Catherine the Great Letter Signed
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What makes the working of this letter so interesting is the history between Catherine and Frederick. Several years earlier, Catherine and Frederick were at odds over the question of Poland. A decade earlier, circa 1752, Frederick, who hated Poles, began to lay the groundwork for a seizure of Poland. Catherine was determined to oppose him. Despite their differences (and the personal unfriendliness between them), the two signed a defensive alliance in 1764 in which Russia gave Prussian control of Silesia in return for support should Russia face war with the Ottomans or Austria. The year after this letter, Catherine went to war with the Ottomans (Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774) with the financial support, to the tune of 300,000 rubles, of Frederick and Prussia.
Catherine II of Russia (1729 - 1796) is often referred to as the epitome of the "enlightened despot". She reigned as empress of Russia from June 28, 1762, until her death. Catherine married the Grand Duke Peter of Russia in 1745, but the marriage proved unsuccessful - due in part to the grand duke's impotence and mental immaturity. In July 1762, the Leib Guard revolted, deposed Peter, who was now emperor, and proclaimed Catherine the ruler of Russia.
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