Alexander becomes emperor

On 16 November 1796, Catherine rose early in the morning and had her usual morning coffee, soon settling down to work on papers; she told her lady's maid, Maria Perekusikhina, that she had slept better than she had in a long time. Sometime after 9:00 she was found on the floor with her face purplish, her pulse weak, her breathing shallow and laboured. She died the following evening around 9:45pm. Catherine's son Paul succeeded to the throne. He reigned until 1801 when he was assassinated. Alexander I succeeded to the throne on 23 March 1801 and was crowned in the Kremlin on 15 September of that Year.