Urban myths related to Catherine II of Russia

The flamboyant and non-trivial character of the Russian Empress Catherine II of Russia as well as the dramatic changes the country underwent under her long rule gave rise to many urban myths, most putting her in quite an unfavorable light. Some myths were loosely based on true events (greatly exaggerated and distorted), some totally false. The palace intrigue of the court of her son Paul I of Russia was a favorable ground for origination and spread of such rumors since Paul's attitude towards his mother and her legacy was rather strained, at best.

Related Topics:
Russian - Empress - Catherine II of Russia - Urban myths - Paul I of Russia

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Several myths about the circumstances of her death have probably originated soon after. A common urban myth states that Catherine died as a result of her voracious sexual appetite while attempting sexual intercourse with a stallion - supposedly the harness broke and she was crushed. There is no truth to this fablehttp://europeanhistory.about.com/od/catherinethegreat/a/histmyths1.htm. This myth is rather common even at modern times and most perpetrators of it fail to realize (or consciously ignore) that she died at the age of 67.

Related Topics:
Urban myth - Catherine - Sexual intercourse - Fable

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This myth coexists with another, less physically impossible but also totally unsubstantiated myth, that Catherine did engage in sexual relationship with a stallion, although at a younger age.

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Another myth that she died on a toilet, particularly stating that the seat broke under her and she suffered injuries, which is only true in small part. Shortly before her death she collapsed from stroke, in a water closet room, but after that she died being cared for in her bed. This myth was widely circulated and even jokingly referred by Pushkin in one his untitled poems. ("????? ??????, ????? ????, / ? ??????, ?????? ?? ?????." ? literal translation: "Decreed the orders, burned the fleets / And died boarding a vessel", the last line can also be translated as "Sitting down on the toilet".)

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Rumors, originated by the circumstances of her private life, which was admittedly not exemplary, were mostly due to the facts that she took many young lovers, even being in an advanced age herself. One unfavorable rumor was that her later lovers were chosen by prince Potemkin himself, after the end of the long relationship Catherine had with Potemkin, where he, perhaps, was her morganatic husband.

Related Topics:
Potemkin - Morganatic

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Another long-surviving myth is about Potemkin village, which even though it became eponymous is not true. It states that Grigori Alexandrovich Potemkin built fake settlements with hollow facades to fool Empress Catherine II during her visit to Crimea and New Russia, the territories Russia conquered under her reign, but modern historians, however, consider this scenario at best, an exaggeration, and quite possibly simply malicious rumors spread by Potemkin's opponents.http://www.straightdope.com/columns/031114.html

Related Topics:
Potemkin village - Grigori Alexandrovich Potemkin - Crimea - New Russia - Russia

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