Catherine I of Russia

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Catherine I (In Russian: Екатерина I Алексеевна) (April 15, 1683/1684 – May 17,1727), the second wife of Peter the Great, reigned as Empress of Russia from 1725 until her death. She also functioned as co-ruler with her husband from 1724 until his death early in the next year.

Catherine was born in Jakobstadt (Jekabpils), in present-day Latvia. Originally named Marfa Skavronska, she was the daughter of Samuil Skavronski, a Lithuanian peasant. She worked as a servant to minister Gluck of Marienburg before marrying, at the age of 17, a Swedish dragoon. Russian forces captured Marienburg and forced Marfa to work in the laundry of the victorious regiment.

Later sent to Prince Aleksandr Menshikov, the best friend of Peter the Great, she became his mistress. In 1703, while visiting Menshikov at his home, Peter met Marfa, and shortly after he took her as his own mistress. In 1705, she converted to Orthodoxy and changed her name to Yekaterina Alexeyevna. She married Peter in February of 1712. Together they had 11 children, all of whom died in childhood except for Anna and Yelizaveta:

Despite the scandalous Mons Affair, Peter made Catherine Tsaritsa and joint ruler in 1724. He died (28 January 1725 (Old Style) without naming a successor, which encouraged the guards regiments to proclaim Catherine as the ruler of Russia, giving her the title of Empress. The real power, however, lay with her former lover, Menshikov, and with the Supreme Privy Council. Catherine was the first royal owner of the Sarskoje Selo estate, where the Catherine Palace bears her name.

Preceded by:
Peter I 		Empress of Russia
1724–1727
with Peter I 1724-1725
De-facto ruler Prince Alexander Menshikov 1725-1727 		Succeeded by:
Peter II
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