“Power means nothing without the trust of the people.”
— catherine the_great
Catherine wrote this in her Nakaz in 1767. She came to power through a coup, with no legal claim to the throne. She understood that her rule rested not on bloodline, but on the army, the court, and the people accepting her as their ruler. Trust was the only legitimacy she had.
I was brought to a foreign country at 14. I did not speak the language. I did not understand the customs. I did not know who to trust. My husband despised me. The court watched and waited for me to fail. I could have broken. Instead I read. I learned the language. I built alliances. I waited 17 years. Patience is not weakness. Patience is a strategy. If everything is against you right now, do not rush. Prepare. Your moment will come.