After his sister's fall from favour, Willem joined the Russian army and took part in the Battle of Poltava. In 1711, he was appointed personal adjutant to the tsar. His other sister Matryona Balk had in the meantime become the closest friend of Catherine, whom Peter married in 1712.[1]
In 1716, at Catherine's behest, Peter entrusted Willem with administering her estates. After Catherine's coronation as consort in 1724, he was promoted to the rank of imperial chamberlain. A few months later, however, Willem Mons was arrested on charges of peculation (embezzlement) and breach of trust and, after a brief and brutal inquiry by Pyotr Tolstoy, he was publicly beheaded on November 27. His head was preserved in alcohol and was supposedly kept temporarily in the Kunstkamera. There is a legend that Peter forced his wife to contemplate this gruesome exhibit for hours.[1]
The true causes of Willem's downfall are obscure.[1] It was rumoured that Peter was enraged by his intimacy with the Empress. Many courtiers regarded Mons as Catherine's lover and his sister Matryona as their matchmaker. The affair did not affect Catherine's position as empress, however.[1]
Just months after his execution, Catherine succeeded to the throne and lavished honours on Matryona (who had been publicly flogged during her brother's trial) and her Lutheran daughter, Natalia Lopukhina, who would later give her name to the Lopukhina Conspiracy (1742–43).[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefАлександр Крылов. Рога для императора // «Новая Юность» 2001, № 5(50)
Семевский М. И. Очерки и рассказы из русской истории XVIII века. Царица Катерина Алексеевна, Анна и Виллим Монс. Спб., 1883—1884.
January 01, 1970
willem, mons, 1688, november, 1724, private, secretary, catherine, russia, contents, early, life, biography, references, bibliography, literatureearly, life, editborn, 1688, into, dutch, mons, family, willem, brother, peter, great, long, time, mistress, anna, . Willem Mons 1 1688 26 November 1724 was private secretary to Catherine I of Russia Contents 1 Early life 2 Biography 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 LiteratureEarly life editBorn in 1688 into the Dutch Mons family Willem was the brother of Peter the Great s long time mistress Anna Mons lady in waiting Modesta Mons and uncle of Natalia Lopukhina Biography editAfter his sister s fall from favour Willem joined the Russian army and took part in the Battle of Poltava In 1711 he was appointed personal adjutant to the tsar His other sister Matryona Balk had in the meantime become the closest friend of Catherine whom Peter married in 1712 1 In 1716 at Catherine s behest Peter entrusted Willem with administering her estates After Catherine s coronation as consort in 1724 he was promoted to the rank of imperial chamberlain A few months later however Willem Mons was arrested on charges of peculation embezzlement and breach of trust and after a brief and brutal inquiry by Pyotr Tolstoy he was publicly beheaded on November 27 His head was preserved in alcohol and was supposedly kept temporarily in the Kunstkamera There is a legend that Peter forced his wife to contemplate this gruesome exhibit for hours 1 The true causes of Willem s downfall are obscure 1 It was rumoured that Peter was enraged by his intimacy with the Empress Many courtiers regarded Mons as Catherine s lover and his sister Matryona as their matchmaker The affair did not affect Catherine s position as empress however 1 Just months after his execution Catherine succeeded to the throne and lavished honours on Matryona who had been publicly flogged during her brother s trial and her Lutheran daughter Natalia Lopukhina who would later give her name to the Lopukhina Conspiracy 1742 43 1 References edit a b c d e f Aleksandr Krylov Roga dlya imperatora Novaya Yunost 2001 5 50 Bibliography edit nbsp Mons Villim Ivanovich Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary in Russian 1906 Literature editSemevskij M I Ocherki i rasskazy iz russkoj istorii XVIII veka Carica Katerina Alekseevna Anna i Villim Mons Spb 1883 1884 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Willem Mons amp oldid 1218713874, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
