait in the winter of 1809. In 1809-10, the Governor-General of Finland. From January 1810 to September 1812, the Minister of War, did a lot of work to strengthen the Russian army, singled out the intelligence and counterintelligence service into a separate production. In the Patriotic War of 1812 he commanded the 1st Western Army, and he, as Minister of War, was subordinate to the 2nd Western Army. In the conditions of a significant superiority of the enemy, he showed the talent of a commander and successfully carried out the withdrawal and connection of the two armies, which earned such words from M.I. Kutuzov as THANK YOU FATHER !!! SAVE THE ARMY!!! SAVE RUSSIA!!!. However, the retreat caused discontent in the noble circles and the army, and on August 17, Barclay handed over the command of the armies to M.I. Kutuzov. In the Battle of Borodino, he commanded the right wing of the Russian army, showing stamina and skill in defense. He recognized the position near Moscow chosen by L. L. Bennigsen as unsuccessful and supported the proposal of M. I. Kutuzov to leave Moscow at the military council in Fili. In September 1812 he left the army due to illness. In February 1813 he was appointed commander of the 3rd, and then the Russian-Prussian army, which he successfully commanded during the foreign campaigns of the Russian army of 1813-14 (Kulm, Leipzig, Paris). He was buried in the Beklor estate in Livonia (now Jõgeveste Estonia)

Paskevich Ivan Fyodorovich

Hero of Borodin, Leipzig, Paris (division commander)
As commander in chief, he won 4 companies (Russian-Persian 1826-1828, Russian-Turkish 1828-1829, Polish 1830-1831, Hungarian 1849).
Knight of the Order of St. George 1st class - for the capture of Warsaw (according to the statute, the order was awarded either for saving the fatherland or for taking the enemy capital).
Field Marshal.

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

Creator of modern Airborne Forces. When for the first time the BMD parachuted with the crew, the commander in it was his son. In my opinion, this fact speaks of such a remarkable person as V.F. Margelov, everyone. About his devotion to the Airborne Forces!

Rurikovich Svyatoslav Igorevich

The great commander of the ancient Russian period. The first Kyiv prince known to us, having a Slavic name. The last pagan ruler of the Old Russian state. He glorified Russia as a great military power in the campaigns of 965-971. Karamzin called him "Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history." The prince freed the Slavic tribes from vassalage from the Khazars, defeating the Khazar Khaganate in 965. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 970, during the Russian-Byzantine war, Svyatoslav managed to win the battle of Arcadiopol, having 10,000 soldiers under his command, against 100,000 Greeks. But at the same time, Svyatoslav led the life of a simple warrior: “On campaigns, he didn’t carry carts or cauldrons behind him, he didn’t cook meat, but, thinly slicing horse meat, or beast, or beef and roasting it on coals, he ate like that; he didn’t have a tent , but slept, spreading a sweatshirt with a saddle in their heads - the same were all the rest of his warriors... And sent to other lands [envoys, as a rule, before declaring war] with the words: "I'm going to you!" (According to PVL)

Batitsky

I served in the air defense and therefore I know this surname - Batitsky. Do you know? By the way, the father of air defense!

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

For the highest art of military leadership and boundless love for the Russian soldier

Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich

During the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791, F.F. Ushakov made a serious contribution to the development of the tactics of the sailing fleet. Based on the totality of the principles of training the forces of the fleet and military art, having absorbed all the accumulated tactical experience, F. F. Ushakov acted creatively, based on the specific situation and common sense. His actions were distinguished by decisiveness and extraordinary courage. He did not hesitate to reorganize the fleet into battle formation already at a close approach to the enemy, minimizing the time of tactical deployment. Despite the established tactical rule of finding the commander in the middle of the battle formation, Ushakov, implementing the principle of concentration of forces, boldly put his ship in the forefront and at the same time occupied the most dangerous positions, encouraging his commanders with his own courage. He was distinguished by a quick assessment of the situation, an accurate calculation of all success factors and a decisive attack aimed at achieving complete victory over the enemy. In this regard, Admiral F.F. Ushakov can rightfully be considered the founder of the Russian tactical school in naval art.

Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich

The great Russian naval commander, who won victories at Fedonisi, Kaliakria, at Cape Tendra and during the liberation of the islands of Malta (Ioanian Islands) and Corfu. He discovered and introduced a new tactic of naval combat, with the rejection of the linear formation of ships and showed the tactics of "alluvial formation" with an attack on the flagship of the enemy fleet. One of the founders of the Black Sea Fleet and its commander in 1790-1792

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

Finnish war.
Strategic retreat in the first half of 1812
European campaign of 1812

Golovanov Alexander Evgenievich

He is the creator of the Soviet long-range aviation (ADD).
Units under the command of Golovanov bombed Berlin, Koenigsberg, Danzig and other cities in Germany, attacked important strategic targets behind enemy lines.

Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich

Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak (November 4 (November 16), 1874, St. Petersburg - February 7, 1920, Irkutsk) - Russian oceanographer, one of the largest polar explorers of the late XIX - early XX centuries, military and political figure, naval commander, active member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society (1906), admiral (1918), leader of the White movement, Supreme Ruler of Russia.

Member of the Russo-Japanese War, Defense of Port Arthur. During the First World War, he commanded the mine division of the Baltic Fleet (1915-1916), the Black Sea Fleet (1916-1917). Georgievsky Cavalier.
The leader of the White movement both on a national scale and directly in the East of Russia. As the Supreme Ruler of Russia (1918-1920), he was recognized by all the leaders of the White movement, "de jure" - by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, "de facto" - by the Entente states.
Supreme Commander of the Russian Army.

Alekseev Mikhail Vasilievich

One of the most talented Russian generals of the First World War. Hero of the Battle of Galicia in 1914, savior of the Northwestern Front from encirclement in 1915, chief of staff under Emperor Nicholas I.

General of Infantry (1914), Adjutant General (1916). Active participant in the White movement in the Civil War. One of the organizers of the Volunteer Army.

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

The author and initiator of the creation of technical means of the Airborne Forces and methods of using units and formations of the Airborne Forces, many of which embody the image of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces and the Russian Armed Forces that currently exists.

General Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko:
In the history of the Airborne Forces, and in the Armed Forces of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, his name will remain forever. He personified a whole era in the development and formation of the Airborne Forces, their authority and popularity are associated with his name, not only in our country, but also abroad ...

Colonel Nikolai Fedorovich Ivanov:
Under more than twenty years of Margelov's command, the landing troops became one of the most mobile in the combat structure of the Armed Forces, prestigious service in them, especially revered by the people ... The photograph of Vasily Filippovich in demobilization albums went from the soldiers at the highest price - for a set of badges. The competition for the Ryazan Airborne School exceeded the numbers of VGIK and GITIS, and applicants who failed their exams for two or three months, before snow and frost, lived in the forests near Ryazan in the hope that someone would not withstand the stress and it would be possible to take his place .

Yaroslav the Wise

Vladimir Svyatoslavich

981 - the conquest of Cherven and Przemysl. 983 - the conquest of the Yatvags. 984 - the conquest of the natives. 985 - successful campaigns against the Bulgars, the taxation of the Khazar Khaganate. 988 - the conquest of the Taman Peninsula. 991 - the subjugation of the White Croats. 992 - successfully defended Cherven Rus in the war against Poland. in addition, the saint is equal to the apostles.

Fedor Ivanovich Tolbukhin

Major General F.I. Tolbukhin proved himself during the Battle of Stalingrad, commanding the 57th Army. The second "Stalingrad" for the Germans was the Iasi-Kishinev operation, in which he commanded the 2nd Ukrainian Front.
One of the galaxy of commanders who were brought up and nominated by I.V. Stalin.
The great merit of Marshal of the Soviet Union Tolbukhin is in the liberation of the countries of South-Eastern Europe.

Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich

Marshal of the Soviet Union. From June 1942 he commanded the troops of the Leningrad Front, in February-March 1945 he simultaneously coordinated the actions of the 2nd and 3rd Baltic fronts. He played a big role in the defense of Leningrad and the breakthrough of its blockade. Awarded the Order of Victory. The generally recognized master of the combat use of artillery.

Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov

Marshal of the Soviet Union, an outstanding Soviet military leader, military theorist.
B. M. Shaposhnikov made a significant contribution to the theory and practice of building the Armed Forces of the USSR, to their strengthening and improvement, and the training of military personnel.
He was a consistent champion of strict discipline, but an enemy of shouting. Rudeness in general was organically alien to him. True military intellectual, b. colonel in the imperial army.

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