Catherine MichvechWorld CulturePeriod March 16, 2014Catherine the GreatCatherine the Great was the eldest daughter of a poor Prussian prince. Surprisingly, Catherine's name wasn't actually Catherine. She was born in 1729 into her family as Sophie von Anhalt-Zerbst. Sophie had a younger brother, Wilhem Christain, with whom her mother spent all her time and took little interest in Sophie. When her younger brother died at the age of twelve, Sophie thought the only way to escape her overbearing mother was to get married. In 1744, at just fifteen years old, Sophie was invited to Russia by Tsarina Elisabeth, daughter of Peter the Great. Tsarina Elizabeth chose her nephew Peter as his heir and Peter was looking for a future wife. Sophie had an instant impact on Tsarina Elizabeth's life. Sophie and Pierre were married on August 21, 1745 when Sophie was sixteen. Sophie was a new convert to Orthodox Christianity and now goes by the name Ekaterina, or Catherine. Throughout Catherine's young life, she received her education by being taught by tutors. Catherine...