Catherine

The Great

1729 — 1796

Catherine was born Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst in Stettin, Prussia. She was the daughter of a German prince and it was decided she should marry Peter, the heir to the Russian throne. Peter became emperor in 1762, but he was unpopular and incompetent. Catherine conspired with her lover, Grigory G., Count Orlov, to force Peter to abdicate and have herself proclaimed empress.

Catherine was a brilliant and ambitious woman. She was also a voracious reader and a keen student of history. She was influenced by the Enlightenment ideals of reason, liberty, and tolerance. As empress, Catherine expanded the Russian Empire, promoted Enlightenment ideals, and founded the Hermitage Museum.

Catherine's legacy is complex and contested. She is admired by some for her intelligence, her accomplishments, and her promotion of Enlightenment ideals. However, she is also criticized for her ruthlessness and her expansionist policies.