Catherine I of Russia

Catherine I of Russia was a ruler in Russia from 1725 until 1727. She was the first woman to rule over Imperial Russia and is often confused with Catherine II of Russia, also known as Catherine the Great. Catherine I is not the same person and ruled prior to Catherine the Great.

Catherine I was born in 1684 with the name Marta Helena Skowronska. The exact place of her birth is unknown, but it is said to be in the Balkans region. She was born to peasants who died of the plague and was raised by a pastor and his wife. Catherine I was married to a Swedish dragoon when she was still a teenager. The marriage only lasted a few days because the area where she lived was besieged by the Russian army. She was taken by a field marshal who ended up taking her back to Russia with him.

Once Catherine I arrived in Russia, she was traded to the household of Count Aleksandr Menshikov, an advisor to Emperor Peter the Great, and this is how they came to meet each other in 1705. Catherine I converted to Orthodox Christianity, and that is when her name changed from Marta to Catherine Alexeyevna.

Catherine I was the mistress of Peter the Great for several years before the two were married in 1707. Their initial marriage was a secret, and the two officially married in 1712. By that time, Catherine I had already given birth to several children, including daughters Anna and Elizabeth. In total, Catherine I and Peter the Great had twelve children, but only the aforementioned two survived to adulthood, with many of the children dying at birth or during infancy.

Catherine I remained married to Peter the Great until his death in 1725. Prior to his death, Peter the Great did not name a successor, and Catherine I, along with Prince Alexander Menshikov, staged a coup so she could gain control. It was then that she was named Empress of All Russia. Her reign lasted two years, during which a special council that was led by Prince Alexander Menshikov truly held power and made decisions. Catherine I died in 1727 in Saint Petersburg and is buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral next to her husband.