"A wonderful woman, best friend, unmatched character, I lost all this with my angel Katerina Alekseevna!" - this is how Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov wrote in a letter to his brother after the death of his wife. The count's family union was short-lived and lasted only "three years of cloudless happiness, which passed like an instant."
early years
Ekaterina Vorontsova was born into the family of the famous military leader Alexei Naumovich Senyavin and his wife Anna-Elizabeth von Brade. The girl's father earned respect in the navy, he took part in the war with Turkey, revived the Azov flotilla, whose task was to take active steps in the Black Sea, and was also known for being involved in the restoration of Taganrog. He began service with the rank of midshipman, and ended his military career with the rank of vice admiral, and was awarded many awards of Russia at that time.
The exact date of birth of Catherine is unknown, but historians most often name 1761. In their youth, all four daughters of Senyavin were maids of honor to Empress Catherine II and became a decoration of the court. The sisters were about the same age, they were all distinguished by beauty and grace, therefore they were often called "nymphs". The younger Catherine was especially fond of the empress.
The girl had many fans, but she was interested in Semyon Vorontsov. The 35-year-old count was distinguished by talent and a rogue character, capable of much for a career. At first, he obeyed Orlov, and then before Potemkin, hoping to get a legal post.
The desire to distance him from the court and the connection between the maid of honor Senyavina and Count Vorontsov prompted the empress to agree to their marriage. The engagement took place in 1870. The choice of Semyon, which fell on such a worthy party, aroused warm approval from his relatives. To celebrate, the groom's father was ready to give the newlyweds a house, summer cottages on the seashore and a factory that brings good income. In addition, he promised to provide all kinds of assistance to the new family.
Marriage
In 1871, their wedding took place in Murino and a happy family life began. They spent their first month of marriage in the family home and soon returned to St. Petersburg. A year later, the first-born Mikhail, the imperial godson, appeared in the family, and a year later, a daughter, Catherine, was born. Vorontsova was completely absorbed in caring for children, and sometimes this happened even to the detriment of her own health. She personally fed her children, carried them in her arms, and when they were unwell, many times she got up to the patient's bed. She tried not to part with her son and daughter for a minute, the children gave the countess "happiness and joy."
Trip abroad
In 1783, Count Vorontsov was appointed plenipotentiary minister to Venice. Together with his wife and heirs, he went to Italy. The conditions where they were settled seemed appalling, there was no comfort. Winter greeted them with severe cold and frozen canals, and the house, which had only walls, did not even have strong window frames and room heating. This immediately affected the already poor health of the Countess. Already in the first months after the move, she suffered from frequent ailments - the first signs of developing consumption.
Life in Venice was very expensive, besides this, the climate was unfavorable for the wife. These circumstances forced Vorontsov to repeatedly apply to St. Petersburg with a request to terminate his mission. After a while, a joyful response came from the capital that the count was being transferred to England. The family began to prepare for their departure to London. But the countess's illness progressed and reached its critical point in the summer of 1784.
Instead of moving to a new destination in a new country, the family moved to Pisa, where the climate was considered more favorable. At some point, Catherine felt better, it seemed that the disease had receded. Brushing tears from her eyes, she told her husband that "God would be too cruel if he separated us." As it turned out, the hope was in vain. On August 25, 1784, Vorontsova died. The heavy loss made the count "absolutely unhappy", his future life without his beloved woman seemed to him a real hell and "eternal suffering." For a long time he could not come to his senses and take up work.
The ashes of Ekaterina Vorontsova were laid to rest in Italy. The husband dreamed of burying her remains in the family estate of Murino near St. Petersburg near the Church of St. Catherine, which he soon built in memory of his departed wife. In the future, he wished to be buried next to his wife. But fate decreed otherwise, and the count met his death in England. In this country he spent more than two decades and lived to old age. At the burial place of Catherine in Venice, on the day of her repose, Vorontsov held funeral services annually.
Children
The biographies of the Vorontsov children were very successful. Mikhail Semenovich made his contribution to the Russian military and public service, rose to the rank of Field Marshal, and participated in the Patriotic War of 1812. In the 1920s, he served as the governor of Novorossiya and Bessarabia and did a lot for the prosperity of this region, participated in the construction of Odessa.
By his order, a palace was erected in Alupka on the southern coast of Crimea. The count's personal life was not as smooth as the service. Being married to Elizaveta Ksaveryevna, he allowed himself an affair with Olga Naryshkina. The wife of Vorontsov also enjoyed success with men, among her admirers were Alexander Pushkin and Alexander Raevsky.
Ekaterina Semyonovna was a maid of honor at court. When her mother died, the girl was only ten months old. The father, who adored her, was very worried about the weakness and soreness of his daughter. The Countess spent most of her life in England. She received an excellent education, knew languages, was engaged in creativity.
Her father approved of her choice when she announced that she was marrying the 48-year-old widower of Lord Pembroke, George Herbert, who is considered a brilliant party. She became the mistress of the Wilton House family estate and gave birth to six children, five of whom are girls. Sidney's only son Herbert became a famous British politician.
