Catherine the Great, born Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst, reigned as the last empress regnant of Russia from 1762 to 1796. As a German princess, she married Grand Duke Peter III and later engineered a coup to seize the throne. Her reign was marked by territorial expansion, including the annexation of Crimea and Poland, and a flourishing of arts and culture known as the Golden Age of Catherine. Catherine was a patron of the Enlightenment and fostered intellectual and political reforms, earning a reputation as an enlightened despot. Her complex and controversial legacy includes military victories, economic growth, and a significant impact on Russian history and society.
