Елизавета Петровна. Императрица, не похожая на других

Francine-Dominique Lichtengan is a well-known French historian specializing in 18th century Russia, lecturer at the Sorbonne, author of numerous scientific monographs. Elizabeth Petrovna. She was called "the spark of Peter the Great" - is it flattery or truth? In this biography of one of the most significant women not only in Russian but also in world history, Francine-Dominique Lichtengan, who used many previously unpublished documents in her work on the book, creates a portrait of a strong, multifaceted personality and a brilliant ruler. Elizaveta Petrovna for the first time in European history abolished the death penalty, issued decrees that equalized women's rights with men, preached advanced - even according to our time - norms of urban planning, diplomacy and environmental protection. So why did Elizaveta Petrovna remain in the memory of her descendants as simply a "merry queen", who most of all loved holidays and entertainment? Is its role in Russian and European history deliberately or not underestimated?