EKATERINA II

Empress of Russia from 1762. German princess Sophia Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst in August. Came to power with the help of the Guard of Peter III. Has issued class privileges of the nobility. When it got stronger Russian absolutist state. Were added: the Northern Black Sea, Crimea, Northern Caucasus, Western Ukrainian, Belarusian and Lithuanian lands.

The coup, which had long prepared, occurred unexpectedly. He was arrested by one of the conspirators - Passek. Early in the morning, learning of this, the Empress hastily rolled in Izmailovo Regiment, accompanied by his fan Alexei Orlov. Long-prepared soldiers swore Catherine, kissed her hands, legs and skirt. Also sworn in and Semenov soldiers. The Senate and Synod implicitly agreed to submit to the Empress. Crowds of people in the area of ??the second army and members of the public institutions. Meanwhile, hastily made a short manifesto proclaimed that the Empress, at the request of loyal subjects, came to the throne, becoming the protection of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Russian winning fame and domestic orders.

Peter found out about it when he arrived with his entourage on two ships (the yacht and galleries) to Kronstadt. But the fort would not let him, and sent notice that Russia is no longer the emperor, and is the Empress Catherine II, and that if the ships did not leave Peter with a raid on them will open the cannon fire. In Peter III was not enough to resist the spirit. It would be possible to sail abroad and stand at the head of a fairly large Russian army, which was there, but the emperor escaped the bottom of the ship, and under the sobs of his ladies, he went back to his residence in Oranienbaum. Trying to enter into negotiations with Catherine, too, failed and the proposal to share power remained unanswered. Then Peter was forced to personally sign his wife sent him to an act supposedly "spontaneous" abdication. Since June 29, 1762 Holstein Princess Sophia August of petty princely family received the most prestigious crown in Europe - the Russian.

Catherine grew up in a family of Prussian general, was quickly, playful and even daring girl. Parents are not burdened her with his upbringing. Father worked hard service, and his mother - and restless quarrelsome woman - from time to time toured throughout Europe in search of adventure for our agents for Frederick the Great.

Photo — «Ekaterina Ii»

Daughter, apparently, only be thankful that mothers often are not home, because in the education of children of John Elizabeth stick to simple rules and could easily close up slap. Homework were not in vain, our heroine has learned to patiently endure insults and waiting in the wings.

His marriage to Catherine was obliged to Empress Elizabeth, which, without further ado, decided to search a bride in the depths of his own family. Sophia-August accounted for by mothers second cousin to the groom, and Elizabeth felt that their marriage is a family affair. However, the relationship is not brought in the court of the Russian Empress happiness Sophia-August. First, the relationship with Peter III did not exist. Her seventeen year old husband was given to abandon the game of toy soldiers and little interest in his wife. Their relationship initially dominated by indifference: there was not even hate, but a genuine tirankoy Catherine became her beloved aunt.

Aging Elizabeth kept her niece as a wild bird in a cage, seeing, perhaps, subconsciously it a rival to his power. She would not let Catherine go without asking for a walk, even go to the bath, did not allow to rearrange furniture and have the ink and pens. In the palace of the heir's wife followed relentlessly, bringing Elisabeth on each step, Catherine, spy through the keyhole and unpacked her letter to parents. True, sometimes whimsical Elizabeth rasschedrivalas the rich gifts, but the expressions of goodwill immediately interspersed with coarse accent, even threatened to blows. "Not a day went - wrote Catherine - that I was not abused and did not snitch on me. " After one such obscene scenes, she succumbed to a terrible impulse: that go unto her maid found her with a large knife in his hand, which, fortunately, turned out to be so stupid that it is not defeated even a corset.

It was a minute discouragement. For the most part Catherine have a natural optimism and was able to restrain themselves. She knew perfectly well what was waiting for her reward, and endured all for the sake of power. And she, in spite of everything, do not doubt that sooner or later and on its street festival. "Everything I did, always turned toward it, and my whole life has been raising funds, how to achieve it.

Photo — «Ekaterina Ii»

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Catherine has chosen the only correct way, relying on his worldly mind. And if she has doubts about the mind only her dimwitted husband. Surrounding the same in the majority Catherine was able to ingratiate himself. She had a remarkable diplomatic skills, was able to listen carefully to all or certainly, at worst, to pretend to listen, and know how in every man to open himself by his own merits. No wonder that when Elizabeth died and ascended to the throne of eternal Oaf Peter III, are not able to get along with people and tormenting his own wife, the sympathy of the court have sided with Catherine.

One day Peter at all insulted his wife, she burst into tears. He began to threaten his wife with arrest. Then the empress for the first time to seriously consider the proposal of his friends to usurp power. Peter was forced to sign the text written for him to abdicate. He was then, this time as a prisoner was taken to Peterhof, and later in Ropsha.

Unlike many rulers who fell into a similar situation, Catherine innocent of the death of her husband, deposed from the throne. Peter III was killed in another bender. Had a dispute with one of the interlocutors, it seems to have forgotten that no longer "Autocrat of all Russia. " Stunned by his death, Catherine, however, agreed: "We have to go straight - to me, should not fall suspicion. " It was announced that former Emperor slept on "prezhestokoy colic. " Catherine, at the request of the Senate at the burial was not present.

Catherine the Great is the most controversial historians, apparently because the very person of the Empress was very controversial and many moral and values ??which it proclaims, not only got along with her lustful nature impermanent. She tried to adapt to every situation, in which fell, as though it may be repulsive to her. "I like Alcibiades, getting on in Sparta and Athens," - said she loves to compare himself with the heroes of antiquity.

With its sober, practical nature Catherine does not avoid flattery, but over the years all the more firmly tied to the tenets of the court of hypocrisy. From an early age she learned to know the price people 'opinion, and it is very occupied with the question, what about her thinking around how it makes an impression.

Photo — «Ekaterina Ii»

Having achieved power, they all are sensitive to any criticism, even the taste, it was considered mandatory for others. For this she once was even punished by their chef. Catherine loved and understood architecture, painting, sculpture, and not to perceive music. Gay and giggling in nature, it admits an exception only for comic opera. One day at dinner she asked the chef if he liked a farce, because it carried away. "Yes, God knows, it is somehow rude," - answered innocently unready cook. Catherine blushed and tried to smooth out the confusion: "I would like to have my main kuhmistera had the same delicate taste (of course, the kitchen), how thin his idea!"

However, if you look at the throne, as a kind of profession, the First Lady would have passed all the tests for compliance with the post. Having made the decision after some hesitation, she acted without the reflection. The most difficult for the Empress was questioned about anything. "For people of my nature - to recognize it - there is nothing in the world of agonizing doubt. " Vigor and enthusiasm were among the happiest properties character of Catherine, and she tried to tell them his subjects.

Only once, when the news was received that the Turks have announced the second war, it was noticed by the minute shy, and she, distraught, began to speak of the variability of happiness, the fragility of fame and success, but soon came to herself, with a cheerful air out of court and all breathed confidence.

Catherine has stressed a male character and a warehouse in its sentimental, sensitive eyelids never fainted. Until the last years of his reign, in the seventh decade, and in happy and difficult days, she had met who were on the morning of secretaries of state with a perpetual smile.

Like all great people, Catherine differed great capacity for work. It all scrutinizing itself, like for all to follow.

Finding that person is happy only when he has it, she loved to bother her, not let linger in one place. Everyday, measured for her work has become a habit. When it was necessary to solve the very important issues, she has worked particularly hard on her expression, vanity, without moving, like a donkey, from 6 am to 10 pm, to pillows, and even in the dream comes to mind all that is necessary would say, write or do.

Photo — «Ekaterina Ii»

" Frederick II, King of Prussia, marveled at this restlessness, and with some annoyance asked the Russian ambassador: "Is the empress in fact so much is involved, as they say?" I've been told that she works harder than me. "

Catherine was well educated. Even in years of painful loneliness at Elizabethan reign she became addicted to complex philosophical books and initially difficult to wade through abstruse expressions pundits, however, a tendency to overcome difficulties to make reading difficult literature sort of exciting sport and subsequently could not exist without a serious book. Intelligent lessons included in the compulsory routine of the Empress, and her interests were extraordinarily versatile. It was closely studied the history of Germany, he studied astronomy, bailie, hurried his Academy of Sciences of the definition of latitude and longitude of the cities of St. Petersburg Province, studied the work of the English jurist Blekstona, processed the Russian chronicles, and even became involved comparative linguistics. When he died one of her lovers, Catherine dangerously ill, could not eat or sleep, could not stand society. Saved her voluminous philological work Zhebelenya. Inspired by the author's idea of ??primitive, native language, the Empress overlaid with all sorts of books and began to make a comparative dictionary of all languages, putting in its Russian base. In the end, work is over the fact that all the materials collected by the empress, were transferred to Academician Pallas, who produced the first volume of the edition.

Catherine can not be called quiet. She did not let the welfare of the country and the fullness of its citizens. However, without touching the foundations of the state, Catherine the Great was able to influence the minds of his subjects. Without giving freedom and enlightenment, she gave the Russian people feel the price of these goods as a better basis of personal existence.