In my Writing the Reasearch paper class we worked on a timeline for the
person we will be writing our essays on the timeline. My essay will be written
on the controvery of Catherine the Greats many affairs to prove that she was a
great leader in her time. This timeline shows a brief excerpt of her life and
times.
Catherine the Great
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1729 Princess Sophie Fredericke Auguste (Sophia Augus Frederika) von
Anhalt-Zebst, the future Catherine the Great, is born in Stettin, Germany (now
Poland).
1743 Sophie is summoned by Elizabeth I of Russia.
1744 Sophie and her mother, Johanna, arrive in Moscow to meet Elizabeth on
February 9. Sophie embraces the Orthodox religion and becomes Catherine
Alexeyevna.
1745 Catherine marries Peter Feodorovich, the Grand Duke of Holstein, heir
to the Russian throne, in St. Petersburg.
1747 Catherine's father, Christian Augustus of Anhalt-Zerbst, dies.
1752 Catherine takes a lover, Serge Saltykov, a Russian officer.
1754 Catherine gives birth to Paul, future Emperor of Russian. Many believe
the father to be, not Peter, the Grand Duke, but Saltykov.
1757 Russia's victory over the Prussians
1760 Catherine takes a new lover, Gregory Orlov. Death of Johanna of AnhaltZerbst, Catherine's mother.
1761 Empress Elizabeth dies on December 25 and Catherine’s husband, Peter,
is crowned emperor.
1762 To the chagrin of the Russian nobility, Peter III signs a treaty with
Frederick of Prussia on April 24. Catherine, supported by the Imperial Guard,
overthrows Peter and becomes Catherine II. Peter III dies while held prisoner
by the Orlovs. Catherine denies complicity.
1763 Catherine confirms the privileges of the nobility. Begins to collect art
from all over Europe and exhibits it at the newly built Hermitage. Russia
invades Lithuania.
1764 Count Betskoy is commissioned to draw up plans for the education of
both boys and girls. This begins Catherine's drive for European-style
education. Schools and universities were founded throughout her reign
including the Smolny Institute for Girls in St. Petersberg.
1766 Catherine writes her Nakaz(Instructions). Catherine reforms St.
Petersburg’s local administration by creating the position of gorodskoi golova
(mayor). Treaty of Friendship with England.
1767 Influenced by the French Enlightenment, Catherine forms a commission
for legal reform.
1768 Russia declares war on Turkey.
1771 Russia conquers the Crimea.
1772 Signatures of conventions with Prussia and Austria with the objective of
partitioning Poland. Armistice with Turkey.
1773 Catherine persuades French writer Denis Diderot to come to the Russian
Court. Cossack Yemelyan Pugachov leads a peasant revolt in the Volga River
Basin. Orlov falls from favor.
1774 Potemkin becomes Catherine's lover. Catherine oversees the creation of a
Magistrat (municipal council) which becomes the city Duma in 1786. War with
Turkey ends with Treaty of Kuchuk Kainardji.
1775 Trial and death of Pugachev. Catherine reforms the provincial and urban
administrations.
1777 Alliance with Prussia. Problems in the Crimea.
1778 Catherine acquires Voltaire’s entire library after his death.
1781 Alliance between Russia and Austria.
1783 Potemkin annexes Crimea from Turkey
1787 Catherine tours Crimea. Turkey declares war on Russia.
1788 Catherine imposes a protectorate on Poland. War with Sweden.
1789 Catherine, fearful that the revolution in France might spread, begins to
undo many of her liberal reforms.
1790 Peace with Sweden
1791 Death of Potemkin. Treaty of Jassy is signed between Turkey and Russia.
1793 Second partition of Poland.
1794 Insurrection in Poland. Third partition of Poland.
1796 Catherine dies.