The reign of Catherine II. Just Fike. How a poor German provincial girl became Catherine the Great

At birth, the girl was given the name Sophia Frederica Augusta. Her father, Christian August, was the prince of the small German principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, but gained fame for his achievements in the military field. The mother of the future Catherine, Princess Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp, cared little about raising her daughter. Therefore, the girl was raised by a governess.

Catherine was educated by tutors, and among them, a chaplain who gave the girl religious lessons. However, the girl had her own point of view on many questions. She also mastered three languages: German, French and Russian.

Entry into the Russian royal family

In 1744, the girl travels with her mother to Russia. The German princess becomes engaged to Grand Duke Peter and converts to Orthodoxy, receiving the name Catherine at baptism.

On August 21, 1745, Catherine marries the heir to the throne of Russia, becoming the crown princess. However, family life turned out to be far from happy.

After many childless years, Catherine II finally produced an heir. Her son Pavel was born on September 20, 1754. And then heated debate flared up about who really was the boy’s father. Be that as it may, Catherine hardly saw her first-born: soon after birth, Empress Elizabeth took the child to be raised.

Seizing the throne

On December 25, 1761, after the death of Empress Elizabeth, Peter III ascended the throne, and Catherine became the emperor's wife. However, it has little to do with government affairs. Peter and his wife were openly cruel. Soon, due to the stubborn support he provided to Prussia, Peter became alien to many courtiers, secular and military officials. The founder of what today we call progressive internal state reforms, Peter also quarreled with the Orthodox Church, taking away church lands. And now, just six months later, Peter was overthrown from the throne as a result of a conspiracy that Catherine entered into with her lover, Russian lieutenant Grigory Orlov, and a number of other persons, with the aim of seizing power. She successfully manages to force her husband to abdicate the throne and take control of the empire into her own hands. A few days after his abdication, in one of his estates, in Ropsha, Peter was strangled. What role Catherine played in the murder of her husband is unclear to this day.

Fearing that she herself will be overthrown by the opposing forces, Catherine tries with all her might to win the favor of the troops and the church. She recalls the troops sent by Peter to the war against Denmark and in every possible way encourages and rewards those who come over to her side. She even compares herself to her revered Peter the Great, declaring that she is following in his footsteps.

Governing body

Despite the fact that Catherine is a supporter of absolutism, she still makes a number of attempts to carry out social and political reforms. She issues a document, “The Mandate,” in which she proposes to abolish the death penalty and torture, and also proclaims the equality of all people. However, the Senate responds with a decisive refusal to any attempts to change the feudal system.

After completing work on the “Instruction,” in 1767, Catherine convened representatives of various social and economic strata of the population to form the Statutory Commission. The commission did not produce a legislative body, but its convening went down in history as the first time when representatives of the Russian people from all over the empire had the opportunity to express their ideas about the needs and problems of the country.

Later, in 1785, Catherine issues the Charter of the Nobility, in which she radically changes policy and challenges the power of the upper classes, under which most of the masses are under the yoke of serfdom.

Catherine, a religious skeptic by nature, seeks to subjugate the Orthodox Church to her power. At the beginning of her reign, she returned lands and property to the church, but soon changed her views. The Empress declares the church part of the state, and therefore all her possessions, including more than a million serfs, become the property of the empire and are subject to taxes.

Foreign policy

During her reign, Catherine expanded the borders of the Russian Empire. She makes significant acquisitions in Poland, having previously placed her former lover, the Polish prince Stanislav Poniatowski, on the throne of the kingdom. According to the agreement of 1772, Catherine gives part of the lands of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to Prussia and Austria, while the eastern part of the kingdom, where many Russian Orthodox Christians live, goes to the Russian Empire.

But such actions are extremely disapproving of Turkey. In 1774, Catherine made peace with the Ottoman Empire, according to which the Russian state received new lands and access to the Black Sea. One of the heroes of the Russian-Turkish war was Grigory Potemkin, a reliable adviser and lover of Catherine.

Potemkin, a loyal supporter of the empress's policies, himself proved himself to be an outstanding statesman. It was he who, in 1783, convinced Catherine to annex Crimea to the empire, thereby strengthening her position on the Black Sea.

Love for education and art

At the time of Catherine’s accession to the throne, Russia was a backward and provincial state for Europe. The Empress is doing her best to change this opinion, expanding opportunities for new ideas in education and the arts. In St. Petersburg, she founded a boarding school for girls of noble birth, and later free schools were opened in all cities of Russia.

Ekaterina patronizes many cultural projects. She is gaining fame as a zealous art collector, and most of her collection is exhibited at her residence in St. Petersburg, in the Hermitage.

Catherine, a passionate lover of literature, is especially favorable towards the philosophers and writers of the Enlightenment. Endowed with literary talent, the empress describes her own life in a collection of memoirs.

Personal life

The love life of Catherine II became the subject of much gossip and false facts. Myths about her insatiability have been debunked, but this royal lady actually had many love affairs during her life. She could not remarry, since marriage could undermine her position, and therefore she had to wear a mask of chastity in society. But, away from prying eyes, Catherine showed remarkable interest in men.

End of reign

By 1796, Catherine had already enjoyed absolute power in the empire for several decades. And in the last years of her reign, she showed the same liveliness of mind and strength of spirit. But in mid-November 1796, she was found unconscious on the bathroom floor. At that time, everyone came to the conclusion that she had suffered a stroke. 4.3 points. Total ratings received: 53.

It was not for nothing that she was called the Great during her lifetime. During the long reign of Catherine II, almost all areas of activity and life in the state underwent changes. Let's try to consider who Catherine II really was and how long she ruled in the Russian Empire.

Catherine the Great: years of life and results of her reign

The real name of Catherine the Great is Sophia Frederica Augustus of Anhalt - Zerbska. Born on April 21, 1729 in Stetsin. Sophia's father, the Duke of Zerbt, rose to the rank of field marshal in the Prussian service, laid claim to the Duchy of Courland, was the governor of Stetsin, and did not make a fortune in Prussia, which was impoverished at that time. The mother is from the poor relatives of the Danish kings of the Oldenburg dynasty, a great-aunt to Sophia Frederica's future husband.

Not much is known about the period of life of the future empress with her parents. Sophia received a good, for those times, home education, which included the following subjects:

German;
French;
Russian language (not confirmed by all researchers);
dancing and music;
etiquette;
needlework;
basics of history and geography;
theology (Protestantism).

The parents did not raise the girl, only occasionally showing parental severity with suggestions and punishments. Sophia grew up as a lively and inquisitive child, easily communicated with her peers on the streets of Shtetsin, learned to run a household as best she could and participated in household chores - her father could not support the entire necessary staff of servants on his salary.

In 1744, Sophia Frederica, together with her mother, as an accompanying person, was invited to Russia for a bride-show, and then married (August 21, 1745) to her second cousin, heir to the throne, Holsteiner by birth, Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich. Almost a year before the wedding, Sofya Frederika accepted Orthodox baptism and became Ekaterina Alekseevna (in honor of the mother of the reigning Empress Elizaveta Petrovna).

According to the established version, Sophia - Catherine was so imbued with her hopes for a great future in Russia that immediately upon her arrival in the empire she rushed to frantically study Russian history, language, traditions, Orthodoxy, French and German philosophy, etc.

The relationship with my husband did not work out. What the real reason was is unknown. Perhaps the reason was Catherine herself, who before 1754 suffered two unsuccessful pregnancies without having a marital relationship, as the generally accepted version claims. The reason could be Peter, who is believed to have been attracted to rather exotic (those with some external flaws) women.

Be that as it may, in the young grand-ducal family, the ruling Empress Elizabeth demanded an heir. On September 20, 1754, her wish came true - her son Pavel was born. There is a version that S. Saltykov became his father. Some believe that Saltykov was “planted” in Catherine’s bed by Elizabeth herself. However, no one disputes that outwardly Paul is the spitting image of Peter, and the subsequent reign and character of Paul serve as further evidence of the latter’s origin.

Immediately after birth, Elizabeth takes her grandson from her parents and raises him herself. His mother is only occasionally allowed to see him. Peter and Catherine are moving away even more - the meaning of spending time together has been exhausted. Peter continues to play “Prussia - Holstein”, and Catherine develops connections with the Russian, English, and Polish aristocracies. Both periodically change lovers without a shadow of jealousy towards each other.

The birth of Catherine's daughter Anna in 1758 (it is believed that from Stanislav Poniatovsky) and the opening of her correspondence with the English ambassador and disgraced field marshal Apraksin puts the Grand Duchess on the brink of being tonsured into a monastery, which did not suit her at all.

In December 1762, Empress Elizabeth died after a long illness. Peter takes the throne and removes his wife to the far wing of the Winter Palace, where Catherine gives birth to another child, this time from Grigory Orlov. The child would later become Count Alexei Bobrinsky.

Within a few months of his reign, Peter III managed to alienate the military, nobles and clergy with his pro-Prussian and anti-Russian actions and desires. In these same circles, Catherine is perceived as an alternative to the emperor and hope for changes for the better.

On June 28, 1762, with the support of the guards regiments, Catherine carried out a coup and became an autocratic ruler. Peter III abdicates the throne and then dies under strange circumstances. According to one version, he was stabbed to death by Alexei Orlov, according to another, he escaped and became Emelyan Pugachev, etc.

secularization of church lands - saved the empire from financial collapse at the beginning of the reign;
the number of industrial enterprises has doubled;
Treasury revenues increased 4 times, but despite this, after the death of Catherine, a budget deficit of 205 million rubles was revealed;
the army doubled in size;
as a result of 6 wars and “peacefully” the south of Ukraine, Crimea, Kuban, Kerch, partly the lands of White Rus', Poland, Lithuania, and the western part of Volyn were annexed to the empire. The total area of acquisitions is 520,000 sq. m. km.;
The uprising in Poland under the leadership of T. Kosciuszko was suppressed. Led the suppression of A.V. Suvorov, who eventually became a field marshal. Was it just a rebellion if such rewards are given for its suppression?
uprising (or full-scale war) led by E. Pugachev in 1773 - 1775. The fact that it was a war is supported by the fact that the best commander of that time, A.V., was again involved in the suppression. Suvorov;
after the suppression of the uprising of E. Pugachev, the development of the Urals and Siberia by the Russian Empire began;
more than 120 new cities were built;
the territorial division of the empire into provinces was carried out according to population (300,000 people - province);
elected courts were introduced to try civil and criminal cases of the population;
noble self-government was organized in cities;
a set of noble privileges was introduced;
the final enslavement of the peasants took place;
a secondary education system was introduced, schools were opened in provincial cities;
the Moscow Orphanage and the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens were opened;
paper money was introduced into monetary circulation and the Assignation Office with eagle owls was created in large cities;
Vaccination of the population began.

In what year did Catherine die?IIand her heirs

Long before her death, Catherine II began to think about who would come to power after her and be able to continue the work of strengthening the Russian state.

Son Paul as the heir to the throne did not suit Catherine, as an unbalanced person and too similar to her ex-husband Peter III. Therefore, she devoted all her attention in raising the heir to her grandson Alexander Pavlovich. Alexander received an excellent education and married at the request of his grandmother. The marriage confirmed that Alexander was an adult.

Despite the wishes of the empress, who died of a cerebral hemorrhage in mid-November 1796, insisting on her right to inherit the throne, Paul I comes to power.

How much of the rules of Catherine II should be assessed by descendants, but for a true assessment it is necessary to read the archives, and not repeat what was written a hundred to one hundred and fifty years ago. Only in this case is a correct assessment of the reign of this extraordinary person possible. Purely chronologically, the reign of Catherine the Great lasted 34 eventful years. It is known for certain and confirmed by numerous uprisings that not all inhabitants of the empire liked what was done during the years of its enlightened rule.

Catherine II was born on April 21, 1729, before accepting Orthodoxy she had the name Sophia-August-Frederike. As fate would have it, in 1745 Sophia converted to Orthodoxy and was baptized under the name of Ekaterina Alekseevna.

Married the future Emperor of Russia. The relationship between Peter and Catherine somehow did not work out right away. A wall of barriers arose between them due to the banal misunderstanding of each other.

Despite the fact that the spouses did not have a particularly big difference in age, Pyotr Fedorovich was a real child, and Ekaterina Alekseevna wanted a more adult relationship with her husband.

Catherine was quite well educated. Since childhood, I studied various sciences, such as history, geography, theology and foreign languages. The level of her development was very high, she danced and sang beautifully.

Arriving in, she was immediately imbued with the Russian spirit. Realizing that the emperor’s wife must have certain qualities, she sat down with textbooks on Russian history and the Russian language.

From the first days of my stay in Russia, I was imbued with the Russian spirit and great love for the new Motherland. Ekaterina Alekseevna quickly mastered new sciences; in addition to language and history, she studied economics and jurisprudence.

Her desire to “become one of her own” in a completely new, unfamiliar society made this very society accept her and love her dearly.

As a result of complications in her relationship with her husband and constant palace affairs, Ekaterina Alekseevna had to seriously worry about her fate. The situation was stalemate.

Peter III did not have any authority or support in Russian society, and those six months of his reign caused nothing but irritation and indignation in Russian society.

Due to the worsening relationship between the spouses, she seriously risked going to a monastery. The situation forced her to act decisively.

Having secured the support of the guards, Ekaterina Alekseevna and her supporters carried out a coup d'etat. Peter III abdicated the throne, and Catherine II became the new Russian empress. The coronation took place on September 22 (October 3), 1762 in Moscow.

Its policy can be described as successful and thoughtful. Over the years of her reign, Ekaterina Alekseevna achieved excellent results. Thanks to successful domestic and foreign policies, Catherine II managed to achieve a significant increase in the territory and the number of people inhabiting it.

During her reign, trade developed rapidly in Russia. The number of industrial enterprises on the territory of the Empire doubled. The enterprises fully met the needs of the army and navy. During her reign, active development of the Urals began; most new enterprises were opened here.

Let’s briefly go through Ekaterina Alekseevna’s legislative acts on economic issues. In 1763, internal customs duties were abolished.

In 1767, people acquired the legal right to engage in any city trade. In the period from 1766 to 1772, duties on the export of wheat abroad were abolished, this led to an increase in the development of agriculture and the development of new lands. In 1775, the Empress abolished taxes on small-scale fishing.

The nobles received the right to exile their peasants to Siberia. Also, now the peasants could not complain about their master. The reduction in personal freedoms of peasants was one of the reasons for the uprising that took place from 1773 to 1775.

In 1775, Catherine IIbegan public administration reform. According to the new law, the territorial and administrative division of Russia took the following form: the Empire was divided into provinces, which in turn were divided into districts, and instead of 23 provinces, 50 were created.

Provinces were formed from the point of view of convenience of taxation, and not geographical or national characteristics. The province was governed by a governor appointed by the monarch. Some large provinces were subject to the governor-general, who had greater authority.

The governor headed the provincial government. The functions of the board were: announcement and explanation of laws to the population. As well as bringing lawbreakers to trial. Power in the lower ranks of the county was the responsibility of the local nobility, an assembly where people were chosen who would occupy important local positions.

Catherine II's foreign policy was aggressive. The Empress believed that Russia should behave as it did in the time of Peter I, conquer new territories, and legitimize its rights to access the seas. Russia took part in the division of Poland, as well as in the Russian-Turkish wars. Successes in them made the Russian Empire one of the most influential states in Europe.

Ekaterina Alekseevna died in 1796, November 6 (17). Years of reign of Catherine II 1762 - 1796

Needless to say, Catherine II is one of the most recognizable characters in Russian history. Her personality is certainly interesting. Ask any average person who he considers the most successful Russian ruler? I am sure that in response you will hear the name of Catherine II. She was in fact a worthwhile ruler, under her the Russian theater, Russian literature, and also science actively developed.

Culturally and historically, the Russian Empire really gained a lot. Unfortunately, the empress's personal life is full of various rumors and gossip. Some of them are probably true, but some are not. It is a pity that Catherine II, being a great historical figure, to put it mildly, is not a model of morality.

EKATERINA II ALEKSEEVNA(04/21/1729-11/06/1796) - Russian Empress from 06/28/1762
Catherine II, nee Sophia Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst, was born in Stettin in Pomerania. Her father was Christian August of Anhalt-Zerbst, a native of an impoverished princely family of Northern Germany, a major general in the army of the Prussian king Frederick II.
In 1744, when the girl was 15 years old, she was matched to the heir to the Russian imperial throne, Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich. In February 1744, at the invitation of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, she and her mother came to Moscow, where the Russian Empress and her court were at that time. A few months later, Sofia Augusta converted to Orthodoxy and received a new name - Ekaterina Alekseevna. The wedding with Pyotr Fedorovich took place on August 21, 1745 in St. Petersburg.
From the very beginning, the relationship between the young spouses did not work out. Peter was more interested in toys and soldiers than in his young wife. Her husband's inattention offended Catherine. Her relationship with Empress Elizabeth was tense, and Catherine did everything possible to gain popularity at court and among the guards. The Grand Duchess seriously and zealously performed all Orthodox rituals and very quickly mastered the Russian language. Thanks to her intelligence, charm and natural tact, she managed to gain the favor of many Elizabethan nobles. Ekaterina Alekseevna's influence at court, among the guards and nobility, was constantly growing.
Catherine thought that the country could become powerful and rich only in the hands of an enlightened sovereign. She read the works of Plato, Plutarch, Tacitus, and the works of the French enlighteners Montesquieu and Voltaire. So she managed to fill in the gaps in her education and gain thorough knowledge in the field of history and philosophy.
On December 25, 1761, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna died. Catherine Alekseevna's husband, Peter III, ascended the throne. He entered into an alliance with Prussia, abandoned Russia's victories in the Seven Years' War, and began to lose Russia's former allies. Peter raised the Germans, especially his relatives, and brought them closer to him. His policies aroused intense hostility among the guards and nobility. Even the Manifesto on the Freedom of the Nobility, published on February 18, 1762, could not soften the discontent. A conspiracy of courtiers and guards developed against Peter III, the center of which was his ambitious wife Ekaterina Alekseevna, and the main organizers were the Orlov brothers. On June 28, 1762, a palace coup took place. Relying on the Izmailovsky and Semenovsky guards regiments, Catherine removed her husband from power and proclaimed herself empress. Having ascended the throne, Catherine II tried to implement a program of reforms in the economic and political life of Russia. In 1767, the Legislative Commission began its work in Moscow to develop a new Code - the Code of Laws of the Russian Empire. Before the commission began its work, Catherine prepared an “Order”, intended to become the basis for the creation of the Code. The empress considered an absolute monarchy to be the most suitable form of government for Russia. At the same time, in her opinion, it was necessary to introduce laws that would protect the fundamental rights of subjects. The Empress insisted on the need for equality of all before the law. But Catherine did not at all intend to deprive the nobility, which was her support, of its main wealth - serfs. She did not think about freedom for the peasants - there were only general discussions about the humane treatment of the landowners with the peasants.
Under Catherine, elected courts first appeared in Russia. They were elected separately for nobles, for city residents and for state peasants. (The serfs were judged by the landowner himself.) The trial must be public, and without its decision no one could be found guilty. In "Nakaz" Catherine opposed torture and the death penalty. She defended the need to develop trade and industrial activities, build new cities, and bring order to agricultural issues.
From the very beginning of the work of the Commission, sharp contradictions were revealed between representatives of different class groups that were part of it. In 1768, the activities of this body were suspended and then completely terminated.
Catherine continued her reforms in 1775, after the suppression of the uprising of E.I. Pugacheva. However, now she did not strive to draw up laws that would protect the rights of her subjects, but cared only about strengthening the foundations of Russian statehood and increasing discipline.
On November 7, 1775, the “Institution for the Administration of the Provinces of the All-Russian Empire” was published. His goal was to strengthen the local administrative apparatus and give the provincial nobility the means to suppress peasant uprisings. The number of provinces increased from 20 to 51. Each of them was divided into districts. The population of the provinces was 300-400 thousand inhabitants, and the district - 20-30 thousand.
The main merit of Catherine II in the field of education and culture was the creation in Russia of a system of primary education for children from all classes, except for serfs. A number of educational institutions, theaters and museums were opened in St. Petersburg and other large cities. Medical care also became a state matter. Every city was required to have a pharmacy and a hospital. Catherine was one of the first in Russia to get vaccinated against smallpox. This was the beginning of vaccination.
On April 21, 1785, “Charterates” were published for the nobility and cities. The nobility was given the exclusive right to own peasants, lands and subsoil; the right to establish plants and factories and sell wholesale everything that is produced in their domains; the right to organize auctions and fairs on their lands. Nobles were exempt from taxes and corporal punishment. The district nobles had to meet once every three years in the central city of the district and elect a local administration from among themselves. Cities received the right to elected self-government.
Catherine II pursued an active foreign policy. As a result of two successful Russian-Turkish wars of 1768-1774 and 1787-1791. The Crimean Peninsula and the entire territory of the Northern Black Sea region were transferred to Russia. Russia gained access to the Black Sea, and was no longer threatened by the raids of the Crimean Tatars.
Now it was possible to develop the black soil steppes. The Black Sea Fleet was created in the Black Sea.
In 1788, Swedish troops invaded the territory of the Russian Empire, but the war was inconclusive for Sweden: it did not gain any territories. In 1772-1795 Russia took part in three sections of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, as a result of which the territories of Belarus, Western Ukraine, Lithuania and Courland were annexed to the Russian Empire. In 1796, the Persian campaign took place, aimed at protecting the Georgian Kartli-Kakheti kingdom, which was attacked by the Iranian army.
Important internal events during the reign of Catherine II include the Plague Riot in Moscow in October 1771 during the plague epidemic and the appearance of a number of impostors, including Elizaveta Tarakanova.
Catherine II was extremely concerned about the outbreak of the revolution in France in 1789. The execution of Louis XVI in 1793 caused her indignation. The Empress allowed French emigrants to enter Russia and provided them with open financial support. All trade and diplomatic relations with France were severed. Preparations began for war, which stopped only after the death of the Empress in 1796.
Catherine nominated people who had already demonstrated their abilities to the highest government, military and administrative positions. Among them were G.A. Potemkin, P.A. Rumyantsev, Z.G. Chernyshev, brothers G.G. and A.G. Orlovs, Ya.E. Sivers and others. During the reign of Catherine II, A.V. became famous for their victories. Suvorov and Admiral F.F. Ushakov.
In the last years of her life, Catherine II was faced with the question of the heir to the throne. The Empress feared that her son, Pavel Petrovich, could ruin her life's work with his undertakings.
Before her death, Catherine II tried to transfer the imperial throne to her grandson Alexander Pavlovich over Paul’s head. But Alexander did not want to get into a quarrel with his father, and a number of influential dignitaries prevented the dying empress from carrying out this last political intrigue. Catherine II died on November 6, 1796. She was buried in the Peter and Paul Fortress. Her son Pavel ascended the Russian throne.
Under Catherine II, Russia became a powerful state, rightfully taking its place as a great power on the world stage. However, autocracy and serfdom only became stronger under her. These facts did not fit into the circle of ideas of the European Enlightenment, which were shared by Catherine II.

She left nothing out to be successful. She spoke about Russia in words that would never have occurred to a natural Russian: This is not a country, this is a universe! During her lifetime...

She left nothing out to be successful. She spoke about Russia in words that would never have occurred to a natural Russian: This is not a country, this is a universe! During her lifetime she was called the Great. Our heroine is Catherine the Great.

Nobody knows the secret of her birth. Catherine took her to the grave. Was the officially recognized father legal? There were rumors that she was the daughter of Frederick II. Her father was called Ivan Ivanovich Betskov, pointing to the portrait resemblance. In the city of Shchetin there is not even a record of her birth.

Princess Fike's mother was of very free morals, and daddy was already quite an old man. Having left her native small German town, Fike never wanted to return there. In this sense she was a cosmopolitan.

Her brother wished to visit Russia. Catherine refused with the words: There are enough Germans in Russia even without him. During the years of famine in Europe, she sent food to her fellow countrymen instead of the money that relatives asked for. An extraordinary woman of the 18th century. Who is she?

How did a German princess end up on the Russian throne and be able to stay there for the rest of her life? She came to Russia as the bride of the heir to the Russian throne, Peter Fedorovich. The wedding took place. But the husband showed no interest in the newlywed. He liked the maids and ladies-in-waiting of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna more.

For several years, Catherine remained alone in the palace, where everyone had a mistress or lover. It is difficult to maintain cleanliness where it is not taken care of. Catherine chose the path of knowledge. She diligently studied the Russian language and Russian history.

Those around her loved her. She didn't love anyone. The young princess had a flexible, tenacious character. She could unmistakably discern character traits and attracted those whom she could use in the future. Her husband, Pert Fedorovich, continued to have fun.

It was a dynastic marriage. An heir was expected from him. But he was still not there. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna tried to solve the problem simply.

She sent a clever man who was able to awaken Ekaterina Alekseevna’s heart.

The novel turned out to be successful and soon a clever man, Sergei Saltykov, went abroad as an ambassador, and Catherine and Peter had a son, Pavel. No one bothered to ensure that Catherine fell in love with the baby. The empress simply took him into her half.

For many years the woman waited in the wings. Elizabeth died, Peter III ascended the throne. But the strange character of the new emperor, which manifested itself even when he was heir to the throne, offended the Russian nobles and clergy.

One can argue for a long time about Peter III, but he did not come to the Russian court. But Catherine remembered everything. Having converted to Orthodoxy, she often went to church and stayed with noble people. By this time she had lived in Russia for 18 years. Everyone forgot that she is not a natural Russian.

The Russian court is not used to tolerating insults. Catherine became empress. It was not always convenient for her to sit on the Russian throne. But there was an opportunity to become the queen of Poland by marrying Stanislav Poniatowski.

But Russia... She loved Russia with cold snows, with daring dancers, with smart men. But Russia did not always give it its due. Under Catherine, bridges collapsed, houses where she stayed overnight burned, horses carried her, and she often lost her wardrobe.

The one sentenced to the rope will not burn or drown. Fate protected her. And Catherine worked tirelessly for the good of the country that became her fatherland. She woke up at 5 am. The average person didn't know that she worked all day. And the ruling cabinet began to work early, together with her.

Already at 6 am, Catherine received the ministers with a report. During her reign, the country's borders expanded significantly. Crimea, Kabarda, Ukrainian lands, White Rus', part of Poland were annexed. Georgia, exhausted by Turkish raids, asked to join Russia.

State revenues increased 4 times. 144 cities were built, Russian troops won 78 brilliant victories. Russia's population increased by 14 million people. She built ships and museums, opened educational institutions for peasants and nobility.

Russia's prestige in the international arena was so high that “not a single cannon in Europe will fire without our consent.” But she was a politician. Her appearance combined sinfulness and kindness, majestic beginnings and base deeds, vulgar statements and a subtle taste for art.

She knew how to sew and knitted caps for her dogs. She turned jewelry from simple materials on a lathe. She did engraving and played billiards skillfully. Not chasing fashion, she believed that the court should be the most brilliant in Europe.

She insisted that courtiers always wear jewelry. Her yard shone with diamonds. She wrote plays that were staged on the court stage. She published a magazine and began issuing paper money. Favorite food: a piece of beef and a pickled cucumber, washed down with currant juice.

The Empress realized that she was very attractive to men. Her disposition was affable and simple. The most important thing that this great woman knew how to do was the ability to surround herself with smart minions. She did not have an ounce of jealousy if she saw that a ship called Russia was sailing in the right direction.

Catherine's main associates and favorites were the brilliant Prince Potemkin and Count Orlov. She didn't stop them from stealing. Catherine was generally tolerant of such vice. Knowing that the favorites would do more for Russia if they did not think about money, she turned a blind eye to their art.

Very hot-tempered, she never made decisions in the heat of the moment. I waited for my feelings to calm down. She didn't allow any rudeness. She didn’t give orders to the servants, but asked them to do something for her. Not a fan of arrogant ceremonies, she forbade anyone to stand in front of her.

I didn't like gloomy people. At the entrance to the Hermitage there was an inscription: The mistress of these places does not tolerate coercion. Ekaterina, who wrote Russian poorly, spoke Russian better than natural Russians.

The Great Empress had two sons. Legitimate son Pavel Petrovich and illegitimate son Bobrinsky Alexey Grigorievich. Catherine the Great passed away at the age of 67, leaving behind a grieving fatherland and people.