While Louis XIV was strengthening French influence throughout the world during the 17th Century, the Romanov's of Russia were doing little to elevate Russia to a position of power. In fact, they struggled with domestic issues and kept apart from the turmoil that was embroiling much of western Europe during the 1600s.

However, the Russian star began to rise with the emergence of Peter the I, a remarkable man and leader who would come to be known as Peter the Great. His seemingly insatiable curiosity about the world led Peter to travel extensively and often incognito, bringing back to Russia more knowledge and zest for shipbuilding, industry, modern agriculture and commerce. His reforms were to have a lasting impact upon the country, including an appetite for Western ways. Peter also fortified the Russian military and employed it several times to expand Russia, especially seeking new seaports on the Baltic and Caspian for new trading opportunities.

For more than four decades - from 1682 to 1725 - Peter ruled Russia in a fashion that made him perhaps the most significant Russian leader of all time.

The 40 years following Peter's death in 1725 was a period of relative tranquility for Russia, unlike their western European neighbors who were enduring great hardships. Peter's successors were rather undistinguished - until the arrival of Catherine the Great. 

Perhaps there was no one more responsible for German-Russian amalgamation than a little German girl born April 21, 1729 on Domstrasse in the northeast German city of Stettin on the Oder River, not far from where it empties into the Baltic Sea.

Sophia Augusta Frederica was one of four children born into the rather obscure royal family of Anhalt-Zerbst. Although her early years are not well documented. Sophia was destined to become one of the most powerful rulers of all time -- Catherine the Great. Why do we acknowledge her nearly four centuries later? She had a profound impact upon the destiny of Russia, and she also influenced the migration of Germans from their homeland to Russia.

When she was just 15 years old, Sophia was summoned to Russia by Empress Elizabeth of Russia, who wanted to find a wife for her 16-year-old nephew, the Grand Duke Peter.

Heir to the Russian throne, Peter was a troubled and sickly young man, not at all like his grandfather, Peter the Great, perhaps the greatest ruler of the Romanov dynasty that dominated Russia for more than three centuries. The arduous trip to Russia in the winter of 1744 was life altering for Sophia. She apparently impressed the Empress and was quickly welcomed into the Russian Orthodox Church and rechristened Catherine. She became a member of the palace entourage and married Peter in 1754. Just seven years later Elizabeth died, allowing Peter to ascend to the throne as Czar Peter III.

While Peter was fascinated by and admired Germans, it was perhaps ironic that Catherine, who was German, wisely embraced her newly adopted Russian culture. A shrewd political move, her adoption of Russian ways made Catherine popular among the masses. Within two years, dissident army officials arrested Peter, and Catherine was declared empress in 1762.

Although she was strong willed and apparently rigid in her views regarding social justice, Catherine was keenly aware of the world around her and implemented a number of progressive policies. Her interest in writing led to the flourishing of many aspects of cultural life.

She was a champion of the theatre, book publishing, and architecture, along with other pursuits. Catherine sought to populate areas of her empire that were routinely ravaged by wild Tatar bands. Born within the German culture, she also had an appreciation for skills possessed by German farmers and tradesmen, so in June 1763, she issued a sweeping manifesto that would lure German citizens to Russia.