Theodora was in a position where she undoubtedly could have influenced Justinian to forego the reconquest of the western countries. Had she done so the Papacy would probably have played a very different role in western Europe. Only in what she could have done but failed to do can she be regarded as event-making. All of her positive achievements had little consequence for subsequent history.
Among modern eventful women, probably of greatest distinction is Catherine II., that “Russian Empress of German blood and French culture.” It is difficult to evaluate her influence since she was a contemporary of other eventful monarchs like Frederick II., and because the ground-swell of bourgeois revolution had already begun in the West. But by any reckoning, those accomplishments for which she was chiefly responsible were very impressive. Through her efforts, Russia acquired a full-fledged and permanent influence on the political history of western Europe. No longer could she be ignored in the affairs of the more developed nations. Karl Marx once declared that Russia was the most reactionary political influence on revolutionary developments in western Europe during the entire nineteenth century—an influence which was the continuation of Catherine’s policy. Under Catherine, Russia tremendously expanded its national boundaries. She added an area of almost 250,000 square miles to Russian domains. At the same time, despite her enlightened ideas, Catherine riveted the chains of serfdom more securely on the Russian masses and retarded the development of progressive social forces for generations. With great political acumen she secularized Church property and tied the Russian Church to the Crown so closely that from then on it became primarily an instrument of dynastic rule.
However we appraise them, these were no inconsiderable achievements. In virtue of what qualities was she able to bring them off? Certainly not by her beauty or other feminine charms. She was not beautiful enough to hold her own husband, whom she deposed and murdered in order to clear the way for herself. And although she never denied the needs of her passionate nature, she did not permit any of her favourites to swerve her from her fixed policy, the consolidation of a powerful national State pursuing an independent course exclusively for its own interests. To carry out this policy successfully required outstanding political talent, particularly on the part of a foreigner who had entered Russia as a royal nobody, usurped the throne,
