In a new story in two parts, Virginie Girod takes you to meet the greatest Russian sovereign. Sophie Frédérique Augusta from Anhalt-Zerbst does not come from Russia.
At barely 15 years old, she discovered the courts of Moscow and Saint Petersburg where her parents hoped to marry her to Peter of Holstein-Gottorp. Peter ascends the throne, but quickly becomes unpopular and uncontrollable. He also mistreats his wife. One evening, in the middle of dinner before the court, the Tsar dared to publicly call Catherine an idiot!