Frustrated in her attempts at reform, Catherine seized the pretext of war with Turkey in 1768 to change her policy; henceforth, emphasis would be placed above all on national grandeur. At the end of her reign, there was scarcely a free peasant left in Russia, and, because of more systematized control, the condition of the serf was worse than it had been before Catherine’s rule. Catherine the Great was born Sophie von Anhalt-Zerbst to Prussian prince Christian August von Anhalt-Zerbst. Since the reign of Peter the Great, the Ottoman Empire had been the traditional enemy of Russia; inevitably, the war fired the patriotism and zeal of Catherine’s subjects. Catherine faced down more than a dozen uprisings during her reign. In 1767 she convened a commission composed of delegates from all the provinces and from all social classes (except the serfs) for the purpose of ascertaining the true wishes of her people and framing a constitution. Catherine the Great Season 1 (311) 2019 X-Ray TV-MA [HBO] Oscar (R)-winner Helen Mirren (“The Queen”) stars as the tumultuous 18th-century monarch and politician who ruled the Russian empire. She expanded Russia's borders to the Black Sea and into central Europe during her reign. Grigory wants to take Crimea and Catherine does not want a war. Best Horror Movies. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Catherine-the-Great, Jewish Encyclopedia.com - Biography of Catherine II, Jewish Virtual Library - Biography of Catherine II, LiveScience - Catherine the Great: Biography, Accomplishments and Death, King's College - Women's History Resource Site - Biography of Empress Catherine II of Russia, RT Russiapedia - Biography of Catherine II the Great, Catherine the Great - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Catherine the Great - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Discover the life and reign of Catherine the Great of Russia, What Pop Culture Got Wrong About Catherine the Great. Catherine faced over a dozen uprisings during her rule. This FAQ is empty. Overview of moviemakers' taking creative license with the facts in films about Catherine the Great. She championed the arts and reorganized the Russian law code. About Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman. Was this review helpful to you? Catherine The Great summary: Born on May 2, 1729 in Prussia, Yekaterina Alexeevna, later known as Catherine II and Catherine the Great, became Empress of Russia in 1762 and was instrumental in revitalizing Russia and establishing it as a great European power. Devoted to much pleasure and luxury and greatly desirous of giving her court the brilliancy of a European court, Elizabeth prepared the way for Catherine. 12 of 16 people found this review helpful. The Instruction of Catherine the Great was a Russian political document prepared by the empress as a guide for a legislative commission considering internal reforms. At age 16, she married Karl Ulrich (later Peter III), the heir to the throne of Russia. Thus, 95 percent of the Russian people did not in any way benefit directly from the achievements of Catherine’s reign. A madman named Pugachev claims to be the dead Peter III and is gaining support from the peasants. Catherine the Great Quotes. Although a woman of little beauty, Catherine possessed considerable charm, a lively intelligence, and extraordinary energy. At age 14 she was chosen to be the wife of Karl Ulrich, duke of Holstein-Gottorp, grandson of Peter the Great and heir to the throne of Russia as the grand duke Peter. Although Catherine probably did not order the murder of Peter, it was committed by her supporters, and public opinion held her responsible. Better known as Catherine the Great, she expanded Russia’s territory and reorganized its laws and administration. In September 1762, she was crowned with great ceremony in Moscow, the ancient capital of the tsars, and began a reign that was to span 34 years as empress of Russia under the title of Catherine II. Defeated and captured, Pugachov was beheaded in 1775, but the terror and chaos he inspired were not soon forgotten. Shortly after Ulrich ascended the throne, Catherine led a successful rebellion against him. The casting of Potemkin was an outright disaster.A sad misstep as a show but at least I had a few hours of Mirren. She imposed serfdom on the Ukrainians who had until then been free. Ulrich abdicated, and in September 1762 Catherine was crowned empress of Russia. He made no attempt to hide his hatred of Russia and his love of his native Germany; discrediting himself endlessly by his foolish actions, he also prepared to rid himself of his wife. Catherine the Great Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Catherine now realized that for her the people were more to be feared than pitied, and that, rather than freeing them, she must tighten their bonds. Catherine the Great Born:Stettin, Pomerania, 21 April (2 May) 1729Died:St. Petersburg, 6 (17) November 1796Reigned:1762-1796 Renowned as Catherine the Great, Empress of all the Russias, this remarkable woman was neither Russian nor originally named Catherine. Peter III abdicated and was assassinated eight days later. In 1744, Russia’s Empress Elizabeth summoned 14-year-old Sophia to Moscow to marry the man who would become Emperor Peter III, and the Russian Orthodox Church re-christened her Cat… You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. The law should protect, not oppress, the people. I had such high hopes. The Turks declare war and Catherine recalls Alexi Orlov to Council. As Tsarina, she is influenced by Western Democratic ideas and does much to strengthen Russia's standing in Europe. Catherine the Great was Tsarina of Russia, one of the most powerful women in European history. Based on the Philippa Gregory book of the same name, the story of Elizabeth of York, the White Queen's daughter, and her marriage to the Lancaster victor, Henry VII. Omissions? Her attempts at reform, however, were less than satisfying. Catherine, by contrast, was clearheaded and ambitious. Friends warned that she might not enjoy her status for long since Peter was planning to divorce her, and she was advised to flee. She decided to ignore the warning, and the wisdom of her decision was soon demonstrated. The series stars Elle Fanning as Empress Catherine II and Nicholas Hoult as the Emperor Peter III. Starting in the Ural region, the movement spread rapidly through the vast southeastern provinces, and in June 1774 Pugachov’s Cossack troops prepared to march on Moscow. From Wings to Parasite, here's a look back at all of the Best Picture Oscar winners in the history of the ceremony. Catherine the Great © Catherine II was Empress of Russia for more than 30 years and one of the country’s most influential rulers. In 1773 Yemelyan Pugachov, a former officer of the Don Cossacks, pretending to be the dead emperor Peter III, incited the greatest uprising of Russian history prior to the revolution of 1917. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Zubov is used to spy on her. A dramatic series about the reign and marriages of King Henry VIII. my source After the death of the empress, Peter took the … Of the various uprisings that … When Empress Elizabeth died on Dec. 25, 1761, Peter was proclaimed Emperor Peter III, and Catherine became empress. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Her Mother Sabotaged Her. Updates? Catherine II, often called Catherine the Great, was born in Prussia in 1729 and married into the Russian royal family in 1745. Her Reign Was the "Golden Age of the Russian Empire" Catherine called herself a "glutton for art" and … By distributing the so-called crown lands to her favourites and ministers, she worsened the lot of the peasants, who had enjoyed a certain autonomy. At that point, Russia encountered unforeseen difficulties. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? She was humiliated, bored, and regarded with suspicion while at court, but she found comfort in reading extensively and in preparing herself for her future role as sovereign. The beautiful Spanish princess, Catherine of Aragon, navigates the royal lineage of England with an eye on the throne. An adaptation of the 1848 novel by William Makepeace Thackeray. With her ministers she reorganized the administration and law of the Russian Empire and extended Russian territory, adding Crimea and much of Poland. She followed Peter the Great in seeing Russia (which had been part of an Asian Empire for centuries) as European Power. There are no approved quotes yet for this movie. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Catherine the Great, Russian Yekaterina Velikaya, also called Catherine II, Russian in full Yekaterina Alekseyevna, original name Sophie Friederike Auguste, Prinzessin von Anhalt-Zerbst, (born April 21 [May 2, New Style], 1729, Stettin, Prussia [now Szczecin, Poland]—died November 6 [November 17], 1796, Tsarskoye Selo [now Pushkin], near St. Petersburg, Russia), German-born empress of Russia (1762–96) who led her country into full participation in the political and cultural life of Europe, carrying on the work begun by Peter the Great. Since her early days in Russia she had dreamed of establishing a reign of order and justice, of spreading education, creating a court to rival Versailles, and developing a national culture that would be more than an imitation of French models. He was extremely neurotic, rebellious, obstinate, perhaps impotent, nearly alcoholic, and, most seriously, a fanatical worshipper of Frederick II of Prussia, the foe of the empress Elizabeth. Grigory Grigoryevich, Count Orlov, portrait by Vigilius Eriksen; in the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Although the naval victory at Çeşme in 1770 brought military glory to the empress, Turkey had not yet been defeated and continued fighting. Dec 25, 1761. A disciple of the English and French liberal philosophers, she saw very quickly that the reforms advocated by Montesquieu or Jean-Jacques Rousseau, which were difficult enough to put into practice in Europe, did not at all correspond to the realities of an anarchic and backward Russia. So, how did the idea that she died while attempting an unusual practice with a horse become one of the most virulent myths in modern history, transmitted by whispers in … Mini-series about the the public and private lives of the later years of Queen Elizabeth I. 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