In the reading Enlightened Absolutists: Enlightened or Absolute, I have read about what the French ambassador of Russia thinks about Catherine, the Great of Russia. She seems to combine every kind of ambition in her personality. What may add to her luster will have attraction for her. The French ambassador says “She will endeavor to reform the administration justice and to invigorate the laws; but her policies will be based on Machiavellianism; and I should not be surprised if in this field she rivals the king of Prussia” (spielvogel 536). Catherine will adopt the prejudices of her entourage regarding the superiority and probity of her actions but also by a display of her strength. He says she is very haughty, she is stubborn with pursuing her undertakings and will rarely retrace a false step. The ambassador says “Cunning and falsity appear to be vices in her character; woe to him who puts too …show more content…
Well I believe she has her traits of being so. The French ambassador did not say all negative things about her. She had ambition and everything that adds luster to her will have some attraction to her. Catherine is also power hungry, which means she wants to be superior. She wants all the power to herself. She is very arrogant. She is stubborn as she will not retrace her steps if she knows she was wrong doing. She does not care as if she did something wrong and someone has to pay for it as long as she has the power. Catherine wants everyone punished who does not obey their landlords. To be punished in front of the public. Then she wants who complains and who does the wrong to be wrote up and and punished and deported to Nerchinsk to penal servitude for life and shall be counted as part of the quota of recruits which their landlords must furnish to the army. So, no. I do not think she is an Enlightened Monarch. She is arrogant, selfish, disdain and much more. She had many wrongs and cared about no one as long as she had all the