catherine the great
Catherine was born on May 2, 1729, in Settin Pomerania. Her birth name was Sophia Augusta. Her father was Christan Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst. The family of Anhalt-Zebst was one of the poorest and most obscure of all the German princely families. Her father did not become the reining Prince of Zerbst until Catherine was thirteen years old. In 1743, when Catherine was fifteen her mother had found her a husband. She was to marry Grand Duke Peter of Holstein, he was sixteen. When Catherine met her husband she thought that he was weak, egotistical, unbalanced, ineffective and entirely Lutheran and German in his attitude. Catherine was to convert to Russian Orthodoxy after a year of instruction and education at the Russian court. She was married in 1745, and became Grand Duchess Catherine of Russia. Catherine's life as a Grand Duchess from 1745 to 1762 was very difficult. Her and her husband were never on good terms. Catherine thought that she would have to make her own way and find her own place at the Russian court. She then learned to speak Russian, to convince to court of her good will. She studied rituals of orthodoxy and was careful to show respect for her new religion. While she was doing this she and her husband disagreed mor
The Charter of the Gentry recognized the nobles as absolute owners of their land and their serfs. One of these was Catherine's advisor, who helped her develop her Turkish policy. It was Catherine's plan to establish Russian influence in Poland in order that the Russian border could be secured. Besides from these rearrangements the Guberniia Reform also made room for aristocratic influence in local affairs. ! Catherine acquired the title " The Great" in terms of her accomplishments in foreign affairs. So it was not only a political victory of Russia over the Turks but an economic and social victory as well, because these land provided areas of expansion for Russia. During this period of her reign she had feelings of insecurity, ignorance and enlightenment. In her reign there were ten official favorites. They had specific rights to petition the crown, nominate governors, and defend the rights of the gentry in the provinces. Her own education and disposition made her a prime figure of the cultural environment. As Catherine got older she was tired and she could no longer control events or the people. The earlier period of Catherine's reign was a time of testing. She emerges as one of the great patrons of European Enlightenment. She began to take an active role in government. She replaced Peter's large provinces by fifty smaller ones and divided and rationalized the operations of provincial administration.
Common topics in this essay:
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Pugachev Revolt,
Peter III,
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Corporation Nobility,
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