Catherine the Great

Definition

Catherine the Great was a prominent Russian empress who reigned from 1762 until 1796, known for her significant contributions to the development of Russia and her role as an enlightened absolutist. She embraced Enlightenment ideals and implemented numerous reforms that modernized the Russian state, including changes in governance, education, and the legal system, while still maintaining her absolute power over the monarchy.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Catherine significantly expanded the Russian Empire through military victories and territorial acquisitions, notably in the Black Sea region and partitions of Poland.
2. She established the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens, the first state-financed higher education institution for women in Europe.
3. Catherine sought to reform local governance by creating new provincial divisions and allowing more local self-administration, though she ultimately reasserted control.
4. She corresponded with many Enlightenment thinkers, including Voltaire and Diderot, and implemented reforms inspired by their ideas on governance and society.
5. Despite her reforms, Catherine faced backlash and resistance, exemplified by Pugachev's Rebellion, which highlighted the tensions between her enlightened policies and the realities of serfdom.

Review Questions

• How did Catherine the Great's reign embody the principles of enlightened absolutism?
  • Catherine the Great exemplified enlightened absolutism by combining her absolute power with the incorporation of Enlightenment ideas into her policies. She implemented reforms in education, governance, and law aimed at modernizing Russia while still maintaining strict control over the monarchy. By promoting Enlightenment values like rationality and progress within her government framework, she sought to improve society while solidifying her rule.
• Evaluate the impact of Catherine the Great's territorial expansions on Russia's status in Europe during her reign.
  • Catherine the Great's territorial expansions significantly enhanced Russia's status as a major European power. Through successful military campaigns and strategic diplomacy, she expanded Russian territory southward and westward, particularly with the partitions of Poland. These actions not only increased Russia’s land holdings but also established it as a formidable player on the European stage, reshaping the balance of power in Eastern Europe.
• Assess how Catherine the Great’s policies towards serfdom influenced social dynamics in Russia and contributed to future unrest.
  • Catherine the Great's policies towards serfdom revealed a complex relationship between her enlightened ideals and the socio-economic realities of Russian society. Although she initiated some reforms aimed at improving conditions for serfs, such as attempts to limit abuses by landowners, her support for serfdom ultimately persisted. This contradiction fueled discontent among the peasantry, culminating in events like Pugachev's Rebellion. The failure to fully address serfdom laid the groundwork for future social unrest and challenges to her legacy.

Related terms

Enlightened Absolutism: A form of absolute monarchy that emerged in the 18th century, where rulers embraced Enlightenment ideas and sought to apply them to governance while maintaining their ultimate authority.

Serfdom: A system in which peasants were bound to the land and subject to the control of landowners, prevalent in Russia during Catherine's reign.

Pugachev's Rebellion: A major peasant uprising in 1773-1775 against Catherine's government led by Yemelyan Pugachev, reflecting discontent with serfdom and oppressive conditions.