凯萨琳二世(1729～1796年)
Catherine II
俄罗斯语作Yekaterina Alekseyevna，原名Sophie Friederike Auguste, Prinzessin (Princess) von Anhalt-Zerbst。
别名凯萨琳大帝（Catherine the Great）。
俄国女皇（1762～1796年在位）。她是德意志亲王的女儿，十四岁被选作未来成为彼得三世的妻子。这门婚事是一桩完全失败的婚姻，因为她患有精神病的丈夫根本无能力治理国家，具有野心的凯萨琳打算将来除掉彼得，自己统治俄国。1762年彼得登上帝位後，她与情夫奥尔洛夫合谋逼迫彼得让位给她（不久彼得即被谋杀），宣布自己是女沙皇。在位三十四年期间，她让俄国全力参与欧洲政治和文化活动。她与群臣重组俄国的行政和法律，并扩张俄国领土，取得克里米亚和大部分的波兰土地。即位之前曾认为农奴制度不人道，曾想要解放黑奴，但即位後，却加强执行农奴制。她精力充沛，兴趣广泛，拥有多位情夫，其中包括波坦金。
English version：
1729～1796年
Catherine II
orig.Sophie Friederike Auguste, Prinzessin (Princess) von Anhalt-Zerbst,known asCatherine the GreatGerman-born empress of Russia (1762-96). The daughter of an obscure German prince, she was chosen at 14 to be the wife of the future Peter III. The marriage was a complete failure. Because her neurotic husband was incapable of ruling, the ambitious Catherine saw the possibility of eliminating him and governing Russia herself. After Peter became emperor in 1762, she conspired with her lover, Grigory G., Count Orlov, to force Peter to abdicate (he was murdered soon after) and have herself proclaimed empress. In her 34-year reign, she led Russia into full participation in European political and cultural life. With her ministers she reorganized the administration and law of the Russian empire and extended Russian territory, adding the Crimea and much of Poland. Though she had once intended to emancipate the serfs, she instead strengthened the system she had once condemned as inhuman. She had great energy and wide interests, and her personal life was notable for her many lovers, including Grigory Potemkin.
