The Jokers of Catherine the Great

The reign of Catherine the Great was a time of the brilliant twilight of favoritism in Russia, and the name of the empress is firmly associated with her "ministers of pleasure." Young guard officers replaced one another in the empress's... chambers, entertained her in the capital and country residences, accompanied her on trips, received fabulously expensive gifts, titles, ranks, orders, and estates with thousands of serfs, but quickly faded from the historical stage. How was favoritism embedded in the system of government? What are the reasons for the appearance of a series of royal favorites? What, besides close relationships with the ruler, did they do in their "well-known positions," and what role did they play in court life and high politics?
Essays by Doctor of Historical Sciences Igor Kurukin, based on archival and published sources and scientific research, focus on the chosen ones of Catherine II, who shared her interests and aspirations to the best of their strength and ability, but did not have their own opinions.