catherine ii

Catherine the Great

Empresses of All Russia – Catherine II

October 17, 2016 Moniek Bloks 0

The future Empress Catherine II of Russia was born as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg as the daughter of Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst and Princess Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp on 2 May 1729. She arrived in Russia in 1744 as the prospective bride of the future Peter III of Russia. At the time Russia [read more]