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Key Facts |
| Other names |
Sophie Augusta Frederica, Catherine the Great |
| Born |
1729 |
| Location |
Stettin (Szczecin) Poland |
| Bloodline |
House of Ascania |
| Married |
Peter III of Russia |
| Children |
Paul of Russia |
| Position |
Empress of Russia (1769-1796) |
| Died |
Nov 1796 (Aged 67) |
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Source of Facts and Important Announcement |
| Status |
Under Article 64.6 of the Covenant of One-Heaven (Pactum De Singularis Caelum) by Special Qualification shall be known as a Saint, with all sins and evil acts they performed forgiven. |
| Date of formal Beatification |
Day of Redemption UCA[E1:Y1:A1:S1:M9:D1] also known as Fri, 21 Dec 2012. |
| Source of Facts |
Self Confession and Revelation of Sainthood by the Deceased Spirit as condition of their confirmation as a true Saint. |
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Background |
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Catherine was born to Prince Christian August of Anhalt-Zerbst (b.1690- d.1747) and Princess Johanna Elizabeth von Holstein-Gottorp. Her father father served as a Prussian general under King Frederick William I of Prussia (1713-1740). |
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While the father of Catherine (Sophie) belonged to a ruling Lutheran family, her mother Princess Johanna was considered an ambitious and ruthless woman, who would stop at nothing to secure her daughter the best of marriages. In one example, it is alleged that Empress Elizabeth of Russia expelled Princess Johanna (but not Catherine) from court on account of her gossip, scheming and intrigues. |
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As Catherine's father was Lutheran her early education would be expected by a respected Hugenot tutor. Instead, her mother took the controversial step of securing a Catholic French governess (Mlle. Gardel) including the services of unidentified French Jesuit tutors who educated the young Catherine (Sophia) in the Arts, languages, politics, history and the black arts of keeping power--the kind of education normally reserved for a Catholic male heir to a major throne of Europe. |
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In order to eliminate any barriers to her eligibility for marriage to her second cousin and future czar Peter of Holstein-Gottorp, Catherine (Sophie) renounced her "Lutheran" faith in 1744 and joined the Russian Orthodox Church under the new name Catherine. A year later in 1745, Catherine and Peter of Holstein-Gottorp were married in St Petersburg--setting up court at the Oranienbaum Palace on the Gulf of Finland. |
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The marriage turned out to be a complete disaster, with Peter allegedly sterile and unable to produce an heir -- verified by Catherine herself in her memoirs and supported by a lack of any evidence of illegitimate children. Instead, Catherine gradually created her own court and the two became virtual strangers. |
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Then in 1754--nearly ten years after her marriage-- Catherine gave birth to the first of her two illegitimate sons (Paul I of Russia) through her lover at the time Stanislas Poniatowski --whom she would make King of Poland in 1764. |
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In an act of cruel revenge, Peter acknowledged the child as his own and ordered him raised in the absence of his mother. Contrary to historical inaccuracy, there is no evidence that Catherine ever displayed a murderous hatred towards her son--only towards her estranged and erratic husband. |
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Catherine gave birth to her second illegitimate child named Aleksey --after the father Aleksey Orlov in April 1762 --three months after the death of Empress Elizabeth of Russia in January 1762 --and two months before her husband Peter succeeded to the throne as Peter III of Russia, with Catherine becoming Empress Consort. |
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Immediately, the Royal court was split with Catherine supported by many of the old Russian noble families, while Peter became more involved with King Frederick II of Prussia (1740-1783). |
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Following the death of Empress Elizabeth of Russia in January 1762, Peter succeeded to the throne as Peter III of Russia, with Catherine becoming Empress Consort. |
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In 1754, Catherine gave birth to a son (Paul I of Russia) and |
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Stanislas Poniatowski |
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Aleksey after the father Aleksey Orlov in April 1762 |
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As had become custom for the Catholic ruling dynasties of Prussia and Germany, she was educated by a French Governess Mlle. Gardel and later by . |
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Stanislas Poniatowski |
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Hugenot |
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Carlos Gardel |
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Most Evil Crimes |
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