Life and Reign of Catherine the Great

A young girl sits alone in a cold room in a house on the German coast and dreams of being a queen. That girl's name was Sophia. She was born in 1729 but her mother would never treat her properly for being a girl. Her mother was young and pushy and always wanted to be the centre of attention, she was deeply regretting being married at fifteen to a man twenty-one years older than her. To her standards, the man was poor, and her stuffy life was nothing like how she saw the court that she had seen as a girl. She still had hope and still wanted to leave her husbands military post to live with the rich and see the world.

According to her mother, she would need a son. Sophia was neglected and told she was ugly and was yelled at for doing something that was minor. Sophia was a very bright student and often annoyed her tutors by asking them questions such as, “What was the universe like before it was made” or “If the world was really that despair before the entry of Jesus, how come violence still occurs?” Her mother still focused on Sophia’s sick brother who was born a year before she was born. Sophia would always wonder over the treatment she received compared to her brother.

In 1741, when Sophia was thirteen her brother died due to Scarlet Fever. She had one other brother who would survive but he was five years younger, so now her mother finally turned to Sophia but she did not receive the affection that she had hoped for. Her mother’s goal was to get her married, her mother thought that taking her daughter out to look for a match and to travel and get back to court will provide a path to escape her husband. Unfortunately, her daughter was proud and arrogant. Her mother felt that if she ever tried to get Sophia married, she would have to break her habits so Sophia was made to hide her pride and talents. Her mother began visiting all of their relatives to search a match. She was often taken to see relatives who were locked away in a room after failing to find a match.

Sophia then saw marriage as a way out and to escape from her mother, but this was limited because her father was not a man who was known. He was a Prince of one of the tiny principalities that made up the Holy Roman Empire and he was not even the head of that principality. Although, her mother was a member of the House of Holstein which was one of the most powerful houses of the empire. Sophia met with Peter Ulrich the Duke of Holstein when he was eleven. Peter was the heir to the throne of Sweden and last surviving grandson of Peter the Great. One night, a letter came from the Russian Empress Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s sister had married a Holstein. Elizabeth was the aunt of Peter, she had even been engaged to Sophia’s uncle. She had recently became the guardian of Peter, she adopted him as her own child. Peter had lost the right to the crown of Sweden but he had gained succession to the crown of Russia. Elizabeth’s letter said nothing but told Sophia and her mother to travel to Russia. Sophia finally thought that she might find her way to being a queen.

Later that night, they received a letter from Frederick the Great ordering them to come to Berlin. Along with the invitation, they received ten thousand rubles for Sophia’s dresses. Although, her mother used the entire sum on herself rather than Sophia. They began their journey to Berlin and then St. Petersburg.

When they arrived Sophia’s mother hurried to show herself to the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. She was confused when the Emperor asked where her daughter was. She had not taken Sophia with her to court thinking that Frederick wouldn’t want to see the girl. So she said Sophia was sick and the next day she came up at court with the same excuse. On the third she said that she couldn’t come because she did not have anything to wear. The Emperor asked one of his sisters to lend Sophia a dress. Sophia finally stood in court in front of the emperor. At the end of the day, Frederick wrote to Elizabeth about Sophia and how she was good for Peter Ulrich. Sophia and her mother, finally head for Russia.

Sophia and her mother travel in a carriage in Eastern Europe. Sophia was celebrated for the first time as someone special when she arrived in Russia. Some local forts even fired gun salutes in Sophia’s honour. The Russian people were informed of Sophia’s arrival at the Winter Palace and she went to Moscow to meet Elizabeth. When Sophia arrived she was greeted by politicians and then by Peter who was happy to see her. They then went to see the Empress of Russia. Everyday she learned more about how immature Peter was. He often told Sophia about how much he dislikes Russia and never speaks the language but instead prefers German in food, clothing, language, and culture. He even told her that he doesn’t like her at all and will only keep the marriage because the Empress wants to. Sophia realized she had to impress Elizabeth, not Peter. She began learning Russian and started to study Russian Orthodox Faith.

Sophia was diagnosed with pneumonia, and Elizabeth wasted no time to nurse her but back in those days not many survived the disease and the recovery was made more difficult because the doctor wanted to do bloodletting on Sophia. She was laying down for weeks and soon the Russian people found out of her disease and she was seen as a hero. Her mother requested a Lutheran priest but Sophia asked for an Orthodox Priest, the Russian people loved Sophia for making that request showing her love for the ethnic people there. Sophia discovered that her mother had received letters from the King of Prussia who had asked her for help to spy in Elizabeth’s court.

She was caught speaking bad of the Queen and Russia, Elizabeth was angry. Sophia received a letter telling her to immediately pack and she was going to be sent away, luckily she managed to speak with the Empress and cleared things up. She was allowed to stay and was allowed to marry Peter, even her mother could stay but she would not be allowed in court. Sophia converted to Russian Orthodoxy. After the dinner her mother was upset about how she was not seated at the same table that the royals sat at. She was then moved to a separate table. Her daughter was no longer Sophia after her conversion, she was now Catherine.

Peter was diagnosed with smallpox. He soon recovered but had a bunch of scars on his face. Elizabeth realized she needed an heir so Catherine and Peter were soon married. Almost every member of the high class in Russia attended the marriage. Catherine went to her bedroom and waited two hours for Peter. When he finally got there, he passed out. Catherine thought she was finally free from her mother but now she had a husband who had no love for her and played games. For seven years, he made his servants dress up as soldiers and march around his room. His aunt forced him to give up this and forced him to sleep in the same room as Catherine. Instead of listening to his aunt, he got his maid to march around his toy soldiers at night and ordered her. It was rumored that Catherine had an affair after having a first son, although he looked like Peter’s son and it was not proved in the end Catherine had an affair.

All of a sudden one day, Elizabeth died and Peter was crowned and made Emperor in 1762. His first order as Emperor was to change his aunt’s military policies. Russia had struggled in the Seven Years War, which had started the American Revolution and the Latin American Revolutions. Russia had few men to fight the British Army. Russia fought for many years against Prussia and were about to win the war. Even the capital of the Prussian Empire and it’s monarchy was unstable. Peter offered Prussia peace despite thousands of soldiers dying for the country. Peter was focusing on keeping the role of Duke of Holstein and gave up an important war to focus on Denmark to gaining land his house had lost. Peter even made fun of the funeral of his aunt and disrespected the Orthodox Clergy. Peter now had a plot against him to remove him as Emperor.

For about two months, Catherine and some Ministers in the Government and Military planned to remove Peter from the throne. They bribed local guards in the capital to change sides. One of the guards asked one of his officers if the plan to remove Peter was real and he was arrested. One of the Ministers decided it was time to begin the rebellion against Peter. One of the brothers of the Minister waited outside of the Palace of where Catherine was staying to find a carriage. Peter was in the Winter Palace training one of the regiments in his army that would fighting against Denmark. Catherine’s servants woke her and told her to immediately rush outside to the carriage. The horses were tired after the travel to Moscow so Catherine bribed a local farmer to give his horses. The carriage rushed towards the capital, one of Peters servants gave him a letter from the Chief of Staff of the Russian Army about the possible removal of him from Emperor but he ignores.

Catherine went to the stations of every army regiment in St. Petersburg to have every Colonel and Soldier to swear allegiance. Peter received a second message from his servants about Catherine but he ignores. Catherine and her army went to the Cathedral of Our Lady Kazan and the Archbishop of Novgorod crowned her Empress of Russia. Catherine then went to the Senate and the Patriach of Moscow to give a speech on how Peter was from Germany which fought against Russia and he was incompetent. Peter finally read the letter and screamed at his servants. Five of Peters messengers went to St. Petersburg and begged Catherine not to remove Peter. Catherine then took his hand and went to the balcony where he saw 100,000 people cheering outside the Palace and Catherine told him to give his message to the people, they then all swore allegiance to Catherine.

Peter ordered his regiment to take back the capital but the Commanders did not know a fight will happen so they brought their parade rifles. Peters tailors quickly made a Russian Uniform for him but he refused because he liked his German Uniform, his advisers then demanded him he puts on his Russian Uniform to remind the people who they had sworn an oath to, another advises him to gather a larger regiment a hundred miles away, the third adviser recommends him to abdicate and go back to Germany as Duke of Holstein.

Peter does nothing and sends his men and himself to a fortress on an island. Catherine had the support of the Clergy, the People, and the Senate. She then went to capture Peter, although she needed a uniform so she borrowed pieces from different soldiers, a man named Gregory Potempkin rushed to give her his sword. Peter decided to abandon the fort on the island, when his boat arrived at the harbour the sailors refused to let him off. Peter shouted “Do you not know me? I am your Emperor!”, the sailors replied with “We no longer have an Emperor, Long Live Empress Catherine II!” The Admiral of the Navy then swore allegiance to Catherine and headed to the fort to take it over in the name of the Empress. Peter then went into his cabin and locked the doors, he started writing a letter to Catherine to apologize for his actions and offered her to be his regent.

Catherine was not impressed and in a few hours later she received a second letter where Peter offered to abdicate if he could go back to Holstein and Catherine accepted and Peter issued an abdication statement saying how he was incompetent to rule. He ended up dying in a brawl which many people believed was an assassination because Catherine pardoned his killers. Frederick the Great who was the idol of Peter said that he allowed himself to be removed like a child.

Catherine began quickly removing Peter’s policies. Russia was about to go to war with Denmark, although Catherine pulled the soldiers out just in time to avoid war. Russia began remaining neutral in many wars. Catherine realized Russia was broke and she needed a solution. The Church held a tenth of the wealthy land in Russia and didn’t even donate most of the wealth to charities. She issued a statement making all Church land into state owned. More than a million serfs became peasants and had to pay taxes, all church officials became Government Employees. Peter had been weak, but for the first time Catherine proved herself to be a leader.

After the war in Europe was over and the church finally under her control, Catherine could now start making the Benakov which was a set of guidelines for how to write laws. Catherine had an idea about bringing elected representatives of Russia and asked them what problems their people faced. Before making laws, she made representatives gather together and discuss what laws are needed. She had representatives that were Cossacks, Muslims, and Buddhists but one group that was left out were the serfs. Which meant 30 million people of the Empire were not represented.

Instead of making new laws, the representatives were thinking about what title Catherine will get. Catherine was upset about this. Each different class of people complained about different things, Merchants wanted the same rights as Nobles, Nobles wanted to be able to trade like merchants, and Peasants complained of little topics such as someone stealing crops. Catherine had a puppet as the King of Poland who was against the Polish people so they rebelled and the Russian Army was sent in.

The Ottomans wanted to get involved so they declared war, although this was a mistake because Russia had a stronger army and navy against the Ottomans. Russia had no ports on the Black Sea which they wanted so they sailed around Europe and surprised the Ottoman Fleet. The war ended with a treaty that gave Russia some territory and access to the Black Sea and made Russia the protector of the Orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire.

Soon after, the Cossacks rebelled against Catherine and a force was sent to put the rebellion down. The force was defeated so Catherine sent a larger force, the commander of that force was beheaded by the Cossacks. The Leader of the Cossacks claimed that Catherine and her Ministers only rebelled against Peter because he was about to sign a law making serfs in Russia free from slavery. Catherine then had to send a very large force to finally put it down and it worked.

With the rebellion put down, there was a new problem. Smallpox had spread through Europe and had destroyed Austria’s Habsburg Royal Family. Catherine knew smallpox would now spread to Russia and had seen many of her staff die from the disease. She lived in fear of the disease every day. She called a doctor from Britain who was one of the best to inoculate herself and her son. She also convinced others to get themselves inoculated by having stations set up in almost every Russian Province. By the end of her reign, around two million Russians were inoculated.

Poland was in the middle of Austria, Prussia, and Russia. Frederick the Great agreed to an alliance with Catherine, if they fought with any other nation all they had to do was provide money and if they got into a war with more than two countries against them, both Prussia and Russia will have to take their side. Russia was at war with the Ottoman Empire again over a land dispute and Austria was about to join on the other side and Frederick did not want to get involved because he was already fighting in the Seven Years War. Frederick wanted to avoid this so he made a deal with Russia and Austria that they will all take a chunk of Poland.

Since Catherine had a puppet as King of Poland, she got him to write a treaty splitting Poland. Austria took the areas with high population and Prussia took the areas that bordered the Baltic Sea. Prussia had suggested they all take more from Poland until the end of Catherine’s rule, Poland had been totally eaten up.

Catherine did not leave a good heir to carry her legacy. Her son would grow up like her husband Peter. Empress Elizabeth had taken him away when he was born and for eight years he was raised by servants. When Elizabeth died, her son was given back but he did not receive the attention he wanted. Catherine saw him as a threat as he has a better claim over the throne rather her because he is the son of Peter. Catherine kept him away from government. She convinced her son to marry but his first wife died and they still had a son, he also discovered that she was having an affair with one of his friends. He was convinced to marry again and he actually liked his new wife and they toured Europe.

When they came back he asked to be apart of the Russian Cabinet and Catherine said no, he then asked if he can serve in the army and Catherine said no again. In her will, Catherine left instructions that her grandson would be the heir to the throne. Although this did not happen and her son was assassinated soon after he became Emperor.

She died on the 17th of November, 1796 from a stroke. Catherine had left Russia stronger than ever. Russia had the most powerful military at its time and the treasury of Russia was full. She expanded Russia from Poland to Alaska. The only mistake she made was about choosing an heir which led to the Russian Empire ending a hundred years later.