Catherine ii by j.b.lampi (1780s, kunsthistorisches museum)

Catherine The Great

  • Catherine Is Born

    Catherine Is Born
    Catherine the Great was born on May 2, 1729 in Stettin, Prussia
  • Catherine converts to Russian Orthodox and changes her name

    Catherine converts to Russian Orthodox and changes her name
    In 1744, Catherine converted to Russian Orthodox and changed her name from her birth name, Sophia Augusta Fredericka to Catherine, a year before her marriage to Peter.
  • Catherine gets married

    Catherine gets married
    Catherine the Great was forced into an arranged marriage at the young age of 16 to her second cousin, Karl Peter Ulrich or more commonly known as Peter III of the Russian Royal family. She was miserable from the start, her husband was incredibly immature and was an alcoholic.
  • Catherine's son is born

    Catherine's son is born
    Catherine's son Paul I of Russia was born on October 1, 1754 in Saint Petersburg, Russia to Catherine and Peter
  • Empress Elizabeth dies

    Empress Elizabeth dies
    The Empress Elizabeth was Peters mom and in order for Peter, Catherine's husband, to ruler Elizabeth had to die and when she did Peter became Emperor of Russia, hiring Catherine's status.
  • Catherine's second son is born

    Catherine's second son is born
    Alexei Grigorievich Bobrinsky was born on April 11, 1762 in Russia, and unlike Paul, he was not Peter's son he was the son of Catherine and Grigory Orlov, one of Catherine's many lovers while she was in power.
  • Peter is killed

    Peter is killed
    Peter, Catherine's husband was killed, so Catherine could take the throne from him. Although she did not order him to be murdered, it was committed by her supporters, and in public opinion held her responsible for the death.
  • Catherine becomes ruler

    Catherine becomes ruler
    Catherine the Great became the ruler of Russia, took the throne from her husband, who she had assassinated.There was not an exact date listed for her first day as ruler just a year.
  • Stanislaw Poniatowski, one of Catherine's lovers

    Stanislaw Poniatowski, one of Catherine's lovers
    Stanislaw Poniatowski was one of Catherine's many lovers, and the Father of one of her children. He got involved with her when he served in the British Embassy. Their relationship was quite the scandal and even long after their relationship, in about 1763 Catherine gave support to his military, so some would say being her lover had many benefits even after the fact.
  • Catherine resolves the problem of Poland

    Catherine resolves the problem of Poland
    Poland was a kingdom lacking definite boundaries, Catherine wanted to fix this problem. She did this in a strange way but it worked. She installed one of her old lovers, Stanislaw Poniatowski, a weak man that was very much in love with her and devoted to her, and made him King of Poland, solving her problem.
  • Catherine the Great Dies

    Catherine the Great Dies
    Catherine died at the age of 67 on November 17, 1796