top of page

Influences

Short term effects

Long term effects

- War with Ottoman Empire

 

- Accelerated colonization of holding in Siberia

  and exploration

 

- Pressed Russia’s interest in Europe playing

  politics with Prussia and Austria

 

- Increased interference into Polish affairs

 

- Bureaucrats overrun with aristocrats

 

- Strengthened monarchy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Won land in central Asia including the Crimea

  near the black sea

 

- No major wars during these politic games

 

- Allowed for the partition of Poland 1772 1793

 

- 1795 divided Poland up

 

- After Catherine death Russia had experienced

  extraordinary development

 

- Strong central state and new economy

 

- Modernization

 

- Became a part of European affairs

significant  events

why does she significant?

  • Protected monarchy against peasant rebellions

  • Adopted western ideology

  • Did not promote independent thinkers

  • Gave aristocrats titles of power

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

Born a princess in Germany, Catherine the Great converted to Orthodoxy and was married to the heir to the Russian throne, the Grand Duke Peter of Holstein, grandson of Peter the Great. Though Catherine the Great had the support of Peter's mother, the Empress Elizabeth, she disliked her husband and helped engineer his removal from the throne. She took power as Tsarina or Queen, calling herself Catherine II. Soon after, she may have been behind Peter's death.
During her reign, Catherine the Great expanded Russia's borders to the Black Sea and into central Europe. During her reign Catherine extended the borders of the Russian Empire southward and westward to absorb New Russia, Crimea, Right-Bank Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Courland at the expense, mainly, of two powers. She expanded the Russian Empire, improved administration. She promoted westernization and modernization though within the context of her autocratic control over Russia and increasing the control of landed gentry over serfs. Catherine the Great promoted education and the Enlightenment among the elite. She kept up a correspondence with many figures of the Enlightenment in Europe.

bottom of page