Catherine the Great

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Catherine the Great. In Moscow’s Tretyakov Gallery hangs perhaps the most well-known picture of Russia’s most well-known ruler. Dimitri Levitsky’s 1780 ‘Portrait of Catherine the Great in the Justice Temple’ depicts Catherine in the temple burning poppies at an altar, symbolising her sacrifice of self-interest for Russia. Law books and the scales of justice are at her feet, highlighting her respectful promotion of the rule of law. But menacingly, in the background an eagle crouches, suggesting the means to use brutal power where necessary. For an obscure, small-town German princess Catharine’s ambition was large - the transformation of semi-barbaric Russia into a model of the ideals of the French 18th century Enlightenment. How far was Catherine able to lead her country into full participation in the political and cultural life of Europe? Was she able to liberate the serfs? And should she be remembered as Russia’s most civilised ruler or a megalomaniacal despot?

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Guests

• Janet Hartley 3 episodes
  Professor of International History at the London School of Economics
• Simon Dixon 6 episodes
  Professor of Modern History at the University of Leeds
• Tony Lentin No other episodes
  Professor of History at the Open University

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Programme ID: p003hycx

Episode page: bbc.co.uk/programmes/p003hycx

Auto-category: 947.06 (Russia - Catherine II, 1762-1796)