150 years ago today, on July 9, 1762, Catherine the Great began her thirty-four year reign over Russia. Following the assassination of her husband, Peter III, Catherine assumed the throne and presided over what became known as both the Golden Age of the Russian Empire and the age of the Russian Enlightenment.
Catherine was born in Stettin, Prussia (now Poland) on May 2, 1729. Her name at birth was Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg. When she married Peter III, she converted to the Russian Orthodox faith and changed her name to Ekaterina, the Russian equivalent of Catherine. She gave birth to four children and all were most likely illegitimate, although Peter III claimed the firstborn son, Paul, as his heir. Most likely, Paul was actually the son of one of Catherine's lovers, Sergei Saltykov. Catherine never remarried, but instead maintained a string of lovers up until her death at the age of sixty-seven.
Special Collections at Ellis Library possesses a charter signed by Catherine the Great's hand that promotes Aleksandr Mukhanov, a young Russian nobleman, from regimental baggage-train driver to Lieutenant-Captain (Secund-Rotmistr) in the Horse-Mounted Guards. The charter was produced in 1790 and is extremely ornate. If you would like to stop by and see the charter in person, we would be happy to bring it out for you during our normal operating hours.
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London begin later this month on July 27th. For nineteen days, athletes from 205 countries will compete in 300 events for gold, silver, and bronze medals. Over one billion people watch the Summer Olympics, when it is held every four years. This month, the colonnade of Ellis Library is showcasing both the history of the Olympic Games and this year’s host city, London. As you are walking through the library, why don’t you stop by one of the displays and learn about some of the most memorable moments in Olympics history, or the history and culture of the only city in the world to host the Summer Olympics three times.
Special Collections and Rare Books bids a fond farewell to Agnieszka Matkowska. Matkowska has been in residence during the past academic year to consult the Lord collection. The late Albert Bates Lord (1912-1991) was a professor of Slavic and comparative literature at Harvard University best known for his contribution to the understanding of the world’s oral traditions, especially those of the former Yugoslavia. His family donated his library to Mizzou in the Spring of 2011. It comprises a collection of almost 2000 books, articles, and even artifacts, many of which are in the closed stacks of Special Collections and Rare Books. The A.B. Lord Fellowship in Oral Tradition makes these volumes available to international scholars by allowing them to remain in residence at Mizzou for a semester or longer. Matkowska, PhD candidate from Poznan, Poland, was the award’s first recipient.
Snow White's been busy lately. This year alone she’s starring in two movies while also appearing in a television series.
that original tale, while others take a bit of creative license.
Today and yesterday, participants from across campus gathered for the annual 
You can find out more about some of our student and faculty patrons in our 
