Latest / The Romanov Dynasty: Rise, Power, and Bloody End — Fexingo History / Catherine the Great's Journeys: The Tauride Voyage of 1787
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Catherine the Great's policies — the Charter to the Nobility, the Pugachev Rebellion, the annexation of Crimea. But there's one event that really encapsulates her vision, her ambition, and her flair for spectacle: the Tauride Voyage of 1787. Luna: Tauride — that's the ancient Greek name for Crimea, right? Lucas: Exactly. Tauris was the ancient name for the Crimean Peninsula, so this was Catherine's grand tour of her newly acquired southern territories. It took six months, from January to July 1787, and it was a carefully choreographed display of Russian power, wealth, and civilization. Lucas: The mastermind behind it was her favourite and possible secret husband, Grigory Potemkin. He had been governor-general of New Russia — the vast steppe region north of the Black Sea — and he wanted to show off what he'd built: cities, ports, a navy. But he also wanted to convince Catherine and the foreign ambassadors that Russia's presence there was permanent and prosperous. Luna: This is where the 'Potemkin villages' legend comes from. Lucas: It is, and we need to separate fact from fiction. The idea, spread by Catherine's critics — especially the Saxon diplomat Georg von Gelbig — was that Potemkin built fake village facades along the Dnieper River, just cardboard cutouts, to fool the empress into thinking the land was settled. And that story stuck. Lucas: But modern historians, like Simon Sebag Montefiore, argue that's mostly a myth. What Potemkin did do was order villages to be cleaned up, peasants to dress in their best clothes, and cattle to be brought in from elsewhere to make the region look more prosperous. But the cities — Kherson, Sevastopol, Yekaterinoslav — were real. They were under construction, and he wanted to show progress. Luna: So it was more like a PR campaign than outright deception. Lucas: Exactly. And it was a massive logistical operation. The imperial retinue included about 3,000 people — courtiers, servants, guards, cooks, even a carriage for the court's china. They traveled by sleigh in winter, then by boat down the Dnieper once the ice melted. Catherine herself was in a specially built galley, the 'Dnieper,' with 80 oarsmen. Lucas: Foreign ambassadors were invited to witness this display of power. The most important was the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, who traveled incognito as 'Count Falkenstein.' His presence was crucial because Catherine and Joseph had a secret alliance against the Ottoman Empire — the Greek Project, which aimed to revive a Byzantine-style empire in Constantinople. Luna: So the voyage was also a diplomatic message to the Ottomans. Lucas: Absolutely. When the flotilla reached Kherson, Catherine inspected the fortress and the new shipyards. Then they proceeded to Sevastopol, which Potemkin had built from scratch as the base for the Black Sea Fleet. There, she reviewed a newly constructed fleet of 15 battleships and 20 frigates — a clear signal to Constantinople that Russia was a naval power. Lucas: One of the most dramatic moments was the naval review at Inkerman, a natural harbor near Sevastopol. Catherine was standing on a balcony when suddenly a curtain was drawn back, revealing the entire fleet at anchor, firing salutes. It was pure theater, and Joseph II later wrote that he was genuinely impressed. Luna: Inkerman — that's also where the ancient cave monastery is, right? Lucas: Yes, the Inkerman Cave Monastery, which dates back to Byzantine times. Catherine visited it too — she was very conscious of linking her empire to the Orthodox Christian heritage of the region. She also visited Bakhchysarai, the former capital of the Crimean Khanate, and met with Tatar nobles, trying to win their loyalty. Lucas: Throughout the voyage, Catherine was showered with gifts and tributes. Potemnik had organized fireworks, triumphal arches, and lavish banquets. At one point, she was presented with a golden saltcellar shaped like the Tauride Palace — the palace she'd later give to Potemkin in St. Petersburg. Luna: It sounds almost like a royal progress in Tudor England — the monarch touring the realm to cement loyalty. Lucas: It's very similar. Catherine was consciously imitating the Roman emperors' 'adventus' — the ceremonial entry into a city. She wanted to be seen as the civilizer of these wild steppes, the 'Semiramis of the North,' as she was sometimes called, after the legendary Assyrian queen. Lucas: Now, one thing that often gets overlooked is the cost. The voyage was incredibly expensive — some estimates say it consumed a third of the annual state budget. But Potemkin argued it was an investment: it attracted settlers, it boosted trade, and it deterred Ottoman aggression. In the short term, it worked — the Ottomans did not declare war until later that year, and when they did, Russia was ready. Luna: So the voyage directly contributed to the next Russo-Turkish war? Lucas: It did, in a way. The Ottoman sultan saw the naval review as a provocation, and the war that broke out in 1787 lasted until 1792. But Russia won, and Potemkin's preparations — the forts, the fleet, the roads — were key to that victory. So the voyage wasn't just spectacle; it had real strategic value. Lucas: But beyond the politics, there's also a human story. Catherine was 58 during the voyage, and she kept a detailed journal. She wrote about the wildflowers on the steppe, the taste of the local melons, the kindness of the peasants. She seemed genuinely moved by the experience, calling it 'the happiest time of my life.' Luna: That's a nice contrast to the image of the cold, calculating empress. Lucas: Absolutely. And it reminds us that history is made by real people, with real emotions. Catherine's love for Potemkin, her pride in her empire, her curiosity about the world — all of that comes through in the Tauride Voyage. Lucas: You know, I think one reason we love talking about these stories is that they show how history isn't just dry facts. It's about people trying to make sense of their world, to leave a mark. And that's exactly why we do this show — to bring those human moments to light. Luna: And we do it without any ads, which I really appreciate. Lucas: Yeah, that's important to us. We deliberately don't run ads on these episodes. If you want to support that choice, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just if you value what we're doing. Luna: It helps keep the show going, and we really appreciate everyone who does. Lucas: Anyway, back to the journey. After the voyage, Catherine returned to St. Petersburg a hero. But Potemkin stayed in the south, preparing for war. He died in 1791, just a year before the war ended, and Catherine was devastated. His legacy, though, was secure — he had transformed the Russian south into a thriving region. Luna: And the Tauride Voyage became a symbol of that transformation. Lucas: Exactly. It was a moment when Russia announced itself as a European power, with a foothold on the Black Sea and ambitions that stretched toward Constantinople. And it all started with a journey down a river.