During the turbulent 18th century, few leadership positions in Europe were as dangerous as the Russian throne. Yet Catherine the Great – empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796 – managed to navigate this position of peril with aplomb. How did she succeed where so many others failed? AdIn this episode, historian, author and broadcaster Simon Sebag Montefiore talks to Mike Soutar about the remarkable powers of leadership that Catherine harnessed to shore up her authority, and why her networking sills remain an invaluable asset two centuries later. Watch below or listen to the full interview, ad-free:AdFor more on the life of Catherine the Great, don’t miss our curated collection of articles, podcasts and videos