[Documents concerning Princess [Catherine] Dolgorouki]

[Documents concerning Princess [Catherine] Dolgorouki] 

[Documents concerning Princess [Catherine] Dolgorouki] 

1 online resource (21 pages) 

The file contains 4 documents: 1. A letter from an unknown person, [apparently connected to the secret Russian police] addressed to “Your Excellency”. The first part of the letter is written in Russian. The writer made a scrupulous investigation to reach the truth about the deeds and behavior of Princess [Catherine] Dolgorouki. Princess Catherine Dolgorukova, also known as Catherine Dolgorukova, Dolgoruki, or Dolgorukaya, was the daughter of Prince Michael Dolgorukov and Vera Vishnevskaya. She was a long-time mistress of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and later, as his morganatic wife, was given the title of Princess Yurievskaya. The reports summary, which he believes to be true, is in the following Annex. The second document: The reports’ author mentions some articles published in the French conservative press in order to 1.) state the princess as a victim of the Russian government, 2.) establish the so-called rights of her children. He explains that there are 2 opposite directions in the Parisian press reflecting opposite principles. The first conservative direction is ruled by “speculators”, most of them Jewish. The revolutionary press is the spokesman of some specific Russian people, Nihilists, and Jews. The writer details the way of life of the Princess and the names and deeds of her entourage, specifically her housekeeper, which is described as a dangerous woman, and her children’s tutor. A lot of efforts are made to isolate her. The writer says that these people, together with a certain Jewish Dr. Lyon, are the instigators of the conservative newspapers articles against the Russian government. He calls it the “Dolgorouki campaign”. The writer mentions other people who work through radical and revolutionary newspapers and extend the anti-Russian and Nihilist polemics. The third document shows a copy of a top-secret letter from Mr. Kotzebue addressed to his Excellency Mr. de Fiers [? the name is unreadable], 18th April 1886, about the need for systematic surveillance on the people moving around Princess Youriewski [Dolgorouki]. In case of the Baron’s absence, the results would be known only by the Ambassador and by himself, and then, given to His Excellency. The forth document is a copy of a top-secret letter from Mr. Kotzebue addressed to His Excellency Mr. de Fiers [? the name is unreadable], 16th May 1886, about their secret agent and his high qualities. The agent checks the information about French internal affairs and gives him information about the Nihilist movement in Paris. Kotzebue asks if His Excellency could give a good appreciation about Ratchkowsky and speaks about the possibility of surveillance on Princess Youriewsky.