Catherine the Great becomes Empress of Russia following the coup against her husband, Peter III

Catherine the Great, originally born as Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1729, was a German princess who became one of Russia’s most powerful and influential rulers. She rose to power in 1762 after the deposition of her husband, Emperor Peter III, in a coup that she likely played a significant role in orchestrating. As Empress of Russia, Catherine reigned for 34 years, during which she expanded the Russian Empire significantly, particularly through wars against the Ottoman Empire and the partitions of Poland. Her rule is often considered the Golden Age of the Russian aristocracy, as she fostered the ideals of the Enlightenment, corresponded with leading intellectuals like Voltaire and Diderot, and sought to modernize Russia’s administration and education systems—although much of this progress benefited the nobility far more than the serfs.

Catherine was also a complex figure when it came to domestic policy. While she spoke the language of reform and Enlightenment, her actions were often pragmatic and autocratic. For instance, after the Pugachev Rebellion—a massive uprising of peasants and Cossacks—she abandoned early ideas of liberal reform and instead reinforced the power of the nobility over the serfs. Her court was known for its splendor and sophistication, and she herself was an astute political operator, navigating palace intrigue and foreign diplomacy with skill. Catherine also established the Hermitage Museum and promoted the arts, leaving behind a legacy of cultural enrichment as well as territorial expansion. Despite the contradictions in her policies, she remains a towering figure in Russian history, emblematic of both enlightened absolutism and imperial ambition.