| Catherine Pavlovna | |
|---|---|
| Queen consort of Württemberg Duchess of Oldenburg |
|
 |
|
| Consort to | William I of Württemberg Duke George of Oldenburg |
| Issue | |
| Peter Georg Paul Alexander of Oldenburg Konstantin Friedrich Peter of Oldenburg < br> Maria Friederike Charlotte of Württemberg Sophie Friederike Mathilde of Württemberg |
|
| Titles and styles | |
| HM The Queen Dowager of Württemberg HM The Queen of Württemberg HRH The Crown Princess of Württemberg HIH Grand Duchess Catherine Pavlovna of Russia |
|
| Imperial House | House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov |
| Father | Paul I of Russia |
| Mother | Sophie Dorothea of Württemburg |
| Born | May 10, 1788 Catherine Palace, Tsarskoye Selo Empire of all the Russia's |
| Died | January 9, 1819 Stuttgart, Württemberg |
Grand Duchess Ekaterina Pavlovna of Russia (Russian: Екатерина Павловна; Tsarskoye Selo, May 10, 1788 – Stuttgart, January 9, 1819) was the fourth daughter of Tsar Paul I of Russia and Princess Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. She became the Queen of Württemberg upon her marriage to her first cousin Crown Prince William who eventually became King William I of Württemberg in 1816.
Contents |
Ekaterina had a happy childhood and her education was carefully supervised by her mother. She received the best education and constantly furthered her education through reading new literary publications and personal contacts with various outstanding persons. She was very close to her siblings particularly with her eldest brother Tsar Alexander I. Throughout her life she would maintain a close relationship with him. It was said that she was Alexander's favorite sister and one of the few persons he loved unconditionally. His letters to her are expressed in phrases like "I am yours, heart and soul, for life", "I think that I love you more with each day that passes", and "to love you more than I do is impossible". Ekaterina was reportedly also her mother's favorite daughter.
Her siblings were:
After Napoléon I's divorce from Empress Joséphine during the course of the Napoleonic Wars, the French Emperor hinted to Alexander I his wish to marry Ekaterina - a desire mainly to draw the Russians to his side. Ekaterina's family was horrified, and so the Dowager Empress immediately arranged a marriage for her daughter to George, Duke of Oldenburg.
Beautiful and vivacious, Ekaterina was married to her first cousin Duke George of Oldenburg on 3 August 1809. Although their marriage was arranged, Ekaterina was devoted to her husband. George was the second son of Peter, Duke of Oldenburg and it was said that he was not handsome but Ekaterina cared for him deeply and his death in 1812 due to typhoid fever saddened her greatly. The widowed Ekaterina travelled to England with her brother Tsar Alexander I to meet the Prince Regent and again during the Vienna Congress.
Ekaterina had two sons with Duke George of Oldenburg (9 May 1784 - 27 December 1812):
It was in England where she met the Crown Prince William of Württemberg. It was love at first sight for the couple. However, William was then married to the gentle Princess Charlotte of Bavaria and took the drastic step by divorcing her. William then married Ekaterina in 1816 in Saint Petersburg. Upon her husband's accession as king, Ekaterina, now Queen Katharina of Württemberg, became active in charity works in her adopted homeland. She established numerous institutions for the benefit of the common people.
With the King of Württemberg, she had the following children:
Ekaterina died in January 1819 of erysipelas complicated by pneumonia. After her death her husband built Württemberg Mausoleum in Rotenberg, Stuttgart dedicated to her memory.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Grand Duchess Catherine Pavlovna of Russia
Born: 10 May 1788 Died: 9 January 1819 |
||
| German royalty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Charlotte, Princess Royal |
Queen Consort of Württemberg 1816-1819 |
Succeeded by Pauline of Württemberg |