The all-powerful favorite and talented statesman Grigory Potemkin was contradictory in everything: arrogant and courteous, generous and stingy.
They saw in him a capricious sybarite, and he always remained a believer, deeply regretting his sins. During his life, the powerful temporary worker achieved a lot, and lost interest in everything, except for one … He was driven by only one passion: the thirst for activity.
Failed bishop
From childhood, Gregory saw himself as a priest, mentally trying on church vestments. And the father, Alexander Vasilyevich Potemkin, a retired second-major, assigned his son to the Smolensk Theological Seminary. However, then, when the extraordinary talent of his son became apparent, he sent Grigory to the gymnasium of Moscow University. There Potemkin Jr. amazed everyone with his phenomenal memory and ability to read quickly. Once, knowing Gregory's desire to have Georges Buffon's Natural History, his comrades presented him with this book. The delighted youth leafed through the volume and put it aside. Offended by his inattention to the gift, the friends began to reproach Potemkin. He replied that he had already read the text. They did not believe him, and the guests began to open pages at random and read lines, while Gregory continued from memory. Everyone was amazed - Potemkin really knew the content almost by heart. Naturally, with such talents, the young man studied easily. In July 1757, he was introduced to Empress Elizaveta Petrovna among the best students.
Having visited the court, Potemkin realized that he was not created either by a monk or a scientist. Gregory was going to conquer St. Petersburg.
The best way to approach the court, in his opinion, was a military career. Soon he was assigned to the Horse Guards. And among the guards who participated in the coup of 1762, which made Catherine II empress, the empress noticed him. The degree of confidence of Catherine II and the Orlovs in the strong horse-guardsman is evidenced by the fact that Potemkin was one of a very limited circle of especially trusted persons who went to Ropsha to protect the deposed emperor. It is also known that Potemkin was present at the death of Peter III. This event contributed greatly to his successful career. In addition, Catherine II bestowed on him the title of chamberlain and 400 serfs.
Without leaving military service, in 1763 Potemkin became an assistant to the chief prosecutor of the Synod. Five years later he was admitted to the chamberlains of the court. Catherine II was sympathetic to the young handsome man. His career at court opened up brilliant prospects for him. However, Potemkin belonged to the number of people who could change their lives in an instant. In 1769 he (having previously asked permission from the empress) volunteered for the Turkish war. There Potemkin demonstrated miracles of courage.
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He was honest and courageous, went into a cavalry attack, risked his own life. More than once with his cuirassiers he visited the Danube - unexpectedly flew into the Turkish camp, chopped down the Janissaries. Potemkin acted valiantly at Fokshany, participated in the famous battles of Rumyantsev at Larga and Cahul. He was the first to break into the outskirts of Kiliya, distinguished himself by his bravery in battles with the enemy near Craiova and Cimbry, and participated in the defeat of Osman Pasha's troops near Silistria. His awards for valor in battle were the rank of major general, the order of St. Anna and St. George of the 3rd degree. Potemkin grew rapidly in service.
The next stage in his career was … the imperial apartments …
In December 1773, Catherine II called him to the capital. Potemkin, 34, arrived in St. Petersburg. He guessed why the Empress invited him. But when she invited him to "visit her, the lonely widow" at Elagin's dacha, Potemkin suddenly became indignant and wrote a rude note. I wanted to know why Catherine II had not previously responded to his feelings (Potemkin, 12 years ago, more than once confessed his love to the autocrat, devoted poetry to her). The Empress made excuses. As a result, the meeting took place.
Soon Grigory Aleksandrovich becomes the all-powerful favorite. And also adjutant general, member of the State Council and lieutenant colonel of the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment (the empress herself was a colonel in it). From now on, not a single more or less serious case passed by Potemkin. In this respect, of all the favorites, he was an exception: the empress did not allow anyone to concentrate such colossal power in her hands.
Catherine II used his advice in eliminating the consequences of Pugachev's speech, in the liquidation of the Zaporozhye Sich (in 1775, the beginning of the Zaporozhye Cossack army, subject to the Russian crown, was laid). Potemkin was especially interested in the issue of Russia's southern borders and, in this regard, the fate of the Ottoman Empire.
In a note handed to the empress, he outlined a whole plan of how to capture the Crimea; this program, starting in 1776, was carried out in reality.
The thirst for activity did not allow Potemkin to live in peace. The talented politician wanted to do everything himself. He too seldom asked the permission of his august friend. As a result, the empress betrayed Potemkin with "a quieter and more humble man" Pyotr Zavadovsky. And the insane jealousy of Grigory Alexandrovich destroyed the love relationship with the empress. The autocrat said goodbye to her favorite in her own way: in 1776, the Austrian emperor Joseph II, at the request of Catherine II, elevated Potemkin to the princely dignity of the Holy Roman Empire; Grigory Alexandrovich was also presented with the Anichkov Palace.
Farewell evening
However, the spat with Catherine II had little effect on Potemkin's position at court. Grigory Alekseevich was a faithful companion and thus did not lose power.
In 1776 he became Governor-General of the Novorossiysk, Azov and Astrakhan Provinces. Here he showed vigorous activity - the development and revival of the Northern Black Sea region is associated, first of all, with his name. At the mouth of the Dnieper Potemkin founded Kherson with a shipyard, supervised the construction of Yekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk), the development of the Kuban.
In 1783, after the annexation of Crimea to Russia (a special merit of Grigory Alexandrovich was that the new territorial increment turned out to be bloodless), he received the title of His Serene Highness Prince of Tauride. A year later Potemkin - Field Marshal General, Governor General of the Crimea, President of the Military Collegium. He is in charge of the construction of the young Black Sea Fleet. In the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791, he was entrusted with the post of commander-in-chief of the Russian army.
Military reforms are one of the unconditional merits of Potemkin
Taking care of the development and strengthening of the Russian army, he carried out a number of transformations in the combat service and the equipment of personnel (he canceled pigtails and curls, introduced comfortable uniforms and shoes for soldiers, etc.). Potemkin demanded “to train people with patience and to clearly interpret ways to perform better. Non-commissioned officers and corporals should not be allowed to punish by beatings … the most distinguishing feature of the diligent and kind behavior of soldiers …”However, Grigory Alekseevich himself sometimes hit some generals and high dignitaries in the face.
In 1788, Potemkin with his army approached Ochakov, on December 6 the fortress was taken, the Russians captured trophies - 300 cannons and mortars, 180 banners and many prisoners. Interesting memories of the veterans of the Russian-Turkish war about Potemkin have been preserved: “On the day of the great saint of God Nicholas, an assault was said, the frost was crackling, but hearts were boiling with courage. Suddenly it was heard in our ranks: "Prince Grigory Alexandrovich is praying at the battery and crying: he is sorry for us soldiers." Thundered: "Hurray! With us!" We flew to the ramparts, to the walls - and the fortress seemed to be gone. And in the summer, when the Turks were still brave, our father, Prince Grigory Alexandrovich, seemed to be driving around under their batteries for a walk. The kernels poured, but he himself will not frown. Once beside him, hand in hand, General Sinelnikov was killed by a cannonball on the spot, and even a powder did not fall on our father. It is seen,God took care of that, because he did not take care of himself anywhere, but he always felt sorry for us."
The winner founded the city of Nikolaev near Ochakov (in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker). Unfortunately, Potemkin's colonial activities were criticized, and indeed, despite the enormous costs, it did not even reach the remote semblance of what Grigory Alexandrovich described in his letters to the Empress; nevertheless, visitors to Novorossiya could not help but be surprised at what was achieved. On the site of the former desert, which served as a path for raids by the Crimeans, villages were located every 20-30 miles.
In 1787, the famous trip of Empress Catherine to the south was undertaken, which turned into Potemkin's triumph.
Kherson, with its fortress, surprised even foreigners, not to mention Sevastopol.
At the end of February 1791 Potemkin arrived in St. Petersburg to confront the intrigues of another favorite, Platon Zubov, who frightened Catherine II with the omnipotence of the Most Serene Highness. But he failed to achieve the due success. The empress called the luxurious feast arranged by Potemkin in the Tauride Palace "a farewell evening," thus making it clear to her former favorite that his further presence at court was undesirable. Potemkin returned to Yassy, where he took up the problem of peace negotiations with the Turks. But Grigory Alekseevich failed to bring them to an end. On October 5, in the steppe, on the way to Nikolaev, he died.
The death of Potemkin made a huge impression in Europe and the Ottoman Empire. A wave of new anti-Russian sentiments erupted. The English Parliament interrupted its sessions, and the Supreme Vizier Yusuf Pasha, who had recently humiliatedly apologized to the Most Serene Prince, invited Sultan Selim III to break the peace conditions and start the war again.
Catherine II was very emotional about the news of the death of Potemkin. A cry of despair escaped the Empress's lips. To alleviate the state of the empress, she was bled. The next day, Catherine II did not leave the bedroom. The empress could not afford to indulge in grief any longer. I had to act. The country has lost an outstanding statesman and a capable administrator. Should have found a replacement …
Anna Petrosova
