Catherine The Great, or Catherine II, was a German born princess and married into Russian royalty after Elizabeth I, daughter of Peter The Great and then Empress of all the Russia's, chose her to marry her nephew and chosen successor, Peter III. When Elizabeth I died and Peter III came into rule he tried to divorce Catherine in favor of his mistress, but what he did not account for was that Catherine had used her time wisely and built up her mind, her reputation with the people, and most importantly her reputation with the military leaders and Governors. When time came to act, she did so, swiftly and smoothly, and stole the throne from beneath Peter III, who grossly underestimated her, so much so that the gravity of the situation did not hit him even after receiving the news from St. Petersburg, but only after he'd already been incarcerated.
I call her one of the two most important of the Czars because I can only compare her to one other, the father of the Russian Empire more or less as we know it today, Peter the Great. Where Peter the Great's rein was all about the expansion of the Empire, and entrance into the world as a power to rival any on Europe, Catherine the Great's rein brought Russia into the modern world and made it a rival to Europe in matters of culture, education, majesty, and appreciation of the arts. Where he conquered through military might and strategy, she conquered through legislation and wit.
This book is not without its flaws harping on the pomp of courtly life, but I feel that was just an inconvenient reality when writing about any great royalty. Altogether a great read for any history buffs or anyone fascinated by the Royals personal lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment