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Elizaveta Tarakanova - history treated her harshly, without even telling us her true name. At various times she was called Alina Emete, Mademoiselle Frank, Madame Tremoille, Countess Silinska and Pinneberg, Elizaveta Voldomir... We know her as Princess Tarakanova. We know primarily from the novel of the same name by G. Danilevsky and famous painting artist K. Flavitsky, part of the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery.
...In 1761, a certain princess of Vladimir appeared in Europe. In Poland she created a sensation with her wealth, grace, intelligence and a long retinue of brilliant admirers. Luxurious mansions with numerous servants were hired for her. The eminent guests did not take their eyes off the charming hostess, admired her playing the harp, her ability to draw, and enjoyed pleasant conversations with her.
Ali-Emete, as the princess was supposedly called, was the daughter of the Persian Shah and his Georgian concubine. At the age of seven, she was sent to Europe, hoping to later decorate someone's harem with a European-educated girl. But the long chain of palace coups that followed this severed any connection between the young Persian woman and her homeland. Including cash flows were cut off. Ali-Emete was doomed to obscurity and poverty...
Soon Ali-Emete, now under the name Alina, was introduced to the Prince of Limburg, and some time later became his official bride. She extracted a huge amount of money from her illustrious fiancé and fled to Italy, since documents about the origin of the “Princess of Vladimir” were required to enter into an official marriage.
Why the adventuress went to Italy through Poland is unknown. It is only known that along the way there was a meeting that finally determined the tragic fate of the impostor: the head of the Polish confederates, Karl Radziwill, a very rich man with exorbitant ambition, drew attention to her.
According to other sources, Prince Radziwill took the daughter of Empress Elizabeth into his care back in 1767, that is, he found somewhere a girl capable of playing the role of an impostor. For him, the “princess” was simply a gift of fate. Her sudden appearance on the political arena posed a threat to the throne of Catherine II, hated by the Poles, threatened to fan the dying flames of peasant uprisings in Russia, and affect relations with Turkey, which allegedly favored the “All-Russian princess.”
“Whoever the girl was, released by Radziwill onto the political stage, but, considering all her actions, reading her correspondence and testimony given to Field Marshal Prince Golitsyn in the Peter and Paul Fortress, you involuntarily come to the conclusion that it was not she herself who decided to become an impostor, but was involved in deception and she herself partly believed in her mysterious origins,” said the writer A. Melnikov-Pechersky.
When the “All-Russian princess” realized that Radziwill was only able to pronounce beautiful speeches at the table, she gave up on him and decided to act on her own. To do this, she decided to personally go to the Turkish Sultan. But due to a strong storm, the ship on which she sailed with a retinue of old and new admirers found herself in Italian city Ragusa.
Meanwhile, Catherine, who had just pacified the Pugachev rebellion and was frightened by the appearance of an impostor, began to think about how to deal with the adventuress.
Princess Vladimirskaya was just in difficult circumstances and began to experience real need. And then Russian Count Alexey Orlov asked to meet with her.
In words, he supported her dreams, which had already become simply delusional: there was an alliance with France, and the liberation of serfs, and the annexation of Persia to Russia - which, it turns out, also belonged to the “All-Russian princess” by right of the heir to the Shah’s throne. Orlov gradually led his victim to the idea that they needed to get married right here in Italy, and then he, as the legal spouse, would fight for her interests, “the natural and true Russian empress,” with redoubled ardor.
They got married in Livorno, on one of the ships of the Russian squadron. Immediately after the wedding, the “newlyweds” were arrested right on the ship by order of the Russian Empress: Orlov for show, and “Elizabeth II” for real. And the squadron moved to St. Petersburg, taking with it a pregnant woman who had “bladed a name to herself,” half-mad with grief and fear, with obvious signs of consumption, who fell into a trap only because she recklessly trusted a man.
True, regarding the very fact of the wedding, the opinions of researchers differ. Thus, the historian P. N. Krasnov adhered to the point of view that all romantic love story Count Orlov and the beautiful impostor are the fruit of the imagination of fiction writers. Having gone through fire, water and copper pipes, Orlov saw in her “an unhappy adventurer, a corrupt woman greedy for money and tinsel glitter.” A similar version was put forward by K. Waliszewski: the count fraudulently lured the “princess” onto the ship and, perhaps, spent several hot nights with her, but there was no wedding.
In St. Petersburg, instead of the royal honors that the impostor dreamed of together with Orlov, the dungeon of the Peter and Paul Fortress and endless interrogations awaited her.
However, at first everything didn’t look so scary. Not a dungeon, but rather a “hotel room” of several rooms, decent food from the commandant’s kitchen, two maids, a personal doctor. Having received the order from the Empress to conduct an investigation into the impostor’s case, Field Marshal and St. Petersburg Governor-General Prince Alexei Golitsyn explained all these concessions by the fact that the prisoner had not yet been convicted of anything, and besides, she was sick and expecting a child. Catherine was not delighted with this manifestation of humanism, but did not object, she only insisted on an early investigation.
The prisoner begged for a personal meeting with the empress, but since all the letters, as well as the interrogation protocols, were signed in the royal succinct manner - “Elizabeth”, the Russian empress categorically refused to see the “blatant liar” and ordered interrogation with partiality. But Prince Golitsyn still could not decide to torture the woman. Instead, the prisoner was transferred to an underground casemate on bread and water, and the guard was in the same room with her.
All these measures only led to the fact that the unfortunate woman’s mind became clouded. The soldiers were removed from the cell only on the eve of the famous St. Petersburg flood. The prisoner was saved from death in the water by a miracle - the cell door was knocked down at the last minute. But it was clear to everyone that the woman’s days were numbered. Then Catherine ordered the captive to arrange a meeting with Alexei Orlov.
The meeting took place face to face, there were no witnesses. It is only known that the meeting did not last long, Orlov jumped out of the casemate, pale and with a distorted face, and his victim completely lost his mind and did not recognize anyone until his death hour.
Having given birth to a son, Alexander Alekseevich Chesmensky, “a nobleman of unknown origin,” the “Princess of Vladimir” died of bleeding. She was buried in a fortress near the Alekseevsky ravelin, and the hawthorn bushes planted by someone over the grave then grew into a small garden.
But when a few days later, Catherine, re-reading the interrogation sheets, tried to solve the riddle of the impostor, she was informed that Princess Vladimirskaya had arrived at the palace and respectfully asked for an audience.
It turned out to be the real Princess of Vladimir, Anastasia Andreevna, married to Mrs. Lee. Having lost her husband and two sons during America's war with England for her independence, she decided to return to her homeland and take over her inheritance rights. And she was surprised to learn that she had allegedly “riveted onto herself” the name of the daughter of Empress Elizabeth and was laying claim to the Russian throne.
Anastasia Andreevna hurried to Catherine to convince her: there is and cannot be any other princess of Vladimir besides her, and she herself does not pretend to anything.
Catherine invited Anastasia to live in the monastery as a guest. Ivanovsky was elected convent in the very center of Moscow. There, Princess Vladimirskaya was provided with beautiful apartments with a garden in front of the windows, all her orders were carried out instantly. She didn't need anything.
It was not at all difficult to create such conditions for the heiress of one of the most significant fortunes in Russia, especially since after her the treasury became the heir to everything. The Empress first forbade Anastasia Andreevna from leaving the walls of the monastery, and then hinted in a personal letter that Russia was in a difficult situation, money was needed, and could it be that Princess Vladimirskaya, having a multimillion-dollar fortune...
Princess Vladimirskaya signed papers transferring all her capital, lands and income from them to the state, and she herself became a nun under the name Dosifei. Perhaps all of Moscow was present at this high-society tonsure. The only one missing was Alexei Orlov-Chesmensky, who had been traveling around the Ivanovo Monastery for a mile since Princess Vladimirskaya settled there. Orlov believed that this was a woman he had deceived, that the rumors about her death were a lie deliberately spread by Catherine, and was panicky afraid of meeting his Italian love.

However, a more common version is that under the monastic robe of Dosithea was hiding the real Princess Tarakanova - the natural daughter of Elizaveta Petrovna and Alexei Razumovsky. Modest and beautiful, the real heir to the Russian throne, she did not think about reigning and, like the false Elizabeth, was deceivedly invited onto the ship and taken to Russia, where she was imprisoned in a monastery. This happened only in 1785, when Augusta Tarakanova was already forty years old. A considerable sum was allocated from the treasury for its maintenance. After the death of Catherine II, Dosithea began to be visited famous people; Metropolitan Platon came to congratulate her on major holidays, and even one person from the imperial family visited her cell and had a long conversation with the recluse. Until her death, Dosithea turned very pale with every knock on the door. She had a portrait of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna and some papers, which she, after long hesitation, burned. Judging by the portrait, she was very similar to Elizaveta Petrovna.
It remains to add that Metropolitan Platon and members of the imperial family would probably not have visited Dosithea if some Anastasia of Vladimirskaya was hiding under her name. And why should she, who grew up and lived half her life abroad, a stranger to Elizabeth Petrovna, carefully preserve the portrait of the late empress for years?
A number of historians, including K. Valishevsky, clearly believe that Empress Elizabeth Petrovna was childless. Based on medical evidence from those ancient times, a Polish researcher reports: from a young age, the crown princess suffered from “infirmity” in the female part, which made her unable to conceive and give birth to a child.
They said about Dositheus that she could predict the future, ward off misfortune, and cure an incurable disease. It’s hard to say whether it’s true or fiction. She was buried in the Novospassky Monastery, in the tomb of the Romanov boyars, as the last representative of this family - boyar, not royal. On the gray plate only the monastic name and the day of death were listed - February 4, 1810.
Meticulous historians claim that Princess Vladimirskaya is a sophisticated invention of Catherine herself, who hid under this “pseudonym” the real daughter of Empress Elizabeth and her morganatic husband, Count Razumovsky. That’s why she interrogated the unfortunate woman with such passion because she knew about the existence of a completely legitimate heir to Elizabeth. And she calmed down only when a possible rival herself came to her, and then allowed herself to be tonsured a nun and retired from the world.

February 17, 2010 marks the 200th anniversary of the repose of nun Dosithea (Princess Augusta Tarakanova; 1745-1810), nun of the Moscow St. John the Baptist Convent. In the tomb of the Romanovs of the Novospassky Monastery, where Elder Dosithea is buried, on February 13, after the liturgy, a memorial service will be celebrated in memory of the ascetic.

There is no reliable historical information about the origin of the famous Moscow recluse eldress, who labored for a quarter of a century in the Ivanovo Monastery. The origin of the Ivanovo slave girl will forever remain a mystery to us. There are no documents, no direct and accurate evidence, all that remains is legend. But the main thing that truly elevates her personality is the ascetic life of a recluse. Indirect evidence speaks of her noble and highest origin, and living direct and accurate evidence points to her life in seclusion, her gifts of consolation, prayer and insight. What is important and valuable for us is that nun Dosithea bore the difficult cross of the retreat, and then helped many, many people.

She accepted the drastic change in her fate with deep humility and spent her life in fasting and prayer in accordance with her monastic vows. In the eastern part of the monastery, to the left (on the outside of the monastery) of the Holy Gates with the gateway Kazan Church, not far from the abbess’s chambers, located to the right of the Holy Gates, there were small stone one-story cells with windows onto the monastery. A corridor and covered wooden staircase led from the cells directly to the gate church. Two rooms under the vaults and a hallway for the cell attendant - this is how Elder Dosithea’s retreat is described by her life writers: I.M. Snegirev, E. Poselyanin and priest Vasily Rudnev. During the complete reconstruction of the architectural ensemble of the St. John the Baptist Monastery in the second half of the 19th century, the hermit’s cell and the Kazan Church with the Holy Gates were dismantled in 1860.

According to the monastery clerk and Moscow merchant Philip Nikiforovich Shepelev, Elder Dosithea was of average height, thin, but retained on her face “the features of her former beauty; her techniques and manners revealed the nobility of her origin and education.” Glikeria Golovina, who studied at the monastery with one of the nuns, said that of all the nuns, Dosifeya allowed only one nun to visit her, “besides her, only the abbess and her confessor, and did not go anywhere, not even to the general monastery church.” The old woman visited only the gate church of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The service was performed by her confessor and the cleric. She “went to church very rarely, and then only accompanied by an old woman assigned to her. Then the church doors were locked from the inside so that no one could enter... Sometimes curiosity and rumors attracted people to its curtained windows, but the regular minister, who took the place of the guard, drove away the curious,” reports I.M. Snegirev. A special amount from the treasury was allocated for her maintenance; She could have a table if she wanted, always a good one. The absence of the recluse's name in the records of monastics of that time proves that special instructions were made regarding her maintenance.

The personality of Princess Tarakanova remains a mystery and a legend for our time. Quite often in historical and fiction they confuse and confuse two persons: an impostor who called herself Princess of Vladimir, daughter of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, and Princess Augusta, Princess Tarakanova, secretly tonsured and kept in the strictest seclusion in the Ivanovo Monastery. Everyone knows the painting from the Tretyakov Gallery “Princess Tarakanova in the Peter and Paul Fortress during the Flood.” However, few people know that the heroine of this painting by Konstantin Flavitsky died two years before the depicted flood. And very few people know that the impostor, posing as the daughter of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, never called herself Tarakanova. Flavitsky's painting is nothing more than a romantic fantasy of the artist, far from reality.

He talks about the amazing fate of Princess Tarakanova historical legend. It connects her by family ties with the royal family and tells about the secret but legal morganatic marriage of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna with Count Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky (1709-1771). In the Moscow Church of the Resurrection of the Word in Barashi (Pokrovka St., 26/1) in June 1744, Empress Elizabeth secretly married Count Alexei Razumovsky. Other sources speak of the village of Perovo near Moscow, where the marriage took place on November 24, 1742. A researcher of sorts, Countess M.A. Razumovskaya writes that a thanksgiving prayer service was served in the Moscow church on Pokrovka after the wedding. Be that as it may, the marriage was performed secretly, but in the presence of witnesses, and Count Razumovsky was given documents testifying to his marriage. A year or a year and a half later, their daughter, Princess Augusta, was born - that innocent sufferer who later became known in history under the name of Princess Tarakanova - nun Dosithea. After the marriage, the empress moved with the count to St. Petersburg, Razumovsky settled in an apartment adjacent to the empress’s chambers. In the capital, the empress built a special palace for him in 1748, now known under the name Anichkov. The father of the future nun came from simple Cossacks; elevated to the rank of count from court singers, Razumovsky retained simplicity and popular religiosity. In 1756, the Empress awarded her husband the rank of Field Marshal, although the count had nothing to do with military affairs. Having expressed his gratitude to the empress, Alexei Grigorievich, however, remarked: “Lisa, you can make of me what you want, but you will never force others to take me seriously, even as a simple lieutenant.” Razumovsky sought not to interfere in politics and in the struggle of court parties. Only on two issues did the count always decisively and openly cast his voice, without fear of boring the empress with his petitions - these were requests for the clergy and for his native Little Russia, which Empress Elizabeth personally visited in the summer-autumn of 1744. Enough for a long time she lived in Razumovsky’s house in the city of Kozelets and met all her relatives there.

“I don’t know of another family that, being in such excellent favor at court,” Catherine II wrote in her memoirs about the Razumovskys, “would be as loved by everyone as these two brothers.” Having ascended the throne, Catherine II sent Chancellor M.I. to Razumovsky. Vorontsov with a decree in which he was given the title of Highness as the legal spouse of the late empress. Razumovsky took the marriage documents out of the secret casket, read them to the chancellor and immediately threw them into the burning fireplace, adding: “I was nothing more than a faithful slave of Her Majesty the late Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, who showered me with benefits beyond my merits... Now you see that I don’t have any documents.” According to biographer Razumovsky A.A. Vasilchikov, Count Alexey Grigorievich “shunned pride, hated deceit and, having no education, but gifted by nature with a thorough mind, was affectionate, condescending, friendly in his dealings with younger people, loved to intercede for the unfortunate and enjoyed general love.”

The ascetic’s mother, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, Empress of All Russia from November 25, 1741 (1709-1761), had a sincere religious feeling, was pious, observed fasts, went on pilgrimage to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra on foot, and walked part of the way to Kyiv according to her vow. The Empress was so touched by the meeting in Kyiv that, shedding tears, she said in the presence of everyone: “Love me, O God, in Your Heavenly Kingdom as I love this grateful and kind people.” She was the people's empress, and her reign was truly Russian. After the rule of the Germans, almost exclusively Russian people became visible at court. Elizabeth was not at all averse to foreigners, however, when she was asked to appoint a foreigner to some position, she answered: “What is this for? Aren’t there any capable Russian people?” And the Russian Church recognized calm days, undisturbed by any heterodox influences. Under Elizabeth, the Protestants who remained at court did not dare to speak against Orthodoxy; She showed her respect for the faith of the fathers everywhere and gave advantages to those who accepted Orthodoxy. The Empress loved to visit various people of God and willingly made acquaintances with them; The queen took an active part in the fate of the Monk Theodore of Sanaksar and the Monk Dosithea, the recluse of Kyiv. Both ascetics were tonsured by the will of the empress, and the empress deigned to be present at the tonsure in person. She was interested in the internal life of monasteries and delved into the appointment of abbots of famous monasteries. Elizaveta Petrovna especially revered the Tsarskoye Selo icon of Our Lady of the Sign. On the night of November 25, 1741, she prayed in front of this image and made a vow: if she reached the throne, she would not execute a single person during her reign. The vow was fulfilled: the empress abolished the death penalty in the country.

The future righteous Dosithea was born at the end of 1745 or beginning of 1746. The girl was named Augusta in honor of the holy martyr, whose memory is celebrated on November 24. Nun Taisiya (Kartsova) writes that “in holy baptism she was named Dorothea; Augusta was her title." Both versions have their reasons. Due to the prevailing life circumstances, Augusta’s parents could not raise their daughter, but she knew their personal piety and served as an example. Princess Augusta, raised in high society, spent her youth abroad and did not expect to connect her life with monasticism. Why the daughter of Empress Elizabeth, Princess Augusta, received the surname Tarakanova is not known for certain. It is believed that she came from a distorted surname Daragan. It is known that Alexei Razumovsky’s sister Vera Grigorievna was married to Colonel of the Little Russian Army E.F. Daragan. Their children were brought to St. Petersburg and lived at court; the people changed the unfamiliar surname Daragan to Tarakanova due to consonance; Perhaps Princess Augusta lived as a child with her aunt Vera Daragan in Little Russia and St. Petersburg and, thus, together with her children, was nicknamed Tarakanova. Be that as it may, after Princess Augusta, after Dosithea, the surname Tarakanova was established in legend and history.

Princess Augusta was raised abroad. Whether she was sent there by her mother herself or after her death on December 25, 1761 by her father Count Razumovsky is unknown; but what is certain is that she lived there until the 1780s. A.A. Vasilchikov reports that Razumovsky actually raised his nephews Daraganov (or, as they were otherwise called, Daraganovs), Zakrevskys and Streshentsov abroad in Switzerland. There, in Europe, Augusta would have ended her life in peace and contentment, but the intrigue of the Poles destroyed her happiness. People abroad found out who this princess was. Since in Russia, with the uncertainty of the rights of succession to the throne, there were frequent changes in the government, as a result of which carrying out a new coup did not seem impossible to anyone, the Poles considered it opportune around 1773 to pose a problem to Empress Catherine in the person of her daughter Elizabeth, a contender for the Russian throne. Princess Augusta did not dare to commit such a vile act, but a figurehead was found - an impostor, the famous Princess of Vladimir in history. A lot of trouble was used, a lot of money was spent in order to create confusion in Russia, to cause as much trouble as possible for Catherine; but the invention failed: taught by the bitter experience of the 17th century, Russia in the 18th century did not believe impostors. Princess Vladimir in Italy, on the Livorno roadstead, was arrested by Count Alexei Grigorievich Orlov-Chesmensky, brought to St. Petersburg, imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress, and there on December 4, 1775 she died of consumption. The case about her was kept in the strictest confidence: neither in Russia nor abroad no one knew anything about what happened to her. And since two years after her imprisonment, precisely in 1777, there was a severe flood in St. Petersburg, a rumor spread that she drowned in a casemate, from which they forgot or did not want to take her out.

Princess Vladimirskaya, posing as Elizabeth's daughter, was gone, but the real Tarakanova was alive and free. The thought that there was a daughter of Elizabeth, that her name and birth could serve as a reason for the intrigue of the Poles or other enemies of Russia, worried the empress, and the Pugachevsky rebellion, the recently deceased impostor, the indignation in Moscow in 1771, court intrigues and conspiracies increased this fear . In the 18th century in Russia there was no law on succession to the throne - it was the century of palace coups. Born a German princess, Catherine II ascended the Russian throne as a result of such a coup and did not feel at ease.

The Empress gave orders to bring Princess Augusta from abroad by cunning or force. The Empress's command was fulfilled. It is unknown where and by whom it was taken; but how she was taken, she subsequently told Mrs. Golovina herself about this in a moment of frankness, having previously taken an oath from her that until her death she would not tell anyone about what she heard from her. “It was a long time ago,” said the princess, “there was one girl, the daughter of very, very noble parents; She was brought up far across the sea in a warm place, received an excellent education, she lived in luxury and honor, surrounded by a large staff of servants. Once she had guests and among them was a Russian general, very famous at that time; This general offered to take a boat ride along the seaside; let's go with music, with songs; and when they set out to sea, a Russian ship stood ready there. The general says to her: “Would you like to look at the structure of the ship?” She agreed, boarded the ship, and as soon as she boarded, she was forcibly taken to the cabin, locked and sentries were assigned.” This was in 1785. By the providence of God, Elizabeth's daughter was involuntarily brought to Russia, being 39 years old from birth.

Princess Augusta was presented to Empress Catherine II. The Empress, as they say, talked with her for a long time, frankly, talked about the recent Pugachevsky rebellion, about the unrest of the impostor, about state upheavals that could continue to happen if the enemies of the existing order use her name, and finally announced that she must retire for the peace of Russia from the world, live in solitude in a monastery and, in order not to become a tool in the hands of ambitious people, take monastic vows as a nun. A bitter verdict has been heard. It was unthinkable to object to the empress.

The Ivanovsky Monastery in Moscow, the same one that Empress Elizabeth appointed in 1761 for the care of widows and orphans of noble and honored people, was designated as the place of imprisonment for her daughter. The innocent sufferer was able to humbly accept her cross, given to her by God, and turn her misfortune to the salvation of her soul. The monotony of life, loneliness, boredom, the thought of eternal imprisonment, the memory of her famous parents, her youth, her recent free life abroad - this alone made her life tedious, difficult, but there was something else in her heart, why was she constantly afraid of something and trembling all the time during her imprisonment? At every rustle, at every knock on the door, eyewitnesses say, she turned pale and shook all over. It is unknown whether the sudden bitter change in life, the threats from the empress, which were very possible during a meeting with her before imprisonment, or the strict treatment during arrest influenced her, is unknown, but she was afraid of everything and everyone. But neither this fear nor fear could separate her from complete devotion to God and His holy will. She had some papers that, after a long hesitation, she had to burn to avoid trouble. The only thing that reminded her of her former greatness and happiness was watercolor portrait her late mother Empress Elizabeth, which she sacredly kept until the end of her life. The well-known ascetic of piety, Archimandrite Moses, rector of the Optina Hermitage, said that in his youth, around 1806, he visited the cell of the nun Dosithea more than once and saw there a watercolor portrait of Empress Elizabeth. Yes, Providence was pleased to lay a difficult cross on the shoulders of this involuntary recluse, but meek by nature, raised in Orthodoxy, she did not fall under its weight.

Her leaders on the new path of life were persons who had access to her: the abbess of the monastery and her confessor. The abbess of the monastery at that time was Elisabeth (1779-1799), an elder good life, who lived hopelessly in the Ivanovsky Monastery for more than 40 years; When electing the abbess, the nuns and belitsa unanimously submitted two petitions to the authorities so that no one else, namely she, would be appointed as abbess. The experienced, loving old woman could not help but sympathize with the recluse and, of course, was able to tell her both a word of consolation and a word of reinforcement. Communicating only with her confessor, Abbess Elisaveta and her cell attendant, nun Dosithea devoted all the time of her reclusive life to prayer, reading spiritual books and needlework; She distributed the money earned for her labors to the poor through her cell attendant. Sometimes significant sums were sent to the abbess from unknown persons in her name, and she used this money not for herself, but either for decorating the monastery churches, or for helping the poor. Having spent ten years in deep solitude, Mother Dosithea acquired grace from God and the spiritual gifts of prayer, consolation and insight.

Metropolitan Platon of Moscow (Levshin; 1737-1812) was also Mother Dosithea’s mentor. His relationship with Count Razumovsky was quite close. Plato had good voice, and the count himself was one of the singers, and, as a lover of church singing, he often called the young hierodeacon to him and sang with him. In 1763, Plato was appointed teacher of the law to Tsarevich Pavel Petrovich (future Emperor Paul I) and court preacher. Since 1775 - Archbishop of Moscow, in 1787 he was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan of Moscow. The Ivanovo Convent was under his jurisdiction. As an archpastor, he spiritually edified the hermit through the abbess and confessor; after the death of Empress Catherine II, he often visited the Ivanovo recluse, and came on holidays with congratulations.

The spiritual leader of Mother Dosithea became the elder of the Novospassky Monastery, Hieromonk Filaret, in schema Theodore (Pulyashkin; 1758-1842). Shortly before her death, she advised the widow landowner Kurmanaleeva to turn to him: ““You need to have a spiritual leader for a correct life and spiritual salvation; but in our time it is very difficult to find... you know such a great old man... hold on to this old man, he is a great saint of God, observe and fulfill his word, open your conscience to him, and God will save you... Go to him right now, tell him that sinful Dosithea bows to the ground and asks him for holy prayers and that soon he will bow to me. (Thus, the perspicacious recluse predicted her death.) Fulfill my request, then visit me on such and such a day, just don’t be late.” The old woman smiled slightly and remarked: “The path to the Lavra will not leave you, you will not see me later this day; I ask you to come." “Yes, the mother of Dositheus was a great ascetic! She endured a lot, a lot in life, and may her patience serve as a good example for us,” this is how Elder Philaret spoke of her. The will of the old woman was carried out exactly; she was buried in the Novospassky Monastery, initially opposite the windows of Elder Philaret’s cell.

Under the guidance of such and such people, the moral character that distinguished the hermit for the rest of her life was developed. Faith in God the Provider, a Christian view of earthly life and eternal life, divine reward promised to innocent sufferers - this is what encouraged and consoled her in life.

“In obedience to Christ, to the most venerable Timothy and the brethren, peace and God’s blessing.

I had the pleasure of receiving your pleasant letter, sent through brother A.S., and, reading it, could not help but remember the words that the path is in vain if God does not bless it. You, having directed your feet on the peaceful path to the storm-proof refuge, have safely reached, having overtaken on the way an old man, although silent, but inside the heart equipped and blessed by God, whose ancient staff showed you the way to the eternally quiet refuge in Sarov Jerusalem. This parting word from God is very similar to the intention you have adopted. And it should be noted that those who are walking are shown to the right path not by one wandering in worldly delights, seeking bodily peace, moving from a city to another, but by an old man guided through Christ, although in torn rags and cold in body, but warm in faith and, silent with his tongue in the world, opened with his lips in the inner monastery, having closed his lips, like the door of a warm hut from the cold, so that a thief would not come in to steal the treasure that the Lord had given him. Seeing this old man admonishing you from the letter, I could not help but feel true faith that he who sat with you, this one who accompanies you to serve God, is the chosen one from Christ our Savior, a man of the hidden heart in the incorruption of the silent spirit and his words inside; to prove to the believers that those who chose best ending life and the passing path of the remnants of life in faith and non-lazy obedience to achieve salvation will be blessed by the Heavenly Father Himself, like an old man admonishing you, from whom all those who pass by humbly ask for God’s blessing, like weak essence in the world, in the warfare of flesh and blood and in the spirit of wickedness.

But you, having seen your conscience as if in a mirror and having accepted the bearing of the cross of our Savior, promising obedience to carry it further until the place and time is indicated to lay it down, are afraid to throw it off yourself, pleasing the impulses of the flesh, in which the enemy is often the ruler. But, having achieved peace of conscience and being instructed by Father Alexander, do not be afraid of indignation from relatives, having a Father and Mother in heaven. However, although the uncle, sisters and other relatives are in carnal displeasure and are restless, as if seeking punishment in the world, remember the parents of K. D-cha, who are not malicious about the salvation of their neighbor. Perhaps God will humble the hearts of your relatives if the affirmation of faith does not waver in your heart and you do not retreat, allowing yourself to be snatched by the wolf from the flock of Christ and torn to pieces among those blinded by the charms. Jonah, the brother who consoles with life, who bears three obediences with patience, and K.D., who worked with you in the bakery (you write), are universally loved by the builder and the hermits, who care about your spiritual edification. God grant that with the love of this venerable brethren in Christ, you will overcome the difficulties of obedience for the body to relief and salvation of the spirit, reaching with the black covering of the head the crown shining on it from the Savior of the world. Having seen you, not complaining and without despondency, thanking our Lord, I ask you to humbly write to me in the future on occasions about the continuation of your life. When I pray, I am both spiritually and physically healthy. And I ask you to read the letter together, so that the chain of your friendship will be stronger. However, wishing you mental and physical health and God’s blessing, I have the honor to be the sinful nun Dosithea.”

The Putilov brothers subsequently became abbots of three significant Russian monasteries: the Sarov Hermitage, the Optina Hermitage and the Maloyaroslavsky Monastery. Two of them - Moses and Anthony - were glorified in the Cathedral of the Optina Elders.

In the middle of the 19th century, grateful to his spiritual mother Elder Dosithea, Archimandrite Moses (Putilov; † 1862) shortly before his death wrote to Moscow on March 21, 1859 to the builder of the Ivanovo monastery Maria Alexandrovna Mazurina: “Knowing that according to the Providence of God your special care for the restoration of the former Ivanovo Monastery, I rejoice and thank God. In this beneficial work, spiritual joy is closest to me because the spiritually wise old woman of blessed memory Dosithea, who lived in the former Ivanovo Monastery, served as an indication for me to choose the path of life of the monastic rank; she introduced me to the elders Alexander and Philaret in the Novospassky Monastery, where she is buried.” The original letter of St. Moses of Optina was kept at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century in the Moscow St. John the Baptist Convent. The elders mentioned in it, famous Moscow confessors, in turn were associated with the famous ascetic St. Paisius (Velichkovsky; 1722-1794; November 15/28), who influenced the restoration of the tradition of Russian eldership and monastic ascetic feat. Through the Novospassky elders, a thread stretched to the nun Dosithea, connecting Russian monasticism with the Athonite monastic ideal. THEM. Kontsevich writes that “in unnoticed corners, God’s chosen ones matured in the spirit, in a secret feat they forged the strength of the spirit, thanks to which, with the end of persecution, true monastic life could be reborn. But the lives of the ascetics of the period of persecution have not yet been studied with due attention and there have been no canonizations, except for a few saints. Meanwhile, the number of saints was not small.” As an example, he cites two ascetics - the Venerable Dosithea, the recluse of Kyiv (glorified locally in 1993; now - churchwide; commemorated September 25 / October 8) and the blessed nun Dosithea (Princess Augusta Tarakanova).

Dosithea died on February 4, 1810, at the age of 64, after a 25-year stay in the Ivanovsky monastery. Her burial was performed with special solemnity. During the illness of the elderly Metropolitan Plato, the funeral service was performed by the Moscow vicar, Bishop of Dmitrov Augustin (Vinogradsky; 1766-1819) with honorary clergy. Senators, members of the Council of Guardians and nobles of Catherine's time who lived out their days in Moscow came to her funeral in ribbons and uniforms. The then Commander-in-Chief of Moscow (from August 7, 1809 to May 29, 1812), Count Ivan Vasilyevich Gudovich, married to Countess Praskovya Kirillovna Razumovskaya, who was the deceased’s cousin, was at her funeral in full uniform. In the highest social circle of that time, everyone knew who the deceased was. Crowds of people filled the monastery and all the streets along which the procession passed. Her body was buried in the Novospassky Monastery, near the eastern fence, on the left side of the bell tower. The funeral testified to the people's veneration of the old woman both during her life and after her death. In 1908, a chapel was built at her grave; it was recently restored.

A unique portrait of Elder Dosithea was kept in the 19th - early 20th centuries in the sacristy of the Novospassky Monastery. On the back there was an inscription: “Princess Augusta Tarakanova, in the monastery of Dosifeya, tonsured in the Moscow Ivanovo Monastery, where after many years of her righteous life she died, buried in the Novospassky Monastery.”

Its first nun, nun Elisaveta, recalls the revival of the St. John the Baptist Monastery in the early 1990s: “We learned the names of the nuns from Mother Kira Pozdnyaeva. People appeared who talked about the last nuns. As soon as we knew the names of the nuns, we began to remember them. The feeling of joy is a leaping, as if the heavens rejoiced that time had closed over the terrible abyss of recent times. During the morning rule, the entire monastery commemoration was read aloud, they knew it almost by heart. Fragmentary information came about the nun Dosithea, they learned about her gradually. We went to her chapel to pray, then kissed her bones. They lay in a coffin; it was clear that her spine was curved; A few bones were missing. They applied it directly to the open bones... She hovered over everyone like a torch. We fell into a stone bag, and she, having found herself in these conditions, stood in this place. We doubted: “There will be a monastery, there won’t be...”. Dosithea's mother, through her feat, turned from a slave into an ascetic, and thus grew spiritually. It stood as an example, as an icon. Her example was inspiring! Helped in difficult trials. As I prayed, the place began to cleanse itself physically. From the first years, the image of the nun Dosithea was multiplied, inserted into frames, and these simple images of her still stand in the sisters’ cells.”

When the relics of the nun Dosithea were found in 1996, the sisters of the then-unopened monastery were honored to pray and venerate the honorable remains of the revered old woman. According to their recollections, it was a touch of a shrine. Everyone felt the special significance of the event and prayerful communication with the heavenly patroness of the monastery.

Nun Ambrosia says: “Since 1995, the sisters went to the chapel of Mother Dosithea, sang a requiem, tried to keep the lamp unquenchable, and take care of the flowers. Sister Margarita, having asked for a blessing from the priest (the spiritual father of the community was Archpriest Sergius Romanov, rector of the Church of St. Prince Vladimir), often went on foot to the Novospassky Monastery and lit the lamp in the chapel. Sister Irina replaced her several times. This went on for several months. The sisters expected that the ascetic would soon be glorified as a saint, but then the time had not yet come. In those days, nun Paisia ​​from the Riga desert came to Moscow for treatment, suffering from severe headaches. Having learned about Elder Dosithea, Mother Paisia ​​and her sisters went to the Novospassky Monastery. After praying at the chapel, Mother Paisiya went down into a hole dug under the chapel and kissed the grave itself, and at the same time she felt relief from her illness. Soon the relics of the holy Elder Dosithea were found, and one Sunday the sisters visited the Novospassky Monastery. With the blessing of the dean, they were allowed to sing the litiya and venerate her found relics, which lay in the coffin. The relics were discovered. The bones are dark brown."

In the mid-1990s, Priest Afanasy Gumerov (now Hieromonk Job, a resident of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery), who served a lot spiritual formation St. John the Baptist Convent, prepared the life of the nun Dosithea for her canonization and handed it over To His Holiness the Patriarch Alexy II. With the blessing of His Holiness, the life was transferred to the canonization commission, and her venerable relics were found in the Novospassky Monastery on September 5, 1996. Archaeological supervision was carried out by Dr. historical sciences Andrey Kirillovich Stanyukovich; there is a positive conclusion from a specialist about the identity of the discovered relics. At the end of 1997, the remains of the nun Dosithea were transferred to the restored Church of St. Roman the Sweet Singer - the tomb of the House of Romanov in the Moscow Novospassky Monastery and reburied on the left side of the altar.

The inscription on the tomb of the nun Dosithea reads: “Under this stone is laid the body of the nun Dosithea, deceased in the Lord, of the monastery of the Ivanovo Monastery, who labored for Christ Jesus as a monk for 25 years and died on February 4, 1810 (Princess Augusta Tarakanova).”

According to the testimony of employees of the Novospassky Monastery in a conversation on June 11, 2008, the grave of the ascetic was not specially cemented, like other Romanov burials, in case of her glorification. The lives of the holy old woman are being distributed: printed publications, audio and video versions, as well as copies of her lifetime portrait. The spiritual assistance of the unglorified saint is evidenced by the abbots, confessors, monks and employees of the St. John the Baptist and Novospasskaya monasteries, where she is especially revered. Her veneration is also known in Optina Hermitage.

Every Sunday at 7 o’clock in the morning, an early Divine Liturgy is celebrated in the tomb church, after which you can go to the tomb of Elder Dosithea, pray for her repose, ask for her help and arrangement both in spiritual life and in all everyday matters.

Spiritual courage in the humble acceptance of a sharp and sudden change in fate, the ability in difficult circumstances to act like a Christian, to accept the cross, complete renunciation of worldly power and the world, complete surrender of oneself to the will of God, walking the way of the cross to the end and gaining freedom and holiness - all this was revealed in full by the Venerable Elder Dosithea. She left us a legacy of the spiritual fruit of her holy life and a good example for imitation of her faith and life’s feat.

The reverent veneration of the nun Dosithea has been going on for two centuries. 2010 marks the 200th anniversary of her righteous death. The Moscow St. John the Baptist Convent is collecting materials for the preparation of the canonization of the famous ascetic of piety, nun Dosithea, and asks to report on the veneration of the old woman and cases of grace-filled help through her holy prayers.

In conclusion, let us cite the words of Saint Arsenios from the island of Paros († 1877): “The Church... will only begin to be reborn when it honors its saints.”

Princess Tarakanova

When the light-filled halls of the Kolomna Palace were noisy and thundering at the feast organized by Peter I in honor of the birth of his daughter Elizabeth, hundreds of miles from Moscow, in one of the huts of the run-down village of Lemesha, located on the highway between Kiev and Chernigov, a cradle with a baby was rocking under the low ceiling , son of the Cossack Gregory Rozum. At baptism they named him Alexey, in Ukrainian Oleksa.

Chernigov Cossack

Oleksa grew up as a smart, inquisitive boy. His father, an inveterate reveler and a regular at local taverns, was infuriated by the love for the book that he noticed in his son. One day, entering the hut and seeing Oleksa with a book in her hands, he rushed at him with an ax. Oleksa, fleeing from his father’s fierce wrath, fled to the neighboring village of Chemer, to the deacon of the parish church, and prayed for protection and shelter. The Chemer deacon arranged for him at the temple, fortunately his voice was, as they said in the old days, angelic.

There, in Chemery, Colonel Fyodor Vishnevsky, who was returning from Hungary with wines for the imperial cellars, noticed Oleks Rozum. In addition to this main assignment, he had one more, so to speak, incidental assignment - to look for loud-voiced guys for the court chapel.

Count Alexey Grigorievich Razumovsky

Tsarevna Elizabeth first saw and heard a singer from the Chernigov region in the palace church. And how could one not notice him, how could one not admire his singing!.. They say that Oleksa Rozum was extremely handsome. Tall, slender, dark, with regular facial features, with dark eyes under gracefully arched eyebrows. In a word, a handsome man. And besides, the voice is clear, ringing tenor.
Oleksa Rozum moved to the crown princess and was enrolled in her modest court as a bandura player. After the palace coup in November 1741, when thirty-two-year-old Elizabeth finally ascended the throne, the bandura player from the Lemeshi farm soared upward: count dignity under a new surname - Razumovsky, chamberlain, chief jägermeister, life company captain-lieutenant and, finally, Field Marshal General.

Palace coup of Elizabeth Petrovna

Order of St. Anne and Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Thousands of serfs. At the coronation he carried her train.

The Russian Empress's passion for the former singer and bandura player was apparently so strong and deep that she went down the aisle with him. Elizabeth and Razumovsky got married secretly in a church near Moscow late in the evening, November 24, 1742, on the first anniversary of the palace coup...

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna

What prompted this step? Most likely, the secret wedding was due to political considerations. The dignitaries feared that many European princes would seek the hand of the beautiful queen. And they suffered more than enough from foreign dominance during the reign of Anna Ioannovna. Bironovism was remembered by everyone...

According to legend, two or three years after the wedding in a church in Perovo near Moscow, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna secretly gave birth to a daughter, who was later nicknamed “Princess Tarakanova.” Strange name, is not it?

Church “Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign” in Perovo

History does not know the Tarakanov princes. And what does the Tarakanovs have to do with it, when on the one hand there is Romanova, and on the other there is Razumovsky? Various assumptions have been made on this score, but one seems more convincing than others, connecting the surname of the mysterious princess with the surname of Alexei Razumovsky’s relatives - the Daraganovs.

One of his sisters, Vera, was married to the Cossack Daragan. In court circles, the Daraganovs were remade into the Daraganovs, and from the Daraganovs it was one step to the Tarakanovs, a surname much more understandable to Russians. Not only Alexei Razumovsky’s nephews began to be called Tarakanovs, but also his own daughter, who spent her early childhood in the Daraganovs’ house. Nothing more was known about her in those years.

Emperor Peter III Fedorovich

After the death of Empress Elizabeth, Peter III ascended the throne. His relationship with his wife Catherine was bad, the emperor was clearly heading towards a break-up: Catherine was awaiting divorce, a monastery, maybe death.
Various circles cherished the idea of ​​deposing Peter III. Catherine, who was popular among the people, had her own plans.

Peter III and Catherine II

The guards dreamed of seeing her on the throne; The dignitaries contemplated replacing Peter with his son under Catherine's regency. The incident caused a premature explosion. At the center of the movement were the guards: the dignitaries had to recognize the accomplished fact of Catherine’s accession to the throne.
Peter III was deposed on June 28, 1762 by a military mutiny, without firing a shot, without shedding a drop of blood.

proclamation of Catherine II as empress

In the subsequent death of Peter III (July 6, 1762), Catherine was most likely innocent. However, Catherine's accession was certainly a usurpation - no legal grounds could be found for it.

Empress Catherine II Alekseevna the Great

Empress Catherine II had absolutely no blood connection with the “reigning house”, and all the years of her long reign she constantly and intently looked around in fear of the appearance of some “legitimate” pretender or some “legitimate” pretender.
And a legend began to spread around the world that somewhere there was a legitimate heir (heir?) to the throne...

In October 1772, a young charming woman appeared in Paris - the same one who later began to call herself Tarakanova. She also had another name - Ali Emeti, Princess of Vladomirskaya. She stayed in a luxurious hotel on the island of Saint-Louis and lived in grand style, as all of Paris soon learned about. She was surrounded by crowds of servants. Baron Ambs, whom she passed off as her relative, and Baron de Schenck, commandant and manager, were always nearby.

The arrival of a mysterious foreign woman brought extraordinary excitement to the lives of Parisians. Princess Vladomirskaya opened a salon, sent out invitations, and they were eagerly responded to.

To tell the truth, her audience was very diverse: for example, among the representatives of the nobility one could meet a merchant from the Saint-Denis quarter, whose name was simply Ponce, and a banker named Mackay. Both considered it a great honor to be in such refined society. The merchant and the banker assured that they were always happy to help the high-born Circassian princess (for, according to her, she was born in distant Circassia), who was about to inherit a huge fortune from her uncle, now living in Persia.

What did the mysterious princess look like? This is how Count Waliszewski describes it:
“She is young, beautiful and amazingly graceful. She has ash hair, like Elizabeth’s, the color of her eyes is constantly changing - they are either blue or bluish-black, which gives her face a certain mystery and dreaminess, and, looking at her, it seems as if she herself is entirely woven from dreams. She has noble manners - she seems to have had a wonderful upbringing. She pretends to be a Circassian, or rather, that’s what many people call her - the niece of a noble, rich Persian...”

We also have another, rather curious description of our heroine - it belongs to the pen of Prince Golitsyn: “As far as one can judge, she is a sensitive and ardent nature. She has a lively mind, she has a wide knowledge, speaks fluent French and German and speaks without any accent. According to her, she discovered this amazing ability for languages ​​when she traveled to different countries. For quite short term she managed to learn English and Italian, and while in Persia, she learned to speak Persian and Arabic.”

Among the guests who visited the princess especially often was the Polish nobleman Count Oginsky. He arrived in Paris to ask the French king to help his long-suffering Poland.

Mikhail Kazimir Oginsky

The princess also had another faithful admirer - Count de Rochefort-Valcourt, who was literally captivated by her beauty. The count confessed his love to the princess, and she, it seems, did not remain indifferent to his feelings.

But what a surprise! The royal gendarmes have taken into custody the so-called Baron Ambs! It turned out that he was not a baron or a relative of the princess at all, but an ordinary Flemish commoner and her lover. He was arrested because he refused to pay bills on time. True, he was soon released - on bail. And the friendly company (the princess, Embs and Schenk) hastily left for Germany..

Comte de Rochefort, burning with love, followed his beloved to Frankfurt. Moreover: he introduced the princess to the Prince of Limburg-Stirum, the owner, like most German small nobles, of a tiny plot of land and the leader of an army of a dozen soldiers. The Prince of Limburg immediately fell in love with a beautiful Circassian woman and she decided to play on his passion - of course, with benefit for herself. She succeeded, so much so that, in the end, the prince asked for her hand!

She might have known by hearsay the existence of the real Princess Tarakanova - therefore, she could well have appropriated her name and fooled people left and right. For example, it is known for certain that when driving into different European cities, she introduced herself under different names, calling herself, in particular, either Mademoiselle Franck or Mademoiselle Choll, and led the way everywhere love affairs and lured money from simple-minded fans.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Limburg gradually became a slave to his passion. Blinded by love, he did not notice how, surrounded by Princess Tarakanova, now everyone called her that way, a Pole named Domansky appeared. He was young, handsome, had a lively mind and was distinguished by enviable courage, not only in words, like many, but also in deeds. Thus, another Pole appeared in our history - perhaps not by accident.

Stanisław August Poniatowski, King of Poland

In 1772 and 1773, Poland experienced a crisis, which, however, it was never destined to overcome. Catherine II imposed her favorite Stanislav Poniatowski as king on the Poles. He remained in power solely thanks to the patronage of the Russians, who took control of literally everything: the Polish army, diplomacy, and local government. Most of the Polish nobles, who dreamed of an aristocratic republic, took up arms to defend the independence of their homeland. But the regiments of Stanislav and Catherine defeated the rebels to smithereens. And those of them who survived had to leave Poland.

Count Oginski settled in Paris, and Prince Karl Radziwill, the Vilna voivode and the main leader of the Confederates (as the Polish nobles who rebelled against Poniatowski were called) chose to settle in Mannheim. Most of his supporters followed him. They did not hide their desire to take up arms against Stanislav again at the first opportunity. Domanski, more than anyone else, was impatient to fight for Polish independence.
With him were a certain Joseph Richter, who once served Count Oginsky in Paris. Oginsky “lost” it to Princess Vladomirskaya. So Richter, in the princess’s retinue, ended up in Germany. Richter told Domansky, his new master, about the princess, about her “quirks, beauty and charm.” And Domansky, who had a weakness for beautiful women, fell madly in love with her. Our princess definitely resembled a siren. But after Domansky appeared in the life of Princess Tarakanova, her behavior changed dramatically. Until now, Tarakanova has behaved like a notorious adventurer. Now she really imagines herself as a contender for the throne.

Chalemel-Lacourt, who studied this complicated story in more detail, believed that such a change did not happen to her by accident. Polish emigrants were well aware that Catherine intended to wipe their homeland off the face of the earth, and the only thing that could save Poland was Catherine’s removal from power.

Maybe she should have been killed? It's a difficult task, even impossible. What if we put up a worthy rival against Catherine, presenting her to the Russian people as the only legitimate heir to the Russian throne? Not bad idea! From time immemorial, Russia has been considered a country of palace conspiracies and coups, where the people, ready for any surprises, always lived in anticipation of some miracle.

Emelyan Ivanovich Pugachev

At the time Domansky met Tarakanova, all they were talking about in Europe was the Pugachev rebellion. Didn’t Pugachev pretend to be Tsar Peter III? The same Peter III, the husband of Catherine II, who was killed by Catherine’s supporters on her own - as they said - order. Pugachev, who appeared from nowhere, took it and announced:
“I am Peter III, who miraculously escaped death. Follow me, Russian people, and take revenge on the wicked wife who hungered for my death!”

However, before they had time to execute Pugachev, another “king” appeared - a Greek doctor named Stefano. He wandered around Montenegro and publicly declared: “I am Tsar Peter III!”
Thus, in the current historical conditions a woman posing as the daughter of Empress Elizabeth had no less chances than some Pugachev or Stefano.

Just at this time Tarakanova participated in all gatherings of Polish emigrants. It was then that Prince Radziwill, to whom Domansky told about the “appearance” of the princess, wrote: “Madam, I consider the enterprise conceived by your Highness as a kind of miracle bestowed by Providence itself, which, wanting to save our long-suffering fatherland from destruction, sends it such a great heroine."

Karl Stanislaw Radziwill

The only person looking at all this mouse fuss with complete indifference was the Prince of Limburg. He didn’t even notice that his beloved was cheating on him with Domansky. Imagine his amazement when Tarakanova informed him that she intended to leave Germany because she was expected in Venice. She was gentle with him, but in everything that concerned her ambitions, she stood firmly and decisively.

Once she showed him a letter allegedly received from an associate of Radziwill, where it was written that Louis XV approved of her intention to go to Constantinople and claim her rights to the Russian throne. Moreover, Radziwill was already waiting for her in Venice.
In the face of such convincing political arguments, the unfortunate Prince of Limburg had no choice but to resign himself. He swore that he would love Tarakanova until the end of his days, and, having equipped a majestic motorcade for her (which cost a lot of money), he escorted her to De Pont. Moreover: he even recognized her right, in the event of his untimely death, to take the title of Princess of Limburg-Stirum and secured it on paper. So Tarakanova, having arrived in Venice on May 13, 1774, already introduced herself as Countess of Pineberg - that was the name of one of the estates of the Prince of Limburg.
Tarakanova rode up the Grand Canal in a gondola.

She was met by Radziwill himself - he bowed deeply to the newly minted Russian empress. The gondola delivered Tarakanova to her residence. But not to some inn, hotel or a private house, and straight to the mansion of the French embassy. Just like in a fairy tale. Nevertheless, the documents indisputably indicate that Versailles almost recognized Tarakanova. Of course: after all, Oginsky was his own man there. Having become “persona grata” under Louis, he managed to awaken sympathy for the fate of Poland in the French monarch. In addition, royal diplomats mistakenly believed that Catherine II's power was fragile.

But did Louis' ministers really believe in Tarakanova's rights? Or was there a political calculation at work here? Unfortunately, this question is definitely not easy to answer.

Meanwhile, Tarakanova, having settled securely in the French embassy, ​​began to organize receptions. And many people rushed to see it, mainly the inhabitants of the French colony. She received visitors with all the ceremonies of court etiquette, as befits a real empress. Radziwill and Domansky literally spent days and nights with her. English merchants and aristocrats visited her. The Italians, however, also did not stand aside.

The Poles around her were as poor as church mice, and maintaining an entire “yard”, albeit a small one, at their own expense turned out to be very, very expensive. After some time, creditors began to overwhelm Tarakanova. And then one fine day our princess, without the slightest hesitation, ordered to collect all her belongings and moved to Ragusa. Before leaving, she summoned the Polish nobles and reassured those present by declaring that she would do everything possible to punish the perpetrators and avenge all the atrocities committed against Poland.

And France continued to provide her with protection. The French consul in Ragusa placed at her disposal country residence, the most beautiful villa in the vicinity of the city.

Ragusa

And again aristocrats from all over Europe began to gather in her salon. None of them doubted for a moment the justice of her claims - they sincerely believed that the day was not far off when Tarakanova, an unfortunate victim of political intrigue, would replace the wicked Catherine on the Russian throne.

Apparently, she knew the life of the Russian people quite well and had a good understanding of “everything that had to do with the East.” But was this really enough to claim the Russian throne? Others still doubted this. And then, Tarakanova called Radziwill to her and showed him papers, among which was the spiritual of Peter the Great and another one, written by the hand of Elizabeth and securing Tarakanova’s right to titles and the crown Russian Empire. Thus, in her will, Elizabeth recognized Tarakanova as her own daughter and expressed her will that she succeed her on the throne and rule under the tutelage of Prince Peter of Holstein.

As Chalemel-Lacour notes, Radziwill did not at all doubt the authenticity of her papers. The Pole was not surprised when Tarakanova admitted to him that Pugachev (at that time he was devastating the Russian provinces like a hurricane) was no Peter III. In that case, who? But just like her, the son of Elizabeth and Razumovsky.

At this point she had clearly gone overboard. And Radziwill, who had always been so helpful before, began to visit her less and less. In addition, the Russian-Turkish peace treaty was signed then. And the Poles, who hated Catherine and Russia, now blamed big hopes to help Turkey. Their hopes were not justified, but in the current political situation, Tarakanova’s authority began to noticeably decline.

Rumors spread that Tarakanova was a real adventurer. Radziwill and his closest associates defiantly returned to Venice. And Tarakanova had to live only on own funds and those that fell to her from Domansky. However, such an unexpected turn in fate did not bother her, and she had no intention of retreating.

Soon she learned that there was a Russian squadron in the Mediterranean Sea and that it was commanded by Alexei Orlov, brother of Grigory, Catherine’s favorite. There was a rumor that he had fallen out of favor with the Empress of All Rus'.

Count Alexey Grigorievich Orlov-Chesmensky

Tarakanova wrote to Orlov, admitting that she was the true Russian empress, that Pugachev was her brother, and the Turkish Sultan considered all her claims legitimate. She also promised to make Orlov the first person in Rus' - if, of course, he takes her side and helps her ascend the throne. But she never received an answer.

Meanwhile, on her heels, as once in Paris and Venice, creditors followed in a crowd. And, as in Paris and Venice, our princess quietly disappeared! A little later she showed up in Naples, at the English embassy. The English ambassador Sir William Hamilton and his wife, Lady Hamilton, welcomed Tarakanova with open arms and courted her like a real queen.

Sir William Hamilton and his wife

In Rome, where she subsequently went, she was taken under the protection of some cardinal. Tarakanova was about to be recognized by dad...
Meanwhile, in St. Petersburg, Catherine II, who until now had only despised the adventuress, was now literally tearing and throwing. The time has come to put an end to the intriguer, who was already becoming seriously dangerous, once and for all.

Who should be entrusted with such an unusual and delicate task? Catherine decided without hesitation - only to Alexei Orlov. The very one to whom Tarakanova had the impudence and imprudence to write. Orlov sent a message addressed to him to Catherine, and she gave the following answer in a message dated November 12, 1774:
“...Tell me where she is now. Try to invite her onto the ship and then secretly transport her here; if she is still hiding in Ragusa, I command you to send one or more ships there and demand the extradition of this nonentity, who brazenly appropriated a name that in no way belongs to her; in case of disobedience (that is, if you are refused to extradite it), I authorize you to resort to a threat, and if the need arises, then to fire at the city from cannons; however, if the opportunity arises to grab it silently, and the cards are in your hands, I will not object.”

Orlov had to start the game. His flagship dropped anchor at Livorno. The princess left Rome and stopped in Pisa. And then one fine day Tarakanova received great news: Admiral Orlov’s motorcade was heading towards her. The admiral asks to receive him. Presenting himself before Tarakanova, Orlov immediately gave her the lowest bow and with all his behavior made it clear that he recognized her as a real princess. He began to visit her almost every day. And every time the princess told him for a long time about her wishes, hopes and views for the future. The admiral listened and nodded in agreement... The only thing that Catherine did not take into account when sending Orlov on a secret mission to the fraudster was that she was young and beautiful. She could not foresee that Orlov would fall madly in love with her. He was also young and handsome. And the princess loved him with all her heart.

Soon he humbly asked the future “empress” if she, Romanov, would honor simple Orlov with the honor of becoming his wife. Losing her head from such unexpected happiness, Tarakanova agreed. Then the admiral offered to celebrate their wedding on his ship - “a piece of Russian land.”

And Tarakanova, dressed in a wedding dress, boarded the Russian flagship.

But before she could step onto the deck, the sailors grabbed her and dragged her into the farthest hold. The sails were raised on the flagship. Orlov's trick was a great success! The traitor in him turned out to be stronger than the man in love...

Tarakanova was taken to Russia and thrown into prison.

The person who was assigned to conduct the investigation into the Tarakanova case was Field Marshal, Prince Golitsyn.

Golitsyn Alexander Mikhailovich (prince, field marshal general)

He presented the empress with the most interesting reports, based on the confessions of Tarakanova herself, and reported that she did not know the Russian language at all. Golitsyn was struck by Tarakanova’s poor health: “She not only has frequent attacks of dry cough, but also vomiting mixed with hemoptysis.”

A.M. Golitsyn interrogates Princess Tarakanova

So what did Tarakanova admit to? And here’s what: “Her name is Elizabeth, she is twenty-three years old; she does not know her nationality, nor the place where she was born, she does not know who her parents were. She grew up in Holstein, in the city of Kiel, in the house of a certain Frau, either Peretta or Peran - she doesn’t remember exactly. She was baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church...

When she was nine years old, she repeatedly asked her teacher who her parents were. She replied that she would soon find out everything. At the same time, the teacher and another woman, a native of Holstein named Katrin, together with three men whose nationality she did not know, took her to Russia, through Livonia. Bypassing St. Petersburg and other cities, they moved towards the Persian border.

She was sick all the way, and had to be left in some village - she doesn’t remember its name. It seems to her that they were simply trying to poison her. She suffered greatly then, cried all the time and asked at whose insidious instigation she was left in this wilderness. But it was all in vain. And only later, from the conversations of the peasants, she realized that she was being kept here on the orders of the late Emperor Peter III...
But finally she, along with a maid and one peasant, managed to escape, and four days later they reached Baghdad on foot. In Baghdad they met a rich Persian named Gamet, who invited them to his house and treated her with fatherly affection and care. She soon learned that the all-powerful Prince Gali, owner of a huge fortune in Isfahan, was hiding in the same house. Somewhat later, Prince Gali, having heard her story, promised to help her and took her with him to Isfahan.

There he treated her like a noble person. Believing in her high origins, the prince more than once told her that she was probably the daughter of the deceased Empress Elizabeth Petrovna - however, everyone who saw her said the same thing. True, many argued about who her father was. Some believed - Razumovsky, others believed - that he was a completely different person, but for some reason they did not name him.

Prince Gali, taking her under his protection, declared that he would not spare all his wealth to prove her highest origin. She lived in Isfahan until 1768. However, soon there was great unrest in Persia again, and the prince, not wanting to put his life in danger, decided to leave his homeland and go to Europe. She agreed to go with him, but only on one condition - if they passed Russia, because she also did not want to risk her life... But Gali reassured her, saying that in Astrakhan she would change into a man’s dress, and in this way they could safely cross all of Russia.

According to Tarakanova, she spent two days in Astrakhan, a night in St. Petersburg, then, through Riga, she got to Konigsberg, lived for six weeks in Berlin, almost six months in London, and from London moved to France. She ended up in Paris in 1772.

E. Tarakanova in Paris (Princess Vladomirskaya)

But what about Tarakanova’s claims? However, let's give the floor to Golitsyn:

“In the end, she claims that she never thought of impersonating the daughter of the late Empress Elizabeth and that no one incited her to do this, and she allegedly learned about her origin only from Prince Gali. She declares that she did not want to be called this title - neither the Prince of Limburg, nor Radziwill...

She says that in Venice she strictly forbade Colonel Knorr to address her as his Highness. When he objected, she went to Ragusa and forbade the local authorities to use the title of princess in relation to her.

While in Ragusa, she received an unnamed letter and three spiritual ones: the first was signed by the hand of Emperor Peter the Great and related to the crowning of Catherine I; the second was signed by Empress Catherine I - about the coronation of Elizabeth Petrovna, and the third - Elizavetino - about the transfer of the crown to her daughter, who should be called Elizabeth II...

She also claims that she sent the letter to Count Orlov solely in order to find out who took the trouble to send her the mentioned papers and whether they could have come from Russia...”

Prince Golitsyn ended his report to the Empress as follows:
“The prisoner, relying on the Empress’s mercy, claims that in fact she always had a love for Russia and prevented any evil intentions that could harm the Russian state, which ultimately was the reason for her quarrel with Radziwill...”

Soon Tarakanova realized that it seemed that she would never be destined to be released, and nevertheless she sent Catherine II a letter filled with bitter despair:

“Your Imperial Majesty, I believe the time has come to notify you that everything written within the walls of this fortress is clearly not enough to dispel Your Majesty’s suspicions about me. Therefore, I decided to appeal to Your Imperial Majesty with a request to listen to me personally , but not only for this reason, but also because I can bring great benefit to Russia.

And my prayer is a sure guarantee of that. Besides, I could well refute everything that was written and said against me. I look forward to Your Imperial Majesty's orders and trust in your generosity. Having the honor to express to Your Imperial Majesty the assurances of my deepest respect, I continue to remain Your most obedient and humble servant.
Elizabeth".


In addition, Tarakanova wrote two letters to Prince Golitsyn and signed herself with the same name - Elizaveta.

Thus, she twice made an unforgivable mistake, which incurred the wrath of Catherine.

Soon she was informed that the fraudster was the daughter of a Prague innkeeper; then - as if she was born in Poland, which explained her connection with Radziwill’s confederates; then - that she is the daughter of a Nuremberg baker, and to top it all - that she is from a family Polish Jew. However, Catherine II was clearly not satisfied with either version. Judging by the empress's behavior, she was excited and even alarmed about something.

Princess Tarakanova in the casemate of the Peter and Paul Fortress

Soon, she found some peace: it turned out that the impostor was completely bad. She was shaking with fever every now and then. Hemoptysis has become more frequent. On October 26, 1775, Prince Golitsyn informed Catherine that Tarakanova’s condition was deplorable: “The doctor who is treating her fears that she will not last long.”

And indeed, on December 3, 1775, having called a Catholic priest to her, she gave up the ghost, without confessing to anything and without betraying anyone.

It is known that Catherine II forbade any investigation that could incriminate Tarakanova. The queen never officially challenged her claims. Catherine wanted only one thing - to end this matter as soon as possible.

“It is quite remarkable,” writes Chalemel-Lacour, that no one has ever attempted to refute the widely held belief that the Empress Elizabeth had a daughter, or to prove that she died, or at least to find out what became of her.

Eight years after the death of the prisoner of the Peter and Paul Fortress, the French Ambassador to Russia, Marquis de Vrac, at the request of one of the Parisian creditors of the former Princess Vladomirskaya, collected some information about Tarakanova in St. Petersburg. The ambassador outlined them in a dispatch, which is now kept in the archives of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this dispatch, de Vrack expressed his conviction that “she really was the daughter of Elizabeth and Razumovsky.”

After much painstaking research, supported by eloquent documents, historian Charles de Larivière also came to the conclusion that Tarakanova could well be the daughter of Empress Elizabeth.

Zigzags Russian history and the spirit of adventurism of the gallant age created a real legend about Princess Tarakanova. But the true origin of the young lady remained under a veil of secrecy. This is not surprising, because, in fact, the beauty did nothing. Contrary to popular picture, the girl did not die during the flood, she did not have a wedding with Orlov, and the girl herself never used the name “Princess Tarakanova”.

Childhood and youth

The biography of such a character as Princess Tarakanova is still unknown for certain. Some say that she herself was not aware of her own origins, knowing only that she was born between 1745 and 1753. Information about exact date birth and parents are absent.

It is important that the young lady herself never used the nickname of Princess Tarakanova; this is how the French diplomat Jean Henri Caster described her, and after him Gelbig and other writers. Under this bright pseudonym she appears in fiction.

Based on archival records, in appearance the princess had a thin build and had dark hair and looked like an Italian. Possessing extraordinary beauty, which was not spoiled even by squint, and sharp mind, she has always been popular with men. But the adventuress, possessing an insatiable craving for luxury, simply drove her fans to ruin, using their funds.

According to Tarakanova, she was short in stature, with brown eyes and freckles on her face. Spoken French, German and English languages. She assured that she knew Arabic and Persian well.

According to Marquis Tommaso d'Antichi, who met the girl in Rome, Tarakanova is German by nationality. And the English envoy announced that the princess was the daughter of a Nuremberg baker. The historian Dyakov, based on the correspondence between Tarakanova and the German Count of Limburg, which was conducted on French, thinks the girl is French.

The adventurer herself constantly changed the stories about her own origins. Obviously, she adjusted this information each time in accordance with the next “image”. The assumption that the princess came from the lower classes contradicts her outstanding education, as well as manners, tact and knowledge of languages. The girl was zealously interested in art, had an excellent understanding of architecture, painted and played the harp.

Legend

The future impostor first appeared in Kiel around 1770, from where she moved to Berlin. There she lived for a short time under the name Fraulein Frank. The girl was forced to leave for Ghent after unpleasant story, the details of which are unknown. Here the princess met the son of a merchant named van Tours, bringing young man almost to ruin.

Due to persecution by creditors, the cheat moved to London with her lover, who left his lawful wife for her. The girl was called Madame de Tremouille, and van Tours helped her get a loan from the merchants. When problems began with new and old creditors, the man changed his name and fled to Paris.

A couple of months later, the princess went there, calling herself Princess de Voldomir (in literature this name is often replaced with Princess Vladimir or Elizabeth of Vladimir), but accompanied by a new admirer - Baron Schenk. The girl claimed that she was from Persia, where she was raised by her uncle, and she came to look for the Russian inheritance.

It was clear that the lady had a noble origin: this was confirmed by her excellent upbringing, versatility and command of languages.

In Paris, the girl found new admirers, and Rochefort de Valcourt turned out to be especially persistent and proposed to the beauty. But soon the princess was overtaken by troubles with creditors; her former lovers went to debtor’s prison.

She fled to Frankfurt, but she was unable to escape justice: Tarakanova was expelled from the hotel and faced imprisonment. But this time Philip Ferdinand de Limburg came to the rescue, who fell in love with the princess at first sight: he settled all matters with creditors and invited her to move to his castle.

The princess agreed, once again changing her name and calling herself Sultana Ali-Emete, or Alina (Eleanor), Princess of Azov. The girl freely disposed of the income from the count's possessions and made new acquaintances with important people. The princess distanced herself from her former admirers, seriously deciding to become the wife of the Count of Limburg, who bought the County of Oberstein, where the girl became the unofficial mistress.

To finally tie the man to her, Tarakanova announced her pregnancy, so the count soon made an official proposal to the girl. But here documents were needed that would confirm the origin of the bride, and the princess had to convert to the Catholic faith. The adventurer turned around here too, inventing a legend about her life.

Around this time, Count Limburg found himself in a difficult financial situation due to his beloved’s spending, and he also began to receive information about the early adventures of the princess. After making inquiries, it turned out that Alina was lying, calling Alexander Golitsyn her guardian, so Limburg lost patience and decided to break up with the bride. In response to this act of the groom, the princess announced a trip to St. Petersburg in order to officially certify her origin.

However, Tarakanova moved to Oberstein, changed servants and started a profitable business, finally losing interest in the count. As it turned out in the future, the princess directed her efforts towards claiming the Russian throne. In December 1773, a rumor spread that the daughter of Alexei Razumovsky, Grand Duchess Elizabeth, was hiding under the name of Princess Voldomir.

In May next year the girl left Oberstein to get to Istanbul, but stopped in Ragusa. Tarakanova planned to publish a fake will, in which the princess acted as the heir to the empire, but her idea failed. Left in debt and without support, the princess involved Alexei Orlov in her game. She wrote a letter to the man, still with the same “fable,” and he passed on the information. It was decided to lure the self-proclaimed princess onto the ship and send her to Russia.

However, by that time Tarakanova had already settled on the Field of Mars and led a secluded lifestyle. The princess's health was undermined, but she continued to secretly recruit followers and send letters. Deprived of funds and in despair, Tarakanova asked Hamilton for a loan, opening up to him. But along the chain, this paper came to Alexei Orlov, who was searching for the impostor princess to no avail.

In order not to frighten off the princess, they promised to pay off her debts and invited her to Pisa for negotiations. At first Tarakanova refused, but because of her debts she was threatened with prison, so she was forced to agree. The woman spoke of her intentions to become a nun and retire from political affairs.

While on a short trip by ship towards Livorno, Princess Tarakanova was arrested. Already in custody, the woman wrote a letter to Orlov, since she was told that he was also detained, where she asked for his help to be released.

The arrest of the person caused outrage in the world, however, the Russian ship with the arrested person weighed anchor. Before arriving at the English port, the woman behaved calmly, but during the stay she had a nervous breakdown and fainted. When the captive was carried onto the deck, she jumped up and tried to jump into a boat floating nearby, but she was detained.

Alternative version

There is another version of the development of events: supposedly the captive of the Peter and Paul Fortress overshadowed the one for which there were more significant grounds for concern. She was the mysterious nun Dosifeya, the supposed daughter of Elizabeth and Razumovsky, who was born around 1746.

She lived in isolation at the monastery and was buried in the family tomb of the Romanov boyars in the Novospassky Monastery. However, the life of a recluse is not so exciting and adventurous, it lacks violent passions and adventures, so it is not so exciting.

Death

According to justice, Princess Tarakanova was sentenced to life imprisonment. But in exchange for admitting guilt and the truth about her origins, she was promised freedom. Having refused the offer, she no longer claimed kinship with the royal family. However, the woman could not move away from the history of the noble family, because the exciting aura of mystery was the only thing that aroused interest in her.

The princess took this riddle to her grave: the prisoner died natural death from tuberculosis on December 4, 1775, without ever opening the veil of secrecy of origin and without admitting crimes even in confession. Princess Tarakanova was buried in the courtyard of the Peter and Paul Fortress, no rituals were performed.

The women's companions were released in January of the following year, and the servants and maids were given salaries. Subordinates were secretly taken abroad in several groups.

Memory

• 1864 – painting by artist Konstantin Flavitsky “Princess Tarakanova”
• 1868 – book by P. I. Melnikov “Princess Tarakanova and Princess Vladimir”
• 1883 – book by G. P. Danilevsky “Princess Tarakanova”
• 1910 – film “Princess Tarakanova”
• novels “Princess Tarakanova”, “The Last of the House of Romanov”
• play by Leonid Zorin "The Tsar's Hunt"
• In the finale of the musical “The Blue Cameo,” Princess Tarakanova gains freedom and marries Orlov.
• In 2012, the musical “Count Orlov”, based on the myth of the love of Alexei Orlov and Elizaveta Tarakanova, was staged at the Moscow Operetta Theater.

Princess Tarakanova is one of the most mysterious personalities in Russia. There are still more questions than answers in the fate of this woman. This is what they say about her in one of the monasteries in Moscow, where she spent most own life.

Based on materials Based on materials from the brochure “Nun Dosithea (Princess Tarakanova)” St. John the Baptist Convent. 2007.

The identity of Princess Tarakanova still remains mysterious to us. Very often two persons are confused and mixed up: an impostor who called herself Princess Tarakanova, Princess of Vladimir, and Princess Augusta, who was secretly tonsured and kept in the strictest involuntary seclusion in the Ivanovo Monastery. The impostor took her secret with death. She died in custody on December 4, 1775 from consumption. After the third worst flood, which happened in St. Petersburg on September 21, 1777, a rumor spread about the death of Princess Tarakanova in a flooded ravelin. In 1864 big success There was a painting by K. Flavitsky “Princess Tarakanova”. The picture has no real historical basis.

If you are interested in detailed information about the adventures of the impostor “Princess of Vladimir”, you can find it on this site. The source of the story of the nun Dosithea, which is presented there, is most likely the above edition, which is largely abridged. Here the history of the recluse of St. John the Baptist Monastery is described in more detail.

The origin of the Ivanovo slave girl will forever remain a mystery to us. There are no documents, no direct and accurate evidence, all that remains is legend. But the main thing that truly elevates her personality is the ascetic life of the Ivanovo recluse. Indirect evidence speaks of her noble and highest origin, and living direct and accurate evidence points to her life in seclusion, her gifts of consolation, prayer and insight.

In past centuries, there was an ancient custom of involuntary tonsure into monasticism of guilty, dangerous and suspicious persons. In Moscow, the Ivanovo Convent served for such purposes. Here in 1785, by personal order of Empress Catherine II, a woman was brought who was not yet old, of average height, slender, thin, retaining traces of rare beauty on her face; no one knew her name or origin; from her manner and address it was only clear that she was of noble origin and had a high education; she was ordered to have her hair cut, and she was tonsured.

Those who did not know the secret could have thought, but those who knew dared to say that this was the daughter of Empress Elisaveta Petrovna from her secret but legal marriage with Count Alexei Grigorievich Razumovsky. It was indeed their daughter, Princess Augusta Tarakanova (Princess Tarakanova)

Empress Elisaveta Petrovna was born in the year of the Poltava victory, 1709. When her mother, Catherine I, died in 1727, she was 18 years old. She had suitors. Her father, Emperor Peter I, wanted to give her as a wife to the French King Louis XV, but the marriage did not take place. While her mother was still alive, she was declared the bride of Holstein Prince Karl August, but the groom died. There were plans for a marriage with Moritz of Saxonia, who was coveting the Duchy of Courland, but the marriage was too unattractive.

Everyone is familiar with the story of the 20-year-old singer Alexei Rozum, who in 1741 became Count Razumovsky, and in 1744 Elisaveta Petrovna married her favorite in Moscow, in the Church of the Resurrection in Barashi, on Pokrovka. The Empress's wedding took place in secret, but in the presence of witnesses, and Count Razumovsky was given documents testifying to the marriage.
A year or a year and a half after their marriage, their daughter Princess Augusta was born.

Why the Empress’s daughter received the surname Tarakanova is not known for certain. There is an assumption that A.G. Razumovsky’s sister Vera Grigorievna was married to Colonel of the Little Russian Army E.F. Daragan. Their children were brought to St. Petersburg and lived at court. The people changed the unfamiliar surname Daragan, out of consonance, into Tarakanova; perhaps Princess Augusta lived with her aunt Daragan as a child and thus, together with her children, was nicknamed Tarakanova.

Princess Augusta was raised abroad. Whether she was sent there by her mother herself, or after her death (1761, December 25) by her father Count Razumovsky, is unknown, but it is certain that she lived there until the 1780s. There, of course, they would have ended their lives in peace and contentment, but the intrigue of the Poles destroyed her happiness. People abroad found out who this princess was. Since before 1762 in Russia, with the rights of succession to the throne being unclear, there were frequent changes in the government, carrying out a new coup did not seem impossible to anyone. It was beneficial for the Poles to intervene in Russian state affairs and, around 1773, introduce a pretender to the Russian throne, the daughter of Elizabeth Petrovna. Princess Augusta did not dare to commit such a vile act.

But a figurehead was found - an impostor, the famous Princess of Vladimir in history. A lot of trouble and money were used to create confusion in Russia. But the invention failed. Princess Vladimir in Italy, on the Livorno roadstead, was taken by Count Alexei Grigorievich Orlov-Chesmensky, brought to St. Petersburg, imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress and died there on December 4, 1775. The case about her was kept in the strictest confidence. Neither in Russia nor abroad no one knew anything about what happened to her. And since two years after her imprisonment, there was a severe flood in St. Petersburg, a rumor spread that she drowned in a casemate, from which they forgot or did not want to take her out.

Princess Vladimir, who pretended to be Elizabeth's daughter, is gone, but the real Tarakanova is alive and free. The thought that Elizabeth’s daughter existed, that her name and birth could serve as a reason for intrigue among the Poles or other enemies of Russia, worried the empress. The Pugachev rebellion, the recently deceased impostor, the indignation in Moscow in 1771, court intrigues and conspiracies increased this fear. And so the order was given to bring Elizabeth’s real daughter, Princess Augusta, from abroad by cunning or force.

The Empress's command has been fulfilled. It is unknown where and by whom it was taken. But how she was taken, she herself subsequently told Mrs. Golovina about this in a moment of frankness, having previously taken an oath from her that until her death she would not tell anyone about what she heard from her. The princess said that once a Russian general, very famous at that time, visited her. This general offered to take a boat ride along the seaside. We went with music, with songs, and when we went out to sea, there was a Russian ship standing ready. The general invited the princess to inspect the structure of the ship. She agreed, boarded the ship, and as soon as she boarded, she was forcibly taken to the cabin, locked, and sentries were assigned. This was in 1785.

Brought to St. Petersburg, she is presented to the Empress. The Empress talked with her for a long time, frankly, talked about the recent revolt of Pugachevsky, about the turmoil of the impostor Tarakanova, about state upheavals that could continue to happen if the enemies of the existing order use her name, and finally announced that for the peace of Russia she must retire from the world and live in solitude, in a monastery, and in order not to become a tool in the hands of ambitious people, take monastic vows as a nun. A bitter sentence was heard; it was impossible to object or ask for mercy. The Ivanovsky Monastery in Moscow, the same one that Empress Elizabeth appointed in 1761 for the care of widows and orphans of noble and honored people, was designated as the place of imprisonment for her daughter.

Also in 1785, Princess Augusta was sent to Moscow. The empress's secret order was given to the abbess of the monastery to receive and keep the new arrival in special secrecy, to tonsure her hair and not allow anyone to visit her. The command was fulfilled with all precision. On the eastern side of the monastery, near the church above St. Through the gates, not far from the abbess’s chambers, there were small stone one-story cells with windows overlooking the monastery - two rooms under arches and an entrance hall for the cell attendant - that’s the entire room of the involuntary recluse. These cells were broken in 1860. The princess was tonsured, named Dosithea and, as ordered, was kept in big secret. Apart from the abbess, confessor and cell attendant, no one had the right to enter her. The windows of her cell were constantly covered with a curtain, and since rumors about the mysterious recluse attracted a crowd of curious people, one of the staff servants was ordered to drive people away from her windows. She was never allowed into the large monastery church and the common meal, and in fact, her confessor occasionally performed a special service for her in the Kazan Church Mother of God above the monastery gates.

The corridor and covered wooden staircase from her cell led directly to this church, where she came accompanied by her cell attendant. Apart from the abbess and one priest, there were no strangers there. Even the church doors were locked from the inside during services. A special amount from the treasury was allocated for her maintenance. She could have a table if she wanted, always a good one.
After the death of Empress Catherine, her external position improved. She began to use more freedom and although she herself did not have the right to travel, outsiders were allowed to visit her without hindrance. In addition to Metropolitan Plato, other high-ranking officials also visited her at this time: once she had someone from the imperial family, but since the visit was secret, the name of the visitor was not preserved. The clerk of the Ivanovo Monastery told (I.M. Snegirev) that he saw some important persons who were admitted by the abbess to Dosithea, with whom she spoke in a foreign language.

She also had other visits from eminent persons. Did such visits comfort her? We don't think so. Rather, they disturbed, entertained, and disturbed her beloved silence. At least last years It is reliably known that she spent her life in complete silence and, as contemporaries say, in high deeds of piety.

No matter how much the truly pious hide themselves from human glory, their virtues soon become known in the world. This happened with Dosithea. In Moscow they soon learned about the virtuous life of the recluse of the Ivanovo Monastery and crowds of people approached the windows of her cell not out of curiosity, as before, but with reverence. One asked for prayers, another for advice, the third for blessings. The humble hermit, loving God and her neighbors, could not help but respond to the diligent requests of visitors. – And how beneficial were the fruits of her spiritual conversations!

Here is an example: two brothers Timofey and Jonah, one 19 and the other 14 years old, came around 1800 from the Yaroslavl province to Moscow and entered the service of a merchant. Loving reading spiritual books and often visiting Moscow monasteries, they accidentally learn that in the Ivanovo monastery there is a recluse of high spiritual life named Dosithea. They come to the monastery, approach her cell, just want to look at this mysterious nun, but the perspicacious, spiritually wise old woman recognizes future ascetics of piety in these young men, accepts her into her cell, enters into spiritual communion with them...

It ended with these two young men going to the Sarov Hermitage, taking monastic vows and subsequently becoming so famous in the history of monasticism as abbots of monasteries: Timothy with the name Moses - archimandrite of the Optina Hermitage, and Jonah with the name Isaiah hegumen - of the Sarov Hermitage. Mother Dosithea did not leave them with spiritual guidance until the end of her life and taught them not only orally, but also in writing.

Dosithea died in 1810, 4 days, 64 years old, after a 25-year stay in the Ivanovsky monastery. Her burial was performed with special solemnity. During the illness of the elderly Metropolitan Plato, the funeral service was performed by her Moscow vicar, Bishop Augustine of Dmitrov, with honorary clergy. Senators, members of the Council of Guardians and nobles of Catherine's time who lived out their lives in Moscow came to her funeral in ribbons and uniforms. There was also her husband cousin, nee Praskovya Kirillovna Razumovskaya. In the highest social circle of that time, everyone knew who the deceased was. Crowds of people filled the monastery and all the streets along which the procession passed. Her body was buried in the Novospassky Monastery, near the eastern fence, on the left side of the bell tower (under No. 122).

On her grave, on a wild tombstone, there is the following inscription: “Under this stone is laid the body of the nun Dosithea of ​​the Ivanovo Monastery who died in the Lord, who labored for Christ Jesus as a monk for 25 years and died on February 4, 1810.”

In the Novospassky Monastery there is a portrait of the nun Dosithea, on the back of which there is the following inscription: “Princess Augusta Tarakanova, and monk Dosithea, tonsured in the Moscow Ivanovo Monastery, where after many years of her righteous life she died and was buried in the Novospassky Monastery.”
In the facial features of Dosithea, judging by the portrait, experts find similarities with her mother, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna.