Pyotr Zavadovsky

Who was Pyotr Zavadovsky?

Pyotr Zavadovsky, was a Russian favourite and the lover of Catherine the Great from 1776 to 1777.

Count Zavadovsky was made secretary of Catherine in 1775 and official lover 2 January 1776. He is described as serious and cultivated and he is regarded to have been genuinely in love with Catherine. Their relationship was tense because of the jealousy he felt toward Potemkin, who still had a relationship with Catherine although Zavadovsky had replaced him in a sexual sense, and Potemkin was also said to have had difficulties accepting the situation. The relationship was ended because of the continuing pressure. In 1778, Catherine contemplated to recall him, but was then introduced to Korsakov.