The Russian Empress Catherine the Great, who originated from Germany, came to power in 1762 through a coup against her husband, Tsar Peter III. The ruler, who was aligned with the Enlightenment, profoundly transformed Russia with comprehensive administrative reforms and expanded the territory to the south and west. Her memoirs, which she wrote herself, end in 1759, before her ascension to the throne, but they provide a unique insight into the tsarist system of governance of the era. To further elucidate the development of this extraordinary woman, the memoirs translated by Alexander Herzen include additional texts from other courtiers in her circle.