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Self-Made Catherine the Great

Elizabeta Sulentic
Teatime History
Published in
9 min readDec 29, 2023

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Old and young Catherine [Created by author, with Canva]

The air was cold and unwelcoming, a stark contrast to the warmth and comfort of her childhood home. She didn’t speak a word of Russian and struggled to communicate with those around her.

The customs were vastly different from what she was used to, but that brave little girl refused to let these obstacles stand in her way. She knew if she wanted to survive she would need to adapt.

At first glance, Sophie Friederike Auguste may have seemed like an unlikely candidate to become Catherine the Great of Russia.

After all, she was born in Germany and had not a drop of Russian blood running through her veins. However, fate had other plans for Catherine’s life. She would go on to marry Peter, the heir to the Russian throne and become ruler of an entire nation.

Who would have guessed that this foreign princess would go on to become one of the most influential and long-lasting rulers in the history of Russia?

But even after all that, they just could not forgive her for all the success.

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Teatime History
Teatime History

Published in Teatime History

Teatime History is your one stop destination for a better understanding of human history. Let us debunk myths, examine the legends of the past, and explore the innovations which have transformed our lives.

Elizabeta Sulentic
Elizabeta Sulentic