Catherine II was also known as Catherine the great was one of the first leaders to really push the enlightenment movement. She used an absolute monarchy to get power, and to reform her country into an enlightened country. .
Catherine II was born Sophia Augusta Frederika of Anhalt-zerbston April 21, 1729 in Stettin. At the age of 14 Catherine was requited to marry Peter III the prince of Russia. Before she was to be the Czarina she had a good 15years to prepare. While Peter III was having fun in his palace, Catherine was getting in good with the Russian public. She officially converted religions to Russian Orthodox, and learned to speak Russian. When Peter ad Catherine took the thrown, Peter had all of the say. He wasted to change Russia into Europe. He changed a lot of laws, Religion, and many other things. The Russian people were very offende4d by this, and didn't like Peter as their Czar. After a couple of years in Peter's ruling everybody was sick of him and wanted him out of power. Finally one day the castle guards asked Catherine if she would help him overthrow peters and take the thrown. Catherine being very smart said that she would, so they plotted and overthrew Peter III.
Once Catherine II took the thrown she immediately started to change Russia back to the way it was before Peter III took over, but she added and enlightenment twist to everything. Catherine was a huge patron to the arts. She also built schools for women, and had many hospitals built. She wanted Russia to advance in the medical field, and agriculture technology. She even gave partial freedom of speech. There was a downside to all of her accomplishments though the only way to keep the Nobles support was to not tax them, otherwise she would have lost their support and they may have had her overthrown. The only ways she could afford not to tax the nobles was to tax the surfs. Surf dome was at an all time high due to this.