A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache.
— The Memoirs of Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great, born a German princess, was Empress of Russia from 1762 until her death in 1796. She came to the throne by overthrowing her husband, Emperor Peter III, in a coup.
Her reign of over 34 years was an era of Enlightenment prosperity, when new cities, universities and theatres were founded and Russia came to be recognised as a great power of Europe. The empire grew rapidly, annexing the Crimean Khanate and colonising lands along the Black Sea. She admired Peter the Great and continued his westernising reforms, yet the economy still rested on serfdom, which fuelled revolts such as Pugachev's Rebellion. She founded the Smolny Institute, Europe's first state-funded college for women.
Her reign of over 34 years was an era of Enlightenment prosperity, when new cities, universities and theatres were founded and Russia came to be recognised as a great power of Europe. The empire grew rapidly, annexing the Crimean Khanate and colonising lands along the Black Sea. She admired Peter the Great and continued his westernising reforms, yet the economy still rested on serfdom, which fuelled revolts such as Pugachev's Rebellion. She founded the Smolny Institute, Europe's first state-funded college for women.
The more a man knows, the more he forgives.
One cannot always know what children are thinking. Children are hard to understand, especially when careful training has a custom them to obedience and experience has made them cautious in conversation with their teachers.
I shall be an autocrat that's my trade and the good Lord will forgive me that's his.
I may be kindly, I am ordinarily gentle, but in my line of business I am obliged to will terribly what I will at all.
Power without a nation's confidence is nothing.
I beg you take courage the brave soul can mend even disaster.
In politics a capable ruler must be guided by circumstances, conjectures and conjunctions.
First health then wealth then pleasure and do not owe anything to anybody.
Power without [the people's] confidence is nothing.