On July 17, 1762, the Senate announced the Manifesto signed by Empress Catherine II on her ascension to the throne as the sole ruler of Russia. It wasn’t long after that, on October 3 of the same year, that she was officially crowned as the autocratic ruler of Russia.  

Catherine II, often referred to as ‘Catherine the Great,’ earned this title due to her long and prosperous reign. She was the tsarina of Russia from 1762 to 1796, a period marked by significant cultural, political, and territorial expansion.

Peter III’s Reign 

After Elizabeth’s death in December 1761, Peter III ascended the throne. Empress Elizabeth arranged the marriage for his nephew, the Duke von Holstein-Gottorp, who became Peter III. He married Catherine in 1745 at the age of 17 while Catherine (a minor German princess then) was 16.

Peter III’s reign as emperor of Russia was short-lived, lasting only six months. His decision to align Russia with Prussia was met with disapproval from military officers, who considered it treasonous. His domestic reforms, such as the abolishment of monastery land ownership and the exemption of the nobility from state and army service, further alienated him from the Russian aristocracy.

Peter’s foreign and domestic policies displeased members of the military, the Orthodox church, and the Russian aristocracy. The ill-fated tsar was believed not to have the national interests of Russia. His threat to detain Catherine in a convent so that he could marry his mistress was particularly resented by the people. Catherine, on the other hand, was popular among the people.

Catherine II Takes Command

One day, when Peter left the capital on vacation, Catherine rallied 14,00The people resented hisarmy regiments of St. Petersburg against her husband, asserting that the tsaian interests. When Peter returned, Catherine forced him to sign an abdication document, leaving her to ascend to the throne. 

Eight days after Catherine’s successful coup, Peter III was found dead at Ropsha, where he had been exiled by Alexei Orlov, the younger brother of Catherine’s lover. The circumstances of his death remain a subject of historical debate, with some suggesting that he was murdered, while others argue that he died of natural causes.