Many wonder how much of The big one True, because the Hulu original series detailing Catherine the Great’s rise to power often feels almost too bombastic to be taken from real life. The big one Never claims to be 100% accurate, describing itself as an “occasionally” true story. However, many have difficulty differentiating between fact and fiction. The show has a unique spin on Catherine the Great’s life, adding many fictionalized elements or sensationalizing true events to such an extent that the level of historical accuracy in The big one is low – although it is not gone.
The big one Gets a surprising amount of historical details correct, despite never putting the truth above the opportunity to tell an interesting story. Many of the broad strokes of Catherine the Great’s life and reign are taken from historical accounts, meaning much of what The big one Shown has actually happened, although often not in the same way. While the black comedy-drama series is quite frank with its fantastic artistic interpretations of Russian historical events and characters, some aspects of The big one are grounded in actual historical facts.
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Peter and Catherine’s wedding
Peter and Catherine were married for 17 years before he became emperor
The greater part of the story in The big one Catherine found her place in the government when she entered into a marriage with Peter III. The marriage of Peter and Catherine is accurate in the real-life story of the story, although much of what happened chronologically during their marriage was altered. The couple married in real life on August 21, 1745. However, they were actually in different places in life when they got married than they were on the show.
Peter was already the emperor when they got married The big one. This was not the case in real life. In fact, Peter III did not become emperor until the death of his aunt Elizabeth. The event was actually 17 years after he married Catherine. This gave them many years together before he took leadership, which did not work with the storyline of the TV series. Instead, she marries him and is thrown into a life in the government, which causes a lot more stress and drama.
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Catherine’s mismatched marriage to Peter III
Catherine was only a teenager when she married Peter
While the timing of the wedding was all wrong The big oneThe Hulu series got the whole mismatched marriage thing going on about their relationship. There have been a couple of changes, with one of the biggest being Catherine’s age. Known as Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, her mother arranged for the girl to marry Peter III, her second cousin. However, when she arrived in Russia, she was only 16 years old. The TV series changed the age to 19, likely to avoid obvious problems with the age gap.
She even changed her name from Sophie to the Russian name Ekaterina Alekseyevna.
Despite the change of age, the whole mess of a marriage was because of the age difference in conjunction with the different philosophies they grew up with. She learned Russian and converted to Eastern Orthodoxy. She even changed her name from Sophie to the Russian name Ekaterina Alekseyevna, which was anglicized to Catherine. With all the changes and her young age when the marriage began, the unhappy marriage played on The big one was a given.
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Peter III was known to have violent tendencies and public meltdowns
Peter III struggled with his composition
Peter III struggled with his mental composure in real life, much like he did in the series. While The big one He dealt with alcoholism, he also had anger issues that came up whether he was drinking or not. There was one difference between Peter III and how Nicholas Hoult portrayed him, though. In the show, he was a massive nationalist who was a devotee of all things Russian. In real life, however, Peter III hates anything Russian. He refused to speak Russian or eat Russian food.
however, The big one Got his arrogance and bad attitude right. Peter III was a narcissist, and he loved to live the high life. He also had an enormous temper that saw him ready to kill anyone – animals or people – and felt no remorse for his actions. According to the memoirs written by Catherine the Great, she described Peter III as an “insufferable, childish brute and a drunkard,” just as he is depicted in the Hulu TV series (via JSTOR Daily).
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The Russian court was full of issues
Peter III really had lovers on the side
The big one took great pains to show the lack of loyalty in the marriage of Peter III and Catherine the Great. Just as has been the case with many royal families throughout history, There were lovers on the side for both Peter and Catherine. The show deals with many of these issues, and they are all realistic when it comes to the couple at the center of the story. In the show, Peter, his best friend Gregor (Gwilym Lee), and Gregor’s wife Georgina (Charity Wakefield) is the great relationship in the series.
While Catherine’s lover, Leo, is fictional and created for The big oneShe has several lovers in real life.
These issues were caused by the dissatisfaction in the marriage between Catherine and Peter III. They were never really happy together, an arranged marriage that neither of them wanted after it started. While Catherine’s lover, Leo, is fictional and created for The big oneShe has several lovers in real life. Peter III also cheated on her often, and there are many thoughts that their children are not even Peter’s in the end.
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Catherine the Great invented the roller coaster
The Season 2 event is based on real life
There are several moments in The big one That seem like they have to be fictional. However, one of the storylines in season 2 that rang true was the roller coaster scene. The origins of roller coasters go back to the 18th century, and Catherine the Great had something to do with it. In the season 2 episode “Stapler,” Catherine puts the rollers on roller coasters. It changed everything about roller coasters at that time in history.
Before Catherine ordered the wheels added to the roller coasters, they actually used sleds and went down giant ice ramps. When Catherine required wheels to lay wheels and sent down grooved tracks, it meant that the roller coasters could be built in places outside of icy Russia. Catherine even added a roller coaster to her summer palace in 1784 (by wired). This led to the French making even more improvements 30 years later, but it all started with Catherine the Great, as The big one Shown.
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Peter III struggled with alcoholism
Nicholas Hoult’s great character was also very neurotic
One surprisingly historically accurate element of The big one Has to do with Peter’s excessive alcohol consumption. Audience watching The big one Are aware that Peter III is regularly seen with a glass in hand and often in attendance at some wild parties. This added to his unpredictable and boisterous personality on the show and also gave Hoult another avenue to explore the character’s quirkier moments.
This was historically accurate, viz The real Peter III struggled with alcoholismAnd the show helps portray that side of him very well. In fact, this is a problem that has plagued many Russians throughout history to the point where they will encourage drinking among those around them, he is also described in historical texts as very neurotic, which the show also describes as having a relationship with. Killing rather than seeking the truth.
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Catherine the Great was well-read
Catherine even taught others how to read
At the time of her reign, most women were not allowed to be well-educated, something that was considered unnecessary (and even unattractive in women) and which allowed men to claim superiority over them. however, Catherine the Great was a well-read woman How she enjoyed various texts throughout her life, especially those that would guide her as a future empress. This is shown in The big oneAs she is always seen with a book in her hand and even helps teach a young serf how to read.
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It also speaks of her intelligence and likability as one of The big oneHis best letters, how much of what she read helped her create plans and ideals that she would someday disappoint in Russia. It is also a sign of how unwilling she was to conform to the conventions of the day.
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Ivan VI was indeed killed
The great one only changed the circumstances
Something else that The big one Gets right is Ivan the Devil’s death. However, he did not quite die in the same way as The big one shows in season 3. Audiences first met Ivan VI when rumors circulated in the show that Peter III’s half-brother was still alive and could stake a claim to the throne. He was killed during the coup that put Catherine the Great in powerBut not in the way that the show depicts.
In fact, Ivan VI was in his 20s when those opposed to Catherine’s rule tried to break him out of the prison he had been held in for the majority of his life. However, with Catherine the Great taking power, the order was given that Ivan was to be immediately killed if there was any attempt to help him escape. Although it was some of the guards who staged the attempted breakout, they could not release him before the orders were carried out.
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Catherine the Great wanted to end serfdom
The real Catherine actually strengthened the system in the end
Catherine the Great’s reign caused some serious upheaval, especially with some of the bigger changes she looked to make. When Peter III fell ill, Catherine the Great had her first taste of power. With the new-found position and authority, SHe mentions her desire to end the austerity, freeing many of the so-called peasants from their debts and lives of indentured servitude. The council laughs at her and explains the economic consequences it would have on their society.
This is related to the real ruler as she wanted to finish the practice, but in the end, it is not a practical goal. She needed the support of the nobles who owned them to stay in power and ending a practice that used them so much was not a political move she was willing to make. Eventually, she even strengthened the system that she originally sought to destroy.
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The real Catherine the Great loved European philosophy
Catherine read books by philosophers in the Age of Enlightenment
It has already been mentioned how Catherine the Great loved to read, but many of her choice Focused on the philosophers of the Age of Enlightenment. This was another way Catherine was able to stand out among the characters in The big one. Where many of them worried that they knew everything, Catherine sought to broaden her horizons and Look at it in a new way.
The big one She even met one of her favorites – the French writer and philosopher Voltaire – and she often mentions several others throughout the series.
This is another historical accuracy that The big one Offers to audiences, vi European philosophy played a huge role in her reign. The big one She even met one of her favorites – the French writer and philosopher Voltaire – and she often mentions several others throughout the series. It is also historically accurate that the European philosophers helped shape the reforms she tried to implement in Russia.
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Peter III wanted to be a great military leader
The real Peter sought glory in battle
Peter III has some truly awful things in it The big one Which are largely caused by his weak and childish ego. He is also depicted as someone who yearns for any sort of military gain and accomplishment, which is exactly how he was during his lifetime. This is another way the character comes across as a pathetic and desperate villain with Hoult linking to the most despicable aspects of the character. The show even has Peter III taking medals from Velementov to make himself look more successful than he is in this endeavor.
One of the biggest historical accurate in The big one Peter’s ambition is to become a military hero. He wanted to be a military legend who won battles and had many victories that proved his worth as emperor.. In contrast to Catherine’s expansive study, his reading was noted for focusing exclusively on military subjects.
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Catherine the Great gained the support of the military and nobility
The real Catherine has an affair with an officer to help her rise to power
A major part of The coup that Catherine the Great planned over The big one Involved you get the support of various groups. Integral to her grasp of power were the military and nobility, which is historically accurate to the real Catherine. It was also another way of Catherine proving herself to be the more impressive leader compared to Peter. While he imagined himself as the ultimate military leader, it was a very satisfying insult to him that she was the one who deserved military support.
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The real empress had to secure the military by having an affair with one of the officers who ensured her ascension was safe. She also had the nobility already under her controlAs she had already been married to Peter III for years before he became emperor, although he was forced out in just six short months.
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Catherine the Great had a lover
The real Catherine the Great court some people
Leo Woronsky enters The big one Like Catherine’s lover, but the truth is that She has had several throughout her life. In the series, Leo is hired by Peter himself to be Catherine’s lover. There is a strong bond between them with his good-natured personality being what Catherine needs in this world. However, their relationship ends in tragedy when Peter has Leo killed in order to prove his power to Catherine.
It may be said that Leo in The big one Is just a summary of the suitors rather than any specific person
Leo himself did not exist, but the story tells that she had at least three different lovers, making this part of the story historically accurate. It may be said that Leo in The big one Is just a composite of the suitors rather than any specific person. One notable romance was with a military officer at the time of her coup, Gregory Orlov, who is most prominent in her historical love life.
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Catherine the Great’s heir was named Paul
Paul was going to become emperor
The latest episode of The big one Season 1 shows a pregnant Catherine the Great, and She mentions Peter III as she will name her son Paul. Catherine the great ended up having three children throughout her life, but one of the historical accuracy in The big one was the name of her true-born heir.
Paul was born in 1754 and was crowned prince in 1762 after the death of Empress Elizabeth. The mother and son developed a fierce rivalry for the throne after the death of Peter II with Paul believing he was the rightful heir. Paul eventually became the emperor after Catherine the Great’s reign, taking the throne at the age of 42. It was a relatively short reign for the new ruler as he was assassinated at the age of 46.
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The coup has Peter abdicating his throne
The true story of the great was a little different, but the result was the same
The whole focus of The big one Is Peter III’s fall from grace as he is forced to abdicate his throne and his wife Catherine rules in his place. With Peter being such an unlikeable villain in the series, it was a storyline that proved compelling and satisfying as Peter witnessed all his power slip away and fall into the hands of his wife. The big one Saw a successful coup in season 1, resulting in Peter III stepping down.
The real Peter III was forced from his position when he abdicated his throne, which is exactly what Catherine the Great suggested he do at the end of The big ones Season 1 finale. The cop itself didn’t quite play out the same way in real lifeWith Peter attempting to make an escape, his arrest was delayed by a whole day, but the result was the same.
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Pugachev’s rebellion really happened
However, he is not Peter III’s double
Nicholas Hoult’s Emmy-nominated work on The big one goes beyond just his performance as Peter III. He also plays Pugachev, one of Peter’s doubles, who becomes his good solution to being able to move freely after being dethroned by Catherine. While The real Pugachev is not a double for Peter IIIDisguised himself as Peter III and inciting the rebellion depicted towards the end of The big one Season 3 actually happened.
However, the real Yemelyan Pugachev never served Peter III and was a soldier in the Seven Years’ War. After being arrested for desertion, he managed to escape and appeared east of the Volga. Claiming to be Peter III, Pugachev declared serfdom was abolished and gained a following in planning to improve Catherine’s reign. During his siege of Orenburg, Catherine sent an army, and he was subsequently defeated.
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Catherine the Great was a target of gossip
The rumors are based on historical misogyny
One aspect of The big one Which is very historically accurate is the Misogynistic narrative that undermines Catherine’s leadership. Although Catherine is a strong and barrier-pushing character whose fearlessness is strengthened by Elle Fanning’s performance, she has to fight with vile attacks from those who are uncomfortable with a woman in a seat of power.
Just like in the series, Catherine the Great was the subject of various gossip and lies, some of them ranging from believable to far-fetched, like the rumor that she died by trying to have sex with a horse. Since being a woman in power was so unheard of at the time, rumors ran rampant about her personal life and sexual exploits. It was so prevalent that Catherine the Great decided to write a series of memoirs to posthumously defend the falsehoods surrounding her legacy.
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Peter III actually died after Catherine took over
However, Peter III’s death was very different in real life
Peter III’s death in The big one Season 3 was a shocker – but not for those who know history. While the means and method of His death in The big one has strongly emerged from historyPeter III died shortly after Catherine took the throne and before Pugachev’s rebellion. In the series, Peter III drowned while trying to cross a frozen lake. In real life, Peter III was arrested after his abdication. It’s a fitting end for the character, robbing him of much of the dignity he tried to hold onto so fiercely.
While in custody with one of Catherine’s conspirators, Peter III died of an apoplectic stroke, although it is possible that this was a cover story for his assassination.
In fact, Peter’s death is not as dramatic and more of a drawn-out event due to illness. While in custody with one of Catherine’s conspirators, Peter III died of an apoplectic stroke, although it is possible that this was a cover story for his assassination.
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Catherine the Great was passionate about women’s education
Catherine founded the Smolny Institute for Daughters of Noble Birth
Early in The big oneCatherine approaches the royal court with many ideas for educational reform, including building a school that would educate women – a plan Peter III shut down. While the storyline was beginning to evolve in the series, it will unfortunately remain one of the many unresolved stories yet The big ones cancellation. however, There is a lot of historical context to explore on Catherine’s educational efforts.
Although the incident itself may not have happened, Catherine’s great passion for educating women is historically accurate. In 1764, Catherine the Great founded the Smolensk Institute for Daughters of Noble Birth in Petersburg, which was the first educational institution for women in Russia. Catherine the Great was largely responsible for the westernization of RussiaAnd education reform was one of her biggest pillars.
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Catherine launched inoculation in Russia
The real Catherine the Great believed in science
In season 1 of The big oneThe royal court experiences a smallpox outbreak and Catherine hears about a treatment called inoculation. She inoculates herself in front of the royal court, only to have Peter III ban inoculation shortly afterwards. It is seen as one of her most heroic moments, defying the fears of the time and helping to encourage the nation to take a more proactive approach to their well-being.
actually, Catherine was a lover of science and was particularly impressed with the work of the British-based Dr. Thomas Dimsdale.who worked on a farm. She has Dimmesdale travel to Russia to give both her and Paul the vaccine. This caused a domino effect, and according to Robert K. Massie’s Catherine the Great: Portrait of a WomanBy 1800 over 2 million Russians were vaccinated.