Catherine the Great
Catherine II, an iconic ruler, governed Russia for 24 years, overthrowing her husband, Peter III, whom she knew she despised from the moment they met when she was just ten years old. Fortunately, her reign proved immensely beneficial for Russia.
Primarily self-taught and enamored with Enlightenment philosophy, Catherine evolved into a formidable intellectual. Her most striking feature was her commanding gaze, through which her majesty and magnificence radiated.
