Екатерина II Великая
Catherine II the Great
The German princess who became Russia's greatest empress: Catherine the Great's coup against Peter III, her 34-year 'golden age' of Enlightenment reforms and the Hermitage, her Black Sea victories over the Ottomans — and the harsh peasant life that sparked the Pugachev rebellion.
You will practice: Past active participles (вошедшая, урожденная), the verbal adverb купив, the instrumental after быть/стать (была русской, стала веком), and при + prepositional for 'during someone's reign' (при Екатерине).
Words to know
Skim these before you read — they carry the story. Tap the star to add one to your saved words.
- правительница(female) ruler
- происхождениеorigin, descent
- наследникheir
- престолthrone
- бракmarriage
- переворотcoup, overthrow
- свергнутьto overthrow, to depose
- императрицаempress
- правлениеreign, rule
- образованныйeducated
- реформаreform
- основатьto found, to establish
- войнаwar
- границаborder
- крестьянинpeasant
- восстаниеuprising, rebellion
- расцветflowering, heyday
Did you get it?
5 quick questions — no grades, just a comprehension check.
1. Where was Catherine the Great originally from?
2. How did Catherine come to power in 1762?
3. Which famous museum did Catherine found?
4. What did Russia gain from its wars with the Ottoman Empire?
5. What was one negative consequence of her reign?
Too hard? Pick an easier text in the Russian reading library. Understanding most of a text without translations is the goal — struggling through is not.