Catherine, who was originally named Sophie, was a Prussian princess who adopted her new name after converting to Eastern Orthodoxy in 1744. The following year she married the future Peter III of Russia in an orchestrated attempt to strengthen relations between the two countries, but the marriage was an unhappy one.

Peter III ascended the throne in January 1762 and within just six months had alienated key segments of Russian society, including the military and nobility, due to his admiration for Prussian policies and his abrupt changes to Russian traditions. His decision to withdraw from the Seven Years’ War and pursue an alliance with Frederick the Great of Prussia was particularly unpopular.

This dissatisfaction created an opportunity for Catherine, who had garnered support from a number of key individuals due to her intelligence and alignment with Russian interests. On July 8, 1762, while Peter was away at his palace in Oranienbaum, a coup was launched by a group of nobles and military officers, including Catherine’s lover Grigory Orlov. The senate, army, and navy quickly swore allegiance to her and the following day Peter, realizing the extent of his lack of support, was forced to abdicate the throne. He died under mysterious circumstances just eight days later.

Catherine’s accession marked the beginning of a significant era in Russian history that saw her pursue policies that expanded Russian territory, modernized the administration, and sought to introduce Enlightenment ideals. Her reign, which lasted until her death in 1796, is often regarded as the Golden Age of the Russian Empire and saw Russia transformed into one of Europe’s great powers.