Natalia Lopukhina
Encyclopedia
Natalia Fyodorovna Lopukhina (1699–1763) was a daughter of Matryona Balk, who was sister of Anna Mons
and Willem Mons
. She is famous for the Lopukhina Affair, an alleged conspiracy engineered by the diplomacy of Holstein
and France
at the Russia
n court and centered on the person of Lopukhina.
During the reign of Anna of Russia
(1730–40), Natalia Lopukhina was described as "the brightest flower of St Petersburg court". Her liaisons with some of the most powerful courtiers and her arrogance toward Peter I
's neglected daughter Elizaveta Petrovna must have fed the latter's jealousy. Elizaveta's accession to the throne in 1741 was a huge blow to Lopukhina. It was owing to her friendship with Anna, wife of Mikhail Bestuzhev
, that she managed to maintain her position at court.
In 1742, however, the French agents de la Chétardie
and Lestocq
arranged a complicated intrigue to slander both Lopukhina and Bestuzheva, thereby securing the downfall of the Austrophilic chancellor Aleksey Bestuzhev
(Mikhail's brother). Lopukhina's affection for the exiled Count von Löwenwolde being well-known, her correspondence with this odious courtier was brought to light and presented to the Empress in the most unflattering light. Simultaneously, it was reported that her son Ivan Lopukhin, being drunk in a tavern, denounced Elizaveta's taste for English beer and mumbled several phrases which were interpreted calling for restoration of Ivan VI of Russia
. The inquiry that followed established that the Lopukhin house used to be frequented by the Austrian agent Marquis Botta d'Adorno, who allegedly promised his support for restoration of Ivan VI on the Russian throne.
After a rigid inquisition of twenty-five days, during which every variety of torture was freely employed against the accused, "the terrible plot," wrote the British
minister, Sir Cyril Wych, "was found to be little more than the ill-considered discourses of a couple of spiteful passionate women." Nevertheless, the two ladies principally concerned had their tongues publicly torn out before being sent to Siberia
.
Lopukhina and Bestuzheva were publicly punished on September 11, 1743. They were brought onto a scaffold in front of the Twelve Collegia
in Saint Petersburg
, stripped naked, and flogged with birch rods and the knout
on their buttocks. Bestuzheva bribed the executioner to give her only a mock flogging. The two women escaped execution, because before her accession in 1741, Elizaveta had vowed not to sign any death warrant
s as Empress.
The Russian ambassador to Austria
was instructed to demand Botta's condign punishment. This demand was presented at a special audience; whereupon Empress Maria Theresa
declared that she would never admit the validity of extorted evidence, and issued a manifesto to all the Great Power
s defending Botta and accusing the Russian court of rank injustice.
It is generally believed that the savage reprisal was prompted primarily by Elizaveta's personal jealousy of Lopukhina's beauty and hostility towards the Mons family
, who had blocked the ascension of her mother Catherine I of Russia
to the throne. Lopukhina was allowed to return to the Russian capital only after Elizaveta's death on January 5, 1762.
Anna Mons
Anna Mons was a German commonner who almost succeeded in marrying Tsar Peter the Great.- Biography :In 1691, during one of his visits to the German Quarter, young Peter I of Russia became enamoured of Anna Mons, the daughter of Dutch wine merchant Johann Mon. It is generally thought he was from...
and Willem Mons
Willem Mons
Willem Mons was the brother of Peter the Great's long-time mistress Anna Mons, who later served as private secretary to his wife Catherine....
. She is famous for the Lopukhina Affair, an alleged conspiracy engineered by the diplomacy of Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n court and centered on the person of Lopukhina.
During the reign of Anna of Russia
Anna of Russia
Anna of Russia or Anna Ivanovna reigned as Duchess of Courland from 1711 to 1730 and as Empress of Russia from 1730 to 1740.-Accession to the throne:Anna was the daughter of Ivan V of Russia, as well as the niece of Peter the Great...
(1730–40), Natalia Lopukhina was described as "the brightest flower of St Petersburg court". Her liaisons with some of the most powerful courtiers and her arrogance toward Peter I
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
's neglected daughter Elizaveta Petrovna must have fed the latter's jealousy. Elizaveta's accession to the throne in 1741 was a huge blow to Lopukhina. It was owing to her friendship with Anna, wife of Mikhail Bestuzhev
Mikhail Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin
Count Mikhail Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin was a Russian diplomat. He was the son of Pyotr Bestuzhev and elder brother of the more famous Aleksey Bestuzhev....
, that she managed to maintain her position at court.
In 1742, however, the French agents de la Chétardie
Jacques-Joachim Trotti, marquis de La Chétardie
Jacques-Joachim Trotti, marquis de La Chétardie was a French diplomat who engineered the coup d'etat that brought Elizaveta Petrovna to the Russian throne in 1741...
and Lestocq
Jean Armand de Lestocq
Count Jean Armand de L'Estocq was a French adventurer who wielded immense influence on the foreign policy of Russia during the early reign of Empress Elizabeth.Coming from a noble family of Champagne, as a youth he was committed to prison for a petty offense...
arranged a complicated intrigue to slander both Lopukhina and Bestuzheva, thereby securing the downfall of the Austrophilic chancellor Aleksey Bestuzhev
Aleksei Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin
Count Alexey Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin , Grand Chancellor of Russia, was one of the most influential and successful European diplomats of the 18th century. He was chiefly responsible for Russian foreign policy during the reign of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna.-Early life and career:Alexey was born...
(Mikhail's brother). Lopukhina's affection for the exiled Count von Löwenwolde being well-known, her correspondence with this odious courtier was brought to light and presented to the Empress in the most unflattering light. Simultaneously, it was reported that her son Ivan Lopukhin, being drunk in a tavern, denounced Elizaveta's taste for English beer and mumbled several phrases which were interpreted calling for restoration of Ivan VI of Russia
Ivan VI of Russia
Ivan VI Antonovich of Russia , was proclaimed Emperor of Russia in 1740, as an infant, although he never actually reigned. Within less than a year, he was overthrown by the Empress Elizabeth of Russia, Peter the Great's daughter...
. The inquiry that followed established that the Lopukhin house used to be frequented by the Austrian agent Marquis Botta d'Adorno, who allegedly promised his support for restoration of Ivan VI on the Russian throne.
After a rigid inquisition of twenty-five days, during which every variety of torture was freely employed against the accused, "the terrible plot," wrote the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
minister, Sir Cyril Wych, "was found to be little more than the ill-considered discourses of a couple of spiteful passionate women." Nevertheless, the two ladies principally concerned had their tongues publicly torn out before being sent to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
.
Lopukhina and Bestuzheva were publicly punished on September 11, 1743. They were brought onto a scaffold in front of the Twelve Collegia
Twelve Collegia
The Twelve Collegia, or Twelve Colleges is the largest edifice from the Petrine era still extant in Saint Petersburg. It was designed by Domenico Trezzini and Theodor Schwertfeger and built from 1722 to 1744.- Description :...
in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, stripped naked, and flogged with birch rods and the knout
Knout
A knout is a heavy scourge-like multiple whip, usually made of a bunch of rawhide thongs attached to a long handle, sometimes with metal wire or hooks incorporated....
on their buttocks. Bestuzheva bribed the executioner to give her only a mock flogging. The two women escaped execution, because before her accession in 1741, Elizaveta had vowed not to sign any death warrant
Execution warrant
An execution warrant is a writ which authorizes the execution of a judgment of death on an individual...
s as Empress.
The Russian ambassador to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
was instructed to demand Botta's condign punishment. This demand was presented at a special audience; whereupon Empress Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
declared that she would never admit the validity of extorted evidence, and issued a manifesto to all the Great Power
Great power
A great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength and diplomatic and cultural influence which may cause small powers to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions...
s defending Botta and accusing the Russian court of rank injustice.
It is generally believed that the savage reprisal was prompted primarily by Elizaveta's personal jealousy of Lopukhina's beauty and hostility towards the Mons family
Mons family
The Mons family is a Dutch family associated with several affairs that shocked the court of Peter I of Russia in 1704 and 1724.* Anna Mons * Willem Mons * Natalia Lopukhina...
, who had blocked the ascension of her mother Catherine I of Russia
Catherine I of Russia
Catherine I , the second wife of Peter the Great, reigned as Empress of Russia from 1725 until her death.-Life as a peasant woman:The life of Catherine I was said by Voltaire to be nearly as extraordinary as that of Peter the Great himself. There are no documents that confirm her origins. Born on...
to the throne. Lopukhina was allowed to return to the Russian capital only after Elizaveta's death on January 5, 1762.