Catherine was born Sophia Augusta Frederika of Anhalt-Zerbst on April 21st 1729. Her father was a minor German prince. At the age of 16 she married Grand Duke Peter, heir to the Russian throne and took the name Catherine. The couple had one son, Paul, but the marriage was not a happy one, Peter was remote and Catherine was unhappy. She began a liaison with Gregory Orlov a member of the Imperial Guard. Catherine also maintained correspondence with many of the enlightened minds of the period including Voltaire and Diderot.
On 25th December 1761 Peter became Tsar of Russia. In the Summer of 1762 Peter was deposed and Catherine proclaimed ruler of Russia. Three days later Peter died at the hands of Alexis Orlov, brother of Gregory.
As ruler of Russia Catherine set about enlarging the countries borders and developing mining and trade. She also sought to forge a role for Russia as an international mediator.
Catherine was an enlightened monarch and read the works of and corresponded with the economists, encyclopedists and writers of the time. Encouraged by Gregory Potemkin, she also set up new schools and Russia’s first Medical School. Catherine disliked serfdom but realising that imposing its abolition would alienate the nobility she issued decrees demanding that serfs be treated humanely.
Catherine died of a stroke on 6th November 1796 at the age of sixty-two years.
