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Catherine the Great (1729-1796)

By bchorlton

  • Birth

    Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg was born of her father, Christian August: Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, and her mother, Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp. She was bon in Stettin, Pomerania, Prussia.
  • Period: to

    Catherine the Great life to death

  • Brother Dies

    Catherine's first brother, Prince Christian Wilhelm Friedrich, died at the age of 12. Catherine and her other sibling, Prince Friedrich Augustus were the only of 5 to live into adulthood.

  • First Glimpse of her Future Empire

    A teenage Catherine travelled with he mother to Russia to meet Empress Elizabeth and Peter III

  • Religious Conversion

    She converted from Lutheranism to Russian Orthodox, and change he name to Catherine (Yekaterina), because she was to marry a Russian Tsar.

  • Marriage

    Marriage
    She married Peter, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, in St. Petersburg, Russia.

  • Birth of Paul I

    Birth of Paul I
    Gave birth to her son Paul I

  • Mother's Death

    Mother's Death
    Catherine's mother, Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp dies in Paris, France at the age of 47.

  • Empress Elizabeth Dies

    Catherine's husband Peter became Emperor of Russia. Catherine became Empress Consort.

  • Peter III is Assassinated

    Catherine's husband, Emperor Peter III is assassinated in Ropsha during a coup organized by Catherine herself. She became official Empress.

  • Coronation

    Coronation
    Catherine II is officially crowned as Empress of Russia. Named her son as her heir.

  • Establishment of Smolny Institute for Girls

    Establishment of Smolny Institute for Girls
    The Establishment of the Smolny Institute for Girls was created by Catherine in hopes to increase education for girls in Russia. 11 years after, the Imperial Russian Dictionary was established, which include the vocabulary of over 200 different languages.

  • First Russian Inoculation of Smallpox

    After a smallpox epidemic in Siberia, Catherine recruited Dr. Thomas Dimsdale from England to develop a vaccine. She and her son were the fist to be vaccinated to show the people it was safe.

  • Death and End of Rule

    Catherine II died of a stroke while on the toilet (64). Her son, Paul I (42), took the throne as Emperor on the same day.