Mogiljovtól Szmolenszkig. II. József német-római császár és II. Katalin orosz császárnő első találkozása és közös utazása (1780)
From Mogilev to Smolensk: the first encounter and shared trip of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II and Russian Empress Catherine II (1780)

Summary/Abstract: Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II visited Russia during his time as co-ruler, not long before the death of Maria Theresa, between May and August 1780, to meet Russian Empress Catherine II. As Hungarian historiography recorded, this visit had significant consequences for the rest of the Emperor’s reign: it resulted in the Habsburg Monarchy entering a war against the Ottoman Empire on the side of Russia in 1788. Of course, joining the war had several other causes as well, and it was also preceded by another visit to Russia in 1787, but it is clear that the first visit started the intensive correspondence between the two emperors, as well as the harmonization of their foreign policies. Still, there are only vague Hungarian sources about these meetings, and even these don’t go much further than the most important events, which are often mentioned by foreign historiographers as well. One of the most important moments of this visit was the first meeting, which took place in Mogilev. This first encounter between these two important European monarchs – who are not only connected by the effect of Enlightenment values on their reigns, but also by the modern day historians’ heightened interest in them – provides valuable information about their personalities, as well as the circumstances and living conditions of the era, and by extension the 18th century Russian Empire in general.

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