Catherine The Great: First She Read, Then She Ruled Biographer Robert Massie explains how Catherine II read books to escape the misery of her unhappy marriage. When she became empress in 1762, she ...

When Catherine gave birth to her first son Paul, in 1754, it was rumored that Saltykov was the real father; the same was later rumored about her other three children. 4 She converted to Orthodoxy ...

Elle Fanning Says Playing Pregnant Queen Catherine in 'The Great' Piqued Her Interest in Having Kids. Elle Fanning, 25, is opening up about the possibility of kids in her future. By.

In Catherine’s case, when she was born in 1729, she was named Sophie Friederike Auguste, daughter of a noble German family, although one that was fairly minor and obscure. Nevertheless, Sophie caught ...

The Empress of Art: Catherine the Great and the Transformation of Russia, Free, 1–2 p.m. April 3, National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave NW. 202-783-5000. nmwa.org. Comments ...

How Catherine really became 'The Great' Once the upstart foreigner stole Russia’s throne, there was no stopping her enlightened reforms, her empire's expansion, and her pursuit of love and legacy.