She was known as Frederike or Fredericka. Catherine died in 1796 from a stroke which caused her to fall into a coma, from which she never recovered. She was 67 years old. Catherine the Great was Tsarina of Russia, one of the most powerful women in European history. Catherine the Great died the following day in the Royal residence in St Petersburg, Russia. Before she was able to alter her original arrangement, however, she died of a stroke on November 6, 1796. Early life Catherine was born in 1519 to a powerful Italian prince from the Medici family. Contrary to popular belief, Catherine the Great did not die on the toilet. As she grew older, Catherine became greatly troubled because her heir, Paul, was becoming mentally unstable and she doubted his ability to rule. Alexander succeeded him and ruled until his death in 1825. Known more for her affairs of the heart than for affairs of state, she did, however, greatly expand Russia's empire. Catherine's major influences on her adopted country were in expanding Russia's borders and continuing the process of Westernisation begun by Peter the Great. Born Sophie Friederike Auguste from Anhalt-Zerbst, she was indeed a princess, but one that came from an obscure and impoverished German duchy. Catherine the Great died the following day in the Royal residence in St Petersburg, Russia. HBO's new Catherine the Great show gets close to the truth about a question that has baffled scholars for hundreds of years: Did Catherine the Great kill her husband Peter III? Her father was Prussian Prince Christian August von Anhalt-Zerbst and her mother was Princess Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp. Catherine the Great >The Russian empress Catherine II [1] (1729-1796), known as Catherine the >Great, reigned from 1762 to 1796. Catherine the Great was Russia's longest-ruling female leader. Catherine seized power from her husband, Peter III, in a coup d’etat and, seeing herself as an enlightened despot, reigned over what is regarded by many as a golden era of Russian enlightenment and expansion. Catherine the Great (Catherine II) of Russia reigned from July 9, 1762 to November 17, 1796 when she died at age 67. Was Catherine the Great Killed by a Horse? On the morning of 16 November 1796, Catherine was discovered collapsed on the floor of her dressing room. She was 67 years old. Catherine the Great was thirty-three years old when she seized power and became Empress. Apocryphal historical legend holds that Russian empress Catherine the Great died attempting to engage in sexual intercourse with a horse. He died … However, another account claims that there is no truth in this story. She had suffered a stroke and, despite efforts to revive her, fell into a coma. She died before she could make it official, and Paul succeeded Catherine to the throne. She died the following day. Catherine had a stormy relationship with her eldest son Paul. Known more for her affairs of the heart than for affairs of state, she did, however, greatly expand Russia's empire. She proceeded to rule Russia during a time of expanding... See full answer below. Catherine the Great was Empress of Russia between 9 July 1762 and November 17, 1796. She did, however, suffer a stroke in the toilet (meaning bathroom) and died the next day, on November 6 (November 17, New Style), 1796. Born Sophie Friederike Auguste from Anhalt-Zerbst, she was indeed a princess, but one that came from an obscure and impoverished German duchy. She had great influence over her sons and is thought by some to have authorized the famous Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day in 1572.