Catherine the Great: A Life from Beginning to End

by Hourly History

Catherine the Great * * *Download for FREE on Kindle Unlimited + Free BONUS Inside!* * * Read On Your Computer, MAC, Smartphone, Kindle Reader, iPad, or Tablet. Catherine the Great is one of the most influential rulers in Russian history. Though born in Prussia, she endeavored to gain the throne of Russia and went on to be the longest-ruling empress in Russian history. She ruled as an enlightened despot, promoting the principles of the European Enlightenment as she sought to modernize her beloved country. She reformed the educational system of Russia, creating a national system that utilized modern educational theory in a co-educational setting. She attracted some of the most brilliant thinkers to her court and engaged their assistance in modernizing the arts and sciences as well as the Russian economic system. Because of her efforts, she ruled over what is considered the Golden Age of Russian Enlightenment. Inside you will read about... ✓ The Early Life of an Empress ✓ The Dawn of a New Era ✓ A Patron of the Arts ✓ Catherine the Warrior ✓ Catherine’s Personal Life and Death And much more! Catherine the Great counted among her successes many glorious military victories which succeeded in expanding Russia’s realm to over 200,000 square miles. She was, by all accounts, an efficacious leader and reformer in Russian history. Despite her professional successes, her personal life was far from ideal. Catherine never loved her husband and was alleged to have been complicit in his assassination. She never remarried, instead taking a string of lovers only for as long as they held her interest. She had three children, none of whom she claimed were fathered by her husband, Peter III. Despite her promiscuity, she was a generous lover, and many of her former lovers remained devoted to her throughout her life. She lived her life passionately, and can even be described as an early feminist, doing what she wanted. This book tells the story of this unconventional woman in a concise, entertaining, and informative manner. Series Biographies of Women in History Book 7

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Historical, Ebooks, Politics, Royalty

107 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2017

About the author

At Hourly History, we focus on publishing history books that are concise, straightforward and take no longer than one hour to read.

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Reviews

[Chasity Gaines · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful read about such an extremely strong women of the times. She brought about a Golden Age for Russia. She is a complex woman who's passions ran deep.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in strong royal woman or Russian history.

[Sulie · Rating 3 out of 5]

She was very very ambitious and rather successful in her endeavours, becoming Empress of Russia despite not being Russian!!.. She was very forward thinking, in many ways, for the 17th century.. Reforming the education system and advancing Russia into modernising times... She was affluent in politics and military tactics and achieved many successes and victories for Russia.. She married once to become Empress and then never again and took many young lovers... Around 22 to be exact!!!.. She didn't care for the peasantry which was cruel but true to form in the time and social status she had been born into.. And though she did not care for them some of her reforms benefitted them... I really enjoyed reading this.. Was very informative on a woman I knew little of but was always curious about.

[Dr.J.G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In spring of 1990, there was a television miniseries titled Young Catherine, very worth viewing and very memorable, remembered so much decades after seeing it just that once in that tumultuous time.

So much later, that image not only prevails, but wherever it differs from the opinions of the world against the queen, it supersedes the blemished version herein.
****

"The eighteenth century in Russia was a period of change considered by historians to be the Russian Age of Enlightenment. During this time, Russian leaders actively encouraged the proliferation of arts and sciences, and toward that end, the first Russian university was founded as well as a library, a theatre, a museum, and a relatively independent press. The Enlightenment in Russia differed somewhat from that of western Europe in that modernization was encouraged in all aspects of Russian life, and there was also a push to abolish the institution of serfdom."

So West Europe was behind Russia in most of this, especially regarding serfdom!

"Many of the ideas associated with the Russian Enlightenment were first espoused during the reign of Peter the Great, who ruled from 1721 to 1725. It was during his reign that a cultural revolution occurred, resulting in the replacement of traditionalist social and political systems with more modern, scientific, westernized systems based on the Enlightenment in Europe. Peter’s daughter, Elizabeth Petrovna, who ruled between 1741 and 1762, introduced the concept of enlightened absolutism, also known as enlightened despotism. Enlightened despotism was a form of absolute monarchy in which the monarchs embraced rationality, fostered education, promoted religious tolerance and freedom of speech, and believed in the right to hold private property. The concept derived from an essay written by the Prussian ruler Frederick the Great, but it was Elizabeth who introduced the idea to Russia.

"One of the most influential rulers during the Russian Enlightenment, however, was Catherine the Great. Catherine the Great was born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst. She was the longest-ruling female in Russian history. She ruled from July 1762 to November 1796, during what has been called the Catherinian Era. The time of her rule is considered the Golden Age of the Russian Empire. During her rule, she sought to modernize Russia, bringing it up to par militarily, politically, culturally, and intellectually with its neighbors. She succeeded in achieving many of her goals, and for this, she is considered one of the most renowned leaders in Russian history.
***

"“A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache.”

"—Catherine the Great"
***

"Catherine the Great was born in Prussia in Stettin, Pomerania on May 2, 1729. She was born Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg to Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, and Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp. Though he was a prince, her father held the rank of a general in his capacity as governor of Stettin (modern-day Szczecin, Poland). Catherine’s extended family were part of the ruling class as well. Two of her cousins became kings of Sweden—Gustav III and Charles XIII. Though part of the ruling class, her family had little money, and it was wealthy relatives on her mother’s side who would support her rise to power. Catherine’s potential for becoming empress of Russia was something her mother Johanna was focused on, so much so that her meddling got her banned from Russia for spying on King Frederick of Prussia.

"Because she was part of the ruling class, as was customary, Catherine was educated by a French governess and tutors. Of her childhood, she later wrote that she saw “nothing of interest in it.” It was relatively uneventful. As she grew to womanhood, a number of powerful interests took part in arranging her marriage to a prospective tsar, Peter of Holstein-Gottorp. Even Frederick II of Prussia and the Russian Empress Elizabeth were involved in the diplomacy of arranging the union. Count Jean Armand de L’Estocq, a French adventurer with considerable influence on the Russian empress, also played a role.
***

"Catherine’s marriage to Peter was arranged in order to strengthen the friendship between Prussia and Russia, and consequently weaken Austria’s influence on Russia. Additionally, for Frederick and L’Estocq, the goal was to ruin the Russian chancellor Bestuzhev, who was a supporter of Russo-Austrian cooperation and a confidante of Empress Elizabeth. For her part, Catherine first met Peter at age ten, and she detested him. She stated that she disliked his pale complexion, his drinking, and the fact that he still played with toy soldiers. She would later write that she and Peter resided on opposite ends of the castle from one another.

"Though she detested Peter, Catherine loved Russia, and despite the unwanted interference of her mother who infuriated Empress Elizabeth with her meddling, Elizabeth liked Catherine. Upon arriving in Russia, Catherine did everything she could to ingratiate herself with the empress, her husband, and the Russian people. Her efforts included learning the Russian language and converting from Lutheran to Eastern Orthodoxy. She is said to have taken her lessons in the Russian language so seriously that she would rise at night and walk around her room repeating what she had learned.
***

"She did eventually master the language, but her zeal led to a bout of pneumonia in March 1744. She was treated by bloodletting, and she credited that with saving her life. Though Catherine saw the practice as her savior, her mother was opposed to the method. When Catherine was in the throes of delirium, her mother wanted her confessed by a Lutheran priest, but upon waking, Catherine is said to have proclaimed that she didn’t want that, but instead wanted her Orthodox father. The empress was very impressed by this, and Catherine gained esteem in her eyes.

"Her conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy was something her father, a devout Lutheran, opposed, but Catherine, who at that time was still named Sophie, persisted. She was determined to do everything it took in order to become qualified to rule the country. In June 1744, she was accepted as a member of the Russian Orthodox Church, and as such, she was given a new name—Catherine, daughter of Aleksey. The day after she was welcomed into the church, she became formally betrothed to Peter. They were married on August 21, 1745, in St. Petersburg. Catherine was just 16 years old, and her father refused to attend the wedding. At the time of the ceremony, Catherine’s husband, Peter von Holstein-Gottorp, had become the Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, which was located in the northwest of modern Germany near the border of Denmark."

It's highly unclear why a prince of, or from, "Holstein-Gottorp, which was located in the northwest of modern Germany near the border of Denmark", was not only heir to the Russian throne but lived in Saint Petersburg.

It's equally unclear why Catherine was there, unless betrothed to heir of Russia or someone important there, in which case the so-called conversion was a legal necessity, to say the least! Or dud her father expect his daughter to convert Russia instead?

Why, anyway? Isn't a church another branch of the same faith, supposedly?
***

"After their marriage, Peter and Catherine settled in Oranienbaum. They held court there for many years. Catherine did not come to love Peter; rather rumors abounded at the time that Peter had taken a mistress, and Catherine had liaisons with several lovers. Catherine also became friends with the sister of her husband’s mistress, Princess Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova, who introduced her to various political groups opposing her husband.

"Peter’s behavior became increasingly unbearable for those living in the palace. When Catherine’s second child, Anna, died at only four months of age, Peter, who believed the child was not his, is said to have proclaimed, “Go to the Devil!” after Catherine dismissed his accusations. Because of his moodiness, Catherine increasingly hid away in her private boudoir to avoid his abrasive personality. Though secluded, Catherine remained optimistic, stating in her memoirs, “If you feel unhappy, raise yourself above unhappiness, and so act that your happiness may be independent of all eventualities.”
***

"Empress Elizabeth died on January 5, 1762, and Peter succeeded to the throne. He became Emperor Peter III, and Catherine became empress consort, which is what the wives of Russian emperors were called. At that time, the couple moved to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. As tsar, Peter III had many eccentricities and policies that Catherine, and the groups that Catherine had cultivated, opposed. He had a great admiration for Frederick II, King of Prussia, with whom Russia had fought from 1756 to 1763 in a conflict known as the Seven Years’ War. The newly crowned tsar supported Frederick II’s suggestion to partition Polish territories with Russia. This was something the Russian nobility opposed. Thus, Peter had set the stage for what was about to happen.

"In July 1762, a mere six months after becoming emperor, Peter and his Holstein-born courtiers and relatives went on holiday to Oranienbaum. Staying behind in St. Petersburg, Catherine had been conspiring with opponents of her husband to seize the throne. After Peter left for Oranienbaum, Catherine learned that one of her co-conspirators had been arrested. Given this development, she and her supporters knew they had to act fast. She departed for the Izmailovsky Regiment, which was one of the oldest regiments in the Russian army, where she gave a speech requesting that the unit protect her from her husband. They agreed, and Catherine then went to the Semenovsky Barracks where the clergy was waiting to ordain her as the sole occupant of the throne. Following these successes, Catherine then had her husband arrested after which she forced him to sign a document abdicating the throne. With his abdication, there was no one to oppose her. Six months later, Peter died at the hands of Alexei Orlov who was the younger brother of Grigory Orlov. Grigory had participated in the coup. Historians can find no evidence that Catherine was complicit in the assassination; however, it was a convenient coincidence."

A film or a television series, titled 'Young Catherine', shown on US television channels in 1990, depicted Peter as deficient in minimal requisite qualifications, those of ability to provide an heir, and Catherine advised by her mother-in-law to quietly do the needful to circumvent the difficulty.

This author avoids the topic.
***

"There were other claimants to the throne after Peter was deposed. Ivan VI had been kept in solitary confinement from the age of six months (he was born in 1740), but he was also assassinated in 1764 after an attempt to free him as part of a coup against Catherine. This time, there was no doubt Catherine had played a role in his death. Catherine, like Empress Elizabeth before her, had left strict instructions that he should be killed in the event of a coup attempt against her. Though some questioned Catherine’s right to rule, she was following the precedent set by Catherine I, who had been born to lower classes in the Swedish Baltic territories, when she succeeded her husband, Peter the Great, in 1725. She, too, had the guard regiments declare her the new empress.

"Despite the precedent set by Catherine I, many historians still debate Catherine the Great’s status. Though she was declared empress regnant, which means the new empress with full rights to rule, many historians still see her as empress regent, ruling only until her son, Grand Duke Paul, was old enough to take over. In fact, in the 1770s, nobles who were connected with her son considered a coup to transfer the crown to him, but nothing ever came of that idea. So it was that, on June 28, 1762, Catherine rallied the regiments to St. Petersburg where she then declared herself Catherine II, the sovereign ruler of Russia. Her son Paul was named as her legitimate heir."
****

"“In politics, a capable leader must be guided by circumstances, conjectures, and conjunctions.”

"—Catherine the Great"
***

"Catherine was formally crowned on September 22, 1762, at the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. She assumed the throne with the assistance of her lover, Grigory Orlov. For her coronation, what has become one of the main treasures of the Romanov Dynasty, the Imperial Crown of Russia was created. It was constructed of two gold and silver half spheres, which represented the eastern and western Roman empires, and contained 75 pearls, 4,936 Indian diamonds, and a 398.62-carat ruby spinel, which previously belonged to Empress Elizabeth. It also included a diamond cross. Weighing in at a little over five pounds (2.3 kg), the piece was designed by Jérémie Pauzié, a Swiss-French court diamond jeweler. The design was inspired by crowns of the Byzantine Empire. The crown would become the coronation crown for Romanov emperors from that point forward. After the death of Tsar Nicholas II in 1918, it became a treasure of the Romanov Dynasty and is now housed at the Moscow Kremlin Armoury Museum.

"For Catherine, ruling Russia was what she had spent her life preparing for, and she knew what she wanted to do. Above all else, she sought to modernize Russia on a par with what was happening in Europe. To begin with, the Russian economy was well below the standards in western Europe. Russia did not have a free peasantry, a significant middle class, nor laws amenable to private enterprise. There were some textile industries around Moscow, and there was an ironworks in the Ural Mountains, but the latter was supported mainly by serf labor. Serfs were not exactly slaves, but they weren’t quite indentured servants either. They didn’t have many rights, but they could accumulate wealth and purchase their freedom.
***

"To modernize the Russian economy, Catherine encouraged the immigration of German farmers into the Volga River Valley. They brought with them many innovations that were ultimately responsible for modernizing the sector. This included the modernization of wheat production, flour milling, the tobacco industry, sheep raising, and small-scale manufacturing. With the help of these immigrants, the region rose to dominate the Russian economy."

Presumably those are the ethnic Germans thst availed themselves of right to German citizenship and returned during recent decades to Germany, and are counted to inflate the numbers of migrants claimed by Germans speaking to visitors asserting that Germany has most immigrants of all countries!

"In addition to her immigration policy, Catherine oversaw the issuance of the first government paper money, a task she assigned to the Assignation Bank, which opened in St. Petersburg and Moscow in 1769. After those initial openings, several branches were later established in smaller towns, which were referred to as government towns. The bank issued paper notes following payment of similar sums in copper money. The copper coins could also be refunded by presenting the paper notes. The paper notes were called Assignation rubles, and they became necessary due to the large amount of government spending for military needs combined with a shortage of silver in the treasury. The shortage had occurred as a result of the military spending, but also as a consequence of an increase in foreign trade, which was conducted almost exclusively in silver and gold coins. The use of the notes continued until 1849."

It's unclear how this was different from paper currency; also, whether paper currency did not exist in West at this time.
***

"Another prong in Catherine’s goal of modernizing Russia was the modernization of the educational system. Catherine believed that Russians could be turned away from the backward-thinking that was typical of the time if they were properly educated. For Catherine, this meant inculcating Russian children with European education. The European system sought to develop students both intellectually and morally, providing them with the proper knowledge and skills and promoting a sense of civic duty.

"Ivan Betskoy was appointed as Catherine’s educational advisor. He collected and presented to her information about educational institutions in Russia as opposed to those in other countries. Catherine then established an educational commission and consulted with educational pioneers in Britain, such as the Reverend Daniel Dumaresq and Dr. John Brown. In fact, she had Dumaresq come to Russia where she appointed him to her educational commission. She tasked the commission with studying various educational systems in order to establish a general education system for all Russian Orthodox subjects between the ages of 5 and 18 years.
***

"Catherine emphasized the proper education of both sexes, something also advocated by Dr. John Brown. Toward that end, Catherine had experimented with this concept as well as new educational theories after establishing the Moscow Foundling Home, which was charged with admitting destitute and extramarital children and educating them in the manner the state deemed proper. It failed because of high mortality rates, but not long after that, Catherine established the Smolny Institute for Noble Girls. This was the first of its kind in Russia and was tasked specifically with educating females. While at first it only admitted the children of nobility, it later admitted girls of the bourgeoisie. At the institute, the children were taught French, musicianship, dancing, and complete awe of the monarch. Central to the philosophy of the institute was discipline. As a result, running and games of any kind were forbidden. Excess play was considered harmful to developing bodies as was too much warmth. Thus, the building was kept at a very cold temperature.

"All of this was ongoing as the commission made little progress in its efforts to help establish a national school system. Catherine persisted in that effort though, and she succeeded in making numerous reforms. She remodeled the Cadet Corps 1766, which subsequently began educating children from a very young age until they were 21 years old. The curriculum was broadened to include sciences, philosophy, ethics, history, and international law as well as the professional military curriculum it taught previously. This policy also influenced that of the Naval Cadet Corps and the Engineering and Artillery Schools.
***

"In 1782, Catherine again established an advisory commission tasked with gathering more information about educational systems used in other countries. She was particularly impressed by an Austrian system ....

[Mary Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the concept of the series of these books - and they are a perfect reading length, with a nice overview of lives for the bios. The organization of concepts/themes tends to be apt for each bio - not purely chronological, but a good structure to follow. I learned quite a bit from this book about Catherine the Great; I had known only a little about her before.

The main weakness, though, is trying to cram too much information into single sentences. This over-stuffed prose style makes it difficult to read at times, and I would get chronology switched up. It is just fine to split the same ideas into multiple sentences. It would vastly improve the readability of the books.

[Thom Swennes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Russian Empress Catherine II has gone down in history with the very impressive moniker, Catherine the Great. She was born on May 2, 1729, as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg. From a very early age and with much encouragement and manipulation from her mother, Sophie was destined for the throne of All the Russia’s. Her future husband, Peter von Holstein-Gottorp was the son of Tsarina Elizabeth I of Russia. From the very first meeting of Peter and his intended bride Sophie, there was a distinct and mutual dislike. This, however, wasn’t enough to sway young Catherine from her perceived destiny. She studied and mastered the Russian language and, although born into the Lutheran religion, and to the chagrin of her father, didn’t hesitate to convert to Eastern Orthodox. Upon her conversion in June of 1744, she was rechristened, Catherine.
Her marriage to Peter was a political union that would prove advantageous to Catherine and disastrous for Peter. After Elizabeth’s death in January 1762, Peter (as Peter III) ascended the throne but was forced to abdicate in favor of his wife in 1762 after only seven months on the throne. Catherine knew what she wanted and stopped at nothing to get it.
In spite of her unorthodox method of gaining the throne, Catherine had a clear plan to reform Russian society, introduce education, and bring Russia up to the European standard. She introduced paper and copper currency, something that had been sorely lacking before her reign.
Historians have described her as promiscuous, egotistical, vain, pretentious, and power-hungry. She was all of these things and more, so much more. She was a woman driven and with a vision. Many of the improvements she hoped to achieve remained unfinished or abandoned at her untimely and sudden death. Regardless of this fact, she really does deserve her moniker of Catherine the Great

[Anil Swarup · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult to decipher what was so great about Catherine who ensured that the serfs did not get emancipated through a conscious effort of depriving them of education that was now becoming available to others. Could she be called great because she had innumerous affairs? However, as is true of so many books by the authors of Hourly History, this one too makes for a very engrossing reading.

[Young Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the book tries to keep a balanced interpretation of the controversial history, we can find some clear facts out of this book about the German-born female Russian Tsar Catherine II.

Like other great leaders in our history Catherine the Great employed many talented people to work with.

(Kindle Location 217)
At best, Catherine’s attitude toward religion could be viewed as one of secularism...

It is understandable that her empire grew stronger and more reasonable because of her reasoning in religion.

She was a child who converted, against her own father's will, from Protestantism to Orthodoxy for practical reason, and realized that her decision to abandon her religion, despite all the social pressures and curses from her homeland, didn't really affect her life and dream, but it all worked out the opposite way.

From this early experience and revelation, she was to be practical when it came to religion, which turned out to be great for her rise to the Russian throne and the rise of her Russian Empire, overwhelming the old powers like Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Ottoman Turk Empire, where the same efforts failed. Unlike the leaders of those countries, Empress Catherine was a huge fan and follower of Enlightenment.

(Kindle Location 8)
Many of the ideas associated with the Russian Enlightenment were first espoused during the reign of Peter the Great, who ruled from 1721 to 1725...

Correction: Peter the Great reigned from 1672 to 1725.

All in all, for anyone interested in the subject, it is a very brief and easy history book written in plain English to enjoy.

[Barbara Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short summary of Catherine The Great provides good insight into a woman who was able to turn ambition into fulfillment. Catherine was born in modern-day Poland. Her mother’s wealthy relatives played a prominent part in her rise to power. She was betrothed to Peter, the prospective Tsar of Russia. Catherine despised Peter, but she did everything in her power to gain the love and support of the Russian people. She learned the Russian language, converted to the Eastern Orthodox faith, and acquired the support of the Russian military guard.
Catherine was an early feminist. She supported educational reforms for men and women, reformed the farming system by introducing European reforms, and introduced the principles of European Enlightenment, counting the philosopher, Voltaire, as one of her friends. Catherine extended the territorial boundaries of Russia and succeeded in many of her military goals. She devoted her life to power and did not shirk from using violence to achieve it. The principles she set forth laid the foundation for modern Russia.
Recommended as an introduction to Russian history or as a reference for student research into the subject. The essay is easy to read and is recommended for middle-grade and young adult readers as well as adults interested in biographies and history.

[Patricia S Winchel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Accomplishments but Consumed By Power

Catherine the Great received that name when she converted to Eastern Orthodoxy, not because she was religious, quite the contrary, she did it to assimilate to being Russian. She loved Russia. She was from Prussia, married her husband at 16. She’d known him since she was 10 and detested him although she had a good relationship with his mother. She surrounded herself with great minds and did much to bring Russia up to more modern European culture. She bore children she did not love or raise, but she did love one grandson who did eventually reign. She was a feminist at heart but she wouldn’t have described herself as one. She took 22 lovers, even tested their virility through another woman beforehand. She was very erotic and even kept erotic furniture and art that would disgust most people. Yet, she requested to be buried in white with a gold crown! Interesting history but I think her greatness was exaggerated.

[Ginger Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great way to gain some education

I enjoyed this because it gave me the story of Catherine the Great in a straightforward way. I love learning about different people, but sometimes I don't want to read 1000 pg book that tells me about every person they came in contact with. This was an interesting, short book that taught me about a woman I find interesting, but would not buy a huge book to learn about. I also think writings like this help you decide if you would like to read a more in depth book about someone.

[Terri's Dangerous When Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned quite a bit about Catherine the Great, and discovered that she was quite unlikable in my eyes. She was a ruthless, power grabbing murderer, willing to kill her own husband or relatives to cease power. She had a vision of modernizing her country, and in some ways she succeeded. She worked to improve education but she was quite selective, treating serfs as unworthy of education. She was the longest ruling female in Russian history, from 1762 to 1796.

[Mike Briley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always with this series, it is a rather superficial summary of the life of this fantastic woman. It is however a good introduction for those who knew little or nothing about her. It has made me look for a more in depth biography. I think that is the real interest of this series. They open up the subject and make you want to learn more and more details.

[Mark Laufenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise and informative book about Catherine the Great and the events that shaped her life. Guess I was expecting a bit more from someone labeled "the Great." It turned out to be not quite as interesting (in my opinion) as some of the other books by Hourly History. However, it was still as well-written and factual. Before reading the book, I knew nothing about her except for the name.

[Elba M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick history class

I like reading these short summaries of history because in around 40 pages you will learn the most important aspects of historical figures. Kindle library has a big variety of these summaries. The great thing about them is that you can read one of them and decide if you want to learn more about that specific person.

[Julian Orozco, Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Catherine

Very good book to read about Catherine the Great. Great information and background about her ride to power. A well rounded intellectual to modernize and recreate the Russian culture with the Arts, Politics and Education for the upcoming era. I really enjoyed this book, I just wished there were more information about her personal and private life.

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like all of the Hourly Histories that I have read, this book is easy to read, brief, and informative. I would truly appreciate Hourly Histories, like this one, include maps; many locations mentioned were unknown to me.

[Irene m. carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short focused history of The GREAT CATHERINE

A short history does not mean one that is necessarily lacking in
important details or essentials. This well written history is short
only in length and succeedes in conveying what makes this woman one of the Greats of World History.

[Liny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Très intéressant, je ne connaissais absolument pas cette impératrice avant de lire cet ebook. Féministe et très en avance des femmes de son époque elle semblait savoir ce qu'elle voulait et tout faire pour l'avoir. Bonne découverte !

[Donadee's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading the history of all kinds (people, places, and things) well now I have found another outlet to get my fill! It is so nice to quickly read about times and people and have all of the important bits right at my fingertips. My thanks to Charles River...

[Book hoarder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first feminist. There was good and bad in what she did. But she made it possible for girls to go to school. She attracted the right people to her court to be her advisors. She understood war strategy and had many victories at that point.

[Ed Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Intro

Catherine the Great was a German princess who connived and battled her way to the sole ruler of Russia. This short book gives insights into her life, politics and colorful personal life. A good intro to one of the strongest women in European history.

[Anthony Ambruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book

I enjoyed reading this biography. Catherine was a truly interesting person. Written in very readable style. It really filled in my knowledge of Russia.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always fascinated with Catherine the Great! Well written and easy to follow! A quick read!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and interesting read.

[Caesar Palacios · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Monarch

Good read on Catherine the Great. One influential woman rulers. Recommended for women achievers and students of history. Enjoy and be amaze.

[Neil Brunton · Rating 4 out of 5]

These 1hr history books are great as a way to get people into history or as a quick synopsis into a subject that you would like too learn more about.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting read but a slow one which isnt as enticing as some of the other hourly history accounts. It is a good account of the twists and turns in Russian political history

[Joseph D'Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible book. I did not like it at all.

[Yanwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read

This is the first book that I read on Russian history. This is a great introduction book. I can see that the author is sympathetic to Catherine the Great. Me2!

[Margianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐