Catherine the Great and her men

Russian artist Rokotov painted the Portrait of the Empress. Catherine the Great and her men

Catherine the Great and her men

Empress of Russia Catherine the Great (real name Sophie Fredericke Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst) was born on April 21, 1729 in Stettin, Germany, now it is Szczecin, Poland. At the age of 15 she married Peter III and at the age of 32 she became Empress of Russia. Catherine is remembered in the history of Russia as a patron of the arts, literature, and education. She is known not only for her great rule, during which she had made Russia the great empire, but also for her romance stories with noble favorites. The candidates for lovers she selected should have attractive appearance, physical and mental abilities, competence. The chosen favorites loved her, and she was always generous to them in return, even after the romance ended. The list of lovers included counts and princes.

Count Sergei Saltykov was the first lover of young Catherine, who told later that he was the father of their son Paul, the future emperor, whom she bore in 1754

Count Stanislaw August Poniatowski had romantic relations with twenty-six-year-old future Empress Catherine the Great. Later he became the king of Poland with her generous help

Portrait of Great Duchess Catherine Alexeevna (future Catherine the Great) in her first year in marriage in Russia. Gatchina Palace’s Gallery

Grand Duchess Catherine with her husband Peter III

Portrait of Catherine II. Ivan Argunov

Catherine the Great and her men. Count Grigory Orlov, by Fyodor Rokotov

Her most famous lover Count Grigory Orlov and his brother Alexey Orlov helped Catherine to get rid of her husband Peter III. Grigory Orlov was the father of her two children. Orlov gave Catherine one of the most famous in the world diamond – Orlov diamond, which was later put into the Russian scepter.

Orlov diamond

Catherine's lover and adviser Prince Grigori Potemkin is said to have been Catherine's true love. They even secretly got married

Catherine the Great and her men. Catherine’s lover and adviser Prince Grigori Potemkin is said to have been Catherine’s true love. They even secretly got married

The last love of Catherine the Great Count Platon Zubov was the most powerful man in Russia during her reign. When she died at the age of 67, he was about 40 years old

Catherine the Great in films

The Scarlet Empress, 1934. In the role of Catherine – Marlene Dietrich

The Scarlet Empress, 1934. The young Princess Sofia arrives in Russia to marry the son of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, the idiot Prince Peter. Sofia has no love for her husband, but falls in love with Russia. After the death of Empress Sofia organizes a coup with the help of Orlov and his brothers. She replaced her husband on the throne, becoming Empress Catherine the Great. In the role of Catherine – Marlene Dietrich.

Catherine the Great, 1996 film. The role of Catherine was played by Catherine Zeta-Jones

Catherine the Great, 1996 film. The role of Catherine was played by Catherine Zeta-Jones. She liked the power and men. Her husband Peter III — military uniforms and Tin soldiers. She had to kill him and seize the throne. Catherine the Great forever changed Russia. As well as discovered the ideal formula to combine personal life with career