ABSTRACT
Catherine's memoirs, which break off abruptly towards the end of 1759, represent the most seductive guide to her mind, and they, have led scholars to trace the roots of her ambition to power struggles at Elizabeth's court. For Catherine came to power in St Petersburg as the result of a coup in which her reigning husband was overthrown. The modest extent to which she was ultimately prepared to admit to her ambition flagrantly contradicts some of her earlier pronouncements. Catherine maintained a lasting sense of triumph in the success of her coup, taking its anniversaries as the occasion for public celebration. Pugachev's manifestos, stressing the 'illegality' of Catherine's accession, attracted a growing band of Cossacks, Old Believers, and non-Russians. Once Pugachev had been overcome, Catherine never again faced a comparable threat. Yet the coup of 1762 cast a long shadow over her reign.
