Catherine II ruled over the Russian Empire for more than 34 years. Born as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst in Stettin, she ascended to the throne of Russia in 1762 alongside Peter III. She deposed him less than six months later to rule Russia without any dynastic claim and excluding her son. Her time as empress is interpreted, like that of Peter I, as a period of state reform and foreign policy expansion, both of which signified imperial greatness and Russia's rise to a world power. Legitimacy through enlightened and good governance, as well as through the expansion of the empire, were the guiding principles of her self-understanding. Based on this, the book will provide a political biography of the empress while also serving as an introduction to the history of Russia during Catherine's time.