Plato and Valerian are toothy. Platon Zubov - the last favorite of Catherine II

Platon Aleksandrovich Zubov

Platon Zubov came from an impoverished Russian count family. His father Alexander Nikolaevich was married to Elizaveta Alekseevna Voronova, from this marriage seven children were born, sons Nikolai, Dmitry, Platon and Valerian and three daughters - Olga, Ekaterina and Anna. Zubov's father did not play a prominent role at court before the rise of his sons. Somewhere in the provinces he worked as a vice-governor, while managing the estates of Prince N.I. Saltykova. After Plato fell into “accident”, and after him the youngest Valerian took a liking to the empress, A.N. Zubov received the post of chief prosecutor in the first department of the Senate. The encyclopedia reports with some disgust that in this post he became famous for bribery that exceeded all norms. His son covered for him in everything, the empress always turned a blind eye to such things: they say, live yourself and let someone else. Although bribes are a common thing in Rus', I’ll tell you frankly, both at first glance and at second glance, the Zubovs are an extremely unpleasant family.

According to the custom of the time, at the age of eight, Plato was enrolled as a sergeant in the Semenovsky regiment. In 1788 he was in the army in Finland, in 1789 he was already promoted to second major in St. Petersburg. Prince Saltykov gave Platon Zubov a warm place. Field Marshal N.I. Saltykov, a participant in the Seven Years' War and president of the Military Collegium, also supervised the education of the Grand Dukes Alexander and Constantine, and therefore enjoyed great influence at court. Later, Saltykov more than once regretted his patronage. When Zubov spread his wings, which were by no means angelic, he tried to oust his benefactor from service in order to receive the rank of field marshal general - this is in his early twenties! But could this have been predicted? The young man is handsome in appearance, not stupid, very polite and courteous. The main thing then seemed to both Saltykov and his entourage to push the hated Potemkin off the throne, and in such a “holy” matter all means are good.

Dmitriev-Mamonov was still tossing between love and duty, and crying, and on his knees begging for forgiveness, and “a dear child who sincerely wants to do good” (from Catherine’s letter to Potemkin) was already having conversations with the empress in her chambers. Everything went according to the stencil. Zubov, on the recommendation of Saltykov, was appointed commander of the Horse Guards detachment, which served in Tsarskoe Selo, where the Empress moved for the summer. Somewhere in June 1789, Catherine “set her gaze on the young man.” The courtyard held its breath. Garnovsky writes: “Since yesterday, the Empress has become more cheerful. Zubov...was treated very kindly. And although this is not a prominent person at all, they think that he will be taken to the court, but no one directly knows whether anything will happen from the city of Zubov.” On June 24, the young man received 10,000 rubles (or 100,000, according to other sources) to acquire a ring with a portrait of the empress (who ever made these rings in such quantities?), On July 4, Catherine signed a decree on Plato’s promotion to colonel and appointed him aide-de-camp . The yard breathed a sigh of relief - the pegs were placed, the buoys were anchored, and we could move on with our lives.

Contemporaries describe Platon Zubov's articles differently. All the former favorites were handsome men of enormous stature, but they say about Zubov that he was big-nosed, dark-faced and petty. Others claim that the new favorite had a proud posture and an eagle's gaze. Masson writes: “Of all the darlings of happiness during the reign of Catherine II, not one, except Zubov, was frail both externally and internally.” Masson was one of N.I.’s adjutants. Saltykov, the Frenchman had his own personal attitude towards the “temporary worker” - he didn’t like him very much. And here is Count Sternberg’s review of Zubov: “He is of average height, very thin, has a rather large nose, black hair and the same eyes. His appearance does not represent anything majestic; most likely, there is some kind of nervous mobility in him.” In portraits by Lampi, Platon Zubov is an absolute handsome man.

Catherine did not immediately decide to inform Potemkin about her new chosen one, perhaps because he was too young, no longer a son in age, but a grandson, or she was offended to talk about Dmitriev-Mamonov’s betrayal. She wrote to the prince only in September, “petitioning” the appointment of the young man as a cornet of the Cavalry Corps, over which Potemkin patronized. Valerian Zubov's younger brother was also introduced to the empress. The boy is quite handsome, he knows how to behave, he is quick in conversation, in a word, she really liked him.

Catherine was getting old, her favorites were getting younger. Platon Zubov was 22 years old - 36 years difference. Valerian Platonov was 18, but he was not inferior to his older brother in aspirations and desires; they were ambitious young men. Catherine’s letter to Grimm: “There is not the slightest doubt that the two Zubovs show the most promise; but think about it, the eldest is only 24 years old, and the youngest is not yet twenty. True, they are smart, understanding people, and the eldest has extensive and varied information. His mind is distinguished by consistency and he is truly a gifted person.” In another letter to Grimm, she writes about Plato: “It depends on me that a factotum emerges from him.” The future “factotum,” meanwhile, was seriously afraid that his younger brother might lay claim to his place. Valerian wanted to join the army, and his older brother hastily arranged his departure to Potemkin. Catherine herself wrote a letter of recommendation to the young man.

Zubov was herded, the ladies unanimously told Catherine that the young man was madly in love with her - it was so noticeable, oh, dear young man! Saltykov taught his protégé: never contradict the Empress in anything, your desires must completely coincide with the desires of Her Majesty, flatter all her whims, admire her intelligence and... humble yourself before Potemkin until you yourself firmly stand on your feet. Catherine wrote to Potemkin: “Your cornet continuously continues his commendable behavior, and I must give him true justice, that with his sincere affection for me and other pleasant qualities, he is worthy of all praise.”

Valerian, meanwhile, fought successfully, Potemkin was pleased with him, and after the capture of Bender, he sent him to St. Petersburg to announce victory. Catherine immediately gave the young man the rank of colonel, appointed him aide-de-camp, gave him 10,000 rubles along with a ring - everything as usual. Valerian spent the winter cheerfully in the capital, and then went south to join the army.

Ekaterina immediately decided to adapt Zubov to work. Alcove affairs are her personal business, and the head of the Gypsy Child belongs to the state. It cannot be said that Zubov did not try in the clerical field, but he did not have the skill, he was bored, and how could he keep all these papers in his memory?

From Khrapovitsky’s diary dated December 30, 1792: “In the morning Zubov reported on the guards’ papers, and there was some noise.” Count Zavadovsky also left his review for posterity: “He tortures himself with all his might over papers, having neither a fluent mind nor extensive abilities” - and concludes with the words: “The burden is higher than his real strength.” Khrapovitsky called Platon Zubov “a fool.” Plato’s relationship with Bezborodko also did not work out.

But for now he was still trying to please everyone. The death of Potemkin changed everything. Here Platon Zubov felt like a sovereign master. Awards and ranks rained down on him as if from a cornucopia. On October 12, 1791, St. Petersburg learned of the death of Prince Tauride. Already on October 21, Zubov was appointed chief of the Cavalry Corps (this place previously belonged to Potemkin). On March 12, 1792, Zubov became lieutenant general and was promoted to adjutant general. On July 23, 1793, it is unknown for what merits he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. On July 25, he became the Ekaterinoslav and Tauride governor-general, and on October 19 - general-feldtzeichmeister. It seems that the elderly empress has gone crazy. She, like a home-grown Pygmalion, decided to create a new Potemkin out of Gypsy Little within two years. He himself tried to imitate the late prince, but for this Platon Zubov had neither the abilities, nor the courage, nor the energy, nor the intelligence, nor the kindness, nor the broadness... but what can I say. But the last favorite had an abundance of impudence, swagger, arrogance and lust for power. Suvorov called him “evil”, as is known, this is what people call the devil.

Masson writes about him: “As the empress lost her strength, activity, genius, he acquired wealth, power, strength. In the last years of her life, he was omnipotent... Everything crawled at Zubov’s feet, he stood alone and therefore considered himself great. Every morning numerous crowds of flatterers besieged his doors. Lounging in an armchair, in the most obscene negligee, with his little finger stuck in his nose, with his eyes aimlessly directed at the ceiling, this young man with a cold and pouting face barely deigned to pay attention to those around him ... "

He behaved impudently, and the empress condoned him in this. A contemporary told how once at a dinner in the Winter Palace, which was attended by Pavel and his family, there was a lively conversation at the table, arguing, laughing, the Tsarevich kept quiet and listened more. Catherine decided to involve her son in the conversation and asked: “Whose opinion do you agree with?” Perhaps out of politeness, or perhaps mockingly, Pavel replied: “With the opinion of Platon Alexandrovich.” Zubov immediately jumped up and said, clearly expecting approval: “Did I say something stupid?”

As for Catherine’s love relationships with Platon Zubov and his brother Valerian, here we can refer to Masson’s testimony in his “Secret Notes on Russia.” Masson writes about a certain intimate society that has gathered around the empress. It included “reliable ladies” such as Chief Chamberlain Branitskaya, Olga Zherebtsova (nee Zubova), Protasova and “three young libertines” - Plato, Valerian and Pyotr Saltykov. “There Cybele of the North celebrated her secret mysteries.” Those who want to know the details, read Masson. I don't want to retell them. Masson's texts convey the "free spirit" of the French Revolution, which was very keen on exposing monarchs of all stripes. Read what they wrote about the executed Marie Antoinette. According to the prosecutor of the Revolutionary Tribunal, she cohabited with her own eight-year-old son. Nonsense and vileness! And I mentioned Masson’s fabrications only so that the reader would not reproach that the author had not familiarized himself with all the important documents of the era.

In 1795, new awards rained down on Zubov: he received the Order of St. Vladimir, 1st degree, and was appointed chief of the Cadet Corps. In 1796, Count Platon Zubov became a prince of the Holy Roman Empire, and was also appointed head of the Black Sea Fleet and the Admiralty. Everyone was in awe of him, but not Suvorov. As Novorossiysk Governor-General, Zubov gave written orders to the field marshal, sometimes the tone of these letters was too bossy and at the same time stupid. “To me, is your rescriptive, indicative, imperative calm, used in certifications? - Suvorov answered him. “It’s not good, sir!” They said that once Zubov received Suvorov in his home coat, too casually. In retaliation, the field marshal, awaiting the visit of the “temporary worker” on his territory, immediately stripped down to his underwear, in which he carried on the conversation. Suvorov was not afraid of anyone, but everything was forgiven for his genius.

A few words about Valerian Zubov. With the rank of major general, he, together with Suvorov, participated in the pacification of Poland, was wounded, and lost a leg. In 1796, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the troops, carrying out the chimerical, exotic project of his brother Plato - to conquer all of Asia to Tibet. Me too, Alexanders of Macedon! The war was difficult and senseless, but Derbent was taken. With the death of Catherine, Tibet was forgotten.

For seven years Platon Zubov was Catherine’s favorite. After Potemkin's death he was called "the de facto ruler of Russia." This is, of course, a gross exaggeration. He is too small for this role, but he had a huge influence on the empress. But this was the dark period of her reign. In the last decade, Catherine’s worldview and character have changed. It is rightly believed that the reaction in Russia was provoked by the French Revolution, but the tough, arrogant and selfish character of Zubov, who was nearby, must certainly be taken into account.

It was Zubov who pointed out to the empress that the tragedy of Prince Vadim of Novgorod was dangerous and undermined the foundations of the state. This tragedy was published by Dashkova in the last volume of the Russian Theater published by the Academy. Catherine demanded that the book be withdrawn from sale. Dashkova tried to defend the late author - to no avail. She was offended and resigned. Catherine came to her senses, began to persuade Dashkova to remain as president of the academy, and perhaps the matter would have ended quite amicably if Zubov had not intervened again. He hated Dashkova and did everything to make her leave St. Petersburg. Dashkova’s brother, Alexander Romanovich Vorontsov, also resigned. The disgraced Radishchev, whom Catherine wanted to execute, but changed her mind, served in the department of A.R. Vorontsova. Radishchev went to Siberia, and Vorontsov, fearing Zubov’s intrigues, left the Commerce Collegium, which he headed. In 1792, the writer, journalist, educator N.I. was arrested and then sent without trial for fifteen years to the Shlisselburg Fortress. Novikov.

Through the fault of Platon Zubov, one story happened, which, according to many historians, undermined the health of the empress and indirectly caused her death. The story will be about the unsuccessful matchmaking of Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna, the eldest daughter of the Tsarevich and the eighteen-year-old Swedish prince Gustav Albert.

There is an opinion that the idea to make Alexandra Pavlovna the queen of Sweden was suggested to the empress by Platon Zubov. Catherine liked this project, but she did not believe that King Gustav III would agree to the marriage of his son to the Russian princess. In 1792, King Gustav was assassinated at a masquerade ball as a result of a noble conspiracy. The heir, Gustav Adolf, was 14 years old. His uncle was appointed regent for the boy prince, and he actually ruled the country until Gustav Adolf came of age. The regent was informed about the intentions of the Russian house and found out that he was categorically against this marriage.

Time passed, the prince grew up. As a result of intrigue, bribery, extensive secret correspondence and difficult conversations, it was possible to achieve his visit to Russia. The uncle-regent had already agreed to the marriage, all that remained was to introduce the bride and groom, find out the prince’s opinion and resolve the matter amicably. On August 14, 1796, Prince Gustav Adolf with the regent and a large retinue arrived in St. Petersburg. The Swedes were greeted very solemnly and festively: receptions, balls, feasts and fireworks. The bride and groom met and liked each other.

Everything was going to a happy ending; it was only necessary to draw up a competent marriage contract. This was not a simple matter, because, according to Catherine’s plan and according to the tradition of the Russian court, the future queen of Sweden had to preserve her religion, that is, remain Orthodox. But this rule did not correspond to the tradition of the Swedish court. They discussed the agreement in draft and seemed to come to an agreement: Princess Alexandra Pavlovna would not make an official renunciation and would secretly remain in her Orthodox faith.

Catherine decided that an oral agreement was enough to set the engagement day - September 10. The prince is clearly in love, and this is the main thing. She instructed her two ministers, Platon Zubov and Morkov, to draw up a marriage contract. Zubov was smart enough to inquire about the details.

The Empress waved it off - write the contract at your own discretion.

On September 10, at seven o'clock in the evening, the entire imperial family and the full staff of courtiers gathered in the throne room of the palace. Grand Duchess Alexandra in her wedding dress was, as they say, lovely, with her sisters and brothers nearby. Tsarevich Pavel and the Grand Duchess's mother arrived from Gatchina. The Empress, dressed in ceremonial dress, sat on the throne, next to her were dignitaries wearing orders and ribbons.

The groom was late. The audience was at first surprised, then indignant and finally began to get nervous. Suddenly, instead of the young prince, Platon Zubov appeared and began to whisper something in Catherine’s ear. The Empress was worried. Zubov disappeared, and the courtiers were frankly frightened. Everyone was told to wait.

It turns out that the “beloved ministers” drew up a marriage contract that did not suit the groom. Zubov, feeling himself the “author of the project,” included clauses in the contract according to which the future queen would not only profess her religion, but have her own chapel and clergy in the royal palace, that is, a whole staff of priests and deacons - it is clear that the entire clergy will serve interests of Russia. In addition, some secret obligations against France were written into the marriage contract. That is, Zubov and Morkov clearly overdid it, wanting to kill three birds with one stone.

The prince only asked Morkov: “Is this done with the consent of the empress?” Morkov answered in the affirmative. Then Gustav Adolf said that this contract was contrary to the laws of his country, that “we did not agree so” and he would not sign anything. They tried to persuade him all evening, but he remained adamant. The prince was expected in the throne room until ten in the evening, but he never appeared.

The scandal was terrible. Catherine had never experienced such humiliation. And from whom? From a boy, the monarch of a state that she had long considered completely defeated and to whom she was going to dictate her will. The official version of the prince’s failure to appear in the throne room is his sudden illness, but you can’t deceive people, the whole court slandered Zubov’s tyranny, it was he who was accused of disgrace. I felt very sorry for the young bride. Catherine did not utter a word of reproach to Zubov, but she fell ill. Something like a light blow happened to her, a harbinger of the one that brought her to the grave.

This is how Rostopchin describes the behavior of Platon Zubov after the death of his benefactor: “The despair of this temporary worker cannot be compared with anything, I don’t know what feelings had a stronger effect on his heart; but confidence in the fall and insignificance were depicted not only on his face, but also in all his movements. Passing through the Empress’s bedroom, he stopped several times in front of the body and came out sobbing.” It was all over, the court turned away from him at once.

It is surprising that this crafty man did not think about his future. Of course, Zubov knew that Catherine was not eternal, but apparently it never occurred to him that her hour of death was so close. And only when the empress lay unconscious after the blow on November 5, he realized to send a messenger to Gatchina to Paul, and this messenger was his brother Nikolai Zubov. Maybe that’s why, having taken the throne, the new emperor treated his former favorite graciously? The joy of receiving the long-awaited throne was so great that Paul forgave not only his mother, but also her lover. He brought order to the family, transferred his father’s ashes to the Peter and Paul Cathedral, laid them next to Catherine, and now wanted to be generous and fair. He gave Platon Zubov a luxurious house on Morskaya and even paid him a visit with Maria Fedorovna in honor of his former favorite’s birthday.

But Zubov was afraid of disfavor, and for good reason, and therefore asked to be dismissed from all positions. Having received leave from government service for two years, he went abroad in February 1797 “to improve his health.” He treated his poor health until the autumn of 1798, and then, by imperial command, returned to his fatherland. Cold weather awaited him at home, and Paul I’s attitude towards him radically changed. Zubov was not called up for service; he, like his brother Valerian, was ordered to go to their estates in the Vladimir region and live there quietly. The brothers were under secret surveillance. In May 1799, by decree of the Senate, it was ordered that “all estates of Feldzeichmeister Prince Zubov and retired General Zubov, except family ones, should be taken into the treasury.”

At the end of 1800, the Zubov brothers were allowed to return to St. Petersburg. The confiscated estates were returned to Platon and Valerian Alexandrovich, Platon was appointed head of the 1st Cadet Corps. It seems that Pavel played with Platon Zubov like a cat with a mouse. But the mercy was shown by Paul at the prompting. Military Governor of St. Petersburg P.A. Palen advised the emperor to return the Zubovs to the capital: they say they have already been punished enough. This was treacherous advice. A plan for a future coup had already matured in Count Palen’s head, in which the Zubov brothers had an important place. Time has shown that the brothers “did not disappoint.”

The conspirators justified themselves by saying that Paul I was insane. The emperor's behavior was indeed sometimes very eccentric. But what is there to argue about whether he is insane or not if his elimination “was required by the interests of the state”? Son Alexander knew about the conspiracy, but he was promised on oath that Pavel’s life would be spared, he would be interned in the fortress and a tolerable life would be arranged for a private person there. To do this, Paul had to do a little - abdicate the throne in favor of his son. But the head of the conspiracy, Palen, and many other conspirators knew that Paul, a knight on the throne, would not sign the abdication. They were going to kill.

On the night of March 11, 1801, they gathered in the park of the Mikhailovsky Castle and went “to work” in two groups: one led by Palen, the other led by Bennigsen and Platon Zubov. His brothers were also here. Everyone was drunk - it’s scary! When they approached Pavel’s chambers, Plato’s nerves gave way: “I can’t! Let's go back!" Bennigsen replied: “We have come too far to follow your advice, which will ruin us all.”

Adjutant of the Preobrazhensky Regiment Argamakov, Platon Zubov and Bennigsen were the first to enter the emperor’s bedroom. Pavel's bed was empty. “He was saved! - Platon Zubov shouted in hysterics. “We are dead!” The Emperor was found behind a screen. Bennigsen and Zubov immediately suggested that he abdicate the throne. Pavel refused and asked in horror: “Platon Alexandrovich, what are you doing?”

The conspirators themselves did not know who the murderer turned out to be; in any case, their stories differ greatly. They piled on en masse, Nikolai Zubov hit the emperor in the temple with a snuffbox, someone took off his officer’s scarf, and they strangled Pavel with it. His last words were: “What have I done to you?” Platon Zubov managed to leave the bedroom before the terrible scene.

There are documents or memoirs (I have not seen them myself) that indicate a connection between the conspirators and the English envoy to Russia, Lord Charles Whitward. England was greatly disturbed by Paul I, since Russia was going to conclude an agreement with France against England. If Pavel disappeared, there was hope that Russia would conclude an agreement with England against France, so the game was worth the candle. How could the lord communicate with the conspirators? Through Olga Zherebtsova, sister of Plato and the entire Zubov brood. Zherebtsova was Whitward's mistress. It is unknown how he helped the conspirators - with advice or money. All this is just guesswork, but Mark Aldanov (and I really believe him) confidently writes that Napoleon, citing information from his spies, claimed that the true killer of Paul was the English envoy. But it is one thing to desire murder, and quite another to carry it out. The Zubovs still can’t wash Pavel’s blood off their hands.

Oddly enough, with the accession of Alexander I, Platon Zubov played a prominent role at court. He was a member of the State Council. In November 1801, he joined the commission for the organization of the Novorossiysk region. The clever courtier even suddenly became an ardent liberal and advocated for a constitution, and absolutely what could not be expected from him - he brought up for discussion in the Senate the issue of prohibiting the sale of peasant families without land, this project of his was accepted and approved. In 1803, his philanthropy reached the point that in a letter to the sovereign he expressed his readiness to give freedom to his peasants, and there were many of them - about 30,000 souls.

He proposed, and then everything was somehow forgotten. And Alexander I did not need such sacrifices. Over time, all the good wishes of Platon Zubov disappeared into the sand. On the Yanishka estate in the Vilna province he had extensive Lithuanian possessions, and he showed himself to be a real serf owner. Zubov started stud farms and proper field farming, but at the same time mercilessly robbed his peasants. He was fabulously rich, but in his old age he suddenly turned into a “miserly knight.” Now he spent almost nothing on himself, he led a more than modest life, but the chests in his basements were filled with hard coin.

At the age of 54, he suddenly married a beautiful Polish woman, Tekla Valentinovich, a poor noblewoman. He, in fact, did not intend to get married, he only wanted love, so he offered the girl’s mother a large sum of money in exchange for the beauty’s caresses. But the mother indignantly rejected the old man’s advances, and then he decided to marry. The young people lived together for only a few months, and even those were not happy for Platon Alexandrovich. He died on April 7, 1822 and was buried in the Sergius Hermitage near St. Petersburg. After his death, according to contemporaries, in addition to other wealth, 20 million silver rubles remained in his basements. The young widow married Count Shuvalov, and all the untold wealth migrated there.

Platon Zubov did not leave any legitimate offspring, but he had side children from different mothers. In his old age, he showed himself to be a child-loving parent; he provided for his children by depositing a million rubles in banknotes in the name of each of them. For me this is a very significant act. There are no full-fledged scoundrels in the world; we are all servants of circumstances and bad or good heredity.

The last favorite of Catherine II, His Serene Highness Prince Zubov Platon Alexandrovich, born on November 26, 1767, was the third son of the provincial vice-governor and manager of the estates of Count Saltykov - Alexander Nikolaevich Zubov, whom his contemporaries called “the most dishonest nobleman in the entire state.” Apparently there were reasons for this.

Having barely reached the age of eight, the future His Serene Highness Prince, and at that time simply Platosha, was enlisted as a sergeant in the Semenovsky Life Guards Regiment. While the boy was growing up and receiving home education, his military career was going uphill, and after the allotted time had passed, he received another rank. The boy had barely turned twelve when he was transferred as a sergeant to the Horse Guards, and five years later he was promoted to cornet. For the first time in the active army, which was then in Finland, Plato found himself in 1788, where he soon received another promotion, becoming a second captain. Such a rapid advancement up the career ladder of the young man is explained by the patronage of Count Saltykov, for whom his father served as a manager, and who greatly distinguished Plato for his “modesty and respectfulness.”

In June 1789, the imperial cortege moved sedately from St. Petersburg to Tsarskoe Selo. Next to the carriage, decorated with the royal monogram, a twenty-year-old handsome man pranced on a horse, striking the eye with his stature and grace. From the window twilight, he was continuously watched by the eyes of a woman who had already lost her youth, but retained the features of greatness and former beauty. On that day, the star of Catherine’s new favorite was rising in the capital’s sky, whose name – Platon Zubov – would become a symbol of the end of the reign of the greatest Russian empress.

The beginning of a fairy tale

The true rise of his dizzying career began precisely on that summer day from which we began the story. Thanks to the patronage of Count Saltykov, Platon Zubov was appointed commander of the horse guards sent to Tsarskoe Selo - the residence of the Empress - to perform guard duty there. This move coincided with the “retirement” of Catherine’s next favorite, Count A.M. Dmitriev-Mamonov, and the heart of the aging, but still loving empress was free. As you know, emptiness is generally contrary to nature, and to a woman’s heart in particular, and the lady of state, Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina, devoted to the Empress, hastened to fill it. It was through her mediation that the rapprochement between the Russian autocrat and the young horse guardsman she liked so much took place.

First, he received an invitation to dinner and enjoyed a pleasant conversation, and then was received in Catherine’s private chambers. Obviously, Plato turned out to be worthy of her attention, since literally three days later he was awarded a ring with diamonds and 10 thousand rubles in cash, and after another two weeks he was promoted to colonel and adjutant.
It is very possible that, given their age difference (Catherine was already over sixty at that time), she experienced very mixed feelings for her twenty-two-year-old favorite, in which the passion of a woman in love coexisted with maternal tenderness. But, one way or another, Platon Zubov and Catherine became inseparable. Soon he settled in the palace, where he was given the same chambers that had previously been occupied by his predecessor, Count Dmitriev-Mamonov. In the autumn of the same year, Zubov was appointed cornet of the Cavalry Corps and promoted to major general.

An old favorite and his young successor

It should be noted, however, that evil tongues claimed that this connection was nothing more than the result of a political intrigue started by the enemies of His Serene Highness Prince Potemkin, who was removed from Catherine’s alcove, but remained, nevertheless, her closest friend and most influential dignitary. All the former young favorites were his proteges and therefore did not pose a threat to the all-powerful prince.
The courtiers, dissatisfied with his influence on the empress and wanting a speedy overthrow, needed a different candidate. The empress wrote to Potemkin, who was in the Principality of Moldova at that time, about her new favorite as a “student” and “newcomer” who had recently appeared to her. The Most Serene Prince, who very strictly controlled her heartfelt affections, at first did not attach serious importance to the next novel. According to the information he had, the young man was a very superficial and narrow-minded scoundrel who posed no threat to him.
By the way, Zubov himself tried to please Potemkin. Plato, in the presence of Catherine, personally wrote a letter to the prince, in which he expressed his respect and devotion. At first this had an effect, but soon the experienced nobleman, sensing danger, began to turn the empress against her new “student”, convincing her in letters that he was a “trashy” and “insignificant” person. But the unexpected happened - Catherine, who always strictly followed his advice, this time became stubborn and flatly refused to part with the “newcomer” dear to her heart.

New Zubov at the Empress's court

Already in the autumn of the same 1789, another representative of the Zubov family appeared at court - Valerian, who was the new favorite’s brother. This eighteen-year-old young man, being introduced to the empress, immediately wins her warm sympathy and becomes another “student”.
She writes about him to Potemkin as a child, unusually beautiful and devoted to her in everything. For him, Catherine asks His Serene Highness for a worthy place in the army, which he leads, and on her own behalf bestows upon the young man the rank of colonel.
Apparently, the “student” showed considerable abilities. Curious documents have been preserved that testify to the bounties that the empress showered at the expense of the treasury on one of her former favorites, Alexander Lansky. It follows from them that during the three years of his favor, he received 100 thousand rubles for his wardrobe and outfits, and the daily table, at which at least twenty people gathered, cost the treasury 300 thousand rubles. The Empress personally gave him 7 million rubles, not counting numerous gifts, such as diamond buttons for a camisole, two houses in St. Petersburg and an innumerable number of serfs.
It is safe to say that Zubov did not cost the treasury any less. Plato was her last passion, and, presumably, Catherine was especially generous towards him. He sent his overly nimble brother out of sight, convincing the empress to send him to Moldova to Potemkin, where a warm place was ready for him. It was calmer this way - who could know how long there would be enough room for both of them in the heart of a woman satiated with life? Apparently, it was not for nothing that Platon Zubov reasoned this way. A photo from the portrait of his brother, where he is depicted wearing a hat with a luxurious plume, is presented in our article.

Beginning of government activities

In October 1791, the empress's faithful assistant in all state affairs, His Serene Highness Prince Potemkin, suddenly died. For Catherine, this was a terrible blow, because now she alone had the responsibility for making important decisions.
We needed a reliable and smart person who was always nearby. In her opinion, Platon Zubov could become such an attorney. The favorite was suitable for this role like no other. She began to involve her Platosha (as the Empress affectionately called him) in state affairs during Potemkin’s lifetime, but it cannot be said that he managed to succeed in this either. According to contemporaries,
Platon Zubov, the favorite of Catherine II, for all his physical advantages, did not have a sharp mind or a tenacious memory. Science was clearly not good for him, but at the same time he knew how to impress others as an intelligent and educated person. This was helped by his excellent knowledge of French, which he spoke easily and naturally.
After the death of Potemkin, Platon Zubov, whose biography became the full embodiment of court favoritism, rose in his career to a completely new height. Now from a modest and respectful “student” he turned into an all-powerful courtier, who did not consider it shameful to shout at those nobles to whom he had been subservient just yesterday.
From his pen in those years came the most unthinkable and absurd state projects, such as the capture of Istanbul by the Russian fleet, the conquest of Vienna and Berlin, and the creation of the new state of Austrasia. Strange as it may seem, the hitherto wise and prudent ruler fell under the influence of the Zubov brothers - empty and unprincipled careerists.
She signed decrees on the implementation of their delusional projects and generously financed them. For example, she sent Valerian with an army on a campaign, the goal of which was to conquer Persia and then India. It is believed that it was the brothers who persuaded the empress to brutally suppress the Polish rebellion, liquidate Poland as an independent state, persecute Radishchev, Novikov and persecute the Freemasons. In the last period of his life, Platon Zubov, the favorite of Catherine II and the owner of untold wealth, became famous as an incredible miser, whose equal was difficult to find. Keeping chests filled with gold in the basements of his castle (according to the most conservative estimates, his fortune was twenty million rubles), he shamelessly robbed his own peasants, which is why they were the poorest in the area.
Painfully enduring even the most insignificant expenses, he did not hesitate to wear old and torn clothes, sparing money to buy new ones. His only joy was going down to the basement and contemplating the wealth stored in dusty chests. It is known that Zubov became the prototype for A.S. Pushkin’s famous “The Miserly Knight.” Plato, who over the years increasingly lost his human appearance, only once, as if waking up from a dream, showed his former interest in life.

The last years of the life of the former favorite

The legend says that shortly before his death, he accidentally saw a young girl of incredible beauty at a fair - the daughter of a local landowner. By that time he was already a widower and wanted to marry a young beauty. Having received a categorical refusal from her, the old madman took out a chest from his basement, which contained a million rubles in gold, and simply bought the intractable girl from her father.
Platon Zubov ended his life in 1822 in Courland. After his death, the beautiful widow transported the remains to St. Petersburg, where they rested in the family tomb, located in one of the churches of the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage in Strelna. He found his last refuge next to the very road along which thirty-three years ago a brilliant motorcade was moving, and he, a handsome twenty-year-old man, pranced on a horse before the eyes of the aging empress...

Platon Aleksandrovich Zubov

Prince P.A. Zubov, chief of the cavalry guards.
Lithograph from the book "History of the Cavalry Guards and Her Majesty's Cavalry Guard Regiment..." St. Petersburg, 1851.

Zubov Platon Aleksandrovich (11/15/1767-04/7/1822), prince, adjutant general and field master general. Promoted thanks to patronage N.I. Saltykova. Became a favorite since 1789 Catherine II. Initially he did not interfere in state affairs, but after his death G.A. Potemkin Zubov's influence began to grow and he was appointed general-feldtzeichmeister, Novorossiysk governor-general and head of the Black Sea Fleet. In 1796 Zubov was dismissed, and in 1800 he was hired as director of the 1st Cadet Corps. In 1801, Zubov was again dismissed and lived on his Lithuanian estates for the rest of his life.

Materials from the site Great Encyclopedia of the Russian People were used.

Zubov Platon Aleksandrovich (1767 - 1822, Courland province) - state. activist Genus. in an old noble family. I received no education. He spoke French well and studied music. As a child he was enrolled in the Semenovsky regiment. In 1789 he began serving with the rank of captain second. Possessing a beautiful appearance, he became the last favorite of Catherine II. Vain and stupid, 3. interfered in the management of Russia's foreign and domestic policy, causing enormous harm. He behaved disgustingly with the most famous people of the era: A.V. Suvorov, state. activist and diplomat A.R. Vorontsov and others. He had many positions and titles: he was the Most Serene Prince, Feldzeichmeister-General, Director General of fortifications, Commander-in-Chief of the Black Sea and Azov Fleet, Governor-General of Novorossiya and member. State military college, an honorary lover of the Academy of Arts, etc. According to a contemporary, “everything crawled at Zubov’s feet, he stood alone and therefore considered himself great.” Knowing nothing, he took credit for all the successes and blamed his employees for all the failures. 3. was the author of a fantastic project to seize the Black Sea straits and foreign lands as a result of a campaign against Persia. It soon became clear that the war, which began in 1795, was poorly conceived and required enormous funds. Under Paul 1, hostilities ceased. After the death of Catherine II in 1796, Z. instantly lost all significance. In 1801, Z. was a participant in the murder of Paul 1. Under Alexander 1, he lived on one of his estates. Being very rich, he was distinguished by his stinginess and inhumane attitude towards serfs, for which he received a reprimand from the emperor (“it is reprehensible to bring them to such an extreme”). He died in his castle Ruenthal.

Book materials used: Shikman A.P. Figures of Russian history. Biographical reference book. Moscow, 1997.

Zubov Platon Alexandrovich (11/15/1767-4/7/1822), statesman, favorite of Empress Catherine II, His Serene Highness Prince (1796), Infantry General (1800), Adjutant General (1792). From the Zubov family. Brother V.A. Zubova. In 1755 he was registered as a sergeant in the Semenovsky Life Guards Regiment, in 1779 he was transferred to the Life Guards Horse Regiment. In 1784 he was promoted to cornet. At court he took the place of Count A.M. Dmitrieva-Platonov thanks to N.I. Saltykov, who hoped to shake the position of the Civil Aviation. Potemkin. Participant in the Russian-Swedish war of 1788-1790. State Lady A.N. also contributed to Zubov’s rapprochement with Empress Catherine II. Naryshkina, maid of honor A.S. Protasov and chamber-jungfer M.S. Perekusikhin - the people closest to Empress Catherine II. In the spring of 1789, Zubov was sent at the head of a horse guard detachment that accompanied Catherine II to Tsarskoye Selo; invited to dinner and approached by Empress Catherine II. After her breakup with I.I. Dmitriev-Mamonov became the favorite on June 19, 1789, received 100 thousand rubles on June 21, was appointed adjutant wing on July 4 and entered the adjutant wing previously occupied by Dmitriev-Mamonov. Provided patronage to the brothers - V.A. and N.A. Zubov. As his influence grew, Zubov began to come up with various projects, supporting the actions of Empress Catherine II aimed at strengthening censorship, etc. Thanks to joint intrigues with his brothers, Zubov managed by 1791 to undermine the influence of Potemkin, who initially did not attach importance to Zubov’s rise. Since October 21, 1791, Zubov has been the chief of the Cavalry Corps. After the death of Potemkin (1791) he became the closest adviser to Catherine II. He put forward a plan for domestic and foreign policy, which provided for a close alliance with Sweden and Prussia, patronage of the French royal family and emigrants, a “threatening” position in relation to Great Britain, and in the field of domestic policy - the persecution of the slightest manifestations of freethinking, censorship, espionage, and denunciation. During the departure of A.A. Bezborodko in Iasi (1792) Zubov concentrated the leadership of foreign policy in his hands. In September 1792, as a result of a scandal related to his father's extortion, Zubov's position was shaken, but Zubov soon managed to regain the favor of Catherine II. Since July 25, 1792, Zubov has been the Tauride Governor-General, at the same time since October 19, 1792, General-Fieldmaster, and since July 19, 1796, Commander of the Black Sea Fleet (placed in a position independent of the Admiralty Collegiums). In 1795, Zubov received the Shawel economy in the annexed Polish regions (over 13.6 thousand). shower, 100 thousand rubles. income) and a number of estates in Courland. From the end of 1795 he was the chief of the Cadet Corps. Zubov was in charge (by 1796) of Polish and Persian affairs, the organization of the Polish provinces and the Duchy of Courland, the port of Odessa, diplomatic correspondence, the drawing up of a new charter of the Senate, the management of the settlement of the Tauride province, etc. In Zubov’s immediate circle, the main role was played by incompetent people prone to intrigue. Under Zubov, discipline in the army fell sharply (subsequently, Emperor Paul I banned the mention of Zubov's name in the army as the personification of ignorance and negligence). In 1795 he participated (together with I.A. Osterman and Bezborodko) in negotiations on the third partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Zubov's actions in the negotiations almost caused a rupture between Russia and Prussia; disagreements were settled personally by Catherine II. In 1795, Zubov put forward an anti-Turkish project, according to which the Russian army occupied trading points between Persia and Turkey, established relations with India, then, turning to the west, blocked the routes to Constantinople; another army was supposed to move through the Balkans to Constantinople, which was supposed to be blocked by the Russian fleet (under the personal leadership of Empress Catherine II); the plan formed the basis of the Persian Campaign of 1796. During military operations, Zubov presented a project to overcome financial difficulties, in which, in particular, he proposed doubling the value of copper coins by reminting (according to Zubov, this measure was supposed to enrich the treasury without harming the people). He was an active supporter of the project of transferring the throne to Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich, bypassing Paul. After the death of Catherine II, Paul I instructed Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich (future Emperor Alexander I) to analyze Zubov’s papers, but no incriminating materials were found and Zubov retained his posts. However, people from Zubov’s inner circle fell into disgrace. From November 26, 1796, Zubov was also an artillery inspector. On December 6, Zubov was dismissed from all posts at his request. 12/29/1796 “for the failure of the Sestroretsk factories” and the unsatisfactory condition of the artillery, Zubov was ordered to recover 50 thousand rubles. (in July 1797 the amount was “forgiven”). In February 1797, Zubov was placed under secret surveillance. In May 1800, a sequestration was imposed on his Vladimir estates. 2.11.1800 returned to court, from November director, from 25.2.1801 chief of the First Cadet Corps. 12/4/1800 Confiscated estates were returned to Zubov. Involved P.A. Palen to the conspiracy against Paul I, 11. 3.1801 tried to leave the conspirators, but was stopped by L.L. Bennigsen. He was one of the first to burst into the bedroom of Emperor Paul I and, taking out the act of renunciation, invited him to sign it. He did not take part in the murder of Paul I. From March 30, 1801, member of the Permanent Council, from November 1801, member of the Commission for the Organization of the Novorossiysk Territory. He presented to Alexander I a project for transforming the Senate into a legislative assembly, as well as a project on the peasant issue, in which he proposed to ban the sale of peasants without land, while the treasury had to buy out the servants and enroll them in guilds and guilds (Zubov did not indicate methods for carrying out the operation in the project) . From 1802 he lived abroad, from 1803 - in Moscow. In February 1804, he submitted to Alexander I a project on the establishment of military corps in the provinces for the education of children of nobles (the project was approved, and a Commission was created to draw up the Regulations on the higher and provincial corps). During the Patriotic War of 1812, together with A.A. Arakcheev and A.D. Balashev advocated the departure of Alexander I from the army. Involved in the discussion of the issue of Russian troops leaving Moscow, supported the proposal of M.I. Kutuzova. From 1814 he lived on the estate of Yanishka, Shavelsky district, Vilna province. He had a large fortune: over 30 thousand peasant souls; after his death, over 20 million rubles remained in silver coins alone. After the death of his young daughter Alexandra (24.2.1824), Zubov’s fortune was inherited by his brother, D.A. Zubov; P.A. Zubov had several side children, in the name of each of whom he deposited 1 million rubles in the bank. banknotes. In general, memoirs have developed a negative assessment of Zubov as a narrow-minded, frivolous, arrogant and tyrant person.

Alexander Lanskoy

There is quite a lot of information about predators in historical archives. In any case, there is a lot of information about people with strong magnetism who used it, charming the first government officials and obtaining their wealth.

Magnetism is not just beauty. Among the magnetic historical figures, there were beautiful ones, some not so beautiful ones, and sometimes even ugly ones, but the most beautiful ones were magnetic not only due to their beauty. Next to them were always no less beautiful physically, but less charming and did not have the same impact.

Magnetism is a particularly strong charm, a lasting charm of a person, drawing others into one's own field.

I’ll tell you about one family from the 18th century, whose charm was either partly in their genes, or formed in early youth by copying each other, or was akin to talent, and talent, go figure out what its nature is.

Most is known about two representatives of this family: Platon Zubov, the last favorite of Catherine II, and his older sister (probably the same age) Zubova Olga. But the Zubovs’ younger brother, Valerian (three years younger than Plato), apparently had a potential not much less than his brother.

Already in love with Plato so much that those around her were shocked by the scale, the Empress met the younger Zubov and noticed that he was “the spitting image of Platosha, but only with an even more beautiful face.”

Platon Zubov

Valerian Zubov

“This is such a sweet child,” she wrote to Potemkin about Valerian. “He is so sincere that he cries every time he is not allowed into my bedroom.”

Cries when he is not allowed into the Empress's bedroom. Not bad, isn't it?

Plato was so frightened by the competition of his playful little brother that, taking advantage of Catherine’s even greater love, he persuaded her to send nineteen-year-old Valerian away, into Potemkin’s active army, where he soon received many titles and awards, then became a general, fought with Suvorov, and a few years later , in Poland, was wounded by a cannonball in the leg, which was soon taken away. The Empress cried when she saw the beautiful Valerian in a wheelchair; he could no longer compete with his older brother. Although three years later he was given an excellent prosthesis, but this was after the death of the Empress.

Even before Valerian’s leg was taken away, he, as Georg von Gelbig wrote, “stained himself with unacceptable behavior with Polish wives.” As a result of a scandal due to his affair with the wife of Voivode Potocki and her pregnancy, Valerian was forced to marry her, and she left her husband.

Plato's life was much more pleasant and comfortable.

The Zubovs were from a poor family with a Turkic ancestor, thanks to whom they had beautiful dark hair and beautiful big eyes (Ekaterina called Plato “Dark-haired”, and also “Fun”, well, “The written boy”, “Child”, “Child”). Potemkin was shocked by how quickly Catherine's passion for Plato flared up and how quickly it turned into love. And although he hinted in his letters that he would soon return to the capital and “pull out the tooth that was bothering him,” he still could not openly object to her, since Catherine wrote that thanks to the “dear child” she came to life like a sleepy fly in the spring and feels healthy and happy . Isn't this the mission of the favorite? (By the way, Potemkin never got to the bad tooth and soon died).

They said that the Empress's acquaintance with Platon Zubov was a planned action of her ladies-in-waiting, especially Naryshkina, and his mentor Saltykov, who wanted to reduce Potemkin's influence and saw rich potential in Zubov. The Empress was experiencing the betrayal of her previous favorite, Mamonov, who fell in love with her maid of honor Shcherbatova (with whom she later forcibly married him and drove him away), and a little before his expulsion, the ladies-in-waiting informed her about a young handsome officer who had long been in love with her. The Empress allowed him to accompany her carriage at the head of a detachment to Tsarskoye Selo. Zubov turned a stream of charm on the Empress, and on the same day he was invited to dinner with her, and then to her chambers. Where he lived until the end of her days.

Everyone who described the Empress’s novel in the summer of 1789 believed that this boy was a passing option, too stupid, uneducated, frail in body and soul, but everyone was wrong. Soon he occupied Mamonov’s chambers and was appointed adjutant of the Empress. And a few years later, Count Rastopchin wrote to Vorontsov: “There are ALL teeth here.”

Platon Zubov remained among Catherine’s favorites for seven years and would have lasted longer if the Empress had not died. During this time, he did not let anyone near her (he even quickly drove away his beloved brother, and did not allow others to take a step at all). But Zubov did not throw scenes of jealousy like the previous favorite, Mamonov, he had the role of an easy-going boy, looking with adoration at his mistress. In descriptions of Plato, Catherine constantly used the words “modest”, “sweet”, “kind”, “gentle”. While those around him who hated Zubov considered him arrogant, greedy and arrogant, the Empress admired Zubov’s modesty. He refused all gifts, so she wanted to give him gifts and rewards more and more often. Zubov was one of the richest people in the state (after his death, his brother, Dmitry Zubov, inherited 20 million of his fortune), and the list of his awards and titles did not fit on a piece of paper in small handwriting. He was like a New Year tree, entwined with ribbons with orders, although he had not been in the war.

His handsome brother, Valerian, was at the wars, and many biographers mention with shame the words from Catherine’s letter, where she wrote that Valerian Zubov did in two months what Peter the Great did in two years. Her weakness for the Zubov brothers made the Empress’s great mind... not entirely clear and objective.

Platon Zubov always acted with cunning against potential rivals. Aldanov describes how in 1794 Catherine was introduced to the Chevalier de Sax, a handsome man, ladies' man and adventurer, whom Aldanov compares to Casanova and Cagliostro. Catherine liked him, received her protection, and the jealous Zubov immediately noticed this. He reacted very quickly. (A quick reaction and an effective strategy are only possible in the absence of corona, otherwise you will not notice the threat). At the first opportunity, when the Chevalier made a harmless pun, Zubov convinced one young man, Nikolai Shcherbatov, that Sax had mortally insulted him, and pushed him into a fight. Shcherbatov caught Sax and called him obscene names, he hit him and then Shcherbatov hit Sax with a specially prepared stick. This scene was described to the Empress, the Chevalier was immediately expelled with a scandal, and Shcherbatov was sent to the village for correction.

Later, Sax guessed who was responsible for what happened, and for a long time tried to challenge Zubov to a duel. He insulted him in letters, published his insults in various magazines, conveyed them through public figures, tried his best to offend Zubov, but Zubov did not react. Perhaps he even laughed. After Catherine’s death, Sachs managed to catch Plato somewhere in Europe and managed to insult him publicly so much that Zubov had to reluctantly agree to a duel. But during the duel, Zubov immediately pointedly bumped his palm against Sax’s sword and, showing everyone the wound, said that he could not fight now. And he left, not paying attention to the indignation of those present.

This was Platon Zubov. He took great care of himself and did not care about other people's opinions.

When his brother Nikolai Zubov personally killed Paul the First among other conspirators, Plato was allegedly present in the same room, but stood turning to the window and said: “My God, how this man screams!”

During the reign of Catherine, Derzhavin dedicated odes to him, Kutuzov made him some kind of special oriental coffee in the morning and brought it to bed (according to Rostopchin), Zubov met Suvorov in barely any underwear, and generally met everyone in a negligee, lounging on the sofa and playing with his monkey, whom everyone called the favorite of the favorite. Suvorov threatened to take revenge on Zubov for his disrespect, but took revenge only by the fact that one day, when Plato came to him, he quickly undressed and appeared before him in his underwear.

And special mention should be made about Zubov’s monkey. She behaved extremely impudently and unbridledly and loved to jump on the heads of courtiers, tearing off their wigs. But if at first some were indignant at the behavior of the favorite’s favorite, then, when Zubov’s influence increased, many began to deliberately make their hair higher and attract the monkey to their heads. This was considered a special honor and even a good omen.

They tried to quarrel between Zubov and the Empress many times, very cleverly weaving intrigues and doing their best to incite the Empress’s jealousy. But several days passed after the quarrel, the Empress made peace with Zubov, and the informers and perpetrators of the quarrel were so severely punished that others were afraid to interfere in the relationship of this couple.

When the Empress died, the Zubovs naturally fell into disgrace with her son, but thanks to the charm of the same Plato, they soon regained everything. Platon was expelled, but managed to charm the daughter of Pavel Kutaisov’s closest friend, and he asked for him as a future son-in-law. So the Zubovs returned to the capital, received back all their confiscated luxurious property and were able to slowly prepare a conspiracy against Pavel.

What was the charm of Platon Zubov, besides a moist and radiant look and skin glowing from within? (Which is just an indirect indicator of a very good energy state)

If we do not take into account the opinion of ill-wishers and envious people, for whom the favorite, of course, was a squalor, and the Empress a nymphomaniac out of her mind, if you pay attention and respect to the way Catherine the Second herself described him, this is what can be particularly highlighted.

1. Incredible, overflowing spontaneity, from which the ailing 60-year-old Empress immediately “came to life like a fly, healthy and cheerful” and felt good for seven years. They say that even when Plato pranced on a horse in front of her on the first day of their acquaintance, Catherine was fascinated by his overflowing energy. “My playfulness” was Plato’s main nickname in the first year. However, his agility was not annoying, did not tire the elderly Empress, but was appropriate and comfortable, that is, Plato had enough empathy.

2. Childishness in the best sense of the word, that is, spontaneity, restlessness, ease, uncloudedness in statements, frivolity and curiosity. The Empress did not agree that Plato was stupid; she considered him smart and very capable. He really had a good memory and a passionate desire to grasp the study of everything that the Empress told him about. He was devoted to her and hardly only outwardly. That is, she saw in him a very capable and grateful student and called him “My student Platosha.”

3. Plato looked like a child. He was thin, of average height, quite muscular, but very compact, with delicate features. Very funny, always positive and completely restless. He never got tired of the game, first of all, of the love game, and was always disposed to it. "Fool" - they called Plato, but he fooled around deliberately and very artistically. He loved to entertain himself by flying paper kites from the towers of Tsarskoye Selo.

4. The main thing that the Empress noted when praising her favorite Potemkin: “He never betrays himself for anything.” Apparently, it was about the fact that Plato truly loved himself, his mind and heart were in harmony (the King and Queen were married), he always made choices in his favor, did not betray himself, did not lose his temper, was pleased with himself and did not need illusions to like himself, accepted himself as he was, felt comfortable in his body and was in the state of an imposing “narcissistic cat,” as Freud described the basis for charm.

In the Russian State there were people much, much more significant than Platon Zubov, much greater, more brilliant and important personalities. However, he also deserves attention, since he had an influence on politics, domestic and foreign, solely due to his charm. His other abilities were rated very low by his contemporaries and descendants. But this only proves that charm itself has power.

In continuation, I will talk about Olga Zubova, an equally interesting predator, the sister of the Zubov brothers.

Life story
Platon Aleksandrovich Zubov - prince, son of A.N. Zubov, provincial vice-governor. Favorite of Catherine II. He was a lieutenant of the Horse Guards. Thanks to the patronage of the Empress, he received the dignity of a count and was appointed general-feldtzeichmeister, Novorossiysk governor-general, and head of the Black Sea Fleet. After Paul I came to power, he lost all ranks. He spent his last years in the Vilna province.
On July 9, 1789, discussing the recent resignation of Empress Catherine II's favorite Dmitriev-Mamonov and the emergence of his successor Platon Zubov, Count Bezborodko wrote to Vorontsov: “This child has good manners, but not a far-reaching mind; I don't think he'll last long in his position. However, that doesn’t bother me.” And by the way, this should have occupied him. Three years later, returning from Iasi, where, after the death of Potemkin, Bezborodko was sent to conclude peace, the count was convinced that the “child” had not only retained his place, but had also taken his position...
There were four Zubov brothers. They belonged to a family of small landed nobles, distinguished by great claims. Father, Alexander Nikolaevich Zubov, was a provincial governor and got rich from it. He also managed the estate of Field Marshal N.I. Saltykov, who later played an important role in the rise of Platon Zubov. The elder brother, Nikolai, who rose to the rank of major general, was married to the only “Suvorochka”, the daughter of the famous commander Alexander Suvorov.
But, of course, Plato achieved the greatest fame among the Zubovs. At twenty-two he was a lieutenant in one of the guards regiments. Catherine drew attention to this handsome, fragile guy. Plato immediately began to play the role of an unhappy lover. He found support among the court ladies surrounding the empress. Anna Naryshkina, Protasova, Perekusikhina assured Catherine II that Zubov was crazy about her. The Empress, who even in old age was convinced that she had retained her former beauty and charm, willingly listened to their persistent voices, telling her about returning - at the age of sixty! - eternal spring.
Catherine II was attracted to Plato by his innocence, gentle manners, and ingenuousness. Zubov, the empress believed, would reward her with devotion and fidelity, and that he, loving and reliable, would be by her side during feverish days and long sleepless days, during indigestion and back pain. “I have returned to life,” she wrote to her former favorite Potemkin, “like a fly after hibernation... I am cheerful and healthy again... He has a desire to please everyone: when he finds an opportunity to write to you, he hastily takes advantage of it, and his amiable character makes me amiable too. He has all the demands and all the charm of his years: he cries when he is not allowed to enter the empress’s room.” “A young man of charming appearance,” noted an impartial witness, the Swede Steding, the author of famous memoirs, “brown-haired, slender, short in stature, looking like a handsome Frenchman, like the Chevalier de Puysegur...”
However, a sweet child or a slender young man very soon showed all-consuming ambition: he seized all affairs, all influence, all sources of royal favor. Nobody got anything except him and his family. The "boy's" wealth grew rapidly. He did not ask for royal favor, but, taking advantage of his position, robbed those rich people who were forced to turn to him with a request.”
In March 1790, Catherine learned that the Prussian emperor had entered into a secret agreement with the Turkish Sultan. She was also upset by the news of the losses that Russia suffered in the war. She did not want to see anyone and spent time alone with Zubov and reading Plutarch. Together they tried to translate this author. The unobtrusive presence of young Zubov was a balm for the soul of the empress, who had lost peace.
Platon Zubov chose the right tactics, playing a modest man. And Catherine literally forced her generosity on him, so that the favorite’s wealth grew rapidly. In 1791, for example, she was going to buy the estate being sold by Potemkin and give it to her favorite. But the Prince of Tauride, having learned about this from the Empress at dinner, immediately declared that the estate had already been sold. "To whom?" - The Empress raised her eyebrows in surprise. - “Here is the one who bought it.” - And Prince Potemkin calmly pointed to the unsuspecting poor adjutant standing behind his chair. The Empress remained silent, but the deal was completed, and the happy adjutant became, thanks to the prince’s whim, the owner of twelve thousand souls.
When Catherine II brought Zubov closer to her, Potemkin was in Iasi. Of course, the all-powerful prince of Taurida soon learned that the empress had a “sick tooth” (as Zubov was called at court). Potemkin was gloomy and embittered, and when he was informed that Catherine had elevated her favorite to princely dignity, he became furious and immediately decided to go to Russia. Alas, Potemkin soon died.
After the death of Potemkin, this truly dangerous rival who weakened the influence of the new favorite, nothing further hindered the rise of Zubov. From 1789 to 1796 he became a count and prince of the Holy Roman Empire, received the Order of the Black and Red Eagle, and in seven years reached the peak to which his predecessors had climbed in twenty years. In 1794, as Governor-General of Novorossiysk, he gave orders to Suvorov himself! On August 20, 1795, Count Rastopchin wrote to Semyon Vorontsov: “Count Zubov is all here. There is no other will but his will. His power is greater than that enjoyed by Prince Potemkin. He is as careless and incapable as before, although the Empress repeats to everyone that he is the greatest genius that has ever existed in Russia."
The Empress, blindly infatuated with him, called him clever and gave him assignments that were beyond his abilities. Everyone was convinced every day that he knew nothing, and that he didn’t want to know anything. According to one of his contemporaries, Zubov “poured over papers until he was blue in the face, possessing neither the agility of mind nor the intelligence, without which it would have been impossible to cope with such a heavy burden.” In matters that did not concern his interests, he repeated: “Do as before.” All affairs were handled by his three secretaries: Altesti, Gribovsky and Ribas. The acquisition of the Polish provinces, condescendingly attributed to Zubov by the empress, was in fact the implementation of her plan with Potemkin.
It was, of course, difficult for Catherine in love to notice the general discontent. Moreover, the court flatterers extolled to unprecedented heights the beneficent genius who cared about the annexation of beautiful and rich provinces to the empire. At one meeting, one speaker tried to prove the advantages of the new Plato over the ancient!
The morning of the favorite overshadowed all memories of dressing the Marquise de Pompadour. “Every day,” Langeron said, “from eight o’clock in the morning his front hall was filled with ministers, courtiers, generals, foreigners, petitioners, seekers of places or favors. Usually they waited in vain for four or five hours and left, only to return the next day. Finally, the desired day arrived: the doors opened wide, the crowd rushed through them and found the favorite, who was combed sitting in front of the mirror, leaning his leg on a chair or the edge of the table. The visitors, bowing at their powder-covered feet, stood in a row in front of him, not daring to move or speak. The favorite did not notice anyone. He printed out letters and listened to them, carefully pretending to be busy with business. Nobody dared to speak to him. If he addressed someone, that person, after five or six bows, approached his toilet. Having answered, he returned to his place on tiptoe. Those with whom Zubov did not speak could not approach him, since he did not give frequent audiences. I can certify that there were people who came to him for three years and were not worthy of a single word...”
Some petitioners were driven out... by a monkey who used to walk over the heads of those present. “I had the honor of being acquainted with this monkey,” Langeron further wrote, “she was the size of a cat and unusually dexterous. She constantly flew over chandeliers, cornices, stoves and never broke or dislodged any furniture or decorations. She loved powder and lipstick and had a great passion for Greek toupee. When she noticed a headdress she liked, she would rush from the chandelier onto the head of its owner and settle down there. The happy man leaned over and respectfully waited until the small animal finished its meal or moved onto the head of the newly arrived owner of the toupee. I know people who have changed and elevated their hairstyle in the hope of attracting the attention of their favorite.”
What can I say, Derzhavin himself in 1794, on November 28, the name day of his favorite, wrote an ode in which he compared the latter with Ariston and Aristotle, which, he noted in a prosaic commentary, is one and the same.
Catherine died on November 6 (17), 1796. Hiding with his sister Zherebtsova, Zubov did not show up for ten days, citing illness and waiting for the new sovereign to decide his fate. On November 28, a court envoy unexpectedly appeared in the ex-favorite’s chambers and announced that Tsar Paul I was going to have tea with him tomorrow. The next day they met. Zubov fell at his feet, but Pavel raised him with the words of the Russian proverb: “Whoever remembers the old is out of sight.”
Zubov was delighted with this meeting. But Platon did not have to rejoice for long: on January 27 he was removed from all positions, his estates were confiscated, and Zubov himself was sent on a journey.
He spent some time in Germany, and in Teplitz he fell in love with the lovely emigrant, Countess de la Roche-Emon; then, having met two Courland princesses, the richest heiresses in Europe, he tried to seduce one of them. And he was close to success, but the girl’s angry father, deprived of his principality and insulted by his earlier favorite, indignantly refused him. Zubov hatched a plan to kidnap the princess, but Pavel’s order to urgently return to Russia did not allow his plan to be carried out.
Friends, especially Kutaisov, stood up for him. In addition, Palen, who was plotting the murder of the emperor, needed a person ready to take part in the adventure and crime. In 1800, Zubov returned to Russia and received back the confiscated estates. On March 12, 1801, Platon Zubov was among the murderers of Pavel Petrovich. However, he did not receive the expected reward for this: Alexander I treated him coldly. Zubov went to Germany again.
By the way, during Catherine’s lifetime, Plato courted the wife of the future Emperor Alexander, Elizaveta Alekseevna. It seemed to the favorite that everything was allowed to him and that he should extract maximum pleasure from his position. Did he manage to turn the head of the wife of his mistress’s grandson? It seems that Elizabeth, for a moment at least, turned her favorable gaze towards him. Alexander noticed this, but was not angry at all. “Zubov is in love with my wife,” he said laughing in her presence.