Russia's Last Empress Regnant: Catherine the Great | Women Who Made History - Part 4

I was the Empress of Russia, the greatest the country ever had. So I should be the one to bring the successor to the throne into the world. They thought little of me. Yet I mastered the power game better than any man. Men? Yeah, yeah, I know everything that's said about me. That I got up to unspeakable things with countless lovers. But the truth, only I know. I can remember everything. I wrote all of it down. My life. I doubt that any author could have written it better. My mother was born into nobility. Surely you can't be serious. There is nothing else around. You have the choice. Cold hunger and wolves, or warm food and peasants. And me? I was a disappointment to my mother. She thought I wasn't pretty enough. And above all, I wasn't a boy. But suddenly, I, of all people, was the one who could change our family's life. After everything, this is too much. Too much, I tell you. And for the future wife of the Grand Duke of Russia. If you shout your destination any louder, then there is little chance of reaching it. So hold back, most gracious one. Hey, what's up? Go on, leave us. Get going. My beautiful Russia. I came here in 1744. I was called Sophie Augusta Federica of Anhalt-Zurbst and was to be presented at court. The kingdom needed a wife for the future emperor of all Russians. I was approved for this task, as long as I could prove myself. Sophie, pull yourself together. You only have yourself to blame for drinking that filth. I'm truly sorry, Mother. It doesn't happen often. I... I don't think you understand. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. And you? Being stupid, challenging fate with your antics. I doubt you'll even manage to stand before the empress. Well, perhaps she should have a secret lover. A singer from the court chapel. Child, you worry about your own business. First things first, we must take care of your future husband. Our journey was 1,500 kilometers. We were traveling for seven weeks. Although by Russian standards, that was just a stone's throw. We still had to travel for another four months to reach the kingdom's eastern border. After all, the ruler of this huge kingdom was expecting us in Moscow, in the Kremlin. Sophie, would you please just stop fidgeting? Yes, Mother. Mother, look there. That must be her. The Empress Elizabeth. That dress is wonderful. She owns more than 5,000 and never wears any of them more than once. Honored Princess, please excuse me. My name is Maria. I will act as your lady-in-waiting during your stay here. Whatever you want me to do, I can... What do you mean by stay? What's she like? The Empress. How can I please her? Speak not, unless she has asked you to speak. And if so, weigh up your words precisely. Elizabeth had her own great-grand-nephew locked up. Nobody has heard from him since. What did he do? Nothing. In Russia, nobody is safe on the throne, as long as there is someone else who could seize it. The Empress threw a child in the dungeons? Not so loud. There is not a single room in this palace where you can talk aloud freely. There are secret passages everywhere, and the walls are quite thin. You must always assume that someone will hear you speak. And every person whom you trust can betray you. It's starting! I announce to Your Majesty, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the arrival of the Princess Sophie-Auguste Friederike of Anhalt-Zerst, and her mother, Duchess Johanna von Holstein-Gotthard. A charming girl. Charming? Alexei Grigorievich, what do you think? As astute as your observations are, she's not comparable to Your Majesty. Charmer. That surely would not cause me any alarm. I have heard that you are quite a smart girl. Yes. No. I don't know. Everything remains to be seen. Grand Duke Peter. My cousin whom Elizabeth had adopted in order to someday take over her throne. Do it now. The man with whom I should share a table and bed, and eventually the crown, of course. We should leave the young people alone for a moment to get acquainted. Simply delighted, my dear cousin. Yes, we'd be happy. Yeah. We have chosen very well, have we not? And now the course was set. There was no way back. I came from the house of Anhalt-Zerst. Our small city was nothing more than a fleck on the map. My father, Christian August, did have a dukedom. But his land was scarcely bigger than the Prussian king's front garden. It was only a hundred insignificant dominions which, befitting their social status, could barely feed their regents. The mother was born a Holstein-Gottob, and was more closely related to Prussian king Frederick II. He had suggested me as a possible bride for Russia. He hadn't wanted to send his own sisters. Because an insignificant bride doesn't cause any significant difficulties, I yielded to all instructions. Rejected my Protestant beliefs and converted to Orthodox. When Peter and I stood before the altar, I no longer bore the name which my parents had given me. My God. My little girl. So that we don't misunderstand each other, valued cousin, pack all your things and go on home. I personally assure you that your journey home will be comfortable. There will be no need to worry about that. Henceforth, I was left to myself and to my husband. My God, how long has it been so? Sorry, I'm Catherine. Catherine. The empress chose Catherine for me. Fine with me, that name was as good as any other. I had decided to leave the past behind me. I can't explain it clearly, but Russia was my country from the first day here. I would spend my life here and it was up to me to shape this life so that it would make me happy. My name is Catherine. Of course my name is Catherine, that is much too easy. Ask me from here. It has been simply delightful to meet you. How is the esteemed wife? Catalana Jirna. If I was the emperor's wife, the Russian people would understand me and love me. But was this country easy to love? I had never seen poverty to this extent in my homeland. What was it like for people who had to live like that? For me, Russia was like a book and I could hardly wait to open its first page. For my husband, it was a shackle. Is this my punishment? Peter von Holstein was also from the German dynasty. He never had designs on the Russian throne. He was a suitable candidate by a dynastic coincidence. Peter loved everything Prussian. Did I love him? How can you ask such a thing? At the start, I hoped that we could arrange something with each other. Come on, hurry up. Come, quickly. King Charles, you're here. You're here. Are you coming here? Your place is behind the other one. So did you have a nice day, Grand Duchess? This poodle will be the death of me. So disobedient. It has no discipline. Outrageous. No discipline. And now, we'll come to the pleasant part of the day. My dear, my dear Catherine. We play the decisive battle. Go, Catherine. You take the Russians. Take the Russians. After one year, the inquiries were still friendly. After four years, quite impatient. And after eight years, it was clear that something wasn't right here. Well, and? Well, as far as I can judge, no. But she sleeps with him. That's true. One must always take things into one's own hands. Listen, I want you to arrange something for me. Yes? So as long as I didn't fulfill my holy duty of motherhood, the days stretched endlessly in front of me. What do you think about this one? Not green again. My duty, be beautiful, chat, receive people. A solid hour would go by before I was dressed. And that was only the first wardrobe for the afternoon and evening society. The whole thing would begin again. The secret code. Frivolous. Hesitant. And what is this called? That's nymphomaniac. For goodness sake, then do it. The next one, please. There was a dining room in the Peterhof Palace, which had no doors. You could only access it via a lift. But that was not enough. Food also would appear as if by magic. Yes, it was quite fun. But such things couldn't fulfill a person. I found my escape in books. First, it was novels. I devoured one after the other until I was bored. Then I went on to history books. It is good to live in distress. It's like a coiled spring. He was so right. Good Montesquieu. He was so right. It was so soothing to think about something more than powder puffs and court gossip. There were many gifted thinkers in Petersburg. Geniuses of mathematics, philosophy, and astronomy. Grand Duchess? Peter the Great had a gigantic globe made which was in the palace. Please sit down, Grand Duchess. The stars will just take their course without you even having to follow them. I will show you how the sky has changed. Very interesting, Professor. But I prefer to control the movement. But who to share all of this knowledge with? At the table, I would be of little interest. You must try this delicacy. It's called eyes awoken in the morning in sauce. An extraordinary delicacy indeed. It's paradise. Simply heavenly. A specialty from Ukraine. It tickles the palate wonderfully. Well, my love, then try your exceptionally sensitive palate on this. This is definitely French. Yum! Has it come from Paris? So very close. The pate was delivered specially from Strasbourg. Did you hear that it's said that Duke quite recently... Does she know about it? No, of course she doesn't. Ah, yes. You tell us, my love. She really hasn't complained. Do you know last autumn, when she, um... With her Swedish diplomat, you know... What happened there didn't have much to do with conventional diplomacy, as we have heard. Obviously, everyone had their fun. It went on in the same cycle year after year. Balls, journeys, boredom. The empress ruled, my husband and I lived next to each other, and the court made up its intrigue. The young court, as Peter's entourage was called, was often away on trips and hunting parties. In 1752, something surprising happened. Or had I only waited long enough? Do we know each other? Sergei Seltikov. Your faithful servant, Grand Duchess. Sergei Andreich. The name Seltikov has an impressive ring to it at court. I assure you, my forebears have served the emperors for many centuries. And as such, I can also be of service to you. What kind of man was this? I was 24 years old, and yet nobody had ever looked at me like that. It was whispered about day in, day out at court. Now I could understand it. The consequences couldn't be ignored for long. Not the long one, the short one! Fool! Now, my dear... What has brought you to me? Some news which should make you happy, Majesty. I'm... I'm expecting the heir to the throne. Heir to the throne? Yes. Your child will be the one, regardless of who its father is. Go, child! Maria! Bring Sergei to me. You called for me? It shall not harm you. Should you require my service again, any time. I only learned about everything much later on. I had really believed that he was the love of my life. On the 21st of September, 1754, the labor started. I smell wonderful tea! I awaited the delivery with dread. Countless women had died in childbirth. The doctors were charlatans. The midwife had first been sent to the Empress. And? It's still going on. It's gone on too long. It was a boy. I only held him for a few seconds. Paul was taken straight away to the Empress's residence, where he would also grow up. Others would determine his life. As for mine, I vowed then that only I would determine my life. For Peter, Paul was unquestionably his son, as long as the successor to the throne was secured. I wonder who the boy actually looks like. Probably me. Yes, but the eyes are clearly mine. There you go, dear husband. We are actually a happy little family. That is quite true, especially if everyone can go their own way. And you have finally done your duty for the family. Is that a threat? Threat? I would never do that, Highness. All in good time, my dear Peter. All in good time. Sit straight, boy. I would rather play. Then go. Peter was right. He and the court could treat me how they wanted. They had distanced the boy from me long ago. I might as well have never seen him. But I didn't really miss him. It's your turn. Sergei was soon sent away abroad, and he moved on to the next affair. But I had learned my lesson. After that, it took a long time to give my heart again. Maria, who was that? But many received my favor. You don't know him? That's Gregory Orlov, with his brother. Orlov. Have him come to me. Um, what shall I tell him is the purpose of his audience? I will tell him when I meet him. Gregory wasn't scared of anything, not of an affair with me and with many others. And I decided that men can be used very sensibly. You only have to tell them where and how. My lords, let's continue. Who else would like me to show them how to play? Hey, let me show you how it's done. Gregory Orlov was a wonderful lover. And I now also knew precisely what I wanted. Erotic paintings, snuff boxes. It was a common practice all over the court. We had our toys and we had our fun. Gregory wouldn't be the last man in my bed. I never made a secret of it. Over the years, I introduced 21 men officially as my favorites at court. So many. That was fewer than the number of mistresses my male colleagues on European thrones wore out in one year. What is this prudishness? We are all only human. And I believe that none of my favorites had the time to regret me. Likewise, if I became weary of them, I compensated them royally. They were all worth it. I had been at the emperor's court for 18 years. Empress Elizabeth kept getting ill several times, but then would recover each time. But now, it seemed serious. It's nearly the end. It was a tense time. Everyone tried to gather as much information as possible in order to have the best position in the event of a change of government. The small boy Ivan, who Elizabeth had once locked in the dungeon, had become a young man who hadn't had a single day of freedom in 21 years. Tsar. Does he know who he is? No. He only knows that word. Peter also kept up to date with Ivan's condition. Don't worry. There's no danger to you. He prepared himself to finally assume the throne for which he had been summoned from Germany nearly two decades ago. Empress Elizabeth had become famous amongst the people for her piety, rightly so because she sincerely believed. Peter could never really reconcile himself to the orthodox beliefs. Therefore, spirituality was an important factor of power in Russia. I knew that it could not be ignored. Did it play a role in what I thought? Peter made plans. But I would have been the last person he would have betrayed. Because who said that I would still be at his side if he ascended to the throne? He wants to see you. Who? The Grand Duke. Peter, your husband. I know who Peter is, Maria. But why does he want me? He's keeping up to date with young Ivan's condition. And he's been keeping a lady lover. An impossible person named... Elizabeth Voronsova. I know. You mustn't believe that you're the only one who brings me news, my dear. I have learned my lesson. She apparently loves his soldiers' games. Where is the blasted general? Come. You must see this. You called me for this? But she was guilty. And according to military law, deserved nothing less than the highest penalty. What did she do? Do? This here. She climbed the walls. And there. The situation is quite clear. The penalty is the same for all those who defy the future emperor's orders, I'm afraid. In Russia, there is only one who makes the orders. And that is the emperor. Or the empress. On Christmas 1761, Empress Elizabeth died. I didn't really mourn her death. She controlled my life too much for my liking. But I had learned a lot from her. Because she also showed me how far one can go as a woman. And that too much sentiment for a throne is dangerous. Long live Emperor Peter! My husband was now ruler of the biggest kingdom in Europe. With all the power that this title brought with it. Peter made peace with Frederick the Great. And ended the seven-year war with Prussia. He had big plans and approached it with a decisiveness. That I would not have expected of him. It doesn't matter whether any Russian interests are in play in Denmark. This is about my interests. Stand down. And I stood in the way of these interests. If he sends me to a convent, I would be fortunate. Peter loathes me. Because he knows that he can't hold a candle to you. And what use is that if I have to take the veil? It's not certain that I will survive the next few weeks. Peter has bestowed the order of Catherine on Vorontsova. What can that mean other than he wants to marry her and get rid of me? And what if you get ahead of him? It was at the time of the White Knights in the year of 1762. Peter had been in power for six months. And yet he still hadn't been crowned. He didn't understand that the people revere the crown and not the one who wears it. His mistake was my chance. I had endeared the Romanovs and their arrogance for 18 years. And now they wanted to discard me like a moth-eaten dress. It was time to act. If I have learned one thing in all of these years, it is that you need strong allies if you want to achieve something. Gregory Olaf and his brothers scoped the situation in the military for me. Remember where to take it. A bit of pressure here. A nice little sum there. And the number of my followers grew. It is done. The Church expected me to protect it from threatened expropriation. What had I to lose? If I did nothing, I would be nothing. So instead, I acted. Now is the time. What? Already? Now or never. You sound like your brother. Yes. And he has always been right. Maria, I want to get dressed quickly. My dear, I'm about to ascend to the Russian throne. I would hardly do it in such an outfit. Get me... get me a guard's uniform. Now! Peter had moved back into his favorite Peterhof Palace and celebrated the Peter and Paul Festival. He didn't have the slightest idea of what was brewing against him. And now, my dear Elizabeth, the Prussian era is dawning. It was dawn when we arrived with the Izmailovsky regiment in front of the towers of Petersburg. Soldiers! Now I had to succeed in getting the guards on my side. I had never spoken in front of such a crowd before. The hour has come to protect our country from the greatest dangers. Our church is in danger. An unwelcome foreign belief comes to take the place of our old religion. Our honor is in danger. It has been trampled on by the conclusion of a peace agreement with our deadly enemy, Frederick II. What is it? The peace with Friedrich. That is only the beginning. Our country risks being conquered. Yes, and being sacrificed. I'll send armies to fight against Denmark. Against Denmark. It is your bravery on which our country now depends. It is your loyalty on which my power depends. There is only one way. You, my dear, I will make... And this is my duty. With the help of God and also the sincere desire of our loyal subjects to ascend the throne. I will make you the Empress of Russia. As the absolute and the one true leader. Of Russia. But no one came to Peter's aid. No one came to give him advice or told him how he could avoid catastrophe. Those loyal to him left him when they heard of my appearance in Petersburg. In just one day, I had changed Russia's fate. I had really done it. I, Sophie von Anhaltserbst, had defeated the great Romanovs. When Peter realized how things were, he was completely deflated. He wrote to me assuring me that he wouldn't do anything more against me. He just wanted to go back to Germany. You are hereby arrested in the name of the Empress. Could he have been serious? Or was he trying to lull me into a false sense of security? So as long as Peter was alive, there was a threat to me. A few days later, I received a letter from Alexei Orlov. Empress, there has been a disaster. Blows were exchanged with Duke Fyodor at the table. We weren't able to separate them, and thus he was no more. I never ordered Peter's death, honestly. But didn't I have to know that it had happened? Exactly as in the case of the deplorable Ivan, who was sadly killed. When my opponents wanted to free him from his cell. I didn't ponder over these things for long. On the 23rd of September, 1762, I was crowned Empress in Moscow. Many had expected that I would only rule vicariously through my son. But I would not play the role of court scenery any longer. No. It was my throne. And it was my crown. I recorded my memory of everything that happened in my memoirs. Or perhaps it was how I wanted to have it remembered. I have learned to act like a man. With one difference. I have done it better. Because I was a ruler such as Russia and Europe had never seen.