She made Russia into a country active in the political, economic, and social styles of the rest of Europe, and led it to become a known power in the continent. ... Voltaire summed Catherine up in two words calling her a "benevolent despot," meaning an absolutist monarch molded by the philosophies of the Enlightenment. ... Catherine's visions for Alexander led him to show his power as a reformist and in foreign policy, hoping to better the nation. ... Alexander's Deputy Minister of Justice and State Secretary, Mikhail Speransky assumed a supreme role in the political affai...

• Word Count: 2847
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate