Scan barcode
A review by cancermoononhigh
Catherine the Great by Simon Dixon
informative
reflective
fast-paced
2.5
My first book about any Russian Monarch.
Princess Sophie Auguste Friderike became Yetareina Alekseyevna, a name that was chosen for her from her mother in Law, Emperess Elizabeth. She named her after her mother, Catherine I. Along with her new name, came her new title The Grand Duchess.
Peter and Catherine were not a love match, or even friendly. There was years without any heir being produced. When Paul did come along his birth did not bring his parents closer together. Peter continued his affair while Catherine looked elsewhere.
Elizabeth died in December of 1762. All of Russia proclaimed Tsar Peter III, Catherine became his empress. Peter was the first adult male to ascend the Russia throne for more than a century. That mere fact alone caused widespread jubilation.
Catherine took authority over Russia. Peter, her husband, was assassinated soon after taking the throne, his death still a mystery. Any shred of legitimacy she possessed was vested in her son Paul. Catherine's coup was by far the most expensive in eighteenth century Russia. Between July and December of 1762, she paid out1.5 million rubles to buy support at the time. By the following March she had given away 21,423 male peasants since her accession.
She was ahead of her time when it came to medicine. On October 1768 she elected to be inoculated against smallpox. Which was funny considering that she maintained a healthy disrespect for doctors, calling them charlatans.
The relationship between Catherine and her son Paul greatly improved after his illness in 1771. They seemed united by more than mere duty.
Catherine would often boast how much more orderly her own Court had become in comparison to the chaos she endured while she was a grand duchess. The last significant piece of legislation that Catherine presided over was in October 1796 which reevoked the right of individuals to operate private presses which was granted in 1783. Twelve of sixteen closed overnight. Whereas 320 secular books had been published in Russia in 1796, only 212 appeared in the first year of Tsar Paul's reign, the lowest since 1777.
On November 6th 1796 Catherine would take her last breath. The night before her son had a dream of a mysterious unknown force. Catherine was found unconscious the day before and lapsed into a coma which she never woke from.
Catherine was on the throne for 34 years; she was synonymous with Russian rule. Documents about Catherine accounted for four fifths of the historical material that was published in Russian journals. Catherine's own historical works were republished, including some editions of her plays.
"No child is born learned. The parents duty is to give learning to the child."
Princess Sophie Auguste Friderike became Yetareina Alekseyevna, a name that was chosen for her from her mother in Law, Emperess Elizabeth. She named her after her mother, Catherine I. Along with her new name, came her new title The Grand Duchess.
Peter and Catherine were not a love match, or even friendly. There was years without any heir being produced. When Paul did come along his birth did not bring his parents closer together. Peter continued his affair while Catherine looked elsewhere.
Elizabeth died in December of 1762. All of Russia proclaimed Tsar Peter III, Catherine became his empress. Peter was the first adult male to ascend the Russia throne for more than a century. That mere fact alone caused widespread jubilation.
Catherine took authority over Russia. Peter, her husband, was assassinated soon after taking the throne, his death still a mystery. Any shred of legitimacy she possessed was vested in her son Paul. Catherine's coup was by far the most expensive in eighteenth century Russia. Between July and December of 1762, she paid out1.5 million rubles to buy support at the time. By the following March she had given away 21,423 male peasants since her accession.
She was ahead of her time when it came to medicine. On October 1768 she elected to be inoculated against smallpox. Which was funny considering that she maintained a healthy disrespect for doctors, calling them charlatans.
The relationship between Catherine and her son Paul greatly improved after his illness in 1771. They seemed united by more than mere duty.
Catherine would often boast how much more orderly her own Court had become in comparison to the chaos she endured while she was a grand duchess. The last significant piece of legislation that Catherine presided over was in October 1796 which reevoked the right of individuals to operate private presses which was granted in 1783. Twelve of sixteen closed overnight. Whereas 320 secular books had been published in Russia in 1796, only 212 appeared in the first year of Tsar Paul's reign, the lowest since 1777.
On November 6th 1796 Catherine would take her last breath. The night before her son had a dream of a mysterious unknown force. Catherine was found unconscious the day before and lapsed into a coma which she never woke from.
Catherine was on the throne for 34 years; she was synonymous with Russian rule. Documents about Catherine accounted for four fifths of the historical material that was published in Russian journals. Catherine's own historical works were republished, including some editions of her plays.
"No child is born learned. The parents duty is to give learning to the child."