Count A. G. Razumovsky

Count Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky (Алексей Григорьевич Разумовский) (1709–1771), was a Ukrainian Cossack who rose to become lover and, probably, a secret spouse of the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. Count Alexey Razumovsky [[PD}} File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Count Alexey Razumovsky [[PD}} File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... // Events January 12 - Two-month freezing period begins in France - The coast of the Atlantic and Seine River freeze, crops fail and at least 24. ... 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV of Turkey. ... Empress Elizaveta Petrovna (1709-62) Yelizaveta Petrovna (Елизаве́та Петро́вна) (December 29, 1709 - January 5, 1762) was an Empress of Russia (1741 - 1762) who took the country into the War of Austrian succession (1740 - 1748) and the Seven Years War (1756-63). ...

Early life

He was born on March 17, 1709 (NS: March 28) on the farm Lemeshi of the Chernigov province in family of a registered Ukrainian Cossack, Hrihory Rozum. In his youth he was a shepherd; then he was taught to read and write by the rural sexton. Having a fine voice he sang in the choir at the village church. In 1731 one of empress Anna Ivanovna’s courtiers, while passing through the village, was wonder-struck with his vocal ability, and took away him to St. Petersburg where he joined the choir of the Ukrainian palace chapel. March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... // Events January 12 - Two-month freezing period begins in France - The coast of the Atlantic and Seine River freeze, crops fail and at least 24. ... March 28 is the 87th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (88th in Leap years). ... Chernihiv (Чернігів in Ukrainian) is an ancient city in northern Ukraine, the central city of Chernihivska oblast. Some common historical spellings of the name are Polish: Czernichów, and Russian: Чернигов, Chernigov. ... The Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV of Turkey. ... Events 10 Downing Street becomes the official residence of the United Kingdoms Prime Minister when Robert Walpole moves in. ... H.I.M. Anna Ioannovna, Empress and Autocrat of all the Russias, Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna (In Russian: Анна Иоанновна) (February 7, 1693 - October 28, 1740) reigned as Duchess of Courland from 1711 to 1730 and as Empress of Russia from 1730 to 1740. ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924), is a city located in Northwestern Russia on the delta of the river Neva at the east end of the Gulf of Finland...

The beauty and talent of Razumovsky captivated Elizabeth Petrovna who took him to the imperial court in 1732. Upon deportation of Elizabeth’s minion Aleksey Shubin, Razumovsky replaced him as tsesarevna's favorite. After losing his voice, he was accepted in the post of the court bandura player, and then the manager of one of her mansions. He received the rank of the hofquartermeister; and actually supervised Elizabeth's court. During the period of Anna Leopoldovna’s reign he was made a Kamer-Junker. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna (1709-62) Yelizaveta Petrovna (Елизаве́та Петро́вна) (December 29, 1709 - January 5, 1762) was an Empress of Russia (1741 - 1762) who took the country into the War of Austrian succession (1740 - 1748) and the Seven Years War (1756-63). ... Events February 23 - First performance of Handels Orlando, in London June 9 - James Oglethorpe is granted a royal charter for the colony of Georgia. ... A modern Cossack, Ostap Kindratchuk, playing the bandura in the streets of Poznan A bandura is a Ukrainian plucked-string instrument. ... Mansion near Almelo, The Netherlands A mansion is a large and stately dwelling house. ... Anna Leopoldovna (А́нна Леопо́льдовна) (1718 - 18 March 1746), also known as Anna Karlovna (А́нна Ка́рловна), regent of Russia for a few months (1740 - 1741) during the minority of her baby son Ivan, was the daughter of Catherine (sister of the empress Anne) and of Charles Leopold, duke of Mecklenburg_Schwerin. ... Junker (Юнкер in Russian, or yunker) has several meanings. ...

Night Emperor

Razumovsky played an important role in the palace revolution on November 25–26 (NS December 6–7) in 1741, which brought about Elizabeth Petrovna's accession to the throne. On November 30 (NS: December 11) he was accepted in the valid chamberlains as a general-lieutenant. On the coronation day (April 25 (NS: May 6) 1742) he was made a hofmarshal. Other honours bestowed on him included medals of St. Andrei Pervozvanny and St. Alexander Nevsky, as well as numerous estates in Moscow and elsewhere. November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Owned By Jorge. ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events April 10 - Austrian army attack troops of Frederick the Great at Mollwitz August 10 - Raja of Travancore defeats Dutch East India Company naval expedition at Battle of Colachel December 19 - Vitus Bering dies in his expedition east of Siberia December 25 - Anders Celsius develops his own thermometer scale Celsius... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days remaining, as the final day of November. ... December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... A coronation is a ceremony in which a monarch is adorned with a coronation crown as a symbol of monarchy. ... April 25 is the 115th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (116th in leap years). ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... // Events January 24 - Charles VII Albert becomes Holy Roman Emperor. ... Monument in Saint Petersburg Saint Alexander Nevsky   listen? (Александр Ярославич Невский in Russian) (May 30, 1220?–November 14, 1263) was the greatest leader of medieval Russia who helped to preserve its unique Orthodox identity during the time of incessant attacks from the West and the East. ... Moscow (Russian: Москва́, Moskva, IPA:   listen?) is the capital of Russia, located on the river Moskva. ...

Razumovsky's residences included the Anichkov Palace (above) at the Fontanka embankment and the Znamenka estate near Strelna

It has been speculated that he secretly married Elizabeth Petrovna in a rural church of Perovo (now a part of Moscow) in the autumn 1742. Two years later In 1744 he received the comital title (reichsgraf, рейхграф in Russian) from the Holy Roman emperor Charles VII; and he was made count in Russia the same year. In 1745 he became the captain-lieutenant of the life-guards, and in 1748 he became the lieutenant-colonel of life-guards. On September 5 (NS: September 16) 1756 he received the rank of Field Marshal. Anichkov Palace, St Petersburg in the 18th century This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Anichkov Palace, St Petersburg in the 18th century This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Fontanka near the Anichkov Bridge Fontanka (in Russian, Фонтанка) is the left branch of the river Neva, which flows through the whole of St. ... The Constantine Palace in 1921 Strelna (Russian: Стрельна) is a historic village situated about halfway between Saint Petersburg and Peterhof and overlooking the shore of the Gulf of Finland. ... Empress Elizaveta Petrovna (1709-62) Yelizaveta Petrovna (Елизаве́та Петро́вна) (December 29, 1709 - January 5, 1762) was an Empress of Russia (1741 - 1762) who took the country into the War of Austrian succession (1740 - 1748) and the Seven Years War (1756-63). ... // Events January 24 - Charles VII Albert becomes Holy Roman Emperor. ... // Events The third French and Indian War, known as King Georges War, breaks out at Port Royal, Nova Scotia The First Saudi State founded by Mohammed Ibn Saud Prague occupied by Prussian armies Ongoing events War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) Births February 6 - Pierre-Joseph Desault, French... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII Emperor Charles VII Albert (Brussels August 6, 1697 – January 20, 1745 in Munich), a member of the Wittelsbach family, was Holy Roman Emperor from January 24, 1742 until his death in 1745. ... A count is a nobleman in most European countries, equivalent in rank to a British earl, whose wife is still a countess (for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). ... // Events May 11 - War of Austrian Succession: Battle of Fontenoy - At Fontenoy, French forces defeat an Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian army including the Black Watch June 4 – Frederick the Great destroys Austrian army at Hohenfriedberg August 19 - Beginning of the 45 Jacobite Rising at Glenfinnan September 12 - Francis I is elected... September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years). ... September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years). ... 1756 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ...

During Elizabeth Petrovna's reign he kept an exclusive position at court (though in his last years he was rivalled by the younger Ivan Shuvalov); in 1744 the empress even visited his native village and made acquaintance with all his family. Razumovsky's apartments in the Summer Palace directly adjoined to Elizabeth's apartments, and he had constant access to her. Under his influence the court had a passion for music and singing. Despite his high position, he remained a simple, good-natured and cheerful person, for which he received general love and respect until the end of his life. // Events The third French and Indian War, known as King Georges War, breaks out at Port Royal, Nova Scotia The First Saudi State founded by Mohammed Ibn Saud Prague occupied by Prussian armies Ongoing events War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) Births February 6 - Pierre-Joseph Desault, French...

Razumovsky was not intested in politics, although he quite often supported chancellor Aleksei Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin. On his advice the office of Ukrainian hetman was restored; and his younger brother Kirill Razumovsky was made a hetman and president of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Count Aleksei Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin (Алексе́й Петро́вич Бесту́жев-Рю́мин) (1693 - 1768), Grand Chancellor of Russia, who was chiefly responsible for the Russian foreign policy during the reign of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. ... Hetman (from Czech: hejtman, German: Hauptmann, Old Slavonic vatamman, Turkish: Ataman) was the title of the second highest military commander (after the monarch) used in 15th to 18th century Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, known from 1569 to 1795 as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. ... Count Kirill Grigorievich Razumovsky, more correctly Rozumovsky, (1728-1803) was a Ukrainian Cossack who was appointed President of the Russian Academy of Sciences when he just turned 18 years old. ... Russian Academy of Sciences: main building Russian Academy of Sciences (Росси́йская Акаде́мия Нау́к) is the national academy of Russia. ...

Later Years and Posterity

Princess Tarakanova, in the Petropavlovsk Fortress at the Time of the Flood (1864, Tretyakov Gallery).

Before her death the empress made her successor Peter III promise not to offend her former favorites. In 1762 he submitted his resignation and moved from the Winter Palace to Anichkov Palace presented to him by Elizabeth. After Catherine II's accession to the throne he refused the title of highness that was offered to him. On the Empress' request he destroyed all documents about his marriage with Elizabeth. He died on July 6 (NS July 17) 1771 in St.Petersburg and was buried in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Alexandro-Nevskaya Lavra. Princess Tarakanova being engulfed by the flood in her prison cell (1864, Tretyakov Gallery). ... Princess Tarakanova being engulfed by the flood in her prison cell (1864, Tretyakov Gallery). ... Portrait of Pavel Tretyakov (1883) The State Tretyakov Gallery is the foremost depository of Russian fine art in the world. ... Portrait of Peter III by an uknown artist Peter III (February 21, 1728 - July 17, 1762) (Russian Пётр III Федорович (Pyotr III Fyodorovitch)) was Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762. ... Located on the bank of the Neva River, the Winter Palace in St. ... H.I.M. Yekaterina II Alexeyevna the Great, Empress and Autocrat of all the Russias Catherine II (Russian: , tr. ... July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924), is a city located in Northwestern Russia on the delta of the river Neva at the east end of the Gulf of Finland...

The question of Razumovsky and Elizabeth Petrovna's posterity remains open. About their postulated children there are many legends. The most known pretenders to this rank are two princesses Tarakanova, one of which (August) became a nun under name Dosifeya and was buried in the Romanov family crypt, and another (Elizabeth Tarakanova) who was arrested in Livorno by Aleksei Grigoryevich Orlov and delivered to Russia in February 1775. The House of Romanov (Рома́нов, pronounced Ro-MAH-nof), the second and last royal dynasty of Russia, which ruled Muscovy and the Russian Empire for five generations from 1613 to 1762. ... Livorno, sometimes in English Leghorn, (population 170,000) is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. ... Count Aleksey Grigoryevich Orlov (5 October 1737 (Sept 24 Old Style) _ 5 January Russian naval fleet in the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-74, which was used to instigate the Orlov Revolt. ... 1775 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The second Princess Tarakanova was imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress where she died from tuberculosis. The legend of her being drowned during the severe flooding 1777 served as the plot for a painting by artist Konstantine Flavitsky (1864, Tretyakov Gallery). The Peter and Paul Fortress (Петропавловская крепость) is in St. ... 1777 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Portrait of Pavel Tretyakov (1883) The State Tretyakov Gallery is the foremost depository of Russian fine art in the world. ...