Catherine and Potemkin: The Secret Marriage of the Empress

She was slandered as the “Northern Messalina” and “a wanton on the throne.” Legends spread about her “love of pleasures” and insatiability. Catherine the Great is said to have had many lovers, but only one of her favorites she truly loved all her life; even after separation, she only secretly married him—only Grigory Potemkin was worthy of her passion and became the “night emperor” of Russia. What did that peasant’s son do to conquer the Empress’s heart? Legendary male power? A sharp mind, furious energy, statecraft talent? Or the fact that he kept the secret of their marriage sacredly—or her willingness to accept her as she was?

Don’t judge this couple too harshly—they weren’t simple mortals and lived in an era when lovers’ amusements often determined politics, the Empress’s private life was a matter of state importance, and her secret husband was one of the biggest statesmen of the century.

An enthralling novel about the unforgettable Catherine era, rightly called the “Golden Age” of the Russian Empire—about grand achievements, heartfelt secrets, and love mysteries of the legendary Empress.