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Catherine the Great: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As Yekaterina Alekseyevna • Catherine II • Yekaterina Velikaya • Sophie Friederike Auguste, Prinzessin von Anhalt-Zerbst
Born May 2, 1729 • Prussia
Died November 17, 1796 (aged 67) • Russia • (Anniversary in 4 days)
Title / Office empress (1762-1796), Russian Empire
Notable Works “Instruction of Catherine the Great”
House / Dynasty Romanov dynasty
Notable Family Members spouse Peter III • son Paul
Role In Eastern Question • Partitions of Poland • Treaty of Georgievsk • Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca • Russo-Turkish wars

Did You Know?

  • Catherine the Great was reportedly tone-deaf and had to receive a signal to applaud at operas, concerts, and ballets.
  • Catherine bestowed gifts, including land and titles, to her former lovers; one received more than a thousand indentured servants.
  • Catherine faced over a dozen uprisings during her rule.

Photos and Videos

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.
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.
First Partition of Poland
The rise and reign of Catherine the Great
Debunking the myths around Catherine the Great
See All Videos, Images and Podcasts →

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