5 Facts You didn’t Know About Catherine The Great
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5 Facts You Didn’t Know About Catherine The Great

Catherine The Great of Russia had a more colorful life than you think!

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History is often told by winners. But still, the facts remain the same. Some things are often hidden from the common people or sometimes we don’t try to know them.

Here are five great facts you should know about Catherine The Great.

1. Her name wasn’t Catherine

The great empress who is now remembered as Catherine The Great of Russia wasn’t born with the name ‘Catherine’. Her name was Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, daughter of impoverished Prussian Prince Christian August von Anhalt-Zerbst.

Her mother was the relative of the dukes of Holstein and due to her marital relations with the Russian royalty, Catherine was chosen to be the wife of Karl Ulrich, duke of Holstein-Gottorp, at the age of 14. Karl Ulrich was the grandson of Peter The Great and heir to the throne.

Catherine arrived in Russia in 1744, assumed the title of Grand Duchess, and changed her name to Catherine Alekseyevna when she accepted orthodox Christianity. She married her young cousin the following year, however, it was a failed marriage and a complete disaster for her.

2. She wasn’t from Russia

Catherine The Great wasn’t from Russia but from Prussia. She was born in Stettin, Pomerania, Kingdom of Prussia. Her father, Christian August, was a prince and belonged to the ruling German family of Anhalt.

When she was invited to Russia by the childless Elizabeth who then had assumed the throne in 1741, named her nephew Peter as heir to the throne and was now in search of a bride for him. So, Sophie went to Russia and was also eager to become the wife of Peter, the future king of Russia.

So, she came to Russia as a wife to Peter, the king of Russia.

3. She overthrew her husband to get the throne

When Czarina Elizabeth died in 1762, Peter III, her nephew, becomes the king. However, he soon became unpopular among the military class and lower nobility because of his policies towards Poland.

He ended the Russian-Prussian war and aimed his policies towards the betterment of the common people. These policies overshadowed his stature and a conspiracy was hatched against him. Interestingly, Catherine was also part of the conspirators as she was also fearful of her husband’s intentions.

When the Czar unearthed the conspiracy and tried to thwart the conspirators in 1762, Catherine was quick to respond and garnered the strong support of the strongest military faction and arrested Peter III.

However, this bloodless coup turned violent when Peter III died on July 17, 1762. According to historians, he died possibly at the hands of Alexei Orlov, the brother of Gregory who was the current lover of Catherine the Great.

4. A lover of art and writing

Catherine was a lover of art and writing. She also considered herself as one of the enlightened rulers of Europe.

She was an avid reader and writer. She also wrote books, pamphlets, and educational materials. She also wrote for the betterment of her country’s education.

She had a lifelong correspondence with the famous philosopher and nvovelist Voltaire and other great writers of her time. She wrote to them extensively. She even tried her hands-on composing opera.

5. Catherine’s unhappy marriage life and her lovers

Catherine’s marriage was unhappy right from the start. Peter III had no charm for her and she lost her interest in him soon.

Even shortly after their marriage, they both had extramarital relations. Even after becoming the queen till her death, she had many lovers.

Her famous lovers were Prince Grigori Alexandrovich Potemkin, Alexander Dmitriev-Mamonov, Nicholas Alexander Suk, Pyotr Zavadovsky, and Prince Zubov to name a few.

She not kept lovers throughout her life but also elevated them to high positions. She also gave them pensions, gifts, serfs, and other royalties such as real estate and high status.

For example, she gave 50,000 rubles, a pension of 5,000 rubles, and 4,000 peasants in Ukraine after she dismissed Pyotr Zavadovsky, one of her lovers, in 1777.