Ekaterina Ivanovna Nelidova is known as the favorite of the Russian Emperor Paul I. She was one of the first graduates of the Smolny Institute. She was related to Varvara Arkadyevna Nelidova (secret mistress of Emperor Nicholas I). This article will focus on her biography and personal life.
Childhood and youth
Ekaterina Ivanovna Nelidova came from the Nelidov noble family, which was founded in the 16th century. Her father Ivan Dmitrievich was a lieutenant, her wife's name was Anna Aleksandrovna Simonova.
Ekaterina Ivanovna Nelidova was born in 1756 in the village of Klemyatino, Dorogobuzh district. At the age of nine, she was already admitted to the newly founded Smolny Institute. She managed to attract the attention of teachers early, thanks to her amazing grace and ability to dance.
In 1775 she graduated from the institute. Received a monogram from Empress Catherine II and a gold medal of the "second magnitude".
Character traits
Among peers EkaterinaIvanovna Nelidova was noted for her wit and cheerful, carefree disposition. Confirmation of this can be found in the description given to Nelidova by Catherine II. The Russian ruler noted that her appearance on the horizon turned into a real phenomenon.
Nelidova was a graceful girl of small stature, proportionately built. At the same time, many note that she did not differ in natural beauty. Prince Ivan Dolgorukov wrote that the girl, although smart, had a bad face, small stature, but noble posture.
Acting
Nelidova was noted for her acting talents. For example, she took part in the play "The Maid-Mistress". This is a buff opera in two acts, which was written by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi with a libretto by Gennaro Federico.
Nelidova played the main character - the maid Serpina, who, thanks to her dexterity, cunning and charm, wins the heart of the aristocrat Uberto. In Russia, she was especially popular during the reign of Catherine II.
In 1775, the Russian ruler even instructed the court painter Dmitry Grigorievich Levitsky to paint a portrait of Ekaterina Ivanovna Nelidova in the image of Serpina, who dances the minuet.
When Katya played in the play, she was 15 years old. Her talent was well-received even in the capital's newspapers. And the real secret adviser Alexei Andreevich Rzhevsky even wrote poems dedicated to her.
The maid of honor of the Grand Duchess
In 1776, Nelidova received the appointment of a maid of honor from the Grand DuchessNatalya Alekseevna, who was the first wife of Pavel Petrovich, the future emperor. In 1776, she began to experience pain during childbirth. She had a midwife and a doctor with her. The contractions lasted several days, after which the doctors announced that the child was dead. Next to the princess were Pavel and Catherine II.
She was unable to give birth to a baby naturally, the doctors did not use either a caesarean section or obstetric forceps. The child died in the womb, infecting the mother's body. The Grand Duchess died five days later in agony.
It is known that Catherine II did not like her daughter-in-law, because of which the diplomats gossip that she did not allow doctors to save her daughter-in-law. As a result of the autopsy, it was found that the woman suffered from a defect that would not have allowed her to give birth to a baby in a natural way. The doctors of that time were unable to help her. The official cause of her death was a curvature of the spine. This is what led to the incorrect arrangement of the bones, which prevented the natural birth of the child.
After the death of Natalia Alekseevna, Nelidova passed to the Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna. Maria became the second wife of Emperor Paul I, who gave birth to future Emperors Nicholas I and Alexander I.
Ekaterina Ivanovna was awarded the Order of Catherine the Small Cross in 1797.
Favorite
When Paul I became emperor, she became a chamber maid of honor. It is known that Ekaterina Nelidova was his favorite. At the same time, some contemporaries argued that the connection between them was exclusivelyplatonic. Often they talked on religious and mystical topics. These hobbies were approved by Empress Maria Feodorovna.
Emperor Paul I himself claimed that he had a tender friendship with Nelidova, which at the same time remained pure and innocent. They say that the favorite of Emperor Paul I, Ekaterina Nelidova, soon learned to successfully manage his wayward and difficult temper. According to the memoirs of her contemporaries, she claimed that God himself was destined to protect the sovereign, to instruct him for the common good.
Reduce influence
In 1795, Nelidova's influence decreased due to numerous court intrigues, from which she failed to emerge victorious. At the same time, the confidence in her on the part of the princess, who entered into a real friendly alliance, has significantly increased, believing that this will turn out to be a boon for the person they both loved.
Contemporaries claim that in 1796, a difficult time came in the biography of Ekaterina Ivanovna Nelidova. She had a quarrel with Pavel, because of which the favorite had to leave for Smolny. She settled there permanently, with only occasional visits to court.
At the same time, due to her influence on the emperor, she managed to ensure that many important posts were occupied by her relatives and friends. Among them were Arkady Nelidov, the Kurakin brothers, Sergei Ivanovich Pleshcheev, Fyodor Fyodorovich Buksgevden.
It is said that she repeatedly managed to save the innocent from the wrath of the emperor, as his temper was verychangeable In some cases, she provided patronage even to the Empress herself. For example, she managed to keep Paul from destroying the Order of St. George the Victorious.
Describing her, many noted that Nelidova herself had no firm political convictions. In life and all her actions, she was guided by cordial and moral motives.
Resignation
In 1798, the Empress had many enemies, for example, Count Fyodor Vasilyevich Rostopchin and Count Ivan Pavlovich Kutaisov. They managed to convince Paul I that his wife had too much influence over him, which the Russian Tsar could not afford. Kutaisov and Rostopchin claimed that Maria Fedorovna was acting in concert with her chambermaid Nelidova. As a result, Ekaterina Ivanovna was replaced by the younger, more sensitive and young Anna Petrovna Lopukhina. She soon became the emperor's new favorite.
As soon as Lopukhina finally moved to the capital, the official resignation of Ekaterina Nelidova took place. She retired to the Smolny Monastery.
Life in a monastery
Shortly after that, she personally experienced the disfavor of the Russian ruler, whom she considered a cordial friend. The emperor was dissatisfied with her active intercession for his wife, whom he also hoped to remove from the court, sending her into exile in Kholmogory. This is a village on the territory of the modern Arkhangelsk region.
Nelidova left St. Petersburg after her beloved friend was expelled from the capitalCountess of Buxhoeveden. She was sent to the Estonian castle of Lode, located within the current borders of Estonia. In 1798, Nelidova left for Revel (now this city is called Tallinn, the capital of Estonia).
Only a year and a half later she asked permission to return to her permanent place of residence in the Smolny Monastery.
The death of Paul I greatly shocked Nelidova. It is said that she literally turned gray and grew old in a matter of days. At the same time, she maintained friendly relations with the Empress, which she maintained until the death of Maria Feodorovna. Moreover, her voice had a certain weight in resolving issues in the affairs of the royal family. In 1801, she returned to St. Petersburg, starting to help the empress in the management of educational institutions.
Death of a favorite
Ekaterina Ivanovna Nelidova had no family. When her patroness Maria Fedorovna died, soon almost everyone forgot about her. She lived her life alone in the Smolny Monastery.
Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich noted that Nelidova retained an ardent and peculiar mind almost to the end of her life. She continued to captivate everyone around her with a conversation, while at the same time causing trouble for many with her increased demands and grouchiness.
Nelidova died in 1839 at the age of 82. She spent her last hours with her pupil and niece, Princess Trubetskoy, wife of Prince Nikita Petrovich Trubetskoy. She was buried opposite the Smolny Monastery, where she spent the last years of her life, on the territoryOkhtensky cemetery.
After her death, many personal papers were preserved, including personal correspondence with the Empress. It was published by Princess Elizabeth Trubetskoy. At the same time, her diary was confiscated after her death, delivered to Nicholas I for review. His further fate is unknown.
