Catherine II of Russia died on 6 November 1796 in Saint Petersburg, aged 67. Empress of Russia from 1762 until her death, Catherine was a German princess named Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst who came to Russia to marry the future Peter III. A few months after he took the throne she overthrew him in a coup with the support of the guards. During her long reign Russia expanded across the Black Sea coast and Crimea, and took part in the partitions of Poland. She corresponded with Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire and Diderot, supported the arts and founded what became the Hermitage Museum, but she also crushed Pugachev's rebellion and strengthened the nobility's power over serfs. She is known as Catherine the Great.
Before and after
- 14 May 1796Edward Jenner performs the first smallpox vaccination
- 25 June 1796Birth of Nicholas I of Russia
- from 18 August 1796 to 1 July 1808Anglo-Spanish War
- from 28 August 1796 to 5 September 1796Newfoundland expedition
- 6 November 1796Death of Catherine II of Russia
- from 1797 to 1798Cavendish experiment
- 1797Discovery of chromium
- 31 January 1797Birth of Franz Schubert
- 22 March 1797Birth of Wilhelm I
More in Wars, politics & history
- 16 December 1773Boston Tea Party
- from 1821 to 1829Greek War of Independence
- from 24 April 1846 to 2 February 1848Mexican-American War
- from 18 August 1866 to 10 May 1871Unification of Germany
- from 24 April 1877 to 3 March 1878Tenth Russo-Turkish War
- 27 August 1896Anglo-Zanzibar War
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.