Empress · 1729 – 1796
Catherine II of Russia
Little-Known Facts
- Born a minor German princess, she learned Russian and converted to Orthodoxy to prepare for her future role.
- She amassed one of the world's great art collections, the foundation of the State Hermitage Museum.
Myths & Misconceptions
Was Catherine Russian by birth?
No. She was born Sophie, a German princess of Anhalt-Zerbst, and embraced Russian language, religion and identity after coming to Russia to marry the heir to the throne.