KONSTANTIN PAVLOVICH (1779, Tsarskoe Selo - 1831), Grand Prince, Tsesarevich (Crown Prince) (from 1799). Second son of Emperor Pavel I. From 1797, Inspector General of the whole Cavalry, from June 1798 also Chief Commander of the Cadet Corps. Participated in the Italian and Swiss campaigns under A. V. Suvorov (1799), and wars with Emperor Napoleon (1805, 1806-07, 1812-14). From 1814 was Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army, from 1826 acted as Governor General of the Kingdom of Poland. Owned the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg, Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna. Due to the absence of male descendants of Alexander I, he was announced the successor to the throne and in 1820 contracted a morganatic marriage with countess I. Grudzinskaya (married name Princess Lovich). In 1822 he renounced his succession rights; in 1823 his renunciation was approved by the Manifesto of Alexander I, which was kept in strict confidence. This situation became one of the reasons of the dynastic crisis, which followed after the death of Emperor Alexander I. Members of the secret societies (see Decembrists) attempted to take advantage of the interregnum (November - December 1825). At the beginning of the Polish Revolt of 1830-31 Konstantin Pavlovich fled from Warsaw, and died from cholera in Vitebsk. He was buried in SS. Peter&Paul Cathedral.
References: Карнович Е. П. Цесаревич Константин Павлович // Собр. соч.: В 4 т. М., 1995. Т. 3; Барковец А. И., Обатурова М. Н. Цесаревич Константин Павлович. СПб.; Петергоф, 2000; Выскочков Л. В. Император Николай I: Человек и государь. СПб., 2001. С. 194-223.
Y. A. Kuzmin.
