"L'unique affaire de la vie est le plaisir"
("The only thing in life is pleasure")
Henri Bayle (Stendhal)

“My sufferings are too light compared to my sins.”
Empress Elizaveta Petrovna
(one day before death)

"I will seek Him"
Leo Tolstoy ("Father Sergius")

The study of literature about Empress Elizabeth Petrovna and her era evokes a feeling of dissatisfaction: the vast majority of materials are devoted to people from her inner circle, their intrigues and greed, favorites, wars waged by her army, diplomacy, issues of the development of the economy and culture of Russia during the years of her reign.

The image of the daughter of Peter the Great herself remains somewhat obscured, it is difficult to see through the muslin of time; the personality of this, in my opinion, unusual empress appears either in a ballroom setting or through the keyhole of her bedroom.

It is no coincidence that almost everything related to the medical aspects of Elizaveta Petrovna’s life remained between the lines of books and articles telling about her, behind the scenes of the theater called the kingdom of Elizaveta Petrovna.

While working on this essay, I literally made my way through the literary jungle, collecting bit by bit everything that could be related to her physical condition, life and nutrition, affections and hobbies, intimate life, which influence with a plus or minus sign on the strength of the human body. Of course, I was interested in the conclusions and diagnoses of her personal doctors, everything that we, doctors, collectively call the anamnesis of a person’s life and illness. But, with rare exceptions, I was unable to find this data...

INSTEAD OF A FOREWORD

On December 29, 1709, in the village of Kolomenskoye near Moscow, the youngest daughter of Peter the Great, named Elizaveta, was born.

It was on this day, having won a great victory over Charles XII during the Battle of Poltava, that Peter I entered Moscow to celebrate the joyful event with his characteristic temperament and breadth. Having learned about the birth of his daughter, he said: “Let’s postpone the victory celebration and hasten to congratulate my daughter on her accession into the world!”

Elizaveta Petrovna, like her older sister Anna, was an illegitimate child (their parents got married only in 1712), and this circumstance seriously affected both her future as a woman and her rights to the throne.

The father loved his daughters very much, and called Elizabeth “Lisette” and “fourth sweetie,” but, for obvious reasons, he devoted very little personal time to them.

The beloved child grew up far from the royal court, in the villages of Izmailovo, Preobrazhenskoye, Pokrovskoye, or in Alexandrovskaya Sloboda, near Moscow.

The upbringing of the future empress, moreover, in a deeply religious atmosphere, was carried out by his sister, Princess Natalya Alekseevna, and the family of A. D. Menshikov. And this religiosity, rooted in childhood, was an integral and important part of her essence throughout her life, which did not, however, prevent her from living greedily and passionately as long as her strength allowed...

Like most children growing up in an atmosphere of love, Elizabeth was a restless and active child and teenager. Her main entertainments were horse riding, rowing, and dancing. Historian V. O. Klyuchevsky wrote: “Growing up, Elizabeth seemed like a young lady who had been brought up in a maiden’s room. Servants’ weddings gave her great entertainment: [sometimes] she herself took the bride to the crown, [she enjoyed watching] from behind the door how they were having fun wedding guests."

Peter and Catherine understood the need for their children to study, but this study was one-sided, which was connected with the future that their parents envisioned for themselves. Elizabeth spoke fluent French, and according to some evidence, German, easily read Italian texts, wrote poetry, and sang beautifully. She was also taught dancing, playing music, and dressing skills, and not without success.

At the same time, the crown princess was constantly surrounded by a French retinue, which is not accidental. Peter wanted to marry his beautiful daughter to the French King Louis XV or someone from the House of Bourbon, but Versailles was confused by the origins of Elizabeth’s mother (Martha Skavronskaya came from a family of Lithuanian peasants, and her ascension to the Russian throne is similar to a fairy tale from One Thousand and One Nights "). Among the suitors of Peter's youngest daughter were Karl August, Prince-Bishop of Lub, Prince George of England, Karl of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, Infant Don Manuel of Portugal, Count Mauritius of Saxony, Infant Don Carlos of Spain, Duke Ferdinand of Courland, Duke Ernst Ludwig of Brunswick and many more, even the Persian Shah Nadir. But every time something got in the way, and Elizabeth was left without a high-born husband, subsequently tying herself in a morganatic marriage with the handsome Alexey Rozum, the son of a simple Ukrainian Cossack from the village of Lemeshi, a singer in the court choir...

In the year of her father's death, Elizabeth turned 16 years old. The time of carefree life, which continued during the reign of his mother, Empress Catherine I, and then his nephew, Emperor Peter II, who dreamed of marrying his lovely aunt (he was, however, six years younger than her), ended under the imperious and cruel Empress Anna Ioannovna .

The will of 1727 of Catherine I provided for the rights of Elizabeth and her descendants to the throne after Peter II (grandson of Peter I, son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich) and Anna Petrovna. In February 1728, 20-year-old Holstein Duchess Anna died of “puerperal fever”, giving birth to the future Russian Emperor Peter III. In February 1730, 14-year-old Peter II died of smallpox. It seems that Elizabeth’s turn has come to become the mistress of her father’s inheritance.

But, immediately after the death of the young emperor, the Supreme Privy Council, in whose hands real power was concentrated under Peter II, consisting of Chancellor Golovkin, four representatives of the Dolgoruky family and two Golitsyns, after consulting, chose the youngest daughter of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich, brother and the nominal co-ruler of Peter I, the Dowager Duchess of Courland, thirty-seven-year-old Anna Ioannovna, who had already lived in Courland for 20 years, had no favorites or parties in Russia, and this suited everyone. Anna seemed obedient and manageable to the members of the Privy Council, which she soon, however, successfully managed to convince them of.

Elizabeth was denied the throne on the grounds that she was born before her parents entered into an official marriage. Most likely, she did not suit the power-hungry nobles with her unpredictability, love of freedom and low birth (on her mother’s side).

Anna Ioannovna understood perfectly well that her ascension to the Russian throne, bypassing Elizabeth, was illegal, and that in the person of the crown princess she was finding a dangerous rival. Even the closest circle of Peter II persistently sought to tonsure Elizabeth as a nun, encountering resistance from the young monarch. The empress, who had just ascended the throne, did not want to begin her reign with such an unseemly act. But she also considered it impossible to leave Elizabeth without supervision.

On the site of the ancient Russian village of Spassky, already under Peter I, the so-called Smolny Dvor was founded, where resin was produced and stored for the needs of the Admiralty. Directly on the site of the future Smolny Cathedral stood a small palace, or Smolny House, as it was called in the 18th century. Here, during the reign of Anna Ioannovna, under the constant supervision of Duke Biron, almost in captivity, Tsarevna Elizabeth lived. “No one seemed to interfere with her freedom, but everyone understood that she was actually under house arrest. There is a legend that Biron, dressed in the dress of a simple German artisan, was watching Elizabeth” (Naum Sindalovsky).

During the entire 10-year reign of Anna Ioannovna, the crown princess lived away from all court and political affairs, somewhat constrained in her means of living and in her choice of acquaintances. Elizabeth had her own “young” court with its modest festivities, singing and theater, masquerades and other amusements. But the thought of the threat and such a life (“under the hood”) did not leave her. She, this threat, increased even more when, after the death of Anna Ioannovna (1740), by her will, the Russian throne passed to two-month-old Ivan Antonovich (son of Anna Leopoldovna, Duchess of Brunswick, daughter of Catherine Ioannovna, sister of the late empress). It was Anna Leopoldovna, who removed Biron, the regent under infant Ivan Antonovich, and “under Empress Anna who saved Elizabeth from the monastery” (V.O. Klyuchevsky), who became the real ruler of Russia.

“Elizabeth spent all the years of being forced to wait in the wings in full confidence in the inalienable and indisputable rights to the Russian throne... and in the support that the people and the guard would give her. She knew that the legend lived among people that, dying, Peter held in his hands the ancient family icon of the Romanov house, the image of the Sign of the Mother of God, and blessed her, his daughter, with it. Since then, the crown princess especially revered this icon, and, they say, on the night of the coup d’etat she prayed in front of it "(Nahum Sindalovsky).

Both Elizabeth herself and her inner circle understood that it was necessary to take a decisive step towards power; otherwise she will not be able to escape the monastic apostleship. At eight o'clock in the morning on January 24, 1741, she put on St. Andrew's ribbon and declared herself colonel of three guards regiments. According to one of the legends, with a small group of conspirators (with “life company men”), Elizabeth came to the Preobrazhensky Regiment, stationed near the Anichkov Bridge, and enlisted its support. The palace coup itself took place on the night of November 25 (December 6, BC) 1741, as a result of which the young emperor was overthrown from the throne and his regent mother Anna Leopoldovna was removed from power. " The most legal ( hereinafter highlighted by me - V.P.) of all the successors and successors of Peter I, [she was] raised to the throne by the rebellious guards bayonets" (V.O. Klyuchevsky).

On a frosty November night in 1741, bonfires were lit on the streets of St. Petersburg, the people rejoiced: the youngest daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth, ascended to the Russian throne.

Her thirty-second birthday was just over a month away.

MY LIGHT, MIRROR, SAY...

Elizaveta Petrovna grew up as a very beautiful child. Seeing her and her sister in 1717 dressed in Spanish costumes (Elizabeth was eight years old) on the occasion of meeting Peter, who was returning from abroad, the French ambassador noticed that the sovereign’s youngest daughter seemed unusually beautiful in this outfit.

The Spanish envoy Duke de Liria in 1728 wrote about the 18-year-old princess: “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 lively, and dances well.” and rides without the slightest fear. She is not without intelligence, graceful and very flirtatious."

Most memoirs and documentary evidence agreed that Elizaveta Petrovna was unusually attractive. And she knew this very well, and throughout her life she tried to preserve her beauty, making incredible efforts for this, sparing neither her personal time (always to the detriment of her state duties) nor the funds she had at her disposal as an empress. This was her fix idea.

"Live and cheerful, but didn't take her eyes off herself, at the same time large and slender, with a beautiful round and ever-blooming face, she loved to impress..." (V.O. Klyuchevsky). Those who believed that Elizaveta Petrovna had “a lot of vanity, she generally wanted to shine in everything and serve as an object of surprise” were right.

Over the years, however, her beauty began to fade, and she spent whole hours in front of the mirror. In this regard, there is one aspect in the context of her health that I cannot ignore. We are talking about the Empress’s passionate desire to preserve her physical attractiveness. For this purpose, she used both traditionally Russian and European cosmetics (the term first appeared in use only in 1867, but I will allow myself to use it in this case).

In Rus', raspberry, cherry and beet juice were used as blush and lipstick. Eyes and eyebrows were lined with soot. To whiten the face, milk, sour cream, honey, egg yolk, animal fat, cucumber juice or parsley decoction were used.

It is unknown whether Elizaveta Petrovna used these means. I don’t rule out, given her upbringing, that she did. But I dare to suggest that, trying to stay in line with contemporary trends, the empress also used fashionable European, especially French, cosmetics. It is no coincidence that magazines were subscribed to her from Paris, which offered articles relating to various aspects of the life of high society.

Starting from the 16th century, pale skin and red lips came into fashion until the mid-18th century, which supposedly created a very attractive contrast. From the mid-18th century, French fashionistas began to use red blush and lipstick to give a “healthy” glow to their faces (pale, therefore, was retired). A pale complexion (a sign of an aristocratic lifestyle) was achieved with the help of expensive powder, which could cause severe skin damage and tooth loss due to the presence of lead white. More dangerous has also been used arsenic powder. Later, gentle rice and wheat flour began to be used to produce powder. Almost all cosmetics during Elizabeth's life were created by local pharmacists and contained toxic substances - mercuric and nitric acid.

Even modern cosmetology claims that constant use of cosmetics leads to annually enters the female body up to three kg included in it chemical substances. Entering the blood through the skin, they have a negative effect on organs and systems at the cellular level, contributing to the development of various diseases from accelerated skin aging to oncology. At the same time, a single substance in itself can be safe, but when a number of different products are applied layer-by-layer to the face, the relatively safe components contained in them, when mixed, can cause harm to health and provoke irreversible processes in the body. We are talking about the phenomenon of synergy known to doctors - the phenomenon of mutual enhancement of effectiveness or side effect cosmetics.

With this I will limit my excursion into the history and problems of cosmetology, because, in my opinion, the information provided is quite enough to conclude that Elizaveta Petrovna really sacrificed her health in the name of beauty.

French diplomat J.-L. Favier, who watched her in last years, wrote that the aging empress “still retains a passion for clothes and every day becomes more and more demanding and whimsical in relation to them. Never has a woman come to terms with the loss of youth and beauty more difficult. Often, after spending a lot of time on the toilet, she begins to get angry at the mirror , orders to take off his head and other clothes again, cancels the upcoming shows or dinner and locks himself in his room, refusing to see anyone."

Already from childhood, Elizaveta Petrovna was a terrible fashionista; She did not try to moderate this passion for outfits, although “she lived and reigned in gilded poverty” (V. O. Klyuchevsky). During a fire in Moscow in 1753, four thousand of her dresses burned in the palace, and after her death, Peter III discovered in the Summer Palace of his royal aunt a wardrobe with fifteen thousand dresses, “some worn once, some never worn at all, two chests of silk stockings "(V.O. Klyuchevsky), several thousand pairs of shoes and more than a hundred uncut pieces of rich French fabrics. And this despite the presence of “a heap of unpaid bills” and the refusal from time to time of “French haberdashery stores... to sell newfangled goods to the palace on credit” (V. O. Klyuchevsky). Kazimir Valishevsky points out that the development of textile manufactories during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna was connected precisely with the empress’s indomitable love for outfits.

From her youth, Elizaveta Petrovna’s passion to remain eternally beautiful and to shine in society was inextricably linked with an insatiable desire for entertainment. She danced superbly , constantly inventing new figures for dancing, which testified to an undoubted choreographic gift.

“Having ascended the throne, she wanted to fulfill her girlish dreams; an endless string of performances, pleasure trips, kurtags, balls, masquerades stretched out, striking with dazzling splendor and luxury to the point of nausea” (V. O. Klyuchevsky). Life at court turned into an eternal holiday: entertainment succeeded each other in a dizzying whirlwind.

Elizabeth Petrovna's courtyard delighted guests with its wealth and splendor. At the same time, “...the living rooms where the palace inhabitants left the magnificent halls were striking in their cramped conditions, squalor of furnishings, and untidiness: the doors did not close, there was a draft in the windows; water flowed along the wall cladding, the rooms were extremely damp” (V. O. Klyuchevsky ). I will suggest that the empress’s bedroom was no better. It is no coincidence that there are brief references to it in the literature. "fevers".

If in the first two or three years Elizaveta Petrovna paid some attention to solving state issues, then later she entrusted this to her ministers and senators, and often documents of great national importance waited for several months for her signature.

In her memoirs, Catherine II wrote: “The Empress was extremely fond of outfits and almost never wore the same dress twice. ...play and toilet filled the day".

Modern medicine shows that the risk of cardiovascular diseases increases significantly with the appearance of excess weight, just 10% higher than normal! With every extra kilogram, the risk of developing heart and vascular diseases increases by 3%. Ailments characteristic of old age appear 7 years earlier in obese people.

Excess weight is the second factor after smoking that contributes to the appearance of cancer and increases the risk of respiratory diseases, especially bronchial asthma.

ABOUT THIS, OR LET THEY TALK ABOUT

As soon as she entered puberty, Elizaveta Petrovna began to demonstrate increased interest in the opposite sex. Below are excerpts from many works dedicated to her life and reign.

"Once, in her youth, she cried bitterly because she liked four gentlemen at once, and she didn't know which one to choose."

"Waiting for the suitors, Elizabeth had fun, indulged in love pleasures and waited in the wings."

Mardefeld, ambassador of the Prussian king Frederick II, reported to his patron: “...she several times daily sacrifices on the altar of Cupid's mother."

Apart from many fleeting hobbies, her lovers were chamberlain Alexander Buturlin, chief of the court Semyon Naryshkin, ensign Alexey Shubin, Pyotr Shuvalov, Alexey Razumovsky (I repeat, a morganatic marriage was concluded with him), Roman and Mikhail Vorontsov, Karl Sivers, chamberlain Pimen Lyalin, cadet Nikita Beketov, coachman Voichinsky, grenadier Mikhail Ivinsky, Valentin P. Musin-Pushkin, cornet of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment Nikita Panin, Ivan Iv. Shuvalov. History has not preserved the names of all of them.

From a letter from the French king Louis XV to his ambassador in St. Petersburg, Baron Breteuil (1761): “I learned that the last seizure that happened to the empress aroused fears about her life, and although no information about the state of her health is publicly reported, her temperament Her idle and depressing life and refusal of medical care support these fears."

The genealogist and publicist who hated the House of Romanov, Prince Pyotr Vladimirovich Dolgorukov, wrote a hundred years later that on December 25, 1761 at four o'clock in the afternoon " Elizabeth, exhausted by debauchery and drunkenness died at the age of fifty-three."

"Elizabeth was distinguished by her cheerful disposition, unusual love of life and freedom in personal behavior. It is also known that the world severely condemned her "pleasure meetings in suburban residences". However, urban folklore was more than lenient towards her behavior" (Naum Sindalovsky).

Let us also treat Elizaveta Petrovna’s choice of her affections “more than leniently.” Her personal life was put under the electron microscope of history only because she was at the top of the pyramid called the “Russian Empire.” But, since the purpose of this work was to study the reasons for the death of the empress, I could not help but touch upon the topic of her sexual life, since both the lack and excess of the latter are a factor that plays an important role for human health.

Female hypersexuality

In sexology, there is the concept of “nymphomania,” the origin of which is associated with ancient Greek myths. The ancient Greeks believed that nymphs lived in the forests and lured men to them to satisfy their love fantasies.

Undoubtedly, these myths were based on practical observations about the existence of women with increased sexual activity. Hypersexual women are called nymphomaniacs. Their prevalence in the population is approximately one in 2500 women.

Female hypersexuality is based on the production of excess amounts of female sex hormones (estrogens, progesterone) by the corresponding endocrine organs. Estrogens give a woman attractiveness and sex appeal, progesterone determines the strength of attraction to the opposite sex.

There are congenital and acquired hypersexuality. In the first case, they talk about congenital constitutional hypersexuality.

Causes of acquired hypersexuality: early onset of sexual activity; wearing tight corsets (17-18 centuries; active blood flow to the pelvic area causes constant sexual arousal); the presence of neurological foci located in the diencephalic region of the brain; some endocrine syndromes accompanied by hormonal disorders; menopause

Women characterized by hypersexuality, as a rule, are not interested in high education, family, or motherhood. Marriage is just a convention for them. They are characterized by frequent changes of partners during the day and avoidance of strong connections. They are capable of multiple orgasms and parallel relationships with several lovers. It is impossible for a man with average characteristics to withstand such violent sexual activity. It is no coincidence that young people from very different social backgrounds most often end up in the beds of sex hunters.

Excessive production of female sex hormones is one of the reasons for the development of a number of painful conditions: depression, fainting, increased fatigue, excess body weight, diabetes, arterial hypertension, dysfunction of the liver and thyroid gland, and skin. With age, as compensation mechanisms are exhausted, these side effects of increased production of female sex hormones begin to manifest themselves with increasing severity, helping to accelerate the aging process.

At a distance of two hundred and fifty years, it is difficult to decide what kind of hypersexuality, congenital or acquired, the empress is talking about. And in general, is it possible to talk about the presence of hypersexuality in Elizaveta Petrovna?

I am inclined to believe, however, that she has just such a sexual status. This is supported by a number of facts from her life. Some of them can be considered as predisposing to the development of hypersexuality, and some as manifestations of the latter: the French retinue that surrounded her from a young age, which brought into the princess’s mind the morals of the French royal court of the first half of the 18th century, with its licentiousness and permissiveness; early onset of sexual activity; features of the cut of women's outfits of that era (wearing tight corsets and bodices - see above); Elizaveta Petrovna’s lack of great interest in starting a family and having children; frequent change of sexual partners with preference for young and strong men, regardless of their social status; desire for repeated sexual intercourse during the day, tendency to fainting and obesity.

FATHER'S INHERITANCE OR LIFE WITH FALL

Alexander Ivanovich Weidemeyer: “The health of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna began to weaken noticeably, especially since 1756. fainting and convulsions(hereinafter the author’s style of presentation with minimal editing is preserved - V.P.). At the beginning of September 1758, on the day of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, while in Tsarskoe Selo, Elizaveta Petrovna listened to the liturgy in the parish church. Already at the very beginning of the service, she felt ill and went out into the air. After taking a few steps, she fell unconscious in convulsions on the grass. After bloodletting and various medications, she was brought back to her senses, but when she opened her eyes, she did not recognize anyone for two hours. In the next few days, she could not speak freely (tongue bite - V.P.)... From the beginning of 1761, she had problems every month. epileptic seizures, after which in the next three or four days her condition was close to lethargic, she could not speak.”

Kazimir Valishevsky also writes in detail about the September attack, and not only about him: “In November 1758, the fainting recurred... In February 1759, Elizaveta Petrovna began to show signs spiritual and mental decline against the background of the increasing deterioration of her health... Since 1760 learned to drink huge quantities of strong liquors".

She spent the entire 1761, until her death, in bed, rarely getting up. In March of this year, she suffered severe bronchopneumonia, which threatened her with pulmonary edema. But this time everything worked out. Bleeding from the area of trophic ulcers increased.

In general, Elizabeth’s state of health caused both doctors and those closest to her great concern...

And here comes a date mentioned by many authors: November 17th. What happened on this day?

In the lengthy Message from the Court entitled " Short description illness and death of Her Majesty the Empress Elisaveta Petrovna, eternal glory worthy of memory,” published in the “Addition” to the capital’s newspaper “St. Petersburg Vedomosti” dated December 28, 1761, it was stated that “ in mid-November the Empress opened " cold fever", but the effect of the drugs that the doctors used on the august patient soon gave reason to believe that the danger had passed."

From the official Notice of Death: “According to the untested destinies of the almighty Lord, Her Imperial Majesty the Most Serene Great Empress Empress Elisaveta Petrovna Autocrat of All Russia, 25th this month at half 4 o'clock in the afternoon, after a cruel illness, to the indescribable sadness of the Imperial family and the entire state, passing on their lives 52 years and eight days, and his worthy possession of 20 years and one month, he departed from this temporary life into eternal bliss..." (St. Petersburg Gazette, 1761, December 28, No. 104).

From the memoirs of Catherine II: “Empress Elisaveta Petrovna died on Christmas Day, December 25, 1761, at three o’clock in the afternoon; I remained with her body...

The next day in the morning (December 26 - V.P.) ... I went to mass, then to bow to the body. [In the same day] the body of the late Empress was anatomized.

IN 25th day of January ( February 5th to present With. - V.P.) 1762 They took the body of the Empress lying in the coffin with all possible splendor and appropriate honors from the palace across the river to the Peter and Paul Cathedral in the fortress. The Emperor himself, followed by me, followed by Skavronsky, followed by the Naryshkins, then everyone by rank followed the coffin on foot from the palace itself to the church.”

May God rest the soul of Your servant, Empress Elizabeth...

Tombstone over the burial place of the Empress
Elizabeth Petrovna in the Peter and Paul Cathedral
St. Petersburg

REASONS FOR THE DEATH OF THE EMPRESS

I came to the most difficult section of the essay for me, I won’t hide it: what kind of disease, specifically, was the cause of Elizaveta Petrovna’s death?

Actually, the main cause of death is clear: increased bleeding of the mucous membranes of the nose and stomach (vomiting blood), lung tissue (hemoptysis), trophic ulcers of the legs. It was not possible to cope with the increasing relapses of bleeding. The Empress died from irreparable loss of blood. But "blood loss" is a symptom, not a clinical diagnosis.

Before continuing, I want to make a reservation: the paucity and inconsistency of the clinical data given above not only complicates the diagnosis, but also makes it look like fortune telling on coffee grounds. But it turns out that the images and patterns of coffee grounds can say something to a connoisseur. This gives me the moral right to my analysis.

Let me start with the fact that, firstly, we are talking about bleeding from several organs (nasal, skin, gastric, pulmonary), and secondly, about the gradual increase in symptoms of increased bleeding (nosebleeds are mentioned first, then from the area of trophic ulcers of the legs , then hemoptysis and then gastric bleeding).

Thus, the systemic nature of the bleeding is noteworthy. This is significant, because it allows us to identify the group of precisely those diseases that are manifested by the development of bleeding from different organs. I will list these diseases in alphabetical order:

Hemorrhagic diathesis
Leukemia
Poisoning
Syphilis
Tuberculosis

I'll start with tuberculosis. N. Sorotokina writes: “Once the life physician Kanonidi discovered that the empress was spitting blood. A thorough medical examination, which happened every day, [allowed] to dismiss thoughts of consumption.” Already in ancient Babylon they knew about this disease (its pulmonary form). There is no doubt that the doctors who supervised Elizaveta Petrovna were oriented in his diagnosis, and therefore, one can trust their conclusion. In addition, with tuberculosis of the digestive tract we are talking about damage to the peripheral parts of the intestine. In our case, there was gastric bleeding. This, in turn, also gives grounds to reject the diagnosis of tuberculosis...

Under the term "Hemorrhagic diathesis" understand a large group of diseases that are based on blood clotting disorders of various natures. Their peculiarity is the tendency of patients to increased bleeding, including from the nose and gastrointestinal tract. The most famous of them are hemophilia, diseases of the blood platelets and those associated with instability of the vascular wall. There is reason to exclude “Hemorrhagic diathesis” from the list of presumptive diagnoses proposed above absent in the anamnesis of Elizaveta Petrovna’s life and illness the following factors: onset of diseases in childhood; trauma preceding an exacerbation with damage to the integrity of the skin and mucous membranes; the appearance of hemorrhages of various sizes on the skin and mucous membranes (from pinpoint to bruises) big size) and etc. Pulmonary bleeding in hemorrhagic diathesis has not been described.

Naum Sindalovsky: “There were some assumptions of the most incredible nature. They said that the empress was poisoned German spies on the orders of the Prussian king, who was forced into a hopeless situation by the victorious Russian troops during the Seven Years' War."

My comparisons of the clinical picture of the Empress’s illness (see above) with that of poisoning with strong acids and caustic alkalis, arsenic compounds, cyanides (hydrocyanic acid), turpentine, ergot, sublimate allowed us to completely exclude this hypothesis due to the acute and rapid development of the disease with a fatal outcome in case of poisoning. From historical literature, from scientific tomes on alchemy, it is known that humanity has accumulated vast experience in creating compositions from toxic substances that lead to death gradually. Above, I already mentioned the danger to the body of many years of using cosmetics that are actually poisonous. But in the case of Elizaveta Petrovna, the sharp deterioration in her condition from the beginning to her death lasted for approximately six weeks, which does not fit into both versions (acute and chronic poisoning).

In addition, rare military clashes during the Seven Years' War between the troops of Russia and Prussia, the diplomatic resourcefulness of Frederick II, disagreements between members of the anti-Prussian coalition (Austria, Russia, France), as well as their lack of interest in the complete destruction of Prussia - all this indicates the absence of a motive Friedrich starts a difficult operation with the poisoning of Elizaveta Petrovna. Frederick was well aware of what was happening in the palace of the Russian Empress, about the state of her health, about the situation in the Russian army, and about who was deciding military issues in it. Of course, the version of “poisoning” should be attributed to the realm of folklore.

The deterioration of Elizaveta Petrovna’s health, expressed in refusal to eat, a sharp loss of strength, a decrease or complete cessation of physical activity in combination with severe nasal and gastric bleeding, gives reason to assume that she has acute leukemia. This was supported by the rather rapid negative dynamics of the disease, as well as repeated instructions from the attending physicians about the “inflamed state of the body” of their patient (see above). Let me note for readers who do not have a medical background that the onset of acute leukemia is usually characterized by high body temperature and chills, which are considered signs of “inflammation.”

The hemorrhagic, i.e., characterized by bleeding, form of leukemia, and this condition could be classified as such, proceeds very quickly and usually ends in death when there is heavy bleeding. But there is one “but” that allows one to refuse this diagnosis: the absence of pulmonary bleeding and hemoptysis in acute leukemia...

And finally, syphilis. There are many hypotheses about the source of the spread of syphilis in Europe. . One of the earliest of them names France, Elizabeth Petrovna’s favorite country, as the ancestral home of this disease. German expression " die Franzosen haben“(to be French) meant “to suffer from syphilis.” Hence the name of syphilis: “French disease” or “Gallic disease.” From Western Europe, this name (together with the disease itself) came to the Slavic peoples...

Since there was “no sex” in the Soviet Union, then by definition there should not have been syphilis. The author of this essay, a graduate of the Leningrad Pediatric Medical Institute, remembers one curious episode from his university years that could well pass for an anecdote. Classes on the topic “Venereal diseases” were held in one of the relevant departments of a specialized hospital. On the first day of the cycle, the teacher, introducing us to the clinic, led us to the box: “Here, a woman is being treated for syphilis, a fleet manager at her place of work, and in the next room there are eight drivers from the same fleet.” In my first year of independent work as a doctor, I diagnosed this disease in a young man, and later worked in a hospital department where infants with congenital syphilis were hospitalized. In the minds of Soviet people, syphilis was something alien, dirty, immoral, capitalist.

We are talking about a chronic systemic infectious disease, transmitted, in most cases, sexually, from which neither the inhabitants of huts, nor the inhabitants of palaces, nor those who lived in feudal or socialist societies are immune.

Summarizing all the information at my disposal about Elizaveta Petrovna’s health, I am forced to come to the conclusion that she suffered from the “French disease” from a young age. Clinically, everything that the doctors who supervised her for many years had to observe fits into the picture of the late stage of syphilis, which is characterized by the involvement of the central nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and musculoskeletal systems in the pathological process. I will list the symptoms characteristic of damage to one or another system that Elizaveta Petrovna had.

central nervous system

The cardiovascular system:

Respiratory system:

Digestive system:

Musculoskeletal system:

Syphilis, which, by the way, is also characterized by convulsive seizures, occurred against the background of hereditary epilepsy, obesity, and a generally unhealthy lifestyle, which aggravated the course of the underlying disease and contributed to its progression.

I want to make a reservation: I expressed my opinion here, which is not the ultimate truth. Undoubtedly, other hypotheses can be expressed regarding the basic nosology that brought the Russian Empress to the grave...

She sincerely tried to continue her father's reforms, and, if desired, one can find a lot of evidence of this. And, at the same time, she lived by passions, remaining the way nature created her with all the advantages and disadvantages. As historian V. O. Klyuchevsky noted: In the seventies [..In a ghostly haze. There, in Tsaritsino. There, very far away. Farther away. Where our speeches were heard. Where we used to have conversations. There, for a long time. So long ago! Once upon a time...] Alexander Nemirovsky (1963-1986): We came, you called us [...And still the midnight highway / And the first traffic light on the Circle, / Even if you don’t wish it, everyone will return. /Where are you going, where else to go home?] Galia: Mouse Peas [Someone once / invented love, / making glass / out of fog]

She was born before the official marriage between her parents. The born girl was named Elizaveta. The Romanov dynasty had never used such a name before.

In 1711, Peter the Great and Catherine entered into a legal marriage. Accordingly, their daughters, the eldest Anna and the youngest Elizabeth, became princesses. And when in 1721 the Russian Tsar proclaimed himself emperor, the girls began to be called crown princesses.

Artist G. H. Groot, 1744

Contemporaries noted that Elizabeth was unusually beautiful and was fond of dresses, celebrations and dancing. She avoided any serious activities and seemed to everyone to be narrow-minded and frivolous. Few people took the young woman into account as a contender for the throne.

However, astute people noticed that the crown princess was not as simple as it seemed at first glance. She was not, but rather played the role of a flighty person, since it was convenient for her. In fact, the young woman had a strong-willed character, an extraordinary mind, ambition and power.

In the last years of her reign, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna was sick a lot. Endless night festivities, fatty foods, and reluctance to change her lifestyle and receive treatment made the empress old. Approaching old age has become a nightmare for the woman. No decorations or outfits could hide the traces of the stormy years lived.

The ruler was angry, fell into depression, canceled masquerades and balls, and hid from human eyes in the palace. At this time, only Ivan Shuvalov could get to her. The empress died on December 25, 1761 from throat bleeding.. It was the result of some chronic disease that was not diagnosed by doctors. The nephew of the late Empress Peter III ascended to the Russian throne.

Alexey Starikov

Nicholas II was from the Romanov family, whose ancestor was Mikhail Romanov, the grandfather of Peter the Great. “Why does it count?” - many will probably ask. Yes, because neither Peter I nor John V, the last kings of all Rus', left behind direct descendants in the male line, and power subsequently passed either to their daughters or to their children. In addition, the state was ruled for quite a long time by empresses (Anna, Elizabeth and Catherine), who were distinguished by very free morals and were known to be overly loving. Therefore, the question arises about the purity of the royal blood of the last Russian emperor. In principle, we know the exact answer to the question of who ruled after Elizabeth Petrovna. Of course, Peter III (son of the daughter of Peter the Great, Anna Petrovna, and Duke Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp). But many legends were composed about the origin of his son, Paul the First.

Origins of the Romanov dynasty

The first representative of this royal family is Patriarch Filaret, aka Fyodor Nikitich (originally from the boyars), son of Nikita Romanovich. Then Mikhail Fedorovich was proclaimed tsar. And then - his son Alexei Mikhailovich, who had three sons: the eldest - Fedor, the middle - Ivan, the youngest - Peter. After the death of his father, power passed into the hands of As is known from history, Peter Alekseevich and his brother John, after the death of their elder brother, became co-rulers of the Russian throne. Because John was in very poor health and practically did not interfere in the government of the country. Nevertheless, he had five daughters, of whom only Anna later became empress.

Children of Peter the Great

This king had a dozen children from two wives (most of them died in infancy). His eldest son Alexei never ascended the Russian throne, since during his father’s lifetime he was accused of high treason and sentenced to death, but did not live to see the sentence executed. But Peter’s youngest and beloved daughter, Elizaveta Petrovna Romanova, who, although she did not immediately inherit the throne of her father, losing it first to her nephew Peter the Second (the son of Tsarevich Alexei), and then to her cousin Anna Ioannovna and her great-nephew Ivan the Sixth (great-grandson John the Fifth), as a result of a palace coup, was finally able to take the throne and proclaimed herself Empress of Russia. According to official sources, she was childless, although many legends have developed among the people about her descendants. Before we tell you who ruled after Elizabeth Petrovna, we will introduce you to the biography of the empress, as well as the era of her reign. We can say that this was a rather curious, but at the same time important period in the history of the Russian state. This indicates that she inherited from her great father some traits of nature, including a love of reform.

Elizabeth's childhood

The future empress was born in 1907 in Kolomenskoye. Her parents were not legally married, so Elizabeth is sometimes called Peter's illegitimate daughter. Nevertheless, a year after her birth, the Tsar married her mother and crowned her Catherine the First, and his two daughters were given the title of princesses. Elizabeth and her sister Anna spent their childhood in the Winter Palace. They grew up in luxury, surrounded by a whole staff of servants. The girls received excellent upbringing and education. They studied languages: French, German, Italian. They were taught etiquette - the ability to behave correctly in high society. This subject included dance and music lessons. The young princesses were very well-read, fortunately they had an extensive library at hand. All this knowledge was used during the reign. This period was distinguished by numerous grand celebrations and masquerade balls. In them, the young empress shone with her skills and seduced her fans.

Youth

Elizaveta Petrovna Romanova was unusually beautiful and stately. She was constantly followed by suitors. They say that they wanted to marry her to the French king Louis XV. There were even rumors among the people about the upcoming wedding of the princess with her nephew Pyotr Alekseevich, the heir to the Russian throne, but he still chose Princess Dolgorukaya as his wife. Elizabeth, on the other hand, became interested in hunting, horses, boat riding, and also constantly took care of her beauty. And she didn’t even notice how, after the early death of Peter the Second, the throne passed to her cousin Anna, and she found herself in semi-disgrace for 10 years (1730-1740). However, only a year after the death of her cousin, as a result of a palace coup, she ascended the throne of her great father, and the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna began in Russia.

History of accession to the throne

At the end of her reign, Anna Ioannovna practically retired. And the actual ruler of the Russian state was Biron. After the death of the empress, no one remembered the daughter of Peter the Great, and the crown passed to Anna’s young grandnephew Ivan the Sixth, and his mother, Anna Leopoldovna, became regent. Nevertheless, power continued to remain in the hands of the hated German. Many Russian nobles, naturally, were dissatisfied with this order of things, pinned their hopes on the princess and decided to hasten the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, arranging in those days Doctor Lestok and music teacher Schwartz, as well as the entire grenadier company of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, were her close associates. Bursting in Winter Palace, she proclaimed herself the new empress, and young Ivan and his mother were arrested. This is how Petrovna came to power (1741-1761) and, like her cousin Anna, ruled for exactly 10 years. Many parallels can be drawn between the reigns of both Romanov empresses, but the most obvious is favoritism. Both one and the other were greedy for love pleasures and, as a rule, awarded their lovers with titles and government positions. As a result, their favorites ruled the state, unceremoniously putting their hands into the treasury.

Elizaveta Petrovna - Empress. Briefly about the years of her reign

That memorable decade, during which Elizabeth ruled Russia, became significant and fruitful for the country. From the very first days she announced that she was going to continue the course taken by her great father. And so it was. Subsequently, historians regarded her steps as the first attempts at enlightened absolutism. It was during this period that the Merchant, Noble (Loan) and Copper (State) banks were founded in Russia. Military educational institutions were abolished, reorganized, and the network was expanded primary schools, gymnasiums are open in major cities Russia. In a word, with the coming to power of Elizabeth, the Age of Enlightenment began.

Services to the Fatherland

In the middle of her reign, one of the most significant events in the country took place - the founding of Moscow University. Its founder was one of its favorites - I. Shuvalov. Two years after this, the Academy of Arts was opened. During that period, young scientists, the most outstanding of whom was M. Lomonosov, were provided with state support, etc. In a word, if not for dependence on favorites, the historical portrait of Elizaveta Petrovna would have been one of the most striking among Russian rulers. All of the above relates to the spiritual side, but in material terms, the years of the reign of this empress were marked by the creation of architectural masterpieces, newly erected or rebuilt. The grandiose construction contributed to the development of highly skilled craftsmen in the country. These were the years of Elizabeth Petrovna's reign. Buildings from this period are still called examples of Elizabethan Baroque. During the years of her reign there were also many military victories, right up to the conquest of Berlin. There could have been many more events, only the death of Elizaveta Petrovna became the beginning of a new era in the history of Russia.

Peter the Third

As you can see, the era of the reign of the daughter of Peter the Great was full of many valiant victories. Many European royal houses were concerned about the growing power of the Russian Empire, so the death of Elizabeth Petrovna was perceived by everyone, especially representatives of the House of Brandenburg, as a miracle that had fallen from heaven. After all, she was considered childless, and therefore left no heirs. Peter III - the one who ruled after Elizabeth Petrovna, was her nephew, the son of her elder sister Anna and Duke Karl-Peter Ulrich of Holstein. In a word, after it the Romanov branch was actually interrupted. Of course, the future heir had the blood of his glorious grandfather, but he belonged to the Holstein family and was a descendant in the direct male line of Frederick I, King of Denmark. But there were many rumors about the origin of the subsequent heir to the Russian throne, Paul the First.

Children of Elizabeth Petrovna at the center of palace rumors

Probably, those who are not familiar with the atmosphere reigning at the Russian court in the mid-18th century will be surprised: what kind of offspring we're talking about, when the empress was childless and unmarried. However, everything is not so simple. Most of the courtiers believed that the empress, long before she ascended the throne, was in a church marriage with the Ukrainian shepherd Alexei Rozum, to whom she later presented the title of Prince Razumovsky. And the continuation of this story was the children of Elizaveta Petrovna. Although these were just guesses and no evidence existed. But after her death, impostors appeared in society every now and then, declaring themselves her heirs.

Elizabeth's son

By the way, rumors also revolved around the name of Tsarevich Paul the First. There was gossip spread in the courtyard that he was the son of Elizaveta Petrovna. This rumor was facilitated by conversations that there had never been a marital relationship between Peter the Third and his wife Catherine. Of course, the child could have been conceived by one of the lovers of the future empress, but the special attitude of the reigning empress towards her “great-nephew” fueled such speculation. Unfortunately, in the time of Elizabeth Petrovna it was not possible to conduct a genetic test, so this remained a mystery to everyone.

Princess Tarakanova

From history, many know that after the death of Elizabeth, a certain girl appeared in St. Petersburg who called herself her daughter, and that she was subsequently imprisoned by Catherine the Second in Peter and Paul Fortress. The Tretyakov Gallery houses a painting by the famous artist Konstantin Flavitsky, which is called “Princess Tarakanova”. But why did the girl bear this last name? And if she were the daughter of the empress, would Elizaveta Petrovna Romanova have allowed this? Her children were supposedly conceived by either Alexei Razumovsky (her morganatic husband) or one of the Shuvalov brothers. So why Tarakanova? According to some rumors, the nephews of Alexei Razumovsky studied in some Swiss town, for whose education funds were allocated from the state treasury. They bore the surname Daragan. However, due to the fact that they had Russian roots, they began to be called Tarakanovs in Switzerland. And then, over the years, Princess Elizaveta Vladimirovskaya appeared at court and announced that she was the daughter of Elizaveta Petrovna and Alexei Razumovsky. At the same time, she did not call herself Tarakanova. This name was first used in his book by the French diplomat Jean Henri Castera.

True story or legend?

In principle, the information that Elizabeth had may well be true. Indeed, given favoritism and free morals at the Russian court, baistryuks (bastards) were not an exceptional, but a fairly common phenomenon. After the birth of babies, it was customary to give them to servants for a small fee, preferably somewhere in the outback. Sometimes the adoptive family did not even know whose child was growing up next to their own, whose blue blood flowed in his veins. However, in the case of the empress’s children, apparently, they did not want to give them into unknown hands and registered them in the name of their own paternal aunt. By the way, the legends about royal offspring speak not of one daughter and one son, but of several children at once. In addition to the story of Princess Elizaveta Tarakanova, during the reign of Catherine there were also rumors that another daughter of the previous empress named Dosithea was forcibly tonsured and was imprisoned in the Novospassky convent.

Pavel the First

If you study the family tree of the rulers of the Romanov family, you can see who ruled after Elizabeth Petrovna. Let us repeat, it was her nephew, the son of Anna’s elder sister, Peter the Third. By the way, among his many titles is the title of “grandson of Peter the Great.” It is also known from history that he did not occupy the Russian throne for long. His wife, the German princess Sophia Augusta, who became Catherine at baptism, soon overthrew him and began to rule Russia alone, of course, relying on the help of her many fans. After her death, the crown and throne passed to her son, Paul the First. However, his real origin, and therefore the origin of subsequent Russian emperors, is still unknown.

) -Russian empress from November 25, 1741 from the Romanov dynasty, daughter of Peter I and Catherine I

Prenner Georg Gaspar Joseph von. Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. 1754

The daughter of Peter I and the future Empress Catherine Alekseevna was born on December 18, 1709.On this day, Russian troops, winners of the Battle of Poltava, unfurled their banners and solemnly entered Moscow.

The triumphal entry of Russian troops into Moscow after the Poltava victory. Engraving by A.F. Zubov. 1710

Having received the joyful news of the birth of his daughter, Peter organized a three-day celebration in her honor. The king loved his second family very much. A powerful and stern man, his affection for his loved ones sometimes took on touching forms.

Portrait of Princess Elizaveta Petrovna (1709-1761) as a child. Russian Museum, Mikhailovsky Castle.

In letters to his wife, he said hello to “four-sweetie” - this was Elizabeth’s family nickname at the time when she still crawled on all fours. In the summer of 1710, Peter sailed around the Baltic on the sailing ship “Lizetka” - that’s what he called the tiny crown princess.

Portrait of Princess Anna Petrovnaand Elizaveta Petrovna, 1717, Louis Caravaque

At the age of two, she attended her parents' wedding with her four-year-old sister Anna. Peter early began to write separately to the princesses, encouraging them in a similar way to master literacy. Elizabeth learned to read and write when she was not even eight years old. Peter I saw his daughters as instruments of diplomatic play and prepared them for dynastic marriages in order to strengthen Russia's international position.

I.N. Nikitin Portrait of Elizabeth Petrovna as a child (1709-1761) 1712-13

Therefore, he first of all paid attention to their learning of foreign languages. Elizabeth knew French perfectly, spoke German and Italian. In addition, the princesses were taught music, dancing, dressing skills, and etiquette. Since childhood, Elizabeth passionately loved dancing, and she had no equal in this art.

Tsesarevna Elizaveta Petrovna, future empress (1741-1761).Unfinished portrait. 1720s. Russian Museum

Back in 1720, her father tried to arrange Elizabeth’s marriage with the French king Louis XV, her age. But Versailles reacted with restraint to the Russian side’s proposal because of the princess’s origins: her mother was a commoner and was not married to the tsar at the time of her daughter’s birth. Elizabeth was later married to Charles Augustus of Holstein, but he died before he could become her husband.

The position of young Elizabeth at court and in the state changed dramatically in 1727. Before, life was like a fairy tale. She was surrounded by a young society, where she reigned not only by right of high birth, but also thanks to her personal merits. Quick to come up with ideas and pleasant to treat, Elizabeth was the soul of this society.

Unknown artist. Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna

Elizaveta Petrovna (equestrian portrait of the Empress with her retinue

She received enough money from her parents to satisfy her passion for all kinds of entertainment. Everything around her was seething with fun, she was always busy: trips along the Neva and outside the city, masquerades and balls, staging plays, playing music, dancing... This continuous and reckless ecstasy of life ended when Elizabeth’s mother, Empress Catherine I, died.

Peter II of Russia and Elizaveta Petrovna

At the court of Anna Ioannovna, the crown princess was given the honors due to her. However, Elizabeth felt like a stranger in the royal family. Her relationship with her cousin, the empress, was not very warm. Anna Ioannovna assigned Elizabeth a more than modest allowance, and the princess, who previously did not know how to count money, was now constantly in need of it. It is believed that the Empress could not forget her humiliating position in Mitau, when, due to the eternal lack of funds, she very often turned to Elizabeth’s parents with pleas for help and did not always receive what she asked for. And therefore the princess had a hard time living with her.

Unknown artist.Portrait of Tsarevna Elizaveta Petrovna, 1730s

And finally, Anna Ioannovna was worried about Elizabeth’s rights to the Russian crown. The Empress saw her relative as a serious rival and was seriously afraid of a coup in her favor. Anna ordered that the crown princess be placed under surveillance.

Louis Caravaque Portrait of Empress Anna Ioannovna. 1730

To get rid of Elizabeth, they wanted to either marry her somewhere far away from St. Petersburg and to a “safe” prince, or force her to become a nun. A suitable groom was never found. And the threat of lifelong imprisonment in a monastery for Elizabeth became a nightmare, which she got rid of only after ascending to the throne. The Tsesarevna was forced to behave extremely carefully. Any thoughtlessly spoken word - by her or someone close to her - could lead to disaster. She was pointedly not interested in politics.

Ivan VIAntonovich(1740-1764), emperor in 1740-1741. Great-grandson of Ivan V Alekseevich, son of Prince Anton Ulrich of Brunswick and Mecklenburg Princess Anna Leopoldovna, niece of the Russian Empress Anna Ioannovna. By Anna Ioannovna's manifesto he was appointed heir to the throne.

And yet, Anna Ioannovna’s fears were not without foundation, if only because the daughter of Peter I was loved in the guard. She often visited the barracks of the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments. Familiar guards officers and soldiers often asked Elizabeth to be the godmother of their children, and she willingly fulfilled their wishes. It was among the guards that Elizabeth found her ardent supporters, with the help of whom she seized power in the state in November 1741.

Fyodor Moskovitin Oath of the Preobrazhensky Regiment to Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.

From the first days of Elizabeth's reign under the Empressa circle of long-time adherents formed, occupying all the most important government and court positions. A passionate love for folk songs became the reason for Elizabeth’s attention to Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky. A Ukrainian Cossack, a rare handsome man, he came to St. Petersburg thanks to his magnificent bass. He was accepted as a court singer back in 1731. Having ascended the throne, Elizaveta Petrovna granted the rootless Razumovsky the title of count and the rank of field marshal, and in 1742, as many historians claim, she secretly married him. Rumors about this marriage inevitably gave rise to legends about the supposedly existing children of Elizabeth and Razumovsky - for example, Princess Tarakanova and even about the whole Tarakanoff family.

Unknown artist Portrait of Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky, mid-18th century

Elizaveta Petrovna

One of the empress's closest assistants was Mikhail Illarionovich Vorontsov. Vice-Chancellor from 1744, he succeeded A.P. Bestuzhev as Chancellor of the Empire in 1758.

Antropov Alexey Petrovich: Portrait of Prince M.I. Vorontsov

The Empress brought back from exile and brought closer to her the surviving princes Dolgorukov, Count P. I. Musin-Pushkin and several other Russian nobles who suffered during the reign of Anna Ioannovna. Elizabeth removed foreigners from all key positions in the state; she had no intention of expelling foreign specialists from the country, whom Russia urgently needed.

Coronation of Elizabeth Petrovna

Coronation procession of Elizabeth

The development of the foreign policy program and Russian diplomacy of the Elizabethan era are mainly associated with the name of the insightful and experienced statesman Chancellor Alexei Petrovich Bestuzhev.

Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Alexey Petrovich

On his initiative, in the spring of 1756, to consider issues of foreign policy and direct military operations during the pan-European Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. a new government body was established - the Conference at the Highest Court (a permanent meeting of senior dignitaries and generals consisting of ten people). Bestuzhev encountered problems in Russian-Swedish relations at the end of 1741, when he was appointed to the post of vice-chancellor. Sweden, having recovered from its defeat in the Northern War, hoped to take revenge and on the battlefields to reconsider the terms of the Nystadt Peace, according to which Russia had seized Swedish possessions in the Baltic states. In the summer of 1741, the Russian-Swedish war began, ending in the complete defeat of the Swedish army. In August 1743, a peace treaty was signed in Abo (Finland): the Swedish government confirmed the terms of the Peace of Nystadt concluded by Peter I.

Capture of the Kolberg fortress during the Seven Years' War,Alexander Evstafievich Kotzebue

The Seven Years' War, in which Russia, for the purpose of territorial acquisitions,took the side of France and Austria against Prussia and Great Britain; after Bestuzhev’s resignation, it was carried out under M.I. Vorontsov, his successor. At the beginning of 1758, Russian troops entered East Prussia and occupied Königsberg. In August of the following year, the Prussian army was defeated in the battle of Kunersdorf, and in September 1760, Russian troops entered Berlin, which they were then forced to leave due to inconsistency in the actions of the allies. The victories of the Russian army were decisive for the defeat of Prussia, whose armed forces were then considered the best in Europe

Battle of Kunnensdorf,Alexander Evstafievich Kotzebue

Louis CARAVACQUE. Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna

Upon ascending the throne, Elizabeth proclaimed herself the continuator of the workand his great father. Following Peter's "principles" determined, in particular, the empress's interest in economic issues, the development of industry and trade. Encouraging noble entrepreneurship, Elizabeth ordered the establishment of the Noble Loan Bank in 1753, which issued loans to landowners secured by land. In 1754 the Merchant Bank was founded. New manufactories (industrial enterprises) were created at a rapid pace. In Yaroslavl and Serpukhov, Irkutsk and Astrakhan, Tambov and Ivanovo, on noble estates, manufactories produced cloth and silk, canvas and ropes. Distillation became widespread among landowners.

Unknown artist of the 18th century. Departure of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. // Kuskovo Estate Museum

The decision of Elizabeth's government, taken in 1753, to abolish internal customs duties, which had been levied on Russian cities and roads since ancient times, had important consequences. As a result of this reform, it was possible to put an end to the economic fragmentation of Russia. This was a bold step at that time. In France, for example, internal customs ceased to exist only during the revolution of the late 18th century, and in Germany - in the 30s. XIX century

Unknown Russian artist of the 2nd half of the 18th century. Portrait of Tsarevna Elizaveta Petrovna

Elizabeth significantly expanded the rights and liberties of the nobles. In particular, she abolished Peter I's law on minors, according to which nobles had to begin military service from a young age as soldiers. Under Elizabeth, children were enrolled in the corresponding regiments from birth. Thus, at the age of ten, these youths, without knowing the service, became sergeants, and were already 16-17-year-old captains in the regiment. During the reign of Elizaveta Petrovna, favorable conditions developed for the development of Russian culture, especially science and education.

Taras Shevchenko Empress Elizaveta Petrovna and Suvorov (engraving). 1850s

The Academy of Sciences participated in organizing geographical expeditions to Far East for the purpose of a detailed study of the northeastern borders of the Russian Empire. In the middle of the 18th century. a four-volume work by naturalist I. G. Gmelin “Flora of Siberia” appeared with a description of 1,200 plants and the first ethnographic work in Russia “Description of the Land of Kamchatka”, written by S. P. Krasheninnikov

The decree of 1744 “On the unification of schools in the provinces into one place and the education in them of all ranks of people...” facilitated access to schools for children from unprivileged sections of the population. In the 40-50s. to the first gymnasium in St. Petersburg that existed since 1726, two more were added - at Moscow University (1755) and in Kazan (1758). In 1752, the Navigation School, founded by Peter I, was reorganized into the Naval Gentry Cadet Corps, where officers of the Russian Navy were trained. January 25, 1755

University of Moscow

Elizabeth signed a decree establishing Moscow University. The spread of university education in Russia was the cherished dream of the Russian scientist and educator M. V. Lomonosov. Having won over Vice-Chancellor M.I. Vorontsov and the even more influential favorite I.I. Shuvalov to his side, Lomonosov drew up a project for opening a university in Moscow. Along with this event is the establishment in 1756 of the Russian professional theater by Fyodor Volkov and Alexander Sumarokov, and in 1758 - the Academy of Arts.

Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov in 1760, portrait by brush Fyodor Rokotov. State Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg)

Architect A.F. Kokorinov, director and first rector of the Academy of Arts, 1769. Portrait of the work D. G. Levitsky

Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov

The emergence of interest in fine arts in Russian society during the time of Elizabeth Petrovna is directly related to the empress’s own passion for them. One might say that professional theatre, opera, ballet, and choral singing emerged from the walls of her palace. Even during the difficult years of Anna Ioannovna’s reign for young Elizabeth, many performances were staged at the crown princess’s “small court.” Her courtiers and singers took part in them. The plays were "on the topic of the day." In an allegorical form, they talked about the sad fate of the half-disgraced princess and the political situation in the country.

Heinrich Buchholz Portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in pearls. 1768

Elizabeth did not lose interest in the theater even as an empress. She enjoyed the performances, even if she saw them more than once. Especially popular in Russia in the mid-18th century. there were plays by A.P. Sumarokov. Not only celebrations and holidays, but also the usual feasts of Elizabeth Petrovna were necessarily accompanied by the playing of an orchestra and the singing of court musicians. As the famous historian E.V. Anisimov writes, “in Elizabethan times, music became an integral and indispensable part” of the life of the palace and the St. Petersburg nobility." The imperial orchestra of highly professional Italian and German musicians performed works by Western European composers. Concerts were also given, originally intended for the court society , they later became public. Citizens could also attend them. At these concerts, Russian listeners became acquainted with the harp, mandolin, and guitar

View of Anichkov Palace

Italian opera flourished at court. No expense was spared in organizing the performances. These were majestic performances with ballet numbers and recitations that made an indelible impression on the audience. Along with Italian musicians and artists, young Russian singers also took part in the performances. Their performance of difficult Italian arias delighted the audience. Russian dancers began to appear more and more often in ballet productions. This is how the foundations of Russian national opera and ballet were laid.