Biography of Princess Dashkova

Ekaterina Dashkova-Stats-Dama, who enlightened Russia, “steer” the country most of the century, but in the political arena of the country there was another lady-the personification of the enlightened century, Princess Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova. As you know, the Vorontsovs are one of the most ancient noble families of Russia. Father-Count Roman Illarionovich Vorontsov-rose to the general-general and senator, and the mother, Martha Ivanovna Surmina, was the owner of the largest state, a friend of Elizabeth Petrovna, who even helped with money until she became an empress.

Daughter Catherine at the couple of Vorontsov was born on March 28 of the year. However, the family idyll ended with the death of his mother, and the four -year -old girl was taken to educate the uncle’s family, Mikhail Illarionovich Vorontsov, the future chancellor of the Russian Empire. Dashkova later recalled that her true upbringing began in the village, where she, sick with measles, was sent.

A huge library was in the suburban estate, and young Katya was addicted to reading. It should be noted that this passion remained with her for life. In this estate, uncles often gathered diplomats, writers and politicians, and young Countess Vorontsova actively participated in conversations with them. It turned out that the love of reading was the beginning of friendship with the wife of the heir to the throne by Princess Fica, the future Catherine II.

An accomplice in the year Summer Catherine is getting married. Her husband was Prince Mikhail Ivanovich Dashkov, with whom she left for Moscow. They returned to the metropolitan St. Petersburg after the birth of children. Here were represented to the court of the heir, and then Emperor Peter III. Friendship and trust in the two Catherine resumed. During the coup on June 28, Dashkova was among those who supported Catherine II.

That night, summer Ekaterina Romanovna, together with Ekaterina Alekseevna in the uniforms of the Preobrazhensky regiment, jumped with the guards in Peterhof. The adventure with the coup was successful, and the country received a new empress. Ekaterina Dashkova turned out to be caressed by her, received 24 thousand rubles, the Order of St. Catherine and the title of Stats-Dama.

They say that she also received some lands, which, however, did not possess special value, were poor and unpromising. Ekaterina Dashkova had to invest in these lands. Taxes were canceled, grain and cattle were purchased. A few years later, these areas were no worse than others, which grieved Catherine II great. At some point, the relationship of two Catherine was cracking.

Historians believe that Dashkova did not like the favorite of Catherine II Grigory Orlov too much, there is also the opinion that the Empress believed that her friend was too exaggerating in the revolution. Dashkova understood that in the event of a failure, the death penalty would expect her, and the eldest Catherine would graduate from her life in the monastery. Dashkova had a decisive and not very balanced character, which easily tuned many against herself.

The Empress herself called her ex-friend "Boy-Baba." And only when Orlov replaced Grigory Potemkin, the reigning Catherine began to behave more friendly. Dashkova was allowed to go with her children abroad by this time Ekaterina Romanovna had already buried her husband. The trip was very productive. Abroad, she met and made friends with Rousseau, Voltaire, Didro and the Austrian Chancellor Kaunitsa.

And Dashkova also managed to inspect various manufactories, cathedrals, museums and theaters of the cities that she visited. In the year, she returned to her homeland, but in the Russian capital did not linger, a year later the princess left for Moscow. In Moscow, the princess is engaged in farm, raising children, and also writes and translates the works of great enlighteners. At the head of Russian science, in the year, Dashkova again goes abroad.

This time the trip will last seven years. She set the task very noble to give children a good education. While the son was studying at the University of Edinburgh, the princess continued to travel around England, Holland, Belgium, France, Italy. Among her friends were physicist D. Blake, the famous economist Adam Smith, historians W. Robertson and A. About all her observations and acquaintances Dashkov informed the empress, and in the year she was invited to Petersburg.

The meeting of the two Catherine was warm, and the princess received as a gift the estate and houses in both capitals, and her son was offered a prestigious position. A year later, she is appointed president of the Imperial Russian Academy. Here her excellent administrator abilities came in handy. After the death of M. Lomonosov at the Academy, a lot began to decline, but the determination of the princess helped to rectify things.

Dashkova dealt a decisive blow to bureaucratic order. One of her important orders stated that scientists of the Academy should not report the results of their research abroad until they are reported in Russia. It was with her that the release of the first popular science magazine was organized, the “Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language” was published, and the translations of the best works of foreign literature appeared.After the French revolution, the attitude of the authorities to the printed word changes.

Alexander Radishchev fell under trial, and the princess’s brother, Alexander Vorontsov, who patronized Radishchev, was forced to resign. Ekaterina Romanovna, who is blamed for the publication of the poem “Vadim Novgorod”, also falls into disgrace. The uprising was not welcomed to poetize the uprising. The death of Catherine II fundamentally changes the life of the princess.

Pavel I cannot forget what role Ekaterina Dashkova played in the palace coup, and commands to send her into exile. Only under Alexander I, she returns to St. Petersburg, but is already trying not to visit the palace and not participate in the work of the Academy. She devotes her free time to writing memoirs. And despite attempts to smooth out many sharp corners, she understands that such a book in Russia cannot be published.

Indeed, the “Notes of the Princess Dashkova, nee Vorontsova” saw the light only after thirty years in London. They were published by A. Cover: Portrait of Princess Ekaterina Dashkova-Vorontsova, near G.