How Did Catherine Come To Russia

Born on May 2, 1729, in Stettin Prussia, Catherine was the daughter of German royalty, her parents being Christian August and Princess Johanna Elisabeth. She was described as an intelligent, ambitious child by her governess Babette, who taught her about religion, languages being German , Russian, and French, also learning about history and music. She would later spend most of her time learning by herself, making herself a very intelligent, enlightened ruler when she took the throne. In 1744, a letter arrived from Empress Elizabeth I of Russia, asking the young German Princess to come to Russia for a visit, at the time Elizabeth was looking for a heir to her throne, and Elizabeth had relations with Catherine’s Family by the prior engagement to Catherine Mother,
Johanna’s brother. So Catherine and her mother traveled to Russia. It is said that her mother had no real relation with her daughter and just used her a a means to climb the social and power ladder. When they arrived Catherine was very sick from the long journey and the empress nursed the young princess back to health, at this time deciding that she would bring her the heir she wanted. Originally Catherine was named Sophie Friederike Auguste at birth but later changed it when converting from Lutheran to Russian Orthodox, hoping to gain favour with the change. Soon after this on August 21 1745, she married the Grand Duke Peter III. He was described as a childish, immature and a cruel man. They did not consummate the marriage for 10 years , historians don’t know whether it was on Peter medical condition or whether he knew how to do it or not. At this time though Elizabeth was getting older and wanted an heir so she told Catherine to find someone who could provide an heir. So Catherine took a lover named Sergei Saltykov. At this same time Peter was finally able to consummate the marriage and nine months later when her son Paul was born on September 20 1754, his parentage was and still is debated. After Catherine gave birth to Paul, the Empress Elizabeth took him away before Catherine could even hold her child, making relationship with him later, strained and distrustful. A Catherine was a mother without a child, a wife with an immature, cheating , and cruel husband and a drive that she couldn't do anything with. Finally on December 256, 1762 empress Elizabeth died making Peter III the Emperor of Russia and Catherine his Consort. Peter III was an immature, cheating and cruel man. After taking the throne he terrorized his country and his wife. He took several lovers the most famous being Elizabeth Vorontsova, who was said to be trying to make her his queen.
He also terrorized Catherine by calling her horrible names and embarrassing her in front of the court. Peter III was also a horrible ruler for Russia. After taking the throne his first order was giving back the church their lands making several nobles and courtiers very angry. Then his second biggest order he made that enraged the public was taking troops out of Denmark, and called off the 7 years war with Prussia, The Russians were not happy with this. He was said to have a great appreciation for the Prussian King and and wanted Russia to be more like Prussia, he even changed the soldiers outfits to the Prussian Green. The Russian people were at their limits with him and they looked to Catherine to take the throne from him, though they were thinking for her to be the Queen reagent. Catherine set her sights higher and with the help of her lover Gregory Orlov she held a Coup D'etat on June 28 1762, taking the throne from Peter III. Several days after being crowned Empress Catherine, Peter III was killed, though no one knows what role Catherine played, though historians have found that Gregory and his brother may have been the cause. Catherine was able to rule for 34 years before dying
of a stroke. She helped Russia accomplish many amazing things, as well as accomplishing many things in her own rights, she had 12 known lovers, she had 4 children three with her lovers and maybe a fourth, thought to have secretly married her longtime friend and lover Gregory Potemkin raised her son Paul’s children like, empress Elizabeth did with Catherine son Paul. Catherine lived a long prosperous life dying on November 17, 1796 at 67 of a stroke in Tsarskoye Selo. She now lies in Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.