POTEMKIN, Gregory Alexandrovich (1739-1791), Russian soldier and statesman, was born in 1739 in the village of Domnovo, in the government of Smolensk. His father was a poor nobleman of Polish extraction, but the family had been settled for some time in Russia. Owing to the slender means of his parents, Potemkin’s first plan seems to have been to devote himself to the church; but he did not show much inclination for this profession, and eventually embraced the calling of a soldier. His fortunes rose from the time when he assisted the empress Catherine in her conspiracy against her husband on the memorable 10th of July 1762. On this occasion, when Catherine rode through the ranks, Potemkin, perceiving that she had no plume in her hat, offered her his own. Soon afterwards he became one of the leading favourites and his rise was rapid. We first find him serving under Marshal Roumantzoff against the Turks, but, after having spent some time in the camp, he returned to St Petersburg, where he became more influential than ever. From 1778 till his death the foreign policy of Russia was almost entirely in his hands. By his agency the Crimea was annexed in 1783, the khan being induced to put himself under Russian protection. In January 1787 the empress set out with Potemkin to survey her new conquests. The description of this journey and of the fantastic luxury which accompanied it has been often given, and need not be recapitulated here. At Kherson Catherine was met by the emperor Joseph, who had travelled from Austria for that purpose. She there passed under a triumphal arch, on which was inscribed, in Greek letters, “The way to Byzantium.” The empress went as far south as Bakhchisarai and Stari Krim, at which point she turned back, reaching St Petersburg on the 22d of ...July. Soon afterwards war was declared against Turkey and the siege of Otchakoff commenced in July 1788. Here Potemkin acted as commander-in-chief, with 150,000 men at his disposal, but it is difficult to say if he had any talent as a soldier, as many able men, among others Souwaroff, served under him, and he was able to appropriate the fruits of their labour and ability. According to some he showed military genius, according to others he was entirely destitute of it. He is said to have introduced some very useful changes in the dress and discipline of the Russian armies. Otchakoff was taken in December 1788, with terrible slaughter on both sides, and was followed by the victories of Souwaroff at Bender and Ismail, the latter of which was taken in 1790, when Souwaroff sent his celebrated couplet to Catherine:
“Slava Bogu! Slava Vam!
In March 1791 Potemkin made his triumphal entry into St Petersburg. The description of the banquet which he gave in honour of the empress at his Taurian palace rivals any scene of Oriental magnificence. But his constitution was now breaking; his body at a comparatively early age was worn out by his labours and excesses. Yet he refused to have recourse to medicine, lived upon salt meat and raw turnips, and drank strong wines and spirits. In the latter part of the year 1791 he went to the south of Russia, the scene of his former triumphs, and lay ill for some time at Jassy, whence he attempted to move to Otchakoff, but after travelling a few versts he could no longer endure the motion of the carriage. He accordingly was lifted out and a carpet was spread for him at the foot of a tree, upon which he soon expired in the arms of his niece, Countess Branicka, on the 15th of October 1791. His body was interred at Kherson, but, from inquiries made on the spot by the traveller Edward Clarke at the commencement of the present century, it seems to have been disinterred and thrown into a ditch by order of the emperor Paul, who hated him.
During his lifetime Potemkin did not escape the censure of his countrymen, in proof of which may be cited the attacks of Derzhavin and Radistcheff. Strange stories are told of his extravagance and whimsicality, among others that he had in his library several volumes of bank notes bound together. He seems to have “sickened of a vague disease” in the midst of all his splendour. His wealth was boundless, as, besides his personal property, he had large landed estates and many thousands of serfs. He was arrogant and capricious, a thorough despot, and a man of grossly licentious life. That he was possessed of some ability cannot be doubted, but, taking him all in all, we must say that the prominence of a man of such character has left a deep stain upon the annals of Russia.
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