A Critique of Catherine the Great

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Catherine the Great was born into the royal German house of Anhalt-Zerbst. She was selected by the Russian Empress Elisabeth to be the wife of the Russian prince Grand Duke Peter at the tender age of fourteen. Peter and Catherine were both German, and they were also cousins. Peter and Catherine were always at each others throats, and often had affairs with secret lovers. Catherine gave up her German name and religious beliefs, and began to take on everything Russian. After the death of Empress Elisabeth, Peter claimed the throne. Peter loved his German roots, and hated the Russian way of life. Peter began to abuse his power, doing everything he could to influence his German roots in Russia. He removed Russian icons from the church. This caused the uprising of a military revolt. Among the people who planned to take over Peter was Catherines lover, Grigory Orlov. She made sure to place herself at the front of this rebellion, and crowned herself empress.

The article entitled "The Memoirs of Catherine the Great" is two accounts of Catherine the great coming to rule. The second was a letter to her lover Count Poniatowski. The article portrays Catherine as the savior of Russia. It begins at the death of Empress Elisabeth. The Russians were weary after her death over this death, because they feared the harsh governing of Peter. Many people saw their only hope in that of Catherine. They talk of how Catherine only wanted the best for Russia, and how all her hope was for the success of this country. The rule of Peter got so bad the Catherine decided it was time to take measures into her own hands. She ordered an arrest on her husband after returning from one of her trips. The people began to worship her for what she had done. She was named Empress of Russia. During her rise in power Peter III died and in her article she says that he died of natural causes, but I don't think many believed this.

Differing from the previous article by Prince M.

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