The search by Empress Catherine the Great (1762-1796) for the origin of Pugachev’s movement in the history of the Middle Ages

The article continues the author’s series of publications devoted to the phenomenon of imposture. The author explores the perception of Pugachovism by Catherine the Great (1762-1796) using the example of preserved letters of the Empress. Conclusions are drawn about the absence of the Empress’s direct participation in the murders of Peter III and John Antonovich, but about the indirect involvement of Catherine II in these crimes, which she could have prevented, about the influence on the political doctrine of Catherine II of ancient Russian literary images from the “Tale of Bygone Years” read by the Empress, about the nature of the Empress’ perception of Byzantine civilization. The author’s concept is formulated, which consists in the fact that the palace coups of the XVIII century, carried out by the Peter’s Guard, were a correction of absolutism, while the appearance of impostors in the Catherine era: Yemelyan Pugachev, False John Antonovich and Princess Tarakanova to a certain extent were not only a consequence of the faith of the masses in the “peasant tsar”, but a manifestation of centuries-old Byzantine political tradition. It is concluded that Empress Catherine was inspired in her political activity by the examples of politicians of Ancient Russia and sought the origins of Pugachev in the era of the Tatar-Mongol yoke.