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Auction: 25360 - The 360th Anniversary Sale
Lot: 28

THREE RUSSIAN EMPERORS

i) Catherine II, 'Catherine The Great', who reigned over Russia between 1762-1796. A single page letter dated to the late 1780s to early 1790s, signed in full "Ekaterina" (in Cyrillic) from Saint Petersburg to Lieutenant General and Governor of Pskov. Contents mention "our enemy the King of Sweden" in reference to the Russian-Swedish War for which men from Pskov would be enlisted.

ii) Alexander I, who reigned over Russia between 1801-1825. 1806 (30 Nov.) letter in Russian from St. Petersburg to Ferdinand II, King of the Two Sicilies, announcing the birth of his daughter Elizabeth, signed in full. Together with original cover bearing large wafer seal, now detached.

iii) Nicholas I, who reigned over Russia between 1825-1855. 1849 (7 October) letter signed from Sarskeyo Selo to Ferdinand II, King of the Two Sicilies, writing to congratulate him on the birth of a Maria Pia, Princess of the Two Sicilies, titular Duchess consort of Parma and wife of Robert I, Duke of Parma. Together with original cover with intact wafer seal, showing usual signs of disinfection. (3)


Known as the longest reigning female Emperor of Russia, and much celebrated as 'The Great' for having secured a stable and wealthy nation, Catherine II came to the throne after the coup d'etat and assassination of her husband, Peter III following the Seven Years' War. In her reign she promoted a vast campaign of reforms inspired by the Enlightenment and was the architect of vast new territorial conquests making the Russian Empire larger than ever. From 1788 to 1790 Russia fought in the Russo-Swedish War against Sweden, a conflict instigated by Sweden with the aim of overtaking the Russian armies still engaged in war against the Ottoman Turks and hoping to strike Saint Petersburg directly.

Named Alexander 'The Blessed', Alexander was also first King of Poland (1815-1825), as well as first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania. Alexander incorporated Finland and parts of Poland into the ever-expanding Empire and received acclaim for the famous victory over Napoleon's Grand Armée in Russia.

Nicholas I continued the long expansion of the Russian Empire, placing the Ottoman Empire more firmly under the Russian sphere of influence, without conquering. Nicholas received much criticism in his rule, Tolstoy having nicknamed him 'Nicholas the Stick' in reference to his love of military discipline. His reputation was further marred by defeat in the Crimean War.



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Estimate
£5,000 to £10,000

Starting price
£1666