All of her is so whole and sweet to us, now degenerate,
glorious type of Russian character, that everyone who cherishes national covenants, can not help but love her and admire her.
- N. Wrangel
Elizabeth I Petrovna - born on December 18 (29), 1709 - died on December 25, 1761 (January 5, 1762) - the Russian empress from the Romanov dynasty, the youngest daughter of Peter I and Catherine I.
Personal life of the empress
There is no doubt that born on the day when the Russian army solemnly entered the capital to the sound of music and with unfolded banners after the victory in the Battle of Poltava, she was the happiest woman in the empire. Her father was Peter I, who loved his daughters very much, who called her "Lizetka" and "fourth sweetheart". She, according to the ideas of her father, received a good education, knew many languages and was intended by Peter, like all princesses, to strengthen dynastic ties with European courts.
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Peter wanted to marry his beautiful daughter to King Louis XV of France or to someone from the House of Bourbons, but prim Versailles was embarrassed by the origin of a commoner mother. Until Elizabeth's accession to the throne, her name flashed in many European marriage combinations, among her suitors were Karl August, Prince-Bishop of Lubsky, Prince George of England, Karl of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, Infant Don Manuel of Portugal, Count of Mauritius of Saxon, Infant Don Carlos of Spain, Duke Ferdinand of Courland, Duke Ernst Ludwig of Brunswick and many more, and even the Persian Shah Nadir.
While waiting for the suitors, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna was having fun, indulging in amorous pleasures in anticipation of her hour. Under Anna Ioannovna, she had her own court, which was very different in age - all were young people, Elizaveta was 21 years old, Shuvalov was 20 years old, Razumovsky was 21, Vorontsov was 16 years old - and according to the energy of festivities, masquerades, hunts and amusements. She was fond of singing and theater.
There is a historical version that Elizabeth was still in a secret church marriage with her favorite Alexei Razumovsky, but no documents confirming this union have survived to this day.
In the 1750s, the empress made herself a new favorite. It was Mikhail Lomonosov's friend Ivan Shuvalov, who was a very well-read and educated person. It is possible that it was under his influence that the empress was engaged in the cultural development of the country.
The authors of all the memoirs and documentaries agreed that Elizabeth was surprisingly attractive. Here are the testimonies of far from well-wishers.
The Spanish envoy, the Duke de Liria, wrote about the 18-year-old crown princess in 1728: “Princess Elizabeth is such a beauty that I have rarely seen. She has an amazing complexion, beautiful eyes, an excellent neck and an incomparable figure. She is tall, extremely alive, dances well and rides without the slightest fear. She is not devoid of intelligence, graceful and very flirtatious."
And here is the testimony of a woman, while rather biased and observant. Elizabeth is already 34 years old. The future Catherine II saw her for the first time: “Truly it was impossible then to see for the first time and not be amazed at her beauty and majestic bearing. She was a tall woman, although she was very plump, but she did not lose in the least from this and did not feel the slightest embarrassment in all her movements; the head was also very beautiful … She danced to perfection and was distinguished by special grace in everything she did, equally in the male and female attire. I would like to see everything without taking my eyes off her, and only with regret could they be taken away from her, since there was no object that could compare with her."
But her temper was not as perfect as her appearance was perfect for that time.
Ascension to the throne
The title of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna received as a result of the most "bloodless" coup d'etat of 1741. It took place without a preliminary conspiracy, since Elizabeth did not particularly strive for power and did not show herself as a strong political figure. During the coup itself, she did not have any program, but she was embraced by the idea of her own accession, which was supported by ordinary citizens and guards, who expressed dissatisfaction with the dominance of foreigners at court, the disgrace of the Russian nobility, tightening serfdom and tax legislation.
On the night of November 24-25, 1741, Elizabeth, with the support of her confidant and secret adviser Johann Lestock, arrived at the Preobrazhensky barracks and raised a grenadier company. The soldiers unquestioningly agreed to help her overthrow the current government and, in the composition of 308 people, went to the Winter Palace, where the princess proclaimed herself empress, usurping the current power: the infant emperor John Antonovich and all his relatives from the Brunswick family were arrested and imprisoned in the Solovetsky Monastery.
Given the circumstances of Elizabeth I's accession to the throne, the first manifesto she signed was a document according to which she is the only legal heir to the throne after the death of Peter II.
Board of Catherine
Having ascended the throne with the help of the guards, she ruled Russia for 20 years.
It was a significant 20th anniversary, as if a breath of Peter's times, at least so it seemed at the beginning. Elizabeth was happy with her favorites, not only prominent men, but also skilful rulers, under her the largest construction of our most famous palaces took place, the architect Rastrelli created his wonderful works under her, she encouraged theater and music, her favorite Shuvalov founded the Russian Academy of Arts and the Russian University, with her, the genius of Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov was finally revealed, the poets Sumarokov, Trediakovsky and Kheraskov composed the first Russian poems, a lot was with her.
For us, it is important to say that this was the Russian empress, a woman of unusual, primordially Russian beauty, who managed to preserve her for many years.
The art connoisseur, Baron N. N. Wrangel, the author of a brilliant essay about the "daughter of Petrova", described her as follows: "The Most Blessed Elisaphet", the Most Merciful Empress, "Venus", a woman with eyes full of sparrow juice ", a pious entertainer and a merry darling, lazy and careless, the Russian Empress in everything reflects, like a mirror, the gingerbread beauty of the magnificent middle of the 18th century."
However, at the same time, the Baron quite accurately defined her “weakness” in this “gallant” European century: “Empress Elisabeth was the last Russian Tsarina in the“pre-reform”sense of the word and, like a belated wild flower, blossomed among the imported greenhouse plants. All of her is such an integral and dear to us, now degenerate, glorious type of Russian character that everyone who cherishes national covenants cannot but love her and admire her."
The political role of Elizaveta Petrovna
Soloviev reported that in 1743 the Senate, "for no reason, was forbidden to start business on proposals, written or verbal, without written instructions at the hand of the Empress." A very rash order. I think this decree was canceled over time.
Elizabeth did not like to do business, to delve into their essence. At first, feeling her high role, she tried: she was sent reports and dispatches, she read them, made notes, gave orders. Although, she did not like sitting in the Senate and listening to the debate. In 1741 and 1742 she was in the Senate 7 times, in 1743 - 4 times, and then even less.
Gradually, she got bored with all these political games. She had her own opinion on everything, therefore, before signing this or that paper, she thought for a long time, and sometimes even forgot about this paper. Over time, she realized that her active participation in governing the state did not change anything, and allowed herself to be less active.
The documents were prepared by Bestuzhev, Vorontsov and other important ministers, she only had to put a signature, but she dodged this in every possible way. Why? And so … She was accused of pathological laziness. Valishevsky, trying to understand the situation, wrote that she simply did not have time to work. She would be happy to do state affairs, but in the morning the toilet is about three hours, at least, and there, you see, it's already hunting, and then to the church, how could it be without it, and in the evening there is a ball or a wedding of someone from relatives or close associates, and then, it seems, it was planned to go in the morning to Peterhof … or to Gostilitsy … or to Oranienbaum …
Elizabeth was smart, and this avoidance of state affairs came not only from the boredom that appears at the sight of business papers, and not from an immediate desire to rush into a maelstrom of entertainment. It is very possible that she did not like quick decisions, did not want to take risks - let the paper lie down, and then we'll see. Suddenly tomorrow will be to the detriment of the state what she did today.
Catherine II wrote: “She (Elizabeth) had such a habit, when she had to sign something especially important, to put such a paper, before signing, under the image of the shroud, which she especially venerated; leaving it there for some time, she signed or did not sign it, depending on what her heart told her."
Religion and Empress
Elizabeth was a believer, not ostentatiously religious like Catherine II, but truly. The eighteenth century was also infected with Voltaireanism, but Elizabeth did not succumb to this influence. She constantly visited monasteries, fasted, observed all holidays, stood for hours in front of icons, consulted with the Lord and the saints on how to act in a given situation. It is clear that she was concerned about the purity of Orthodoxy, and too much zeal in this matter in a multinational country sometimes leads to serious troubles.
The Empress was very protective of the newly converted, but at the same time many mosques were destroyed, she actively fought against the Old Believers. Action always evokes opposition, and self-immolation has again appeared among the old residents. In addition, a large number of sects were divorced, for example, the Khlysty, with whom they actively and often fought violently.
Elizabeth's praying often turned into a farce, but she did not notice it. She had her own sincere and pure relationship with God. They go on pilgrimage on foot, and 80 miles from Moscow to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Such a distance cannot be covered in one day, you have to spend the night somewhere. Inns are not suitable, there is poverty, stench and insects, and therefore traveling royal palaces are cut a week, they brought furniture with them.
We didn’t have time to prepare a wooden dwelling, so we would set up tents in an open field. During the hunting of Peter II, this custom became a part of the everyday life of the royal court. A whole staff goes on pilgrimage with the queen - here are ladies of state, maids of honor, sometimes ministers with their wives, servants, cooks and others. The feasts in the field are wide, there are many people, fun! Sometimes such trips took the whole summer. It is clear that in this whirlwind, there is no desire or opportunity to engage in state affairs.
Savor
Everyone knew well about her insane passion for dress and entertainment. It was she who, to a large extent, contributed to the fact that this passion developed in the nobility and among the courtiers.
Catherine wrote about Elizabeth's court (for her, with her innate German modesty and moderation, it was difficult for her to understand and accept this Russian senseless and wasteful order): “The ladies were then busy only with outfits, and luxury was brought to the point that they changed toilets at least twice a day; the empress herself was extremely fond of outfits and almost never wore the same dress twice, but changed them several times a day; with this example, everyone conformed: the game and the toilet filled the day."
During a fire in Moscow in 1753, 4,000 of Elizabeth's dresses burned down in the palace, and after her death, Peter III discovered in Elizabeth's Summer Palace a wardrobe with 15,000 dresses, “some once worn, some not worn at all, 2 chests of silk stockings”, several thousand pairs of shoes and more than a hundred uncut pieces of "rich French fabrics".
No one dared to compete with the Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, especially the ladies. They did not have the right to be the first to choose their outfits and jewelry. Everything in the empire had to exist for the beauty of the most beautiful of women. None of the merchants who came from overseas countries, and especially from France, had the right to sell goods until the empress herself selected the fabrics and outfits she needed.
She arranged a formal showdown with those who dared to disobey her order. In one of the letters to a subject of her office, she will write: “I was notified that the French ship came with various ladies' attire, and sewn hats for men and for ladies flies, golden taffeta of various varieties and haberdashery all sorts of gold and silver, then they led the merchant here to send immediately …"
But the merchant, apparently, sold part of the one selected by Elizabeth. Since she was notoriously stingy and hardly promised to give much, and then the angry empress writes another letter: “Call the merchant to you, for which he is so deceiving that he said that all the lapels and cragens here that I took away; and they are not only all, but there is no one, which I saw, it was scarlet. There were more than 20 of them, and, moreover, the same on the dress, which I took away everything, and now I demand them, then order him to find and not to conceal to anyone's favor … And if, tell him, he will hide, with my word, then he is unhappy will be, and who does not give. And if I see someone, they will accept an equal part with him."
The Empress even knows exactly who could have bought the haberdashery: “And I command you to find everything and send to me immediately, except for the Saxon envoy, and the rest must return everything. Namely, they were bought from the dandies, I hope, they were bought from Semyon Kirillovich's wife and her sister, from both Rumyantsevs: then you first tell the merchant to find it, and if they don’t give him, then you can send it yourself and take it by my decree”.
Contemporaries noted the extraordinary taste of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna and the elegance of her outfits, combined with magnificent headdresses and adornments. However, over time, the empress's beauty faded, and she spent whole hours in front of the mirror, making up and changing clothes and jewelry.
French diplomat J.-L. Favier, observing the empress in recent years, writes that the aging empress “still retains a passion for outfits and every day becomes more demanding and whimsical in relation to them.
A woman has never been more reconciled to the loss of youth and beauty. Often, after spending a lot of time on the toilet, she begins to get angry at the mirror, orders to take off her headdress and other headgear again, cancels upcoming shows or dinner and locks herself up, where she refuses to see anyone."
He also describes Elizabeth's exit: “In society, she appears only in a court dress made of rare and expensive fabric of the most delicate color, sometimes white and silver. Her head is always laden with diamonds, and her hair is usually slicked back and gathered at the top, where it is tied with a pink ribbon with long flowing ends. She, perhaps, gives this headdress the significance of a diadem, because she arrogates to herself the exclusive right to wear it. No woman in the empire has the right to comb her hair the way she does."
And in fact, the Frenchman's observations are accurate, because in the camera-furrier magazines of various years, the rules and external features of the costume for all courtiers are determined. 1748 - it was ordered that the ladies, getting ready for the ball, should not bend their hair back from the back of the head, and if when it is necessary to wear robes, then the ladies have the hair back from the back of the head to be bent up.
The Empress did not allow liberties in a suit for court ladies and gentlemen. In the imperial decree of 1752, it was necessary “… for ladies to wear white taffeta caftans, cuffs, fringes and garniture skirts, a thin braid on the side, have an ordinary papellon on their heads, and green ribbons, hair smoothly tied up; cavaliers have white caftans, camisoles, but caftans have small cuffs, split and green collars … with a gimp around the loops, and moreover, those loops have small silver tassels.
All foreign envoys of the Russian court without exception were engaged in the purchase of various materials and haberdashery, and of course, the ambassadors in France had to show special diligence in this. Elizaveta Petrovna asked the French envoy at court in detail about all the Parisian novelties, about all the new stores and shops, and then her chancellor instructed the ambassador in Paris M. P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin to hire a "reliable person" who could pick things up "according to decency fashion and good taste”and send it all to Petersburg. The costs were inconceivable - 12,000 rubles. But besides that, many agents still had to remain, since the empress did not always pay on time.
According to the recollections of her daughter-in-law Catherine, Elizabeth "did not really like to appear at these balls in too elegant toilets", she could force the Grand Duchess to change a very successful outfit or forbid her to wear it again.
Once at a ball, the empress called N. F. Naryshkina and in front of everyone she cut off a piece of ribbon, which was very suitable for a woman's hairstyle, another time she cut off half of the hair curled in front of her two ladies-in-waiting with her own hands under the pretext that she did not like this style of hairstyle, but the maids of honor themselves later assured that her majesty, along with her hair, had torn off a little of her skin.
Her fantasies could strike any visiting foreigner. The Empress recounted how “one fine day the Empress found a fantasy to tell all the ladies to shave their heads. All her ladies obeyed with weeping; Elizabeth sent them black, poorly combed wigs, which they had to wear until their hair grew back. Soon there was a decree on shaving the hair of all the city ladies of high society. What was it like for the whole Petersburg to look at this sad picture? Meanwhile, the reason for this was rather trivial - the empress herself dyed her hair unsuccessfully and was forced to cut her hair.
Her Majesty's passion was carnivals, masquerades and balls, which were also followed by special high decrees, and all those invited were obliged to attend them. Only nobles, often up to one and a half thousand people, could attend the masquerades; at the entrance to the hall, the guards examined them, removing their masks and checking their faces. Masquerades with disguises were often held, where women were ordered to be in men's suits, and men in women's suits, but “there is nothing uglier and at the same time funnier than a multitude of men so awkwardly dressed, and nothing more pathetic than the figures of women dressed men."
At the same time, the daughter-in-law, who was not supportive of her, noticed that "only the empress herself was quite good, to whom the man's dress went well …". Everyone knew this, and Elizaveta Petrovna herself knew, since the time of the coup, she loved to flaunt her uniform.
It is clear that those who believed that the empress had "a lot of vanity, she generally wanted to shine in everything and serve as an object of surprise" were right.
Death of the Empress
1762, January 5 - Empress Elizaveta Petrovna died. At the 53rd year of life, the empress died of throat bleeding. Historical chronicles note that since 1757 the empress's health began to deteriorate before her eyes: she was diagnosed with epilepsy, shortness of breath, frequent nosebleeds, and swelling of the lower extremities. She had a chance to almost completely reduce her active court life, pushing lavish balls and receptions to the background.
Before her death, the Empress developed a persistent cough, which led to severe bleeding from her throat. Unable to cope with the disease, the empress died in her chambers.
On February 5, 1762, the body of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna was buried with all the honors in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.