Catherine II the Great
(1729 - 1796) Germany - Russia
Empress
Sophie Frederika Amalia von Anhalt-Zerbst, born in Stettin, and daughter of the prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, married in 1745 the Russian grand duke Peter of Holstein, and with him converteds to the orthodox faith, assuming the name Catherine. Peter was an unbalanced weakling, and six months afer his becoming Czar in 1762 as Peter III, he was put out of the way with a coup-d'état she organized, and sentenced to death.
Henceforth Catherine ruled alone and proved capable and energetic. An extremely intelligent ruler and patron of the arts, Catherine the Great is remembered as a benevolent despot who significantly increased Russia's boundaries to include territory from Turkey (1774) and Sweden (1790), and profited by the Partitions of Poland.
Catherine's private life was notorious throughout Europe, but she did not permit her amours to influence her policy.
She admired and aided the Encyclopedists, and corresponded with Voltaire, Diderot, and D'Alembert.
She also tried to modernize Russia and re-organize the governement, to help poor people, but with scarce success.
She died in St. Petersbourg.
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