In part two of our conversation with Robert K. Massie we discuss some of the fascinating events which occurred during the 40+ years in which Catherine the Great ruled Russia.
Catherine was a lover of knowledge and books and she had a long correspondence with the French philosopher Voltaire. He was one of the great minds of the Enlightenment. As Catherine's reign drew near its end she became somewhat more conservative. The French Revolution and the American Revolution took place during her reign and the overthrow of monarchies was something that concerned her and made her less liberal in her views.
Catherine's husband, the former czar, had been dead for ten years when a peasant, an illiterate Cossack led a people's revolt against Catherine which lasted for some time before it was finally suppressed. This peasant
claimed that he was actually her dead husband, the czar. These are just a few of the high points from this segment of our interview with Robert K. Massie.
