User:Jakethehuman/Legends of Catherine the Great

This practice was not unusual by the court standards of the day, nor was it unusual to use rumour and innuendo of sexual excess politically. One of her early lovers, Stanisław August Poniatowski, was later supported by her to become a king of Poland. This would not be the first nor last instance where the '''Queen would promote one of her lovers to political positions in order to solidify her own position and strengthen her support. For example, Grigory Orlov, an artillery officer from St. Petersburg; helped the queen in the coup against Peter III, and when the Queen took power, she rewarded him by making him a count, as well as naming him General-In-Chief. '''

However, another account claims that there is no truth in this story. Another unfavorable rumor; The legitimacy of her children. '''Many suspected that the queen's children were not in fact fathered by Emperor Peter III, but in fact by some of the lovers she had taken. It was rumored that her children Ana, and Alexei were illegitimate. However, some historians even question the legitimacy of Paul I, due to the fact he was conceived so late into their marriage. '''