Catherine the Great (Empress of Russia) – The Russian empress, Catherine the Great, ruled between 1762 and 1796. Her given name at birth was actually Sophie, and she came to Russia to marry the heir to the throne (Peter the Great’s grandson). Her marriage was loveless, and she found her husband unfit to rule. Although not Russian by birth (she was German), she converted to the Russian Orthodox faith and quickly adopted all things Russian in an effort to gain support of the people. Apparently, her cunning and sharp-intellect worked, as she was instrumental in overthrowing her husband and jockeyed ambitiously into power. Once Empress of all of Russia, she took the name Catherine II. During her reign, she expanded the empire down to the Black Sea and into central Europe. She is most known for modernizing Russia. Highly educated herself and heavily influenced by the Enlightenment, she westernized the country and transformed St. Petersburg into a major capital.
