hmm.. en tainnut olla tämä henkilö mutta historiat kiinnostaa.. ja värikästä on ollut. taidan muistaa vain 1 miehen per elämä
no joo..
Catherine the Great's Lovers
This Russian Empress Was Famous for Her Romances
© Kerry Kubilius
May 29, 2009
Catherine the Great's lovers made her famous and became famous. She enjoyed romances during her marriage and continued to take lovers until the last years of her reign.
Catherine the Great's lovers, while not as famous as she, still played an important role in the course of Russian history. From men who were simply diversions to those who were instrumental in the politics of the Russian Empire, Catherine the Great's lovers supported the Empress during her reign. She began to take lovers in 1750 and maintained a string of romances until her death in 1796.
Catherine's Early Lovers
Sergei Saltykov - Sergei Saltykov entered Catherine the Great's life during her unhappy marriage to Peter, whose childlike fascination with toys superseded any interest he had in sex. Saltykov would later jilt Catherine, even though a long-lasting conquest of the future Empress could have merited him wealth and authority.
Stanislas Poniatowski - Stanislas Poniatowski was a kinder individual than Sergei Saltykov. Nevertheless, Catherine the Great snipped romantic ties with this Polish nobleman and supported his ascension to Poland's throne. Stanislas Poniatowski would later be known as King Stanislas II Augustus.
Grigory Orlov - Grigory Orlov was a physically powerful man but not well educated. As one of Catherine's most important romances, he was also one of her biggest supporters. He and his brother, Alexei, helped her to assume the throne of the Russian Empire. Grigory Orlov was awarded titles, land, and was even rumored to be set to marry a newly widowed Catherine. Though Catherine and Grigory Orlov's relationship eventually dissolved, he remained a close friend until his death.
Lovers During the Middle Years of Catherine's Reign
Alexander Vassilchikov - Alexander Vassilchikov entered the scene after Catherine the Great discovered Grigory Orlov had been unfaithful. Vassilchikov was not the man of action that Grigory Orlov was and stood in sharp contrast to Catherine's former lover.
Grigory Potemkin - Next to Orlov, Grigory Potemkin was Catherine the Great's most important lover; he entered her life permanently in the 1770s. Better educated than Orlov, he was decisive and authoritative, though he did suffer from jealousy and moodiness. It was rumored that Catherine and Potemkin were married in secret. During her relationship with Potemkin, Catherine the Great began to enter into multiple romances, often with Potemkin's approval.
Peter Zavadovsky - Peter Zavadovsky performed administrative duties for Catherine and was not the romantic figure Potemkin was. The stress of his responsibilities as Catherine the Great's lover were too much for Zavadovsky to bear, though Catherine was initially passionate about him.
Lovers During the Last Years of Catherine's Reign
Alexander Lanskoy - Alexander Lanskoy, called “Sasha” by Catherine, was a close companion to her until his early death in 1784.
Alexander Mamonov - Alexander Mamonov carried on an affair with Catherine the Great until he admitted being smitten with one of her maids-of-honor. Potemkin disapproved of his behavior, but Mamonov was married to the woman whom had taken his affections away from Catherine.
Valerian Zubov - Valerian Zubov was Catherine the Great's last lover and remained at Court after Potemkin's death. He was interested only in personal gain. Potemkin's death left a hole in Catherine's life that Zubov was unable and unwilling to fill.
Catherine's Most Famous Lovers
Catherine, herself, is famous for the number of lovers she took during her lifetime. History, however, remembers three of these men above all others. Stanislas Poniatowski, who became king of Poland, is more famous for his eventual title than his position as one of Catherine's early lovers. Grigory Orlov, who, with his brother, helped to topple the short reign of Peter III, remains one of Catherine's most famous lovers. Catherine's most famous lover, however, was Grigory Potemkin, who was an essential component to the Empress's reign.
Sources:
Dixon, Simon. Catherine the Great. London: Profile Books, 2009.
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