Princess Tarakanova was a mysterious woman who claimed to be the daughter of Empress Elizabeth of Russia and Count Alexei Razumovsky. She was a pretender to the Russian throne and a rival of Catherine the Great, who ordered her capture and imprisonment in 1775. But how did Princess Tarakanova die and what was the cause of her death?
The Life and Claims of Princess Tarakanova
Princess Tarakanova was born around 1745, but her real name and origin are unknown. She traveled to various cities in Western Europe, where she used different aliases and attracted several noble suitors. She claimed to be the daughter of Empress Elizabeth, who had ruled Russia from 1741 to 1762, and Count Razumovsky, who was her secret husband and morganatic spouse. Empress Elizabeth had no legitimate children, so Princess Tarakanova asserted that she was her rightful heir.
In 1774, Princess Tarakanova was persuaded by some Polish rebels, who were opposed to Catherine the Great’s interference in their country, to pretend to the Russian throne. She also claimed to be the sister of Yemelyan Pugachev, who was leading a peasant uprising in southeastern Russia at the time. Princess Tarakanova hoped to gain support from other European powers and overthrow Catherine the Great, who had seized the throne from her husband Peter III in 1762.
The Capture and Imprisonment of Princess Tarakanova
Catherine the Great was aware of Princess Tarakanova’s claims and considered her a threat to her rule. She sent one of her former supporters, Count Alexei Orlov, to find and arrest her. Orlov tracked her down in Livorno, Italy, where he seduced her and lured her aboard a Russian ship with the promise of marriage. Once on board, he revealed his true identity and took her prisoner. He brought her to Russia in February 1775 and handed her over to Catherine the Great.
Catherine the Great ordered Princess Tarakanova to be locked up in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, where she was kept in isolation and under strict surveillance. She was interrogated several times, but she refused to reveal the secret of her past or renounce her claims. She was also denied any visitors or comforts, except for a priest who tried to convert her to Orthodoxy.
