Princess Sophie Fredericke Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst was born in Stettin on May 2, 1729. Her name was then changed to a simple Catherine II, later known as Catherine the Great.
At age 15, the German princess married the Grand Duke Peter of Holstein, heir to the Russian throne. They had one child, Peter. He held the throne for a while but was eventually overthrown by the Imperial Guards; some say murdered in a coup d'etat.
Catherine became Empress of Russia on July 9, 1762. She began to raise supporters to her side - mainly nobles, members of the gentry, or her own personal lovers. During the Age of the Enlightenment, she corresponded with philosophers like Voltaire. The Empress hoped to improve her country. However, all she could accomplish was setting up a few girls' schools and medical schools for the benefit of her subjects. Around the time of the French Revolution, a cossack revolt broke out. She quickly imprisoned her critics and restricted political discourse.
The Empress secured Ukraine and the Black Sea in her territory, and became the grandmother of Emperor Alexander I. She died in 1796, at age 67.