“Memoirs of Catherine ‘the Great’ II of Russia” As Written in Her Own Hand – Ch. 15
Commonplace Book – Pages: 155-156
“Memoirs of Catherine the Great” – Chapter 15: The Clouds Gather (1758-1759)
- End of April: Court goes to Oranienbaum. Prince Charles of Saxony joins the Russian Army as a volunteer. He leaves July 4.
- Catherine arranges a feast for the Grand Duke. She has a chariot built by Antonio Rinaldi which can hold an orchestra of 60 men. The Court poet arranges the verses and Araja, the music. The feast is held on July 17, and the chariot pulled by 20 oxen. Everyone dances until 6:00 am.
- August 14, 1758: The Battle of Zorndorf. “One of the bloodiest routs of the century, as each side lost more than 20,000 men, killed or missing.” (The Russians are thrown back to the Polish frontier.) More than 1,200 officers are lost. General Fermor is replaced by Count Peter Saltikov to command the Army in Prussia.
- September, 1758: The Empress is walking to the parish church from the Palace of Tsarkoe Selo, when she falls unconscious. She is given a blood-letting by the surgeon on the spot but doesn’t wake up. The doctor, a Greek named Condoidis, is late to arrive. The surgeon’s name was Fousadier, a French emigre. Two hours later she awakens, but recognizes no one and is unintelligible.
- September: Catherine is heavily pregnant, therefore the Grand Duke must lead all balls and ceremonies. The father of the child is Poniatovski.
- October: She receives news from the Great Chancellor, Count Bestujev, that the King of Poland is recalling Poniatovski. “Count Bestujev had serious altercations on that subject…he discovered that Vice Chancellor, Count Worontsov and Ivan Shuvalov conspired in this manner.”
- December 8, 9: Catherine begins her labor pains. Shuvalov brings the Empress and Mme Vladislavov convinces the Grand Duke to leave. This is around 2:00 am, she sleeps till morning and then at supper she goes into confinement. 10pm-11pm she gives birth to a girl and the Empress names her Anna Petrovna, after the Grand Duke’s mother.
- On the sixth day the child is baptized, Catherine and the Grand Duke receive 60,000 rubles each.
- January 1, 1759: Peter Shuvalov, as Grand Master of the Artillery, asks for Catherine’s approval for the firework display.
- Towards the end of carnival, Count Alexander Stroganov marries Countess Anna Worontsov; Leon Naryshkine marries Mlle Zakrevski; Count Burturline marries Countess Marie Worontsov.
- Count Bestujev is arrested because of the Shuvalovs and Michel Worontsov, “who are egged on by Count Esterhazy and the Marquis de l’Hopital. They think he is more inclined for an alliance with England. He’s relieved of “all his decorations and rank…and sent back to his house a prisoner.” A Bernadi, Jelagine and Adadurov are also arrested.
- Bernadi: A jeweller; Italian; high intelligencer; carries and secures many messages
- Jelagine: Former A.D.C. to the Great Master of the Hunt, Count Rasumovski; loyal; honest; a friend to Poniatovski
- Adadurov: loyal; once taught Catherine Russian; two or three years before had been in the service of Nikita Trubetskoi, the Public Prosecutor.
- The judges at his trial are Marshal Buturline, the Attorney-General; Prince Trubetskoi, General Count Alexander Shuvalov and Wokov as secretary. Bestujev is charged only with “lese majeste”, that he tried to cause discord between the Empress and Their Imperial Highnesses. Meanwhile Count Poniatovski is asked to be recalled.
