Catherine the Great Russian Empress

What would you do if your husband, the Emperor of Russia, was not only the laughing stock of Europe by continuing to play with toy soldiers, but also wanted to put you away into a monastery? If you were Catherine the Great, you’d overthrow him with the help of your friends and proclaim yourself Empress.

Catherine was born as Sophie Augusta Frederika von Anhalt-Zerbst in Prussia, (Germany), on May 2, 1729 (new style) into a minor princely family. She was an intelligent and string-willed tomboy and preferred riding and hunting. Educated by tutors, Sophie studied religion, history, geography, German, and French. Reading, writing, music, and dancing became her favorite subjects.

Sophie was ten when she met her second cousin and future husband, Peter, also a Prussian, and the heir to the Russian throne. Peter captured Sophie’s fancy by enticing her with the idea of a crown on her head. When a marriage was arranged between them by the Empress Elizabeth four years later, Sophie was on the way to fulfilling her dreams.

In 1744, Sophie left her homeland and made the six week journey to Russia with her mother, traveling by coach through cold, snowy weather over bad roads. They arrived in St. Petersburg just in time for Peter’s birthday on February 9th, and a luxurious, fur-lined sleigh whisked Sophie off to her new life.

Sophie undertook her Russian studies with a zeal. She intuitively knew that to become an effective ruler, she must embrace and understand Russia, its language, customs, and religion.

Sophie adopted the name Catherine upon accepting the Russian Orthodox religion and married Peter in August of 1745 at the age of 16. They made an odd couple and although Catherine tried to win his friendship, Peter didn’t pay much attention to his new wife. He continued to carouse and drink with his friends and played with his toy soldiers.

Life in the Russian court was filled with intrigue and scandals and Catherine had to be careful. Even though she bore two children, Paul and a daughter Anna, she wasn’t able to enjoy motherhood. When the children were young, they were whisked away by Catherine's mother-in-law, the Empress Elizabeth, for upbringing. Books became her companions in her loneliness.

Eighteen years passed and upon the death of the Empress Elizabeth in December of 1761, Peter ascended to the throne. He was a silly man, and believed he could do as he pleased, lacking political good sense. Peter preferred to remain a foreigner to Russia: he signed a peace treaty with Prussia, with whom Russia had been at war, attacked the church and even ordered the Russian soldiers to wear Prussian uniforms! To boot, Peter constantly insulted Catherine and had a mistress, whom he wanted to marry by installing Catherine in a monastery.

Peter’s foolishness and child-like antics continued for six months, but Catherine maintained a good rapport with the Russian people. She realized that the only way to save Russia was to stage a coup with her supporters.

Catherine seized power at the age of 33 in June of 1762 and proclaimed herself to be the Empress and Autocrat of Russia. Amazingly, there was no bloodshed and it was Peter who was imprisoned, mysteriously dying a few days later.

Catherine ruled for 34 years and earned the title “The Great” for her achievements in the expansion, enlightenment, and education of Russia as well as the founding of the Hermitage Museum. Indeed, Catherine was a clever, learned and dynamic woman and she accomplished much for her adopted country.

Editor pick for further reading: