Alexander had to be taught politics and economics.

The education of princes could not neglect Russia’s political plans, either.

Their natural curiosity should be fostered daily, their playtime should be both useful and fun. They should be able to ask questions freely and not to be ridiculed or punished when they made mistakes. How did she want her grandchildren educated? Children-Catherine believed-should be brought up according to the principles of reason. Accounts from the Russian court paint touching pictures: the Empress of Russia getting herself down on the floor to play with her grandsons, the empress designing her grandson’s play clothes, and-the most important-supervising their education. Her first grandson, Alexander, was always her most beloved, although she spent as much effort in bringing up his brother, Constantine. It was with her grandchildren that Catherine discovered the joys of parenthood. Catherine’s daughter, Anna, died in infancy, and her love child with Orlov, Alexei Bobrinsky, whom Catherine brought to the palace after the 19762 coup, did not live up to his mother’s expectations. Her first-born, Paul, eight when Catherine became empress, and by then spoilt by his aunt, Elizabeth Petrovna, was always estranged from his mother. Her children were taken away from her as soon as they were born and she was not allowed to spend much time with them or to make any decisions about their upbringing. If you’d like to continue on with the tour, which runs March 19-31, 2014, follow along each day on the main blog or head to this blog page, Women in History, which will be updated daily with the scheduled link. Welcome to the seventh article in the “Celebrating Women” for Women’s History Month! It’s the first time I’ve coordinated an author guest article series to celebrate women in history or women making history! Thank you to Eva Stachniak for offering the seventh article in this series.

The diamond age