Catherine II Life and Accomplishments

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Catherine II

Catherine II of Russia was one of the most influential rulers in Russian history. Catherine was born a princess in Germany, originally named Sophie Fredericke Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst, but moved to Russia, changed her name and married the heir to the throne (Massie 96). Prior to Catherine’s reign her husband, Peter III, whom she married at age fifteen was in power. Their marriage was an unhappy one and Peter often was unfaithful to Catherine .Peter also proved very unpopular among the Russian people. He was very immature and made many poor political decisions. Peter soon was overthrown and eventually murdered. Catherine came to rule Russia shortly after the death of her husband Peter III. She was eager to learn the ways of Russian culture and worked hard to master the language. Her ability and eagerness to work gained her the loyalty of the ruling class (Catherine, II, the Great). Catherine was one of the longest female rulers in Russian history. After Peter’s death, Catherine took charge, making her son Peter her heir instead of the new emperor. She was not only ambitious, but intelligent as well. She had very liberal ideas for Russia. Catherine was especially interested in the Enlightenment and the ideas of enlightenment writers. She placed emphasis on education and during her reign built many elementary and secondary schools. Catherine was dedicated to Russia’s future and wanted to build its power and influence in the world. She brought a lot of great advancements to Russia during her reign. She placed high emphasis on the domestic affairs of Russia, she expanded their territory, giving them access to the Black Sea, and she westernized, including a new code of law. Catherine the Great was truly great.

One of Ca...

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Marker, Gary. "Catherine II (Russia) (1729–1796; Ruled 1762–1796)." Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. Ed. Jonathan Dewald. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. 411-415. World History in Context. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.

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Schlesinger, Arthur. Catherine. New Haven, CT: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Print.

Whitelaw, Nancy. Catherine the Great and the Enlightenment in Russia. Greensboro, NC: Morgan Reynolds Pub., 2005. Print.

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