As a young guardsman, Grigory Potemkin caught the eye of
Catherine the Great with a theatrical act of gallantry during the
coup that placed her on the throne. Over the next thirty years he
would become her lover, co-ruler, and husband in a secret marriage
that left room for both to satisfy their sexual appetites. Potemkin
proved to be one of the most brilliant statesmen of the eighteenth
century, helping Catherine expand the Russian empire and deftly
manipulating allies and adversaries from Constantinople to
London.
This acclaimed biography
vividly re-creates Potemkin’s outsized character and
accomplishments and restores him to his rightful place as a
colossus of the eighteenth century. It chronicles the tempestuous
relationship between Potemkin and Catherine, a remarkable love
affair between two strong personalities that helped shape the
course of history. As he brings these characters to life,
Montefiore also tells the story of the creation of the Russian
empire. This is biography as it is meant to be: both intimate and
panoramic, and bursting with life.