I only retrieved the part about origins (from the Britannica). I believe that she confined herself to her horse, but who knows? with such a wanton:
Catherine II
b. May 2 [April 21, Old Style], 1729, Stettin, Prussia [now Szczecin, Pol.]
d. Nov. 17 [Nov. 6], 1796, Tsarskoye Selo [now Pushkin], near St. Petersburg, Russia
Russian in full YEKATERINA ALEKSEYEVNA, byname CATHERINE THE GREAT, Russian YEKATERINA VELIKAYA, original name SOPHIE FRIEDERIKE AUGUSTE, PRINZESSIN (PRINCESS) VON ANHALT-ZERBST, German-born empress of Russia (1762-96), who led her country into full participation in the political and cultural life of Europe, carrying on the work begun by Peter the Great. With her ministers she reorganized the administration and law of the Russian Empire and extended Russian territory, adding the Crimea and much of Poland. |
