Christian Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
A minor German prince whose greatest legacy was fathering the woman who would become Russia's formidable Empress Catherine the Great.
1690–1747 (age 57)·Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst·Birthday: November 29
Biography
Christian Augustus spent his life as a ruler of a small, relatively insignificant principality, Anhalt-Zerbst, navigating the complex politics of 18th-century Germany with a military officer's discipline. His historical footprint, however, was carved not by his own statecraft but by his daughter, Sophie. He arranged her marriage to the heir of the Russian throne, a strategic alliance that would have unimaginable consequences. The princess, who took the name Catherine upon her conversion to Orthodoxy, later seized power in a coup. While Christian Augustus died years before her ascension, his paternal lineage provided the gateway for one of history's most powerful and enduring female rulers, forever linking his name to the Romanov dynasty.
#1 When Christian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1690
Christian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1690Born
1695Started school
1703Became a teenager
1706Could drive
1708Could vote
1711Turned 21
1720Turned 30
1730Turned 40
1740Turned 50
1747Died at 57
Key Achievements
- Served as a field marshal in the army of the Kingdom of Prussia.
- Ruled as the Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst from 1742 until his death in 1747.
- Arranged the marriage of his daughter, Sophie, to the future Russian Emperor Peter III.
- Was the father of Empress Catherine II (Catherine the Great) of Russia.
Did You Know?
He was a devout Lutheran, which initially caused complications for his daughter's marriage into the Orthodox Russian royal family.
His wife, Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp, was far more ambitious for their daughter's future than he was.
He died in 1747, never witnessing his daughter's rise to power as empress in 1762.
“A small state must be governed with the discipline of a military garrison.”
