CATHERINE II: (1729-1796) Empress of Russia 1762-96, known as Catherine the Great. A fine L.S., `Eka...

CATHERINE II: (1729-1796) Empress of Russia 1762-96, known as Catherine the Great. A fine L.S., `Ekaterina«, a fine and bold ink signature example, two pages, large folio, Tsarkoe Selo, 24th May 1784, to King Ferdinand of Naples and of the Two Sicilies, in Cyrillic. The Empress states in part `We want that the position of Our plenipotentiary Minister to Your Royal Court, post which is now occupied by Major General Count Andrey Razumovsky, to be occupied from now on by another person. For this reason We appoint Our current Chamberlain in court Count Pavel Skavronsky to this service and post of Minister to Your Court.« Countersigned by Minister of Foreign Affairs Count Ivan Osterman. With blank integral leaf, bearing an attractive watermark. Extremely small creasing to the fold, otherwise about EX £2500-3500 Andrey Razumovsky (1752-1836) Russian Diplomat. Tsar«s representative to Vienna, and a crucial negotiator during the congress of Vienna. Married to Count Nesselrode«s daughter. Pavel Skavronsky (1757-1793) Russian Count, Chamberlain of the Royal Court. A Patron of the Arts and Italianophile. Savronsky married Potemkin«s niece, Ekaterina Engelhard, a lady-in-waiting to the Empress and a woman often described as ''of extreme beauty'', or ''The Venus of Palace'' with whom half the Court, including the Empress« sons were in love. It has been reported that Savronsky was spending all his time composing and singing, eccentric and obsessed with classical music and opera, he was obliging his servants to speak with him singing in ''recitativo'', and during festive lunches and receptions, all servants were organized in duets, quartets and choirs , imparting the atmosphere of an opera house. Ivan Osterman (1725-1811) Russian Statesman. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Imperial Russia since 1783, and Chancellor of the Russian Empire since 1796.