Catherine the Great Seizes Power in Russia
In the mid-18th century, Russia was embroiled in the Seven Years' War under Empress Elizabeth, whose death in January 1762 brought her nephew Peter III to the throne. Peter, with strong pro-Prussian sympathies and disdain for Russian traditions, quickly alienated the military, court, and public through erratic policies and plans to withdraw from the war. His wife, Catherine, long marginalized in the marriage, had cultivated alliances among the guards regiments in St. Petersburg, particularly through her lover Grigory Orlov. On the night of July 8-9, 1762, news of an impending arrest prompted immediate action. Catherine rallied the troops, marched on the capital, and was proclaimed empress in Kazan Cathedral while Peter was forced to abdicate. He was assassinated days later by her supporters.
Why it matters: The coup installed Catherine II, whose 34-year reign transformed Russia into a major European power through territorial expansion, administrative reforms, and cultural patronage aligned with Enlightenment ideas. It ended a brief, unstable interlude and set the stage for Russia's participation in continental politics for decades.