account of Catherine's life which disentangles myth from the verifiable reality and focusses on her 34 year reign. De Madariaga places the changes and reforms of Catherine's reign in the context of the prevailing trends and political climate of Europe, and examines Russia's military activity to demonstrate Catherine's part in building Russia into a formidable European power. The book also points to the problems Catherine faced, the resources upon which she could draw, and the intellectual climate in which she operated.

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