Life and state activity of G. A. Potemkin-Tavricheski — in the electronic rarities of the Presidential Library

September 24, 2017, marks the 278th anniversary of the birth of the Russian state and military leader Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin-Tavricheski (1739—1791). The Presidential Library has collected a large number of materials dedicated to of the Empress’ Catherine II right-hand man and supporter, besides biographies, also including documentary evidences of the great deeds committed for the development and strengthening of the Russian Empire.

An interesting legend is cited in the article about Potemkin in the March issue of the historical magazine “Russkaya Starina” (lit. Russian antiquity) for 1875: a sign preceded the birth of one of the most prominent defenders of the Homeland of the XVIII century. According to the edition, the mother of the future commander saw a strange dream: “right from the sky the sun was rolling over her, and she awoke all in fear. Soon after this … her son Gregory was born.”

“The character of young Potemkin represented a strange mixture of curiosity and frivolity, a tendency to scholarly work and laziness, but especially an age-inappropriate piety. <…> But from under the guise of sincere or feigned piety, childish playfulness often broke out,” — as we can read further in the same article. “The boy's abilities were extraordinary and foreshadowed his great future. The Godfather used to say about him: “My Grits, either be in honor, or will get his head blown off.”

Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin indeed reached an incredibly high position at the court of Catherine the Great. There are several versions of how they met. According to one of them, during the fateful for the country and the tsarist dynasty take-over on June 28, 1762, the young guard entrusted Catherine II a knob (a belt, a loop, a cord or a brush at the hilt of a blade weapon) from his saber and accompanied her everywhere. However, the author of the article Prince Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin-Tavricheski quotes the words of an eyewitness: “Metropolitan Platon, in the circle of his associates, speaking about the rapid rise of Potemkin from the very first days of Catherine’s accession to the throne, mentioned that the future Prince Tavricheski was able to imitate anybody's voice with what often made Grigory Orlov laugh. The latter informed Catherine about this, and she wished to see the kidder. Potemkin, asked by Catherine about something, answered her with her own voice and articulation, than made her laugh to tears.”

Potemkin was appointed vice-president of the Military Collegium, promoted to Count's dignity, appointed Adjutant-General and Chief of Irregular Troops. Personal sympathy of the empress, high position at the court and in the state authorities made him the most powerful man in the country. As it is written in the copy of the edition “Life of Prince Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin-Tavricheski” of 1812 from the Presidential Library stock: “Potemkin was received in the capital with all the signs of the monarch's mercy and his compatriots’ respect. Many nobles make gala party nights and receptions in his honor, trying to excel each other in splendor and excellence in that.”

Issued in 1808 book of the same name describes in detail the military exploits of the prince, in particular his participation in the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774, where he “increased greatly the fame of Russian weapons with his courage.” There are also the copies of belonging to the same period “Seven hand-written letters and notes of Potemkin to the Count P. A. Rumyantsev” in the Presidential Library fund.

In 1776, Grigory Aleksandrovich was appointed governor of Novorossia, Azov and Astrakhan and began enthusiastically populating these territories and developing local production. This period of his life is described in detail in the book Potemkin and the settlement of the Novorossiysk Territory of 1868, which is available on the Presidential Library website: “In the Crimea winemaking started under him and, according to him, it made a great progress…” He drew an attention to the breeding of mulberry and cotton, for which he invited professionals from Italy and Greece; an improvement of cattle and sheep breeds is certainly not lost on him, he foresaw what kind of progress sheep breeding could expect in future…”

Potemkin was able to implement the project of accession of the Crimea into Russia, for which he received the title of the most brilliant prince of Tauride. He also contributed to the development of the Northern Black Sea Coast and the construction of Kherson, Nikolaev, Sevastopol and Yekaterinoslav in this region. Under his leadership, the construction of the military and merchant fleets was conducted on the Black Sea, which played a major role in the wars with Turkey. Another evidence of Potemkin's active work is published at the end of the 19th century “Papers of Prince Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin-Tavricheski,” which include the orders, the requests, and a correspondence of his Highness for 1788-1789 and 1790-1793.

Catherine II highly valued her talented and active companion. Her published in different years of the XIX century by the historical magazine Russkaya Starina letters evidenced about this, while in the foreword of the above-mentioned book from the Presidential Library stock “Seven hand-written letters and notes of Potemkin to the Count P. A. Rumyantsev” the following words of the empress about the prince are cited: “He is a man of high intellect, of rare brainpower and of an excellent heart; his thoughts were always aimed on the great. Nobody controlled him, but he himself was amazingly able to control others…” In addition, on the Presidential Library website, the interested ones can get acquainted with the unique document of 1789 — the letter of commendation granted by the Empress to Prince Grigory Potemkin-Tavricheski: “With this Commendation, the most gracious, we commend you for your glory and encouraging the most desperate descendants who seeing this would have equally rewarded your famous services to us and to the Homeland and OUR recognition, and have sought to model themselves on your excellent diligence and service.”