Catherine the Great - Lies - Extra History

[@extrahistory]

James talks about the mistakes we made and the stories we left out in the tale of Catherine the Great! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/ExtraCredits/

[@lotrbuilders5041]

S. I. V. Yes I want to know

[@PyroX792]

James, your pronunciation of Moscow bothers me. You pronounce it like it is a cow made of moss. The best English pronunciation ends in a long 'O' sound silent 'W'. :)

[@PyroX792]

Oh, I'm going to be at the Hermitage Museum in May! I didn't realize art formally owned by Robert Walpole is housed there! :D

[@robertwalpole360]

Well, I always had a thing for art. ;)

[@theartistswiththeglasses3946]

Aww still no frederick the great or bismarck? (although i would personally prefer frederick)

[@WannabeCanadianDev]

"And we basically get to apologize for having flags in the show." - Savage. :D

[@lotrbuilders5041]

S. I. V. First few sentences

[@David-fm6go]

It's not like they were using the Tricolor or something. for pre-Revolutionary France. A lot of people tend to thing the Russian Empire flag always had the yellow canton with the double eagle in the top left, but that was only used in the last few years of the empire.

[@FBH991]

Being paranoid is pretty normal for any autocratic ruler who gains power via coup. We tend to romanticize the business of monarchy these days, but actually it's always pretty murderous.

[@18Krieger]

Who does that? Otherwise I agree. Many monarchs died a fast death/young death.

[@neeneko]

I've actually been seeing a rise of romanticizing monarchs, mostly be people who feel that the 'ordained by (the roman catholic) god' gives them special 'will do what is best for people because they are different' powers.

[@18Krieger]

Wait what? Thats new to me. Such medival believes shouldnt be around in modern Europe.

[@JGD44]

You can thank Disney for that romanticism.

[@phylippezimmermannpaquin2062]

what?? weve always talked shit about those

[@mikhailbychkov5042]

1:21 ''She isn't seen as quite as favorably in Poland and Lithuania'' Gee I wonder why ?

[@ancientdeeds6634]

Mikhail Bychkov im lithuanian

[@mikhailbychkov5042]

and i'm Russian, nice to meet you! Now... give us your means of productions comrade

[@attcat]

Mikhail Bychkov I think I need to show you commies a big bullet of FREEDOM *bald eagle caw*

[@VonKrauzer]

lol, they have none.

[@mikhailbychkov5042]

awww... But they do have land, yes ?

[@Lazarus1095]

Catherine's forced resettlement of jews to isolated catons (the "Pale of Settlement") is particularly interesting to me because I have spent quite a long time reading Robert Massie's generally excellent biography of her and it does not mention this at all. It is an object lesson in the need for multiple sources- and in the danger of becoming too fond of your subject matter. It also puts me in mind of another biography I read, of Marie Antoinette, by Antonia Fraser, which utterly failed to include any serious discussion of the attempts Antoinette made to restore her husband's rule in the days of her and her husband's captivity - including letters in which she bluntly attempted to procure military aid to overthrow the Revolution which might have at least partially justified her execution on grounds that it would have been suicidally dangerous for the Revolution to keep her and her husband alive. (though I concede the matter is debatable). It is also a reminder that although we may take many admirable things from the leaders of the past, we should never seek to blindly emulate them.

[@JustAGuyWhoLikesStuff.]

Well said.

[@Iskah_Batya]

Agreed. She in articles online I have found she sucame some with the russian antisemitic mentality. I read that mentality was not present where she grew up and also if you dig hard enough she pardoned some Jewish people from living there and supposedly a Jewish man saved her in her youth. I still genuinely think of her as a good ruler. It's hard to find a ruler that I admire. I can't stand Peter the great. His son alexi makes me sad. I've been looking into Europe and antisemitism and until England had a ruler that was holding the throne that looked the other way to Jewish people living there, antisemitism had been widespread. Generally ireland has had good relationships with its Jewish population. It's sad there's currently places in the world that don't think the holocaust was as bad as people say.

[@PanPan-fm3uf]

James, you don't have to keep it short due to us thinking we don't care about a longer part. I think most people actually want it longer!,

[@jamestown8398]

Dear God, Ivan VI's story is utterly heartbreaking. Somebody spends his whole life in prison for no crime of his own (not even the pretense of a crime, just for existing), he only knows a handful of people, and he is murdered in cold blood. It reminds me of the Kafes in the Ottoman Empire, where the Sultan would keep his second and third sons in prison and strangle them to death the moment his first son had children (even if the second and third sons were infants). If I was one of the guards I too would have tried to help crown Ivan, just because of how much I feel sorry for him. It's too bad the guards didn't succeed; somebody who spent his whole life in prison might be more sympathetic to the plight of the serfs.

[@FryChicken]

Seriously WTF was THAT?! Here's me sort of listening calmly, when all of a sudden this gets dropped. Good lord. Russia....

[@lauriesmith4575]

It's almost like... The Russian version of The Man in the Iron Mask: Royalty Edition

[@MikeDaner2630]

17:00 nice of her to think of the doctor's life. I would think all monarchs would be so thoughtfull

[@Adam-gk4lz]

In Poland we call Catherine Katarzyna Wielka so Catherine the Great is used also in Poland when talking about her.

[@gabrielroberts6559]

Wait, did Ivan VI even know who HE was?

[@Veniczar_pa]

An Elder Scrolls main character.

[@Tytoalba777]

Veniczar B. Pavel You have no idea how much I want that to be the set up of an Elder Scrolls game now.

[@s199805723]

He actually did seem to know, since he referred to himself as the Gosudar(sovereign). However, he was otherwise uneducated and thus, as mentioned never really attempted to lead a rebellion himself(also a bit difficult from jail).

[@adelaide201]

I kinda wonder who told him he was the secret emperor when he hadn't seen his parents since he was two. Someone who felt sorry for him?

[@patrickdees5256]

what part of history HASN'T Robert Walpole and his family had any involvments in? seriously, next thing you know they tie this family back to the Roman soldier who speared Jesus when he was crucified.

[@JustAGuyWhoLikesStuff.]

That was their ancestor.

[@MendyGreenstein]

Thank you for mentioning the Pale of Settlement

[@AmazingMollusk]

will there ever be an episode about Alexander the Great

[@Narvaljodchik]

bump

[@Mankorra_Gomorrah]

become a patreon and vote for it.

[@AmazingMollusk]

risker34 I have no money. I am poor

[@justinward3679]

Beggars can't be choosers.

[@Sahil-oq8ki]

I would go for one about Ashoka first, since he's less well known and also did something more than just conquer.

[@beretperson]

did Catherine just Walpole a Walpole?

[@mgraham0160]

Mateo Gg Or did Walpole just Walpole Walpole? IT WAS WALPOLE!

[@robertwalpole360]

Or was it ALL just Walpole?

[@icecold1805]

Catherine Was Walpole all allong.

[@Vanalovan]

You guys have run into a lot of sad chapters of Jewish history; do you guys think you'll ever have the chance to do one of the brighter chapters of Jewish history? The Hasmonean dynasty, the politics around the discovery of Deuteronomy or some other episode where Jews had some agency? It just would be a nice change of pace

[@Tytoalba777]

They did do that episode about the Jewish Vizier in Granada, "Prince of all the Jews" I think

[@Noldorim]

Well they did that one episode of that jewish prince in Anatolia. But yeah variety is always nice.

[@Noldorim]

*Andalusia

[@Vanalovan]

I was thinking of a time period when the community as a whole had more weight. I remember HaNagid episode, although if they only got around to more profiles I would be down with a Dona Garcia or a Mendelssohn episode (I'm not a Patreon donor though :/ )

[@VintageLJ]

Perhaps they could explore theology a little. Jewish/Christian creation story and myths.

[@timothyheimbach3260]

4 1/2 minutes in, "let's get started." i love extra history

[@kitedarkside8085]

You know, I keep thinking that today is the day that Walpole won't be tied back into it... and the day Walpole can't be related to an Extra History episode, I don't know if I'll be relieved or devastated...

[@robertwalpole360]

When is it never not me?

[@adnanindawala1153]

It's our god walpole

[@kitedarkside8085]

WAAAAALPOOOOOLE!

[@AlexPope1668]

When it was the Mongols... but that was the exception... and another channel.

[@VxlvetCece]

Alex Pope it's always Walpole's fault, and the Mongols are always the exception.

[@dazedcrow]

No don't keep is shorter! I could watch this everyday. James is a great speaker. Extra History is definitely my favourite series. I came for the video games and stayed for the history lessons.

[@MrLarryLicious]

I absolutely and genuinely love the way you talk about history. Your passion and enthuisiasm is really infectious.

[@zelda64rules]

Another great episode of Lies, Walpole, and Walpole's Lies.

[@robertwalpole360]

Well, it's not a Lies episode without me. ;)

[@TheRagingStorm98]

Dammit walpole just how many historical events have you got yourself into.

[@mr.nobody2485]

The Raging Storm all of them. Absolutely all of them.

[@sgalchemist5769]

Please do the series about Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It's great material to explain and talk about. I would be so happy :3.

[@ElNeroDiablo]

Yes! Edward "Ned" Kelly is next! :D Sure, most Aussies grew up hearing his story (and the theories about one of his brothers surviving the final shootout), but it'll be nice to get a bit of our lore spread around the world!

[@maxmustermann9058]

Great, someone I do not know yet.

[@HolyTurtleOfDoom]

Aussie here. Ned Kelly sucks.

[@firestorm165]

Aussie here. Ned Kelly was a hero and you are certainly living up to your name duck

[@AgentTasmania]

The one item of Australian history anyone outside Australia has heard of.

[@SuperAngryPacman]

AgentTasmania I would argue that the Great Emu War has spread pretty far across the world.

[@MrManWithPlan]

this channel is awesome because unlike literally everyone they admit their mistakes

[@SockPuppet80]

I still don't get why people keep emphasizing the difference between Czar and Emperor (or "Imperator"). They're basically synonymous! Like earl and count and graf. A whole bunch of European aristocratic titles were ill-defined or overlapping through multiple languages. It's not like there was ever a central regulatory body for various monarchs/despots/sovereigns/etc. to refer to when their titles needed sorting.

[@Ansible1000]

I was hoping for a mention of Catherine's patronage of Francisco De Miranda. A good tie-in to the Bolivar story, and yet another part of nis amazing life.

[@Edmonton-of2ec]

The other thing that was not covered sufficiently well in the first episode was the fact that Catherine’s father was the co-ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, ruling alongside Catherine’s uncle, Johann Ludwig II. It’s kind of mentioned but they don’t explain it well. The other thing not mentioned is that Catherine actually outlived that younger brother of hers, Frederick Augustus, and although the Anhalt lands of the family went to other branches, Catherine did inherit the Lordship of Jever from her brother (located on the North Sea coast, eventually formed the most northwestern portion of the state Oldenburg) as it had been acquired by Catherine’s family when her great-great-great grandmother, Magdalene of Oldenburg, married into the Anhalt-Zerbst branch of the House of Ascania. Catherine became the Lady of Jever and the territory was governed by her sister-in-law, the Dowager Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst Friederike Auguste Sophie until the end of the state at Napoleon’s hands in 1806. The Lordship would be turned over to the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg by Tsar Alexander I following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, as it was ruled over by his paternal second cousin, twice removed

[@kalixkatt]

Great and informative series but people seem forget that Chaterine was a brutal dictator (as rulers were in that time) whom in her later years gave up on the enlightment almost completly to focus on maintaining her own powerbase.

[@timothymclean]

"Catherine was an autocrat at heart..." Aren't we all? I mean, all of us with a reasonable chance of making it into a position of power.

[@AegixDrakan]

Well, you know what they say about power and corruption.

[@mapatay3641]

Timothy McLean A pinch of elitism, an ounce of power corruption, and for flavor some well-intentioned extremism

[@RenoApostoli]

"Nature has left this tincture in the blood, That all men would be tyrants if they could." - Daniel Defoe

[@ludicrus32]

Timothy McLean I don't think so. It is possible for people in positions of power to just not want complete control- George Washington is a great example, as his officers wanted to overthrow congress and institute a dictatorship after congress failed to pay them. Washington was horrified by the thought, and shot it down without a second thought. This was much like his inspiration, Cincinnatus, once made dictator of the Roman Republic, but upon dealing with a war that threatened Rome, he relinquished all his power and returned to his farm.

[@Tytoalba777]

Timothy, I think Alexander II of Russia and Pedro II of Brazil would like to speak with you. These are two Emperors that were consistently checking and limiting their own power (Pedro didn't even really want to rule, from my understanding)

[@XGeohound]

She is called the great not only in Russia but also in Germany and other countries

[@chattycain9953]

Love this part of the show! Only downside is I wish it was longer and more in depth like at the beginning.

[@qwerty1qwerty1123]

OMG! I can't believe I just gave in and started watching this series and you're about to cover Ned Kelly! Such an icons for us Aussies (ofc he is a crim but we aren't as inherently dark on that down here, haha). In our schools he's covered as quite a hero to be honest. By the way, I absolutely loved this history on Catherine the Great, whom I think must have been quite the bad arse despite her flaws. Keep it up guys!

[@LordDragon1965]

The history of the Pale of Settlement is worth a few episodes itself. Especially the sad ending of it.

[@raiju6090]

Would love if there was a series about Portugal in the near future

[@belzibubtom9546]

Killing Ivan was a mercy, living a life in isolation like that is unbelievable cruel

[@iliatchaplinski]

A mercy would be releasing Ivan. One gets no points for mercy if a more merciful action is within one's power to do.

[@thisrandomdude2880]

Interesting to note is that Peter III is often portrayed differently in sources that weren't tainted Catherine's influence. Palmer describes him as progressive: -He abolished the secret police. -He made education mandatory for the nobility. -He promoted mercantilism (which removed some power from the nobility, see there was a reason they all liked Catherine so much). -He gave serfs protections from their masters and gave certain ones more rights and freedoms. -He started reforming the Russian military along Prussian lines. -He enacted religious freedom. -He wished to secularize many Church institutions. Yes, he had many faults, he was not the brilliant intellectual that Catherine was, he was vehemently German, and his actions in the 7 years war can be seen as either stupid or naive and idealistic. But it's a but unfair to say he was all bad.

[@DCdabest]

You gotta do Frederick the Great soon as well! Der Alte Frtiz was an interesting guy!

[@epiren]

It's good to see Max Landis branching out and telling stories about history.

[@aria5614]

Somewhat of a worry: the story flow from episode to episode of a part of the series has gotten a bit choppy. Like, a story got dropped off without getting resolved. Other than that the show is great. Keep up the good work!

[@corvo6103]

I would love a series about Frederick the Great.

[@Mehno97]

God dammed, you guys are by far my favorite KZbin-Channel.

[@NotSoHeavyD3]

BTW for those that haven't notice this girls are pretty much their adult height at 14 assuming good nutrition. (Boys are pretty much adult height at 16.) She was going to have good nutrition so by the time we're talking about she was either at or almost at her adult height.

[@David-fm6go]

12:52 Its almost like a War of the Roses situation, only with the Lancastrians keeping the Mortimers locked away and certainly not allowing them to marry back into a leading noble family (who also happens to be a junior branch themselves) and thus producing a child who is an awesome military leader, and also has an awesome sauce bloodline that is kind of superior to the King's own claim of descent from Edward III. Oops!

[@Wesker10000]

Jeez this story about Ivan VI is one of the saddest stories I've ever heard...

[@agilemind6241]

Ooh if you're doing an Australian, I'll nominate Sir John A Macdonald - the alcoholic who founded Canada - for the next series.

[@DavidChipman]

Are they going to do an Australian? I'd be up for hearing about Sir John A though!

[@uyuman1]

Ned Kelly

[@halikarnak1862]

Agilemind isn't John a Mcdonald Scottish or irish?

[@DavidChipman]

He was also Canada's first Prime Minister, and a drunk.... I wouldn't say he *founded* Canada, though.

[@agilemind6241]

He was born in Scotland but lived in Canada from a very young age.

[@MostafaHaque]

I've waited all week for this!

[@icedragon769]

18:45 James says Kazakhs, but the image says Cossacks, which is it? Those aren't the same people (though interestingly, their names are etymologically related).

[@mgraham0160]

icedragon769 I think he said Cossacks, he just said it in a way that sounded like Kazakhs.

[@Nerthym]

Precisely. And, yeah, it would be interesting to see episode or two about cossacks.

[@Man_in_White]

He speaks about cossacks[kaz-ak]. But yeah, pronouncation is really similar to kazakhs[kuh-zakh]. To make it even more weird, Russian pronunciation of kazakh butchers it a bit - [ka-zah]

[@МахамбетМамыров]

Haha, that's actually funny, becouse there are sound and spell even more simular in russian. This even more confusing, becouse kazakhs were part of Russian Empire too at the time. I made this mistakes few times when I read history books and I am a kazakh)

[@VintageLJ]

I think Kazakh and Cossack both mean 'free man'.

[@mgraham0160]

If you guys at Extra Credits are reading this, could a series on Timur be put on your Patreon page as a possible series? He was the last great Mongol conqueror and his descendants would eventually create the Mughal Empire.

[@thoughtfulpug1333]

After your finished with Ned Kelly, can you guys PLEASE do an Extra History on Frederick the Great? He has to be my favorite person/character from this time period.

[@rin_etoware_2989]

When I hear Australia, I remember one thing. Never forget the Great Emu War.

[@qienna6677]

You guys should do a series on the Treaty of Waitangi. It's the only instance where the British crown has ever tried to settle peacefully in a country and there's a ton of interesting little stories around it.

[@WYCD]

Lithuania getting some love!!!!

[@jihadramboski2709]

Oh jeeze, if you could show Minnesota some love and do a Paul Bunyan one. That’s would forsure be shown in my and most history classes! Love the shorts, quick and factual.

[@kylepettis4571]

Catherine the Great on the serfs: Trickle Down Freedom.

[@jarjarjamjar4597]

i like theway theese videos have gone from 2 minutes to 22

[@matrinoxtm]

I love the longer tangents you go on

[@vinetu73]

It was Walpole -'s art collection...

[@kairon156]

Excellent series. I forgot how interesting some of these Extra History videos can be.

[@perttiperseenreika1961]

You really should call these episodes "xxx - Oh, and... - Extra History"

[@romon3989]

The FFXI music gives me crazy nostalgia. I want to decorate my Mog House again!

[@assasinman98]

I just wanted to say that I am super excited about you doing Ned Kelly. He is quite a hotly debated person here in Australia, particularly in Victoria, whether he was a hero or a villian!

[@timalechkevitch4566]

THANK YOU! THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING LITHUANIA!!

[@Flamingbob25]

I like how a bunch of the lies are "you guys thought we were wrong but we weren't for once ha!" XD

[@joinmarch76]

Alright, time for the annual summoning: Walpole...Walpole...Walpole!

[@robertwalpole360]

*Falls from the sky* You rang?

[@joinmarch76]

Robert Walpole Great seeing you again, old friend. How goes joyriding on the rug of space and time? Also, as is the theme of these summonings, have you ever been traveling around during the 7 year war? And if so, what were the likes of Voltaire, Frederick and Catherine the Great *really* like?

[@christopherbagley1560]

I would love a series on the war of the roses

[@shinon748]

All this Final Fantasy 11 music. So great to hear while learning history.

[@meakimon]

Great video. Also, had to take a happy double-take when I heard the Vana'diel music in the bg.

[@nightazday7988]

Remember that Fredrick is the guy that made an essay trying to debunk Machiavelli

[@LauchlinM.]

Seeing as it's Canada's 150th anniversary, would you kindly consider doing Sir John A. MacDonald and the Confederation of Canada (which was begun in Charlottetown, PEI)? Thank you.

[@nathanbrown8680]

It's not right to call Potemkin Villages entirely fictitious since the term has since been used for entirely real deceptions and to call them entirely fictitious implies that those are also fictitious. It is more correct to say that the association with Potemkin is fictitious or slanderous.

[@jordierox1]

i'm actually really excited for Ned Kelly! As an Australian, I know of him and how he was an outlaw and what he wore, but beyond that, all I know is he's seen as our 'Robin Hood', so to speak. The episodes can't come soon enough :)

[@devinobrien9241]

Didn't you already mention you guys calling Russian monarchs "Czar" in the WW1 videos with Nicky?

[@lothrazar]

Thanks for always making followups

[@Tardisntimbits]

...I'm sorry I got really distracted. I was super excited to hear the FFXI music ...lol...

[@anthonysmith3230]

could you guys just do an entire series or one off about Walpole?

[@TheManFromWaco]

Ivan VI's life sounds like something from 'Game of Thrones' or an Alexandre Dumas novel!

[@daelix20]

great intro there james lol i miss our book club and seeing you apartment lol

[@juancariasr7932]

Some personal criticism, I suggest that this series are made slightly longer and more in depth, as it's getting to the point where the lies episode is way more interesting than any other episode in the series, when in fact it should be a place to correct and fit in little stuff that HAD to be cut out, not mayor events like the whole Ivan ordeal. Keep up the great work.

[@elroyscout]

The story of an outlaw on Extra History... I am now interested

[@tomprice5990]

This music was excellent. I think I will download it.

[@NathanGatten]

It's okay to say that a historical figure has a dark side. Please don't apologize over it and call it a character flaw.

[@Crick1952]

I'm looking forward to the next series. I don't know much about Australian history, so I hope to learn alot.

[@NathanGatten]

3:30 - 4:40 *That's kind of a big thing to leave out don't you think?*

[@dantheman627]

If one of peter the 3rds killer was the brother to new empress lover who had no claim to the throne and had taken said throne via coup, and who was extremely paranoid to the point where she stunted her own son and heir’s political growth to prevent him from gaining enough power to overthrow her, it’s probably very likely Catherine either ordered or hinted to her lover that peter needed to go, especially if you remember how much she hated Peter.

[@Vicioussama]

Best part of "Lies" is the FFXI music imo

[@kedrak90]

I really enjoyed this series. Cant wait for the next one. Is a connection to Walpole a requirement to be choosen as one of your topics?

[@Sagethe7th]

Walpole was largely (almost entirely) responsible for the events of an earlier series titled "the south-sea bubble" and since then it's been a running gag to tie him in somehow to the events of each new series. It's mostly done for laughs, but it is interesting to see how one person has echoes all through history. So, no, not a requirement, more of a "fun facts" sort of thing

[@robertwalpole360]

It's always connected to me. No need to fret. ;)

[@gantzter1]

Your Channel is AWESOME!!! Im sorry im not good writing in english, i would love to explain properly how happy i am to see this videos of you. Greetings from Peru :D

[@michaelt.5672]

Still sad that Alexander Suvorov wasn't even mentioned. But perhaps Extra History will get around to the French Revolutionary Wars and we'll see him then. It would be a disgrace to just forget about this guy.

[@Canadia_Ball]

Who was really the father of Catherine's so- It was Walpole.

[@Hebdomad7]

Ned Kelly! Oh boy this is going to be a good episode. Some say he was a hero. others a villain. He's definitely a big part of Australian (particularly the sate of Victoria) folklore. Heck even the states cricket team the bushrangers have his helmet at a symbol.

[@MichelFialloPerez]

Man, you know you're a Car Talk fan when you hear "this is the part of Extra History where I get to confess our mistakes, talk about our errors, and" and think "share the solution to last week's Puzzler!"

[@Giovani90]

Thank you

[@isaackitchel6354]

Now I just want to know more about Frederick the Great.

[@Eira_99]

YES! Finally a extra history based in Australia, I live in Australia and I have been waiting for this, I though you would do something with the Anzacs or maybe the insane emu war but ned Kelly is also a great choice. Obviously as an Australian I alreaddy know everything there is to know about the guy but it will still be cool to watch.

[@shinjinobrave]

That horse story is a pile of shit! Though I do keep 'em chomping at the bit ;)

[@jorenvanderark3567]

shinjinobrave but youre never gona get it, nyet! couldn't spin in my chamber if this where russian roullette.

[@PintoRagazzo]

Joren van der ark Pick it up where Peter the Great left off

[@robertwalpole360]

*Dances in the background*

[@zyaicob]

The horse story is a myth spread to make her seem more manly or to give masculinity more historical power.

[@czechmeoutbabe1997]

PintoRagazzo Bringing glory back to house Romanov

[@davidvansickle5850]

correcting mistakes made makes extra credits better.

[@apathy42069]

What do you guys use to research these topics? Is there a reading list

[@wickedAberration]

It's weird that you seem to indicate that she had no idea about Peter's murder, I don't really see heavy evidence swinging one way or the other in terms of direct involvement. That's also heavily fucked up shit with Ivan VI. Quite a bit of megalomania on her shoulder.

[@yessicacastro5886]

Claude Wicked she was actually following Empress Elizabeths decree as Ivan the 14th was going to be a problem, so she merely carried out and old order, if a coup happened to put him on the throne he was to be killed

[@grzegorzgrzesiak7498]

Do you mean Ivan the sixth?

[@sion8]

Yessica Castro​ Who's "Ivan the 14th"?

[@wickedAberration]

Yessica Castro That doesn't make it less screwed. I'm just asserting that, as an individual, looking at her idyllically kind of ignores that she was a monstrous person to he complacent in that kind of thing.

[@Ulakiest]

If there was a rebellion around the kid, hundreds of thousands people might have died in a war. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

[@colindear5416]

Can you guys do a series about the Qing invasion of the Ming?

[@roguedogx]

you certainly don't seem to be minding the busy schedule James.

[@smcasas9367]

Frederick the Great next.