The 1852 Icelandic “Snow White”, Catherine II and Russian-Danish Relations

In an Icelandic retelling of "Snow White" published in 1852, with illustrations by Theodor Hosemann, the queen bears a striking resemblance to Catherine II. Well, a fine touch for Russo-Danish relations. Iceland at that time, as a result of the Danish-Norwegian union, formed part of Denmark.

Russia's friendship with Denmark is attested by the simple fact that in 1864 the heir to the Russian throne would propose to a Danish princess. But Catherine II, too, could hardly fail to remain in popular memory, for she resolved the greatest territorial conflict in Europe in the eighteenth century. Under Catherine I and Peter III, Russia stood on the threshold of a war with Denmark, which never came to pass because of a palace coup; Catherine II, in the name of her son, handed the disputed Gottorp inheritance, that is, Schleswig-Holstein, over to Denmark, and Paul I added to this generous gesture Oldenburg and Delmenhorst in north-western Germany. The result was an interesting scheme for transferring enormous possessions to a relative of Catherine II, and whether it served the interests of Russia is far from certain.