Catherine the Great
Empress of Russia, 1729-1796
Catherine the Great was the most renowned and the longest-ruling female leader of Russia, reigning from 1762 until her death in 1796 at the age of 67. Russia was revitalized under her reign, growing larger and stronger than ever and becoming recognized as one of the great powers of Europe. The period of Catherine the Great’s rule, the Catherinian Era, is often considered the Golden Age of the Russian Empire and the Russian nobility. The Manifesto on Freedom of the Nobility, issued during the short reign of Peter III and confirmed by Catherine, freed Russian nobles from compulsory military or state service.
Source: Wikipedia
Kaiserin von Russland (1729-1796). Autograph letter. Kiew. 3/4 S. 4to. Mit Adresse und Siegel.
$ 10,152 / 9.500 €
(47055)
One of Catherine’s rare letters in German language; to princess von Lieven, born von Gaugreben, the governess of Catherine’s granddaughters, telling her how happy she was that the children had not to came down with measles and should now be brought to the countryside for the town itself were still contaminated with measles and pox. - Of utmost rarity.
Kaiserin von Russland (1729-1796). Eigenhändiger Brief mit Unterschrift „La bonne soeur Caterine“. Ohne Ort und Datum [1764]. 4to. 2 pp. (Wasserzeichen C&I Honig).
$ 13,358 / 12.500 €
(89217)
An Prinzessin Friederike von Anhalt-Bernburg, der sie zur Verlobung mit ihrem Bruder, Fürst Friedrich August von Anhalt-Zerbst, gratuliert und aus diesem Anlaß den Katharinen-Orden verleiht. - Die Hochzeit fand am 27.V.1764 statt. „Madame ma belle Soeur, Il y a avait longtems que je desirois que mon frere ce remaria et meme que son choix tomba sur une Princesse de la maison d’Anhalt. Il en étoit instruit, s’est ce qui Lui a fait si affirmativement engager sa parole a Mess: les Princes Votre Pere et Votre Frere, que je ne serois pas contraire a ses engagemens.
Je me rejouis Madame avec Vous des Liens que Vous venés de contracter, je Vous en felcite, et je souhaite que Vous soyés aussi heureuse que je le desire, ma satisfaction est grande de ce que l’inclination de mon frere s’est declaré pour Votre Altesse, j’en augure favorablement pour l’avenir, et je ne puis douter que le bonheur de mon frere et le Votre Madame ne soit fixé, vue les qualités que l’on m’assure que Vous possedés […] Voila ce que le Sieur Rehbinder mon Lieutenant Colonel Vous reiterera de bouche, je Vous prie d’y a joiuter foi, il a ordre en meme tems […] de Vous remettre les marques de l’ordre de St: Catherine, recevés les comme un signe de l’envie que j’ai de Vous […]“ Eigenhändige Briefe von Katharina sind sehr selten..
Kaiserin von Russland (1729-1796). Autograph letter signed ("Caterina"). O. O. 1 S. auf Doppelblatt. Kl.-4to.
$ 13,358 / 12.500 €
(84251/BN54751)
To her confidant, the former Prussian hussar commander Friedrich Wilhelm (von) Bauer (1731-83), who had entered Russian service in 1769 and had been promoted to Lieutenant general in 1773, soon acting as her head engineer: "To prove to you that, although I was ill yesterday and am still weak today, I am indeed alive, I send you the Viennese news about your lawsuit with Count Trumbach; when you are through with these papers, you may return them to the Vice Chancellor and tell me what you further wish to be done [...]" (transl.).
- In 1780, Bauer was made general of engineering; he was responsible for the construction and maintenance of Catherine's ports, fortifications, roads, canals, and salt mines. In 1782 he created the "Hydraulic Engineering Corps". During the last years of his life, Bauer acted as Catherine's indispensable advisor in all technical matters (cf. NDB). The "Count Trumbach" mentioned in the letter is in all likelihood Friedrich Adolf Rudolf von Trümbach, who - like Bauer - had commanded a Prussian militia corps during the Seven Years' War. - A little stained, browned and wrinkled, but generally well preserved..