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Paul I of Russia ( Russian: Pavel Petrovich, Павел I Петрович) ( October 1, 1754 - March 23, 1801) was an Emperor ( Tsar) of Russia ( 1796 - 1801).1 Childhood
He was born in the Summer Palace at St Petersburg. He was the son of the Grand Duchess, afterwards Empress, Catherine. According to some, his father was not her husband, the Grand Duke Peter, afterwards emperor, but Catherine's lover Sergei Saltykov . Although Catherine herself hinted that the story was true, it is fairly likely that this was simply an attempt to cast doubt on Paul's right to the throne, in order to prop up Catherine's own somewhat shaky claim.
During his infancy Paul was taken from the care of his mother by the Empress Elizabeth, whose ill-judged fondness allegedly injured his health. As a boy he was reported to be intelligent and good-looking. His unusual facial features in later life are attributed to an attack of typhus, from which he suffered in 1771. It has been asserted that his mother hated him, and was only restrained from putting him to death while he was still a boy by the fear of what the consequences of another palace crime might be to herself. Lord Buckinghamshire, the English ambassadorAn ambassador rarely embassador is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own. In everyday usage it applies to the ranking plenipote at her court, expressed this opinion as early as 1764Events January 19 John Wilkes is expelled from the House of Commons for seditious libel February 15 The American city of St. Louis is established. Births February 11 Joseph Chenier, French poet (+ 1811) March 13 Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, Prime Minister. In fact, however, the evidence goes to show that the empress, who was at all times very fond of children, treated Paul with kindness. He was put in charge of a trustworthy governor, Nikita PaninCount Nikita Ivanovich Panin ( September 18 1718 March 31 1783) was an influential Russian statesman, political mentor to Catherine the Great for the first eighteen years of her reign. Early career He was born at Gdansk, Poland, to the Russian commandant, and of competent tutors.
Her dissolute court provided a bad home for a boy destined to become the sovereign, but Catherine took great trouble to arrange his first marriage with Wilhelmina of Hesse-DarmstadtThe Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt came into existence in 1568, as the portion of George, youngest of the four sons of Landgrave Philipp of Hesse. With the extinction of the Hesse-Marburg and Hesse-Rheinfels lines by 1604, Hesse-Darmstadt, along with Hes (who acquired the Russian name "Natalia Alexeevna") in 1773Events January 12 The first American museum open to the public is opened in ( Charleston, South Carolina). January 17 Captain James Cook becomes the first European explorer to cross the Antarctic Circle April 27 or May 10 The British Parliament passes the. She allowed him to attend the council in order that he might be trained for his work as emperor. His tutor Poroshin complained of him that he was "always in a hurry", acting and speaking without thinking.
2 Early Life
After his first marriage Paul began to engage in intrigues. He believed he was the target of assassination. He also suspected his mother of intending to kill him, and once openly accused her of causing broken glass to be mingled with his food. Yet, though his mother removed him from the council and began to keep him at a distance, her actions were not unkind. The use made of his name by the rebel PugachevYemelian Ivanovich Pugachev ( Russian: best transliterated as Emel'yan Ivanovich Pugachov , born in 1740 or 1742 and executed in 1775, was a pretender to the Russian throne who led a Cossack insurrection during the reign of Catherine II. Background Pugach in 1775Events February 9 American Revolutionary War: British Parliament declares Massachusetts in rebellion March 23 American Revolutionary War: Patrick Henry delivers his speech " give me liberty or give me death" in Williamsburg, Virginia. April 14 American Re tended no doubt to render his position more difficult. When his wife died in childbirth in that year, his mother arranged another marriage on October 7October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years). There are 85 days remaining. Events 3761 BCE The epoch of the modern Hebrew calendar. 1513 Battle of La Motta Spanish troops under Ramon de Cardona defeat the Venetians. 1571 Battle of Lepanto, 1776, with the beautiful Sophia Dorothea of Württemberg, renamed in Russian "Maria Feodorovna". On the birth of his first child in 1777 the Empress gave him an estate, Pavlovsk. Paul and his wife gained leave to travel through western Europe in 1781- 1782. In 1783 the Empress granted him another estate at Gatchina, where he was allowed to maintain a brigade of soldiers whom he drilled on the Prussian model.
