Who killed Paul 1, the son of Catherine 2. Who and how killed Paul I
Russian Emperor Paul I (1754-1801) ascended the throne on November 6, 1796. He was killed by conspirators on the night of March 11-12, 1801. The causes of the conspiracy and death were a direct consequence of the complex, contradictory and unpredictable character of the autocrat. In such conditions, the court elite felt uncomfortable. None of the nobles could vouch for their tomorrow. Therefore, we can conclude that the conspirators were primarily motivated by a sense of self-preservation. They needed the assassination of Paul I to finally feel safe.
Paul's life before accession to the throne
It should be noted that the future emperor initially did not have a good relationship with his mother Catherine II. He was an unwanted child from an unloved husband. The matter was aggravated by the fact that the son did not at all resemble his mother, but his father’s features were clearly visible in him. Mother Empress once even mentioned that this was not her son at all. Allegedly, immediately after the birth of the child, they replaced it on Elizabeth’s personal order.
Such thoughts, of course, could not lead to anything good. The situation was also aggravated by the fact that Catherine the Great did not have a drop of blood from the House of Romanov in her veins. According to dynastic concepts, she had no right to the throne. Therefore, she had to transfer the crown to her son upon reaching adulthood. By the way, this was discussed in writing during the coronation on September 22, 1762.
Emperor Paul I
However, the Mother Empress subsequently destroyed this obligation. In 1783, the son was removed from the court and settled in Gatchina. There, having a good salary, he established his own rules, which were in no way reminiscent of those in St. Petersburg. The heir to the throne created his own Gatchina army, somewhat reminiscent of the amusing troops of Peter I. It should be noted that it was a disciplined, well-trained and combat-ready military unit.
The reason for his son’s removal to Gatchina was Paul’s meeting with his mother in May 1783. Catherine invited her son to her place to discuss foreign policy issues with him. In particular, they talked about Poland and Crimea. During the conversation, it became clear that the son held completely opposite views on the foreign course of the Russian state. As a result of this, the empress was once again convinced that there was nothing in common between her and the heir to the throne.
From that moment on, the reigning lady turned all her attention to her grandson Alexander. The boy was born in 1777 and, growing up, found himself between two fires. He had to please both his father and grandmother, which undoubtedly affected the character of the future emperor.
Catherine tried to marry her beloved grandson as quickly as possible. In 1793 they got married, and the boy began to be considered an adult. The queen did all this in order to pass the crown to her grandson, and not to her son.
Shortly before the death of the mother empress, everyone expected that she would issue a manifesto in which she would remove her son from inheriting the throne, and instead appoint Alexander as heir. But nothing of the kind was made public. There were rumors that His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Andreevich Bezborodko, who was close to the Empress, destroyed the will. Thus, he ensured Paul's accession to the throne.
Years of reign
The accession to the Russian throne took place on November 6, 1796, and the sovereign was crowned on April 5, 1797. The solemn event was timed to coincide with the first day of Easter. It is also notable for the fact that for the first time in the history of the Russian Empire, both the emperor and the empress were crowned at the same time.
From the first days of his reign, the emperor began to implement reforms. He introduced serious amendments to succession to the throne, eliminating women from inheriting the throne. Thus, according to the sovereign’s concepts, the likelihood of palace coups was minimized. But in this case, everything was based on the experience of the last century, when, as a result of palace intrigues, representatives of the fairer sex took power into their hands.
The sovereign tried to improve the situation of the peasants. He introduced a 3-day corvee per week. The rest of the time, peasants could work for themselves. It was forbidden by the highest authorities to separate families when selling peasants. State-owned peasants received the right to register as philistines and merchants.
Along with this, the emperor implemented a number of measures aimed at weakening the position of the nobility. The decree prohibiting the use of corporal punishment against nobles was repealed. They began to be flogged for drunkenness, official misconduct, and dissolute behavior. If a nobleman evaded military or civil service, he could now be brought to trial. The nobles were also deprived of the right to choose judicial bodies and assessors, as well as to submit complaints to the sovereign without the approval of the governor.
The king attached the greatest importance to strengthening discipline. This was especially true in the army, where the main focus was on drill. For the slightest violations and shortcomings, officers could be demoted to soldiers. This created a nervous situation in the troops. At the same time, the soldiers were allowed to complain about their commanders, which further aggravated the situation among the officers.
Regarding foreign policy, then God’s anointed began to focus on friendly relations with France, and not with England. The idea arose to create a coalition of united fleets. It was supposed to include countries such as Russia, France, Sweden and Denmark. This frightened the British, as there was a real threat to their supremacy at sea.
Preparations began for concluding a military alliance with Napoleon Bonaparte. A joint military campaign was planned in India, which was under the complete control of the British, which again caused a commotion on the shores of Foggy Albion.
Conspirators
The emperor's innovations and his unpredictability caused discontent in the highest circles of the empire. The sovereign ruined relations not only with the nobility, but also with the guard. For the slightest offense, officers of noble blood were mercilessly flogged. As a result of all this, a conspiracy arose.
His ideological inspiration was Nikita Petrovich Panin(1770-1837). A count by birth, he fell into disgrace because he was an ardent opponent of the treaty between Russia and France and gravitated towards the British. The Emperor forbade him to appear in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Therefore, the main conspirator did not take direct part in the murder of Paul I.
The second most important conspirator was Pyotr Alekseevich Palen(1745-1826). It was he who was the direct organizer of the conspiracy. He held the post of military governor of St. Petersburg. In 1800, the emperor removed him from his position, but 2 months later he was reappointed to the same post. After this, Pyotr Alekseevich realized the fragility of his position and became an ardent opponent of the sovereign.
The conspirators also included Osip Mikhailovich Deribas(1751-1800). It was he who, fulfilling the will of Catherine II, founded the city of Odessa. In addition, at one time he was involved in the case of Princess Tarakanova. At the beginning of 1997 he fell out of favor. Then everything seemed to improve, but in 1800 Deribas was removed from service due to embezzlement of government money. But soon the emperor showed mercy again. However, in December 1800, Osip Mikhailovich died. There is a version that he was poisoned by Peter Palen, because he feared that Deribas might reveal the conspiracy to the emperor.
Another leader of the conspirators is considered Platon Aleksandrovich Zubov(1767-1822). His Serene Highness the Prince and favorite of Catherine II, he fell into disgrace. His estates were taken away and he was sent abroad. It is quite natural that he became an ardent enemy of the emperor. True, in 1800 Zubov returned to Russia and received back the confiscated property. But hatred of the sovereign did not fade away from this.
The conspiracy also included the brother of Platon Alexandrovich Zubov Nikolay Alexandrovich(1763-1805) and Olga Alexandrovna Zherebtsova(1766-1849). She had a close relationship with the English ambassador Charles Whitworth. There is an assumption that England supplied the conspirators with money. All material issues were handled directly through Mrs. Zherebtsova. It was in her house that the conspirators gathered. A few days before the bloody denouement, the woman went abroad. And after the assassination of the emperor, she received a huge sum of money from the English government. This was a reward for all the conspirators, but Zherebtsova appropriated all the money for herself.
Many guards officers also took part in the conspiracy. In total, there were about 300 conspirators.
Mikhailovsky Castle from a bird's eye view
It was here that the assassination of Paul I was carried out by the conspirators
Chronology of the assassination of Paul I
The crime against God's anointed occurred in the Mikhailovsky Castle in the center of St. Petersburg. It was built on the site of the Summer Palace of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. It was in the Summer Palace that Paul was born. That is, it turns out that the autocrat was killed in the same place where he was born 46 and a half years ago.
On the evening of March 11, 1801, about 50 conspirators gathered near Palen. At first no one knew the purpose of the visit, but Platon Zubov addressed the audience. He declared that the emperor would be deposed that night. His son Alexander gave the sanction for this. It is he who is the legitimate ruler of Russia, since Catherine II from the very beginning wanted to transfer power to her grandson. When they asked what would need to be done with the deposed emperor, Zubov replied that he would be arrested and taken to Shlisselburg.
Half an hour before midnight, the conspirators headed to the Mikhailovsky Castle in 2 groups. One was headed by Peter Palen. With his men, he headed to the main entrance to the palace. Their task was to stop any unwanted accidents. For Palen this was not difficult, since he was the military governor of the capital and had the right to arrest anyone.
The second group was led by Platon Zubov. With his team, he moved to the Nativity Gate of the Mikhailovsky Palace. These people were supposed to arrest the emperor. They got inside and went up to the second floor, where the autocrat’s chambers were located. However, a large number of strangers caused noise in the palace. The soldiers guarding the palace heard him. But the serving people were reassured by the conspiratorial officers who were their commanders.
At one o'clock in the morning, that is, already on March 12, a dozen intruders found themselves near the royal rooms. A sentry was constantly on duty at the door of the sovereign's bedroom. History has preserved his surname. It was a certain Agapeev. Nikolai Zubov crept up behind him and hit him on the head with a saber. The sentry fell to the floor and lost consciousness.
The conspirators tried to open the bedroom door, but it was locked from the inside. However, the fuss was heard by the emperor’s roommate named Kirillov. He opened the door slightly to see what the noise was about. They immediately attacked him and struck him on the head several times. Fortunately, both Agapeev and Kirillov survived.
The Emperor's regimental adjutant, Argamakov, stepped forward. He had the right of access to the personal chambers of the autocrat and knocked on the last door that separated the attackers from their final goal. This time the valet responded to the knock. Argamakov said that it was already 6 am, and he came with a report to the emperor. The valet was very surprised, since he had just recently gone to bed, but he opened the door. The conspirators rushed at him, there were screams and noise.
Paul heard all this. He jumped out of bed and rushed around the room, and the intruders were already breaking into his chambers. The Emperor had no choice but to hide behind the curtain. According to another version, he dived into the fireplace and hid there.
The officers, of whom there were at least 12 people, burst into the imperial bedroom, but the bed was empty. The conspirators were gripped by a feeling of panic. They began to feverishly search the room and, to their unspeakable joy, found the sovereign hiding from them. He appeared before the heated people in a nightgown and boots.
Platon Zubov demanded that the emperor sign the abdication and show the autocrat the finished text. But he completely refused to do this. The Emperor grabbed the sheet of renunciation, crumpled it and threw it in Zubov’s face. The situation began to heat up. The officers suddenly clearly realized that even if Pavel signed everything now, then in the morning the loyal Gatchina regiments would liberate him, and their heads would roll from the scaffold.
Meanwhile, the autocrat tried to turn the situation around. He began to talk about legality, about justice, trying to draw those present into the dispute. But many of them were in a state of intoxication, since before the start of the rebellion they took it on their chests for courage. Nikolai Zubov was in a state of severe alcoholic intoxication. He was a physically strong man. A golden snuff-box came into his hand. With it he hit the emperor in the left temple. He collapsed on the floor and lost consciousness.
Everyone pounced on the man lying down and began to beat him. One of the conspirators, named Skaryatin, grabbed a scarf hanging near the sovereign’s bed. The emperor was strangled with this scarf. In terms of time, the murder of Paul I took place at approximately 1:40-1:50 am. Early in the morning, residents of the capital were familiarized with the manifesto. It said that the autocrat died of apoplexy or, in modern terms, of a stroke.
Conspirators and Paul I
Conclusion
The son of the murdered emperor, Alexander, knew about the conspiracy. But he never imagined that all this would result in the death of his parent. Having become Alexander I, the new ruler of Russia until the end of his life considered himself guilty of his father's death.
All participants in the conspiracy fell into disgrace. This was greatly facilitated by the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (1759-1828). Panin was sent to his estate, where he spent the remaining years of his life. Peter Palen was removed from the post of military governor, dismissed and exiled to the family estate without the right to leave it.
Platon Zubov lost all influence at court. They tried to get rid of him as quickly as possible and send him to permanent residence on the family estate. There Zubov very quickly became decrepit and at the age of 50 already looked like an old man. He was distinguished by incredible greed. Having a fortune of several million rubles, he wore cast-offs and counted every penny. Nikolai Zubov, who was the first to strike the emperor, found himself out of favor with Alexander I. This conspirator died suddenly in 1805.
As for the people, the nobles rejoiced when they learned of the death of the extravagant sovereign. The rest of the classes reacted to the sudden death of the emperor without any emotion. In general, it should be noted that the tragedy was quickly forgotten in an endless series of new historical events.
Pavel Petrovich Romanov, known as Emperor Paul I, ascended the throne in 1796 after the death of his mother, Catherine the Great. The new emperor, who had an extremely negative attitude towards both his mother and her entourage, saw his goal as implementing a state reorganization that would not leave any memories of the previous era. The extremely harsh methods of Paul I, the repression to which even the highest-ranking government officials, including members of the imperial family, were subjected, led to the fact that the position of the emperor himself became precarious.
He managed to turn almost the entire Russian elite against himself, including the guard officers who were the driving force behind all the palace coups of the 18th century.
In the summer of 1799, a group of conspirators began to form, hatching plans to remove the emperor from power and enthrone Paul’s eldest son, Alexandra.
The conspiracy was led by Vice-Chancellor Nikita Panin, Governor General of St. Petersburg Peter Palen, Catherine the Great's last favorite Platon Zubov along with brothers Nikolai and Valerian. The total number of persons involved in the conspiracy by the beginning of March 1801 ranged from 180 to 300 people.
Portrait of Nikita Petrovich Panin. Artist Jean Louis Veil. Source: Public Domain
Alexander gives the go-ahead
According to some reports, the conspirators were planning a plot for the so-called “Ides of March” when he was killed Dictator of Rome Julius Caesar. However, the plans were adjusted due to the fact that information about the preparation of the conspiracy became known to Paul I.
On March 9, the emperor summoned Palen and asked what he knew about the conspiracy. The Governor-General of St. Petersburg replied that he himself was a member of it, preparing to arrest the conspirators red-handed. Palen managed to calm the emperor, gaining some time to implement his plan.
Paul, suspecting those closest to him, ordered his own wife, as well as his eldest sons, to be kept under house arrest in the Mikhailovsky Castle. Alexandra And Constantine.
Immediately after the conversation with the emperor, Palen met with Alexander and informed him that Paul had signed a decree to bring members of the imperial family to trial. The head of the conspirators asks the heir to the throne to give the go-ahead to carry out the plan. After some hesitation, Alexander agrees, insisting that his father should not be harmed. Palen assures that no one is planning physical influence on Paul I.
Last oath
11 (March 23, new style), 4:00. The Emperor (as usual) wakes up early. After the morning toilet, he begins state affairs.
5:00 - 9:00. Paul I works in his office. Palen makes the traditional report to the emperor on international affairs.
9:00. The emperor, together with the heir to the throne, goes to “inspect the troops.”
10:00. Pavel is present at the parade ground. At the same time, Palen, who left the palace after the report, gathers the guard officers at his apartment, where he expresses to them the sovereign’s particular displeasure with their service and the threat to exile everyone. Those gathered “left with sorrowful faces and despondency in their hearts.”
11:00. The Emperor strolls on horseback with his pet valet Ivan Kutaisov.
13:00. Paul I dines at Mikhailovsky Castle with his entourage. At the same time, Palen sends out invitations to his dinner. Only those involved in the conspiracy are invited to the event.
15:00 - 17:00. The emperor swears in family members, with the exception of minors, “not to enter into any connection with the conspirators.” After the oath, Paul I is in excellent spirits and allows Alexander and Constantine to have dinner with him.
“What happens cannot be avoided”
21:00. The Emperor is having dinner at the Mikhailovsky Castle. Alexander and Konstantin and their wives are invited to dinner, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna; wife of the main conspirator, State Dame Palen and her daughter maid of honor Palen, Maid of Honor Protasova, maid of honor Kutuzova 2nd, State Lady of Rennes,State Lady Countess Lieven; Kutuzov, Stroganov, Naryshkin, Chief Chamberlain Count Sheremetev, equestrian Mukhanov, Senator Prince Yusupov.
21:30. Dinner is over. Before leaving, Pavel talks with Mikhail Kutuzov. Looking at himself in the mirror, the monarch remarks: “Look how funny the mirror is; I see myself in it with my neck on the side.” Leaving for his room, the emperor says: “What happens, cannot be avoided.”
22:00. Lunch at Platon Zubov's. The conspirators discuss their plan of action for the last time.
22:15. Paul I sends pages with letters and visits some posts in the Mikhailovsky Castle. After this, he closes the outer door. Who was at the door post at that moment sentry Agapeev later he would report that the emperor was praying at the icon in the hallway.
22:30. Life physician Grivet gives the emperor a lemon-mint tincture.
Mikhailovsky Castle. Parade under Emperor Paul I. Source: Public Domain
“To eat scrambled eggs, you must first break the eggs.”
22:00 − 22:30. Alerted, the 3rd battalion of the Semenovsky regiment, led by the heir to the throne Alexander, is sent to the Mikhailovsky Castle to replace the Preobrazhensky battalion, which occupied guard duty in the castle. This change is made under the pretext that the next day, March 12, Paul I will be early to watch the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Semenovtsy occupy all posts in the castle, except for the internal infantry guard, located near the hall, called the restroom, adjacent to the bedroom of Paul I.
22:00 - 23:00. Dinner at Palen's. Both the leaders of the conspiracy and ordinary participants from among the guards officers are present. The dinner is attended by 40-60 people, most of whom are intoxicated. Platon Zubov informs the rank-and-file participants in the coup that the emperor will be deposed that night. At the same time, he points out that Alexander gave permission for this, and Catherine the Great from the very beginning wanted to transfer the throne to her grandson. There is indecision among the conspirators when it comes to what to do with Paul after being removed from power. Palen remarks: “I remind you, gentlemen, that in order to eat scrambled eggs, you must first break the eggs.” It was tentatively decided to imprison the deposed emperor in Shlisselburg.
Portrait of Pyotr Alekseevich Palen. Unknown artist. Source: Public Domain
22:30 - 23:30. Paul I spends an hour in his room favorites of Anna Gagarina, going down the secret staircase to her. After this he returns to his bedroom.
"We've gone too far"
23:10 - 23:20. Having received a signal about the movement of the regiments, Palen suggests that the officers divide into two groups. The first is headed by Palen himself, the second by Platon Zubov and commander of the Izyum Light Horse Regiment Leonty Bennigsen. Both groups advance to Mikhailovsky Castle. The Zubov-Bennigsen column goes through Sadovaya to the Nativity Gate of the Mikhailovsky Castle. Another, led by Palen, through Nevsky Prospekt and the main entrance under the Resurrection Gate.
12 (March 24, new style), 0:00. The conspirators enter Mikhailovsky Castle. Sentinels at several posts try to raise the alarm, but high-ranking officers from among the participants in the conspiracy calm them down.
0:15 - 0:30. The conspirators approach the emperor's chambers. Platon Zubov hits sentry Agapeev on the back of the head with a saber. Then it is neutralized in the same way hussar Kirillov, who was on duty behind the first door of the imperial chambers. Both Agapeev and Kirillov will ultimately survive.
0:30. The Zubov-Bennigsen group finds itself in the chambers of Paul I. The emperor's lackeys make a noise, which puts Platon Zubov into a state of panic. He makes an attempt to leave the palace, but Bennigsen stops him: “How? You yourself brought us here and now you want to retreat? This is impossible, we have come too far to listen to your advice, which is leading us to destruction. The die has been cast, we must act. Forward".
Murder with extreme cruelty
0:30 - 0:45. The conspirators enter the emperor's bedroom. Pavel, hearing the noise, hides behind the fireplace screen. Platon Zubov, not finding the monarch, says in French in confusion: “The bird has flown away.” Bennigsen, keeping his cool, walked up to the bed, felt it with his hand and said: “The nest is warm - the bird is not far.” A minute later, the conspirators discover Pavel.
The assassination of Emperor Paul I, engraving from a French historical book, 1880s.
The nineteenth century in Russia began with the regicide. On the night of March 12, 1801, in St. Petersburg, in his own Mikhailovsky Castle, the Russian Emperor Paul I was beaten to death. At half past twelve in the morning, a group of 12 officers burst into the emperor’s chambers, as a result of the conflict that arose between them, the emperor was hit in the temple with a heavy gold snuffbox and was killed strangled with a scarf. The masterminds of this conspiracy were Peter Palen and Nikita Panin, and the group of direct executors of the palace coup (“drunken guards”) was led by Leonty Benningsen and Nikolai Zubov. They called the reason for the conspiracy dissatisfaction with the unpredictable policy pursued by Paul I. They were irritated by the disgrace and insults to which many of them had already been subjected, and others could be subjected to in the future. In fact, the conspirators wanted to replace the emperor with a more “compliant” one.
Later, other versions became widespread, among which the English trace can be singled out. Perhaps Great Britain, which was dissatisfied with the severance of relations between the countries and the alliance of Russia with Napoleon, directly financed the conspiracy and directed it through the English ambassador Whitworth. One way or another, until 1905, information about the events of the night of March 12, 1801 was under censorship ban. For more than 100 years in Russia, the official version of the emperor’s death was a natural cause: “death from apoplexy” (stroke). In connection with this, there was even a joke in society that Emperor Paul I died from an apoplectic blow to the temple with a snuff box.
It is worth noting that many Russian rulers were maligned by their contemporaries for trying to understand what exactly Russia's interests were and then trying to follow those interests. Emperor Paul I fits the role of such an undeservedly slandered person. His murder is considered by some to be one of the first attempts to organize “external control” of Russia with the help of the so-called “fifth column”, which solved its problem without limiting itself in the choice of means. At the same time, the regicide received such a “mass media” design that even after more than 200 years, the legend with which the members of the conspiracy framed their intention is still in circulation.
This legend is that Emperor Paul I was distinguished by “tyranny” and “tyranny”; it was also declared that the emperor was almost “insane.” According to available evidence, the emperor's character was indeed unsweetened. But it is unlikely that for the Russian nobility Paul I was worse than the governors, most officials and other administrative officials of the empire for his subordinates or the majority of landowners for their serfs. In confirmation of his “tyranny”, an example is often given with the reference of Suvorov. But for some reason they forget that the emperor himself soon admitted his mistake, which was the result of a hot temper. How many even of today's mid-level managers are able to admit they are wrong?
However, it was clearly not his hot temper and “tyranny” that became the reason for the conspiracy against the emperor; this conspiracy apparently had political overtones. Russia, since the time of Peter I, who actively invaded the politics of Europe, and during the reign of Catherine II, who had a very large weight in European politics, has not received any special dividends from this. Moreover, numerous English companies practically blocked Russian international trade, while small European electors and princelings, mainly from German lands, sought to gain new possessions on the blood of a simple Russian soldier.
This is exactly what happened during the 2nd anti-French coalition, which was created on the initiative of Great Britain. Participation in it did not bring Russia any benefit. The troops of Alexander Suvorov, actively operating in Italy, crossed the Alps and took part in a large number of battles. As a result, Napoleon lost all his Italian acquisitions, but Austria received all the benefits from this, which, among other things, did not fulfill its allied obligations.
Mikhailovsky Castle
The Russian-English expedition organized in Holland led to numerous casualties among the expeditionary force of General Herman. During the first attack on Bergen alone, Russian troops lost about 3 thousand people killed, and about 1 thousand British were also killed. At the same time, the British troops did not support the Russian units that had already taken the city, and they had to retreat. This subsequently led to disaster and the evacuation of the expeditionary force to Great Britain. There, the Russian allies were treated quite poorly, resulting in an increase in the number of casualties.
As a result of this campaign, England was able to receive the entire Dutch fleet, but Russia did not receive anything valuable. In addition, Great Britain captured Malta, which the Russian Emperor, who became the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, was going to use for his own purposes. Malta could become a Russian province, and in the future one of the bases of the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. The series of these events forced Paul I to leave the number of participants in the second coalition, pushing Russia to establish an alliance with Napoleon. Under these conditions, according to some researchers, including Rambaud, Hoffmann, and Lavissa, the formation of joint plans between Bonaparte and Paul for a military campaign in India began.
In those years, England was the recognized “mistress of the seas,” but she did not have land ties with her richest colony. At the same time, France and Russia did not have strong enough fleets to conduct active combat operations against England at sea, but at the same time they had the opportunity to create a land route to India, which would pass along the shores of the Caspian Sea and further through the territory of modern Afghanistan. The organization of such a path could significantly enrich the Russian empire, while simultaneously undermining the economy of England.
Assassination of Paul I, engraving
According to the researchers of the Indian Campaign, it was planned to use about 70 thousand soldiers in this expedition, members of 2 expeditionary forces - one Russian and one French. French soldiers were supposed to arrive in Russia via the Black Sea. They had to cross several southern provinces and meet Russian troops at the mouth of the Volga. Neither the local khans and emirs, nor the British themselves had the strength to resist such a large-scale invasion.
The military campaign of France and Russia against India, which was considered the richest colony of Great Britain and brought huge income to the English treasury, could not but worry London. It is known that the Russian emperor even managed to send a military expeditionary force to Central Asia, which was also within the sphere of interests of England, commanded by the ataman of the Don Army, Vasily Orlov. The very next day after the death of Paul I, this detachment of Cossacks was recalled back.
If we talk about the internal policy of Paul I, then it was dictated by a clear understanding of state benefit. In the first place here we can put 2 imperial decrees - the decree on the three-day corvee and the law on the imperial family and the order of succession to the throne. They were adopted on the same day - April 5, 1797.
The decree limiting the compulsory work of serfs for their landowner to 3 days a week was the first, albeit very clumsy, attempt to somehow limit serfdom. It is in this sense that its significance in domestic legislation is quite great. For almost half a century, the Russian government has not made equivalent attempts to limit the power of landowners over their serfs.
The law on the imperial family and succession to the throne was intended to eliminate any basis for palace coups that so often shook Russia in the 18th century. Ironically, the man who prepared this law himself became a victim of the conspirators. This law eliminated any free interpretation of the rights to supreme power in the country, establishing strict order in this matter. Legal scholars of the 19th century called this law the beginning of the Russian constitution, since this law limited the will of the autocrat in such an important issue as inheritance of the throne.
The law on succession to the throne and the decree on the three-day corvee show the remarkable abilities of the state thinking of Paul I. If we talk about some other orders of the emperor - limiting corporate self-government, restoring corporal punishment for eminent citizens and nobles, the only thing worthy of some regret is the fact that the emperor understood the equation of rights of their own subjects only as a reduction of the higher to the lower class, instead of gradually raising the lower strata to the level of the higher.
Although the murder of Emperor Paul I did not immediately return Russia to an alliance with England and a convenient policy of enmity with France, the ground was cut from under the feet of a possible mutually beneficial alliance between France and Russia. The course of the new Emperor Alexander I led the country first to the unnecessary wars of 1805 and 1807, and then to Napoleon himself to Moscow (although there was still a period after the conclusion of the Peace of Tilsit between the countries, when it seemed that it was still possible to somehow turn around -to another). As a result, for half a century Russia was absorbed in the tasks of building its ephemeral external greatness in Europe instead of dealing with its own problems of internal development. These were 50 years that Russia lost; already in the 1850-70s this was understood quite clearly.
Although, because of his father’s jokes on the topic “it’s unknown where his wife got her children from,” many consider the father of Paul I to be Ekaterina Alekseevna’s favorite, Sergei Saltykov. Moreover, the first-born was born only after 10 years of marriage. However, the external similarity between Paul and Peter should be considered as a response to such rumors. The childhood of the future autocrat cannot be called happy. Because of the political struggle, the current Empress Elizabeth I Petrovna was afraid for Paul the First, protected him from communication with his parents and surrounded him with a real army of nannies and teachers who curry favor with high-ranking officials rather than worry about the boy.
Pavel the First in childhood | Runiverse
The biography of Paul I claims that he received the best education that was possible at that time. The extensive library of Academician Korf was placed at his personal disposal. Teachers taught the heir to the throne not only the traditional Law of God, foreign languages, dancing and fencing, but also painting, as well as history, geography, arithmetic and even astronomy. It is interesting that none of the lessons included anything related to military affairs, but the inquisitive teenager himself became interested in this science and mastered it at a fairly high level.
Pavel the First in his youth | Arguments and facts
When Catherine II ascended the throne, she allegedly signed an obligation to transfer the reign to her son Paul I when he reached adulthood. This document has not reached us: perhaps the empress destroyed the paper, or maybe it is just a legend. But it was precisely such a statement that all the rebels dissatisfied with the rule of the “Iron German,” including Emelyan Pugachev, always referred to. In addition, there was talk that already on her deathbed, Elizaveta Petrovna was going to transfer the crown to her grandson Paul I, and not to her nephew Peter III, but the corresponding order was not made public and this decision did not affect the biography of Paul I.
Emperor
Paul the First sat on the throne of the Russian Empire only at the age of 42. Right during the coronation, he announced changes in the succession to the throne: now only men could rule Russia, and the crown was passed on only from father to son. By this, Paul unsuccessfully hoped to prevent the palace coups that had become more frequent recently. By the way, for the first time in history, the coronation procedure took place simultaneously for both the emperor and the empress on the same day.
The disgusting relationship with his mother led to the fact that Paul I chose the method of leading the country to actually contrast his decisions with its previous ones. As if “to spite” the memory of Ekaterina Alekseevna, Pavel the First returned freedom to convicted radicals, reformed the army and began to fight serfdom.
Pavel the First | Petersburg stories
But in reality, all these ideas did not lead to anything good. The liberation of the radicals would come back to haunt us many years later in the form of the Decembrist uprising, the reduction of the corvee remained only on paper, and the fight against corruption in the army grew into a series of repressions. Moreover, both the highest ranks, who one after another were deprived of their positions, and ordinary military personnel remained dissatisfied with the emperor. They grumbled about the new uniform, modeled on the Prussian army, which turned out to be incredibly uncomfortable. In foreign policy, Paul the First became famous for his fight against the ideas of the French Revolution. He introduced the strictest censorship in book publishing; French books and French fashion, including round hats, were banned.
Pavel the First | Wikipedia
During the reign of Paul the First, thanks to commander Alexander Suvorov and Vice Admiral Fyodor Ushakov, the Russian army and navy achieved many significant victories, collaborating with Prussian and Austrian troops. But later Paul I showed his fickle character, broke off relations with his allies and formed an alliance with Napoleon. It was in Bonaparte that the Russian emperor saw the force that could stop the anti-monarchist revolution. But he was mistaken strategically: Napoleon did not become a winner even after the death of Paul the First, but because of his decision and the economic blockade of Great Britain, Russia lost its largest sales market, which had a very significant impact on the standard of living in the Russian Empire.
Personal life
Officially, Pavel the First was married twice. His first wife, Grand Duchess Natalya Alekseevna, was by birth the German Princess Wilhelmina of Hesse-Darmstadt. She died two years after the wedding during childbirth. The first son of Paul I was born dead. That same year, the future emperor married again. The wife of Paul the First, Maria Feodorovna, was called Sophia Maria Dorothea of Württemberg before marriage, and she was destined to become the mother of two rulers at once, Alexander I and Nicholas I.
Princess Natalya Alekseevna, first wife of Paul I | Pinterest
It is interesting that this marriage was not just beneficial for the state, Pavel really fell in love with this girl. As he wrote to his family, “this blonde with a pleasant face captivated the widower.” In total, in union with Maria Feodorovna, the emperor had 10 children. In addition to the two above-mentioned autocrats, it is worth noting Mikhail Pavlovich, who founded the first Russian Artillery School in St. Petersburg. By the way, he is the only child born during the reign of Paul the First.
Paul I and Maria Feodorovna surrounded by children | Wikipedia
But falling in love with his wife did not stop Paul the First from following the generally accepted rules and having favorites. Two of them, maids of honor Sofya Ushakova and Mavra Yuryeva, even gave birth to illegitimate children from the emperor. It is also worth noting Ekaterina Nelidova, who had enormous influence on the emperor and it is believed that she tried to lead the country with the hands of her lover. The personal life of Paul I and Ekaterina Nelidova was more intellectual than carnal in nature. In it, the emperor realized his ideas of romantic chivalry.
Favorites of Paul I, Ekaterina Nelidova and Anna Lopukhina
When those close to the court realized how much the power of this woman had increased, they arranged a “replacement” for the favorite of Paul I. Anna Lopukhina became his new lady of the heart, and Nelidova was forced to retire to Lode Castle, in the territory of present-day Estonia. It is curious that Lopukhina was not happy with this state of affairs, she was burdened by the status of the mistress of the ruler Paul the First, his “knightly” manifestations of attention, and was annoyed that these relationships were being put on display.
Death
During the several years of Paul the First's reign, despite the change in succession, at least three conspiracies were organized against him, the last of which was successful. Almost a dozen officers, commanders of the most famous regiments, as well as government officials on the night of March 24, 1801 entered the emperor’s bedroom in the Mikhailovsky Castle and committed the murder of Paul I. The official cause of his death was apoplexy. It is worth noting that nobles and ordinary people greeted the news of death with poorly controlled glee.
Engraving "The Assassination of Emperor Paul I", 1880 | Wikipedia
The perception of Paul the First by subsequent generations is ambiguous. Some historians, especially during the reign of his successor Alexander I, and then in Soviet times, created the image of a tyrant and tyrant. Even the poet in his ode “Liberty” called him “a crowned villain.” Others try to emphasize Paul the First’s heightened sense of justice, calling him “the only romantic on the throne” and “the Russian Hamlet.” The Orthodox Church even at one time considered the possibility of canonizing this man. Today it is generally accepted that Paul the First does not fit into the system of any known ideology.
Coat of arms of Paul I
The last palace coup in Russia
On March 23, 1801, in the Mikhailovsky Castle at night in his own bedroom, Russian Emperor Paul I was strangled and beaten to death by drunken officers.
This is exactly how the last palace coup in Russian history took place.
Paul I, son of Catherine II and Peter III, was born on October 1, 1754 in St. Petersburg.
Emperor Peter III
Empress Catherine II
During his first years, Pavel grew up under the supervision of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.
Empress Elizaveta Petrovna
Pavel received a good education and was a capable, knowledge-seeking, romantically inclined boy with an open character, who sincerely believed in the ideals of goodness and justice.
Pavel received an excellent education in the spirit of the French enlightenment. He knew foreign languages, had knowledge of mathematics, history, and applied sciences. In 1758, Fyodor Dmitrievich Bekhteev was appointed his teacher, who immediately began teaching the boy to read and write. In June 1760, Nikita Ivanovich Panin was appointed chief chamberlain under Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, Pavel’s tutor and teacher of mathematics was Semyon Andreevich Poroshin, a former aide-de-camp of Peter III, and the teacher of the law (since 1763) was Archimandrite Platon, hieromonk of the Trinity. Sergius Lavra, later Moscow Metropolitan.
Initially, his relationship with his mother after her accession to the throne in 1762 was quite close. However, over time, their relationship deteriorated. Catherine was afraid of her son, who had more legal rights to the throne than herself. The Empress tried to prevent the Grand Duke from participating in discussions of state affairs, and he, in turn, began to evaluate his mother’s policies more and more critically.
Paul's rise to power in November 1796 was accompanied by the militarization of the life of the court and St. Petersburg as a whole. The new emperor immediately tried to erase everything that had been done during the 34 years of Catherine II’s reign, and this became one of the most important motives of his policy.
The emperor sought to replace the collegial principle of organizing management with an individual one. An important legislative act of Paul was the law on the order of succession to the throne, published in 1797, which was in force in Russia until 1917.
In the field of class politics, his main goal was to transform the Russian nobility into a disciplined, fully serving class. Paul's policy towards the peasantry was contradictory. During the four years of his reign, he gave away gifts to about 600 thousand serfs, sincerely believing that they would live better under the landowner.
In the army, Paul sought to introduce Prussian military order. He believed that the army is a machine and the main thing in it is the mechanical coherence of the troops and efficiency.
Initiative and independence are harmful and unacceptable.
Paul's desire for petty regulation also affected his intervention in the daily life of his subjects. Certain styles of clothing, hairstyles, and dances in which the emperor saw manifestations of freethinking were prohibited. Strict censorship was introduced and the import of books from abroad was prohibited.
Paul's policies, combined with his despotic character, unpredictability and eccentricity, caused discontent in various social strata. Soon after his accession, a conspiracy began to mature against him. According to various estimates, from 30 to 70 people took part in this conspiracy. The organizers of the coup, Count Palen and Prince Platon Zubov, Catherine's former favorite, had personal reasons to hate Paul.
Pyotr Alekseevich Palen
Platon Aleksandrovich Zubov
In general, the reason was that Paul’s accession led to a drastic breakdown of Catherine’s order, which caused discontent among many noble families.
According to one version, Pavel was killed by Nikolai Zubov, the older brother of Platon Zubov, who hit him with a golden snuffbox.
Nikolai Alexandrovich Zubov
A joke subsequently circulated at court: “The Emperor died of apoplexy with a blow to the temple with a snuff box.”
snuffbox
According to another version, Paul was strangled with a scarf or crushed by a group of conspirators who, leaning on the emperor and each other, did not know exactly what was happening.
Chronology March 11
- The king gets up between four and five in the morning and works from five to nine. Palen's morning report on international affairs.
- At 9 o'clock, Pavel, accompanied by the heir, goes to “inspect the troops.” At 10 o'clock - the usual parade ground.
parade ground
- Sablukov writes how Palen answers the emperor’s question about security measures: “Nothing else is required. Unless, Your Majesty, remove these Jacobins” (at the same time he pointed to the door behind which there was a guard from the Horse Guards) “and order this door (leading to the Empress’s bedroom) to be boarded up.” The ill-fated monarch did not fail to carry out both of these pieces of advice, as is known, “to his own destruction.”
- Velyaminov-Zernov: Having gathered the guard officers at his apartment (as often happened), Palen announced the sovereign’s particular displeasure with their service and a threat to exile everyone. “Everyone left with sad faces and despondency in their hearts. Everyone wanted change."
- From 11 o'clock Pavel goes for a ride on horseback with Kutaisov.
- The Emperor dines with his entourage at one o'clock in the afternoon. Palen, meanwhile, is sending out invitation cards to dinner at his place to insiders.
- Removal of the troops loyal to Paul: “at night, when the dawn had already broken, the Semenovsky 3rd battalion [its chief was Tsarevich Alexander] was ordered to dress; he was taken to the Mikhailovsky Castle to relieve the Preobrazhensky battalion, which was occupying guard duty in the castle. This change took place under the pretext that the next day, March 12, Paul I would be early to watch the Preobrazhensky Regiment. The Semyonovites occupied all the posts in the castle, except for the internal infantry guard, located near the hall called the restroom, adjacent to the bedroom of Paul I. This guard was left out of fear that the movement of the shift would not wake up the emperor.”
guard
- J.I. de Sanglen writes in his memoirs that on this day “Paul made the entire imperial family, with the exception of minors, swear an oath not to enter into any connection with the conspirators.”
Paul I with his family
- Afterwards, the emperor allowed his sons (who were under arrest) to have dinner with him. At 9 o'clock Pavel goes out for dinner. Invited: Alexander and Konstantin with their wives, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna; the wife of the main conspirator, State Lady Palen and her daughter, maid of honor Palen, maid of honor Protasova, 2nd lady-in-waiting Kutuzova, State Lady Renne, State Lady Countess Lieven; Kutuzov, Stroganov, Naryshkin, Chief Chamberlain Count Sheremetev, Master of Horse Mukhanov, Senator Prince Yusupov. At half past ten, dinner ended, and the sovereign went to his room, having the habit of going to bed at ten.
- Lunch at Platon Zubov's at 10 o'clock. Bennigsen: “From Palen I went to Prosecutor General Obolyaninov to say goodbye, from there at 10 o’clock I arrived to Zubov. I found with him only his brother, Count Nicholas, and three persons initiated into the secret. (...) Prince Zubov told me the agreed upon plan, saying that a coup would take place at midnight. My first question was: who is at the head of the conspiracy? When this person [the Tsarevich] was named to me, I did not hesitate to join the conspiracy.” According to another account of Bennigsen's story, there were not three people there, but thirty.
- At the eleventh hour, Paul sends pages with letters and goes around some posts in the Mikhailovsky Castle.
- The king closes the outer door; the guard soldier Agapeev will remember that the tsar prayed at the icon in the hallway.
- Life physician Grivet gives the emperor some drink
- Pavel spends an hour with his favorite Gagarina, going down a secret staircase to her.
Anna Petrovna Lopukhina (Gagarina)
- There he may also communicate with her husband, and also write an irritated note intended for the sick Lieven.
- The conspirators are having dinner at Palen's. He orders everyone to come in parade, in uniform, with ribbons and orders. “We found a room full of officers,” says Bennigsen, “they were having dinner with the general, and most of them were drunk.” “Everyone was at least excited by the champagne that Palen ordered to serve them (he forbade me to drink and did not drink it himself).” There were about 40-60 people there (who had gathered on tickets sent out by Palen). Platon Zubov, to whom his high position during his previous reign attaches special significance, announces to those gathered (conspirators from categories 2 and 3) about the true plans of the gathering - or rather, about the plan for the overthrow and arrest of the emperor, indicating that Alexander gave permission for this, and Catherine from the very I started wanting to pass the throne to my grandson. Sablukov writes: “At the end of the dinner, as they say, Palen seemed to say: “I remind you, gentlemen, that in order to eat scrambled eggs, you must first break the eggs.” Kozlovsky points out: “The conspirators asked Palen what to do with the emperor. To this he answered them with a French proverb: “When preparing an omelet, break the eggs.” It was previously decided to imprison him in Shlisselburg .
Shlisselburg fortress
The conspirators enter the castle
- Having received a signal about the movement of the regiments, Palen suggests that the officers divide into two groups. Velyaminov-Zernov writes: “Palen said: “For now, gentlemen, you need to split up - some will go with me, others with Prince Platon Alexandrovich. Separate yourself...” No one moved. “Ah, I understand,” said Palen and began to arrange them indiscriminately in turns, one to the right, one to the left, except for the generals. Then, turning to Zubov, he said: “These gentlemen will go with you, and the others with me; we will go into different rooms. Let's go." Everyone went to Mikhailovsky Castle.”
Mikhailovsky Castle
- Palen's group goes to the main entrance to the palace (this is an “official” group, with it there is a governor-general with the right to stop any accident, for example, to arrest any supporter of Paul “in the name of the law”), Zubov is assigned a strike group.
- The Zubov-Bennigsen column follows Captain Argamakov through Sadovaya to the Nativity Gate of the Mikhailovsky Castle. Another, led by Palen, across Nevsky Prospekt, through the main entrance under the Resurrection Gate. As a result, when approaching the second floor, the thinned group of killers is 10-12 people.
- 0:00. The conspirators enter the palace. They make noise, and the troops try to raise the alarm (2 alarms: Preobrazhenskaya, which is calmed by S. Marin, and Semenovskaya, calmed by K.M. Poltoratsky).
- The conspirators approach the royal rooms. “In the dark corridor, at the door of Paul I’s bedroom, there was an icon; Private Agapeev stood guard next to her. When the conspirators entered the corridor, one of them, namely Count Zubov, hit Agapeev on the back of the head with a saber so hard that he fell, bleeding profusely. Then they knocked on the bedroom door. The room hussar [Kirillov], having opened the door slightly to find out who was knocking, suffered the fate of Agapeev.” (Both victims survived).
- Argamakov, who had the right of free access to the palace as a regimental adjutant, knocked on the locked doors of the hallway. Having waited for the sleepy valet to answer, he told him that it was already six o’clock and it was time to report to the sovereign on the condition of the regiment. “It’s like six o’clock,” the valet objected, “it’s not even twelve yet, we just went to bed.” “You are mistaken,” answered Argamakov, “your watch has probably stopped, now it’s more than six o’clock. Because of you I will be put under arrest, unlock it quickly.” The deceived valet unlocked the door. According to another version, a fire was reported. At this moment, Platon Zubov begins to be afraid and tries to hide, but Benningsen stops him.
Leonty Leontievich Bennigsen
- Czartoryski writes: “...When screams raised by Paul’s chamberlains were heard in the palace, Zubov, who was walking at the head of the detachment, was confused and was about to hide, dragging others with him, but at that time General Bennigsen approached him and, grabbing him by the hand, said : "How? You yourself brought us here and now you want to retreat? This is impossible, we have come too far to listen to your advice, which is leading us to destruction. The die has been cast, we must act. Forward". I later heard these words from Bennigsen himself.”
- Pavel, hearing the noise, tried to escape through the doors that led to Maria Fedorovna's rooms. It was a sliding door that closed the secret staircase leading to his wife's chambers. But the doors turned out to be locked (according to another version, he himself ordered them to be sealed, having entered into a relationship with the actress).
- Then he rushed to the window and hid behind the curtain (option: behind the fireplace screen). “Paul jumped up, and if he had retained his presence of mind, he could easily have escaped; however, he could not do this through the Empress’s rooms, but he could have gone down to Gagarina and escaped from there. But apparently he was too frightened to think, and huddled in one of the corners of the small screens that blocked the simple, uncurtained bed on which he slept.” Eidelman points out that Palen knew about this staircase, and the emperor certainly would not have been saved.
- A. B. Lobanov-Rostovsky: “The officers who were in the conspiracy were placed in the corridors, at the doors, at the stairs for observation. So, I know that D.V. Arsenyev, who was then in the Preobrazhensky regiment... stood in the corridor with a pistol. Risking their heads, the conspirators, in all likelihood, decided not to allow the sovereign to either escape or raise alarms. (...) If Paul had the opportunity to escape from his rooms (...) then his life would inevitably be in great danger at every step, since the conspirators took possession of this half of the castle.”
The conspirators enter the bedroom
Nightgown of Paul I and a guards scarf (similar to the murder weapon).
Paul's slippers prove that he had small narrow feet
- 0:30: At half past midnight, 12 conspirators broke into the emperor's bedroom.
- Not finding the emperor in bed, the conspirators were confused. Platon Zubov said that the bird had flown away (“I’oiseau s’est envolé”), but “Bennigsen with satanic composure approached the bed, felt it with his hand and said: “The nest is warm, the bird is not far.” "". The room was searched and Pavel was found in a nightgown (according to another version, his boots gave him away).
- “They took him out from behind the fireplace, put him to bed and demanded that he sign his abdication of the throne. Pavel did not agree to this for a long time, but finally gave in to urgent demands.” “Paul did not answer anything; in the light of the lamp one could see all the confusion and horror that were expressed on his face. Bennigsen, without wasting time, made a thorough inspection of his rooms ... "
- Platon Zubov had left the room at that moment, some of the officers fell behind, others, frightened by distant screams in the palace, jumped out, and for some time Bennigsen was alone with Pavel (from 10 to 45 minutes, according to various sources). Then the room fills with people again: Bennigsen leaves and returns with the stragglers.
- A. Kotzebue writes: “Zubov takes an act of renunciation out of his pocket. Of course, no one would be surprised if at that moment, as many claimed, the sovereign was struck with an apoplexy. And indeed, he could barely speak the language and said very clearly: “No, no, I won’t sign.” “What have I done to you?” Mistaking one of the conspirators for the son of Constantine, he exclaims: “And Your Highness is here?” Czartoryski: “Paul is taken out of hiding, and General Bennigsen, wearing a hat and with a naked sword in his hand, says to the emperor: “Sir, you are my prisoner, and your reign has come to an end; renounce the throne and immediately sign an act of abdication in favor of Grand Duke Alexander."
- The Emperor was informed that he was under arrest. M. Fonvizin: “Pavel crumpled the paper... answered sharply. He pushes Platon Zubov away, denounces his ingratitude and all his insolence. “You are no longer an emperor,” the prince replies, “Alexander is our sovereign.” Offended by this insolence, Paul struck him; this courage stops them and for a moment reduces the courage of the villains. Bennigsen noticed this, said, and his voice inspired them: “It’s about us, if he is saved, we are lost.” Leontyev retells Yashvil’s exclamation: “Prince! Stop talking! Now he will sign whatever you want, and tomorrow our heads will fly on the scaffold.” According to Sanglen, Nikolai Zubov says similar words: “What do you want? Civil war? The Gatchinaskys are committed to him. Everything must end here.” They point out that the tsar loudly answered Zubov, and they hit him, exclaiming: “Why are you shouting like that?” (according to Sablukov).
Murder
On the emperor's belt is an officer's scarf "made of silver thread with three narrow black and orange stripes and black and orange tassel centers." It was with such a scarf that he was strangled - either his own or Skaryatin’s
Gold snuff boxes of the 18th century were very weighty objects. However, although the snuff box is the most common version, there are references to the hilt, the handle of a pistol and just a fist
Paul was killed between 0:30 And 2:00 , narrowing the chronological framework - between 0:45 And 1:45 .
Information about the murder itself is contradictory in some details:
- N.A. Sablukov: “The Emperor, filled with a sincere desire to bring happiness to his people, to preserve inviolably the laws and regulations of the empire and to establish justice everywhere, entered into an argument with Zubov, which lasted about half an hour and which, in the end, took on a violent character. At this time, those of the conspirators who drank too much champagne began to express impatience, while the emperor, in turn, spoke more and more loudly and began to gesticulate strongly. At this time, the horsemaster Count Nikolai Zubov, a man of enormous stature and extraordinary strength, being completely drunk, hit Pavel on the hand and said: “Why are you shouting like that!” At this insult, the emperor indignantly pushed away Zubov’s left hand, to which the latter, squeezing fist, a massive golden snuff-box, with all his might he struck the emperor’s left temple with his hand, as a result of which he fell senseless to the floor. At the same moment, Zubov’s French valet jumped up with his feet on the emperor’s stomach, and Skaryatin, an officer of the Izmailovsky regiment, took off the emperor’s own scarf hanging over the bed and strangled him with it. Thus they finished him off...”
Basically, the contradictions stem from what Bennigsen said, trying to whitewash himself and prove that he was not in the room at the time of the murder.
· Testimony of Bennigsen: “...My fugitives meanwhile met with their accomplices and returned to Paul’s room. There was a terrible crush, the screen fell on the lamp, and it went out. I went out to get some fire from the next room. In this short period of time, Paul passed away...” Langeron, who recorded Bennigsen’s story from his own words, continues: “Apparently, Bennigsen witnessed the death of the sovereign, but did not take a direct part in the murder... The killers rushed at Paul, who only weakly defended himself, asked for mercy and begged to give him time to pray... He noticed a young officer, very similar to the Grand Duke Constantine, and said to him, like Caesar to Brutus: “How is your Highness here?” The Prussian historian Bernhardi, from the words of the same Bennigsen, wrote: “ Pavel tried to pave the way for escape. “Arrested! What do you mean, arrested!” he shouted. He was restrained by force, and Prince Yashvil and Major Tatarinov were especially unceremonious.
- Bennigsen exclaimed twice: “Do not resist, sir, this is about your life!” The unfortunate man tried to break through and kept repeating his words... A hot hand-to-hand fight occurred, the screen overturned. One officer shouted: “We should have put an end to you four years ago.” Hearing a noise in the hallway, many wanted to run, but Bennigsen jumped to the door and in a loud voice threatened to stab anyone who tried to escape. “Now it’s too late to retreat,” he said. Pavel decided to call for help in a loud voice. There was no doubt how this hand-to-hand fight with the king would end. Bennigsen ordered the young, intoxicated Prince Yashvil to guard the sovereign, and he himself ran out into the hallway to give orders about the placement of the sentries...”
- M. Fonvizin: “...Several threats that escaped from the unfortunate Pavel summoned Nikolai Zubov, who was of athletic strength. He held a golden snuffbox in his hand and struck Pavel in the temple with a swing, this was the signal by which Prince Yashvil, Tatarinov, Gordonov and Skaryatin furiously rushed at him, tore the sword out of his hands: a desperate struggle began with him. Paul was strong and strong; they knocked him to the floor, trampled him, broke his head with a sword hilt, and finally crushed him with Skaryatin’s scarf. At the beginning of this vile, disgusting scene, Bennigsen went into the bedroom room, on the walls of which pictures were hung, and, with a candle in his hand, calmly examined them. Amazing composure!
- “One of the conspirators hastened to notify Bennigsen of this [renunciation], who remained in the adjacent room and, with a candlestick in his hand, was looking at the paintings hanging on the walls. Hearing about Paul’s renunciation, Bennigsen took off his scarf and gave it to an accomplice, saying: “We are not children, so as not to understand the disastrous consequences that our night visit to Paul will have, disastrous for Russia and for us. How can we be sure that Paul will not follow the example of Anna Ioannovna?” With this the death sentence was decided. After listing all the evils inflicted on Russia, Count Zubov hit Pavel in the temple with a golden snuffbox, and strangled him with Bennigsen’s scarf.”
The conspirators were not hired killers and therefore acted ineptly and fussily. In order to justify this crime, the conspirators slandered the monarch as a “crazy tyrant.”
funeral procession
grave of Paul I in the Peter and Paul Cathedral
monument to Paul I in St. Petersburg
monument to Paul I in Pavlovsk