Catherine the Great.

“You are so lucky, dear Voltaire. You write your ideas on paper whereas I, poor Empress, write upon human skin, which is much more ticklish.”
-I really love this quote.

Catherine the Great or “enlightened despot” came into rule when her probably somewhat mentally ill husband was marching the soldiers around his castle like they were wind up soldiers, and playing with things like they were toys. She extended Peter the Great’s plans, but then when rebellions stirred she backed away from any idea of change and switched to conservative views.

Here’s a fun tid bit of information about Catherine: She had an intense passion for horses. She was sexually attracted to horses, and she once wrote about her love for a “stimulating horseback ride every morning.”

Contrary to popular beliefs, Catherine did not die engaging in sexual activities with a horse. The legend goes a horse was levied on top of her, and she collapsed. Catherine died of a bed illness, and although she had a love for horses they were not in any way involved in her death.

Even then the easiest way to attack a woman was related to sex. The people who opposed Catherine would write about her having all sorts of romances with horses.

Hey, if we run out of reasons she isn’t a great ruler lets attack the bestiality! snicker snicker. uh.