CATHERINE THE GREAT

Nay! Neigh! No! No! She did not die when the harness broke. She liked officers of the Imperial Horse Guard, not horses. Yes, Catherine was a fairly lusty woman; she had a dozen lovers one after another over a 30 year period, but by the standards of your average King Louis that's almost celibacy.

One of her love notes has survived:

"If you really must see me, send someone to tell me; since six o'clock I have had the most atrocious diarrhea." [sent to Potemkin, 1774]
So, how did she die?

She suffered a stroke while walking to the water closet and died three days later on a mat on the floor, with a half dozen eye witnesses.

Back to Page one.

CATHERINE THE GREAT

Nay! Neigh! No! No! She did not die when the harness broke. She liked officers of the Imperial Horse Guard, not horses. Yes, Catherine was a fairly lusty woman; she had a dozen lovers one after another over a 30 year period, but by the standards of your average King Louis that's almost celibacy.

One of her love notes has survived:

So, how did she die?

She suffered a stroke while walking to the water closet and died three days later on a mat on the floor, with a half dozen eye witnesses.