In 1762, Catherine the Great became czarina, more formally empress regnant, of Russia. She seized power after overthrowing her husband, Emperor Peter III, in a palace coup.
Catherine was born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, a German princess who married the future Peter III in 1745. She converted to Russian Orthodoxy, adopted the name Catherine, learned Russian, and built alliances among nobles and military officers. Peter became emperor in January 1762 after the death of his aunt, Empress Elizabeth.
Peter's sudden policy changes and admiration for Prussia made him unpopular with important Russian groups. In June 1762, the imperial guards and Catherine's supporters backed a coup. Peter abdicated, and Catherine was proclaimed ruler. He was later killed while in custody, although the exact circumstances remain disputed.
Catherine ruled Russia until her death in 1796. Her reign brought territorial expansion, administrative reforms, patronage of the arts, and closer engagement with Enlightenment ideas. She is often confused with Catherine I, who ruled Russia several decades earlier after Peter the Great's death.