Empress Catherine II Alekseevna the Great
Catherine 2 (b. May 2, 1729 – d. November 17, 1796). The reign of Catherine II was from 1762 to 1796.
Origin
Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst was born in 1729 in Stettin. Daughter of Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, general of the Prussian service, and Johanna Elisabeth, Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp.
Arrival in Russia
Arrived in St. Petersburg on February 3, 1744 and converted to Orthodoxy on June 28, 1744. 1745, August 21 - she was married to her second cousin, Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich.
Was gifted by nature great mind, strong character. On the contrary, her husband was a weak and ill-mannered man. Not sharing his pleasures, Ekaterina Alekseevna devoted herself to reading and soon moved from lyrical novels to historical and philosophical books. A select circle formed around her, in which the greatest confidence used first by Prince N. Saltykov, and then by Stanislav Poniatovsky, later the king of the Kingdom of Poland.
Relationship Grand Duchess towards Empress Elizabeth Petrovna they were not particularly cordial, which was mutual. When Ekaterina Alekseevna gave birth to her son Pavel, the empress took the child with her and rarely allowed her mother to see him.
Death of Elizaveta Petrovna
Elizaveta Petrovna died on December 25, 1761. After Emperor Peter 3 ascended the throne, the position of his wife became even worse. The palace coup of June 28, 1762 and the death of her husband elevated Catherine 2 to the Russian throne.
The harsh school of life and natural intelligence made it possible for the new empress to emerge from a rather predicament, and take Russia out of it. The treasury was empty, the monopoly suppressed trade and industry; factory peasants and serfs were worried about rumors of freedom, which were renewed every now and then; peasants with western border fled to Poland.
Ekaterina 2
Under these circumstances, Catherine 2 ascended the throne, the rights to which belonged to her son according to the law of succession to the throne. But she understood that a young son would become a plaything of various palace parties on the throne. The regency was a fragile affair - the fate of Menshikov, Biron, Anna Leopoldovna was in everyone's memory.
Catherine’s penetrating gaze stopped equally attentively on the phenomena of life, both in Russia and abroad. 2 months after accession to the throne, having learned that the famous French “Encyclopedia” had been condemned by the Parisian parliament for atheism and its continuation was prohibited, the Empress invited Voltaire and Diderot to publish this encyclopedia in Riga. This one sentence won her over. the best minds, which then gave direction to public opinion throughout Europe.
Catherine was crowned on September 22, 1762 in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin and she spent the fall and winter in Moscow. On next year The Senate was reorganized and divided into six departments. 1764 - the Manifesto on the secularization of church properties was announced, founded Smolny Institute noble maidens and the Imperial Hermitage, the first collection of which was 225 paintings received from the Berlin merchant I.E. Gotzkovsky to pay off a debt to the Russian treasury.
CONSPIRACY
1764, summer - Second Lieutenant Mirovich decided to enthrone Ivan VI Antonovich, the son of Anna Leopoldovna and Duke Anton-Ulrich of Brunswick-Bevern-Lunenburg, who was kept in the Shlisselburg fortress. The plan was unsuccessful - on July 5, during an attempt to free him, Ivan Antonovich was shot by one of the guard soldiers; Mirovich was executed by court order.
Domestic and foreign policy
1764 - Prince Vyazemsky, sent to pacify the peasants assigned to the factories, was ordered to investigate the issue of the benefits of free labor over the serfs. The same question was proposed to the newly established Economic Society. First of all, it was necessary to resolve the issue of the monastery peasants, which took especially sharp character even under Elizaveta Petrovna. At the beginning of her reign, Elizabeth returned the estates to monasteries and churches, but in 1757 she and the dignitaries around her became convinced of the need to transfer the management of church property to secular hands.
Peter 3 ordered that Elizabeth's instructions be fulfilled and the management of church property be transferred to the board of economy. The inventory of the monastery property was carried out extremely roughly. When Catherine 2 ascended the throne, the bishops filed complaints with her and asked for the return of control to them. The Empress, on the advice of Bestuzhev-Ryumin, satisfied their desire, abolished the board of economy, but did not abandon her intention, but only postponed its execution. She then ordered that the 1757 commission resume its studies. It was ordered to make new inventories of monastic and church property.
Knowing how the transition of Peter 3 to the side of Prussia irritated public opinion, the empress ordered the Russian generals to maintain neutrality and thereby contributed to the end of the war.
The internal affairs of the power required special attention. What was most striking was the lack of justice. The Empress expressed herself energetically on this matter: “Extortion has increased to such an extent that there is hardly the smallest place in the government in which a trial could be conducted without infecting this ulcer; if anyone is looking for a place, they pay; whether someone defends himself against slander - defends himself with money; Whether anyone slanderes anyone, he backs up all his cunning machinations with gifts.”
The empress was especially amazed when she learned that within the Novgorod province they were taking money from peasants for swearing allegiance to the empress. This state of justice forced her to convene a commission in 1766 to publish the Code. She handed over her “Order” to this commission, which was to guide the commission in drawing up the Code. The “Mandate” was compiled based on the ideas of Montesquieu and Beccaria.
Polish affairs, the emerging Russian-Turkish war of 1768–1774 and internal unrest suspended Catherine's legislative activity until 1775. Polish affairs caused the division and fall of Poland.
The Russian-Turkish war ended with the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi peace, which was ratified in 1775. According to this peace, the Porte recognized the independence of the Crimean and Budzhak Tatars; ceded Azov, Kerch, Yenikale and Kinburn to Russia; opened free passage for Russian ships from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean; granted forgiveness to Christians who took part in the war; allowed Russia's petition in Moldovan cases.
During Russian-Turkish war In 1771, a plague raged in Moscow, causing the Plague Riot. This plague killed 130 thousand people.
An even more dangerous rebellion, known as the Pugachevshchina, broke out in eastern Russia. 1775, January - Pugachev was executed in Moscow.
1775 - the legislative activity of Catherine 2 resumed, which, however, had not stopped before. Thus, in 1768, the commercial and noble banks were abolished and the so-called assignation, or change, bank was established. In 1775 it ceased to exist Zaporozhye Sich, already tending to fall. In the same 1775, the transformation of provincial government began. An institution was published for the management of provinces, which was introduced for 20 years: in 1775 it began with the Tver province and ended in 1796 with the establishment of the Vilna province. Thus, the reform of provincial government, begun by Peter 1, was brought out of a chaotic state by Catherine 2 and completed.
1776 - the empress ordered the word “slave” to be replaced in petitions with the word “loyal subject.”
By the end of the first Russian-Turkish war, he received especially important who strived for great things. Together with his collaborator Bezborodko, he compiled a project known as the Greek one. The enormity of this project - by destroying Ottoman Porte, to restore the Greek Empire, to the throne of which to elevate Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich - Catherine liked it.
Irakli 2, king of Georgia, recognized the protectorate of Russia. 1785 - marked by two important legislative acts: “Charter granted to the nobility” and “City status”. The charter on public schools on August 15, 1786 was implemented only on a small scale. Projects to found universities in Pskov, Chernigov, Penza and Yekaterinoslav were postponed. 1783 - the Russian Academy was founded to study native language. The beginning of women's education was laid. Orphanages were established, smallpox vaccination was introduced, and the Pallas expedition was equipped to study the remote outskirts.
Catherine 2 decided to explore the newly acquired Crimean region herself. Accompanied by Austrian, English and French ambassadors, with a huge retinue in 1787, she went on a trip. Stanislav Poniatowski, King of Poland, met the Empress in Kanev; near Keidan - Austrian Emperor Joseph 2. He and Catherine 2 laid the first stone of the city of Ekaterinoslav, visited Kherson and examined the newly created one by Potemkin Black Sea Fleet. During the journey, Joseph noticed the theatricality in the situation, saw how people were hastily herded into villages that were supposedly under construction; but in Kherson he saw the real deal - and gave justice to Potemkin.
The second Russian-Turkish war under Catherine 2 was waged in alliance with Joseph 2 in 1787–1791. The peace treaty was concluded in Iasi on December 29, 1791. For all the victories, Russia received only Ochakov and the steppe between the Bug and the Dnieper.
At the same time, there was a war with Sweden, with varying happiness, declared by Gustav III on July 30, 1788. It ended on August 3, 1790 with the Peace of Werel on the condition of maintaining the previously existing border.
During the second Russian-Turkish war there was a coup in Poland: 1791, May 3 - was made public new Constitution, which led to the second partition of Poland in 1793, and then to the third in 1795. Under the second partition, Russia received the rest of the Minsk province, Volyn and Podolia, under the third – the Grodno Voivodeship and Courland.
Last years. Death
1796 - the last year of the reign of Catherine 2, Count Valerian Zubov, appointed commander-in-chief in the campaign against Persia, conquered Derbent and Baku; his successes were stopped by the death of the empress.
The last years of the reign of Catherine 2 were overshadowed by a reactionary direction. Then it played out French revolution, and the pan-European, Jesuit-oligarchic reaction entered into an alliance with the Russian reaction at home. Her agent and instrument was the Empress’s last favorite, Prince Platon Zubov, together with his brother Count Valerian. European reaction wanted to drag Russia into the fight against revolutionary France, a fight alien to the direct interests of Russia.
The Empress spoke kind words to the representatives of the reaction and did not give up a single soldier. Then the undermining of her throne intensified, accusations were renewed that she was reigning illegally, occupying the throne that belonged to her son Pavel Petrovich. There is reason to believe that in 1790 an attempt was being made to elevate Pavel Petrovich to the throne. This attempt was probably connected with the expulsion of Prince Frederick of Württemberg from St. Petersburg.
The reaction at home then accused the empress of allegedly being excessively free-thinking. Catherine grew old, and there was almost no trace of her former courage and energy. And under such circumstances, in 1790, Radishchev’s book “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow” appeared with a project for the liberation of the peasants, as if written out from the articles of the Empress’s “Order.” The unfortunate Radishchev was exiled to Siberia. Perhaps this cruelty was the result of the fear that the exclusion of articles on the emancipation of peasants from the “Nakaz” would be considered hypocrisy on the part of the empress.
1796 - was imprisoned in Shlisselburg Fortress Nikolai Ivanovich Novikov, who served so much for Russian education. The secret motive for this measure was Novikov’s relationship with Pavel Petrovich. 1793 - Knyazhnin suffered cruelly for his tragedy “Vadim”. 1795 - even Derzhavin was suspected of being a revolutionary for his transcription of the 81st Psalm, entitled “To Rulers and Judges.” Thus ended the educational reign of Catherine II, which raised the national spirit. Despite the reaction recent years, the name of enlightenment will remain with him in history. From this reign in Russia they began to realize the importance of humane ideas, they began to talk about the right of man to think for the benefit of his own kind.
Literary movement
Gifted with literary talent, receptive and sensitive to phenomena surrounding life, Catherine 2 took an active part in the literature of that era. Excited by her literary movement was devoted to the development of educational ideas XVIII century. Thoughts on education, briefly outlined in one of the chapters of the “Nakaz”, were subsequently developed in detail by the empress in the allegorical tales “About Tsarevich Chlor” (1781) and “About Tsarevich Fevey” (1782) and, mainly, in “Instructions to the Prince” N. Saltykov”, given upon his appointment as tutor to the Grand Dukes Alexander and Konstantin Pavlovich (1784).
The pedagogical ideas expressed in these works were mainly borrowed by the Empress from Montaigne and Locke; she took it from the first one general view for the purpose of education, the second was used when developing particulars. Guided by Montaigne, the Empress put the moral element in the first place in education - to sow humanity, justice, respect for laws, and condescension towards people in the soul of a person. At the same time, she demanded that mental and physical side education received proper development.
Personally raising her grandchildren up to the age of seven, she compiled a whole educational library. For the Grand Dukes, their grandmother also wrote “Notes regarding Russian history" In purely fictional works, which include magazine articles and dramatic works, Catherine 2 is much more original than in works of a pedagogical and legislative nature. Pointing out actual contradictions to the ideals that existed in society, her comedies and satirical articles were supposed to significantly contribute to the development public consciousness, making the importance and feasibility of the reforms it undertakes clearer.
Empress Catherine 2 the Great died on November 6, 1796 and was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
April 21 (May 2), 1729 German city Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland) born Sophia Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst, future Russian empress Catherine II.
In 1785, Catherine II issued the famous lawsnodatory acts - Charters granted to cities and nobility. For the Russian nobility, Catherine’s document meant the legal consolidation of almost all the rights and privileges available to the nobles, including exemption from compulsory public service.The charter to cities established new elected city institutions, expanded the circle of voters and consolidated the foundations of self-government.
In 1773 by order of CatherineII in St. Petersburg, to train specialists in metalworking industries, the first in Russia and the second in the world higher technical education was founded educational institution- Mining School. In 1781, the beginning was made of the creation of a national system of public education in Russia- a network of urban school institutions based on a class-lesson system. In subsequent years, the Empress also continued to develop plans for major reforms in the field of education. IN1783 Catherine's decree was issued II “On free printing houses”, which allowed private individuals to engage in publishing activities. In 1795, by her highest command, Catherine the Great approved the project for the construction of the first public library in St. Petersburg.
During her reign, the Russian Empress spent two successful wars against Ottoman Turks(Russian-Turkish wars of 1768-1774 and 1787-1791), as a result of which Russia finally gained a foothold in the Black Sea. Leading an alliance with Austria and Prussia, Catherine participated in the three partitions of Poland. In 1795 the empressa manifesto was issued on the annexation of Courland “on eternal times To Russian Empire».
The era of Empress Catherine the Great was marked by the appearance of a galaxy of outstanding statesmen, generals, writers, artists. Among them special place occupiedadjutant generalI. I. Shuvalov;Count P. A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky; Admiral V. Ya. Chichagov; Generalissimo A.V. Suvorov; Field Marshal General G. A. Potemkin; educator, book publisher N. I. Novikov; historian, archaeologist, artist, writer, collector A. N. Olenin, president Russian Academy E. R. Dashkova.
On the morning of November 6 (17), 1796, Catherine II died and was buried in the tomb of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. 77 years after the death of Catherine in St. Petersburg, a monument to the great empress was inaugurated on Alexandrinskaya Square (now Ostrovsky Square).
Lit.: Brickner A. G. History of Catherine II. St. Petersburg, 1885; Grot Y. K. Education of Catherine II // Ancient and new Russia. 1875. T. 1. No. 2. P. 110-125; Same [ Electronic resource]. URL:http://memoirs.ru/texts/Grot_DNR_75_2.htm; Catherine II. Her life and writings: Sat. historical and literary articles. M., 1910;Joanna Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst. News written by Princess Joanna-Elizabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst, mother of Empress Catherine, about her and her daughter’s arrival in Russia and about the celebrations on the occasion of joining Orthodoxy and the latter’s marriage. 1744-1745 // Collection of Russian historical society. 1871. T. 7. P. 7-67; The same [Electronic resource]. URL: http://memoirs.ru/texts/IoannaSRIO71.htm; Kamensky A. B. The life and fate of Empress Catherine the Great. M., 1997; Omelchenko O. A. “Legitimate Monarchy” of Catherine the Second. M., 1993; Stories by A. M. Turgenev about Empress Catherine II // Russian antiquity. 1897. T. 89. No. 1. P. 171-176; The same [Electronic resource]. URL: http://memoirs.ru/texts/Turgenev897.htm; Tarle E. V. Catherine the Second and her diplomacy. Part 1-2. M., 1945.
See also in the Presidential Library:
Catherine II (1729–1796) // Romanov Dynasty. 400th anniversary Zemsky Sobor 1613: collection.
CATHERINE II the Great(1729-96), Russian empress (from 1762). German Princess Sophia Frederica Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst. Since 1744 - in Russia. Since 1745, the wife of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich, the future emperor, whom she overthrew from the throne (1762), relying on the guard (G. G. and A. G. Orlovs and others). She reorganized the Senate (1763), secularized the lands (1763-64), and abolished the hetmanate in Ukraine (1764). She headed the Statutory Commission 1767-69. Happened with her Peasants' War 1773-75. Published the Institution for governing the province in 1775, Certificate of Complaint to the nobility in 1785 and a Charter to the cities in 1785. Under Catherine II, as a result of the Russian-Turkish wars of 1768-74, 1787-91, Russia finally gained a foothold in the Black Sea, the North was annexed. Black Sea region, Crimea, Kuban region. Accepted Vostochny under Russian citizenship. Georgia (1783). During the reign of Catherine II, the divisions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were carried out (1772, 1793, 1795). Corresponded with other figures French Enlightenment. Author of many fictional, dramatic, journalistic, popular science works, “Notes”.
EKATERINA II Alekseevna(nee Sophia Augusta Frederica, Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst), Russian Empress (from 1762-96).
Origin, upbringing and education
Catherine, the daughter of Prince Christian Augustus of Anhalt-Zerbst, who was in the Prussian service, and Princess Johanna Elisabeth (née Princess Holstein-Gottorp), was related to royal houses Sweden, Prussia and England. She got home education: studied German and French, dance, music, basics of history, geography, theology. Already in childhood, her independent character, curiosity, perseverance, and at the same time a penchant for lively, active games were evident. In 1744, Catherine and her mother were summoned to Russia by the Empress, baptized according to Orthodox custom under the name of Ekaterina Alekseevna and named the bride of Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich ( future emperor Peter III), whom she married in 1745.
Life in Russia before accession to the throne
Catherine set herself the goal of winning the favor of the empress, her husband and the Russian people. However, her personal life things were not going well: Peter was infantile, so during the first years of marriage there was no marital relationship between them. Having paid tribute have a fun life court, Catherine turned to reading French educators and works on history, jurisprudence and economics. These books shaped her worldview. Catherine became a consistent supporter of the ideas of the Enlightenment. She was also interested in the history, traditions and customs of Russia. In the early 1750s. Catherine started an affair with guards officer S.V. Saltykov, and in 1754 gave birth to a son, the future Emperor Paul I, but rumors that Saltykov was Paul’s father have no basis. In the second half of the 1750s. Catherine had an affair with the Polish diplomat S. Poniatowski (later King Stanislav Augustus), and in the early 1760s. with G. G. Orlov, from whom she gave birth to a son, Alexei, in 1762, who received the surname Bobrinsky. The deterioration of relations with her husband led to the fact that she began to fear for her fate if he came to power and began to recruit supporters at court. Catherine's ostentatious piety, her prudence, and sincere love for Russia - all this sharply contrasted with Peter's behavior and allowed her to gain authority both among the high society metropolitan society and the general population of St. Petersburg.
Accession to the throne
During the six months of Peter's reign III relationship Catherine and her husband (who openly appeared in the company of his mistress E.R. Vorontsova) continued to deteriorate, becoming clearly hostile. There was a threat of her arrest and possible deportation. Catherine carefully prepared the conspiracy, relying on the support of the Orlov brothers, N.I. Panin, E.R. Dashkova and others. On the night of June 28, 1762, when the emperor was in Oranienbaum, Catherine secretly arrived in St. Petersburg and was proclaimed in the barracks of the Izmailovsky regiment autocratic empress. Soon soldiers from other regiments joined the rebels. The news of Catherine's accession to the throne quickly spread throughout the city and was greeted with delight by St. Petersburg residents. To prevent the actions of the deposed emperor, messengers were sent to the army and to Kronstadt. Meanwhile, Peter, having learned about what had happened, began to send proposals for negotiations to Catherine, which were rejected. The Empress herself, at the head of the guards regiments, set out for St. Petersburg and on the way received Peter’s written abdication of the throne.
Character and mode of government
Catherine II was a subtle psychologist and an excellent judge of people; she skillfully selected assistants for herself, not being afraid of bright and talented people. That is why Catherine’s time was marked by the appearance of a whole galaxy of outstanding statesmen, generals, writers, artists, and musicians. In dealing with her subjects, Catherine was, as a rule, restrained, patient, and tactful. She was an excellent conversationalist and knew how to listen carefully to everyone. By her own admission, she did not have a creative mind, but she was good at catching every sensible thought and using it for her own purposes. During the entire reign of Catherine there were practically no noisy resignations, none of the nobles were disgraced, exiled, much less executed. Therefore, there was an idea of Catherine’s reign as the “golden age” of the Russian nobility. At the same time, Catherine was very vain and valued her power more than anything else in the world. In order to preserve it, she is ready to make any compromises to the detriment of her beliefs.
Attitude to religion and the peasant question
Catherine was distinguished by ostentatious piety, considered herself the head and protector of the Russian Orthodox Church and skillfully used religion in her political interests. Her faith, apparently, was not very deep. In the spirit of the times, she preached religious tolerance. Under her, the persecution of Old Believers was stopped, Catholic and Protestant churches and mosques were built, but the transition from Orthodoxy to another faith was still severely punished.
Catherine was a staunch opponent of serfdom, considering it inhumane and contrary to human nature itself. Her papers contain many harsh statements on this matter, as well as discussions about various options elimination of serfdom. However, she did not dare to do anything concrete in this area due to a well-founded fear of a noble rebellion and another coup. At the same time, Catherine was convinced of the spiritual underdevelopment of Russian peasants and therefore in the danger of granting them freedom, believing that the life of peasants under caring landowners was quite prosperous.
Catherine II the Great (Ekaterina Alekseevna Romanova, nee Sophia Augusta Frederica, German princess Anhalt-Zerbst) - empress and champion of enlightenment, often presented as the successor to the work of Peter the Great, the only one Russian rulers, awarded the title Great.The period of her reign from 1762 to 1796 is not without reason called the “golden age” of the country. The borders of Russia were expanded, treasury revenues were increased 4 times (from 16 to 68 million rubles), and the population grew from 30 to 44 million people.
Childhood and youth
The future prominent representative of the world political arena was born on May 2, 1729 in the German principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. Her father, Prince Christian August, belonged to an old but impoverished German princely family. He served in the service of the King of Prussia, ending his career in high military rank field marshal. Mother, Johanna Elisabeth, princess from the Holstein-Gottorp dynasty. 
The pretty, cheerful and lively little girl was called Fike by her relatives. She enjoyed playing with her little sister and learning foreign languages, music, history, and penmanship, grasping everything on the fly. She spent several years in Berlin, at the court of Frederick II. There was a legend that her real father was the king himself, who was Johanna’s cousin.
At the age of 10, in the house of the bishop of the city of Eitin, she met Karl Peter Ulrich, the future Peter III and her husband. In 1743, on the recommendation of Frederick II, she was matched, and a year later, on the eve of Peter Fedorovich’s 16th birthday, she went to the Mother See, where she began to prepare for the wedding: she studied the Russian language, traditions and customs of her new homeland.
Marriage
In June 1743, she was baptized into Orthodoxy as Ekaterina Alekseevna, then engaged, and in August her wedding. The wedding celebration lasted ten days amid volleys of guns and fireworks. 
After the wedding, the relationship between the spouses did not work out: the august life partner ignored her. At first, Catherine was bored alone, and then began to study the works of French educators, books on philosophy, history and geography of Russia in an effort to better know the country she was preparing to rule.
In addition to self-education, she found time for hunting and billiards, useful communication With interesting people. She also enjoyed doing metal engraving. The lack of emotional intimacy with her husband contributed to the emergence of numerous lovers.
In 1754, Catherine gave birth to a son. The Tsarevich, named Paul, was immediately taken from her. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna took upon herself the troubles of raising the heir, isolating him from his mother. Catherine realized that she had only one thing left - to get involved in politics. To her husband’s pleasure, she took over the management of his Holstein duchy, began to delve into the essence of the cases to be considered, and on this basis became close to Alexei Bestuzhev.
In 1762, after the death of Elizabeth, Peter III ascended the throne and with his first steps demonstrated his Prussian sympathies. Particular outrage officer corps caused him to sign a peace treaty with Prussia, which provided for the return of all lands seized at the cost of many lives during Seven Years' War. He began to live openly with his favorite Elizaveta Vorontsova, showed disrespect for the church - he announced plans to reform church rituals.
As a result, abandoned by her husband, friendly with others and pious, Catherine, fearing divorce and arrest, with the support of the guards, committed palace coup. The Orlov brothers, diplomat Panin, Hetman of the Zaporozhian Army Razumovsky and other persons dissatisfied with Peter III actively participated in its preparation. Realizing the hopelessness of the situation, he signed an abdication and almost immediately died under dubious circumstances.
The era of Catherine the Great
Having begun her reign in 1762, Catherine II tried to organize the state in accordance with the ideals of the Enlightenment. She implemented important and significant reforms for the empire, gaining enormous public support. A year later, she initiated a reorganization of the Senate that increased its productivity. In 1764 - the secularization of church lands, which made it possible to replenish the treasury. 
Being a supporter of the unification of management of the outskirts of the state, the reigning empress abolished the hetmanate. In accordance with the principles of the Enlightenment, she created several new educational institutions, including the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens and the Russian Academy.
Based on the works of educational authors, in 1767 she wrote a set of legislative norms The “mandate” for whose approval she convened special commission from representatives of various walks of life. The empress's policy was characterized by religious tolerance - she stopped the oppression of the Old Believers.
After the Russian-Turkish war and Pugachev revolt has begun new round implementation of the queen’s most important innovations. In 1775 she developed and implemented provincial reform, which was in force until 1917, issued a set of noble privileges, acts on self-government of cities, on the creation of elected courts, on vaccination of the population, etc.
No less significant were the efforts of the autocrat in the foreign policy sphere. During her reign, a number of divisions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place, the country's position in the Baltic states was strengthened, Crimea and Georgia were annexed.
Men and children of Catherine II
Catherine II became famous not only as powerful and great, but also as the most masculine empress. The list of her favorites, according to a number of historians, included about 30 names. 
The empress’s most “unrestrained feelings” were associated with His Serene Highness Prince Grigory Orlov, with her closest friend and adviser Grigory Potemkin, with Alexander Lansky, who became the heartfelt friend of the 54-year-old empress at the age of 25, with her last favorite Platon Zubov (22 years old at the time of the beginning of the affair with 60-year-old autocrat).
Catherine the Great: personal life | Favorites and lovers of the Empress
None of the favorites, except Potemkin and Pyotr Zavadovsky, were allowed to resolve political issues by Catherine the Great. And none of her chosen ones were disgraced. She generously awarded them all with honorary titles, orders, estates and money.
The Empress gave birth to three children: son Pavel from her legal husband Peter Fedorovich (or, according to one version, from Sergei Saltykov) and daughter Anna (allegedly from Stanislav Poniatovsky), who died as an infant, and also illegitimate son Alexey Bobrinsky (from Grigory Orlov). There is also an opinion that Elizaveta Grigorievna Tyomkina (born 1775) is the daughter of the Empress and Potemkin, who subsequently took her under his wing.
Death
At the end of her life, the reigning empress devoted a lot of time to caring for her grandchildren: Alexander and Constantine. She named the eldest of Pavel's children in honor of the patron saint of St. Petersburg, Alexander Nevsky. With her unloved son Pavel she had strained relationship. She wanted to make not him, but her eldest grandson, heir to the throne, so she was personally involved in his upbringing. However, her plans were not destined to come true. 
In 1796, November 16 great empress hit. The next day, without regaining consciousness, she died of a stroke. They buried her in the Peter and Paul Cathedral together with her husband, opening his grave. The next ruler of the Russian Empire was Paul I.
Ekaterina Alekseevna Romanova (Catherine II the Great)
Sophia Augusta Frederica, Princess, Duchess of Anhalt-Zerb.
Years of life: 04/21/1729 - 11/6/1796
Russian Empress (1762 – 1796)
Daughter of Prince Christian August of Anhalt-Zerbst and Princess Johanna Elisabeth.
Born April 21 (May 2), 1729 in Schettin. Her father, Prince Christian Augustus of Anhalt-Zerb, served to the Prussian king, but his family was considered impoverished. Sophia Augusta's mother was sister King Adolf Frederick of Sweden. Other relatives of the mother of the future Empress Catherine ruled Prussia and England. Sofia Augusta, (family nickname - Fike) was the eldest daughter in the family. She was educated at home.
In 1739, 10-year-old Princess Fike was introduced to her future husband, heir to the Russian throne Karl Peter Ulrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, who was the nephew of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, Grand Duke Peter Fedorovich Romanov. Heir Russian throne made a negative impression on high Prussian society, showed himself to be ill-mannered and narcissistic.
In 1778, she composed the following epitaph for herself:
Having ascended to the Russian throne, she wished well
And she strongly wanted to give her subjects Happiness, Freedom and Prosperity.
She easily forgave and did not deprive anyone of their freedom.
She was lenient, didn't make life difficult for herself, and had a cheerful disposition.
Had a republican soul and kind heart. She had friends.
Work was easy for her, friendship and the arts brought her joy.
Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin (according to some sources)
Anna Petrovna
Alexey Grigorievich Bobrinsky
Elizaveta Grigorievna Tyomkina
IN late XIX century, collected works published Catherine II in 12 volumes, which included children's moral tales written by the empress, pedagogical teachings, dramatic plays, articles, autobiographical notes, translations.
The reign of Ekaterina Alekseevna is often considered the “golden age” of the Russian Empire. Thanks to its reform activities, she is the only Russian ruler who was awarded historical memory compatriots, like Peter I, the epithet “Great”.