Catherine I

Catherine I (April 15 1684 – May 17 1727), the second wife of Peter the Great, reigned as Empress of Russia from 1725 until her death in 1727. Voltaire proclaimed that Catherine’s life was just as extraordinary as her husband Peter’s.

Originally named 'Marta Skowrońska', some speculate that she came from Lithuania, (there are no surviving documents to confirm) and was one of four children in a Catholic household. Her father died of the plague when she was three. Pastor Glück took in Marta. He was a Lutheran pastor who made no effort to educate her, instead treated her as a household servant. She remained illiterate throughout her life. Glück was able to rid himself of Marta by marrying her off. Her new husband was a Swede dragoon and only a few months later, the Swedes were compelled by the Russians to evacuate. She became a prisoner and sold eventually landing in the household of Prince Menshikov. It was through Menshikov that Marta met and fell in love with Peter the Great, his best friend.

Marta begot a daughter with Peter named Catherine, after which Peter no longer hid his affair with Marta. She was invited into the Orthodox Church, where she was rechristened Catherine Alekseyevna. Catherine and Peter married secretly in 1707 and they were publicly married in 1711. The tsar had to divorce his first wife, the tsarina Eudoxia, to allow a public marriage. Together they had nine children, two of which survived into adulthood, Yelizaveta (born 1709) and Anna (born 1708). During 1703 Peter and Catherine lived in a log cabin while he was moving his capital to St Petersburg acting as if they were a ‘normal’ family. Their relationship was very loving and affectionate. A great number of their love letters still exist.

Peter died on January 28, 1725 with no named heir to the throne. A coup was arranged in which Catherine was proclaimed the ruler of Russia. They gave her the title of Empress.

During Catherine's reign the Verkhovny Tainy Sovyet, or supreme privy council, was created. This strengthened the executive power by concentrating affairs into the hands of a select few.

Catherine was the first woman to rule Imperial Russia. She was the first of many in a century dominated by women, including her own daughter. Her tax relief policies on the peasantry led to the reputation of Catherine I as a just and fair ruler. Catherine died on the 16th of May 1727. It is not known what caused her early demise.