Portrait of Catherine II
In the history of Russia, there was such a great woman, even Wu Zetian and Empress Dowager Cixi had to bow to the wind, and as the only empress in Russian history, Russia became the most powerful country in Europe. She was Catherine II.
The Empress in the TV series
Today, when people open the world map, Russia's huge territory across Europe and Asia is always very eye-catching. As we all know, Russia is not a "fat man" in one bite, and a large part of its territory has been plundered through war. In russia's centuries of expansion, there is one person whose achievements cannot be ignored, and she is the tsarina Catherine II.
This woman was debauched, scheming, and predatory, not only for Russia, but also for her own throne. There are only two emperors in Russian history known as the Emperor, Peter the Great, known for his reforms and aggressions, and Catherine II. Known as Russia's "Wu Zetian", the female airwoman defeated Turkey twice during her reign, once sweden, and seized the outlet to the Black Sea: three times involved in the partition of Poland and the incorporation of one-half of Poland into Russia. The incorporation of the Crimean Khanate into Russia expanded Russia's territory by 670,000 square kilometers.
But in fact, Catherine II did not have a drop of Russian blood in her veins, and she came from Germany. A foreign woman who, with her wisdom, perseverance and thunder, stole such a vast country and governed it to prosper and make its people willing to submit is shocking in any era.
It is no secret why Catherine was able to come to power, she relied on "lover politics". According to some scholars, this absurd empress had a total of 23 lovers in her life! Some of them helped the empress seize power and usurp the throne, some helped the empress govern the country, some helped the empress send troops to fight, and some were just the queen's playthings. What charm the empress has made these people willing to bow to her feet and serve her has always been a topic of discussion.
Catherine was born in the Kingdom of Prussia in 1729, with the original name Sofia. Her father Christan. Auguste was the Prince. Her mother Johanna. Ishu Sabbe was from a German family.
At the age of seven, a pleurisy almost took the little girl's life, and although she narrowly overcame the disease, she was left with a disability: a deflection of the spine and a depression in the left sternum. One of Szczecin's orthopedic doctors saved her. Sophia put on a special tights, wore them day and night, and after nearly four years of torture, finally at the age of 11, her spine was corrected and her health was getting better and better. This childhood experience allowed young Sofia to win with will and perseverance.
Sophia, who wore the medal in 1745
In December 1741, Elizabeth I, the second daughter of Peter the Great of Russia, staged a coup d'état and ascended to the Russian throne. One. In January 1742, Elizabeth, because she was childless on her knees, took her nephew Peter. Ulrich received St. Petersburg as Crown Prince. Peter. Ulrich was the eldest daughter of Peter the Great, Anna, and Charlie of Holstein-Godop. Duke Frederick was also the son of Sophia's mother's cousin.
The news ecstaticed Sophia's mother, Johanna, who thought Sophia's luck had come. With the special relationship between the Holstein-Godop family and Elizabeth, the union of Sophia and Peter was entirely possible.
At the age of 15, Sophia was chosen to marry Crown Prince Peter III of Russia shortly after.
In the strange Russian palace, she realized that in order to please the domineering and eccentric empress, she must first try to become a Russian. So she studied the Russian language and etiquette assiduously and converted to Orthodox Christianity. After converting to Orthodox Christianity, Sophia changed her name to Catherine.
Successfully marrying Peter was a chore for Catherine. Peter had a temperamental personality, behaved childishly, and did not understand what "marriage" meant. In the face of the clever, beautiful, and delicate Catherine, he was indifferent, and every night, he swung the battlefield on the bed and fiddled with his toy soldiers. Peter had a twinkle in his eye and jumped around on the quilt. He imitated the roar of the cannon in his mouth, shouted orders, and asked Catherine to join him in the battle. In this way, they often played until 2 a.m., and then the grand duke went to sleep. Poor Catherine, in order to please him, also gave him several sets of toy soldiers and played with him. She was so tired of playing every night that she was still a virgin after a few months of marriage.
Portrait of Peter and Catherine after marriage
Soon, because she did not give birth to an heir to the Russian royal family, Catherine was snubbed and watched by the empress.
After 8 years of cold reception with her husband, the virginity of the Grand Duchess is 23 years old. Then an amorous man walked into her life, named Sergey. Saltykov. It was only the internal servant in the official court. Soon, he succeeded in getting Catherine to sacrifice her virginity.
At the behest of the Empress, Catherine gave birth to her first crown prince, although the child's father was Sartikov's. For reasons of his health, Archduke Peter was ashamed and helpless about his wife's affair. To her surprise, her lover was also bored and did not want to be trapped by her. Catherine wept bitterly about this. She became empress dowager and appointed Sergey. Sartikov is the Russian ambassador to Paris. She did not call him dead, nor did she make him a civilian, but let him be under his own command. A few years later, Count Pani deliberately recommended him to serve in Dresden. Catherine pointed out, "Did he do less ridiculous things like that?" He's a rice bucket at best. At this point, Saltykov's diplomatic career came to an end. He never saw the mistress he had abandoned again.
Stanisław. August. Poniatowski was the second lover, and in 1796 he became Un-King of Poland and Lithuania with the support of Russia
Grigory. Orrov fought with Catherine and was a key figure in the coup
After 1757, Empress Elizabeth's indulgence of lust and her devotion to religion reached the point of perfection. During the day, she often stood in front of the idol and muttered to herself, and the whole person was in a state of insensitivity. The erosion of her long life, the debauchery of life, hollowed out her body, making the empress, who was nearly 50 years old, prematurely decay. She faltered and could only rely on alcohol to refresh herself, and alcohol and men became her life-sustaining medicines. By the good times of 1761, Empress Elizabeth was in a trance and felt that death was near. At the end of the year, the Empress died and Peter III ascended the throne.
On June 21, 1762, to celebrate the signing of the Russian-Prussian Peace Treaty, Peter held a grand banquet attended by envoys from various countries. At this reception, Peter announced that the members of the royal family he recognized included myself and two princely uncles, and that no one else could claim to be members of the royal family. Catherine felt a chill, and even many people in the room were surprised, which meant that he was going to divorce his wife and no longer recognize Catherine as his wife, the queen. Poor Catherine, tears dripping like broken beads.
Peter's hatred did not disappear, and on the fourth day after the reception he issued another order to imprison Catherine in the fortress of Schlesselburg.
This unfinished business was soon known to Catherine. She was soberly aware that she had reached the point of life and death, that Peter had no feelings for herself anymore, and that they were now truly life-and-death rivals. He is either a king or a prisoner of the order. In case of his whim, he may also die by his men. Yekaterina was awake in pain.
Kirill. Razumovsky was a key figure in the coup
With the help of her lover, Catherine secretly organized a small group of coups. At the same time, the reign of Tsar Peter III was unpopular. Repeatedly offended by the wrath of the people. In this political wind, Catherine took the opportunity to stage a coup d'état and soon ousted Peter III from power. This usurpation of the throne not only did not become a crime, but also a "righteous act" that conformed to the will of the people! She has endured her husband for 18 years, and for the next 34 years, she will play the hegemon of Europe.
Peter III soon died "mysteriously". Catherine ascended the throne even more brazenly, and she had more and more lovers, many of whom were officers and ministers, such as Orlov, Potemkin, Andybo. (This is really different from Peter, who likes handmaidens, uncultured women who play with him) Even in her old age, she still likes to mess with young and handsome boys. The French philosopher Vulcin once criticized the empress's affair, but the empress claimed to be "loyal and loyal". Vulqin asked her who she was loyal to, and she replied triumphantly: "Of course it is for a strong figure and a man's majesty."
The empress was also energetic in her official duties. Catherine was an open-minded, pragmatic, stubborn woman who advocated freedom. She was a workaholic who often read official documents tirelessly. She was also very strict with the ministers around her. The mighty Russian empress, who intervened arbitrarily in international affairs, startled the kings of the old empires. In addition to her outstanding ministers, Catherine herself was a workaholic, very diligent in both government and military affairs. During her reign, Russia launched a number of foreign wars, interfered heavily in foreign affairs, and greatly increased its territory and international influence. But this does not mean that the empress is a tyrannical person. In life, the empress was kind and kind, and the attendants in the court were very fond of her. Moreover, she was very supportive of Russian culture and art, and more generously funded philosophers and artists than any monarch in Western Europe. This may be because books are her most loyal "lovers" during her most difficult times.
Catherine II's wish to "live to be two hundred years old" was not fulfilled, and she died at the age of 67. Her lifelong cause of hegemony was undoubtedly successful, and her great contribution to Russia was undeniable. Although her usurpation of power, murder of her husband, and private life are shameless, this can be explained in one sentence: she is married to Russia, and only power is her favorite.
Let us remember one of her famous sayings: If I could live to be two hundred years old, all of Europe would be creeping under my feet.