The Empress Catherine I

Portrait by Ivan Adolsky in the Portrait Hall of the Great Palace.

As soon as Catherine Alekseyevna took possession of the Sarskaya estate, she began actively to improve it, according to Landrichter Monnoukov's boundary list, of 1711 (Yakovkin's history). This farm had 2 acres of home land, 62 acres of poor land, 531/4 acres of meadow-land on the banks, of the brook Vangazia and 50 acres, of meadows near the village Kondacopsa. As soon as 49 more villages, waste grounds, and two farms (Michael's and Matthew's) were added to the farm, emigrants came out from different Moscovian court villages, and settled in the new suburb, which formed a ring around Sarskaya farm. So in 1715 were built the villages: Solobevo, Kouzmino, Lipitzi, Slavyanka and Gari. The old wooden manor-house was restored and furnished, and there in 1710 Peter and Catherine received on their way to Shlisselburg the Duke of Courland betrothed to Tsarevna Anna loannovna.

During the life of Peter the Great, the Empress Catherine began arranging a small park round the new stone palace, and, having destined a part of the forest to the menagerie, ordered it to be surrounded by a fence. Besides the grove of alders and the fir alleys, planted on the edge of the park, the gardener John Rozine was ordered to plant a vast orchard and arrange conservatories along the Sadovaya street of today, near the fence of the menagerie.

In 1741, instead of the old nobleman's nest, arose the small Imperial country house, adorned with a little stone palace, instead of the old manor house. After the church was built, the farm and its suburb was soon transformed into a village. Until Empress Elizabeth's accession to the throne, this patrimony existed by means of the tribute, imposed on the peasants; the revenues were obtained by the sale of agricultural products and vegetables, Sarskaya farm being transformed into a country residence, demanded expenses. Since the reign of Peter, in order to increase the revenues, cultivate better the fields and obtain a greater number of workmen, in aid to the farm peasants, settled around, the command was given to military companies to work in the park, in the kitchen-garden and in the conservatory. From 1710 to 1727 Sarskaya farm was governed by a steward who was entrusted with, the superintendence of the farm, and of the incorporated peasants. It is unknown, who was the first steward, but in 1721, that post was occupied by a certain Lukoperov, who worked under the main supervision of the Chief Commissary of St. Petersburg, Siniavin. The court household increasing, the farm and the peasants' affairs, were being administrated by two offices, one patrimonial, the other constructive. The steward was under the superintendence of the Chancery of Stable Affairs, at the head of which stood the Sub Lieutenant, afterwards, Captain Lieutenant of the Preobrajensky regiment , Rodion Koshelev. Nevertheless, from 1723 the accounts of the patrimony were to be presented not to the "Stables'-Chancery", but straight to Her Majesty's Own Patrimonial Chancery, which was under the immediate jurisdiction of the Empress.

 

The Empress Elizabeth I

1768 portrait by Buchholz in the Portrait Hall of the Great Palace.

After the death of Catherine I, in virtue of her testament, the Sarskaya estate passed to Tsarevna Elizabeth, and Her Majesty's Patrimonial Chancery being abolished, was submitted to Her Own Patrimonial Chancery, which was managed by the assessor Leontius Archiboushev from the 26th of December 1730. He was replaced by the secretary Ivan Tougarinov. At the same time as steward of the Sarskaya estate was appointed Vladimir Oudalov, who after years' labor, ceded his post to his son Andrew. In the same year at the head of the Chancery stood a new commissary Peter Novikov; next year Stephen Kanitzky; in 1739 Ivan Voronin, who managed the Chancery till the 5th of December 1742, when 'he delivered up the affairs to Counselor Ivan Tchernov".

Although the Tsarevna wished to spend as little money as possible, in keeping up, Tsarskoe Selo, palace and farm, she was compelled to spend on restorations. The orchard, meadows, conservatory and tribute, all went, to cover expenses. Each ruble was accounted for by the Tsarevna. When the steward reported, that the stables were threatened with ruin, a special inspection was made by a whole committee of interested persons, who confirmed the dreadful state of the buildings; then only, the Tsarevna, allowed the expense. in 1740 the fence, surrounding the menagerie and the garden, was falling to decay. The architect Zemtzov was commissioned by the Tsarevna to reckon the expense, make a sketch and examine the necessary material. Oudalov was ordered to be particularly careful in concluding the contract, and to look severely after its fulfillment.

In 1740 the whole of the peasants' tribute from the Patrimony amounted only to 315 rubles. Her Highness' Patrimonial Chancery strictly watched over the receipt of this tax and over its subsequent expenditure. The Tsarevna entered into all the details: of the management; for instance gardener Canidus Lambertus wanted to mend 80 glass frames in the conservatory, the Tsarevna found 160 rubles too expensive, and asked, what had become of the glass kept in the office. Thereupon a huge correspondence began, which lasted 4 months. It is not wonderful, that, notwithstanding her passion for luxury, the Tsarevna carefully calculated her expenses and spent them with great caution. During 18 years, she was obliged to live almost entirely upon the revenue of her patrimonies, to entertain her Court with it and to spend it on her supporters, who were very numerous. The only luxury, which she allowed herself in Tsarskoe Selo, during that difficult period of her life, was the building of a stone church, in which she intended to place the ikon of the Miraculous Apparition of the Virgin Mary, whom she particularly revered. This expense was also incurred during the course of many years and was brought about by careful reckoning. In the days of the dominion of the hated race of the Germans, the people saw that Peter's daughter, banished from the throne, denied herself personally of everything, in order to adorn her estate with' a splendid church, for the greater glorification of the image, with which Peter had blessed her on his death bed.

The contrast between the modest expenses of the Tsarevna for her favorite estate in those long heavy years, and the enormous expenses, which she allowed herself, when she became Empress, is striking. Nothing seemed magnificent enough for the adornment of her castle in Tsarskoe Selo. The architect Zemtzov, accustomed to her modest scale of life, soon died and was replaced by the celebrated young Kvassov. The plans for the buildings were afterwards entrusted to the chief architect, Count Rastrelli, and were carried out by Tchevakinsky with a whole crowd of assistants, Russians, Italians, and Germans. Every wish of the Empress Elizabeth was immediately fulfilled by the chief architect. The Empress enjoyed simple Russian amusements, and, while living in retirement in her estate near Moscow, she used to slide down ice hills; Rastrelli contrived a hill for sliding near the palace in Tsarskoe Selo; later on arose a magnificent stone building with marble columns, glittering halls, with marble floors, a shining vault and monumental staircases, adorned with golden balustrades and statues.

Knowing the Tsarevna's love for hunting Rastrelli surrounded the menagerie with a stone wall and built in it three shooting-boxes in the corners (Lust-hauser) and in the center the magnificent "Mon Bijou". Every thing was shining with gold and 'marble; artists painted the walls, and a rich carving adorned the doors and ceilings. The Empress did not like a great number of servants, waiting at table. To please her, Rastrelli planned the Hermitage, where tables, dishes and plates were brought into the hall by invisible hands and servants were not heeded. The idea was approved, and a "small" Hermitage was arranged in the palace. The old rooms did not satisfy the brilliant court; the palace did not seem vast and splendid enough: and was rebuilt during the whole reign of the Empress Elizabeth.

The Empress loved luxury, brilliance, ceremonies, music, and dances and proudly showed off to foreigners her country residence, conscious that her court was in its splendor no way inferior to the Court at Versailles.

Around the palace of Tsarskoe Selo rapidly arose suburb with a multitude of inhabitants, workmen, masters, artists, architects, court servitors, troops, functionaries, and persons of the Empress's suite, all nourished by the Court. This suburb already spread out over the open space from the palace to the Naberejnaya and Moscowskaya streets of today.

During the reign of Elizabeth the principal supervision over all the work done and the administration of the peasants in the economical and money matters, was carried out by the same Patrimonial chancery, the thief of which, after the death of the counselor Tchernov, was Senate Secretary Gabriel Zamiatin. The order of local administration in a great number of affairs, having for aid an insignificant functionary, the cup-bearer Oudalov, who lived in Tsarskoe Selo, occupied only with trifles, soon proved insufficient, and in August 1748 the Empress united all the administrations of Tsarskoe Selo into one. Colonel Grigoriev, was appointed "Chief Commander of Tsarskoe Selo". At the same time in the suburb of Tsarskoe Selo were founded "the Office of Buildings", and "the Patrimonial Administration"; at their head was left Chief Bearer Oudalov, under the command of Grigoriev. Grigoriev managed Tsarskoe Selo till the 4th of January 1761, when he was ordered to return to the building of state roads, and Artillery Major Kopiev was appointed Commander of Tsarskoe Selo; he transmitted all the affairs to Major Theodotus Oudalov on the 16th of October 1761.

It seems that Grigoriev was dismissed as soon as the principal constructions of Tsarskoe Selo were finished.

Till the end of her days Elizabeth liked Tsarskoe Selo, more than her other residences, and as a particular favor invited foreigners and persons of her Court to admire the magnificence of the palaces and parks. During the last years of her life the Empress was often ill, she became irritable, occupied herself little with business and only sometimes assisted at the State Council.

The interior affairs of the Empire were neglected; the finances were in an extremely bad state; the trade was depressed by a multitude of disadvantageous monopolies; the administration was in a great disorder. The Empress Catherine II testifies, that in the provinces, before fulfilling orders, one used to wait for the third "Ukase" of the Senate in every affair, the first two edicts being left without attention. The war with Prussia, Which cost enormous sacrifices in money and men, brightened however the last years of this brilliant reign with rays of glory, and the international position of Russia rose to an extraordinary height. On the 6th of July 1757 the Empress received in Tsarskoe Selo the first Prussian banners, and keys of the town of Memel; and on the 27th of August of the same year, the Major General Panin arrived, bringing news of the victory of the Russian troops over the unconquerable Frederick II at Gross Jagersdorf. The Empress Elizabeth's last visit to her beloved Tsarskoe Selo, was on the 8th of September 1761. Before her departure she accepted in the palace a feast, given by Oudalov, the manager of Tsarskoe Selo. During dinner, "two musicians played violins and a salute was fired, when drinking to Her Majesty's health." Oudalov's father and sons, managed the Empress' patrimony all her life, and bore on their shoulders all the trouble of changing the little Sarskaya farm, with its small income, into the splendid residence of the luxurious court. Having honored Oudalov by accepting a dinner before her departure, the Empress seemed to have taken leave of her faithful and honest servants. In December on the 25th of the same year the Empress as no more.

During the six-months' reign of the Emperor Peter III, he spent with all his court only a week in Tsarskoe Selo, from the 6th till the 13th of February, and celebrated here on the 10th of February, his birthday. The whole time passed in gay suppers, dinners, and balls; and on his birthday, in the evening about 6 o'clock a magnificent display of fireworks was given on the Palace Square. The Emperor invented for fun to sit at table during dinner and supper, by drawing tickets, instead of the established etiquette order. After dinner, card-tables were set in the Great Hall. During play, choirs were singing and a military band and the orchestra of the Italian opera were playing.