Catherine I of Russia (1684)

Originally a Baltic peasant named Martha, Catherine was captured by Russian soldiers in 1702. That same year, she became the mistress of Peter I. In 1703, after the birth of their first child, she was received into the Russian Orthodox Church and rechristened Catherine. She married Peter in 1712, and in 1724 he had her crowned tsarina and joint ruler. When Peter died in 1725 without naming a successor, she served two years as empress of Russia until her death. How did she and Peter meet? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

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