catherine the great

[DoctorMildew]

did she really die like that?

[haha]

This thread may need further explanation for those who don't know how she died. The 'horse story" is the rumour, and since it's a family thread i've enclosed some of it in spoiler tags. Catherine the Great, empress of Russia in the latter part of the 18th century, was crushed to death when attendants lost their grip on ropes supporting a horse that was being lowered on her for, ah, sexual purposes

And the real story:

I have been studying every aspect of the life of Catherine the Great. One eminent historian explained how such a preposterous story could have started: apparently the anti-monarchy forces in France circulated such rubbish soon after Catherine's death throughout Europe with the intention of discrediting her many achievements.

Catherine had become the enemy of France after she had voiced sharply her outrage when word had reached St. Petersburg that the king and queen had been executed. She ordered the court to declare 6 weeks of mourning on Oct. 27, 1793. This proclamation was in memory of Marie Antoinette, who had been killed a few months after her husband, King Louis XVI. She denounced these evil forces very vocally. She also welcomed many French refugees to St. Petersburg. Each of them had to swear allegiance to the Imperial Crown of Russia. She was very anxious not to transport the seeds of revolution to her own country.

Catherine had relationships with several guardsmen younger than herself, but she was neither vulgar nor licentious. She was a lady of high intellect, a tireless worker for the good of Russia, and above all, she was human and she was kind. She was a legend in her own time. I have been familiar with her story for many years. Her behavior throughout her exceptional life was at all times understandable. No other ruler had her many fine qualities.

It is regrettable that some people seem to take pleasure in vulgarity, but thankfully they are small in number. They do not belong in the category of the many who have a sincere desire to learn the true facts of history. Once only, but for all times, I would like to make it clear that Catherine suffered a stroke at the age of 67, inside her water closet. She was discovered by her maid, lying on the carpet against her commode. The door had prevented her from stretching out her legs. Her eyes were closed, her face congested. There was foam on her lips and a rattle in her throat. Others rushed in when they heard the cries of her maid. They combined their many efforts to lift her heavy body, but staggered. They pulled a leather mattress from a sofa to the floor. There she stayed while doctors tried to bleed her. But they knew it was the end. She died several hours later without regaining consciousness, stretched out by now in her canopied bed.

[Alastor D]

Hmm. That horse story seems to be one of the most ridiculous I've heard. :D

Another example of that as the truth seldom is very exciting, the more fantastic a story you can invent, the greater your chances to find believers.

[MoodyMania]

Since this is a family forum I won't go into detail. But acording to www.snopes.com the story is false. Snopes tried to confirm or put to rest urban legends. According to snopes, this is how she died.

Catherine the Great actually died alone, and she died of natural causes. On the morning of 5 November 1796, Catherine arose, drank coffee, and sat down to write. About three hours later her chamberlain, curious that he had not been summoned as usual, found her barely conscious on the floor of a closet adjacent to her bedroom. As her servant summoned help, Catherine lapsed into an unconsciousness from which she never awakened and died at 9:45 PM the next day. An autopsy conducted the next day determined the cause of death to be a cerebral hemorrhage.

[DoctorMildew]

its prolly safe to say that everybody that reads that will immediately forget it and continue to relay the horse story. this is interesting in that it shows that the truth is sometimes malleable.

[haha]

its prolly safe to say that everybody that reads that will immediately forget it and continue to relay the horse story. this is interesting in that it shows that the truth is sometimes malleable.
I'm not really sure about that. I don't like the 'horse theory' and i agree with Alastor D It's one of the most ridiculous one's I've ever heard of.

[DoctorMildew]

i agree with alastor D too: the more fantastic a story you can invent, the greater your chances to find believers. this might explain why ppl believe such obvious rubbish as faux news.

[haha]

It is probably also because the weird stories are the ones that are going to stick in your mind, rather than the normal, everyday ones.