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Many historians agree that despite Catherine's personal weaknesses, she was above all a ruler truly dedicated to her adopted country. She intended to make Russia a prosperous and powerful state and since her early days she had dreamed of establishing a reign of order and justice, of spreading education, creating a court to rival Versailles, and developing a national culture that would be more than an imitation of French models. Her projects obviously were too …

…eveloped. These achievements, together with the glory of military victories and an the establishment of an excellent court were mainly brought about by the intelligent imposition of reforms throughout her reign. There seems no doubt that Catherine was worthy of the title 'great' and that she contributed greatly to the development of the Russian society in the eighteenth century. Bibliography Enlightened Absolutism edited by H.M Scott The Making of Modern Europe by Geoffrey Treasure