Books like Russia in the age of Catherine the Great by Isabel de Madariaga

A narrative biography of Catherine II, the German-born Empress who reshaped Russia through Enlightenment ideals, political acumen, and personal ambition.

The reign of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra, the final chapter of the Romanov dynasty, and the influence of Rasputin, told through rich narrative and rare photographs.

Carolly Erickson offers a detailed portrait of Empress Alexandra, tracing her troubled childhood, fraught marriage to Nicholas II, psychological struggles, and reliance on Rasputin amid the turbulent final years of the Romanovs.

Catherine II’s monumental art collection forged the Hermitage, reflecting her vision to modernize and westernize Russia.

A study of the marriage of the last Russian tsar and tsarina offers psychological insights into their relationship and covers the Empress's ill health, their relationship with confidante Ania Vyrubova, and their reliance on the infamous Rasputin.

Examines all aspects of Catherine the Great's life and career, focusing on her role as mother, lover, and ruler during her reign as Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. The first authoritative, popular biography of one of the most colorful characters in modern history, Catherin the Great provides a vivid portrait of Catherin as a mother, a lover, and, above all, an extremely savvy ruler. Concentrating on her long reign (1762-96), John T. Alexander examines all aspects of Catherine's life and career: the brilliant political strategies by which she earned the acceptance of a nationalistic elite; her expansive foreign policy; the domestic reforms she used to revamp the Russian military, political structure, and economy; and, of course, her infamous love life. The result of twenty years' research by one of America's leading narrative historians of modern Russia, this truly impressive work offers a much-needed, balanced reappraisal of one of history's most scandal-ridden figures.

Catherine the Great, born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, rose to power in 1762, transforming eighteenth‑century Russia into a vast empire and leaving a rich memoir that reveals her reign and personal life.

The biography of Princess Sophia of Anhalt-Zerbst, who became Empress Catherine II of Russia, revealing her rise amid intrigue, her expansive reign, and the myths that have shaped her legacy.

A scholarly biography of Catherine the Great, empress of Russia from 1729 to 1796.

From the untimely demise of the 52-year-old Peter the Great in 1725 to nearly the end of that century, the fate of the Russian empire would rest largely in the hands of five tsarinas. In this vivid, quick-paced account, Anisimov goes beyond simply laying out the facts of each empress's reign, to draw realistic psychological portraits and to consider the larger fate of women in politics. Together, these five portraits represent a history of 18th-century court life and international affairs.