Ekaterina Alekseevna

Her real name was Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya. She was born into a peasant family, according to some sources, into the family of a Latvian peasant, Samuil Skavronsky, according to others, into the family of a Swedish quartermaster named Rabe. She spent her youth in the house of Pastor Gluck in Marienburg (now the city of Aluksne in Latvia), where she worked as a laundress and cook. She did not receive an education. In 1702, after the capture of Marienburg by Russian troops, Marta became a trophy of war and ended up in the convoy of Field Marshal Boris Sheremetev, and then with Prince Alexander Menshikov. In 1703, Peter I took Marta away from the prince and placed her in the village of Preobrazhenskoye, where she converted to Orthodoxy and was named Ekaterina Alekseevna. Catherine had influence on the Tsar, but she never took direct part in resolving political issues. Catherine I ruled for a short time - from 1725 to 1727. Some events of her reign: • In February 1726, the Supreme Privy Council was created under the Empress - an advisory body that actually governed the country. • During the reign of Catherine I, the Imperial Academy of Sciences was opened, the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky was established, and an alliance with Austria was concluded. Catherine I gave birth to 11 children for Peter I, but almost all of them died in infancy. Only two daughters survived - Anna and Elizabeth. Peter I sincerely loved Catherine and considered her his only close person. She knew how to extinguish her husband's outbursts of anger and calm him down during migraine attacks.

• Born: April 15, 1684, Krustpils Catherine I (née Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya) was a woman of low birth, uneducated, not distinguished by beauty or refined manners

However, Catherine had a lively and easy-going character. She was energetic, calm, kind, modest, simple and straightforward in her dealings with people. Catherine was called a field wife. She accompanied Peter I on all military campaigns and trips, slept on a hard bed, lived in a tent, ate what they gave her and sat astride a horse like a man. The common people valued Catherine for her responsiveness and ability to sympathize with grief. She learned to speak Russian when she lived in Moscow under the patronage of Peter I's sister, Princess Natalia Alekseevna.

pleasant plumpness, white complexion with a touch of natural, slightly bright blush, small black eyes, long and thick hair of the same color, beautiful neck and hands, meek and very pleasant expression. Wore dresses with whalebone corsets. Dresses that were shorter, lighter and more comfortable than traditional Russian outfitsCorsets were used to make the waist appear thinner and the bust more lush. Wealthy ladies had a corset covered with silk and trimmed with buttons, lace and ribbons. Dresses were long, with wide flared skirts. Seams and stitching were also used to emphasize the shape of the body. Wide ribbons and bows, embroidery with geometric, floral or animal patterns were popular as decoration for clothing. During the colder months, dresses were trimmed with fur: fur collars, cuffs and decorative fur elements. Bright, saturated colors were used in dresses. Among headdresses, trilises were popular - hats with a triangular top, boulets - high hairstyles with a lot of hair, decorated with ribbons and lace, as well as hats with large brims. Outfits were complemented with necklaces, tiaras, bracelets, belts, buckles for dresses and shoes. An integral part of a woman's dress was a wide bell-shaped skirt. To keep it in shape, frames - panniers - were worn under the skirt.

• Energy and calmness. Catherine was able to live in Spartan conditions, endure everyday inconveniences for a long time, and at the same time remained feminine. • Friendliness and simplicity in communication with people. She did not consider herself equal to European queens, but behaved with dignity, realizing the difference in origin. • Endurance. Catherine accompanied Peter I on military campaigns, lived in a tent, slept on the hard ground, and rode horseback with the army for days on end • Influence on her husband. Catherine knew how to calm Peter down, dampen his outbursts of anger, and help during nervous attacks and headaches. • Closeness and friendship. Peter called Catherine “Katerinushka, my dear friend,” and was concerned about her health and the health of their children. However, in 1724 Peter suspected Catherine of adultery with the chamberlain Willim Mons, after which he stopped communicating with his wife. Reconciliation took place only on her deathbed PeterRole in state affairs • Lack of interest in state affairs. Catherine had little interest in governing the country and did not strive for it. • Trust in those close to her. Actual power was concentrated in the hands of Prince Menshikov and the Supreme Privy Council, and Catherine only signed the papers they sent.

At the same time, the empress continued to engage in charity work, for example, helping those in need, and influenced the development of the Russian fleet. Reviews of contemporaries • Positive reviews. Contemporaries noted Catherine’s inner tact, modesty, selflessness, mercy and compassion. • Negative reviews: Some observers believed that Catherine was not particularly beautiful and that her behavior sometimes seemed vulgar.

She loved entertainment, enjoyed attending balls and theatrical performances, and organized night celebrations. It is also known that the empress loved feasts; her favorite dish was boiled beef with sauerkraut or pickles. Catherine I also willingly rode a horse and, despite her bulk, looked exceptionally elegant and graceful. The region was devastated, many locals were killed. It was because of such uncontrollable cruelty of Sheremetev that Pastor Gluck went to him, followed by his servants, including the maid Marta. The pastor asked for mercy for his people. In the end, Sheremetev sent him and his servants to Moscow, but kept Marta with him as his mistress. Later, the beauty was noticed by Alexander Menshikov, who was visiting the Field Marshal, and received her as a kind of gift. By the way, there is an opinion that Menshikov and Sheremetev, on the contrary, quarreled over the black-browed beauty, but in the end she still ended up in the house of Peter's comrade-in-arms. Catherine, confident in her husband's heart, laughed at his frequent love affairs, just as Livia laughed at the intrigues of Augustus; but he, too, when telling her about them, always ended with the words: nothing can compare with you."

Still doesn't speak Russian well, for example, he can't pronounce the letter "R"