Becoming Russian Royalty
Catherine the Great, or Catherine II, had many notable accomplishments. Under her leadership, the domain of the Russian Empire was noticeably expanded. She reformed the administration of the government bureaucracy. She showed spectacular aptitude in foreign policy, expanding her country by 200,000 square miles during her reign. Despite being considered an "enlightened monarch", she wound up increasing the power of the landed nobles during her reign, and did not considerably improve the lot of the peasants. She did initiate many reforms. However nobles opposed the reforms since it damaged their power, and others weren't satsified and wanted even more reform. This led to agitation and civil unrest in the form of riots and rebellions, most notably Pugachev's Rebellion. Catherine backtracked on many of her reforms, reacted brutally towards the peasants and increased repression of the serfs. Empress Catherine the II of Russia, also known as Catherine "the great" was born Princess Sophia August Frederika on May 2, 1729 in the Baltic seaport town of Stettin. Little is known about her early life. Like most prosperous Europeans of the time, the future Czarina was educated by a French governess. Her father was an German military princeling named Christian August, and her mother was Princess Joanna Elizabeth of Holstein-Gottorp. She originally came to Russia at the invitation of Empress Elizaveta (Elizabeth) to become the wife of the heir to the throne, Peter Feodorovich. She was christened into the Orthodox church as Kkaterina Alexeevna, or Catherine. Peter was not the son of Elizabeth he was her nephew. He was the son of Elizabeth's late sister Anne. Peter hated everything Russian. And since he was going to be the future Czar of Russia this was not a good thing. Elizabeth decided that the only solution to this problem was marriage. After careful consideration she chose Sophia. Sophia and her mother came to Russia in 1744. Sophia was 14. Sophia quickly realized that to be popular in Russia she would need to learn the Russian language. She worked very hard to achieve mastery of the language. So hard, in fact, that she would stay up late studying. She would sit up in her nightgown reading and she caught a cold that developed into pneumonia. While she was sick Empress Elizabeth got rid of all the doctors (because she thought they were incompetent)and nursed Sophia back to health herself. Sophia became formally engaged to Peter in June. In 1745 Peter suddenly caught the smallpox. Elizabeth set out to take care of him. She stayed with him until he was well. When Peter finally got better he was seriously pockmarked. And when Catherine saw him, she was horrified. Later that year when Catherine was just sixteen years old she and Peter were married. Her wedding dress was magnificent. It had a tiny 18 inch waist, a wide hoop skirt and an immense silver lace cloak covered with jewels. Their marriage was obviously an unhappy one because on June 28, 1762, with the support of the Imperial Guard, she overthrew her husband Peter III. Before the coup support for Catherine was widespread, and Peter had been suspicious. Early on the morning of June 28, Catherine left her estate at Peterhof, outside of St. Petersburg, and departed for the city. Everything had been prepared in advance, and when she arrived she was greeted with cheers by both the troops of her factional supporters and the populace. By the next morning, Peter was confronted with a fait accompliand a prepared declaration of his abdication. After his abdication, he was imprisoned in Ropshinskii Castle, where on July 7, 1762, he was murdered by her lover Orlov.10 Catherine solidified her position by awarding her supporters with high government positions and grants of land, money and serfs. She was crowned Empress of All Russia on September 22, 1762, in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Her rule was one of the best in all Russian History. She also gave birth to a son, his name was Paul. Catherine spent about three billion dollars upon her innumerable lovers. A lot of money went into art. Catherine was a great admirer of Peter the Great. Peter the Great had sent out a several mapping expeditions. It was the job of these mapping expeditions to chart all of the Russian Empire. Among the many territories they charted was Russian America, or Alaska. Catherine felt it would be wise to finish the work of exploration that he had started. She also wanted the rich furs that were available in Alaska to trade with the Chinese. One of her most important achievements was to found the first Russian school for girls. She also founded a medical college to provide health care for her subjects. She wanted to gain as much control over her empire as she could. Catherine sent Gregorii Shelikhov to Alaska to control the fur trade. His company, the Shelikhov Trading company and its successor, the Russian-American Company controlled the fur industry. Catherine supposedly believed in free trade. When she gave the exclusive trading rights of all of the North Pacific trade to Shelikhov this reputation was severely dented. Catherine denied awarding such privileges to anyone. Catherine died from a heart attack on November 6, 1796 in St. Petersburg, and was buried in the Cathedral of the St. Peter and St. Paul Fortress. When Catherine the Great died she was succeeded by her son Paul I. Catherine never really liked Paul, and her son didn't really like her either. Paul's reign lasted only five years and was a complete disaster. The best thing he did was build the remarkable and tragic Engineer's Castle in St. Petersburg. Paul was succeeded by his son Alexander I, who is remembered mostly for having been the ruler of Russia during Napoleon Bonaparte's Russian Campaign. Catherine's achievements were many. She left Russia much stronger, more prosperous and beautiful than she had found it. That she failed in much she had set out to do had less to do with her and more to do with human nature. Catherine was unable to transform Russia through her will alone. Since she was unwilling to use terror or force to transform society, she chose a more patient path, hoping to gradually raise the level of culture by legislation, education, and example. She single-handedly grafted onto Russian rootstock the bud-wood of western culture, which was taken and remolded two generations later into something marvelous. Her contributions to Alaska's History were great as well. She laid the foundation for the Russians to come over and settle in Alaska, adding to our rich history. The Russian empress Catherine II, known as Catherine the Great, reigned from 1762 to 1796. She expanded the Russian Empire, improved administration, and energetically pursued the policy of Westernization (the process of changing to western ideas and traditions). Under her rule Russia grew strong and rivaled the great powers of Europe and Asia. Catherine II was born Sophia Augusta Frederica in the German city of Stettin, Prussia (now Szczecin, Poland), on April 21, 1729. She was the daughter of Prince Christian August of Anhalt-Zerbst and Princess Johanna Elizabeth of Holstein-Gottorp. Catherine's parents, who had been hoping for a son, did not show a great deal of affection toward their daughter. As a child, Catherine was close to her governess Babette, who Catherine described as, "the kind of governess every child should have." Catherine's education emphasized the subjects considered proper for one of her class: religion (Lutheranism), history, French, German, and music. When Catherine was fifteen, she went to Russia at the invitation of Empress Elizabeth to meet the heir to the throne, the Grand Duke Peter (1728–1762), an immature and disagreeable youth of sixteen. Soon after Catherine converted to the Russian Orthodox faith, she and the young Grand Duke were married in 1745. The marriage turned out to be an unhappy one in which there was little evidence of love or even affection. Peter was soon unfaithful to Catherine, and after a time she became unfaithful to him. Whether Peter was the father of Paul and Anna, the two children recorded as their offspring, remains a question. However, her loveless marriage did not overshadow her intellectual and political interests. A sharp-witted and cultured young woman, she read widely, particularly in French. She liked novels, plays, and verse but was particularly interested in the writings of the major figures of the French Enlightenment (a period of cultural and idealistic transformation in France), such as Diderot (1713–1784), Voltaire (1694–1778), and Montesquieu (1689–1755).11 Catherine was ambitious as well as intelligent and looked forward to the time she would rule Russia. Unlike her husband, the German-born Catherine took care to demonstrate her dedication to Russia and the Russian Orthodox (an independent branch of the Christian faith) faith. This loyalty, she thought, would earn her a rightful place on the throne and win support of the Russian people. When Empress Elizabeth died on December 25, 1761, Peter was proclaimed Emperor Peter III, and Catherine became empress. Only a few months after coming to the throne, Peter had created many enemies within the government, the military, and the church. Soon there was a plot to overthrow him, place his seven-year-old son Paul on the throne, and name Catherine as regent (temporary ruler) until the boy was old enough to rule on his own. But those involved in the plot had underestimated Catherine's ambition. They thought that by getting rid of Peter, Catherine would become more of a background figure. She aimed for a more powerful role for herself, however. On June 28, 1762, with the aid of her lover Gregory Orlov, she rallied the troops of St. Petersburg to her support and declared herself Catherine II, the sole ruler of Russia. She had Peter arrested and required him to abdicate, or step down from, power. Shortly after his arrest he was killed in a brawl with his captors. Catherine had ambitious plans regarding both domestic and foreign affairs. But during the first years of her reign her attention was directed toward securing her position. She knew that a number of influential persons considered her a usurper, or someone who seized another's power illegally. They viewed her son, Paul, as the rightful ruler. Her reaction to this situation was to take every opportunity to win favor among the nobility and the military. At the same time she struck sharply at those who sought to replace her with Paul. As for general policy, Catherine understood that Russia needed an extended period of peace in order for her to concentrate on domestic (homeland) affairs. This peace could only be gained through cautious foreign policy. The able Count Nikita Panin (1718–1783), whom she placed in charge of foreign affairs, was well chosen to carry out such a policy. By 1764 Catherine felt secure enough to begin work on reform, or improving social conditions. Catherine's rule was greatly influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment, and it was in the spirit of the Enlightenment that Catherine undertook her first major reform. Russia's legal system was based on an old and inefficient Code of Laws, dating from 1649. Catherine's proposal, "The Instruction," was widely distributed in Europe and caused a sensation because it called for a legal system far in advance of the times. It proposed a system providing equal protection under law for all persons. It also emphasized prevention of criminal acts rather than harsh punishment for them. In June 1767 the Empress created the Legislative Commission to revise the old laws in accordance with the "Instruction." Catherine had great hopes about what the commission might accomplish, but it made little progress, and Catherine suspended the meetings at the end of 1768. Foreign affairs began to demand Catherine's attention. She had sent troops to help her former lover, Polish king Stanislaw (1677–1766), suppress a revolt that aimed at reducing Russia's influence in Poland. Soon Turkey and Austria joined in by supporting the revolution in Poland. Two years later, after lengthy negotiations, Catherine concluded peace talks with Turkey. From this Russia received its first foothold on the Black Sea coast. Russian merchant ships were allowed the right of sailing on the Black Sea and through the Dardanelles, a key waterway in Europe. Even before the peace talks ended, Catherine had to concern herself with a revolt led by the Cossack Yemelyan Pugachev (1726–1775). The rebel leader claimed that reports of Peter III's death were false and that he was Peter III. Soon tens of thousands were following him, and the uprising was within threatening range of Moscow. Pugachev's defeat required several major expeditions by the imperial forces. A feeling of security returned to the government only after his capture late in 1774. Much of Catherine's fame rests on what she accomplished during the dozen years following the Pugachev uprising. Here she directed her time and talent to domestic affairs, particularly those concerned with the way the government functioned. Catherine was also concerned with expanding the country's educational system. In 1786 she adopted a plan that would create a large-scale educational system. Unfortunately, she was unable to carry out the entire plan, but she did add to the number of the country's elementary and secondary schools. Some of the remaining parts of her plan were carried out after her death. The arts and sciences also received much attention during Catherine's reign. Not only because she believed them to be important in themselves, but also because she saw them as a means by which Russia could earn a reputation as a center of civilization.12 Under her direction St. Petersburg was turned into one of the world's most dazzling capitals. Theater, music, and painting flourished with her encouragement. As she grew older, Catherine became greatly troubled because her heir, Paul, was becoming mentally unstable and she doubted his ability to rule. She considered naming Paul's oldest son, Alexander, as her successor. Before she was able to alter her original arrangement, however, she died of a stroke on November 6, 1796. While her legacy is open to debate, there is no doubt that Catherine was a key figure in developing Russia into a modern civilization.
Conclusion
Catherine II, often called Catherine the Great, was born on April 21, 1729, in Stettin, Prussia (now Szczecin, Poland), and became the Russian empress in 1762. Under her reign, Russia expanded its territories and modernized, following the lead of Western Europe. Catherine II of Russia, sometimes called Catherine the Great, started out as a minor German princess. She grew up in Stettin in a small principality called Anhalt-Zebst. Her father, Christian August, was a prince of this tiny dominion, but he gained more fame for his military career. He served as a general for Frederick William I of Prussia. Princess Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp, Catherine II's mother, had little interest in her daughter. Instead, Johanna spent much of her time and energy on Catherine's younger brother Wilhelm Christian, but the boy died at the age of 12. As Catherine grew up, her mother eventually came to see her daughter as a means to move up the social ladder and improve her own situation. Her mother had relatives in other royal courts in the region, and brought Catherine with her on visits to seek out possible suitors. Catherine saw marriage as a way to escape from her controlling mother. Educated by tutors, Catherine had religious studies with a military chaplain, but she questioned much of what he taught her. She also learned three languages: German, French and Russian. The Russian came in handy when Catherine's mother wrangled an invitation to St. Petersburg from the Empress Elizabeth; Elizabeth had once been engaged to Johanna's older brother, who died of smallpox, and she felt a connection to Johanna's family. She wanted to see if Catherine would be suitable for her heir, Grand Duke Peter (later Peter III). In 1744, a teenage Catherine traveled with her mother to Russia. She soon fell ill, and her treatment created conflict between her mother and the Russian Empress, Elizabeth. Elizabeth insisted on numerous bloodlettings, while Johanna protested the procedure. When Catherine recovered, she moved forward with her relationship to Grand Duke Peter. The pair became engaged, and Catherine converted to the Russian Orthodox faith, despite her deeply Lutheran father's objections. Along with her new religion, she also received a new name—Yekaterina or Catherine. On August 21, 1745, Catherine II married into the Russian royal family, becoming a grand duchess. She and Peter proved to be anything but a happy couple, however. Peter was immature and juvenile, preferring to play with toys and mistresses than to be with his wife. Catherine II developed her own pastimes, which included reading extensively. After several miscarriages, Catherine II finally produced a heir. Her son, Paul, was born on September 20, 1754. The paternity of the child has been a subject of great debate with many scholars, who believe that Paul's father was actually Sergei Saltykov, a Russian noble and member of the court. Others have claimed that Paul looked a lot like Peter, leading them to believe that he was actually Paul's father. In any case, Catherine had little time with her first-born son; Elizabeth took over raising the child soon after his birth. After Empress Elizabeth's death in December 25, 1761, Catherine's husband assumed the throne, becoming Peter III, while she received the title of Empress Consort. The pair were leading separate lives at this point, and she had little to do with his rule. Peter was openly cruel to his wife, and often discussed pushing her aside to allow his mistress to rule with him. He soon alienated other nobles, officials and the military with his staunch support for Prussia. He also angered the Orthodox Church by taking away their lands. After six months, Peter was overthrown in a coup orchestrated by Catherine. Catherine II had conspired with her lover, Gregory Orlov, a Russian lieutenant, along with several others in order to unseat Peter. She was able to get him to step down from power, and assumed control herself. A few days after Peter's resignation, he was strangled while in the care of her co-conspirators at Ropsha, one of Peter's estates. The exact role Catherine played in her husband's death is unclear. Concerned about being toppled by opposing forces herself, Catherine sought to appease the military and the church. She recalled troops that had been sent by Peter to fight Denmark, and promoted and gifted those who had backed her as the new empress. Early in her reign, she returned the church's land and property. Catherine even styled herself after the beloved ruler Peter the Great, claiming that she was following in his footsteps. Catherine II even had a sculpture made later, known as the Bronze Horseman, built to honor him.
References
Sergeant, Philip W. The Courtships of Catherine the Great (Kessinger Publishing, 2004), 5.
Streeter, Michael. Catherine the Great (Haus Publishing, 2007), 3.
Streeter, Michael. Catherine the Great (Haus Publishing, 2007), 6.
Sergeant, Philip W. The Courtships of Catherine the Great (Kessinger Publishing, 2004), 34.
Sergeant, Philip W. The Courtships of Catherine the Great (Kessinger Publishing, 2004), 62.
Troyet biografi in Swedish by Harald Bohrn, p. 127
Alexander, John (1989). Catherine the Great: Life and Legend. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.
Erickson, Carolly (1994). Great Catherine: The life of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. New York, New York: Crown Publishers, Inc.
Memoirs of Decembrist Michael Fonvizin (nephew of writer Denis Fonvizin who belonged to the constitutionalists' circle in the 1770s); see: Фонвизин М.А. Сочинения и письма: Т. 2. – Иркутск, 1982. С. 123 [Fonvizin, M.A.: Works and letters, volume 2. Irkutsk:1982, page 123]
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Left panel detail of "Dress It Up in Resplendent Clothes," by Anne Bobroff-Hajal: Catherine speaks words of the French Enlightenment while the Russian peasants live in serfdom. 18" x 12" . 2011
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