CATHERINE II ,THE GREAT OF RUSSIAN EMPIRE DIED NOVEMBER 17, 1796 BORN MAY 2,1729

CATHERINE II ,THE GREAT  OF RUSSIAN EMPIRE 

DIED NOVEMBER 17, 1796 BORN  MAY 2,1729

Catherine II, known as Catherine the Great, was a Prussian princess who became the queen consort of Russia through her marriage to Peter III. She then orchestrated a coup to overthrow her husband and became the Empress of the Russian Empire in July 1762. Catherine was Czarina for a period of 34 years till her death in November 1796, making her the longest-ruling female leader in the history of Russia. Though she is considered one of the greatest Russian monarchs, the serfs were mostly dissatisfied during her reign leading to a number of revolts, most prominently the Pugachev’s Rebellion of 1773-75. Catherine is also known for her numerous love affairs. She kept lovers till her death at the age of 67 and certain sources cite their number as high as 22. Catherine had at least four children, of which only her eldest son Paul is considered legitimate. Know about the family, life, rise to power, reign, revolts, affairs and death of Catherine the Great through these 10 interesting facts. 


#1 Her mother had little interest in her and Catherine was instead close to her governess

Catherine was born Princess Sophie Fredericka Auguste on 2nd May 1729 in the city of Szczecin in Pomerania, Kingdom of Prussia. Her father Christian August was a German prince of the House of Ascania who served as general in the Prussian army of King Frederick William I; and from 1742, became ruler of a Principality known as Anhalt-Zerbst. Her mother Johanna Elisabeth was a princess of the House of Holstein-Gottorp. Sophie was the first of five children of Christian and Johanna. In accordance to the customs prevailing in German aristocratic families, she was educated primarily by a French governess, named Babette. Apart from studying religion and history, she learned three languages: German, French and Russian. Johanna’s attitude towards Sophie was ambivalent and Sophie instead developed a close relationship with her governess. However, after the death of her brother Wilhelm Christian, her mother started to see Sophie as a mean to improve her own situation.

Catherine the Great's parentsCatherine II’s parents – Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp & Christian August of Anhalt-Zerbst


#2 She got the name Catherine on being converted to the Russian Orthodox faith in 1744

Czarina Elizabeth, a daughter of Peter the Great who had assumed the Russian throne in 1741, invited the 15-year-old Sophie along with her mother to Russia in 1744. Elizabeth knew Johanna’s family well and had initially intended to marry her brother Charles Augustus, who had died of smallpox before the wedding could take place. Unmarried and childless, Elizabeth had chosen her nephew Peter, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, as her heir. Even though Elizabeth disliked Johanna and eventually banned her from the country, she took a strong liking to Sophie, who did all she could to please Elizabeth. Despite the objection of her father due to his being a devout German Lutheran, Princess Sophie converted to the Russian Orthodox faith on 28th June 1744 and was given a new name, Yekaterina, or Catherine.

Portrait of Catherine II as a young girlPortrait of Catherine soon after her arrival in Russia


#3 There is speculation that her son Paul was not fathered by her husband Peter

Catherine married her second cousin Peter, heir to the Russian throne, on 21st August 1745 in Saint Petersburg. She was 16 years old while Peter was 17. Their marriage proved to be unsuccessful and they both soon began extramarital affairs. Peter took a mistress named Elizabeth Vorontsova while Catherine had an affair with Sergei Saltykov, a Russian military officer. On October 1, 1754, a son was born to Catherine who was named Paul. Due to Catherine’s promiscuity, it is speculated whether Peter was the child’s biological father and some claim that Paul’s actual father was Sergei Saltykov. This belief was further enhanced by Catherine, who later wrote in her memoirs that Paul was not fathered by Peter and that, in fact, they had never consummated the marriage. Most historians today however believe that Catherine’s claims were an attempt to discredit Peter. The basis of their opinion that Peter was Paul’s father is similarity in their appearance and character.

Emperor Peter III of RussiaCoronation portrait of Emperor Peter III of Russia – Husband of Catherine


#4 Catherine the Great orchestrated a bloodless coup to overthrow her husband Peter III

Empress Elizabeth died on 5th January 1762 and Peter succeeded to the throne of Russia as Emperor Peter III while Catherine became empress consort. Throughout the 1750s, Catherine had cultivated relations with powerful political groups opposed to her husband. She was in fact introduced to some of these groups by Ekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova, the sister of her husband’s mistress. On becoming emperor, Peter III ended Russia’s war with Prussia and introduced a number of liberal reforms that alienated him from the Russian military class and nobility. Catherine collaborated with these factions and began plotting an overthrow of her husband. On the night of 8th July 1762, Catherine was informed that one of her co-conspirators had been arrested. She acted swiftly; had her husband arrested; and forced him to sign a document of abdication. On 17th July 1762, 8 days after the coup, Peter III was murdered by Alexei Orlov. Alexei was the younger brother of Grigory Orlov, Catherine’s lover at the time and the person who led the coup. There is no evidence to prove that Catherine ordered the assassination of her husband or knew about it beforehand.

Coronation of Catherine II of RussiaPainting of the Coronation of Catherine the Great









#5 The Russian Empire became stronger and larger than ever before during her reign

A day after the coup, on 9th July 1762, Catherine declared herself Catherine II, the sovereign ruler of the Russian Empire. Her official coronation took place in Moscow on 22nd September 1762. During her reign, Catherine II successfully led Russia against the Ottoman Empire making her nation one of the dominant countries in Europe. Apart from victories against the Ottoman Empire, Russia under her leadership defeated the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth leading to the partitioning of Poland and division of its territory between Russia, Prussia and Austria with Russia gaining the largest share. By the end of the reign of Catherine the Great, the Russian Empire had grown larger and stronger than ever before. It had expanded rapidly by conquest and diplomacy with around 200,000 square miles (518,000 square kilometers) being added to its territory.

Map of the Russian EmpireMap of the Growth of the Russian Empire











#6 Her reign worsened the conditions of the serfs in Russia

When Catherine II came to the throne in 1762, Russian population of around 20 million consisted to up to 10 million serfs. Serfs were peasants in permanent bondage to land owned by the other classes. They had initially held some rights but as the power of the landowners increased, their rights diminished and by mid 18th century, they had practically become slaves. Catherine II was well versed with the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment in Europe like the Rights of Man and was intellectually opposed to serfdom. However, she soon realized that emancipation of the serfs would not be tolerated by the nobility and the other classes on whose support she depended. Catherine implemented several policies which worsened the conditions of the serfs and they were discontented by her rule. Thus despite her many achievements, the condition of around half of the population deteriorated during her reign.

1763 portrait of Catherine the Great1763 portrait of Empress Catherine the Great by Russian painter Fyodor Rokotov














#7 The largest peasant revolt in Russian history took place during her reign

Due to the difficult social and economic conditions the serfs had to face during the reign of Catherine II, there were more than a dozen rebellions she had to counter. The principal revolt among these was the Pugachev’s Rebellion of 1773-75. The Cossacks are self-governing and semi-military communities who reside primarily in Russia and Ukraine. They were behind a number of revolutions in Russia to abolish slavery and maintain independence. Ural Cossacks, or cossacks settled by the Ural River, were the driving force behind the Pugachev’s Rebellion. It was led by Yemelyan Pugachev, an ex-lieutenant of the Russian Imperial army. He called into question the validity of Catherine’s reign; and proclaimed that he was in fact the deposed Peter III. After initial success, he formed an alternative government and proclaimed an end to serfdom. Catherine II ultimately sent a massive force under General Michelsohn which crushed the revolt. Yemelyan Pugachev was captured and publicly executed in January 1775. Pugachev’s Rebellion was the largest peasant revolt in Russia’s history.

Yemelyan PugachevYemelyan Pugachev – Leader of the Pugachev’s Rebellion















#8 Catherine II had numerous lovers and she usually rewarded them generously

The sexual promiscuity of Catherine the Great is well known. She had numerous relationships throughout her life up till the time she died at the age of 67. According to some sources she had around 12 male lovers in her life while others say that the number was as high as 22. These included Stanisław Poniatowski, who probably fathered her daughter Anna Petrovna and was later aided by Catherine to become King of Poland; Grigory Orlov, who instrumental in the coup against her husband and fathered her son Alexei Bobrinsky; and Grigory Potemkin, who spent many years as her favorite, was an important statesman and held the post of the head of Russian forces during her reign. It is said during her later years, Potemkin selected lovers for her, who were usually much younger to her. She was always generous to them, even after the affair had ended. One of them, Pyotr Zavadovsky, received 50,000 rubles, a pension of 5,000 rubles and 4,000 peasants after she dismissed him in 1777.

Grigory PotemkinGrigory Potemkin – Perhaps the most prominent lover of Catherine the Great















#9 She considered her grandson as a more suitable heir than her eldest son

On 16th November 1796, Catherine II collapsed from a stroke while in the toilet. Worried due to her absence, her servants finally broke in and brought her to the bedroom. The royal physician declared that she had suffered a stroke. Despite all attempts to revive her, she entered into a coma. Catherine the Great died the following day in the Royal residence in St Petersburg, Russia. She was 67 years old. Catherine had a stormy relationship with her eldest son Paul. He was taken away from her when he was a child and raised by Empress Elizabeth. Even when Catherine became empress, she kept him away from state matters further alienating him. Catherine raised Paul’s son Alexander and considered him a more suitable heir than his father. However, she died before she could make this public. Paul I succeeded Catherine as Czar of Russia. His policies proved to be unpopular and after 5 years of reign he was assassinated by conspirators. Alexander I succeeded his father as Emperor in 1801 and ruled till his death in 1825.

Paul I of RussiaPaul I of Russia – Son of Catherine II who succeeded her















#10 Catherine the Great is regarded as one of the greatest rulers of Russia

The reign of Catherine the Great lasted for a period of 34 years from 9 July 1762 to 17 November 1796. This makes her the longest-ruling female leader in the history of Russia. Apart from expanding and strengthening the Russian Empire, Catherine II implemented numerous important reforms in education and administration; and encouraged the development of economy, trade and the arts. Among other things, the Smolny Institute in St Petersburg, the first educational establishment for women in Russia, was founded by her in 1764; and the Hermitage Museum, one of the largest and oldest museums in the world, began as her personal collection. Catherine II presided over the period known as the Russian Enlightenment, which saw the flowering of the arts and sciences; and had a significant and profound impact on Russian culture. Such was the impact of Catherine that period of her rule is referred to as the Catherinian Era and is often called the Golden Age of the Russian Empire.

Catherine the Great statueMarble statue of Catherine II in the guise of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and the arts














Catherine the Great and Serfdom

Even though Catherine was intellectually opposed to serfdom, she had to keep in mind that she couldn’t anger the powerful people who supported her and this led her to implement policies which were not in favor of the serfs. Detractors of Catherine the Great blame her for the poor conditions of the serfs and imply that, as around half of the Russian population was dissatisfied during her reign, her other achievements come to nothing. However, it should be kept in mind what was the attitude of other nations at the time. George III, who ruled the United Kingdom around the same time as Catherine was Czarina of Russia, looked the other way while the English participated in the African slave trade, which was much worse than serfdom in Russia. Thus, despite the Age of Enlightenment, the elite of Europe fared no better in their attitudes and actions. Similar hypocrisy can be seen in America where Thomas Jefferson, who wrote in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal”, was a lifelong slave owner. Twelve American presidents owned slaves, eight of them while in office.



Catherine II, often called Catherine the Great, was born on May 2, 1729, in Stettin, Prussia (now Szczecin, Poland), and became the Russian empress in 1762. Under her reign, Russia expanded its territories and modernized, following the lead of Western Europe. She died on November 17, 1796 in Tsarskoye Selo, or what is now Pushkin.
Early Years

Catherine II of Russia, sometimes called Catherine the Great, started out as a minor German princess. Her birth name was Sophie Friederike Auguste, and she grew up in Stettin in a small principality called Anhalt-Zebst. Her father, Christian August, was a prince of this tiny dominion, but he gained more fame for his military career. He served as a general for Frederick William I of Prussia. Princess Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp, Catherine II's mother, had little interest in her daughter. Instead, Johanna spent much of her time and energy on Catherine's younger brother Wilhelm Christian, but the boy died at the age of 12. Catherine on the other hand was nurtured by her governess Babette.
As Catherine grew up, her mother eventually came to see her daughter as a means to move up the social ladder and improve her own situation. Her mother had relatives in other royal courts in the region, and brought Catherine with her on visits to seek out possible suitors. Catherine on the other hand saw marriage as a way to escape from her controlling mother.
Educated by tutors, Catherine had religious studies with a military chaplain, but she questioned much of what he taught her. She also learned three languages: German, French and Russian. The Russian came in handy when Catherine's mother wrangled an invitation to St. Petersburg from the Empress Elizabeth; Elizabeth had once been engaged to Johanna's older brother, who died of smallpox, and she felt a connection to Johanna's family. She wanted to see if Catherine would be suitable for her heir, Grand Duke Peter (later Peter III).
Becoming Russian Royalty

In 1744, a teenage Catherine traveled with her mother to Russia. She soon fell ill, and her treatment created conflict between her mother and the Russian Empress, Elizabeth. Elizabeth insisted on numerous bloodlettings, while Johanna protested the procedure. When Catherine recovered, she moved forward with her relationship to Grand Duke Peter. The pair became engaged, and Catherine converted to the Russian Orthodox faith, despite her deeply Lutheran father's objections. Along with her new religion, she also received a new name—Yekaterina, or Catherine.
On August 21, 1745, Catherine II married into the Russian royal family, becoming a grand duchess. She and Peter proved to be anything but a happy couple, however. Peter was immature and juvenile, preferring to play with toy soldiers and mistresses than to be with his wife. Catherine II developed her own pastimes, which included reading extensively.
After years of not having children, Catherine II finally produced a heir. Her son, Paul, was born on September 20, 1754. The paternity of the child has been a subject of great debate with many scholars, who believe that Paul's father was actually Sergei Saltykov, a Russian noble and member of the court. Others have claimed that Paul looked a lot like Peter, leading them to believe that he was actually Paul's father. In any case, Catherine had little time with her first-born son; Elizabeth took over raising the child soon after his birth.
Taking the Throne

After Empress Elizabeth's death in December 25, 1761, Catherine's husband assumed the throne, becoming Peter III, while she received the title of Empress Consort. The pair were leading separate lives at this point, and she had little to do with his rule. Peter was openly cruel to his wife, and often discussed pushing her aside to allow his mistress to rule with him. He soon alienated other nobles, officials and the military with his staunch support for Prussia. A purveyor of what would be seen today as progressive domestic reforms, he also angered the Orthodox Church by taking away their lands. After six months, Peter was overthrown in a coup orchestrated by Catherine.
Catherine II had conspired with her lover, Gregory Orlov, a Russian lieutenant, along with several others in order to unseat Peter. She was able to get him to step down from power, and assumed control herself. A few days after Peter's resignation, he was strangled while in the care of her co-conspirators at Ropsha, one of Peter's estates. The exact role Catherine played in her husband's death is unclear.
Concerned about being toppled by opposing forces herself, Catherine sought to appease the military and the church. She recalled troops that had been sent by Peter to fight Denmark, and promoted and gifted those who had backed her as the new empress. Early in her reign, she returned the church's land and property. Catherine even styled herself after the beloved ruler Peter the Great, claiming that she was following in his footsteps. Catherine II had a sculpture made later, known as the Bronze Horseman, built to honor him.
Ruling Russia
While Catherine believed in absolute rule, she did make some efforts toward social and political reforms. She put together on document, known as the "Nakaz," on how the country's legal system should run, with a push for capital punishment and torture to be outlawed and calling for every man to be declared equal. Catherine had also sought to address the dire situation of country's serfs, workers who were owned by landowners for life. The Senate protested any suggestion of changing the feudal system.
After finalizing the Nakaz, Catherine brought delegates together from different social and economic classes to form the Legislative Commission, which met for the first time in 1767. No laws came out of the commission, but it was the first time that Russians from across the empire had been able to express their thoughts about the country's needs and problems. Ultimately, the Nakaz became more known for its ideas rather than its immediate influence.
Later in her rule, with the Charter of the Nobility in 1785, Catherine made an about-face on policy and greatly augmented upper-class power, with a large amount of citizens forced into the oppressive conditions of serfdom.
A religious skeptic, Catherine sought to contain the power of the Orthodox Church. She had given them their land and property back initially, but she soon changed her mind. The wealth of the church should belong to the state, Catherine thought. To that end, she made the church part of the state and all of its holdings, including more than one million serfs, became state property and subject to taxes.
Foreign Affairs
During Catherine's reign, Russia expanded its borders. She made substantial gains in Poland, where she had earlier installed her former lover, Polish count Stanislaw Poniatowski, on the country's throne. Russia's main dispute with Poland was over the treatment of many Orthodox Russians who lived in the eastern part of the country. In a 1772 treaty, Catherine gave parts of Poland to Prussia and Austria, while taking the eastern region herself.
Russia's actions in Poland triggered a military conflict with Turkey. Enjoying numerous victories in 1769 and 1770, Catherine showed the world that Russia was a mighty power. She reached a peace treaty with the Ottoman Empire in 1774, which brought new lands into the empire and gave Russia a foothold in the Black Sea. One of the war's heroes, Gregory Potemkin, became a trusted advisor and lover of Catherine's.
Potemkin proved to be a great supporter of Catherine and an accomplished statesman in his own right. Ruling over newly gained territories in southern Russia in her name, he started new towns and cities, and built up the country's navy there. Potemkin also encouraged Catherine to take over the Crimea peninsula in 1783, shoring up Russia's position in the Black Sea. A few years later, Catherine once again clashed with the Ottoman Empire. The two countries battled each other from 1787 to 1792.
Education and the Arts

At the time of Catherine's accession, Russia was viewed as backward and provincial by many in Europe. She sought to change this negative opinion through expanding educational opportunities and the arts. Catherine had a boarding school established for girls from noble families in St. Petersburg, and later called for free schools to be created in towns across Russia.
Catherine was devoted to the arts, and sponsored many cultural projects. In St. Petersburg, she had a theater built for opera and ballet performances—and even wrote a few librettos herself. She also became a prominent art collector, and many of these were displayed in the Hermitage in a royal residence in St. Petersburg.
An avid reader, Catherine was especially fond of the philosophers and writers of the Enlightenment. She exchanged letters with the French writer Voltaire, and writer Denis Diderot came to Russia to visit with her. In fact, Diderot was the one who gave Cathering her nickname, "Catherine the Great." With literary aspirations of her own, Catherine also wrote about her life in a collection of memoirs.
Romantic Life

The love life of Catherine II has been a topic of much speculation and misinformation. The rumors of bestiality have been debunked, but the royal did have numerous relationships during her reign. Catherine could not remarry, as it would jeopardize her position, and she had to appear chaste to the public. Behind the scenes, however, she seemed to have quite the sexual appetite.
According to most accounts, Catherine had around 12 lovers during her life. She had a system for managing her affairs—often bestowing gifts, honors and titles on those she liked, in order to win their favor. At each relationship's end, Catherine usually found a way to get her new paramour out of her hair. Gregory Potemkin, perhaps her most significant lover, spent many years as her favorite, and remained lifelong friends after their passions cooled.
In addition to her son Paul, who may or may not have been Peter III's son, Catherine had three other children.
Final Days

By 1796, Catherine had enjoyed several decades as Russia's absolute ruler. She had a strained relationship with her son and heir, Paul, over her tight grip on power, but she enjoyed her grandchildren, especially the oldest one: Alexander. In her later years, Catherine continued to possess an active mind and a strong spirit. In mid-November of 1796, however, she was found unconscious on the floor of her bathroom. It was thought at the time that she suffered a stroke.
Catherine, Russia's great empress, lingered on until the following night, but never regained consciousness. She died on November 17, 1796. At the Winter Palace, her coffin lay in state next to that of her late husband, Peter III. Her son, Paul, ordered the remains of his father to placed there, giving Peter III the funeral honors that he had not received after his assassination. Catherine II and Peter III were both laid to rest at the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul.

Catherine is often better remembered for her romantic liaisons than her many accomplishments. Historians have also criticized her for not improving the lives of serfs, who were the majority of the Russian population. Still, Catherine made some significant contributions to Russia, bringing forth educational reforms and championing the arts. As leader, Catherine also extended the country's borders through military might and diplomatic prowess.