| Birth: | May 2, 1729 | | Death: | Nov. 17, 1796 | 
Russian Monarch. Known as "Catherine the Great of Russia", she was born Princess Sophia Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst. She was brought to Russia in 1744 at the behest of ruling Czarina Elizabeth I to marry Elizabeth's nephew Peter. She changed her name to Catherine when she converted to the Orthodox Church prior to the wedding. After bearing one son, Paul, the marriage turned bad, and she became isolated from Peter's court. When Elizabeth died, Peter became Czar Peter III in January 1762. A poor monarch, he alienated the Nobility and Army and was overthrown in June 1762. Approached by the nobility to become ruling Czarina, Catherine accepted, becomeing Czarina Cathrine II. Peter was murdered shortly afterward, most likely at the orders of Catherine's lover, Grigory Orlov. She proved to be an enlightened ruler and made sweeping, modernizing changes in the government, education system, and health system. She had several lovers during her reign, and her enemies spread untrue rumors of many different kinds of perversion about her. She is credited with bringing Russia from the mind set of the Middle Ages to the modern world of the 18th century. When she died of a stroke in 1796, she would be the last ruling Czarina. She was succeeded by her son Paul.
Family links:
Children:
Paul I (1754 - 1801)*
*Calculated relationship
Cause of death: Stroke
Search Amazon for Catherine II the Great | | | Burial:
St. Peter and Paul Fortress
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg Federal City, Russian Federation |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jan 01, 2001
Find A Grave Memorial# 1505 |
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