Catharine I.

Catharine I., wife of Peter the Great, and Empress of Russia. She was a peasant's daughter, and her original name was Martha Skavrouska. The date of her birth is about 1680. Being left an orphan, she was brought up chiefly by a Lutheran pastor, Glück, in Marienburg, Livonia. In 1702 she married a Swedish dragoon, but Marienburg being taken by the Russians in the same year, she was made prisoner, and became the mistress of Prince Menschikoff. She then attracted the notice of Peter the Great. In 1703 she went over to the Greek Church, and took the name of Catharina Alexievna. After being for some years the emperor's mistress, she was privately married to him in 1707; and the marriage was publicly avowed in 1711. When Peter the Great and his army seemed entirely in the power of the Turkish army on the Pruth in 1711, Catharine, according to the common account, managed by skilful bribery to procure the deliverance of the Russians. Catharine was now received into greater favour than ever, and was solemnly crowned in 1712. The story, however, does not rest on sufficient evidence. At any rate Catharine continued to enjoy her high position till the death of Peter in 1725. The new party con- cerned in promoting the reforms of Peter the Great supported Catharine's claim to be his successor, and she was acknowledged Empress and sole Ruler of All the Russias. Under Menschikoff's direction, the affairs of government went on well enough for a time; but the empress ere long began to yield to the influence of a number of favourites, addicted herself to drunkenness, and lived such a life as could not fail to hurry her to the grave. She died 17th May 1727. See PETER.