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Ekaterina DolgorukovaWife of Emperor Alexander II
Date of Birth: 02.11.1847
Country:  Russia |
Content:
- Princess Catherine Dolgorukov:The Second Wife of Emperor Alexander II
- Encounter with Alexander II
- Secret Affair and Exile
- Unveiled Passion
- Marriage and Social Divisions
- Morgatic Marriage and Controversy
- Unwelcome Succession
- Alexander II's Assassination and Legacy
Princess Catherine Dolgorukov:The Second Wife of Emperor Alexander II
Origins and FamilyCatherine Dolgorukov was born into a relatively minor branch of the Dolgorukov family. Her father, Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Dolgorukov, was a guards captain, while her mother, Vera Vishnevskaya, was a descendant of Colonel Vishnevsky, who brought shepherd Alexei Razumovsky to Petersburg. Razumovsky later became the favorite of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.
Encounter with Alexander II
In 1859, Alexander II met Catherine at a military exercise near Poltava. After her father's financial ruin and untimely death, Alexander II took the Dolgorukov children under his care. In 1865, Alexander II visited the Smolny Institute, where he encountered 18-year-old Catherine.
Secret Affair and Exile
They initiated a clandestine relationship in the Summer Garden, facilitated by Varvara Shebeko. In 1866, they met at the Belvedere Castle near Peterhof, where they spent the night together. Empress Maria Alexandrovna, who was ill with tuberculosis, disapproved of the affair. Alexander II was forced to send Catherine to Naples, followed by Paris, where they continued to meet.
Unveiled Passion
Catherine and Alexander II's extensive correspondence reveals their deep affection for each other. They used the French term "bingerle" to denote their intimate relationship. Catherine gave birth to three of Alexander II's children: Georgiy, Olga, and Ekaterina.
Marriage and Social Divisions
Despite Empress Maria Alexandrovna's illness, Alexander II installed Catherine in the Winter Palace, further fueling animosity within the Romanov family. The court was divided into supporters of Catherine and those of the heir apparent, Alexander Alexandrovich.
Morgatic Marriage and Controversy
After the empress's death in 1880, Alexander II married Catherine in a private ceremony. The marriage was morganatic, meaning she and their children were not entitled to the imperial throne. Catherine was granted the title of Princess Yurievskaya, and her children received the same surname.
Unwelcome Succession
The marriage was met with disapproval by many nobles and imperial family members. Count Mikhail Lorys-Melikov attempted to mediate between Catherine's faction and that of Alexander Alexandrovich. However, rumors persisted that Catherine could become empress after Alexander II's death.
Alexander II's Assassination and Legacy
Alexander II was assassinated by members of the People's Will in 1881. Catherine Dolgorukov and her children fled to Nice, where she died in 1922. She left behind a memoir published under the pseudonym Victor Laferte, detailing her life and the events surrounding her relationship with Alexander II.
