the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

The marriage to Countess Skavronsky was one of the most disappointing events
in Bagration’s life. It failed from the very beginning and Bagration could never built a
relationship with his wife. He had deep feelings towards her and for the rest of his life
carried a miniature of his wife. 33 It was found among his few belongings at Simy when he
died in September 1812. However, Catherine responded with disdain and rejection, and
her family shared her sentiments as well. Bagration tried to reconcile with his wife and
her family; he even sent various gifts to Catherine’s mother in Naples. 34 Yet, he was
rejected each time. In 1801, Catherine left Bagration to travel in Europe - the two would
see each other only a couple of times during the next decade.
Bagration and Catherine had nothing in common. Bagration was a man of duty,
who spent most of his time commanding troops, training and managing them, while
Catherine Skavronskaya, now princess Bagration, longed for the glittering life of society.
Bagration had only a few servants and refused to have more. In 1802, before selling the
estate in Lithuania, he chose five serfs who accompanied him for the rest of his life. 35 On
the contrary, Catherine had a corps of servants, paid by Prince Peter. Unwilling to remain
with Bagration, she used every excuse to absent herself. Bagration’s close friend,
Aleksey Yermolov wrote, “[His majesty] chose the most beautiful wife with a
tremendous fortune for him, but put neither love into her heart, nor feeling of loyalty!
There was no family happiness, no home consolation [for Bagration]!” 36 Another
contemporary, General Alexander Langeron remarked, “This wealthy and dazzling other
half did not match [Prince Peter]. Bagration was a soldier, had a soldier’s tone and
manners and was terribly ugly [uzhasno urodliv]. His wife had as pale skin as Bagration
33 Bagration always carried miniatures of four persons who played important role in his life:
Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov, Empress Maria Feodorovna, Prince Catherine Bagration and
Prince Catherine Pavlovna (Alexander I’s sister).
244.
34 Alexander Bulgakov to Jacob Bulgakov, 31 December 1803, Russkii arkhiv, 36/3 (1898):
35 In his will, Bagration freed and generously awarded his serfs (Osip Matveev, Matvei
Ivanov, Peter Iliin, Andrey Abramov, Andrey Moiseev). Correspondence of Bagration, 246-47.
36 Yermolov, Memoirs, 152.
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