Catherine Dolgorukov

Catherine Dolgorukov

Princess Yekaterina Mikhailovna Dolgorukova (Екатерина Михаиловна Долгорукова), also known in English as Catherine Dolgorukova, Catherine Dolgoruki, or Catherine Dolgorukaya, (14 November 1847 – 15 February 1922), was the daughter of Prince Michael Dolgorukov and Vera Vishnevskaya. She was a long-time mistress of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and later, as his morganatic wife, was created Princess Yurievskaya (Светлейшая княгиня Юрьевская).

Alexander and Catherine already had three children when they formed a morganatic marriage on 6 July 1880, less than a month after the death of the Emperor's wife, Marie of Hesse and by Rhine, on 8 June. A fourth child had died in infancy. Catherine became a widow with the assassination of Alexander II on 1 March 1881 by members of Narodnaya Volya.