Tsar of the Sphinx

Chapter 2 Grand Duke Vladimir's First Political Appearance
Time flies, and it is already 1785 in a blink of an eye.

In seven years, Alexander has grown from a baby to a healthy teenager with blond hair and blue eyes.

Krabowitzki, go and take Alexander to the throne room, the Turks have sent envoys.Forget it, let Paul rush over from the Pavlovsk Palace.

After speaking, Catherine II walked out of her studio.

Krabowitzki walked out of the throne room a step behind Ekaterina, and at the same time slightly bowed and said: Your Majesty, since you have decided to train Grand Duke Alexander, why do you want Grand Duke Paul to continue to participate in political affairs? ?

Catherine II said as she walked: Although I decided to train Alexander, when I brought the bill bypassing Paul's succession to the Privy Council for discussion, many ministers began to veto it.And Alexander is only seven years old, what if something unexpected happens in the middle?Constantine is only five years old, so just in case, let Paul continue to participate in domestic politics.

In the Winter Palace, in the Throne Hall, Catherine II sat on the throne, teasing Alexander, while Paul stood on the right in a Prussian military uniform, while many ministers of the Imperial Privy Council and the Senate stood on both sides.

The guard opened the door and announced loudly: The Turkish envoy has arrived.

After the Turkish envoys entered the throne room, they first saluted Catherine II, and then handed over the diplomatic papers in their hands to Krabowitzki.

Krabowitzky delivered the diplomatic letter to Catherine II, who had just put Alexander down.

After a long time, Catherine II opened her mouth and said: Do you Turks want to go to war with Russia?Have you forgotten the defeat in the last war?

The Turkish envoy looked directly at Catherine II and said: Dear Tsar, we have no intention of going to war with your empire again.But you made the Crimea your territory, built forts there, installed officials, expanded the fleet.This is not in the treaty.Our great sultan sent me here to remind you, the tsar, if you don’t abide by the treaty and don’t recognize that the Crimean Khanate has certain autonomy, but annex it, our army will appear again in the Black Sea and the Kerry mia.

Before Catherine II could speak after listening to the Turkish envoy, Alexander tugged on Catherine II's cuff.

Alexander said in a low voice: Grandma, I want to talk to him.

After listening to Catherine II, Alexander said: Let's talk, and clap your hands to make the ministers quiet down.

Little Alexander said: Your Excellency the Envoy, after the end of the last war, it was written in the Kuchuk-Kanagi Treaty that Belarus obtained the Crimea region and obtained Kimboun, Yenikar and Kerch and other places, and expanded its territory to the South Bug River.And the Orthodox Church was built in the Galatian district of Constantinople; and from 1777, the Crimean Khanate was attached to Russia.So when was the Orthodox Church in Constantinople built?And since 1777, the Crimean Khanate has been attached to Russia, so do you Turks still need to talk about how Russia will deal with the Crimean Khanate, which has a blood feud with the Slavs?And the Russian Empire has always had the idea of ​​reviving the Eastern Roman Empire. If you and your sultan continue to interfere with Russia's actions in Crimea, then Russia will hand over Wallachia and Moldova to Austria, and part of Poland The territory was handed over to Prussia, and the pope's right to rule central Italy was recognized. The Russian army will appear in Constantinople and completely crush Turkey, a heretical country.

The Turkish envoy asked Catherine II directly: Your Majesty the Tsar, can the words of this Grand Duke Vladimir represent you and the whole of Russia?If possible, I will bring these words back to Istanbul and tell His Majesty the Sultan, if not, then please express your opinion, the Tsar?

After listening to the words of Alexander and the Turkish envoys, Ekaterina II stated: Yes, Grand Duke Vladimir can represent my will and Russia. If your Majesty the Sultan wants to go to war, then come .Russia has never been afraid of war.

After speaking, he asked Krabowitzki to take the Turkish envoy out, and he led Alexander out of the throne room.

Krabowitzki walked up to the Turkish envoy and said: Your Excellency, you can return to Turkey. If your Majesty the Sultan insists on launching a war, Russia will fight.

Still waiting for the Turkish envoy to react.Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin then emerged from the crowd and dragged the Turkish envoy out.

Catherine II, who had already walked out of the throne room, asked Alexander: Well done, Alexander, tell me what reward do you want?Is it to find a wife for you?After speaking, he laughed.

Alexander bowed his head shyly when he heard his grandmother say to find a wife for him. After a while, Alexander told Catherine II: Grandma, I want to have a legion, a legion formed according to my own ideas.

Catherine II was still admiring the blush on Alexander's face, when she heard about the formation of the legion, she still followed her own ideas.

This reminded her of her wronged husband and son.

Catherine II thought of this, and turned her head to give Paul who was walking behind.

Paul walked behind, wondering if he could go to the battlefield again if a war broke out between Russia and Turkey.

In 1780, Paul went to Crimea with his Gatchina Army and entered the palace of the Crimean Khanate with Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin The Crimean Khan was lifted from the throne, and he led the legion to participate in the counter-insurgency.And after returning, he often boasted in front of his son when Alexander came to the Pavlovsk Palace.

Although Ekaterina II thought that what Paul had experienced was just a joke after Paul returned.But I still feel that my resentful son has become better. Although he is still an asshole, compared with his previous and my resentful husband, this one is better now.

Paul also thought, if he behaved better during this time, and when the war broke out, he would let his son go to his mother to talk more, wouldn't he be able to go to the battlefield again, and he could brag in front of his son again when he came back.

Paul chuckled as he thought about it, but when he looked up, he saw his mother staring at him.Paul lowered his head as if frightened.

When I lowered my head, I was still thinking, I haven’t made my mother angry in this period of time, why did my mother stare at me?
Alexander didn't hear Catherine II's promise for a while, so he raised his head and looked at his grandmother, but he didn't expect his grandmother to stare at his father.

Ekaterina II stared and remembered that she hadn't responded to Alexander's request.

Then he withdrew his gaze, settled his mind and asked Alexander: "Alexander, tell me why you have the idea of ​​forming a legion by yourself."Was it influenced by your father?
After speaking, Catherine II stared at Paul again, and Paul said without tears: Mother, this is not my influence, but the idea that came up when Alexander was reading the last war a few months ago.When he came to talk to me about this idea a few days ago, I refused.

After hearing her son's justification, Catherine II smiled coldly and said, "Oh, without you, this bastard has been bragging in front of Alexander since he came back from Crimea. War records, and records of the rebellion against Pugachev?
Paul was speechless. Indeed, if he hadn't been bragging in front of Alexander after returning from Crimea, Alexander would not have looked through the war records with Turkey and the rebellion against Pugachev.

Thinking of Pugachev's name, Paul's face darkened.

On September 1773, 9, Pugachev led a small team of more than 17 Cossacks to attack Yaik Castle, which opened the prelude to the unraveling of justice.They won the first battle, and then marched on Orenburg.Orenburg was an important Russian military center in the southeast at that time.The city of Orenburg is strong, heavily guarded, and has 80 cannons, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. On October 70, Pugachev led the rebel army to attack Orenburg, but failed due to the disparity in strength.So he decided to adopt the strategy of besieging the city and fighting for aid, and besieged Orenburg for a long time.During this period, Pugachev established a military council to strengthen the army.

At the same time, Pugachev carried out a large amount of propaganda and agitation work, spreading propaganda everywhere, claiming to give Cossacks "rivers, land, grasslands, salaries, weapons and food"; to Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Kalmyks and the Tartars "land, water, pastures, forests, liberty, and bread."Call on the people of all nationalities to revolt and overthrow Catherine II.Cossack peasants, workers and people of all ethnic groups defected to the uprising team one after another.The rebel army quickly grew to more than 3 people. Catherine II panicked and hurriedly mobilized the three-way army to reinforce Orenburg.

In the early morning of August 1774, 8, the two sides launched a decisive battle in Salnikov, and the rebel army was defeated.Pugachev led more than 25 remnants, crossed the Volga River east, and fled to the depths of the grassland.The team kept shrinking, and finally there were less than 200 people left.

On September 1774, 9, Tvologov, a member of the military committee of the rebel army, and Chumakov, the artillery chief, and other traitors tied up Pugachev and handed him over to the tsarist government authorities in the town of Yaik.

Pugachev was executed in Moscow on January 1775, 1.The largest peasant uprising in Russian history was suppressed.

Also because of Pugachev's uprising, the relationship between Paul and his mother became tense.Although after Alexander was born, the estrangement between himself and his mother began to disappear, but it was still influenced by him.

Seeing that the atmosphere was freezing, Alexander said, "Grandmother, father, let's eat first. It's almost noon now. Let's finish our meal. Yesterday I asked the chef to develop a new potato dish. I believe you." Dad and Dad will love this new potato dish.

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The Treaty of Kuchuk-Kanagi: On July 1774, 7, Russia and Turkey concluded in Kuchuk-Kanagi (in present-day Bulgaria).According to the agreement: Turkey pays 21 million rubles to Russia; Russia acquires Jinbuen, Yenikar and Kerch in the Crimea region, and expands its territory to the South Bug River; allows Russian merchant ships to pass through Azov freely Russia enjoys most-favored-nation treatment; Russia can establish consulates all over the land, and build Orthodox churches in the Galatian district of Istanbul; the Crimean Khanate declares independence, Moldova and Wallachia gain autonomy and Transferred under the protection of Russia.The treaty reduced Turkey's threat to Russia, strengthened Russia's political influence in the Balkan Peninsula and the Caucasus, and created conditions for further expansion in the Balkans and Central Asia.

Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin: Russian statesman, military strategist, diplomat, field marshal.Potemkin was born in 1739 in the town of Kirovo (now part of Dukhovshina District, Smolensk Region), and studied at the High School Attached to Moscow University from 1756 to 1760. In 1755, he was incorporated into the Guards Cavalry and Heavy Cavalry, and became a cavalry master.Later, because of his participation in the palace coup in 1762, he supported Catherine II as emperor and was promoted to second lieutenant of the Imperial Guard. During the Russo-Turkish War from 1768 to 1774, he was awarded the rank of general because of his meritorious service in the Battle of Khoting and his victorious victories in the battles of Foksani, Larga River and Kagur River. He was recalled back to Petersburg in 1774, promoted to general, appointed vice president of the Army Academy, made earl, and served as commander of the irregular army.He was a favorite of Catherine II, held high positions in the court and state institutions, and showed himself to be a capable executive leader and organizer of the army and navy, thus becoming Catherine II A confidant who pursued policies that consolidated the autocracy.Also engaged in research on Russian economic life and strengthening its international status. In 1774 planned the crusade against Pugachev.

In 1775, under the pretext that it might become a source of new popular uprisings, he actively proposed the dismantling of the Zaporozhye camp. In 1776, he served as governor of Novorossiysk, Azov, and Astrakhan provinces. In 3, he was named "Wise and Wise Duke of Tavria" because he realized the plan to incorporate the Crimea into the territory of Russia.He was involved in the economic development of the northern coast of the Black Sea and the construction of the cities of Kherson, Nikolayev, Sevastopol and Yekaterinoslav (Dnipropetrovsk) in this border area. , Quite rewarding.Under his leadership, the construction of the Black Sea Fleet and the Merchant Fleet was completed, which played an important role in the war against Turkey.He also implemented some reforms to the Russian army's queue services and equipment; such as stopping the use of incense powder, cutting off braids and curly hair, and distributing light boots to soldiers.

In 1784 he became president of the Army Academy.In determining strategic issues, it relies heavily on the art of command of Russian military chiefs such as Rumyantsev, Suvorov, and Repnin. During the Russo-Turkish War from 1787 to 1791, he served as the commander of the group army, but he was indecisive. He was mainly responsible for the supply, replenishment and training of the reserve team for combat troops.

The Roman plot of the Russians: In 1453, the Ottoman Emperor Mehmet II captured Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire fell.Sophia Paleorog, the niece of the last emperor Constantine XI, married Ivan III. The son of Sophia Paleorog and Ivan III, Grand Duke of Russia, succeeded to the throne and became Vasily III. Since then, he has called himself "Third Rome". In 1497, Ivan III promulgated the code, stipulating that the double-headed eagle national emblem of Byzantium was the national emblem of Russia.

The Fifth Russo-Turkish War: The turmoil of the Schlachta nobles against Stanislaw II occurred in Poland, a West Slavic country in Central Europe. The latter relied entirely on Russia for its military support, and Turkey wanted to weaken Russia in Poland influence, choose to support the former.During the battle, a Russian Cossack cavalry regiment crossed the border into the Balta region of the Ottoman Empire (now part of Ukraine) while chasing the Polish rebels. Turkey claimed that these Russian Cossack cavalry were massacred there, and used this as an excuse in 1768 On September 9, it declared war on Russia, and at the same time formed an alliance with Poland's anti-Russian forces, the Bar League.

(End of this chapter)