Catherine the Great was the Empress of Russia for 34 years, 4 months and 8 days. I read the above referenced book (photo), written by Carolly Erickson many years ago. You may wonder why it is that I have chosen an Empress to include in my survivor stories category. This is because victims/survivors come in all shapes, sizes, and financial statuses. When I read this book, I could relate to her in so many ways. We had been married to a batterer, had a child (several for her) taken away from us and had to claw our way to the top. While Catherine may have been much more privileged than I could ever imagine, it was her story that gave me reason to feel inspired.

Many women have become rich, celebrities, and/or gained elevated power status that we can relate to when you look at their journey to get from where they began to where they ended in life. Maybe this will happen to you as well, though this should not be your raison d’être (reason for living or being). Once you leave the narcissist, you begin to step into the person you have always wanted to be. You begin to grow into your sense of self. You begin to identify with the person you once dreamed of becoming.

Catherine (born as Princess Sophie of Anhalt Zerbst) was sent to Russia from Germany at the age of 15 to be married to Peter, who became Peter III of Russia. She detested him immediately, but as this was an arranged marriage, she really did not have much of a choice. Privilege is not free. She was under the tutelage of Empress Elizabeth, who had already put an infant into the dungeon so that she could reign. The Empress was the Aunt of Peter and she was a very strict woman who imposed rules on society so that she could be seen as the greatest of all. Similar to the stepmother in Snow White – no one could look better than she.

Once Catherine and Peter wed, he was very abusive to her (mentally, physically, and sexually), but she focused on her own well-being and surviving this terrible monster of a husband. At the same time, she pushed very hard to get allies in the court. She was learning how to have power and who she could trust and who should be feared. Unfortunately, each time she gave birth to another heir, Empress Elizabeth took the child from her bedside to raise as her own. She was never married and had no children. All of this was emotionally devastating for Catherine and caused her to fight even more to become a stronger woman.

After the Empress died, Peter was now the third and was, as to be expected, ruining the country. As Catherine had so many allies in court, by this time, they approached her one morning and made her aware that there would be a coup d’etat, and she would become the new Empress. Essentially, her husband was killed, and she took over running the country.

Reading her story, you will learn more about the journey she took. You will get a step-by-step guide, essentially, of her survival tactics. If you think about the choices she made and how this could be applied to your own life – on your level, you will begin to realize that you can rise above your own circumstances to become a “Queen” yourself. Someone who is to be admired for her strength, confidence, resilience and integrity to self.