Catherine and Elizabeth
1. Questionable Legitimacy
Catherine - Catherine owed her throne to a conspiracy that deposed and assassinated her mentally ill husband Peter III.
Catherine slept with rulers of other countries to form alliances.
Elizabeth - Elizabeth was proclaimed an illegitimate child of Henry VIII by parliament before her father verified her in his last will and testament
Elizabeth locked the deciding votes in a dungeon when she presented her proposal for the Church of England to Parliament.
2. Committed to their reign with an apparent sympathetic tilt toward the common people
Catherine - In 1707, Catherine convened a commission of delegates from all the social classes except serfs to frame a constitution.
Before her accession to the throne, Catherine had planned to emancipate the serfs.
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