Latest / The Romanov Dynasty: Rise, Power, and Bloody End — Fexingo History / Catherine the Great's Secret War and the Potemkin Village Myth
Transcript
- Lucas: So, we've talked a lot about Peter the Great, but his successor Catherine the Great — a German princess who seized the throne — has her own epic story. And one of the most fascinating parts, which we haven't touched yet, is her partnership with Grigory Potemkin. Luna: Potemkin — as in Potemkin village, right? The fake settlements? Lucas: Exactly. That phrase is everywhere, but it's almost entirely a myth. The real Potemkin was a brilliant administrator, military commander, and — for a time — Catherine's lover. Together, they pulled off one of the biggest land grabs in Russian history: the annexation of the Crimean Khanate in 1783. Lucas: To understand that, you have to go back to the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774. Catherine's army, led by Field Marshal Rumyantsev, smashed the Ottomans, and the resulting Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca gave Russia a foothold on the Black Sea coast and the right to intervene in Ottoman Christian affairs. Luna: That was the treaty that let Russia claim to protect Orthodox Christians in the empire, right? Lucas: Exactly. It was a diplomatic bombshell. But Crimea — a vassal of the Ottoman Empire — remained independent on paper. The treaty made the Crimean Khanate independent from the Ottomans, which was really just a step toward Russian domination. Lucas: Potemkin saw Crimea as the key to Russia's southern ambitions. He wrote to Catherine: 'Crimea is a peninsula of Asia, it is the key to our southern borders. If we don't take it, others will.' And Catherine agreed. Luna: So how did they actually take it? Lucas: They used a mix of diplomacy and military pressure. The last Crimean khan, Şahin Giray, was a reformer who tried to modernize his state — but he alienated his own people. Russian agents fomented rebellion, and when the khan fled to the Ottomans for help, Catherine simply declared Crimea annexed in April 1783. Potemkin was made Prince of Taurida — the ancient Greek name for Crimea — and he set about transforming the region. Lucas: He founded the city of Kherson as a shipbuilding center, and Sevastopol as the base for a new Black Sea Fleet. He brought in settlers, built roads, planted vineyards, and established schools. It was a massive, genuine development project — not a Potemkin village. Luna: So where did that myth come from? Lucas: It came from Catherine's grand tour of the south in 1787. Potemkin organized an extravagant journey to show off his achievements. Foreign diplomats and some Russian critics later claimed he built fake villages — just painted facades — to deceive the empress. But modern historians have debunked that. What Potemkin actually did was beautifully decorate real villages and line the route with cheerful peasants. It was propaganda, sure, but not fakery. Lucas: The tour itself was incredible. Catherine traveled with a huge entourage, including the Austrian Emperor Joseph II. They sailed down the Dnieper, inspected the new fleet at Sevastopol, and even watched a naval exercise. Potemkin orchestrated it all to show off Russia's new power. Luna: And this was all part of something bigger, right? The Greek Project? Lucas: Yes! Catherine and Potemkin had this grand vision called the 'Greek Project.' They wanted to drive the Ottomans out of Europe entirely, restore a Byzantine Empire under Catherine's grandson, Constantine — who was deliberately named for that purpose — and make Constantinople the capital of a Christian empire. It was audacious, and it never happened, but it shaped Russian policy for decades. Lucas: The Black Sea Fleet they built would later become a major force. Under admirals like Fyodor Ushakov, it defeated the Ottomans in the 1790s and projected Russian power into the Mediterranean. That same fleet would fight in the Crimean War sixty years later. Luna: It's amazing how much of later Russian history traces back to Catherine and Potemkin. Lucas: Absolutely. And speaking of things that last — if today was actually useful to you, the way these stay ad-free is listener support. You can help at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to keep these deep dives coming. Luna: Yeah, it really helps. We pour a lot of research into each episode, and knowing people appreciate it makes a difference. Lucas: Alright — so back to Potemkin. One of the most romanticized parts of his story is his relationship with Catherine. They were lovers for about two years, and he remained her most trusted advisor until his death in 1791. There's evidence they may have secretly married. He was the only person who could interrupt her, argue with her, and still keep her affection. Luna: That's rare for any monarch, let alone an empress who overthrew her own husband. Lucas: Exactly. Potemkin died on the road, in the Moldovan steppe, while negotiating a peace with the Ottomans. Catherine was devastated. She wrote: 'He was my dearest friend, a man of genius. I can never be replaced.' And she was right — after Potemkin, her later years were marked by less ambitious projects and more conservative rule. Lucas: But his legacy endured. The Black Sea coast, Crimea, and the fleet remained Russian for over a century. And the Potemkin village myth — well, it's a reminder that history is often written by skeptics and rivals. Luna: And sometimes a good story just sticks, even if it's not true. Lucas: Right. So next time someone mentions Potemkin villages, you can tell them the real story — about a one-eyed, six-foot-seven prince who built a navy, conquered a peninsula, and dreamed of reviving Byzantium. Luna: I'll definitely remember that.