Catherine the Great

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Portrait of Catherine the Great of Russia by Richard Brompton, showing her in regal attire with a jeweled crown and fur-trimmed robe, set in an ornate oval frame.

The rise and reign of Catherine the Great

Painting by Georg-Christoph Grooth of Empress Elizabeth of Russia seated in an ornate gown with lace, a blue sash, and a crown resting on a red cushion beside her.

Portrait of Count Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov by Vigilius Erichsen, showing Orlov in formal attire with a blue sash and a patterned cloak, against a dark background.

Map showing the territorial expansion of Russia from 1300 to 1796, with regions color-coded by the ruler or period of acquisition. The map highlights the principality of Moscow around 1300, its growth by 1462, and subsequent expansions under rulers such as Ivan III, Ivan IV, Peter the Great, and Catherine the Great, extending Russian territory across Eastern Europe and into Siberia. Major rivers, neighboring countries, and cities are labeled for geographic context.

Grigory Potemkin

Historical map showing Russian expansion in Asia, with different colors representing territories acquired during specific periods and under various rulers from 1533 to 1894. The map highlights the original Russian territory in 1533 and subsequent acquisitions stretching eastward across Siberia to the Pacific Ocean, and southward toward Central Asia. Major cities, rivers, and neighboring countries are labeled for geographic context.

Portrait painting by Dmitry Levitsky of Empress Catherine II the Great wearing a red and ermine robe with royal regalia, standing beside a table with a crown.

Historic map showing the partitions of Poland from 1772 to 1795, with color-coded regions indicating territories annexed by Prussia, Austria, and Russia during the first, second, and third partitions. The map labels key cities and regions, and outlines the shifting borders that led to the disappearance of Poland as an independent state during this period.

Debunking the myths around Catherine the Great

At a Glance

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Catherine II summary

Catherine the Great: Media

empress of Russia

Videos

The rise and reign of Catherine the Great

The rise and reign of Catherine the Great

Overview of Catherine II's early life and reign.

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Georgios Kollidas/Dreamstime.com; © Wizreist/Dreamstime.com

Debunking the myths around Catherine the Great

Debunking the myths around Catherine the Great

Overview of moviemakers' taking creative license with the facts in films about Catherine...

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Images

Portrait of Catherine the Great of Russia by Richard Brompton, showing her in regal attire with a jeweled crown and fur-trimmed robe, set in an ornate oval frame.

Catherine II

Oil on canvas by Richard Brompton, 1782; in the collection of the State Hermitage...

Pictures from History—Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Painting by Georg-Christoph Grooth of Empress Elizabeth of Russia seated in an ornate gown with lace, a blue sash, and a crown resting on a red cushion beside her.

Empress Elizabeth of Russia

Portrait by Georg Christoph Grooth.

© Fine Art Images—Heritage Images/Getty Images

Portrait of Count Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov by Vigilius Erichsen, showing Orlov in formal attire with a blue sash and a patterned cloak, against a dark background.

Grigory Grigoryevich, Count Orlov

Portrait by Vigilius Eriksen; in the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

Fine Art Images—Heritage-Images/Hulton Fine Art Collection/Getty Images

Map showing the territorial expansion of Russia from 1300 to 1796, with regions color-coded by the ruler or period of acquisition. The map highlights the principality of Moscow around 1300, its growth by 1462, and subsequent expansions under rulers such as Ivan III, Ivan IV, Peter the Great, and Catherine the Great, extending Russian territory across Eastern Europe and into Siberia. Major rivers, neighboring countries, and cities are labeled for geographic context.

Expansion of Russia, 1300–1796

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Grigory Potemkin

Grigory Potemkin

Engraving by James Walker, 1789, after a portrait by Johann Baptist Lampi.

Reproduced by courtesy of the trustees of the British Museum; photograph, J.R. Freeman & Co., Ltd.

Historical map showing Russian expansion in Asia, with different colors representing territories acquired during specific periods and under various rulers from 1533 to 1894. The map highlights the original Russian territory in 1533 and subsequent acquisitions stretching eastward across Siberia to the Pacific Ocean, and southward toward Central Asia. Major cities, rivers, and neighboring countries are labeled for geographic context.

Russian Empire

Map of Russian expansion in Asia, 1533–1894.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Portrait painting by Dmitry Levitsky of Empress Catherine II the Great wearing a red and ermine robe with royal regalia, standing beside a table with a crown.

Catherine II

Oil on canvas by Dmitry Levitsky, 1782.

Heritage Images—Hulton Fine Art Collection/Getty Images

Historic map showing the partitions of Poland from 1772 to 1795, with color-coded regions indicating territories annexed by Prussia, Austria, and Russia during the first, second, and third partitions. The map labels key cities and regions, and outlines the shifting borders that led to the disappearance of Poland as an independent state during this period.

Partitions of Poland, 1772–95

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

First Partition of Poland

First Partition of Poland

Cartoon depicting the monarchs of Europe—notably Catherine II of Russia, Holy Roman...

British Cartoon Prints Collection/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (digital file no. 3g06750)

Podcasts

On This Day: July 9

Kurt Heintz of Encyclopædia Britannica tells the story of Catherine the Great's successful...

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