It had become evident that a formidable rebellion threatened to wrest the Siberian provinces from the Russian crown.

It was here that an embassy from Moscow offered him the Russian crown in 1612.

On December 18, 1800, the Tsar signed a manifesto unilaterally annexing the Georgian realm to the Russian crown.

However following the Great Northern War, Russian victory in 1721, ensured the return of these territories to the Russian crown.

Strangely, Prince Viktor Nakachidze claimed that he represented "a legitimate pretender to the Russian crown."

The only person living in Nice, France, who could reasonably have made a legitimate claim to the Russian crown was Prince George Yurievsky.

It weighs 698 gramme and is the lightest Russian crown.

Thus, Gotzkowsky provided 225 or 317 paintings, mainly Flemish and Dutch, including 90 not precisely identified, to the Russian crown.

On 6 May 1833, he was recognized by the Russian crown in the princely title of knyaz Gruzinsky.

Catherine II, the Great, was a German princess who married the German heir to the Russian crown.