Catherine II, known as Catherine the Great, was Empress of Russia from 1762 until her death in 1796. Born a German princess, she became a royal consort through marriage to Emperor Peter III, whom she overthrew in a coup. Her reign of over 34 years was marked by the flourishing of the Russian Enlightenment, the founding of many new cities, universities and theatres, and the expansion of the Russian Empire, which came to be recognised as a great power of Europe.
Early life and marriage
Born Sophie Auguste Friederike von Anhalt-Zerbst in Stettin in the Kingdom of Prussia, she was raised in the standard manner of an 18th-century German princess, learning French, etiquette and Lutheran theology. Her family had limited wealth, so her prospects depended on her mother's better-connected relatives and on a political marriage. She married Peter, a grandson of Peter the Great, in 1745 at the age of 16, after Empress Elizabeth had taken a liking to her despite her mother's interference.
Reign and expansion
Peter became emperor in 1762 but ruled for only about seven months before Catherine overthrew him, and he died soon after. During her reign she relied on favourites and capable generals and admirals. The empire expanded through conquest and diplomacy, including the annexation of the Crimean Khanate, the colonisation of New Russia, the partitions of Poland, and the establishment of Russian America in Alaska. Many cities, among them Sevastopol and Odessa, were founded during this period.
Legacy
Catherine admired Peter the Great and continued to modernise Russia along Western European lines, while serfdom remained central to the economy and its intensifying exploitation contributed to major rebellions, including that led by Pugachev. The Manifesto on Freedom of the Nobility freed nobles from compulsory state service. She is often counted among the enlightened despots and founded the Smolny Institute, the first state-financed higher education institution for women in Europe.
