Catherine the Great on HBO

If you haven't seen the new series, Catherine the Great on HBO is definitely worth watching. Helen Mirren stars as Catherine the Great. This historical drama focuses on the relationship between Catherine the Great and Grigory Potemkin, a Russian nobleman. The two develop an unusual relationship during Catherine the Great's reign, and both women help her overcome her enemies. Here are a few things you should know before watching this show.

Helen Mirren stars as Catherine the Great

Helen Mirren plays the title role in this historical drama about the Russian empress. Catherine the Great had an affair with a Russian nobleman named Grigory Potemkin, whom she favored. The two develop an unusual bond and overcome the obstacles that stand in their way. This fascinating historical drama will appeal to fans of period pieces and historical dramas alike. Helen Mirren's stunning performance will make you want to see the film.

Actress Helen Mirren is no stranger to playing monarchs. The British actress won an Academy Award for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in the 2007 film "The Queen" and also starred in the miniseries "Elizabeth I." And though the actress hails from Germany, she has family ties to Russia. And since Catherine is a Russian-born monarch, her accent is more German than Russian.

HBO has announced that the four-part miniseries Catherine the Great will premiere this Autumn on Sky Atlantic in the UK. The cast of this historical drama features Joseph Quinn from Game of Thrones, Gina McKee from Notting Hill, and Rory Kinnear from Penny Dreadful and Rake. The series' producers, Origin Pictures, and David M. Thompson, are behind the production. The production company also includes acclaimed actors Jason Clarke and Joseph Quinn, as well as Gina McKee.

While "Catherine the Great" does not depict the life of the Russian empress, the actress' own life experiences could serve as inspiration for the film. Mirren's father was born in Russia, and her grandfather was a colonel in the Russian army during the Russo-Japanese War. During World War I, Mirren's grandfather was invited to Britain on a diplomatic mission, but the Russian Revolution prevented him from returning. Mirren's portrayal of Catherine is so strong that "The Crown" is only the beginning of what may be a cottage industry of Russian history miniseries.

Her relationship with Grigory Potemkin

Catherine the Great had at least a dozen lovers during her reign. Her most important love was Grigory Potemkin, a member of the Russian Guards who helped her husband overthrow the Tsar. Grigory was only twenty-four when the coup took place, and Catherine was a decade older. The two had an open relationship, which culminated in 1774 when they finally got married. Catherine was a young widow at the time, and Grigory was her guard, so it's not a surprise that the two dated for nearly two decades.

Catherine's relationship with Potemkin was tumultuous at first. She was already middle-aged when she fell in love with him. The love affair was passionate, and Catherine wrote hundreds of letters to him. Her letters to him convey the giddy exuberance of new love. They also reveal a man who was both vulnerable and formidable. The letters are particularly important because they provide rare insights into Grigory Potemkin, the 'Tsar in all but name' of Catherine's court.

Catherine and Grigory were together for just two years. Although they separated, the relationship continued. During her tenure as Empress Catherine, he helped her lead a successful coup 12 years before. As a result of their love, she embraced her sexual independence and her political ambitions. In 1769, Catherine had fought Peter III and her military partner Grigory was a fierce leader in Russo-Turkish during the war.

During her reign, Catherine and Grigory remained in touch through letters. Although their relationship was strained, they maintained their affection for one another and were sexual partners until Grigory died. Catherine considered him her greatest love and admired him as a military officer and grand admiral. During this time, Grigory was a Field Marshal in the Russian army, a Governor-General of New Russia, and the president of the War College. His father was a major Russian figure who had founded Kherson and Sevastopol in the Crimea.

Her marriage to Peter II

Catherine's marriage to Peter II had many complications. The couple was estranged for a long time, but the children of the marriage brought normalcy into the family. However, the two never got on very well. Catherine's marriage to Peter II was a traumatic experience, and Peter's death was a source of discord for her. But her children, especially her sons, brought peace into their lives and helped to rebuild the family.

Elizabeth was fifteen years old when Peter invited her to Russia to marry her uncle, Czarina Elizabeth. She chose her nephew Peter to be the heir and sought a bride for him. Her ambitious mother had trained her and she was eager to please. Her marriage to Peter took place on August 21, 1745. She converted to Orthodox Christianity, and her eldest son was likely illegitimate. While the couple had three children, it is not clear how many children they had.

Catherine's marriage to Peter II was troubled from the start. Catherine was imported from Prussia to Russia as a minor princess, presumably so that she could produce an heir. Yet the two were unfaithful to one another, and their relationship became strained. Catherine feared that she was marrying a creep. Her marriage to Peter had many complications, mainly because Peter had a serious emotional disorder and did not understand the role of his wife in society.

Although the details of her relationship with Peter are murky, there are some known facts about her life. In the year 1704, the two were living in Menshikov's sister's house in a German suburb of Moscow. Peter visited Moscow on a relatively infrequent basis during the Great Northern War. During this time, Peter sent Marta to the house of Menshikov's sister, where she continued to improve her spoken Russian. Then, in 1705, she gave birth to a son. The son was named Paul and her mother was given the name Catherine Alekseevna, after Alexis Petrovitch.

Her political savvy

If political savvy isn't your forte, try watching the new adaptation of Catherine the Great. This 18th century reformer was in step with the Enlightenment and keen to show herself as a classical liberal. She had an ambitious domestic agenda and an aggressive foreign policy. She finished her husband's war and launched more with the help of her two Gregoris. She even had a love affair with Russian diplomat, Orlov, and enlisted a young man named Potemkin to help her out.

If political savvy is your thing, "Catherine" might not be the best choice for you. This biographical series crams a decade-long biography of the great Russian ruler into just a few hours. It's a bit confusing when it comes to political history, and over-relies on extravagant set decorations and costuming. The opening credits sequence is reminiscent of Game of Thrones.

As a woman of the Enlightenment, Catherine the Great was eager to push her country into the modern age. Her political savvy allowed her to rule the country for 34 years, and her charm and considerable networking abilities helped her cement her place as a leading power in Europe. Voltaire, a leading French philosopher, was skeptical of Catherine's ability to keep power, so they corresponded for 15 years. Their letters were a mixture of politics, morality, and Russia's place in the Enlightenment.

"Catherine the Great" has an interesting cast. British Asian actor Sacha Dhawan plays Orlo, the young officer who's been in Peter's inner circle. Orlo initially accepts Peter's bullying to advance his policies, but later discovers the Enlightenment values Catherine upheld. Orlo's journey parallels Catherine's, and the two leads raise questions about what makes a change meaningful.

Her intellectual power

A new series on HBO is coming to the US. The drama is called "Catherine the Great," and it follows the life of the 17th century Russian queen, who rewrote the rules of governance for women. The series' intellectual power will be put to test when it airs in the US and on Sky Atlantic in the UK. Catherine's ambition is to be a great woman who will be remembered for her accomplishments and not for her lack of talent.

Catherine was an intellectual force who embraced her own political savvy and sexuality. She had eight significant affairs with young men, mostly younger than her. She also lavished affection on her former lovers and made Stanislaw Poniatowski the king of Poland. Despite her power, she was a lover, and she wrote poetry to Grigory Potemkin, her second-in-command and intellectual equal.

While a series like this is rooted in reality, it often veers away from history. The Great deviates from the historical record, and any anachronism is okay as long as the results are good. The Great is particularly problematic in disentwining sex and power, which is a crucial part of the real story. The show has nothing perceptive to say about Catherine's sex life, even though it was an integral part of her life. The sex and power relationship between Catherine and Potemkin is a central part of the real story. The hbo's version of the story also includes an important element of Catherine's political and religious ambitions.

The Enlightenment ideals captivated Catherine the Great, and she eagerly pushed Russia into the modern age. With her charisma and impressive networking abilities, Catherine ruled Russia for 34 years, establishing the country as one of the most powerful forces in Europe. In 1762, she married Peter III, and tossed him from his throne through a coup. She remained a popular leader for nearly two decades.