Early Life

• Born on May 2nd, 1779 in Settin, Prussia

• She started out as a minor German princess, and her birth name was Sophie Friederike Auguste

• Catherine's father was a military general, and her mother mainly raised Catherine's brother until he died at the age of twelve

• After her brother died, her mother used Catherine as means to climb up the social latter

• Was very educated in religious studies as well as languages