Count Razumovsky: biography. Count Alexei Razumovsky: facts from life

Count Razumovsky, whose biography is quite interesting, was born on the seventeenth of March one thousand seven hundred and ninth year in a farm near Chernigov in the family of a Ukrainian Cossack. This is an outstanding person who has come a long way from a simple shepherd to the imperial chambers of Elizabeth Petrovna.

Children's years of Alexei Grigorievich, or How to become a favorite

Read and write Alexey learned from a rural sexton. Having a beautiful voice, he often sang in the choir of a village church. And in one thousand seven hundred and thirty-first year, Colonel Vishnevsky, who was one of the courtiers of the Empress Anna Ioannovna, during his trip through the village was simply shocked by the vocal abilities of the boy. The colonel took him with him to Petersburg, where he began to sing in the choir of the palace chapel.

Not only talented was Count Razumovsky. Biography reports that Alexei was unusually beautiful. His external and vocal data simply captivated Elizaveta Petrovna. Since that time, his rapid rise began, which led him to the imperial court in one thousand seven hundred and thirty-two. In place of his beloved Prince Shubin Elizabeth takes the favorite Razumovsky. Soon he lost his beautiful voice, but was accepted to the position of a bandura player and practically supervised at the court of Elizabeth Petrovna.

Honors and titles presented by the Empress

Count Alexei Razumovsky played a significant role in the palace coup on the night of the twenty-fifth to the twenty-sixth of November one thousand seven hundred and forty-one, which led Elizaveta Petrovna to the throne. And already on November 30 he was appointed chamberlain with the rank of Lieutenant-General.

And the coronation was made by the marshal and the owner of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and Alexander Nevsky. Moreover, Count Alexei Razumovsky was awarded numerous estates in Moscow and other places. There is a suggestion that he even secretly married Elizaveta Petrovna in the village church Perovo in the autumn of one thousand seven hundred and forty-two. It even brought him the nickname "Emperor of the Night".

High position at the court of the Empress

At one thousand seven hundred and forty-five, Alexei Grigorievich became a lieutenant-captain of the Life Guards, and three years later he was already a lieutenant colonel. Meanwhile, in spite of all the honors given him by the empress, this person remains very friendly and unsophisticated.

Count Razumovsky, whose biography reports that at that time he not only possessed boundless power in the state, but also became the richest man, was nevertheless very modest and pious. Always tried to stay away from intrigue and big politics. He was very cheerful and good-natured. And many used these qualities. Guests without embarrassment robbed him, coming to him, or frankly cheated, playing with him in cards. Such is the Russian people.

On the fifth of September, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-six, Count Razumovsky, whose biography interests many contemporaries, was promoted to the rank of general-field marshal. During the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, he had an exceptional position at the court, despite the fact that subsequently the empress brought her favorite favorite - Ivan Shuvalov. In one thousand seven hundred and forty-fourth year the empress even visited the native village of Razumovsky, where she met with members of the family of Alexei Grigorievich.

Caring for the interests of the family, or Assigning a younger brother

Razumovsky's chambers in the Summer Palace directly adjoined the chambers of Elizabeth Petrovna, and the Count had constant access to them. Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky, the earl, was absolutely not interested in politics. Nevertheless, Chancellor Aleksei Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin often supported him. So, on the advice of the latter, the Ukrainian hetman was restored. And his younger brother, Count Cyril Razumovsky, moved to Glukhov, where he was elected and appointed hetman in one thousand seven hundred and fiftieth year.

Thanks to his brother Alexei Grigoryevich, he was previously sent to study at the University of Berlin. The Empress awarded him the title of Count in one thousand seven hundred and forty-six. At the age of eighteen, he was appointed president of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Then he becomes a lieutenant colonel in the Izmailovo Imperial Guard, and a few months later - a senator and adjutant-general.

Legends about the descendants of Alexei Grigorievich

There are many different legends that tell about possible children from the marriage of Alexei Grigorievich and Elizabeth the Great. The most famous are the two princesses of Tarakanovs. One of them became a nun under the name of Dositheus. She died in one thousand eight hundred and ten years and was buried in the family crypt of the Romanovs. And another princess Tarakanova was arrested in Livorno, then died in the Peter and Paul Fortress from tuberculosis.

However, none of these legends about the children of Razumovsky and the Empress has been documented. Children were only at Cyril, who had five daughters and six sons. One of them, Count Alexei Kirillovich Razumovsky, became Minister of Education and a famous botanist, Andrei became a fine diplomat, the Count's daughters were very famous for the maid of honor and were perfectly arranged in marriages.

Later years, or Not long before the death of Elizabeth Petrovna

Before her death, the Empress succeeded Peter III and took from him the word not to offend her favorites. In one thousand seven hundred and sixty-second year, Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky decides to resign. He moved from the Winter Palace to Anichkov, which was given to him by Elizaveta Petrovna.

After the death of the Empress at the request of Catherine II, Aleksey Grigorievich destroyed all the documents evidencing the marriage with Elizabeth. And on the sixth of July, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-one, Razumovsky himself died. The Count was buried in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

A well-known monument of architecture in the city on the Neva

As the memory of this family on the embankment of Moika stands the palace of Count Razumovsky. This is one of the few mansions left over from the eighteenth century in St. Petersburg. He is one of the best estates of the city. Work on the construction of the palace lasted about four years. The front part was separated from the embankment by a high stone fence with a monumental gate in the center.

The main facade of the building strictly symmetrically includes many carefully traced bas-reliefs. The palace of Razumovsky was known for its numerous balls and masquerades. The Count arranged here days of alms during the state holidays and accepted more than two thousand people.

The further fate of the palace Razumovsky

At the end of the eighteenth century, the palace was bought out by the state treasury and began to be used as an educational home for the care of disadvantaged children - orphans, foundlings or invalids. In one thousand nine hundred and eighteenth year in this building the first pedagogical institute was located in the Russian state. And already in the twenties it was renamed in honor of the social critic and political philosopher Alexander Herzen.

In one thousand nine hundred and sixty-first year a monument to Konstantin Dmitrievich Ushinsky, recognized founder of pedagogical science in Russia, was erected in the courtyard. It is located in front of the main entrance to the Institute, and now the university. The building was subjected to several internal reconstructions. Therefore, none of the original interiors have survived.

Another architectural monument, or Razumovsky's Residence

Unbelievably beautiful and the manor of Count Razumovsky. This wooden building was built specially for Alexei Grigorievich. The central part of it is built of wood, and the side wings, which have two floors, are already built of bricks. This unique masterpiece of manor construction was not damaged even during the one thousand eight hundred and twelve year, when Moscow was burnt by the invasion of Napoleon.

In one thousand nine hundred and eighteenth year in the estate was founded the Institute of Physical Culture. The unique structure on Lenin's order began to undergo reconstruction, the ponds were covered, and in their place were sports grounds or stadiums. Already in modern times the estate was transferred to the Academy of Arts named after Tsereteli. Soon there was a fire, which significantly damaged the main building.