She was born Sophia of Anhalt Zerbst in Prussia in 1729. Her credentials might seem impressive to us today as she was a princess from a noble family. In actuality her origins were somewhat humble. So her ascent to the Russian throne appears even more astonishing.
When she was 14 she went to Russia. The Russian Empress had summoned her in the hope that Sophia would make a suitable bride for her 16-year-old nephew, Peter, the heir to the throne. Peter was also Sophia’s cousin. Sophia’s name was then changed to Catherine.
Her future husband Peter was childish. After their marriage the author describes a typical scene: “behind this farce lay the greater absurdity of a young husband playing with toys in the marital bed leaving his young wife with nothing to do but to watch.”
Catherine endured this loveless marriage. Empress Elizabeth waited impatiently for the couple to produce an heir to the throne. Eventually Catherine had her son, Paul. The moment the baby was born he was spirited away to be raised by Empress Elizabeth.
Catherine kept her eyes on the prize, the Russian throne. Massie provides every delicious detail. Catherine was highly intelligent. She endeared herself to the Russian people. She learned the language and converted to their religion.
When the Empress Elizabeth died Peter became tsar. His impetuous, child-like behavior continued. But now there were consequences. Massie describes the incredible sequence of events which led Catherine to overthrow her own husband and become the ruler of what was at the time the largest country in the world.
Her reign lasted thirty-four years. This is history that reads like a novel. Catherine the Great had an amazing life. And she worked to try to improve the lives of her people. She led by doing. At one point she set an example by becoming the first person in her country to be inoculated against smallpox.
Under Catherine wars were waged which greatly increased the size of her empire. She corresponded with many legendary thinkers of that era. She amassed a superb art collection. And there were her favorites, the dozen lovers that she took over the course of her life. We meet each one of them.
Massie had access to letters which Catherine wrote to Gregory Potemkin, her one great love. The author writes that “the emotional intensity Catherine experienced with Potemkin was both liberating and distracting.”
In an interview the author told me: “I really feel that there’s a lot in Catherine’s life which is relevant today. Women can look to Catherine and what she achieved; the challenges she overcame as a woman... I hope that women will read the book... to see how one of their predecessors managed the glass ceiling.”
Vick Mickunas of Yellow Springs interviews authors every Friday at 1:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 11 a.m. on WYSO-FM (91.3). For more information, visit www.wyso.org/programs/book-nook. Contact him at vick@vickmickunas.com.