CATHARINE. 
90S 
her favourite Mons ; while his lifter, madam Balke, who 
was firft lady of the bed-chamber to the emprefs, was, in 
company with a page', upon the watch without the arbour. 
Peter, whole violent temper was inflamed by this difco- 
very, ftruck Catharine with his cane, as well as the page, 
who endeavoured to prevent him from entering the arbour, 
and then retired without uttering a (ingle word either to 
Molts or his lifter. A few days after this tranfaCtion thele 
perfons were taken into cuftody, and Mons was carried to 
the winter-palace, where no one had ad mi (lion to him but 
Peter, who himfelf brought him his provilions. A report 
was at the fame time circulated, that they were imprison¬ 
ed for having received bribes, and making their influence 
over the emprefs fubfervient . to their own mercenary 
views. Mons being examined by Peter, in the prefence 
of major-general Ulcbakof, and threatened with the tor¬ 
ture, co'nfefied the corruption which was laid to his charge. 
He was beheaded; his lifter’received five ftrokes of the 
knout, and was ban:(hed to Siberia ; two of her Ions, who 
were chamberlains, were alfo degraded, and fent as com¬ 
mon foldiers among the Ruffian troops in Perfia. O11 the 
day fubfequent to the execution of the fentence, Peter 
Conveyed Catharine in an open carriage under the gal¬ 
lows, to which was nailed the head of Mons. The ern- 
prels, without changing colour at this dreadful fight, ex¬ 
claimed, “ What a pity it is that there is fo much corrup¬ 
tion among courtiers!” This event happened in the lat¬ 
ter end of the year 1724; and, as it was foon followed by 
Peter’s death, and Catharine upon her accelfion recalled 
madame Balke, it has been fulpedled that file ftiortened 
the days of her hulband with poifon. But notwithftand- 
ing the critical fituation for Catharine in which he died, 
and her fubfequent elevation, this charge is totally defti- 
tute of the lead lhadovv of proof; for the circumftances of 
Peter’s diforder were too well known, and the peculiar 
fy.mptoms of his laft illnefs fufficiently account for his 
death, without the neceftity of recurring to poifon. 
During her (llort reign, which fucceeded the death of 
flte czar, her life was very irregular; (lie was extremely 
averfe to bufinefs ; would frequently, when the weather 
was fine, pafs whole nights in the open air; and was par¬ 
ticularly intemperate in the ufe of tokay-wjne. Thefe ir¬ 
regularities, joinedjo a cancer and a dropfy, haftened her 
end; and (he expired on the 17th of May 1727, a little 
more than two years after her accelfion to the throne, and 
in about the 40th year of her age. As the deaths of fove- 
reigns in defpotic countries are feldom imputed to natural 
Caufes, that of Catharine lias alfo been attributed to poi¬ 
fon ; as if the dilorders which preyed upon her frame 
were not fufficient to bring her to the grave. Some albert, 
that the was poifonedin aglafsof fpirituous liquor; others, 
by a pear given her by general Diever. Sufpicions alfo 
fell upon prince Menzikof, ivlio, a fhort time before her 
deceafe, had a trifling mifunderftanding with her, and 
who was accufed of battening her death, that he might 
reign with abfolute power during the minority of Peter II. 
But thefe reports deferve not the lead: credit, and were 
merely dictated by the (pint of party, or by popular ru¬ 
mour. Catharine was in her perfon under the middle 
fize, and in her youth delicate and well formed, but in¬ 
clined to corpulency as fhe advanced in years. She had a 
fair complexion, dark eyes, and light hair, which (lie was 
always accuftoined to dye with a black colour. She could 
neither read nor write : her daughter Elizabeth ufually 
iigned her name fur her, and particularly to her laft will 
and teftament; and count Ofterman generally put her fig- 
nature 10 the public decrees and difpatches. Her abilities 
have been greatly exaggerated by her panegyrifts. Gor¬ 
don, who bad frequently feen her, feems, of all writers, 
to have reprefented her character with the greateftjuftnefs, 
when he lays, “ She was a very pretty well-look’cl woman, 
of good fenfe, but not of that fubliniity of wit, or rather 
that quicknefs of imagination, which fome people have 
believed. The great reafon why tile czar was fo fond of 
her, was her exceeding good temper; fhe never was feen 
peeviffi or out of humour; obliging and civil to all, and 
never forgetful of her former condition ; withal, mighty 
grateful.” Catharine maintained the pomp of majefty 
with an air of eafe grandeur united ; and Peter ttfed fre¬ 
quently to exprefs his admiration at the propriety with 
which (lie fupported her high ftation, without forgetting- 
that Hie was not born to that dignity. The following 
anecdotes will prove that (he boie her elevation meekly; 
and, as Gordon alferts, was never forgetful of her former 
condition. When Wurrr.b, who had been tutor to Gluck’s 
children at the time that Catharine was a domeftic in that 
clergyman’s fanfily, prefented himfelf before her, after her 
marriage with Peter had been publicly folemnized, (he 
recollected’'and addrelfed him with great complacency, 
“ What, thou good man, art thou (till alive I 1 will pro¬ 
vide for thee.” And file accordingly fettled upon him a 
penfion. She was no lefs attentive to the family of her 
benefaCtor Gluck, who died a prifoner at Mofcovv : (he 
penfioned his widow ; made his fon a page ; portioned the 
two eldeft daughters ; and advanced the youngeft to be 
one of Iter maids of honour. If we may believe Weber, 
(he frequently enquired after her firft hulband; and, when 
ftie lived with prince Menzikof, tiled (ecretly to fend him 
fmall fums of money, until, in 1705, he was killed in a 
Ikirmilh with the enemy. But.th.e moll noble part of her 
character was her peculiar humanity and compalfion for 
the unfortunate. Motraye has paid an handfome tribute 
to this excellence. “ She had, in fome fort, the govern¬ 
ment of all the czar’s palfions ; and even laved the lives 
of a great many more perfons than Le Fort was able to 
do: (lie infpired him with that humanity which, in the 
opinion of his fubjeCts, nature Teemed to have denied him. 
A word from her mouth in favour of a wretch, juft going 
to be facrificed to his anger, would difarm him; but, if 
he was fully refolved to fatisfy that paflion, he would give 
orders for the execution when (he. was ajofent, for fear (lie 
ftiould plead for the viClim.” In a word, to ufe the ex- 
prelfion of the celebrated Munich, Rile etoit proprement la 
mediatrice entre. le monarque et fesJiijets ; “ She was indeed 
the mediatrix between the king and his fubjeCts.” See 
the article Russia. 
CA'THARINE il. Emprefs of Ruftia, vvhofe original 
name was Sophia Augufta Frederica ; but, upon her mar¬ 
riage to the grandfon cf Peter the Great, (lie a (Turned the 
name of Catharina Alexievna. She was born at Stettin 
on the 2d of May, 1729. Her father was Chriftian Au- 
guftus, prince of Anhalt Zerbli-Durnburg, at that time 
major-general in the Pruflian fervice, commander in chief 
of the regiments of infantry, and governor of the town and 
fortrefs of Stettin. Her mother, who was born princefs 
of Holftein Emin, was a woman of great beauty and dif- 
cernment, of nearly the fame age with the prince royal of 
Prullia, afterwards’ Frederic the Great, with whom Ihe 
kept up a regular correfpondence, and who afterwards 
contributed to the aggrandifement of her daughter. This 
accomplilhed princefs took upon herlelf the care of edu¬ 
cating the young Sophia, whom the brought up in the 
fimpleft manner, and would not fuffer to exhibit the leaft 
fymptoms of that pride to which (lie had a propenfity.from 
her earlieft childhood. The conlequence of falutary ve- 
ftraint was, that good humour, intelligence, and fpirit, 
were the (Inking features of her youthful character. Be¬ 
ing naturally addicted to reading, to reflection, to learn¬ 
ing, and to employment, (lie was taught the French and 
other falhionable languages; and was inltruCted to read 
fuch books chiefly as might make her acquainted with 
hiftory and the principles of fcience ; wliilft the doCtrines 
of the Lutheran religion were carefully explained to her 
by a divine, who little thought how foon his illuftrious 
pupil would embrace another faith. 
The emprefs Elizabeth, who then fwayed the feeptre 
of Ruftia, had in early life been promifed in marriage to 
the young prince of Holltein-Eutin, brother, io the prin¬ 
cefs of Anhalft-Zerbft ; but, at the inftant when the mar¬ 
riage was about to be celebrated, the prince fell lick, and 
died. 
