New aspects of Russian-English relationships during the reign of Paul the First are analyzed in this book. The unprecedented challenge thrown down by Paul the First to all European monarchs also acquires a detailed study here. During his brief reign (November 1796 — March 1801) Paul became subject of English caricature eighteen times, often in the image of a bear. In Britain, he even got a nickname Paulo Bruin.
Paul had been nicknamed ‘Russian Hamlet’ for a quarter of a century and it looks as if he started modeling his behavior according to that of the Danish Prince. The most interesting facsimile of newspaper and magazine publications connected with Paul’s challenge which appeared in Germany, France, Britain and Russia are collected in the book for the first time. Besides, we offer analysis of ten different versions of the cartel in German, French and English (The Emperor of Russia’s Challenge to all the Potentates of Europe). The book has 80 illustrations, Index and color reproductions of all anti-Paul caricatures found by the authors and a detailed annotated catalogue of the English prints of 1798–1801 where Russia is represented by its widely accepted symbol — a Bear.