Review 'a concise and closely argued study of a crucial period in the making of Russia'BBC History 'a splendid book, thoughtful, graceful, and insightful' Russian Review 'a stimulating and lively study...contributes not only to our understanding of Catherine's Russia but puts the Russian experience firmly within the broader context of ancient regime' History Product Description "I praise loudly, I blame softly" - Catherine the Great * Catherine the Great has become a legendary figure in Russian history and this work examines Catherine and the Russia of her time. * Written in an engaging and easy to read style. * Includes extensive quotations from primary sources. Catherine the Great (Catherine II of Russia) has become a legendary figure in Russian history. In this new work, Simon Dixon goes beyond the narrative to explore how she exercised her power. He analyzes the inter-relationships of consensus and control and the interaction of monarchy, nobility and bureaucracy in eighteenth century Russia, and illuminates the nature of authority in Europe of "Enlightened Absolutism" . Neither a comprehensive 'life and times', nor a conventional biography, this is an engaging and accessible exploration of rulership and monarchial authority in eighteenth century Russia. Its purpose is to see how Catherine II of Russia conceived of her power and how it was represented to her subjects. Simon Dixon asks essential questions about Catherine's life and reign, and offers new and stimulating arguments about the Enlightenment, the power of the monarch in early modern Europe, and the much-debated role of the "great individual" in history. Indexed.