Born: 15 April 1684, Sweden
Died: 17 May 1727
Country most active: Russia
Also known as: Marta Helena Skowrońska
From Famous Women: An Outline of Feminine Achievement Through the Ages With Life Stories of Five Hundred Noted Women. Written by Joseph Adelman, published 1926 by Ellis M Lonow Company:
Catherine I (1685-1727), Empress of Russia. She was the daughter of a poor Swedish peasant, and left an orphan, received no education, could neither read nor write, and became a servant in the family of a minister named Glück in the town of Marienburg. Here her wonderful beauty and amiable nature attracted many suitors, and at the age of eighteen she married Johan Svendsn, a Swedish dragoon. Six months later the Russians invaded the town, her husband fled, and she became the property of a brigadier-general, named Bauer. He was soon compelled to give her up to his superior, Marshal Sheremetev, who took her in triumph to his mansion in Moscow, when her beauty attracted the attention of Prince Menshikov, the prime minister. He determined to secure Martha, as she was then called, for himself, and by his powerful influence forced Sheremetev to sell her to him for ten thousand rubles. He surrounded her with luxury and indulged her every whim. One night, at a banquet given by Menshikov, the guest of honor was an ill-dressed, rough boor, but a genius, a builder of empire and civilization—Peter the Great, Czar of Russia.
Captivated by her charms, the greatest ruler then on earth appropriated Martha, and gave her the name of Catherine. It is said that he worshiped her, that she was the one woman who meant more to him than a mere toy. His rough magnetism brought out latent and undreamed of mental powers in her. Beneath her illiterate exterior, she was one of the dearest-headed and tenderest of women, and gradually Peter came to rely upon her in all things.
She bore him three children, and maintained her influence over him by her vivacity, activity and good temper. She shared the troubles and fatigues of his campaigns, and frequently calmed the wild outbreaks of his savage temper. In the war with Turkey, when Peter found himself reduced to the extremity of surrendering his army, Catherine saved him by bribing the Turkish grand vizier with her jewels.
Peter proved his gratitude by acknowledging her as his wife, and in 1724 she was crowned empress in Moscow. When Peter died the following year, he designated her as his worthy successor, and for two years she reigned, absolute sovereign of a mighty empire, until her sudden death in St. Petersburg, May 17, 1727.
From Woman: Her Position, Influence and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World. Designed and Arranged by William C. King. Published in 1900 by The King-Richardson Co. Copyright 1903 The King-Richardson Co.:
CATHARINE I, Empress of Russia, was a peasant’s daughter, and her original name was Martha Skavranska. Her parents lived at Ringen, a small village not far from Dorpt, on Lake Vitcherve, in Livonia. The date of her birth was April 15, 1684. Being left an orphan in her fifteenth year, she was brought up chiefly by a Lutheran pastor named 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, and won so much on his affections that he married her; and the marriage was publicly avowed in 1711. Some years prior to this, however, she went over to the Greek Church, and took the name of Catharina Alexievna.
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, through skillful bribery, procured the deliverance of the Russians. From this time forth she was received with great favor and was solemnly crowned in 1712.
On the death of Peter the Great, in 1725, she was acknowledged Empress and sole ruler of all the Russians. She showed herself worthy of this high station by completing the grand designs which her illustrious consort had begun. The first thing she did on her accession, was to cause every gallows to be taken down, and all instruments of torture to be destroyed. She instituted a new order of knighthood, and performed many actions worthy of a great mind.
She was much beloved for her great humanity, but ere long began to yield to the influence of a number of favorites, addicted herself to drunkenness, and lived such a life as could not fail to hurry her to her grave.
Sho died May 17, 1727. Her daughter—Elizabeth — became empress.