Synopsis

More than a conventional biography, this is a full history of her rule and use of power. It shows how Catherine conceived of her power and how she represented it to her subjects, as well as how she wielded this power. Catherine's life and reign are a prism through which the culture and politics of her age are viewed. To what extent was her rule consensual and how far did it depend on force? As Simon Dixon answers these questions he sheds new light on the Enlightenment, the power of the monarch and the role of the great individual in history.

Booknews

Concentrating on her use of power, this book serves as both a biography of Catherine the Great and a history of her reign. It considers her views about power, how she represented herself to her subjects, and how she used her position. The implications of her views and her reign for the culture and politics of her time, the monarchy, and the Enlightenment are specifically discussed. Dixon teaches modern history at the University of Leeds. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Biography

Simon Disxon is Professor Modern History at the University of Leeds in 1999. He is the author of The Moderisation of Russia, 1876-1825 (1999).