Figure 1.--This charming minature is signed Bingl..? or perhaps Bing Pinx?. It is a French portrait on ivory, backed by foil and laid on card. Probably painted in the late 18th or early 19th century, the portrait is mounted in a simple bronze frame with convex glass. This is a portrait of Catherine II the Great (1729-1796), Empress of Russia. The boy with with her may be Catherine's son and successor Paul, whom she greatly disliked. It is more likely her grandson Alexander (son of Paul), whom she wished to be her successor and who ultimately won the throne with the assassination of his father. Born in 1777, Alexander was taken to be raised by his Grandmother.

Catherine Augusta was the daughter of Christian Augustus von Anholt-Zerbst, Prince of Anholt-Zerbst (1690- ). Her mother was Joanna Elizabeth von Holstein-Gottorp (1712- ). The Emperess Elizabeth personally chose Catherine to marry her nephew Peter of Holstein-Gottrop who was heir to the Russian throne. She chose Catherine from a minor German royal family. Catherine was rebaptised into the Orthodox Church and married Peter in 1745. She was 16 year old. Both were thus newcomers to the Russian court as teenagers. They were at first on friendly terms. Their relationship gradually, however, developed into in name only. She quickly adapted to the intrigues of the course and largely immoral Russian court. She openly admired Russia and used her femine charms to gather a group of supporters at court. while Her husband insisted on flaunting his German origins and admiring all things German, alienating the Russians. Catherine's indifference to her husband gradually rurned to contempt if not outright hatred. Peter did not last long as Tsar. The conflict between him and Catherine by the summer of 1762 had become quite serious. Tsar Peter was seized and imprisoned and a week later straggled (July 1762), probably by Grigorievich, a favorite of Catherine. Catherine went on to become the most powerful sovereign in Europe. The great courts of Europe intially saw her as a usurper, but the force of her policies forced them to recognize her. Gradually she was even lauded by the great thinkers of the French Enlightenment like Voltaire and Diderot. She was no figurehead, but gave close personal attention to the affairs of state. She continued Peter the Great's reforms of the Russian state, further increasing central control over the provinces. Her skill as a diplomat, in an era that produced many extraordinary diplomats, was remarkable. Russia's influence in European affairs, as well as its territory in Eastern and Central Europe, were increased and expanded. Toward the end of her reign, extravagence and the corruption of her court descredited Catherine both in Russian as well as Europe. The onset of the French Revolution, affected her zeal for reform. While one a great patron of the French Enlightenment, she eventually banned the publication of French works. Catherine became strikingly conservative and increasingly hostile to criticism of her policies. From 1789 until her death, she reversed many of the liberal reforms of her early reign. One notable effect of this reversal was that, like Peter the Great, Catherine ultimately contributed to the increasingly distressing state of the Russian serfs.

Parents

Catherine Augusta was the daughter of Christian Augustus von Anholt-Zerbst, Prince of Anholt-Zerbst (1690- ). Her mother was Joanna Elizabeth von Holstein-Gottorp (1712- )

Childhood

Catherine was born in Stettin in 1729.

Education

Tsarina Elizabeth

The Tsarina Elizabeth was the daughter of Tsar Peter I the Great Alexeiovich (1672- ) and Catherine I (Martha) Skavronska (1689- ). Elizabeth personally chose Catherine to marry her nephew Peter of Holstein-Gottrop who was heir to the Russian throne. She chose Catherine from a minor German royal family. Peter was a grandson of Peter the Great, but like Catherine was German.

Marriage

Catherine was rebaptised into the Orthodox Church and married Peter in 1745. She was 16 year old. Both were thus newcomers to the Russian court as teenagers. They were at first on friendly terms. Their relationship gradually, however, developed into in name only. She quickly adapted to the intrigues of the course and largely immoral Russian court. She openly admired Russia and used her femine charms to gather a group of supporters at court. while Her husband insisted on flaunting his German origins and admiring all things German, alienating the Russians. Catherine's indifference to her husband gradually rurned to contempt if not outright hatred.

Affairs

Peter maintained a mistress. She was the Princess Vorontsova and Peter flaunted her openly, subjecting Catherine to constant indignaties. Catherine's affairs were equally notorious, first with Count Soltikov and subsequently with Count Stanislas Poniatowski.

Children

Catherine had a son Paul who became Tsar Paul I Petrovich (1754- ). No one is positive as to who the father was. There was also adaughter, Anna Petrovna (1757- ).

Peter Becomes Tsar

Upon the death of the Emperess Elizabeth, Peter III was crowned Tsar on December 25, 1761. He was 34 when he became Tsar and dissolute. He did not perceive his position at court. He was not accompanied by his wife Catherine at the corronation. Vatherine was a year younger, but far more mature, not dissolute but also no puritan. Peter had come to be regarded as a fool at court. Catherine on the other hand was a complete success, respected as much for her intellect as for her winning personality. Although the court atmosphere in which they lived was much more cosmopolitan than that inhabited by their royal predecessors, politics was as always a deadly serious pursuit--and everyone knew that Catherine was the more capable politician.

Conflict with Husband

Peter did not last long as Tsar. The conflict between him and Catherine by the summer of 1762 had become quite serious. He became increasingly hostile to Catherine now that the Emperess Elizabeth was gone as he was Tsar. He threatened to divorce her, declare her son Paul illegitimate, and marry his mistress. Tsar Peter after only 6 months of rule, however, had managed to offend and outrage virtually the entire court by diplomatic bumblings and large segments of the population through his hostility to the church and his evident disdain for Russia. Support for Catherine was widespread, and Peter was suspicious.

Catherine and her supporters decided to act. She left her estate at Peterhof, outside of St. Petersburg, early on the morning of June 28, and departed for the city. Everything had been prepared in advance, by her court party led by the Orlovs, the Princess Dashkova, and others. When she arrived in St. Petersburg she was greeted with cheers by both the garison and the populace. Peter was typically indecisive and given his unpopularity found it difficult to obtain support.

The conspirators the next morning confronted Tsar Peter with a fait accompli--and a prepared declaration of his abdication. He was seized and imprisoned and a week later straggled (July 1762), probably by Grigorievich, a favorite of Catherine.

Tsarina

Catherine went on to become the most powerful sovereign in Europe. The great courts of Europe intially saw her as a usurper, but the force of her policies forced them to recognize her. Gradually she was even lauded by the great thinkers of the French Enlightenment like Voltaire and Diderot. She was no figurehead, but gave close personal attention to the affairs of state. She continued Peter the Great's reforms of the Russian state, further increasing central control over the provinces. Her skill as a diplomat, in an era that produced many extraordinary diplomats, was remarkable. Russia's influence in European affairs, as well as its territory in Eastern and Central Europe, were increased and expanded.

Domestic Policies

Catherine pursued many beneficial policies early in her reign, especially the first 12 years while under the influence of Count G. Orlov. She reorganized the administration og justice. She encouraged immigration, including German settlers. She introduced innoculation for smallpox and other health measures. She established elementary schools in all cities and many small towns. She founded other institutions of learning, military and naval schools, and hospitals. She built canals and fortrsses and sent Russian scholars and artists abroad to study. While much good was accomplished, she never fully realized the enormity of the problem of transforming a half civilized country like Russia through the methods of the French enlightement. Russia was still a virtually feudal society with large numbers of its people locked in serfdom.

Foreign Affairs

Catherine played a key part in the demise of Poland. Early in her reign she obtained the election of one of her lovers, Poniatowski, to the Polish throne. Later in cooperation with Austrai and Prussia used disession among the Poles to partition the country (1772, 1793, and 1795), removing Poland from the map of Europe and extending Russian rule to the Dniester. This secured one of her great goals, bringing Russia in direct contact with western Europe. A war with the Ottomans (1768-74) greatly expanded Russian territory and secured the free naviagation of the Black and Mediterranean Seas.

The Arts

Catherine was an enthusiastic patron of the arts. She built and founded the Hermitage Museum, commissioned buildings all over Russia, founded academies, journals, and libraries, and corresponded with the French Encyclopedists, including Voltaire, Diderot, and d'Alembert. She made the Russian court one of the most brilliant in all Europe. It is often said of her that she found St. Petersburg a village of hovels and left it a city of brick and marbel.

Personal Life

Although Catherine took many lovers, some of them trusted advisors and confidants. Some consider stories alleging her to have had an excessive sexual appetite to be unfounded. Several Tsarinas ruled after Peter I (the Great), Elizebeth and Catherine being the most important. The Rsarinas were notorious for the influence granted to favorites. Catherine's wholesale methods in this regard are almost unique in history. She had a lengthy string of advisors/lovers, beginning wkith the brutal and domineering Count G. Orlov who had played a key role in helping her seize the throne. He over played his cards when he dmanded marriage. Others followed him. The most important was Aleksandrovich Potemkin who eventually also overstepped his position and was banished to southern Russian after also denanding marriage, but he continued to play a role in the government.

Pugachev

There were many plots against Catherine. The most serious was that of Emelyan Ivanovich Pugachev, a Cossak soldier who gained support from the serfs and extreme orthodox party. Pugachev in 1773 proglaimed himself to be Tsar Peter III.

French Revolution

Toward the end of her reign, extravagence and the corruption of her court descredited Catherine both in Russian as well as Europe. The onset of the French Revolution, affected her zeal for reform. While one a great patron of the French Enlightenment, she eventually banned the publication of French works. Catherine became strikingly conservative and increasingly hostile to criticism of her policies. From 1789 until her death, she reversed many of the liberal reforms of her early reign. One notable effect of this reversal was that, like Peter the Great, Catherine ultimately contributed to the increasingly distressing state of the Russian serfs.

Succession

Because Catherine died of an unexpected heart attack in 1796, she had not yet put in writing her wish for Alexander to suceed her. Her son Paul thus succeeded her . Absolutist Tsar Paul I quickly infuriated almost everyone. He moved to undue Catherine's reforms and change yjr tnor of Vatherine's enligtenment court. He was intent on ruling Russia like a military unit. Hequickly alientaed the court. He was ultimately assassinated in a Palace coup (supposedly with the approval of his son Alexander) in 1802. Immediately thereafter, his son and Catherine's favorite, Alexander, was crowned Tsar Alexander I. His reign coincided with that of Napoleon of France, and Napoleon's defeat at Moscow in 1812 was his most important moment in history.

Created: August 12, 2002
Last updated: 6:53 PM 4/28/2019