Born a little German princess without a drop of Russian blood in her veins she came to embody Russia and as the country moved from war to war and conquest to conquest it was catherine who became great. Those who served h...Born a little German princess without a drop of Russian blood in her veins she came to embody Russia and as the country moved from war to war and conquest to conquest it was catherine who became great. Those who served her throne, or her bed, were well rewarded while the serfs were condemned to ever-worsening conditions.