CHAPTER VIII

THE AGE OF CATHERINE II (1762-1796 A.D.) 372

Catherine’s own views on Russia, 373. The Polish succession; the policy of the nations, 376. Poland is dismembered, 378. War with Turkey, 380. The Treaty of Kutchuk-Kainardji, 383. The migration of the Kalmucks, 383. The Kalmucks reach China, 385. Insurrections and pretenders, 386. Favouritism under Catherine II, 387. The rise of Potemkin, 389. The official status of the favourite, 392. Potemkin’s schemes of conquest, 392. General Suvarov, 396. The favourites Lanskoi and Iermolov, 396. Joseph II visits Catherine; A spectacular tour, 397. Outbreak of the Austro-Russian war with Turkey, 399. The Swedish war, 400. The campaign of 1790; the Treaty of Varela, 403. Progress of the Austro-Russian war with Turkey, 405. Successes of Laudon, 405. Victories of Suvarov, 406. Austrian and Russian valour; Austria’s withdrawal, 408. Russia prosecutes the war; the storm of Ismail, 409. European intervention; the Treaty of Jassy, 410. The death of Potemkin (1792 A.D.); Ségur’s characterisation, 411. The question of the imperial succession, 413. The last of the favourites, 415. Debaucheries at Catherine’s court, 416. The subjugation and final partition of Poland, 417. The annexation of Courland, 420. Last years and death of Catherine, 421. A Russian estimate of Catherine, 422.

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