Imperial Russia
Outline #6
Professor Knight

The Era of Catherine the Great

I. Catherine’s Rise of the Throne
	Born 1729, Princess Sophia of Anhalt-Zerbst
	1744—Marries Grand Duke Peter, Heir to Russian Throne.
	1754—Gives birth to son Paul
		Who was the father?
	Death of Empress Elizabeth—Dec. 1761
	Emperor Peter III (1762)
		Emancipation of the Nobility
		Confiscation of Church Lands
	June 1762—Palace Coup in favor of Catherine
		Grigory Orlov

II.  Catherine as Ruler
	Influence of the Enlightenment
		Favorate authors:  Montesquieu, William Blackstone
	The Grand Commission of 1767
	Estates (Russian—Soslovie)
		Nobility, Merchantry, Clergy, Townspeople, Peasantry
		“Raznochintsy”—People who don’t fit in.
	Catherine’s Instruction (Nakaz) to the Commission.
	Statute on Local Administration (1775)
		Pugachev Rebellion (1772)
	Charter to the Nobility (1785)
	Charter to the Towns (1785)

III.  “Golden Age” of the Nobility
	Why did Nobles continue to serve?
	The Question of Serfdom
		Lack of legal framework governing relations with Serfs
	Serf Orchestras, Serf Theatres
	“Theatricality of Russian Noble Culture”
	Serf Harems, Sale of Families
	Alexander Radishchev, Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow (1791)
	Catherine’s relationship to the enlightenment.
		Enlightened Monarch or Poseur?