Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great
Catherine II of Russia, also known as Catherine the Great, was the most renowned and the longest-ruling female leader of Russia, reigning from 1762 until her death in 1796 at the age of 67. Born in Stettin, Pomerania, Prussia as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg, she came to power following a coup d'état when her husband, Peter III, was assassinated. Russia was revitalized under her reign, growing larger and stronger than ever and becoming recognized as one of the great powers...
NationalityRussian
ProfessionRoyalty
Date of Birth2 May 1729
CitySzczecin, Poland
CountryRussian Federation
Catherine the Great quotes about
bad news travels faster than good.
I like to praise and reward in a loud voice and to scold in a whisper.
All punishments by which the human body might be maimed are barbarbarism.
What right can give anyone authority to inflict torture upon a citizen when it is still unknown whether he is innocent or guilty?
to tempt and be tempted are closely allied; and in spite of all the finest moral maxims buried in the mind, when emotion interferes, when feeling makes its appearance, one is already much further involved that one realizes, and I have still not learnt how to prevent its appearance.
The use of torture is contrary to sound judgment and common sense. Humanity itself cries out against it, and demands it to be utterly abolished.
Your wits make others witty.
I do not love strife, because I have always found that in the end each remains of the same opinion.
If Russians knew how to read, they would write me off.
If I may venture to be frank I would say about myself that I was every inch a gentleman ...
[On Peter III:] He did not have a bad heart; but a weak man usually has not.
Assuredly men of merit are never lacking at any time, for those are the men who manage affairs, and it is affairs that produce the men. I have never searched, and I have always found under my hand the men who have served me, and for the most part I have been well served.
I will live to make myself not feared.
Any man who doesn't partake in cigar smoking is nothing more than a weak-willed, meandering oaf, and I would never put my lips to those of any creature, man or beast, whose lips were not fresh awash in the currents of cigar smoke.'