Catacazy Affair and the Uneasy Path of Russian-American Relations

Constantin Catacazy whipped up scandal in Washington after his appointment there as Russian Ambassador in 1869, ignoring diplomatic protocol and defying social mores. By 1871, President Grant and his Cabinet requested that he be recalled. But the timing of this request overlapped with the visit of the tsar''s son to the USA - a celebrated diplomatic event symbolising the friendship and good will b...