Who exactly did Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin hide under the masks of the main characters of “The Queen of Spades”? It is customary to name only a couple of names of the poet’s contemporaries and compatriots. Meanwhile, behind Pushkin’s characters, a number of historical figures are lined up, known far beyond the borders of Russia. Sweden, Austria, France, Naples - wherever the mysterious “ladies”, their imaginary murderers and modest pupils left their traces! The author of the book, the famous historian and writer Olga Eliseeva, shows the deep imprint that the uprising on Senate Square on December 14, 1825 left on the story. year, and considers numerous allusions to members of the royal family. Those under attack are Catherine II, Paul I, Alexander I, Nicholas I, Empress Maria Feodorovna, her daughters-in-law Elizaveta Alekseevna and Alexandra Feodorovna, as well as the monarchs of European states and their ministers. The book is written in lively, bright language and will be of interest not only to specialists, but also to a wide range of readers.