Yekaterina Razumovskaya

Countess Ekaterina Ivanovna Razumovskaya (; (Нарышкина); – ) was a Russian lady of state, cavalier lady, and the wife of the last hetman of the Zaporizhian Host, Kirill Razumovsky. Biography Ekaterina was the daughter of naval captain Ivan Lvovich Naryshkin (1700–1734) and Daria Kirillovna Naryshkina (1709–1730). Her father was the nephew of Natalya Naryshkina making Ekaterina the second cousin of Elizabeth I. Her mother died when Ekaterina was only a year old. Four years later her father also died, orphaning her. She was raised in the house of her uncle Alexander Lvovich until Elizabeth made her a maid of honour. Once Elizabeth acceded to the throne, Ekaterina wanted to marry a rich relative to Count Razumovsky, the brother of her favourite. The wedding took place on 27 October 1746 in the presence of the Empress, aristocrats, and foreign ambassadors, with almost royal honours and celebrations. The following day, Ekaterina was appointed Lady of State and given a 'rich portrait'. Her dowry amounted to almost the half of the vast fortune of the Naryshkins: up to 44,000 peasants, with the large Penza estates near Moscow Petrovsky-Razumovsky, Troitsky-Lykov, Polivanov, Cherkizovo, and a whole quarter in Moscow, Romanov Dvor. As well as 50 chests and caskets with jewelry, furs, silver, linens, brocade, books, engravings, money, and more. When Catherine the Great came to the throne, she honoured the Razumovskys with her visit, on 25 July 1762, she bestowed Ekaterina with the Order of St. Catherine. However, relations between the couple and the Empress soured. Catherine II was dissatisfied with Razumovsky's hetmanship, and began to distrust not only him, but his wife as well. In the last years of Ekaterina's life, the marriage was no longer harmonious, her husband having numerous affairs, and often disagreeing on the best way to raise their numerous children, who Ekaterina is said to have spoiled.