Welcome to Russian History We Told. Episode 306, Princess I Katerina Dashkova, three.

Last time we covered the tumultuous period when Dashkova was in the midst of helping to overthrow the emperor of Russia,

Peter the 3rd, replacing him with his wife Catherine II.

Today we continue the story of the princess, which includes a

falling out with her friend and confidant, the new Empress. Peter the third had

abdicated the throne of Russia, yet he was still alive when we returned to the story.

Of course, this was not to last very long.

As Daskova remembers, quote, in the meantime, an event occurred which absorbed all my thoughts

and filled me with horror and consternation.

When the news was received of the horrible death of Peter the 3rd, I was so affected by it and so incensed, even though my heart refused to believe the Empress capable of being the accomplice of Alexi Orlov's crime, that only the following day could I be persuaded to visit her.

When I did, I found her sad and upset. The actual words she said to me were,

I am shocked by his death and dismayed. It comes too early for your good fame and for mine. The death of

Emperor Peter the third would cast a shadow over Catherine's reign. There would be

many people claiming to be the dead czar, including

Yameryan Pugachev, who would lead one of the largest rebellions in Russian history.

For the rest of Catherine's life, she would always have a seat of doubt in

her mind about her legitimacy as the ruler of Russia. And as you know, her son Paul would

hate her for the death of his father and would make a

significant change to the successions of future czars, not allowing a woman to ever

acquire the throne. Catherine needed to head to Moscow so she could be

coronated as the new Empress of Russia. Deschkova accompanied her in the rural carriage.

Upon reaching the old capital, Icadarina wanted to head over to her mother-in-law's house,

...