A beautiful and intelligent woman, she beguiled and seduced the best minds of Europe, making her court one of the centers of Enlightenment thinking on the Continent. She oversaw a great expansion of the Russian empire, adding tens of thousands of square miles of territory through conquest and shrewd diplomacy. Indeed, Russia is one of the most fascinating civilizations in all of human history.Ĭatherine the Great ruled Russia during the latter half of the 18th century. It has been a superpower and a nearly failed state, a monarchy, communist state and democracy – all within a span of 100 years. It has been invaded and overrun by Goths, Huns, Mongols, French and Germans, yet remained uniquely Russian. It is rich with natural resources, yet its people have historically been grindingly poor. It is a part of Europe and a part of Asia, yet separate from both. 5.1.1 Decree the Establishment of the Smolny InstituteĪs Winston Churchill once said, Russia is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.
