Paul I is the unloved offspring of the Romanovs, rejected by contemporaries and misunderstood by historians. His biography tells about 46 years of life, filled with insults and humiliations, of which 4 years fell on his reign.
Childhood and youth
Pavel Romanov - the son of Catherine II and Peter III was born on October 1, 1754. The first-born in the Romanov family appeared after 10 years of unsuccessful attempts to conceive an heir. There were even rumors at the court that the real father of the child was Ekaterina Alekseevna's lover, but in the imperial family they preferred to ignore these gossip.
Since the birth of Pavel Romanov, countless nannies and mentors have surrounded him, and he has never been able to get attention and love from his parents. In addition, the education of the heir zealously took up his grandmother, the current Empress Elizabeth II. She hoped to make Paul her successor, so she isolated the child from communication with both parents and peers.
The ban on communication over time met the expectations of Elizabeth Petrovna: the parents really moved away from their son. Peter III doubted his paternity, and Catherine II was absorbed in thoughts of how to take the throne herself. Her dislike of her husband gradually shifted to the attitude towards the child.
By decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the prince was to receive the best education. He was taught painting, fencing, dancing and all kinds of sciences, including astronomy. The boy knew several foreign languages, but the circle of his communication consisted exclusively of teachers. He grew up withdrawn and insecure; he had no friends.
As a teenager, Paul became interested in martial art, and he was very successful in this. Perhaps this was his only favorite pastime.
Change of emperors
Russian emperors ruling in the second half of the 18th century:
- December 1741 - December 1761 Elizabeth II;
- December 1761 - June 1762 Peter III;
- June 1762 - November 1796 Catherine II.
After the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, the throne was taken by the father of Paul I - Peter III. However, this rule was short-lived.
In 1762, as a result of the conspiracy, Peter III was overthrown from the throne, and his wife, Ekaterina Alekseevna, took the imperial place. Thanks to the fact that the rightful heir to Pavel at that time was only 8 years old, Catherine became regent. By law, she was supposed to rule the country until the age of majority of her son, but in the end she stayed in power for 34 years.
When Pavel grew up, the Empress appointed him Admiral General of the Russian Navy, but at the court no one considered the opinion of the Tsarevich. The empress did not allow her son to enter the Imperial Council or the Senate.
Personal life of Pavel Romanov
The first marriage of Paul took place in September 1773 on the Prussian princess Wilhemine, who was named Princess Natalya Alekseevna. The marriage was unhappy: the imperious wife despised the prince and cheated on him with Count Razumovsky, whom Paul considered his friend. After three years of marriage, the princess died in childbirth, and Catherine II, wanting to console her son, spoke about the betrayal of his wife. Paul was very upset by these events.
However, in the same 1776, a chance acquaintance turned his life upside down. In Prussia, he fell in love with the young princess Sofia-Dorothea, the girl answered him with mutual feelings. Their marriage was impulsive, but the union was happy and lasting. In Russia, the wife was named Maria Fedorovna, and she gave birth to her chosen one 10 children. The eldest son of Paul, Alexander, the empress planned to make her successor, but death violated her plans.
