Catherine the Great, born in 1729, established her life in Russia after marrying Tsar Peter III, shaping the future of the country. Historically known as Empress Catherine II or Catherine the Great, she was born as the daughter of a mid-level German prince but her destiny changed when she embraced the Russian Orthodox Church. Becoming the sole ruler of Russia, she took the reins from the erratic Peter, transforming the male-dominated nation he left behind into one of the world's major powers during her 34-year reign.
A precociously intelligent child, Catherine mastered German, her native language, alongside French and Russian. Her mother found a suitable match for her at a gathering in Saint Petersburg while touring European palaces in search of a suitable suitor. In 1774, Catherine embarked on her journey to Russia. Later, as the wife of the nephew bearing the name of the mad Peter, the German Sophie changed her name to Catherine. Their marriage wasn't particularly happy, and in 1762, her husband was first deposed by a coup and then believed to have been murdered, with Catherine suspected of involvement. Catherine II took charge, wholeheartedly embracing the Westernization policies initiated by Tsar Peter I.
Empress Catherine annexed Belarus and Lithuania into Russian territory, and through agreements with Prussia and Austria, she gained a foothold in Poland. When the Russo-Ottoman War erupted in 1768, she temporarily suspended her reforms. During this period, Empress Catherine brutally suppressed the largest peasant uprising in Russian history. Under her rule, the peasantry was further oppressed, while the aristocracy thrived. She also incorporated Crimea into Russian territory, a significant event as it marked the first Christian state that the Ottoman Empire lost. Poland, or rather the entirety of historical Poland, disappeared from the map for 123 years until the establishment of the Polish state after World War I.
Catherine made substantial investments in education and culture, corresponding with leading intellectuals and thinkers of her time, including Voltaire and Diderot. It is said that Diderot was the one who bestowed upon her the title of "Great Catherine." Today, the works she collected are showcased in the world-famous museum in Saint Petersburg.
Empress Catherine faced criticism from Europe for presiding over a system of serfdom and was not highly regarded for it. She initiated reforms in Russia, prioritizing law and aimed, like other Russian leaders, for warm-water ports in the south. She particularly aspired to seize the Black Sea shores and transform Istanbul into a sort of Orthodox Vatican.
Great Catherine had a rather lively love life. Though she never remarried after becoming Empress, it is said she had 12 lovers. Many of them were appointed to significant positions in the state. One of the most well-known was the commander Gregory Potemkin, who fought against the Ottomans. This led some of her detractors to dub Empress Catherine as the "crowned courtesan."
She posed formidable challenges for three Ottoman sultans: Mustafa III, Abdulhamid I, and Selim III. Historians believe that it was under her influence that Selim III and Mahmud II initiated their reform movements in response to the threats posed by Russia under her rule.
Post a Comment