The story of one of history’s powerful rulers, “Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman” (Random House; $35), demonstrates how by her determination and inner strength and a coterie of loyal supporters Catherine became empress of Russia. Robert K. Massie gives a detailed insight into the lives of the movers and shakers of an intriguing era in European history. With a storyteller’s skill, Massie vividly describes the people surrounding Catherine and draws the reader into a milieu that, while historically accurate, reads like a thriller with its conspiracies, intrigues, ill will and vengeful machinations.

Early chapters in the book describe Catherine’s childhood, her ambitious and scheming mother and the future ruler’s own attraction to scholarship, scientists and philosophers of the Enlightenment. Her marriage in 1745 to the heir apparent to Russia’s throne, Peter, remained unconsummated during the first nine years, and Massie depicts the confusion and doubts of the teenage victims of overpowering and ambitious elders. He also shows how Peter’s ties to Prussia were stronger than his loyalty to Russia and his ambivalence toward Empress Elizabeth, who had designated him her heir. This Peter, by the way, is not to be confused with an earlier Peter – the reforming ruler Peter the Great (1672-1725).

As time passed, Peter and Catherine drifted further and further apart and enmity and rivalries mounted. Elizabeth, Peter’s aunt, seemed to see no need to change the succession, so Peter would follow her on the throne as Peter III. In the royal household, while Peter talked of a separation to marry his mistress, Voronstova, Catherine made use of her adherents to report every shard of news and gossip on Peter’s activities. She, too, had lovers. To one admirer, she was a levelheaded politician; to another, a warm-blooded caring woman; to a third, an intellectual admirer of the Enlightenment.

Meanwhile, she bided her time, cultivating a rapport with the ailing Elizabeth, whom Peter had tried to poison against Catherine. At Elizabeth’s state funeral, Catherine, wearing black but neither jewelry nor crown, knelt before the bier, apparently lost in grief. Massie observes: “Catherine was there in part out of respect but also because she understood that there was no better way to appeal directly to the people than with this demonstration of humility and apparent devotion.” Peter’s behavior, in contrast, was reprehensible; he resisted conforming to the customs of the Russian Orthodox Church regarding death and acted the buffoon, delighting in shocking those there for a solemn procession to the mausoleum.

Upon his accession to the throne, Peter quickly made enemies when he interfered with the politics of rival regimes in Prussia; Austria and France. With one bad decision after another and his arrogance, it was clear that Peter had to be dealt with. Peter, however, was determined to bring Catherine to her knees. One of her supporters, Capt. Passek, was arrested when rumor had it that there was a plot to depose Peter. Although Peter dismissed the idea that the Russians would prefer Catherine to himself, Passek was to be put on trial. News of Passek’s arrest alarmed the principal conspirators; he might be tortured to reveal names, and that meant the conspirators had only a few hours to act. Catherine must be brought back to the capital and proclaimed empress without waiting for the arrest and deposition of Peter. Her formal coronation took place later.

Peter learned that Catherine, at the head of a large military force, was marching toward him. Hearing this, he wrote a letter to Catherine in French, apologizing for his behavior, and offering to share his throne with her. She did not answer and forced him to abdicate. Soon, Peter died in what was believed to be a drunken brawl with some of his officers; the circumstances and the degree of responsibility of those involved never can be known, but in any case, Catherine was innocent of complicity.

The last half of the book deals with Catherine’s successful 34-year reign over an empire, the largest on Earth. Her decrees were law for her 20 million subjects. She had to overcome the onus of being deemed a usurper by foreign governments, and even though a shrewd judge of character, she also had difficulty pleasing some of her friends. Massie tells how magnanimous Catherine was toward former opponents, never retaliating against former personal or official adversaries.

During her life, Catherine never waivered in her belief that an absolute monarchy was better suited to the needs of the Russian Empire than rule by a small group of permanent secular and religious officials. Catherine wrestled with the issue of serfdom for much of her reign, but financial pressures and pragmatism kept her from any action.

The book includes maps, 17 color plates, notes, a bibliography and acknowledgements.

Robert K. Massie was born in Lexington, Ky., and studied U.S. history at Yale and European history at Oxford, which he attended as a Rhodes Scholar. He is author of six previous histories, one of which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for biography.