The story of Catherine the Great is an extraordinary one. Born Sophia Augusta zu Anhalt-Zerbst, a German princess in a family of modest means, she became one of the greatest rulers of the vast Russian Empire in the eighteenth century. But this was no romantic story of a fairytale princess. Though attractive and much-courted, Catherine was above all courageous, shrewd and intelligent, qualities she needed to overcome the many heartaches and obstacles in her early life-including a disastrous marriage to the rightful heir to the Russian throne, Peter III. Soon after Peter became ruler Catherine seized power and he was murdered. For more than thirty years this 'foreign' princess then ruled the growing empire with a vigor and fervor equal to that of any Russian.