and died november th not because her ability to manage to over throw her husband peter the third but because of her accomplishments expanding russian borders her desire to spread enlightenment through her homeland and her love of the arts like any great leader catherine realized in order to become a major player in the european trade industry she must spread her empire far beyond its limits although she knew the implications if she were to fail she advanced on she defeated the ottoman empire which was said to be the turks greatest loss she expanded her country more than miles giving her empire more ties to european art and culture catherine often referred to herself as the despot of enlightenment this was due to her on going pursue of knowledge for herself and for her country she did this by writing a series of educational manuals for the russian youth although this was an important accomplishment in itself her greatest educational contribution to russia was the smolny institute for young noble women which became the most profound school of its time catherine was a patron of the arts and obtained an enormous collection which is known as the hermitage collection occupied the entire winter palace residence of the russian tsars her influence became so wide spread that many various french writers wrote about her including voltaire calling her the star of the north and the semiramis russia