| DATE | BRIEF DESCRIPTION |
| 1729 | Born in Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland), on May 2, the daughter of Christian von Anhalt-Zerbst, a minor German prince. |
| 1745 | Marries Grand Duke Peter of Holstein, heir presumptive to the Russian throne. |
| 1754 | Gives birth to a son, Paul. |
| 1762 | Peter succeeds to the throne as Peter III. He is deposed and Catherine is crowned empress as Catherine II. |
| 1763 | Diderot received at court and is a beneficiary of her patronage. |
| 1767 | Her commission on land reform is a failure. |
| 1768-1795 | Wars of the Polish Partitions. |
| 1773-1775 | Revolt by Cossacks crushed and heralds reactionary internal policy. |
| 1796 | Dies on November 17, in St Petersburg. |
