| Citation |
NYG(B.730.004
8-15 Jun 1730:22 (242)
Moscow, December 20. N.S. The ceremony of the Czar's
betrothing with the Princess Katherine-Alexiewna Dolgerucki
was performed in the following manner.
. . . [Description of the procession as the Princess and her
retinue went to the Czar's palace] Prince Dolgerucki, Lord
Chamberlain, took hold of that Princess's hand, as she
alighted out of the coach, and led her into the hall; the
guards presented their pieces, but the drums did not beat.
Upon the Princess's entring the hall, being an agreeable
consort of musick; and as soon as she had taken her place,
the Lord Chamberlain, the Lords of the Bed-Chamber, and
other Lords, preceded by the Marshal of the Court, and the
Master of the Ceremonies, went and waited upon the Czar, who
came with the sound of trumpet, and accompany'd by Prince
Gregory-Aliexowitz Dolgorucki, Baron Osterman, Vice-
Chancellor, and by all the grandots of his Court. His
Czarina Majesty being seated on his easy-chair, the
betrothed Princess was conducted by the Lord Chamberlain
under the canopy; whereupon his Czarian Majesty conducted by
Baron Osterman, went and placed himself on her right hand.
Then the Archbishop of Novogrod said a prayer proper for the
occasion, and walking up to the table, put the two rings
into the two gold plates, bless'd them according to the
Liturgy of the Greek Church, and then deliver'd to the
illustrious couple, to wit, the Princess's to the Czar, and
the Czar's to the Princess. This done, the old Prelate said
some more prayers; which being ended his Czarian Majesty
and the Princess return'd to their places, and received the
compliments of all the Lords and Ladies, who had the honour
to kiss their hands. At the same time, the trumpets
sounded, and the artillery fired three rounds. After this
ceremony, the Czar, accompany'd by the Czarina Dowager, the
Princesses of the Blood, and the Princesses of the
Dolgorucki Family, conducted the espoused Princess into her
apartment, to see some fireworks play'd off, which had been
prepared for that purpose. We had likewise curious
illuminations. All the illustrious company being returned
into the hall, there was a play and a ball, which lasted not
long: after which the espoused Princess returned to her
palace in a coach drawn by 9 horses, with six postillions,
six Pages, eight Heydukes, eight Gentlemen of the Horse-
Guards, and the same train that attended her to the Czar's
palace: But when she went back, her Highness was in the
coach alone, and the drums saluted her as she pass'd by.
[See article below. The wedding was to have been held on
Jan. 21st, but on the 17th the Prince Peter II contracted
small-pox and died on the 29th.]
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