Empress Elizabeth Petrovna through the eyes of Catherine the Great illustrated in the Presidential Library’s historical materials

The collection Empress Elizabeth Petrovna presented on the Presidential Library’s portal, which includes rare editions such as Panegyric on the Prerogatives and Rights from the Solemn Coronation of Occurring 1757 by Professor Philip Heinrich Dilthey, historical documents, for example, A detailed description of the solemn procedures for the safe entry into the reigning city of Moscow ... (1744), modern research and visual materials is devoted to the reign and personality of the Empress, who was born on December 29 (18, old style), 1709.

Nikolai Firsov, in the already mentioned work Accession to the throne of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, relying on historical evidence, describes Elizabeth as follows: "... Everyone gives full justice to a beautiful constitution, a certain stoutness that did not prevent her from being slender and graceful; her tall stature, excellent complexion, beautiful arms and legs".

“She mastered the art of being attractive and attractive to the highest degree. When she was prejudiced by slander against someone, the appearance of Her became proud, contemptuous and very painful for the one who was the subject of her", - noted in the historical work of the scholar, Baron Alexander Weidemeyer The Reign of Elizabeth Petrovna (1834).

The Notes of Empress Catherine II in two editions, which are available on the Presidential Library’s portal, became very valuable material for research. The future Russian empress tells about her life at the court of Elizabeth.

It is interesting that Catherine wrote two versions of her memoirs, which are separated in time by more than 20 years. And what she thought and said about her mother-in-law at the beginning of her reign is very different from subsequent assessments, when for Catherine the tasks of strengthening the monarchical power came to the fore. A significant role in the creation of the new edition of Notes was played by the desire of Catherine to leave her ideal image to posterity.

Historian Mikhail Safonov in the video lecture Empress Elizabeth Petrovna through the eyes of Catherine the Great (2017), which is available on the Presidential Library's portal, quotes Nikolai Karamzin's words about Notes of Catherine II: “Very, very curious! Elizabeth Petrovna's courtyard as in a mirror". But, the lecturer continues, there are two such mirrors, and they give two images of people completely different from each other.

When 15-year-old Catherine saw Elizabeth, she was amazed by her beauty, majestic bearing, luxurious outfits. The presence of the young Grand Duchess caused irritation, annoyance, fits of anger and jealousy of Elizabeth, who was already 35 years old. Catherine became the subject of constant attacks and nagging of the empress, who reproached her for childlessness, exorbitant spending and debt.

Elizabeth's lack of restraint extended to others. Safonov quotes Catherine: “My aunt was very susceptible to such petty envy, not only in relation to me, but also in relation to all other ladies. Mostly those who were younger than her were persecuted”.

The second edition of Notes... was written after the French Revolution, which called into question the principle of monarchical power. Catherine was well aware that her memoirs needed to be revised - to write about the Russian empress, who ruled the country for 20 years, as a despotic, capricious and absurd person, in this situation was impossible and wrong. Catherine changed the concept of her notes, removing from them all the fragments containing criticism of Elizabeth and depicting the complete harmony that supposedly reigned between her mother-in-law and daughter-in-law: "... they said that her imperial majesty now and then praises me to her loved ones, my abilities, adding often: she loves truth and justice, she is a very smart woman..."

Comparing these two editions of Catherine's memoirs, it is difficult to understand what is true in them. But “... nevertheless, the twenty-year reign of Elizabeth Petrovna turned out to be one of the most calm, peaceful and non-violent in the history of Russia”, - sums up Professor Evgeny Anisimov in the book Elizabeth Petrovna (2005), available in the Presidential Library’s collections.