Biography of Prince Gregory

Catherine II, among the many favorites of Catherine II, fleetingly caressed by the monarch of mercy and who could not stand on the political Olympus, he is the only one who for more than fifteen years had a huge impact on the solution of the most important state problems - military, diplomatic, economic. More than once, contemporaries prophesied the fall of the famous favorite and were mistaken every time: the correspondence of G.

Potemkin and Catherine II, up to his death, provides convincing evidence of the prince’s active participation in the discussion of state problems. Many historians conceived about the reasons for his power and influence, in different ways evaluating the fruits of the activity of the Most Holy Prince. Some of them are convinced of the existence of the Morganatic marriage of the Empress and G.

Potemkin, others noted his brilliant abilities. The historical sources of that time themselves contain numerous legendary and inaccurate information about the prince, sometimes dating back to the pen of his ill -wishers. G. Potemkin was born in the city of the boy early lost his father and, together with his mother, moved to Moscow, where he was brought up in the house of a distant Moscow relative of the president of the chamber college of the city After studying at a private boarding house, the young Potemkin entered the city for his successes and talents was awarded a gold medal and, among the 12 best students, was represented by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.

However, already in the city of Potemkin decided to devote himself to a military career. Back in the city, after expulsion from the University, Potemkin appears as a guards already in St. Petersburg. In the city of the beginning of a military career and the track record, they were quite common for a young energetic, but poor nobleman. The situation changed during the Russian-Turkish war-gg.

Potemkin distinguished himself in battles near Khotin, at Fokshan, Ryaba Grave, with Large and Kagul; He earned the commendable review of the commander in chief of the Russian army P. Rumyantsev and the favor of the empress. Potemkin at Catherine II. From that time on, his brilliant career begins.

Potemkin was erected into the count dignity and was granted by a golden sword strewn with diamonds, awarded the St. Andrew's tape and the Order of St. George - the most honorable award given for military valor. Among its insignia is the Polish Order of the White Eagle and the Prussian Order of the Black Eagle, the Danish Order of the Elephant and the Swedish Order of Seraphim. Potemkin became the most influential person in Russia.

Catherine II did not give so much power as G. The most important state papers passed through the hands of the prince. However, the most of all, Potemkin was worried about the issues related to the strengthening of the southern borders of the Russian Empire and the transformation of Russia into a Black Sea power. No matter how the researchers evaluate the activities of the prince in this area, one cannot deny his significant contribution to the resolution of this problem.

According to the terms of the Kyuchuk-Kainardzhian world, Russia received Kerch, Enikale, Kinburn, the rights of trade on the Black Sea and the passage of Russian trading ships to the Mediterranean Sea, the construction of ports on the Black Sea coast. Crimea became independent of the Ottoman Empire. However, Russia understood that Türkiye, having recovered from the consequences of the war, would try to return the lost positions.

It was necessary in the shortest possible time to strengthen the new southern border in the North Caucasus, providing the protection of lands that have gone to Russia. From now on, the border began to pass from the mouth of Terek to Mozdok and further to the north-west to Azov. At the same time, the new border had fortresses and troops only on a segment from Kizlyar to Mozdok, while the rest of the five -university space remained unprotected and open to the raids of the Caucasian tribes provoked by Turkey.

G. Potemkin, with all his inherent energy, was to create new powerful outposts, G. Potemkin began to build a fortified line. By his order, the border from Mozdok to Azov was examined and a project of a defensive line of 10 fortresses, a number of gearboxes and outposts was drawn up. Catherine II approved the report of G. Potemkin "On the establishment of a line from Mozdok to Azov." These documents laid the foundation for G.

Potemkin’s defense of the fortresses under construction in the Khopers and Volga Cossacks, who were exiled to the Caucasus for participating in a peasant war under the leadership of E. as soon as possible in his messages to Ekaterina II, the brightest prince rightly emphasized the important strategic significance of the Azovo-Mozdok line, which would hold the “aspirations” Caucasian tribes subject to him from an attack on “our lands” and “reinforce the action of our troops in Crimea and other places”.

Dulak Sultan tried to destroy the already erected by the Alexander and Stavropol fortresses, but his attacks were unsuccessful. Subsequently, the Azovo-Mozdok line lost its defensive significance, since half a century later new fortifications were erected south and west of it. Potemkin was clearly aware of the economic role of the fortified line, which opened “access to ores and minerals” in the Caucasus, as well as the prospects for economic development of the region.In this regard, the prince proposed to establish grape, silk and paper factories here.

In the future, the Azovo-Mozdok line acquired the value of an important transit and trading path, along it there was a postal tract Cherkassk-Stavropol-Mozdok. The creation of the Azovo-Mozdok line was only an integral part of the baking activity of G. Potemkin to strengthen the southern borders of Russia. His most important merits include: the accession of Crimea, the rapid creation of the Black Sea Fleet, the economic development of the Northern Black Sea region.

In May, the prince’s plans were distinguished by grandeur, however, not always feasible, and activity is multifaceted: the invitation of colonists, the laying of cities, the breeding of forests, gardens and vineyards, the establishment of schools and printing houses, the construction of ship shipyards and ships, the recruitment of experienced specialists and the development of shipbuilding programs was carried out with proper scope, the funds, efforts and people were not spired.

Potemkin proves the need to join Crimea to Russia, without which, in his opinion, free navigation is impossible on the Black Sea. The Crimean Peninsula has always been used by Turkey as a bridgehead to attack Russia. The brightest prince perfectly understood that the fate of the northwest, the economic development of the Northern Black Sea region and the safety of the southern borders, which was being built in the south, depends on the solution of the “Crimean issue”.

This action allowed G. Potemkin to begin the development of the Akhtiyar bay, thereby solving one of the most difficult problems of the Black Sea Fleet - the question of the base for the deployment of its main forces. The foundation of the Akhtiyar harbor, with G. In addition to the city of Sevastopol, as a result of G. Potemkin, on the map of Russia on the banks of the Dnieper, cities such as Yekaterinoslav and Kherson appeared, which served as an important ship shipyard for the construction of the fleet.

At the mouth of the Ingul, when it fell into the southern bug, another shipwear in Russia was founded, which laid the foundation for G., a peculiar summary of the results of the administrative activity of the prince was the famous journey of Catherine II to Crimea in the city The appearance of the famous expression "Potemkin villages" is associated with it. The ill -wisher of the prince of the Saxon diplomat G.

Gelbig in his works wrote about the knotted from cardboard and the villages drawn on canvases, about solid theatrical decorations presented on the display of the Empress. Of course, the journey of Catherine II, surrounded by a magnificent and crowded retinue, which included foreign ambassadors and to which the Austrian Emperor and the Polish King joined, was furnished with special brilliance, cities and villages are decorated with flowers, garlands, arches.

However, the idea of ​​plywood unreal villages, of the meager results of the prince’s activity has long and rightly rejected by most researchers. It is no coincidence that Türkiye took the Empress’s journey to Crimea as a demonstration of the military power of Russia and demanded the return of Crimea, and the Black Sea Fleet issued the entire severity of naval battles in the new Russian-Turkish war-gg.

The name of the Greek Project is associated with the name of the prince, which provided for the expulsion of the Turks from Europe, the creation of the Greek Empire, led by the representative of the Romanov dynasty Konstantin Pavlovich - the grandson of Catherine II, the buffer state with the ancient name of the Danube principalities of Moldova and Wallachia. It is difficult to say who first formulated the idea of ​​a “Greek project”.

Many researchers consider its author a prominent statesman and diplomat A. Bezborodko, and not G., however, all the activities of the prince easily fit into the measures outlined by the Greek Project, although he believed that Russia in the city of Potemkin served as the president of the military collegium. In the Russo-Turkish war-gg. Potemkin introduced changes to uniforms, the daily everyday life of soldiers and officers, opposing the "dandelion": powder, pigtails, butter.

Assessing the prince’s activity as a commander, the researchers reasonably indicate a number of mistakes and miscalculations of G. Potemkin, in particular, his more than one -year “seat” near Ochakov, for which the prince was generously awarded. However, delaying the assault on which A. Suvorov insisted, led to significant human losses from frosts and diseases.

The last year of the life of G. Potemkin was G. in Yassy, ​​the Moldavian city, where negotiations with the Turks were held on the conclusion of peace, he was seriously ill. Potemkin died of fever. His body was buried in Kherson. Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin - undoubtedly, an outstanding state and politician. The nature is extraordinary and quite contradictory.