Sofia of Anhalf-Zerbst was born on May 2, 1729 in the German city of Stettin (Stettin, today Poland). She was born to a minor German prince, in a society that legally separated and isolated the female population. Although society was against her, her father recognized her great ability to learn and remember concepts and ideas. After proving his ideas and abilities, he received formal education. In 1744, at the age of 14, she married Grand Duke Peter of Holstein, heir to the Russian throne. Although Sophie was German, she strove to be Russian like her mother-in-law. Sophie not only studied the Russian language, but also took the name Catherine II to honor her mother, who was also named Catherine. Therefore, to complete her transition from Germany to Russia, she also converted to the Russian Orthodox Church so that she could marry into the imperial line. Catherine II, or Catherine the Great, reigned as Empress of Russia from June 28, 1762 until her death. on November 17, 1796 and perhaps one of the most prominent leaders of the Russian Empire. She became one of the greatest and most influential political leaders of the 18th century, continuing the process of Westernization that “Peter the Great” brought to Russia. As empress, she played an important role in improving the lives of Russian serfs, limited the practice of torture, improved education, strengthened Russian culture, strengthened the government, made Russia one of the most dominant European countries, and conquered the Mongols and the Caucasus then expands Russian territory. Thanks to her successes she was able to lay the foundations of "Westernization" for the 19th and 20th centuries, helping to shape and change...... half of the paper ...... of the world" Online Biography 28 May 2010Index of Facts "Catherine II of Russia"May 28, 2010"Historical Myths: The Death of Catherine the Great" Information on May 29, 2010Ursula Grosser Dixon "The Reign of Catherine II" Tripod May 30, 2010Michael Streich "The Pugachev Uprising in Russia southern The last great" The peasant revolt threatened Catherine the Great” Suite 101 30 May 2010“Catherine the Great Empress of Russia” Petersburg-Russia 31 May 2010