| Empress Catherine II of Russia (1729-86), | | | | Great of Prussia, an "enlightened despot", and to |
| commonly known as Catherine the Great, was | | | | bring in social reforms inspired by Locke, |
| one of Russia's greatest and most energetic | | | | Montesquieu and Beccaria. She drew up of a new |
| rulers. Following in the footsteps of her | | | | legal code, built schools (though these were to be |
| predecessor Peter I (Peter the Great), she | | | | mostly for the children of the aristocracy), |
| pursued the Westernization and territorial | | | | constructed hospitals, promoted women's |
| expansion of Russia. | | | | education, and introduced smallpox vaccination. |
| Born into a German royal family, she married the | | | | She encouraged Russian trade, industry and the |
| heir to the Russian throne, the future Peter III. As | | | | exploitation of the country's natural resources in |
| an intelligent and energetic woman, she wanted to | | | | order to increase the country's wealth. |
| be accepted into her adopted land of Russia and | | | | At the same time, in 1774-75 she faced and |
| so learned its history and language. | | | | suppressed a popular rebellion led by the Cossack |
| After Peter III became an unpopular ruler, was | | | | Pugachov. She decided that she needed the |
| forced to abdicate and a few days later was | | | | support of the nobility in order to control the |
| murdered, Catherine became the ruler (Empress) | | | | country. To this end she gave up any |
| of Russia. | | | | Enlightenment ideas of abolishing serfdom in Russia |
| In 1767 Catherine issued a famous edict known | | | | and, instead, signed a Charter to the Nobility |
| as the "Instruction" in which she advocated social | | | | actually allowing the nobles to increase the number |
| and economic reforms. However, she also insisted | | | | of serfs that they could own, and giving the |
| in it that Russia's vast territory needed a strong | | | | nobles a number of further generous privileges to |
| central government and that she as Empress | | | | win their support. |
| should, therefore, have absolute power. | | | | Catherine tried her utmost to win glory and |
| As she stated in the "Instruction": "The sovereign | | | | power for Russia. Under Catherine's leadership, |
| is absolute; for, in a state whose expanse is so | | | | Russia's armed forces seized Byelorussia |
| vast, there can be no other appropriate authority | | | | (modern-day Belarus) from Poland (in and after |
| except that which is concentrated in him." | | | | 1772), the Crimea and other parts of Turkey |
| She further stated in the "Instruction" that "the | | | | (1774; 1792), and the Baltic territory of Courland |
| landlords' serfs and peasants... owe their landlords | | | | from Sweden (1790). |
| proper submission and absolute obedience in all | | | | In the latter part of her reign, Catherine, like |
| matters, according to the laws that have been | | | | many other sovereigns of Europe, became |
| enacted from time immemorial by the autocratic | | | | frightened by the excesses of the French |
| forefathers of Her Imperial Majesty... and which | | | | Revolution, such as its execution of King Louis |
| provide that all persons who dare to incite serfs | | | | XVI of France, and she turned her back on many |
| and peasants to disobey their landlords shall be | | | | of the Enlightenment ideas that she had formerly |
| arrested and... punished forthwith as disturbers of | | | | wished to espouse. She became more |
| the public tranquillity, according to the laws and | | | | conservative, ceased trying to be an "enlightened |
| without leniency." (A Source Book for Russian | | | | despot" and instead she became a pragmatic |
| History, G. Vernadsky, trans. (New Haven: Yale | | | | autocrat. |
| University Press, 1972). | | | | On her death bed, Catherine the Great is |
| In her court at St. Petersburg, she promoted the | | | | reported to have said: "I shall be an autocrat: |
| culture and ideas of Western European countries, | | | | that's my trade. And the good Lord will forgive |
| such as France, England and Italy. She patronized | | | | me: that's His." |
| Italian opera and fine arts, French literature, | | | | When Catherine died, Russia's territories had |
| philosophy and etiquette, and English ideas. | | | | greatly expanded, having acquired the Crimea and |
| She built sumptuous palaces and other buildings in | | | | the northern shore of the Black Sea, as well as |
| her capital, St Petersburg, mostly designed by | | | | land that is in today's Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and |
| foreign architects that she admired. One of these | | | | Lithuania. |
| buildings, the Hermitage, was built to house her | | | | Some social reforms had, it is true, occurred; but |
| collection of magnificent European art treasures | | | | the life, rights and status of the serfs -- the great |
| and it survives to this day as one of the world's | | | | majority of Russia's population -- had greatly |
| greatest art museums. | | | | worsened. Her policy of imitating the culture of |
| She corresponded with French writers and | | | | Western Europe led to even further widening of |
| Enlightenment philosophers (philosophes), such as | | | | the gap between the privileged ruling classes and |
| Voltaire. She attempted to be, like Frederick the | | | | the millions of down-trodden peasants. |