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CATHARINE II. (OF RUSSIA) 111 under oath to the people and the army that Peter on his deathbed had designated her as the worthiest of succession, and the guards, the synod, and the high nohility gave their consent, and the people their oath of fidelity to the first "empress " and autocrat of all the Russias. The policy of Peter was continued under the leading influence of Menshikoff; the Russian academy of sciences was found- ed, silver mines were opened in Siberia, and the naval exploring expedition under Behring was fitted out. But soon the caprices of the empress, who was guided by favorites, and intemperate in drinking, were felt in the man- agement of affairs, and blunders committed, while her ruined health prepared a sudden end. Her successor was Peter II., the grandson of Peter and son of the unfortunate Alexis. CATHARINE II., empress of Russia, born in Stettin, May 2, 1729, died in St. Petersburg, Nov. 17, 1796. She was the daughter of Chris- tian August, governor of Stettin, who was after- ward reigning prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, and field marshal general of Prussia. Her mother was a princess of Holstein-Gottorp. Her pa- rents gave her the names Sophia Augusta, and a careful education. At an early age she was chosen by the empress Elizabeth, at the sug- gestion of Frederick the Great, to become the wife of her nephew and successor, Peter III. Her mother brought her to the court of Russia, where she adopted the Greek creed, received the name of Catharine Alexievna, and was married in September, 1745. But all the expectations she may have formed of a life of magnificence, influence, and delight as future empress of the greatest monarchy of the world, soon vanished under the indiffer- ence and repulsive treatment of her husband, who, though not incapable of good emotions, was rude, dissolute, and passionate. Her fiery and lively temper could not be contented with the consolation of continued studies, in the long retirement in which she lived during the life of Elizabeth, and she indulged in amorous connections which were no secret to any one. Among the persons who surrounded Peter and herself, Soltikoff won her liveliest affection by his spirit and good looks, and lost it only when favor and envy had sent him as ambassador to foreign courts. At that time Catharine became mother of Paul, afterward her successor in the empire. The handsome and highly accomplished Poniatowski won the place of Soltikoff at his first appearance at the court, and was protected in her favors by the empress Elizabeth, who caused Augustus III., king of Poland, to appoint him as his ambassa- dor ; but he was soon persecuted by intrigues of representatives of other courts, who saw in his sympathies for England, and in his influence over Catharine and Peter, a danger for the French-Russian-Austrian alliance. He was re- called, and Gregory Orloff became the object of her favors. When Peter succeeded Eliza- beth, Jan. 5, 1762, the ill feeling between him 162 VOL. iv. 8 and Catharine became still more embittered, and the conduct of both, particularly the gross public amours of Peter, gave each sufficient cause for hatred. Catharine was threatened with repudiation by her husband, and the Orloffs and their friends were ready to save and revenge her. The hetman Razumovski, Count Panin, and Princess Dashkoff, a bold and enterprising woman, became their chief assistants in the conspiracy against Peter, which was greatly promoted by the general antipathy created in the nation and army by the Prussian predilections and discipline, as well as by the character and policy of the un- fortunate monarch, and was eagerly joined by malcontents, romantic adventurers, and am- bitious courtiers. But the plot was nearly detected and one of the conspirators imprison- ed, when they hastened its execution. In the night of July 8-9, 1762, Catharine came over from Peterhof to St. Petersburg, a part of the way on a peasant's wagon, and appeared before the guards, who hailed her as empress, though, according to the original plan, her son Paul was to be declared emperor and herself regent ; but this had been changed by the Orloffs, and the future senator Teploff read, instead of the prepared manifesto, a new onein the Kazan church. Peter was soon seized, and after a few days strangled in prison. The sooner to gain pardon for her part in the crime, Catha- rine made the most splendid promises to the nation, flattered its prejudices, exhibited great devotion to the national religion and its priests, was crowned with great pomp at Moscow, and made a show 'of extraordinary zeal for im- provements in industry, commerce, and the navy, and for reforms in the administration of justice, as well as in the management of the external affairs of her vast empire. Conrland was compelled to depose its duke, Charles of Saxe, and to submit again to the rule of Biron, who had made himself hatefu^ by his cruelty. Her influence prevailed in Poland after the death of Augustus III. (1763), in the election of her favorite Poniatowski as king under the name of Stanislas Augustus, from whose affec- tion and weakness she justly expected the ex- tension of her influence over the neighboring state, distracted as it was by religious and civil dissensions. But this happy commencement could not allay the hatred of national malcon- tents ; attempts against the empress were plot- ted at Moscow and St. Petersburg, with the aim of setting upon the throne of the czars Ivan, son of Anna Carlovna, who had already atoned by 24 years of imprisonment under Elizabeth and Catharine for having worn as a child, for a few months, the imperial title before the ac- cession of the former. The violent death of Ivan, in his prison at Schlusselburg (1764), put an end to these schemes, and Catharine could now enjoy more easily the pleasures and festiv- ities of her court, troubled but little by its in- trigues about favors and favorites. The con- vocation at Moscow of representatives from all