Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin was the Prince Tavricheskiy, Field Marshal General and a Russian statesman and military leader.
In 1776 G. Potemkin was assigned Governor General of Novorossiya, Azov and Astrakhan provinces. During his governorship a number of cities were founded: Sevastopol, Kherson, Yekaterinoslav, Nikolayev, as well as other towns, shipyards, plants and factories.
In 1783 G. Potemkin joined the Crimea to the Russian Empire, for which he was granted the title of the Prince Tavricheskiy. He was promoted to Field Marshal General and the President of the College of War in 1784.
As Russia’s commander-in-chief, he effected a series of reforms: a new military uniform was introduced, he changed manning and equipping, demanded of the officers more humane treatment of solders and put an end to corporal punishment.
During the Russo-Turkish war of 1787–1791 G. Potemkin was the commander-in-chief of the land forces in the south of Russia and of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
The postcard depicts G. Potemkin’s portrait against the Slava Ekateriny (The Glory of Catherine) battleship, which was renamed Preobrazhenie Gospodne (The Transfiguration) in 1788. There is also an engraving The Siege of Ochakov on July 12, 1788 on the postcard, the State Russian Museum.
Design: А. Povarikhin.
Face value: letter “B”.
Circulation: 13 thousand.
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