Biography of Catherine the Great Essays - 3553 Words

Biography of Catherine the Great One of the most interesting, hard-working and powerful people to grace the pages of history during the eighteenth century was Catherine II, Empress of Russia. Historians have not always been so kind to her memory, and all too often one reads accounts of her private life, ignoring her many achievements. The stories of her love affairs have been overly misinterpreted and can be traced to a handful of French writers in the years immediately after Catherines death, when Republican France was fighting for its life against a coalition that included Russia. Catherine was born Sophia Augusta Frederika of Anhalt-Zerbst on April 21, 1729 in Stettin, then Germany, now Poland. Her father, Prince Christian†¦show more content†¦It was at this time that Catherine, who had never felt more isolated, wrote: I should have loved my new husband, if only he had been willing or able to be in the least lovable. But in the first days of my marriage, I made some cruel reflections about him. I said to myself: If you love this man, you will be the most wretched creature on Earth. Watch your step, so far as affection for this gentleman is concerned, think of yourself, Madame. The young couple settled down, but the marriage was a miserable failure. Catherine was disappointed with her marriage, but decided to stick it out and concentrate on building herself a powerful group of allies. Catherine occupied herself with reading everything she could lay her hands on. She discovered satisfaction in the works of Plato and Voltaire. Her interest in the intellect caused an even greater distance between Peter and herself. The years passed and there was still no heir in sight. This of course irritated the Empress who wanted to secure a powerful dynasty, and could not do so without the presence of a male heir. She thought it must be Catherines fault because she was not attracted to her husband. However, it was Peter that was not able to produce a male son, so Elizabeth permitted an affair between Catherine and a Russian military officer named Serge Saltykov. Catherine finally gave birth to a son, whom the Empress named Paul, on September 20, 1754. Peter accepted it as hisShow MoreRelatedCatherine The Great Of Russia1560 Words   |  7 PagesEspinoza Global 9 Per. 9 May 08, 2015 HRP Draft Catherine the Great of Russia I shall be an autocrat: that s my trade. And the good lord will forgive me: that s his (Catherine II: quote on leadership). In history there have been many good examples of good and powerful leaders. A person who exemplifies good leadership; protects one’s nation, is a strong speaker and communicator, is confident, and can organize a well developed government system. Catherine the second, was a Russian ruler. She was ultimatelyRead MoreThe Second Chapter : A Brief Survey Of The Aspects Of Russian Culture1517 Words   |  7 Pagesof the aspects of Russian culture in 1762, the year Catherine rose to power. De Madariaga includes pictures of some members of Catherine’s cabinet to which she was especially close, including Count Chernychev, vice president of the College of War; Catherine’s son A.G. Bobrinskoy; A.V. Khrapovitsky, Catherine’s secretary; and the biggest portrait is of Prince Grigory Potemkin, the president of the College of War, and the person to whom Catherine constantly referred as her favorite (de Madariaga, 17-20)Read MoreCatherine II Life and Accomplishments Essay1639 Words   |  7 PagesCatherine II Catherine II of Russia was one of the most influential rulers in Russian history. Catherine was born a princess in Germany, originally named Sophie Fredericke Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst, but moved to Russia, changed her name and married the heir to the throne (Massie 96). 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Isabel thought that since Laura was at â€Å"Day 55(Love and Friendship: LetterRead MoreAnalysis Of Washington Square By Henry James Transports1908 Words   |  8 Pagesencounter the temptation to become familiar with biographies of novelists and others writers. From pieces of real-life information, readers can uncover truths about fiction created by celebrated authors inspired by their own lives to produce thought-provoking pieces, novels, short stories, or otherwise. However, knowing too much about an author can hinder readers from fully immersing into a story without biases. There is a fine line between using biography knowledge to the advantage of literary interpretation